Thursday, October 30, 2014

The Royals Third Base Coach Blew It


Look at the video attached below, and you will see Alex Gordon reach third base standing up before the ball even makes it to the cut-off man. @39 you can clearly see he is more than half-way to third base before the ball leaves the first outfielder's hand. While he's no speedster, Alex Gordon stole 12 bases this year. and he had the advantages of a big running start. To catch him the cut-off man (SS Brandon Crawford) has to make a perfect throw, under pressure, and a throw from the middle of the outfield is no lay-up. Then Buster Posey has to cleanly field the throw and hold on to the ball, while a 220 pound athlete bears down on him. Also not a layup. Meanwhile, all Gordon has to do is run in a straight line. The odds were heavily on his side. The third base coach should have sent him.

MATH:
  • The ball reaches Crawfords hands in 13 seconds (see the video :04 - :017)
  • Gordon reaches third base in 11 seconds (see the video :51-1:02)

That means Gordon can be two seconds down the base path toward home BEFORE Crawford touches the ball! And remember it took him to 11 seconds to reach third only because he slowed down. Had he been running at full speed he could have been more than half way down the base path before the ball reached Crawford!

10/29/14: Alex Gordon rips a single to center, then takes third base on an error by Gregor Blanco
M.MLB.COM


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