Games » Toronto Blue Jays
Jun9How Mitch Maier helped win the game
Lee Judge
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Lots of people helped win this game, and you’ve probably already read about them. But what Mitch Maier did in the third inning should not be overlooked.
With Matt Treanor on second, Alcides Escobar on first and the score 0-0, Maier laid down a bunt. At first it looked good, but Toronto’s catcher, J.P. Arencibia, came out from behind the plate and made a good play to gun down Treanor at third. When a player attempts a bunt and fails, he’s mad at himself. He’s giving away a plate appearance for the good of the team, fails and hurts his average at the same time. It does not put you in a good mood.
So Maier is on first, probably disgusted with himself (I know he wasn’t very happy with the bunt), and Melky Cabrera grounds into a tailor-made double play. Except Maier hustled, got down to second and took out the Blue Jays’ pivot man. If Mitch had been moping and feeling sorry for himself, he wouldn’t have given that kind of effort.
So instead of being out of the inning, the Jays had two outs and runners at first and third. The Royals then scored three runs all because Maier did his job and bought them an extra out in the inning.
The little things mean a lot.
Those three hits
After Maier took out the pivot man, Eric Hosmer, Jeff Francoeur and Billy Butler all walked to the plate, swung at the first pitch and dropped the ball into right field. After the game, Francoeur said they’d noticed the Jays starter, Ricky Romero, was getting ahead with first-pitch strikes and then working off the plate with breaking stuff.
So after this pattern was established in their first at-bat, they went to the plate in their second at-bat looking to jump on the first pitch.
Their mini-ambush worked and got the Royals the three runs they needed to win.
And, by the way, it was probably the right call to send Francoeur home to end the third. He was thrown out at the plate, but Wilson Betemit was on deck. Betemit was hitting .237 right-handed coming into the game, and there were two outs in the inning. So if Eddie Rodriguez sends Francoeur home 10 times and he’s safe only three times, that’s still better than holding the runner up and letting Betemit hit.
(A heads up: Eddie Rodriguez came out early and did some terrific videos on what he has to do at third base. We’re cutting them up into a five-part miniseries and will post a new one every few days once they’re ready.)
Hosmer on his own
If you were yelling at your TV…wait, no TV…OK, if you were yelling at your radio when Hosmer led off the eighth with a bunt-for-a-hit attempt, rest assured that didn’t come from management. Hosmer came to the plate, saw the third baseman back and over toward short and figured he could lead off the inning with a hit if he pushed the bunt past the pitcher. He didn’t get it done, but at least he’s thinking like a team player.
Wait, maybe Treanor won the game
Fourth inning, pitch in the dirt with a runner on third, and Matt blocked it. Always worth noting this play, particularly in a one-run win. After the game, Treanor showed me where he got hit on the ankle with a 94-mph fastball. That bruise is right below the old one on his shin. That’s why he’s got that small shin guard on his left leg. He’s got a bump there that he says will go away in about a year. I’d never fight a catcher: where could you hit them that would bother them?
A couple more points of interest
Maier created a double in the fifth inning by going hard out of the box on what looked like a single. The center fielder was moving sideways and slightly away from second when he picked up the ball, and the Royals’ base runners have been taught to advance when they see that.
In the seventh, Escobar was in a bunt situation after Treanor led off the inning with a single. Look for the pitcher to go over to first in a bunt situation, but pay attention to what the hitter does. The defense is not trying to pick off the runner; it’s trying to get the batter to show bunt. Escobar did, the Jays adjusted their defense, but Escobar still got it down despite making the mistake of revealing the Royals’ intentions.
And finally, Mike Aviles
You’ve all heard by now — Mike Aviles was sent down and Mike Moustakas is coming up. Aviles has scuffled defensively and, this season, offensively. Aviles has never had a permanent defensive position, but always kept himself in the lineup with his bat. That hasn’t been happening this year.
Aviles didn’t do himself any favors in this game, getting picked off and failing to turn a double play that could’ve gotten the Royals out of the fourth inning with no damage. Even worse, he didn’t attempt the double play but chose to eat the ball. Apparently, he’s been encouraged to take a shot on those plays and rely on Hosmer’s glove if it’s a bad throw.
