I wonder how much, if any, fault lies with Dusty and the coaches. Does the staff prepare the players sufficiently -- drills, chalkboard, simulated game conditions, etc.?
Recall, for example, Bruce's getting thrown out by that 2nd baseman from foul territory on the throwing error past first base (home game -- can't recall the opponent).
Hatcher (first base coach) was emphatically pointing to the second base bag, which apparently caused Bruce (called "safe" at first base), after running past the bag into foul territory, to decide to come back into fair territory towards second base and get tagged out.
Surely Hatcher has seen second basemen back up overthtows to first base hundreds of times over the years.
I wonder on Friday if Berry (the third base coach) had informed Gomes whether or not the contact play was on in the event of an infield grounder? And if Jonny obeyed or ignored the signal? Who knows?
Perhaps some of you will disagree about the coaching, perhaps some of you can think of other examples.