In Appreciation of Donovan Solano

5 hours ago, rwilfong86 said:

He's been an asset but last night his base running was a costly liability. 

Did you notice what the third base coach was doing? 

12 hours ago, I wish the twins were good said:

I'm sorry but, who cares?

I do

He's hitting the ball surrounded by a lot of people who are not hitting the ball. 

I'm under the impression that the posters who are attacking him are not watching the games. 

37 minutes ago, rwilfong86 said:

There was no way he would have scored on that play so I am not sure what your point is?

There is a third base coach. He's involved. The throw, the relay, the ball is behind Solano. He is going to be completely reliant upon the third base coach because Solano would have to be an owl to see what is going on behind him. 

What was Watkins doing? This is what he is standing in that box for.

Did Solano follow his instructions or did Solano ignore him? 

I get that you have decided it's on the player but I'm asking... what was the third case coach doing?  

2 minutes ago, rwilfong86 said:

Can you show me a clear image of Watkins sending Solano? 

I can't but I'm not hanging Solano. 

1 minute ago, rwilfong86 said:

Pointing out he made a rally killing base running mistake is not "hanging Solano". It's just something he needs to do better next time. 

You called him a "costly liability last night"

This is what was written up in the Strib.

Donovan Solano followed Kirilloff's home run with a single off reliever Mason Englert. But two batters later, when Joey Gallo doubled to right field, Solano was waved home as he neared third base — then suddenly told to stop when right fielder Zach McKinstry's throw reached Báez at short with plenty of time to get him.

1 minute ago, rwilfong86 said:

If you're gonna quote someone at least make the effort in getting the quote correct:

"He's been an asset but last night his base running was a costly liability." 

His base running was the costly liability, not the player himself. 

Again, show me visual evidence or let it go.

My original question was... Did you notice what the third base coach was doing? I meant no ill will at the time... I felt it was an important question because the 3B coach is the eyes. If Solano knew what was happening behind him... then you might be right because he shouldn't be looking behind him. 

No Ill will at the time but now... I've got some Ill Will. 

I get it... HIS base running was COSTLY. According to you. 

I understood what an asset means. 

He's been good but he sure screwed up last night. I understand what you are saying.  

Let's simplify --  We are talking specifically about what happened at 3B last night on the Joey Gallo Double.

You have clearly blamed Solano for it. I am not blaming anyone and you are asking me for video evidence? 

You provide the evidence. 

And yes... I will let it go. 

15 minutes ago, rwilfong86 said:

All of us who played baseball competitively have made base running mistakes, you own it and work to make it never happen again. 

I suggest that you let it go because you are just digging a deeper hole.

All of us who have played baseball competitively (You went there) understand the role of the 3B coach in that situation. 

This started with a simple no ill will important question. Did you notice what the 3B coach was doing? 

I asked because it's important. You don't have that answer, you want me to provide it and you want Solano to own it.

Because I played and coached baseball competitively (You went there). I'm only going to go as far as what I saw.

Solano on 1B with one out. Gallo hits the ball into the RF corner.

The Tigers screwed up first. The 2B wasn't in position for a cut at 3B... he was setting up to be the first cut for a play at the plate. Javier went to cover 2B like he was supposed to do. The RF didn't throw to the cut... He just chucked it toward 2nd base. That was a mistake... you don't do that. You see the ball bounce twice... maybe three times before Baez who had to came off of 2nd base to field it... Baez had to become the cut when he wasn't the cut.

All of us who have played and coached baseball competitively (you went there) know that you don't want the ball to bounce when throwing to a cut so Baez wasn't the cut. Baez had to come off 2nd base to field the errant throw. 

I'm going to state this again because it's important... All of this is happening BEHIND SOLANO. 

I admit that I don't know if Watkins noticed that the cut wasn't in position (I assume he did because that's what 3B coaches are paid to notice when deciding to send a runner or not and I also assume that Solano wouldn't have seen it because he can't see behind him and is relying on his 3B coach like he is supposed to do).

All of us who coached baseball competitively (you went there) would have noticed a cut out of position, a throw from the outfield into open space and a ball that was going to bounce multiple times before anybody got to it. That sequence of events would have probably caused a quick reassessment of the situation. A situation that would have normally been a pretty easy routine standing up into third for Solano.

Based on what I saw and because I played and coached baseball competitively (you went there). I am more inclined to blame Javier Baez for making a great turn and throw with probable help from his catcher who was probably yelling cut 3. I admit that I assume the catcher instructed Javier where to throw because he was facing the other direction when he fielded the ball so he wouldn't have known that Solano and Watkins were having communication problems. 

Bad play by the Tigers that ended up being a great play by the Tigers. Kind of like chipping out of the sand trap straight into the cup. 

I stand here and say... I saw all of that but I didn't see what Tommy Watkins was doing. 

SO I ASKED THE QUESTION with no ill intent... Did you notice what the third base coach was doing. 

I didn't and you didn't either or you would have said... YEAH I DID.

But OMG... I hope Solano owns it. 

Do you want to triple down? Do you want to argue the stuff that I saw with stuff that you didn't?