When Chris Getz came out to play second in the top of the ninth, I wondered what was up. I haven’t seen Ned Yost make that kind of defensive switch late in a game very often.
After the game, Yost said he would’ve pinch hit for Aviles if the game had gone to the bottom of the ninth. Yost said when you’re pinch-hitting for Aviles or making defensive switches to cover for him, it’s time to make a change.
I hope he gets things figured out in Omaha.
Hochevar
Francoeur
Hosmer
Much like with Kila, I think we have seen the last of Aviles in a KC Royals uniform. That is the tough reality of how difficult it is to stay at this level.
My concern at this point is that there is virtually no cover whatsoever for Getz or for Escobar on the bench. I guess Getz moves to short in a pinch, with Betemit covering second if either needs out.
And it is way past time to get Maier into the ballgames a little more often. Would it be so tough to give Cabrera one or two games off per week, and give Francouer one game a week off against a tough right handed pitcher? Mitch has produced amazingly well given how sporadically he is thrown into the mix.
Good luck to Aviles. He's been a good trooper for the club, but this year just hasn't worked out for him. For a kids' game, baseball can be brutal sometimes.
Thanks for pointing out Mitch's strengths as a team player. The little things do matter, and there should always be a place for someone like him.
Barring injury or trade it's going to be Escobar and Getz up the middle. If the need happens to arise where Escobar needs a rest then Betemit will spell him at short. Other than that say hello to our new infield defense of Moustakas, Escobar, Getz, and Hosmer. More realistically, expect Betemit to give Moustakas a break at third. I don't know why I'm talking like I know a lot, sorry if it seems that way. I'm looking forward to Moustakas' debut and I hope he's here to help the Royals for a long time to come!
Let me just say that I am glad I read this in the morning, because the thought of Betemit at short would have had me unable to sleep at night.
I'll post more in a moment, but just a reminder that the games are West Coast this week and I may not be posting until the next morning for a while.
This is the downside of the big leagues, great when you're going good, brutal when you scuffle.
The post-game press conference with Yost was delayed a long time so we knew something was up. They came in, made the Aviles announcement, which overshadowed the game. We were told the bus left in about 20 minutes so we'd have to be quick in the clubhouse.
When I talked to Chris Getz it was clear he didn't know Aviles had been sent down.
That's how fast this stuff happens. His own teammates didn't know what was going on and why everyone was gathered around Mike.
By the way, when this stuff happens the player involved has the option of ducking the media. They can hide out in the trainer's room until we leave, but Mike stayed out to talk with everybody. Not an easy situation and he handled it with class.
Anyway, we were told that Betemit was the back-up shortstop, but this takes a pretty healthy bat out of the line-up most days. So you've got two DH-type players (Betemit and Butler) and no true utility infielder. I try not to play GM, but I wouldn't be surprised to see more changes.
Of course, I didn't think they'd ship Aviles until they had another utility guy, so what do I know?
As for Maier playing more, I've wondered about that myself, but when I asked Mitch he said it would start happening when it got hot and guys needed a break.
Just when I think you couldn't possibly be any dumber, you go and do something like this… and totally redeem yourself!
^ | | Just thinking that Maier was telling himself that when he broke up the double play...
The inning that killed me was after the Royals got their runs, Hoch walks their first guy. I hate free passes to start the inning. I hate them with two outs. And I think I even hate them with 1 out.
We did give away that run at the plate. We saw Bautista's arm for a few plays in a row. Yet Frenchy got sent and was out by a mile.
Lastly, Jack threw strikes, and eventually got out of it. But what was up with that pitch that kept kicking out wide? He threw that pitch about 6 times. I know he tried to get them to chase. Jack is still not back!
Tyler: I can't tell if I'm the one that's dumb or it was Mitch: either way, I'm glad someone redeemed himself.
Vinnie: A lot happened, but I was planning on writing about Hochevar's ability to be lights out for 3 innings, implode and then be lights out again.
He often has that one bad inning and walking the leadoff batter is a great way to start it.
