PITTSBURGH — Angels manager Ron Washington doesn’t view losses and mistakes as failures. He prefers to think of them as learning opportunities.
In that respect, the Angels are learning a lot about running the bases this season.
Washington said from the moment he was hired, and he reiterated throughout spring training, that he wanted the Angels to aggressively run the bases. They have clearly done that, but with an efficiency that leaves something to be desired.
The Angels have made 14 outs on the bases, which is tied for the third most in MLB. Their percentage of taking extra bases – going from first to third on a single or first to home on a double – ranks 11th in the majors.
The Angels have stolen 35 bases, which ranks eighth in the majors, but their 70% success rate is tied for 26th. The major league average is 79%.
“They’re a young group that’s learning how to do the things that they’ve never done before and it’s going to take a minute to get it done,” Washington said. “But we’re not going to stop. We’re gonna keep pushing until we finally figure it out. Because that’s what we want to be.”
The Angels have had a handful of games already in which critical baserunning mistakes have cost them. On Monday, Nolan Schanuel was thrown out at the plate because he didn’t slide. That was also a coaching mistake, because third base coach Eric Young Sr. should not have sent Schanuel if he wasn’t 100% sure that he’d be safe, because there were no outs.
First base coach Bo Porter, the Angels’ point man for baserunning instruction, said their issues are related to the fact that the Angels are pouring a lot of new information on players about how and when to steal.
“When you go from being a team that did not run to a team that’s now running, there are growing pains that come with that,” Porter said. “You have to be able to work through those growing pains and allow them to get this experience at the major league level knowing that they’re going to be better as they continue to move forward.”
Porter said that ideally he’d like to see the success rate for stolen bases be at least 80%, and preferably over 85%.
“They have the information that should help them be more instinctive,” Porter said. “A lot of it is the work that we do prior to the game, and now taking that information out on the field, that allows you to play faster.”
Porter said when the Angels can be a better baserunning team, it will have multiple benefits. Aside from simply the extra bases they get, having a base-stealing threat at first can alter the way a pitcher works to the hitter. An opposing manager might also be more inclined to bring the infield in if a team is going to be aggressive in going home on ground balls, which can open up more holes for hits.
At the moment, though, the mistakes are too frequent.
“When you learn things,” Washington said, “sometimes you fail. But we’re not going to stop because that’s where we want to be. We’ve got to figure out how to do it with more efficiency than we’re doing it right now.”
A DAY FOR WARD
Outfielder Taylor Ward was not in the lineup on Tuesday for a routine day off, the first time this season he did not start.
After a hot start, Ward has hit .222 with a .625 OPS in his last 17 games.
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“He’s been having some good at-bats,” Washington said. “I think when he started having some problems, he was smoking the ball and somebody was there. Early in the year when he was hitting the ball it didn’t matter what he touched his bat with, it was finding holes. That can wear on you (when the balls are caught). Plus, he’s been the one guy that’s played every single game. So I just wanted to give him a little mental break.”
NOTES
Willie Calhoun has been getting some infield work lately. Calhoun was originally a second baseman when he got into pro ball, but in the majors he’s only played the outfield. Calhoun said he’s been working out at first and second, but Washington said he’s more likely to be used in a game at second because he’s only 5-foot-8. “There’s a lot more he has to go through before we can trust him” to play the infield in a game, Washington said. …
Luis Rengifo was out of the lineup for the fourth straight game, and he isn’t expected to play on Wednesday either. Washington said a skin irritation that resulted from his illness is making it difficult for Rengifo to be on his feet for too long. He could pinch-hit though.
UP NEXT
Angels (RHP José Soriano, 1-4, 3.77) at Pirates (LHP Martin Perez, 1-2, 3.15), Wednesday, 9:35 a.m. PT, Bally Sports West, 830 AM