ALDS Game Five Review: Tampa Bay
Cliff Lee was masterful once again, making it the fourth time (of five matchups) that he struck out double digit Rays. He’s going to be the story of this game (hell, this series) and rightfully so. It’s hard to think Lee isn’t the best pitcher in the American League right now – and that’s not just because only two teams remain.
The other big plays involved baserunning. Let’s give them each a quick look:
1) Elvis Andrus scoring from second on a groundball to first base
Carlos Pena picked up the ball and flipped it to David Price. By the time Price heard Evan Longoria screaming to throw it home, Andrus was successfully across the plate. Rangers up 1-to-0 after three batters. The gain here is .041 despite an out being made on the play. Pretty nifty, considering Andrus also added .035 WPA on his single and .015 on a stolen base.
2) Nelson Cruz scoring from second on an error by Kelly Shoppach
Cruz took the weirdest route of the three. After driving a ball to the deepest portion of the park (and admiring it so), Cruz had to hustle to get into second base after the ball hit off the wall. He then took off for third base on a steal attempt and got up to run home after Shoppach’s throw sailed into left field. Just like that, the Rangers regained the lead. Add .027 WPA on the double and .099 on the steal and further advance.
3) Vladimir Guerrero scoring from second base on a grounder to first base
Price received the ball at first again, but this time argued with the umpire on the safe call before turning and firing home. Guerrero slid in before Shoppach could apply the tag and the most unlikely of events put the Rangers up by two in the sixth. Add .057 on this play.
That’s .206 WPA off baserunning and .477 for Lee, or about 70% of the win.
Congrats to the Rangers, who now advance to the ALCS.
Shoppach was a “joke” yesterday. NOt only had he allowed Cruz to come home, he allowed the “mammoth-paced” Molina to steal second; he allowed Vlad to return home partly because he didn’t position himself to block the plate before the ball was passed, and mainly because Shoppach failed to lead the fielders as a catcher.
A catcher has a significant role to see through all movements on the field due to his better angle on all things. I wonder why Maddon wouldn’t try Jaso, who is a better bat and a quicker mind behind the plate.
Not to compare the two, but stand-alone his late performance as a Ray-man, Shoppach’s day as a catcher seems to be done.
==D==
Agreed. Other than the ridiculousness of Cliff Lee (as a Phillies fan, is it okay to get nostalgic watching a pitcher they only had for 3 months?), what will always stick out to me most about last night is just how bad Kelly Shoppach really was defensively. Cruz got an awful jump from second, but instead of easily eliminating him with any kind of decent throw, Shoppach missed Longoria by a wide margin. Then he stood around and watched in as much amazement as everyone else as Bengie Molina stole second. If the slowest runner in MLB is halfway to second when you catch the ball, you should probably throw him out by a good 10 feet.
I don’t watch Shoppach enough to really comment on his defense, but that was one of the worst defensive performances I’ve seen behind the plate in a long time.
Right after Shoppach threw the ball into LF I flashed back to every Red Sox prospect report I’d read bluntly stating that he was not an every day major league catcher. I also reflected on the impact of the much bruited Beckham over Posey draft choice. More fodder for that debate.
What irritated me the most, and I was pulling for the Rangers, was how Shoppach’s horrendous throw to third let Cruz off the hook for staring at the ball he hit rather than running it out in the first place. He should’ve been on 3rd after hitting the ball, considering how far it bounced away from the fielders, and then, b/c he knew he should’ve been on 3rd, stupidly tried to steal 3rd on the first pitch. He deserved to go straight to the dugout and he did, only stopping at home first.
I don’t think it was all that stupid to try to steal third there based on how big of a lead he was able to get. Price didn’t pay any attention to him. Yes, he should have been at third on the previous at bat, but I thought taking third was a smart play, especially given the chance that a bad throw would allow him to score (which, of course, is exactly what happened).
Very succinct and well-written summary, not to mention a magnanimous one coming from a Rays fan. I’m not a Rays fan, but I was pulling for them, and it was frustrating to see Texas pick their pockets on the base paths not once, but three times. The Kinsler homer actually made the loss easier to swallow, as deflating as it was at the time.
Now, go Rangers…
Yeah, I think Lee and Halladay are probably the best pitchers in baseball right now, hoping we see them matched up …