Baserunning Fiasco (May 24 @ MIA)

[crossface21]

Gomez basically calling out Braun saying it was his fault for not scoring. This has all the makings of a good/great season going south. I've always liked Gomez, but I really hope his rocketing popularity isn't putting him the ranks of a being a diva/douche bag. Gomez should have never been going and you never make the 3rd out at 3rd base. I think they teach that in Little League. I understand he wants to be aggressive, but he needs to be smart as well.

 

From Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel:

 

Miami - Beyond letting a winless pitcher beat them in a frustrating 2-1 loss to Miami on Saturday, the Brewers in essence forfeited a run in the sixth inning with bad base running. With Ryan Braun on second base and Carlos Gomez on first and two down, Mark Reynolds singled to left field for what should have been an easy run batted in.

 

With Braun headed home, Gomez aggressively tried to take third and was thrown out by leftfielder Christian Yelich. Because Gomez was tagged out before Braun got to the plate, the run was disallowed, which would come back to haunt the Brewers later.

 

Both runners are playing at less than 100% physically, Gomez with a bad back and Braun with oblique tightness. Roenicke said he did not see Braun slow down and indicated Gomez should have held second.

 

“Obviously, it’s a shorter throw for the outfielder to get it to third with the timing of whether he’d throw it to home, which makes it tough,” said manager Ron Roenicke. “When you’re on first, if you think there’s a chance (to be thrown out), you need to pull up.

 

“With the way (Gomez) is running now, it’s not like he normally is. You still have the same instincts but because of the way he’s running now, things change.”

 

Gomez, however, said he was running better than in previous days and expressed surprise that Braun didn’t score before the out at third.

 

“I’m not even running 100% and I make it there before him,” said Gomez. “If you look at the replay, you’re going to find some answers to this. I run the bases like I do every time. I think he’s supposed to score.

 

“I think it’s a good play (by Yelich) because I saw him flat-footed and put his head down and hesitated. That’s a tough throw because most of the time that throw hit the runner. That’s why I make the decision to go to third. That’s how you make things happen. They got me this time. If it happened again, I’d go again.”

[swheeler23]

Nice to throw your teammate under the bus. I know people don't like Braun but Gomez should have stayed on 2nd base.

[trwi7]

100% blame to Gomez here. If you look at the replay Braun didn't slow down, he shortened his step to make sure he touched home plate. Gomez on the other hand was already in scoring position. Be satisfied with 2nd base and the run scoring.

[lcbj68c]

It is what it is. Yelich made the play. Tip of the cap.

[brewcrewdue80]

Is I think he's supposed to score throwing Braun under the bus? I think he could have scored too, Braun wasn't exactly flying around 3b.

 

Watching the replay and Gomez's comments he slid purposely towards the McGehee in an attempt to block the throw like he said normally happens.

 

If he had slid towards the other side of the bag though I wonder if he would have been safe making McGehee have to tag him vs just catching the ball on top of him?

 

This isn't going to ruin the team's playoff potential and create problems in the clubhouse. That's foolish. Gomez will probably watch the tape, realize he was wrong and apologize to Braun behind the scenes and all will be well. They'll both shrug their shoulders and say they can't believe that throw was 110% perfectly placed. that 99 times out of 100 Gomez gets to the bag ahead of the throw that normally isn't even remotely close to the bag. So don't worry about it.

[SoupTown]

My big concern is we are now running up a long list of little boo boos that are costing us games. Playoff teams and managers don't throw away a game a week because of 'oopsies'

 

This habit had better stop. It is sad watching a talented team continually shoot themselves in he foot then say 'oh, well'

[TURBO]

This may be taboo here, but I am starting to feel a bit of dislike for Gomez and his antics.

 

His act will wear thin if this season continues to go South.

 

Making any comment about Braun in that situation is classless. Gomez made another stupid play on the bases, and refuses to take any responsibility...

