Comments on: Super Great: Dee Gordon catches the Royals napping

By: paperlions

paperlions — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 15:42:33 +0000

Oh ye of short memory: http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=17585257&partnerId=aw-5986056512730050527-996

By: yaryers

yaryers — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 00:01:16 +0000

Ted Williams used to do this. Hasn’t anyone seen Little Big League? Surely it’s factually accurate.

I did this once in Little League with a runner on third. Catchers were always afraid to throw to second with a runner on third. I made it to second, and then I realized there were two outs. If the catcher had realized it, I would have been a dead duck. Good thing Little Leaguers are stupid!

By: CJ

CJ — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 18:15:58 +0000

SEU represent!

By: The Baseball Idiot

The Baseball Idiot — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 17:49:29 +0000

Dave Roberts disagrees with that statement.

By: 18thstreet

18thstreet — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 17:19:18 +0000

HAVE YOU EVER listened to the moralizers?

Playing the game the right way requires only advancing to second via sacrifice bunts.

By: hushbrother

hushbrother — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 16:32:26 +0000

Aren’t they on the same team?

By: Jeremy Fox

Jeremy Fox — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 15:42:39 +0000

Yeah, had to teach my pitchers to pay attention too. A few times, I actually had the pitcher throw the ball to the first baseman after a walk, so that the walked batter couldn’t suddenly round first and head for second. Of course, he’d just steal second on the next pitch anyway…

By: paint771

paint771 — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 15:25:39 +0000

Marco Scutaro did this in a regular season game for Toronto a few seasons ago. Moseyed over, looked around, confused, walked for a bit, then broke into a run and got the bag.

By: Kevin S.

Kevin S. — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 15:13:32 +0000

Ah, this brings back memories to the only moments of glory I had in Little League.

By: randomdigits

randomdigits — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 15:02:50 +0000

It’s a long season, I wouldn’t be surprised to see someone be forgetful.

By: churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged

churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 15:00:15 +0000

Had a teammate in little league who would turn every walk into at least a triple, maybe a HR. Walk to first, and then about 3 steps away he’d take off sprinting for second. Considering we were all terrible, pitcher would throw the ball into CF, so he’d take third. If the throw to third was overthrown, he’d sprint home.

By: henryd3rd

henryd3rd — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:53:58 +0000

He should have held that until the regular season. You can bet you’ll not see that happen again when he walks.

By: badmamainphilliesjamas

badmamainphilliesjamas — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:51:44 +0000

The real Flash . . . Dee Gordon + Davey Lopes = watch out!

By: cmutimmah

cmutimmah — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:51:19 +0000

I’ve taught fast high schoolers to do this in the past. Gotta time it right, right when they step on the rubber. Most lefties drop their head down and look at the ground as they plant that foot, then they extend their leg to get in the ‘ready” position. After about a second they look at the runner then to home. It’s a tendancy thing for most lefties. A lot of times, the first baseman isn’t even looking at the runner at this time because they are still setting up to hold the runner. You get a good jump, and the second baseman would have to out run you to the bag, catch the ball, and tag you while running. With the right speed, this is a very low probability of success with the pitcher rushing (but cautious of the balk), the throw having to be on target to a moving player, the catch being made on the run, and the tag needing to happen almost simultaniously.

I was a chubby first baseman who perfected the art of the delayed steal… I wish I was blessed with the natural speed that some of these guys have. It would have been a LOT of fun.

however, I consider Dee Gordon to be an infielding version of Juan Pierre. OFs are going to move in on him, and most of his hits won’t leave the infield.

That was impressive speed though!

By: Bar None

Bar None — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:49:58 +0000

If time wasn’t called, the ball is live. I had a team do this in little league on every walk. I had to teach my pitchers and infielders to pay close attention.

By: phukyouk

phukyouk — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:38:39 +0000

Holy Jesus he’s fast. it kind of reminds me of the greatest steal in recent memory when Damon stole second in the WS and then popped up and ran to 3rd cause noone was covering.

By: Bryz

Bryz — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:38:32 +0000

How could someone see this as being an unwritten rule violation? If they’re giving you 2nd base, you take it!