Elvis Andrus Steals Home, Padres’ Souls
The Rangers sure are exciting these days. They’re only two games behind Houston for the AL West lead and one game up on Minnesota for the last Wild Card while still holding the title of The Best Team With a Negative Run Differential. That is, if nothing else, an unwieldy banner. It’s the banner equivalent of Jarrod Saltalamacchia’s name on a t-shirt in that it would start on one side and end on the other. Negative run differential or not, the Rangers are winning games and doing it in exciting fashion. Tuesday the Rangers beat the Padres while Elvis Andrus stole home. I’m happy that happened because that this is an article about Elvis Andrus stealing home and if he hadn’t stolen home this would be a pretty weird article.
The Rangers have had some good luck in addition to playing well. For example, the San Diego Padres just wanted to play a baseball game Tuesday. I’m not even sure they wanted to win it. I mean, they’d probably have been fine with winning, but they’d have been fine with not winning, too. Let’s just play a game, they probably thought, then get some sleep. Instead they got Tuesday’s game which was much, much worse.
Going into the seventh inning everything was fine. Can’t wait to get some shut-eye, the Padres probably thought! The score was 4-4 and the Padres got the first two Rangers out. Then Prince Fielder singled. That was enough for manager Pat Murphy to replace pitcher Marc Rzepczynski with Shawn Kelley. Adrian Beltre greeted Kelley with a hard single to left. Kelley’s first pitch to Rougned Odor, a slider, slid past catcher Derek Norris and the runners moved up to second and third. That prompted the Padres to walk Odor intentionally, bringing up our protagonist, Elvis Andrus.
This is, not coincidentally, where things really fell apart. Andrus lined a single into right field where Matt Kemp picked it up and threw a perfect strike to Norris who turned to tag Adrian Beltre who was attempting to score from second. Norris did tag Beltre out, except Beltre’s knee slammed into Norris’s wrist and knocked the ball loose. While Norris was lying there in pain on the ground and the ball was rolling away from the plate, Odor came in from first with the Rangers’ third run of the play. Norris was helped from the field, but the delay was long enough that Kelley needed to get warm again, so he threw a few warm-up pitches and hurt himself. Kelley became the third Padres player to leave that particular game with an injury and it was still only the seventh inning. Also Elvis Andrus was now standing on third base. Needing a new pitcher, the Padres brought in Kevin Quackenbush, who threw three pitches to new batter Will Venable. Then, en route to the fourth pitch, this happened:
That is the cherry on the nose of the guy who has fallen over backwards because he was just punched in the throat. The Padres announcers are complaining about Voodoo dolls (little do they know!) and Andrus is kibitzing with third baseman Yangervis Solarte when Quackenbush gets the throw back from new catcher Austin Hedges.
At this point the Padres broadcast offers us, for some unknown reason, an overhead view of the home-plate area. This means that, in addition to Quackenbush and apparently the rest of the Padres on the field, the announcers aren’t paying any attention to Andrus on third, either.
One point that view does drive home is that Venable is a left-handed hitter. This means the left side of the batter’s box, the one where a batter would typically obscure the catcher’s view of third base, is open. Not that there’s anything typical about a steal of home plate, but you would think the time to do it would be with a right-handed hitter at the plate. Further, you’d think ideally there would be a left-handed pitcher on the mound. That way he would be facing first base and the runner on third could get a good running jump from behind the pitcher’s back, or, if the bases are loaded, from the moment he goes into his wind-up. Like this:
That’s Jacoby Ellsbury stealing home off of Andy Pettitte of the Yankees back in 2009. My favorite part about that is how Ellsbury runs so fast he stumbles and falls at the end but is still safe easily. Ellsbury stole 70 bases that year. Dude was fast. Andrus stole 42 bases in 2013 so he’s no manatee either.
