Big Papi on pace for all time record
Contributing Writer
I am betting you were just like me on May 22, watching the Red Sox playing the White Sox when it happened.
I blinked.
I rubbed my eyes.
Really?
Was it possible?
With a man on second for the Red Sox, the White Sox put on the shift for the hitter moving most of their players towards the right field side of the diamond. Their third baseman was positioned almost in line with the Red Sox base runner leading off of second base, just behind him actually.
The pitcher barely gives the runner a look, begins his move towards home plate to throw, when the runner breaks for third base. The runner is none other than David Ortiz, our Big Papi rolls into third standing up and a big smile on his face.
I rubbed my eyes.
Really?
I had to jump on the Internet and look up the statistics on this and it turns out the last time he stole a base was June 21, 2011 against the Padres. Bless my stars, I was alive to see Big Papi do it again.
Maybe this would be his last base stolen for the Red Sox?
Then last Sunday against the Cleveland Indians, he is on second again, the shift is put on again and he breaks for third! I am out of my seat here and cheering, "Go Papi, Go!" as he coasts into third standing up with a big smile on his face.
Now I am sure most of the veteran writers for the Red Sox did not catch this, but Big Papi has stolen two bases in May. He has added a new weapon to his bag of tricks since coming back from his Achilles injury, blinding speed from second base to third. This is not a simple steal, this is a cat like reflex together with cunning to both lead off far enough and to guess on your jump before the pitcher notices you are gone.
Papi has mastered this, I am certain of it.
So with a bit of statistical analysis, extrapolated going forward, knowing now that Big Papi has been working on his third base stealing techniques on the sly, we have the following:
- he has 2 stolen based in May
- he has never stolen 2 bases in any month, ever
- he has only once ever stolen more than 1 base in a season, in 2007 he snatched 3
- he stole these 2 bases with 11 doubles to his name
- he is #5 on the all time list of Red Sox players to hit doubles
The amazing results, again you heard it here first, are that Big Papi is on course to steal a whopping 10 bases this year.
I can't wait for him to hit another double, that is when I will be out of my chair waiting for him to break for third...
Post a comment or via twitter @ericschabell with your thoughts.
More by Eric D. Schabell