I'm still on board with sending Frenchy. It was better than the alternative. There are times those coaches are sending guys, knowing they'll be out if the defense does everything right.
But if the guy on deck is hitting .230 you may have a better chance of a defensive mistake allowing the run and I think that was the case here.
And the pitch you mentioned appeared to be a curve, but he couldn't seem to get it to do what he wanted it to do. Clsoing a game after loading the bases is not ideal.
I'm curious... on the play that Maier leapt for the ball up against the wall? Should that be a mental mistake?
“The wall curves there,” Maier said, “and the ball hit right in front of my glove on the pad. I felt I was right on it. I guess I just ran out of room. I felt I was going to catch it.”
For me, no. It's seems like more of a physical mistake amd maybe not even that. He's racing into the corner, knows he's hit the track and has the wall coming up, but while keeping his eye on the ball doesn't know exactly where he is within the curve.
The guys who miss those catches are more often the ones overly concerned with the wall and not the ball. Mitch just ran out of room.
I try to use mental mistakes for things they should've been able to control, but didn't. Knowing how many outs there are, etc.
Too often last season I'd record a mental mistake, talk to the guy and realize it really wasn't. There was some other factor I hadn't considered.
And the line gets really fine: high throw allows the trail runner to advance. Mental mistake if the outfielder was going after the lead runner and forgot the trail guy, physical mistake if the throw just got away from him while he was trying to do the right thing.
I'd have to agree with you Lee that more moves are forthcoming. It's kinda funny, I was optimistic when they signed Francorcoeur this off season. I saw a guy that could bounce back and the Royals could trade him to capitalize on it. Now i'm almost petrified that may happen. Still, wouldn't be suprised to see Cabrera moved bring mitch off the bench and another utility player in from Omaha. Can we start a Keep Frenchy campaign?
I hope you do start "Keep Frenchy" campaign. He's one of the most popular guys with his teammates, the media and most of all, the fans.
I've seen him go out of his way for fans over and over again.
I heard it's been the same way everywhere he's gone, even New York where things weren't going so well for him.
I asolutely love your articles!! Read this blog religiously every day. I am completely on-board with the "Keep Frenchy" campaign. He is such a polar opposite to Guillen in every single way!! HE is exactly the guy we need to be in that locker room for the next 3-5 yrs, regardless of production.
I am just a novice blogger/writer myself and I wrote about this exact topic on my blog. I would love if you could check it out and give me your thoughts!! Thanks!! Don't let the name scare you. It is legit and "fluffy" was a nickname. www.fluffyballskc.com
Darral: Thank you. I've never been invited to check out a guy's 'fluffyballs' before, but there's a first time for everything. Good luck with the venture.
And you guys need to organize a "Keep Frenchy" sign and T-shirts to wear in the right field corner.
A definite yes to keeping Frenchy. He is the kind of veteran leadership the team of youngsters need, and in addition a good fit for Kansas City fans.
Lee, regarding mental mistake... thanks for the explanation. That makes sense... I should know better than to question the player who just starred in the video about catching fly balls against the wall haha. Save Frenchy.
I had not noticed your grid before this morning Lee. Just curious why you don't include "Holds" in the pitching section (unless I just missed it). I'd consider that nearly as important as a Save, for which you award 6 points.
Don: Just to be perfectly clear, the system was created by Ron Polk and he's the one that awarded saves 6 points.
We took his system and tweaked it just a bit before we started this site in 2010. I spent quite a bit of time on the phone with Ron and one of the things he told me was the system was created over 20 years ago (and has been used by lots of teams since then).
That's why you see all those categories for complete games that rarely get used: pitchers threw more complete games back then.
I didn't want to mess up what he'd created and wanted to check with him before adding anything and he agreed "Quality Starts" would make sense in today's game.
As for 'holds' (finally) I think that one makes sense also, but my mulitple requests to our IT department to add 'balks' still hasn't resulted in a new category.
To be fair, our IT department is two guys trying to meet the needs of every website and website problem the Kansas City Star can generate...and, boy, do we generate them.
So you've got a good point and maybe we can get that done for 2012.