When TV networks hire ex-athletes to serve as game analysts, they’re hoping that the former player’s playing experience will result in elevated levels of insight for the viewers. That certainly was the case with Alex Rodriguez on Wednesday.
Rodriguez teamed with Michael Kay to call the Minnesota Twins-Toronto Blue Jays AL Wild Card series on ESPN. During Game 2 of the series on Wednesday, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was picked off to kill a Blue Jays rally in the fifth inning.
The Jays ended up losing 2-0, so Guerrero getting picked off on that play was a major difference in the game.
A-Rod, who spent half his career playing shortstop, shared some elevated insight regarding the pickoff play. Rodriguez explained to the viewers how Twins pitcher Sonny Gray non-verbally communicated to shortstop Carlos Correa that he was interested in making a pickoff attempt at second base.
As Rodriguez said, Gray had touched his cap as an “indicator” to indicate to Correa he wanted to run a pickoff play. Correa acknowledged the play was “on,” and the two simply timed things out to work perfectly.
A-Rod says that Sonny Gray touched his hat as the indicator to Carlos Correa for the pickoff play pic.twitter.com/w6CvldISih
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) October 4, 2023
Correa later said after the game that it was his idea, not Gray’s, to run the pickoff play. Correa said he had told Gray earlier in the game that the Jays were taking big leads and leaving Minnesota opportunities for “free outs.” Correa was the one who gave Gray the sign to run the play on that occasion, so the tip to the cap from Gray must have been a confirmation that he received Correa’s signal.
That type of pickoff play is one pitchers and infielders work on in practice but don’t often get to execute in games. It’s satisfying to pull it off in a game, especially so during such a critical moment. Credit to A-Rod for giving viewers such a good explanation of what was going on behind-the-scenes.
