Jerry_Manuel
09-09-2001, 10:13 PM
From the Trib:
Jerry Manuel had no answer for Royce Clayton's baserunning gaffe Sunday and didn't bother trying to defend his shortstop.
"I have no idea what [Clayton] was thinking," Manuel said. "Another out given up on the bases—obviously, not a very smart play at all."
With the Sox up 8-7 and two out in the eighth, Clayton hit a chopper to reliever John Rocker, and Rocker's throw to first sailed 20 feet over first base to put Clayton on second.
A four-pitch walk to pinch-hitter Herbert Perry put two runners on with Ray Durham at the plate. Rocker has a reputation of not paying much attention to runners and of falling apart on the mound with wild streaks.
But on this occasion, Clayton tried to steal third before Rocker had gone into his delivery. Rocker simply stepped off the mound with Clayton less than halfway to the bag and gunned him down.
"It's very discouraging," Manuel said. "We made a note to try and not give up as many outs on the bases in the second half. I don't know how well we've done, but it appears as though we give the opposition too many outs on the bases.
"I don't know if Ray would've gotten a hit or not, but Rocker seemed to be in a little trouble at that time. We teach aggressiveness, but not to that degree."
There's seldom a reason to steal third with two outs, as most players learn in Little League.
But the Sox have made the same rookie mistake against Cleveland three times in the last two months, with Jose Valentin getting thrown out in the fifth inning of a 4-3 loss Sept. 1 and Carlos Lee doing likewise in the sixth inning of a 9-4 loss July 18.
"They seem to think they have a chance to gain a base," Manuel said. "It's very tough in the major leagues to just kind of run when [the pitcher] has the ball in his hands. You see those types of mistakes and you wonder what's going on."
Clayton was thrown out at home by 40 feet Friday while trying to score from second on a sharply hit ball, and he allowed an infield single to Kenny Lofton on Sunday when he wasn't aggressive on a ground ball.
The Sox have experienced baserunning mistakes all year, and it may ultimately cost coach Gary Pettis his job. Pettis is supposed to be working with the baserunners and outfielders, but the Sox have struggled in both areas.
Jerry Manuel had no answer for Royce Clayton's baserunning gaffe Sunday and didn't bother trying to defend his shortstop.
"I have no idea what [Clayton] was thinking," Manuel said. "Another out given up on the bases—obviously, not a very smart play at all."
With the Sox up 8-7 and two out in the eighth, Clayton hit a chopper to reliever John Rocker, and Rocker's throw to first sailed 20 feet over first base to put Clayton on second.
A four-pitch walk to pinch-hitter Herbert Perry put two runners on with Ray Durham at the plate. Rocker has a reputation of not paying much attention to runners and of falling apart on the mound with wild streaks.
But on this occasion, Clayton tried to steal third before Rocker had gone into his delivery. Rocker simply stepped off the mound with Clayton less than halfway to the bag and gunned him down.
"It's very discouraging," Manuel said. "We made a note to try and not give up as many outs on the bases in the second half. I don't know how well we've done, but it appears as though we give the opposition too many outs on the bases.
"I don't know if Ray would've gotten a hit or not, but Rocker seemed to be in a little trouble at that time. We teach aggressiveness, but not to that degree."
There's seldom a reason to steal third with two outs, as most players learn in Little League.
But the Sox have made the same rookie mistake against Cleveland three times in the last two months, with Jose Valentin getting thrown out in the fifth inning of a 4-3 loss Sept. 1 and Carlos Lee doing likewise in the sixth inning of a 9-4 loss July 18.
"They seem to think they have a chance to gain a base," Manuel said. "It's very tough in the major leagues to just kind of run when [the pitcher] has the ball in his hands. You see those types of mistakes and you wonder what's going on."
Clayton was thrown out at home by 40 feet Friday while trying to score from second on a sharply hit ball, and he allowed an infield single to Kenny Lofton on Sunday when he wasn't aggressive on a ground ball.
The Sox have experienced baserunning mistakes all year, and it may ultimately cost coach Gary Pettis his job. Pettis is supposed to be working with the baserunners and outfielders, but the Sox have struggled in both areas.