Attempting to run on Patrick Bailey is a bad idea. Allowing him to steal a base is even worse.
The rookie catcher did it all in the Giants' 6-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday at PNC Park, throwing out runners, knocking in runs and ... swiping a bag of his own?
In the bottom of the third inning, Bailey threw out Pirates shortstop Tucupita Marcano who attempted to steal second base.
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In speaking to reporters after the game, Giants starter Ross Stripling (ND, 4 2/3 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 6 K) was not surprised the 24-year-old threw out another runner on the bases. In fact, he almost found it laughable that runners still are attempting to in the first place.
“It was almost like, ‘Try it.’ You know?” Stripling said (h/t the San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser). “He’ll just hose them like he always does. I’m trying to do my thing as far as keeping them off balance a little bit, but at the same time, you’re like, ‘Just go. Good luck.’ So another one down."
“Since he’s come up, he’s got to lead catchers in almost every category offensively and defensively,” Stripling said. “He throws everybody out, it seems like he gets big hits constantly, and then he’s just a really even-keeled presence. He’s wise beyond his years back there, which is a cheesy thing to say, but he really is. It just gets more and more impressive every week and you think, ‘Oh, he’ll cool off or things will come back to normal a little bit,’ but he just keeps showing what he can do."
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In addition to throwing out a runner, Bailey also collected his first career stolen base in the top of the seventh.
After singling home the tying and go-ahead runs with no outs in the inning, Bailey reached first base and jokingly asked first base coach Antoan Richardson when he would like him to steal second.
“So you want to go first pitch?” Bailey told Richardson in jest.
Bailey was shocked to receive the green light and wasted no time showing off his wheels.
“I was like, ‘OK, here we go!’ ” Bailey said.
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Bailey impressed with his arm, his bat and his legs, rounding one of the best all-around games of his young career.
As impressive as Bailey's stolen base was, it's safe to assume his attempts will be few and far between in the future.