Why Base Running is Failing

Base running in the big leagues today is beyond subpar. Big leaguers used to make a living off of their elite base running and now it is not a concentrated fundamental.

As I see it and have seen it, bad base running is because strikeouts are up, walks are down, and batting average is down. With that trio, people are not on base as much as they used to be. To be a good base runner you have to be a good hitter. Plain and simple.

I have never seen a player considered a good base runner who hit .200 but I know that a guy who’s sitting .270+ has always been considered a good base runner- because he’s always on base. Who would’ve thought?

Phillies hunt again for Red October; my favorite players

The Phillies yet again prepare for Red October, and I think they are hungrier than ever before. The 2022 hype has worn off and now they stand with something to prove. They know what it will take to compete, we have watched enough to know what it will take to compete.

Despite what I see on social media, I honestly believe in The Don and think he is the man for the job to manage this ball club. I mean, it is hard to question his record since taking over. It is incredible to see what fans see vs. what the game looks like when the doors are closed in that Phillies locker room. These guys know they need to take advantage, and the way they are playing, I believe they will.

My favorites this season:

Bryson Stott- Continuously flashes the leather and accepts his role. Wherever he is thrown on the infield he defends at an elite level.

Luis Arraez- Talk about an old school hitter. Such a short & explosive swing and will be a guy that changes the tide in a playoff atmosphere. Also believe he has lit a fire in the lineup.

Derek Hill- We understand what a journeyman goes through here at Manto PDC. This man is taking advantage of an opportunity that he was given. He has given us some incredible web gems, and he is hitting the best he ever has. Mixing in some big-time bombs. Also nice to see him fix a stranger's flat tire.

Kyle Schwarber- What is not to like? The consistency he has had since joining the Phitens has been fun to watch. Hitting for this long at the highest level in baseball is hard as it is. To continuously get better as the years go on? Now that is a sight to see. Love having him on this team.

What are your thoughts?

Iron Man Weekend

31 years ago, I had the chance to hold down the left side of the infield with Cal Ripken Jr. as he broke an unthinkable record. 2,130 games in a row, you kidding me? In 1939, Lou Gehrig aka "The Iron Horse," set the record of playing 2,130 consecutive games. To put that in perspective, that is playing every single game for 13.15 seasons. Day in and day out. Waking up hurt, waking up missing your family, struggling, succeeding, feeling sick, feeling great, the Iron Horse pulled through.

56 years later, here I am preparing to field a ground ball and communicating with "The Iron Man" (not Robert Downey Jr., even though that would be sweet in its own way).

Cal then continued to play in 2,632 (in perspective,16.25 seasons without missing a game) games total. Unreal. Not one player will ever touch this record. On top of being a living MLB legend, Cal Ripken Jr. was an absolute incredible teammate. With all of his success and fame, he continued to stay humble throughout.

Fun fact- Ryan Minor is the player who eventually replaced him to stop his record.

Another fun fact: Myself, Brady Anderson, & Mark Smith went back-to-back-to-back in the 2130 game. Can view below. What an atmosphere!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daCISGIzWjc