Watch: MLB star pulls off one of the most casual stolen bases ever
Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor has made the last two American League All-Star teams on the strength of his defense and his hitting.
Lindor has managed double-digit steals in each of his first three big-league seasons, but of all his many talents, lightning speed is not considered to be his biggest strength.
However, speed isn’t the only thing that can make a player a good baserunner — as simple intellect and awareness also come into play.
Lindor showed off both of those attributes on Saturday with a stolen base against the Kansas City Royals. Lindor was on second with Ian Kennedy on the mound when the shortstop casually started walking toward third base.
Gotta stay woke with @Lindor12BC on the bases. pic.twitter.com/3XByNzIcrk
— MLB (@MLB) April 7, 2018
After talking a walking lead of a few steps, Lindor noticed that Kennedy wasn’t paying attention to him. Instead, the pitcher first stared down at the mound, then focused his eyes on home plate.
Right when Lindor started his sprint toward third, Royals catcher Drew Butera threw his hands up as if to indicate he thought time had been called.
But that was not the case. Kennedy did make a last-ditch throw to third, only for the ball to hit off Lindor’s body as he was sliding into the bag.
“Everybody was looking down,” Lindor said after the game, according to Cleveland.com. “The pitcher was looking down, the catcher was looking down, (batter) Hosey (Jose Ramirez) was looking down, third base was looking down. So I just left.”
It was the 49th stolen base of Lindor’s career but just his fourth of third base. However, he would be stranded on third, as Ramirez struck out and Michael Brantley flied out to end the inning.
Later, Indians manager Terry Francona complimented his young star for doing something you can’t necessarily teach.
“That was a really good play,” Francona said. “I mean that’s not something you can put on, or tell a guy to go, but it was good.”
While Lindor pulled off an unconventional stolen base, he wasn’t as successful with the standard attempt.
In the bottom of the 8th inning, with the Indians down 1-0, Lindor reached base on a single.
He then tried to steal second, but was thrown out. Lindor’s single would be the last hit of the game for Cleveland, as the Indians didn’t have another player reach base for the rest of the game.
The Indians ended up falling to the Royals 1-0.
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