Reds Thirdbase Coach Steve Smith Questions Numbers

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Steve Smith has been vilified for sending runners to the plate only to be thrown out.

Fox Sports Ohio statistician, Joel Luchhaupt, researched the numbers and put the number of 25 non-force outs made at home plate this season by Reds' base runners.

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Luckhaupt found the number on http://www.baseball-reference.com/

Smith obviously upset by the criticism confronted a pair of reporters before the game Wednesday against the St. Louis Cardinals.

"I can remember nine this season, six before the All-Star Game and three after it," Smith said.  "If I sent 25 guys to be thrown out, I'd fire myself."

The numbers that Luckhaupt quoted does not filter out runners thrown out on contact plays, those that run on a ground ball to the infield when on thirdbase.

"Those are a manager's decision," Smith explained.

Luckhaupt ageed. 

"I don't know how many were from contact plays," Luckhaupt said.  "I would have to do more research on it. Baseball reference doesn't show how many guys run through the stop sign either."

Smith admitted to three that he would have liked to have back.

One was the play against Pittsburgh, when Ramon Saniago was thrown out at the plate in the bottom of the ninth of a tie game.

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Santiago was the lead runner on second base when Jay Bruce grounded a single to right with no outs and Devin Mesoraco on deck.  Santiago was thrown out by rookie Gregory Polanco with a nice tag by catcher Russell Martin.

"There were no outs and Mesoraco would have been up with the bases loaded and no outs," Smith said.

The Reds didn't score and lost when Andrew McCutcheon homered to win the game for Pittsburgh.

On plays at home when a baserunner was out by making a base running play that excludes pick offs, caught stealing or force plays, the Reds lead the league with 26.  Los Angeles has had 25 and the St. Louis Cardinals 20.  Every team has had at least 10.