Only Phillies Player Who Can Hit Benched for Not Hustling

Odubel Herrera was benched after failing to leg out a grounder. The Phillies then lost. It’s OK, we guess.

Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera.

Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera.

Odubel Herrera went 3-for-4 last night. But it was his only out of the game that made Phillies manager Pete Mackanin upset. That’s because Herrera — who grounded out to the Tigers pitcher, Justin Wilson — lolly-gagged it to first base.

Normally, it wouldn’t have mattered. But Wilson stumbled, and was just as lackadaisical throwing to first as Herrera was jogging to first. Wilson’s throw just beat Herrera, but if Herrera had run it out — he might’ve been safe.

It’s possible to think of it this way: If Herrera had hustled, Wilson would have as well. He would’ve been out no matter what. But Mackanin looked at it this way: Here was a player who needed to be benched. Herrera is the only hitter on the Phillies having a good season; to bench the only good hitter on the team in 2016 would be silly. But: If you wanted to teach a 24-year-old a lesson, this was a good time.

Mackanin did the latter. The Phillies lost. How should we take this?

To make it worse, Herrera’s spot came up in the ninth inning. David Lough — a 30-year-old career .253  hitter — took Herrera’s spot in the order and struck out swinging. Had Mackanin not pulled Herrera, that would’ve been him — the only Phillies hitter having a good season— taking a shot at tying the game in the top of the ninth.

But: It wasn’t. And the Phillies lost, 5-4.

“I was frustrated,” Herrera said postgame. “I respect his decision. I know that I did wrong. I have to learn from my mistakes and it won’t happen again. I didn’t think he was going to bench me. I understand why. I can’t argue.”

What did we learn in that quote? One, Herrera gets it as good as any Philly sports fan. Two … actually, yeah, that’s about it.

“One of the ingredients of our success to this point is that the fact these guys play with energy, they play hard. And we’re training them basically to play the game the right way,” Mackanin told reporters postgame. “Not running is not the right way. That’s why it’s more important to me to set that tone than to take our best hitter out of the lineup.”

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