Watching Quackenbush’s three pitches to Venable, I’m not sure he ever actually looks at Andrus. He might, the camera isn’t on him all the time. I’ve watched both broadcasts to check, but if he does look over I didn’t see it. This could be Andrus’ first clue. Here is the play unfolding just before anything happens.
Note third baseman Solarte, who is fascinated by his own socks. Second baseman Cory Spangenberg is enjoying the smell of his glove (isn’t that a Spinal Tap album?). Quackenbush is staring in at Hedges. With his hands on his hips, Andrus’ posture seems to say, “Seriously?”
So he starts to go. Nobody cares. Credit Spangenberg with dropping his glove to his waist. Although maybe it smells bad, I don’t know. But we’ll credit him anyway. Solarte has looked up from his socks. He deserves credit, too.
Andrus is now in full sprint. There’s no turning back. Solarte and Spangenberg haven’t noticed. Quackenbush is still in the midst of coming dramatically set. If this were a song we would have reached the jazzy interlude.
This is about where the Padres notice what is going on and Andrus is almost halfway home. This is checking your pocket after the pickpocket shook your hand and you waved to him as he walked out of the bus station. Solarte is doing the only thing he can do, which is cover where Andrus was, in case there’s a break in the space-time continuum and Andrus reappears at third base. Quackenbush has removed his glove from his face and maybe, out of the corner of his eye, notices something. Spangenberg hasn’t moved an inch. He’s mentally ordering popcorn.
This is where something strange happens. Quackenbush is set on the rubber when he sees Andrus streaking down the line. Venable does what hitters are supposed to do when there is a play at the plate, namely get the heck out of the way. The only problem with that is there are two strikes on him! All Quackenbush has to do now is throw a strike to the catcher and the inning will end! But he doesn’t. Instead, he does something all pitchers have learned over and over and over since Babe Ruth League: when a runner takes off and you have the ball on the mound, you step off the rubber. Except, in this case, that’s about the worst thing he could do because now not only is he not throwing a free pitch to a batter with two strikes on him who has stepped out of the batters box, but he’s spending time he doesn’t have to take a step with his back foot. Also, he’s moving his momentum away from home and he’s upsetting his balance in the process. Here’s the resultant throw he made to Hedges:
It’s not good and Andrus is safe. And the Rangers are all smiles and pats on the head (except for Beltre) and the Padres are left to wonder how two outs with nobody on turned into four runs, two injuries, and an embarrassment that promises to last beyond this dreary campaign.
But that’s the thing. The Padres had their chance. Quackenbush didn’t have to throw over to third. He could have kept an eye on Andrus. He didn’t. Solarte could have shouted when he saw Andrus go. He didn’t. Hedges had a clear view down the baseline but did nothing, and if he said anything nobody reacted to it. Then Venable presented Quackenbush with a get out of jail free card by stepping out of the box. All Quackenbush had to do was ignore Andrus and throw a strike. He didn’t.
The Rangers are an exciting team. They’re making a run for it, but baseball is a zero-sum game. When one team wins, the other loses. On Tuesday, Elvis Andrus pointed that out to a team it didn’t need pointing out to in an inning that will live on inside medical files long and GIFs long after the Padres’ season officially ends. For Andrus and the Rangers they hope this is only the beginning. For the Padres, well, they stopped reading a long time ago.
Spangenberg, Quackenbush, and Rzypczynski? Oh my!
I assumed they were Keyser Soze’d from some odd collection of objects in Matthew’s office.
I think people are overlooking the fact that there were two strikes and two outs so all Quackenbush had to do was throw a strike and the inning would have been over (since it’s highly unlikely Venable could have swung with the runner bearing down on him).
However I don’t know the rules well enough to know if the pitch would have had to cross the plate before Andrus did for the run not to count or whether it’s like a force play and crossing the plate first doesn’t matter. I would guess it’s the latter.
