One of the wildest comments during these MLB playoffs came from retired-turned-unretired WFAN broadcaster John Sterling. Sterling, returning to the Yankees’ play-by-play role on WFAN for the postseason after suddenly retiring in April after the start of the season, had quite the line during Tuesday’s Game 2 of the ALCS.
That came after Anthony Rizzo took too much of a lead and was picked off by the Cleveland Guardians to end an inning, and it led to Sterling saying the Yankees “run the bases like drunks.”
That’s what they do- run the bases like drunks! pic.twitter.com/YTaL72aZSK
— John Sterling Calls (@JSterlingCalls) October 16, 2024
At first glance, “That’s what they do, run the bases like drunks” seems quite harsh. But, as MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch relayed Saturday, MLB Network research does suggest the Yankees are MLB’s worst baserunning team this year:
The research team at @MLBNetwork investigated if, as John Sterling said, the Yankees really do “run the bases like drunks.”
Fewest Baserunning Runs – 2024 Regular Season
Yankees -16.9
Angels -14.2
Astros -12.7
Blue Jays -12.7
Twins -11.0
*0 is MLB…— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) October 18, 2024
“Like drunks” is still not necessarily accurate. There’s as of yet been no clubhouse-fried-chicken-and-beer reporting on the 2024 Yankees, and it’s also unclear if alcohol actually worsens baserunning. But it is fascinating that a seemingly off-the-cuff, fed-up comment from Sterling on his personal observations (and in a season where he wasn’t calling most of the regular season following his brief retirement) actually has data to support him.
Regardless, the Yankees still won Game 2 6-3 and are up 3-1 in the series heading into Saturday night’s Game 5, so running the bases “like drunks” has not doomed them so far.
[Bryan Hoch on X]
About Andrew Bucholtz
Andrew Bucholtz has been covering sports media for Awful Announcing since 2012. He is also a staff writer for The Comeback. His previous work includes time at Yahoo! Sports Canada and Black Press.