[valpocrewsader]

It all comes back to Roenicke. Treat outs as waste-able with poor stealing directives/culture and over-zealous use of bunting, and the team collectively has no reverence for each and every one of the 27 outs in a game. Freaking Roenicke...

 

And yep, Gomez has daily 'tootblan' potential 'cos he's a hyperactive and immature baseball player. He's our most valuable player and our wagon is hitched to that star, which kinda stinks.

[PrinceFielderx1]

How about someone teach a pro MLB player in Gomez baserunning 101. He runs the bases like a little league player. Are the Brewers even teaching him this? Gomez is a great ball player, but his base running is keeping him from being elite. I'm all for aggressive, but not stupid, and theirs a huge difference between the two.

[SRB]

Maybe he wasn't "throwing Braun under the bus" but was simply trying to defend himself from the inevitable barrage of 1000x "Gomez is an idiot," "Gomez makes mental mistakes," "Gomez is hot-headed," etc., etc. that follow anytime he does anything remotely not perfect.

 

Honestly, it is bizarre to me since Gomez has been so good the past two seasons that he is still nitpicked so much. How many other MVP-caliber players have people pontificate on how he doesn't know how to swing right, and things like that?

 

I think maybe it's because he was initially so bad offensively that people still feel they have license to blame him for everything. (I'll leave deeper sociological/political theories for not on here.)

[JohnBriggs12]

It all comes back to Roenicke. Treat outs as waste-able with poor stealing directives/culture and over-zealous use of bunting, and the team collectively has no reverence for each and every one of the 27 outs in a game. Freaking Roenicke...

 

And yep, Gomez has daily 'tootblan' potential 'cos he's a hyperactive and immature baseball player. He's our most valuable player and our wagon is hitched to that star, which kinda stinks.

 

Roenicke has always been an advocate of aggressive baserunning. It was still a boneheaded play by Gomez that may well have cost them the game. Sometimes a manager reaps what he sows.

[WV Brew]

Regardless of whether Braun scores or not, never make the last out at 3rd. Isn't that the rule?

[Invader3K]

Was Ed Sedar telling Gomez to hold at second or not? I think that makes a big difference.

[igor67]

Joey 'takes too many pitches' Votto also gets obsessively criticized.

If the throw is slightly worse, and Gomez scores on an infield single or passball then his horrible 'gaffe' wins the game. It's not like he was thrown out by a lot.

[greeg35]

Was Ed Sedar telling Gomez to hold at second or not? I think that makes a big difference.

 

It looked like Sedar was focused on waiving Braun in, then turned and was surprised by seeing Gomez already 3/4 of the way to third. He gave Gomez the stop sign but it was way too late.

 

I attribute this to RRR + Gomez bonehead = bad things. I wish Gomez would not have blamed Braun. More boneheadedness.

[dlk9s]

How about someone teach a pro MLB player in Gomez baserunning 101. He runs the bases like a little league player.

I didn't see the play, but reading Gomez's explanation of his thought process, what he did seems far from a Little League play. Sounds like seasoned pro making a strategic call based on what he was seeing.

[DuWayne Steurer]

 

This isn't going to ruin the team's playoff potential and create problems in the clubhouse. .

 

 

Weeeeeeell.......

 

We've lost 2 games in the past week with absolutely critical bonehead baserunning mistakes that cost the team runs. (Davis getting picked off very likely cost the team a run) and Gomez cost the team a run yesterday. Each loss was a one run game. That's two losses. These VERY WELL could be the difference maker between a playoff spot or sitting home in October.

[DuWayne Steurer]

I love what go-go brings to the table, and I realize that with it comes some over-aggressiveness, but you absolutely, absolutely, absolutely can not get thrown out there. Sure, go ahead and make the last out at third base on occasion when you're 'being aggressive", and it would take a perfect throw to get you, but NOT when the tying run is trying to cross the plate in a low scoring game late in the game. Being aware of game situations is critical, and Gomez failed to do that here.

