How often do you see someone steal second and only then get pinch-run for when he is perfectly healthy?
Then again, how often do you see a 37-year-old first baseman steal a base?
That is part of the package Paul Goldschmidt has brought with him to The Bronx this season, which, when added to his hitting and defense, has made his one-year, $12.5 million contract look like strong value. He will never be mistaken for a burner, but his desire to be a good baserunner combined with his baseball IQ has made him a real factor on the bases.
“I don’t know about pride, I think it’s just trying to help us win in any way,” Goldschmidt said in a conversation at his locker last week in Seattle. “There’s a lot of ways to do that. Baserunning was always taught to me as really important … and it can affect the game. So it’s just something I’ve always tried to practice and do well at, just like defense and hitting.”
