I’ve said for a long time that making outs at third base is one of the most stupid plays in sports. The risk/reward of trying for third is very unfavorable. I’ve said that if I was a manager, I’d give my team these rules, and let them know that they would be benched for not complying.
- Sliding to first base after hitting the ball unless it’s to avoid a tag.
- Attempting to steal third base (unless you’re Rickey Henderson).
- Trying to take third base when the ball gets away from the catcher, unless you can basically go in standing up.
The Cubs lost a game about a week and a half ago in part by doing this. Zobrist homered to lead off the game, and then Heyward doubled. One out later, Heyward was thrown out at third on a steal attempt. Strasburg was pitching for the Nationals, and only gave up one run in 6 innings. Running out of this inning likely cost them the game or contributed to the loss, as the Cubs lost in 12 innings.
4 games later, the Cubs, having just swept the Pirates 3 games, were losing to the Cardinals 3-2 in the bottom of the 9th inning, and had runners on first and second with one out. The ball got away from the catcher, Almora tried to advance from second to third, and was thrown out. The next batter (Zobrist) singled (although no one knows what he would have done had Almora still been on second), but that only made it first and third, and the Cubs lost. Zobrist was 2-4 prior to that at-bat and hitting over .310, so it made no sense to try to take third unless it wouldn’t have been close. Again, attempting to take third might have cost them the game.
This game started the Cubs on a losing streak that today reached 6 of 7, so games like this can have an impact. In addition, the Cardinals came into the Cub series having been swept and well behind the Cubs in the standings, so a 9th-inning rally in the first game could have been demoralizing to the Cardinals. Washington was the team behind the Cubs in league record, and the Cardinals are behind the Cubs in the division, so these losses were to key rivals.
I saw two other games in this time span where attempted steals of third failed and cost the teams, ruining promising innings. I have no idea why managers think trying to steal third is a good play. In my opinion, unless it won’t be close, don’t try to take third.
Another thing I don’t understand is when a batter gets a hit to drive in a run and then is thrown out at second because he thinks the throw is going home. You’ve just scored a run (or more), you just got a hit, you have momentum and the pitcher is struggling, and you’re going to run into an out to help the opponent?