PHOENIX – Tony Perezchica has been coaching third base for the Arizona Diamondbacks since 2017.
"This year I think I've gotten more guys thrown out at home plate," he said a day before the team hosted its first World Series game since 2001. The once-110-loss team is finally good , andattack. That's kind of, like, the model of what we do now. We just can't be thrown out by 30 feet. If it's a close play — bang, bang — hey, sometimes you gotta take those chances."
But under the magnifying glass that is October baseball — when runs are at a premium and every loss is dissected for signs of institutional failure — third-base coaches can suddenly seem like the difference-makers. Or, perhaps we should say: They're suddenly recognized as the difference-makers they always are.
Or, as Atlanta Braves third-base coach and former Rangers manager Ron Washington put it: “You either got to make your decision and live with it, or you make your decision and die with it. And if you worried about making a decision, you're never gonna make the right decision.”“Tough skin,” Beasley said, “because you're going to get second-guessed no matter what.”
Gary Pettis, third-base coach for the Houston Astros, expounded further. “You have to know the speed of your runners. And then you have to rely on their instincts and be able to recognize when they've got the right break on the ball and when they haven't.
“Sometimes you just gotta take a shot because the pitcher is nasty, and you’re not going to get back-to-back hits,” Beasley said.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Diamondbacks dominate Rangers 9-1 in Game 2 of 2023 World SeriesArizona pitcher Merrill Kelly fanned nine Rangers in a dominating outing in Game 2 of the World Series, evening the series at 1-1.
Read more »
World Series 2023: What we've learned about Rangers, D-backsWith a day off before the Rangers and D-backs shift locations for three games, we break down what we've seen -- and what we should expect from here.
Read more »
How to watch Game 3 of 2023 World Series tonight: time, details, live streamThe series is tied 1-1 and switches to Chase Field in Phoenix.
Read more »
World Series 2023: How intensity drives Rangers' Max ScherzerThe Rangers' World Series Game 3 starter knows he can't bring the heat quite like he used to -- but his intensity hasn't dipped a bit.
Read more »
World Series Game 2: Diamondbacks vs. Rangers score, highlights, news and live trackerWhat a way to start the 2023 World Series.
Read more »
World Series Game 2: Diamondbacks vs. Rangers score, highlights, news and live trackerWhat a way to start the 2023 World Series.
Read more »