[lcbj68c]

Didn't hear the soundbite. It doesn't "read" like he blamed Braun.

 

I chuckled at the title. For fiasco, I was expecting a video of a triple play with multiple people crossing each other on the basepaths, similiar to a clown car performance. Instead, Gomez was thrown out by a perfect throw for a single out.

[jerichoholicninja]

Regardless of whether Braun scores or not, never make the last out at 3rd. Isn't that the rule?

 

How about don't make any outs any where? Isn't that a better rule to follow?

[lcbj68c]

New Title (May 25th @ MIA). Too funny!

 

[TooLiveBrew]

Crap!

[PrinceFielderx1]

How about someone teach a pro MLB player in Gomez baserunning 101. He runs the bases like a little league player.

I didn't see the play, but reading Gomez's explanation of his thought process, what he did seems far from a Little League play. Sounds like seasoned pro making a strategic call based on what he was seeing.

 

Not everybody is as fast as he is. He made a stupid mistake. If he payed attention he should have seen Braun wasn't at home plate. A good base runner is aware of his surroundings at all times. Gomez is the worst base runner on the team, when he could be the best, that's alarming.

[HiAndTight]

Gomez basically calling out Braun saying it was his fault for not scoring. This has all the makings of a good/great season going south. I've always liked Gomez, but I really hope his rocketing popularity isn't putting him the ranks of a being a diva/douche bag. Gomez should have never been going and you never make the 3rd out at 3rd base. I think they teach that in Little League. I understand he wants to be aggressive, but he needs to be smart as well.

 

 

 

This is how Gomez plays. He's always made some foolish plays, but he's such a great player you have to live with them. Wish he would have stayed, but he didn't.

 

But as far as this tearing the team apart and making the team go south, I've never believed in that, nor will I ever.

 

Lets say Braun and Gomez hate each other. So what? Are they suddenly not going to try as hard when hitting? Are they going to pull up when they could catch balls in the OF? It's cool when a team has good chemistry, but not necessary in my opinion, a sentiment that's been echoed by numerous players.

 

Baseball is 90% an individual sport. It's a series of one on one matchup's. Pitcher and catcher have to have chemistry and the SS and 2nd basemen have to have a little chemistry, but even then they don't have to like each other. A lot of teams had players who did not like each other. Kent and Bonds come to mind, but obviously there are countless others.

[HiAndTight]

How about someone teach a pro MLB player in Gomez baserunning 101. He runs the bases like a little league player.

I didn't see the play, but reading Gomez's explanation of his thought process, what he did seems far from a Little League play. Sounds like seasoned pro making a strategic call based on what he was seeing.

 

Not everybody is as fast as he is. He made a stupid mistake. If he payed attention he should have seen Braun wasn't at home plate. A good base runner is aware of his surroundings at all times. Gomez is the worst base runner on the team, when he could be the best, that's alarming.

 

 

This is just simply outrageous. If you want to call this a bad base running mistake, the worst of the season..the worst ever, fine. But to suggest he's a bad base runner is inane. Gomez is the best base runner on the team. He's the best base runner the Brewers have had in a long time. For every bad out he makes, he makes 5 very good plays on the base paths with his aggressive nature that puts pressure on the defense leading to bad throws on SB attempts that put him on 3rd.

 

He's stolen 120 bags as a Brewer and has been thrown out 19 times for an 86 pct success rate. That's exceptional. Not counting the times he goes 1st to 3rd, stretches a single into a double, or whatever else.

 

 

If you want to know who the worst base runner on the team is this year, it has GOT to be Khris Davis. But to suggest it's Gomez suggests you allow a few poor decisions to throughout the course of a year to outweigh the massive amount of great plays he makes on the bases. In fact, not only is he not the worst on the team, he's one of the better ones in the league. I'm baffled how you come to the conclusion that he's the "worst," on the team.