Knowing the Horns were going to need runs and runners, and that Cantu is not exactly a sprinter, even a novice observer might wonder why we didn't insert a pinch-runner for Mike when he reached and then was called out at home. It looked like the call was correct, but a faster runner would have been safe by six feet.
Also Cantu's defense was not very sharp in the game. He didn't catch or even block the 3rd strike letting the winning run reach base. His throws to 2nd have all been high lately.
He's the Hodges Mitchell of this team. You look at what is on the bench and just scratch your head. I love Coach Pierce but I cannot for the life of me see what Cantu brings to the table that McCann cannot match.
It had nothing to do with speed. A proper slide and they're not even showing a replay. Although I don't know why he was playing either. His defense killed us too, especially the passed ball. I will not miss him. I'm not sure what Hodges Mitchell has to do with the conversation though. When he was in shape he was the best back we had at the time. When he was told to beef up and got fat then he was irrelevant, but that was on the coaches thinking he needed to beef up.
About 8:00 I saw they'd released the starting lineup and immediately texted "WTF is Cantu starting?" to a bunch of fellow fans. He almost cost the team the game Saturday!
Well, Cantu is one of the reasons we lost on Sunday night. How in the heck does he not touch home plate? That's what the ENTIRE offensive side of the game is about - touching the plate. He's there easily and misses it. The weirdest thing is if you look at the replay, he's not even looking at the plate. I've never seen anything like that. Then he had two horrible throws to 2nd. The guy was an absolute hot mess last night. I don't know how you start this guy unless he is the best option you have, which is another issue.
Just to make it worse, the player who scored before him did the hand single for him to NOT slide, but to run through. Cantu should have stepped on his foot and then touched the plate after the catcher picked up his foot in pain.
If he did indeed miss the plate, it was because he was looking the other way as the still picture showed.
Ha...Or he could have just run into him and the umpire could have called it obstruction. Or he could have slid. In all of these scenarios, all he needs to do is touch home plate. It's not like the play was that close. It was pretty terrible. Even the commentators called his game 'emotional' - which I think is code for sh*tty. All will be forgiven if he goes 3-4 with two home runs, no passed balls, and throws out 3 base runners in tonight's 10-3 win.