This is where something strange happens. Quackenbush is set on the rubber when he sees Andrus streaking down the line. Venable does what hitters are supposed to do when there is a play at the plate, namely get the heck out of the way. The only problem with that is there are two strikes on him! All Quackenbush has to do now is throw a strike to the catcher and the inning will end! But he doesn’t. Instead, he does something all pitchers have learned over and over and over since Babe Ruth League: when a runner takes off and you have the ball on the mound, you step off the rubber. Except, in this case, that’s about the worst thing he could do because now not only is he not throwing a free pitch to a batter with two strikes on him who has stepped out of the batters box, but he’s spending time he doesn’t have to take a step with his back foot. Also, he’s moving his momentum away from home and he’s upsetting his balance in the process. Here’s the resultant throw he made to Hedges:
I think Tom is overlooking all the words beneath the headline.
Tom was sniffing his glove.
I think Tom has a legit question. Let’s say Quack waits until after Andrus has slide across home plate to throw that strike 3. Does the run count?
“Let’s say Quack waits until after Andrus has slide across home plate to throw that strike 3. Does the run count?”
I would think that he would have to start his motion before the runner crosses the plate for the run not to count.
Oops, didn’t get that far! I was definitely staring at my socks.
I believe that the rules state that an inning the run doesn’t count if the inning ends before the runner touches home plate OR if the third out is recorded in a force play situation. My interpretation of this would be that a pitcher who begins his motion home has begun the play that could result in a force play, so if the Padres could get that third out, either with a strikeout or a groundout at first, the runner wouldn’t count. Of course, if we imagine a scenario where Quackenbush delivers the pitch, Venable swings, Andrus gets hit with the ball which then goes off to the backstop and Venable is retired at first on a throw by the catcher, Andrus could be in the dugout before the third out is actually recorded. It would be particularly weird, but it probably means the run doesn’t score.
What’s interesting about this play is that if the pitcher throws a pitch and Hedges comes forward to catch it, Venable could have swung, surely contacting Hedges, and been awarded first on catcher’s interference. Yes, Andrus gets sent back to third in that scenario, but it’s a tricky way to allow a batter to reach base without difficulty.
The strike must be thrown before the runner crosses the plate. The third out (strike out) is not a force play therefore if the runner crosses the plate first it will count. Its the same as if the runner was stealing 2nd or 3rd bases. The base stolen counts and the pitch also counts.
I don’t think you are right about the stolen base counting at 2nd or 3rd. You overslide a bag, and are tagged, it doesn’t count as a stolen base. You were safe for a millisecond, but they still record it as a caught stealing.
My question is if the pitch hits the runner, but it was going to be a strike. Obstruction? Ball? Strike 3?
Awesome. Hilarious. I love it when home is stolen, and I love seeing it broken down from all these perspectives. So many conditions have to be met!
Speaking of broken down, sure looks like Hedges could have broken his wrist pretty badly when Andrus slid into it. The Baseball Gods must have decided that enough was enough, even though the Padres were kinda asking for it.
Here’s a dumb question!
If the runner touches home in between when a pitch is thrown and when that pitch crosses the plate for a strike, does the run count?
I don’t know the answer, but I would assume if the pitch crosses the plate and it is judged a strike then the inning ends right there, but if the runner touches home before the ball enters the strike zone then the run counts.
I would think that’d be weird if true. I would think the rule should be that if the out is made via strikeout or forceout before the next pitch afterwards, then the run shouldn’t count.
No, that’s wrong. The applicable rule is 4.09: “A run is not scored if the runner advances to home base during a play in which the third out is made (1) by the batter-runner before he touches first base.”
Ok, so if the pitcher is into his throwing motion before the runner touches home (how could he not be at least STARTING to throw?), and a strike results, the run doesn’t count.
That makes sense. But if the runner somehow touches home before the pitcher starts moving (assuming that is what counts as “during the play”), then the run does count?
That’s my understanding, yes.
Awesome. Thanks for looking this up.
Hypothetically, what would happen (besides an injury) in the event of a runner being hit by a pitch?
