baseball

Yasiel Puig Benched for not Running Out a Single off the Wall

Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig was removed in the sixth inning from Tuesday's game in the team's 8-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds for not running out a single off the wall.

LOS ANGELES – It must be a steep learning curve. 

Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig was removed in the sixth inning from Tuesday's game in the team's 8-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds. 

Puig was pulled from the game in a double-switch in the top of the seventh, and while the casual fan might not see anything in the decision, for those that saw the game live, know that the star was taken out for his attitude.

With the Dodgers leading 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning and runners on first and third, Puig hit a deep fly ball to right field that appeared as if it was going to leave the ballpark.

The ever-confident Cuban star stopped and stared at his hit, but when the ball bounced off the top of the wall instead of over it, Puig was stuck with a 380-foot single instead of an easy double.

"I thought it was a home run and I didn't run out the ball," Puig said in Spanish after the game. "It was his decision to take me out of the game, it was a decision I understand and the right decision because all my teammates are working hard on the field and I should have run out that ball."

Two batters later, Puig seemed to have momentarily redeemed himself when he scored from second on a ground ball to first base by Howie Kendrick that was bobbled by Reds' first baseman Joey Votto. Puig was running full speed on the play and when he saw the bobble, immediately turned for home where he just barely slid under the tag for the team's fifth run. 

Unfortunately, his manager was still upset with the lack of judgment on the single.

"We talk a lot about playing the game the right way," Dave Roberts said after the game. "Mental mistakes you can live with, but in my opinion he should have been on second base."

Roberts believes that every player should be accountable for his actions, regardless of who that player is. He wasn't trying to send a message just to Puig, but to his whole team: if there's any doubt, run it out.

"He's young and we have to continue to teach all of our players and treat everyone the same and have the same expectations for everyone," he said.

Puig agreed.

"It was a bad decision on my part, and a good decision on the manager's part. It shows not only myself, but the rest of my teammates that you have to run out every single ball." 

Roberts seemed a little downtrodden after the game that he had to publicly embarrass his starting right fielder even after he redeemed himself by scoring in the inning. Roberts made sure to let everyone know, that in no way did his decision have anything to do with Puig's base-running bluder on Sunday's 17-inning marathon against the San Diego Padres when Puig did not advance to third on a sacrifice bunt by A.J. Ellis.

"No. It was an isolated incident," Roberts confirmed. "I don’t think it's anything a manager wants to do, you lose a little defense, but it’s a continued learning process for everyone." 

The ongoing saga of Yasiel Puig and his steep learning curve in the big leagues continues, just as if it seemed the star had turned a corner this season with his overall jovial attitude and his timeliness at the ballpark.

Thankfully, it appears as if Puig knows he made a mistake and still believes his manager trusts and believes in him despite his lapses in judgment. On the bright side, Puig still had a sense of humor when asked in the clubhouse if he'd ever been pulled from a game before for something like that. 

'I don't remember," he said smiling. "You'd have to ask Don Mattingly." 

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