Sometimes it’s useful to remember that even mighty men make mistakes. There are no slouches among men who have made it to the Major Leagues in baseball, including rookie first baseman Will Craig of the Pittsburgh Pirates. On Thursday, May 27, by his own admission, Will “…lost my brain for a second.” Here’s the short version of what happened as reported by Associated Press and posted on ESPN:
With Willson Contreras on second base and two outs in the third inning, the Cubs’ Javier Baez hit a routine grounder to third baseman Erik Gonzalez. His throw to Craig at first was a little up the line, pulling Craig off the bag. All Craig had to do was tag Baez or touch first for the final out of the inning. Baez stopped running halfway up the first-base line to avoid Craig and backtracked toward home plate. Craig chased him. Meanwhile, Contreras rounded third and sprinted home. Craig attempted a flip to catcher Michael Perez, but Contreras slid under the tag while Baez took off for first. Pérez’s throw to first sailed past second baseman Adam Frazier attempting to cover the bag, allowing Baez to race to second.
You can read the whole story here, and see the play here.
This was not even a “rookie mistake.” If I were coaching little league, and one of my 10-year-olds had done that, I would have chewed him out. But that’s not what Will Craig’s manager, Derek Shelton, did. He said:
He made a mistake and that’s it. You don’t option a guy [to the minor leagues] because of the fact he made a mistake. We make mistakes in all realms of life. – Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1.9, ESV)
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
13 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.
14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. (Psalm 103.8 – 14, ESV)