There is no batter-runner on a strikeout – except with a dropped third strike.
The point is, a strikeout is not a time play.
I think that a runner stepping in the way of a pitch (which, let’s not forget, is NOT what Quackenbush threw – he became an infielder and threw the ball to the catcher when he stepped off), the umpire must judge the pitch as though it was going to cross the plate, and call a ball or a strike. If the batter swings and the ball hits the runner (meaning the catcher doesn’t catch it), then the defensive team must try to retire the runner by throwing to first. I also think that if the batter swings and hits the runner, it is simply a strike – there’s no runner interference in favour of the batter.
I don’t know what happens if the ball hits the runner and then goes out of play (assuming there are other runners occupying the bases. I’d guess that if the pitcher pitched the ball home they each get to advance one base, but if he stepped off and threw home (as Quackenbush did), then they get to advance 2 bases.
Here’s another question… was the ball that Quackenbush threw home in the attempt to get Andrus counted as a ball for Venable?
It shouldn’t have been. Quackenbush stepped off the rubber before throwing home, thus turning himself from a pitcher into a fielder. What would have been interesting/funny is if Quackenbush had stepped off the rubber (as he did) but Venable stayed in the box and swung at Quackenbush’s non-pitch.
This was a great piece! Very entertaining and well written. One thing you might of discussed in regard to the Ellsbury steal of home is that for most of the run he was well out of the baseline and on the grass in foul territory. I wonder if he intentionally positioned himself that way in order
to make it more difficult for the catcher to see him coming out of the corner of his eye?
Thanks!
As to Ellsbury, runners on third take their leads in foul territory. That way if they are hit with a ball they’re not out. That’s why Ellsbury is where he is.
That’s a valid point, but it begs the question why the video shows Andrus stayed in the middle of the basepath the entire way for his steal of home. Perhaps he felt that running in the grass would slow him down?
Andrus was in foul territory as well, just not as foul as Ellsbury. Not sure the reason for the discrepancy. Could just be the player’s personal preference as anything else.
A runner who runs well outside the line has a greater distance to travel than by running on the baseline. The shortest distance between third and home is to run on the baseline.
my education and instincts tell me this is not necessarily right: “Not that there’s anything typical about a steal of home plate, but you would think the time to do it would be with a right-handed hitter at the plate.”
if this was a signaled steal of home, then yes — but if it’s not a signaled steal of home, a left-handed batter has a better view of the player breaking from third, and the only thing that ABSOLUTELY has to happen here is that the batter does NOT swing because that is how people die. moreover, a right-handed batter might not even get out of the way of an unsignaled steal (andrus’ own call).
so, this one looks to me like it was improv, but maybe not. in any case the fault is 90% on quackenbush and 10% on solarte IMO. though this is available more often than you’d think, what with relievers sometimes having really reliable timings (hey that’s a study i’d read).
There’s no way this is any of the 3B’s fault.
Runners break from 3rd all the time, particularly with two outs … looking to cause a flinch resulting in a balk that would score the run.
Did Andrus break toward home at all on the first two pitches? I’m asking because if he did at all and noticed the P does nothing but stare at the ground until completely set, then it’s an obvious move to continue his break toward home on the 3rd pitch.
Major league players aren’t like little leaguers, they aren’t going to yell “runner” every time someone on base breaks or bluffs toward the next base.
By the time anyone yelled “runner” or “four” or “home”, it’s too late.
Yes, Andrus broke toward home and then stopped on the pitch before to see if Quackenbush would notice. He didn’t.
That entire sequence sort of screams that Will Venable had noticed Quack’s approach earlier in the season and shared his observation with new teammates when they came to town.
Might also guess that a lefty batter pulls the 3B farther from the line, allowing the runner to get a bigger lead.
“Spangenberg… mentally ordering popcorn.”
I watched the Rangers broadcast, and they cut to Andrus in the dugout afterwards, laughing it up with his teammates. Andres was mimicking Quackenbush’s set and the fact that he covers his face with his arms. You can see it in the picture in the post.
