GDT 4/8/25 Philadelphia Phillies (Wheeler) @ Atlanta Braves (Sale)

[Philsmania]

Rojas's defensive slippage continues. With his offensive deficiencies, if he is not going to provide great defense, he has no place on a ML roster.

[andyb]

I think Kepler probably makes the play or works enough with Rojas that they communicate better.

Hard to really pin it on Sosa (who probably did not aggressively call/not call it since he is so new out there.

[Matt_Winkelman]

If it is Kepler then Rojas easily makes the play. Rojas took responsibility for it, but Sosa was saying “Yours” in Spanish at him and he thought Sosa was calling for it. It is still Rojas’s to catch regardless, but you only call for the ball, you don’t call for others to catch it.

[zambonir]

I agree it's all on Rojas, 100%. Including understanding Sosa is an IF. The dynamic or communication just would have been different. That's interesting that Sosa did make something of a mental/verbal error even if Rojas still should have made the play.

I don't think the Sosa OF thing should be terribly sustainable in any case. He usually cools off with too much playing time anyway, and Wilson should ultimately be the guy if Kepler and Marsh need those days off. Sosa will get his 2B starts, as well as 3B and SS occasionally (hopefully just a little occasionally but between Bohm's slow start and the fact that both he and Turner were injured last year, things happen).

[bkeich]

If it is Kepler then Rojas easily makes the play. Rojas took responsibility for it, but Sosa was saying “Yours” in Spanish at him and he thought Sosa was calling for it. It is still Rojas’s to catch regardless, but you only call for the ball, you don’t call for others to catch it.

I am pretty sure I heard Luzinski yelled “yours” to Maddox before the batter swung.

You are right, you never yell that, it is confusing. I have a feeling that was explained to Sosa today, simple error.

Sosa’s OF play is still a work in progress, but there is no reason he can’t do it. Some guys are just “good baseball players” and can play anywhere with a little experience. It just makes him that much more valuable, even if it is something he doesn’t do often.

[VoteForKalas]

If it is Kepler then Rojas easily makes the play. Rojas took responsibility for it, but Sosa was saying “Yours” in Spanish at him and he thought Sosa was calling for it. It is still Rojas’s to catch regardless, but you only call for the ball, you don’t call for others to catch it.

Agree, but isn't the communication plan something worked out before Sosa is put in LF during a real game? One would think they straighten all that out playing Sosa in LF in ST games, but unfortunately not.

That is on Thomson and any other coaches responsible for the defense along with the players. I noticed that Thomson took no responsibility which is strange. The manager is always responsible for whatever happens on the field during games. You should always start with yourself and then talk about anyone else last. That was disappointing to me.

Obviously, the players are also responsible. I cannot remember ever seeing a ball drop right in front of the CF with the LF two steps away. Regardless of who is calling for it or not, MAKE the catch! Then you can talk it out in the dugout afterwards, but do not let it drop in front of you and give up.

[zambonir]

I suppose it's possible that they failed to emphasize it specifically one last time, thinking that Sosa had been reminded of it everyday in his work with Figueroa and Rojas already knows. But seems just as likely that they did actually prepare properly and the players simply failed to execute.

[flyers19rw]

This is not the first time wsoething such as this has happened. Rojas defers to the corner outfielders way too often. If the CF can get to the ball, it's his to catch and the others need to get out of his way. Unfortunately Rojas is not assertive enough in the field. Time for him to get a talking to about this and for the other fielders to understand that it's his ball.

[BostonRoss]

"Tu la tienes"

[zambonir]

Hah yup. Though apparently he was only saying "Tua! Tua." Band name is there for the taking.

TU LA TIENES

[image or embed]

— Jason Cohen ( @cohenesque.bsky.social ) April 9, 2025 at 9:43 AM

[allentown]

but Sosa was saying “Yours” in Spanish at him and he thought Sosa was calling for it. It is still Rojas’s to catch regardless, but you only call for the ball, you don’t call for others to catch it.

But, Rojas also speeks Spanish.

[zambonir]

I don't think anyone seriously thought there was a language barrier a la Richie. Just a hearing problem or a failure to understand. Sosa also put his hand to his ear after, seeming to suggest Roja should have heard him, except of course he's wrong.