Closed Door Meeting Gets Job Done

When Elvis Andrus failed to finish the play after a grounder found its way into his glove after he thought it had hit Los Angeles Angels baserunner Erick Aybar on Saturday night, the light bulb went off in Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington's head.

With the fastest human ever known to man, Mike Trout, running to first base on the play, chances are Andrus would not have gotten the out at first, but he could have possibly thrown to third too to try to get Aybar. Instead, he did nothing but point at Aybar and complain to the umpire.

No bueno.

Washington watched his team commit three errors that night, as well the mental lapses like Andrus' flub and Yorvit Torrealba absolutely losing his mind and getting tossed late in a close game for vehemently arguing a call that resulted in an Angels run that, judging by replay, maybe should not have been.

So after the game, Washington called a closed door meeting immediately following the game that lasted for about 20 minutes before the clubhouse was open to the media.

Reportedly, the meeting was not a screamfest, though Washington would've been well within his rights to have one. Instead, it was just what Washington called a "learning experience".

It worked, especially for Andrus.

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After his brain lapse that prompted the whole deal, Andrus came back Sunday to go 3 for 4 with two RBIs while making a couple of fantastic plays in the field.

"Sometimes things happen and you don't see it's happening," Andrus said. "A talk like that early can be great. It woke me up a little bit. I told myself I have to separate my offense and my defense, and really focus better on every pitch and what I'm doing to prepare for every play. It was helpful."

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