In general, it seems impossible to steal home against a RHP – you’re looking right at the runner. Only Quackenbush’s set involves intentionally blocking everything out by looking down and putting his hands in front of his face… nice job by Andrus to take advantage.
It’d be cool to see the last time someone pulled off a straight steal against a RHP. Jayson Worth off of Ronald Belisario?
There are many wonderful things about this article, but since I have to pick just one (in accordance with the rule I just made up), I’m going with “(except for Beltre)”.
The real question is: why wasn’t Beltre out? The catcher had the ball in his mitt, controlled it, and then tagged Beltre before he reached home. Beltre should be out the instant the ball touches his body before his body touches the plate, yes? Shouldn’t he be out regardless how hard he hits a guy holding the ball to make him drop it? I thought this was the reason for the new rules regarding catchers.
I didn’t see the play in question, but the fielder has to demonstrate possession of the ball through the tag, not just the instant the tag is applied. That rule applies to plays at all bases, including home, and has nothing to do with the new rule regarding the catcher’s position when receiving the throw and before making the tag.
Beltre wasn’t out because Norris didn’t maintain possession of the ball after the tag.
We object to the characterization.
I agree. Manatees, on the other hand, can kiss my ass.
We object to Manatees’ inability to spell his own name.
Did the Padres forget to put a shortstop on the field too or was there some weird shift on?
According to the box score, Gyorko was at SS. and Spangenberg was at 2B. Is that really Spangenberg in the images? If so, where was Gyorko?
Looks like they were shifted, in theory. Kept Solarte at third to “hold Andrus on” (whoops) and moved Gyorko to the shallow RF shift position.
Aaron Hill also stole home off Pettitte once upon a time
My nomination for best sports writing of the year! Well done, excellent, thank you!
Thanks!!
I would not be surprised if most steals of home are against teams that have just given up.
This was a really fun read, thanks.
Can we get some sort of statistical breakdown on steals of home. Success rate with LHP vs LHB, LHP vs RHB, RHP vs RHB, and RHP vs LHB. curious if there is any real differential between these combinations, and which is the most successful.
There are so few I wouldn’t think you could take anything definitive from the data.
There aren’t *that* few throughout history. You might not be able to take much from it if the numbers are close, but if there is a huge difference, it might mean something.
For what it’s worth, this article had even my wife laughing at, and “aww-ing” in sympathy for the Padres. She doesn’t even read my own baseball writing, but this article really is so freaking good, Matthew Kory. The humanity, the tragedy…maybe this comment doesn’t add anything, but I (and my wife!) just want to say, BRAVO.
You are very kind! Glad you enjoyed it!
As a corollary to the assertion in the first paragraph of this excellent article, would you say the A’s are The Worst Team With A Positive Run Differential?
Indubitably!
I’m impressed by the umpire especially, who was probably as blind to Andrus as anyone until he reached home plate, but at which point he easily stepped out of the way and gave the safe call without hesitation. Not caught off guard at all at the rare play he couldn’t have been anticipating.
I don’t think he was quite as blind as you think: if he wasn’t aware of Andrus until he crossed the plate, I would expect a jerk of the head as the runner suddenly appears. I think he was aware of him at some point earlier (he doesn’t turn his head, and peripheral vision in those masks isn’t great, but it’s enough to capture some movement out of the corner of the eye) and thus was prepared to get out of the way and call the play at the plate. A good umpire always anticipates a play at the plate whenever there’s a runner on the basepaths, and especially when there’s a man on 3rd. Others who have watched the whole inning say Andrus threatened breaking for home on an earlier pitch, and the umpire had as good a view as anybody of Quackenbush’s odd self-blinding windup. Based on how smoothly he handles it, I think it likely the umpire was anticipating a steal of home even if nobody else was.
NotGraphs lives!
Excellent article, Matthew! And great discussion, posters!