Quote of the Day: Johnny Damon

In Lupica’s column, via CTB reader comeoneman:

“What were you doing going to third?” Damon was asked in the Yankee clubhouse.

Johnny Damon smiled and said, “Trying to keep (Lidge) from throwing a slider.”

And in case you’ve missed the comments in ATH this morning, eagle-eyed and elephant-brained ShysterBall readers recall that Willie Mays and Brandon Phillips both pulled that play off before, stealing against anti-McCovey and anti-Dunn shifts. Please let me know of any others.

Not that it still wasn’t totally cool to see it happen live.


6 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Alex
14 years ago

there was a Yankees-Red Sox game a year or two ago – Melky Cabrera stole second when the Red Sox were in a lefty shift (probably against Giambi). The throw got past the infielder, so Melky went to third – Veritek raced up the line to cover, and Melky realized that home plate was uncovered (and that he could outrun Veritek), so he took off and made it in safely.

bigcatasroma
14 years ago

crap crap CRAP!!!!  Though, my a$$ that’s what he was thinking when he stole third.  “90 feet from home base,” “nobody’s covering,” “Heck yeah I can out run Pedro Feliz” or “I’m a baseball player, and that’s what a good (and somewhat fast) baseball player should do” are the things that he was thinking.  He was *not* thinking, “hmmm, let’s see, if I get to third base, Brad Lidge can’t throw the slider.”  A little 20/20 with the help of ESPN and Buster Olney not shutting up about that (apparent) effect.  Also, Lupica is a weasel.

Mode:Theif and Lair
14 years ago

Dear BigC,

sigh

Sincerely
MTaL

Jacob Rothberg
14 years ago

Not quite the same, but Marco Scutaro caught the Phils napping earlier this season.

http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=5111035

Rusty
14 years ago

On August 1, 1985 Vince Coleman and Willie McGee pulled off a quadruple steal.

It was a normal double steal of second and third, but Coleman overslid or overran third.  Realizing he couldn’t get back, he kept going and somehow made it home safely while McGee took third.

I have to think the defense screwed up somehow, but no errors were charged and each runner was awarded with two steals on the play.

I would love to see video of it, but I can’t find it anywhere.

Tom
14 years ago

I recall Dustin Pedroia did it in 2008 against a Papi shift. Hit second base and kept going without missing a beat.