When Bryce Harper got benched for not running out a tapped grounder back to the mound (which I disagreed with the manager's decision), the two schools of thought are a) always hustle and b) don't hurt yourself.
Harper's bench play - - - he got out of the box when the pitcher already had the ball and was throwing to first. There is no reason for Harper, on that play, to sprint down first and risk a hammy injury. But the Nationals manager wanted to set an example, so he pulled Harper from the game. (A columnist later said that move probably cost the team the game as Harper's batting slot came up in a critical time in the 8th and the utility player could not get a hit.)
Fans like players who hustle. It is the physical means of showing that you are giving effort. It is the performance that fans want to see. I get that; but baseball is a long season. You have to play smart, not reckless.
And a few weeks later, Harper is hustling around second to steam into third base. He slides head first and jams his thumb. He is gone to the disabled list for at least two weeks. Now, no one criticized Harper for legging it into third or his slide. But it was his slide that was the problem.
Teams allegedly go to spring training to work on the fundamentals of the game. It is apparent that base running and especially sliding is not taught at the major league level. There really is no reason to slide head first into any base. A runners momentum engine is his legs not his upper body. It actually slows down a player when he dives toward a bag instead of running and sliding with his legs.
Why coaches don't realize this or drill in the base running fundamentals is baffling since offense stats are down, and teams need to manufacture more runs in order to stay competitive.
The golden era of base running had to do with the stealers, like Maury Wills and Ricky Henderson, who can steal 100 bases a year. A single or a walk to an accomplished base runner was like hitting a lead off double every game. But ever since the Steroid Era, the game has shifted to individual stats like HR, RBI, Slugging Percentage - - - the numbers that generate the big money contracts. The wily base stealer is no longer a priority for most major league clubs.
A player who wants to go out and perform at 100% is fine if he has the fundamentals to keep himself from getting hurt. It is like giving your 11 year old the keys to your sports car so he can go a few laps around the block. He may get around the first corner fine, but once he accelerates the odds are he will crash and burn on the next corner.
Some managers and player agents treat their star players like thoroughbred horses. They are pampered until race day when they are whipped into a frenzy. But baseball players should be seen more like work horses who are built not for a mile and half race but a four hour work day.
