As we discussed on Monday, Adrian Beltre is playing and contributing for the Texas Rangers, but is obviously doing so at less than 100 percent with a bothersome hamstring.
We also discussed how the Rangers and manager Ron Washington have been about as smart as a team could be about when and how to use Beltre, which has usually been as a designated hitter, as Sunday night was just his second May game playing at third base.
But on Monday, Beltre was back in the field at third base for the second straight game, and regardless of whether it was caused by his tender hamstring, Beltre made a key error in the game that played a big factor in the Rangers losing the game.
Beltre took a sharp grounder from Chris Getz and made the scoop. He had plenty of time to make the throw to first to end the inning and give spot starter Scott Feldman a chance to earn the win on what would've been a five-inning, scoreless performance. Instead, Beltre planted his foot oddly and threw to first base but pulled Michael Young off the bag for an error that allowed the inning to continue. The next hitter hit a two-run single on a flare to center field.
“I don’t know how much time I had, because I knew it was a fast guy,” Beltre told assembled media after the game. “But he didn’t hit the ball soft, so maybe I had time. I should have taken the time, got a four-seam (grip) and made a good throw. That was big. It would have been a huge difference in the game.”
While the error was not blatantly caused by Beltre's ongoing discomfort, it sure did look like he was not his usual, fluid, gold glove self out there.
