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Sunday, September 26, 2010
Is this true, and if yes, is it smart?
From a Willy Mays interview:
You had great numbers, but you weren’t a number guy. Here’s an example of that: You hit a ball in the gap, most people go for a double. In a key situation, with Willie McCovey on deck, you’ll stay at first base so they don’t take the bat out of Willie’s hands. True story?
A: I did that a lot; I did that a lot. ... I wanted Mac to hit all the time. So if I hit a ball in the gap that might be a triple or double or something, but I wouldn’t go, I’d let him hit. In San Diego one day, Clyde King says, “Why don’t you go to second?” Well I said, “I want Mac to hit.” So the next time Mac comes up, he hits the scoreboard in San Diego, that’s way out there. He knocks in three runs.
Now, somehow I am skeptical that he did that a lot. I’ve never seen anyone do that in 30 years of watching thousands of ball games, with hitters like Bonds in the on-deck circle. Never (that I can recall).
And Mays was supposed to be a smart player. Unless he meant that he just enjoyed seeing Mac hit, it can’t be correct for him ever to stop at first when he has a sure double (or triple). If it were, then they would just walk Mac anyway, with Mays on first! That is, of course, if the opposing team KNEW that that was the correct play, and not just Willy. But, all of us (most of us at least) know that it is virtually never correct to IBB anyone with a runner on first.
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