By Jon Weisman
When are we allowed to start believing in Dee Gordon? When do we get to tell midnight to shove off and that we’re keeping the royal carriage?
Wearing blue spikes instead of glass slippers, the reborn Dodger infielder seduced and electrified the Dodger Stadium crowd Tuesday in the bottom of the seventh inning.
With his team trailing Philadelphia, 2-1, on his 26th birthday, Gordon hit a worm-killer off Phillies starter A.J. Burnett into shallow right-center field. Flicking on the before-and-afterburners, Gordon never hesitated rounding first and hit second base with a head-first slide, turning about 150 feet of ground ball into a double.
The fans went nuts.
Three pitches later, Gordon took off for third and slid in safely, not concussively, with his second steal of the game and MLB-leading 12th of 2014, in 13 attempts.
The fans went nuts.
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Tim Federowicz struck out, but pinch-hitter Justin Turner knocked a hit into left field, allowing Gordon to simply glide home with the tying run.
Gordon was examined by Dodger vice president of medical services Stan Conte in the dugout, and came out in a double switch to start the eighth inning. He left the game with a .408 on-base percentage and .492 slugging percentage, adding up to a smart-looking .901 OPS (yep, bonus thousandth).
Essentially, all that the Dodgers asked of Gordon before the season began was to help them buy the team some time before a real second baseman stood up. And down in Albuquerque, one is trying to rise to his feet — Alex Guerrero is 14 for 30 with 27 total bases as he tries, like Gordon, to transition from shortstop to second.
But Gordon is buying more than time. He is buying the entire Dodger Stadium crowd, Maury Wills-style, one fleet step at a time.
Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images
oldbrooklynfan
Personally I think I think that Gordon should be the regular starting second baseman. He’s done enough to prove it.There’s no reason to look any further. Case closed.
LCLA
Still early in the season for that label I think. After years of disappointments, I think it’s still up in the air. But he has been doing an excellent job.
Don Bright
One thing for sure, he shouldn’t be hitting 7th, what a waste to have him there.
artieboy
I want to believe! What was the pitch when he stole 3B?
jaymanne
The way he’s playing now? Why tinker with him…. he’s been great, but I agree, he should be in the lead off position in the order…. please remember what Wills did for Tommy Davis in the early 60’s, pitchers were so occupied with Wills on base stealing, Tommy drove in 153 runs in ’62…. they were a nightmare for the opposition.