I was 13 and in sixth grade when my dad last coached me in baseball. I can remember a time very vividly. My team was in first place the whole season. We had only lost a total of two games all year long. We were in our last game before the playoffs started and losing to the fourth place team. I was standing on second base with only one out. The batter at the time hit a high ball into the outfield. With no hesitation I took off for third. I remember my dad yelling, "Go Back, Go Back", but it was too late.
My dad made me run around the outside of the field for 5 laps to ensure that I never made that mistake again. I can only hope the Puerto Rico Coach made Maldonado run a few extra laps for his base running error against the Dominican Republic. In a one nothing ball game I can understand a player doing this in regular season play. You do need to make up that one run. But it is unacceptable when the game was as big as this one was. Every player on the PR baseball is an offensive threat.
Dumb mistakes cost games. This running error is something expected of little league players. I think Puerto Rico is lucky to still be playing after losing that game and having to go against a strong team USA again. PR is now going to go up against the winner between DR and the Netherlands. And if they don't figure out how to run the bases like professional baseball player, they will be beat. By either team.
My team ended up losing that game and still finishing the season in first place. So my running mistake did not cost our team any great amount. But I never made a running error like that again. And I can only hope Maldonado will do the same.
Lets go Puerto Rico!
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