Jarren Duran on his gaffe in center field: ‘I just lost it in the twilight’
Red Sox center fielder Jarren Duran said he lost sight of the ball that ultimately went over his head and led to an inside-the-park grand slam. This is now the second time in as many weeks, a Red Sox outfielder lost the ball in the lights or the sky.
“I just lost it in the twilight” said Duran following the Sox 28-5 loss to the Blue Jays on Friday night.
The Red Sox trailed 6-0, when starter Nathan Eovaldi, who struggled mightily in his start walked Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen. The walk would load the bases with two outs.
Manager Alex Cora would pull Eovaldi from the game after just 2 2/3 innings in favor of Austin Davis. The Sox lefty would face Blue Jays left-handed hitter Raimel Tapia and would get him to pop-up on the first pitch he saw.
Tapia’s routine fly ball went to center field. The fly ball to Duran should have ended the inning, instead, it ended up being another black eye on a season spiraling out of control.
Duran lost sight of the ball and it sailed over his head. Instead of running after the ball, the young outfielder just watched the play unfold, looking like a little leaguer who just made an error and wanted to take his glove and go home.
The issue isn’t so much losing the ball in the “twilight.” It was the lack of hustle and urgency to get the ball. It looked as if Duran essentially just quit on the team.
Following the game, Duran would provide why he didn’t chase after the ball.
“I mean, Dugie was right there already,” Duran said. “Obviously I should have taken a step or two but he was already going to beat me to the ball, so I just didn’t want to get in his way. What if I sprinted to it and collided with him or something like that? But, next time I know to take one or two steps, but he was already going to beat me to the ball.”
Duran’s response to this play is a clear definition of not taking accountability for his lack of effort.
"It’s the most helpless feeling you could feel. Until you guys catch a ball in the twilight, let me know,” said Duran.
Cora failed following Duran’s effort by not pulling him from the game. He was asked by the media about Duran’s effort on the play.
“Right before that play, two batters before, I was looking up like, it’s getting tough out there. This is the first time I’ve seen this here. I know sometimes it gets tough with the wind and all that, and until you have that experience. But it’s getting tough, and it’s happening to a lot of people. From the get go, when he hit the ball, I saw his reaction and I said to Bushy (pitching coach Dave Bush), ‘He didn’t see that ball.’ There’s nothing you can do,” said Cora.
Fans can forgive a player losing the ball in the sky, Duran’s body language and lack of effort to go after the ball is the bigger issue.
“Obviously he expects Jackie (Bradley Jr.) and Alex going, but at the same time, you’ve got to go too,” Cora said. “That’s conversations between players, and sometimes that voice is a lot louder than the manager in those situations. Just the feeling, it’s a hard feeling. There’s nothing you can do. But, it’s stuff that we address. We try to make him better. He’s still a kid. He’s learning the position and all that. I bet at that point, he didn’t even know what to do.”
Credit to Cora for not hanging his outfielder out to dry, I guess. However, Duran’s actions following the play are a massive concern. His comments yielded no accountability for his play. The Red Sox must address this and likely won’t.
Friday nights beatdown by the Blue Jays has continued to prove one thing, this Red Sox team as currently built, is dead in the water.
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1st it was right field, then Center field, Stevie Wonder & Hellen Keller could have caught those balls. At least they would've used sunglasses to block the lights, the moon, AND the Saharra Dust. That's it, like we in Fl. are having to cope with the Saharra Dust. As a kid, I never remember the '62 Mets playing like this. I Don Taylor Jr. am responcible for my opinion. I realize the position players ARE trying. It's the pitching staff that has lost all their mechanics. Better try Maaco.
1st it was right field, then Center field, Stevie Wonder & Hellen Keller could have caught those balls. At least they would've used sunglasses to block the lights, the moon, AND the Saharra Dust. That's it, like we in Fl. are having to cope with the Saharra Dust. As a kid, I never remember the '62 Mets playing like this. I Don Taylor Jr. am responcible for my opinion. I realize the position players ARE trying. It's the pitching staff that has lost all their mechanics. Better try Maaco.