After making a terrific diving stop on a sharply hit ground ball Wednesday afternoon, Wright hoodwinked San Diego's Cameron Maybin into making a baserunning gaffe. It was one of the best defensive plays of the season for the New York Mets ? or for anybody.
With two outs in the bottom of the third, Wright made an all-out dive behind the third-base bag on a grounder by Logan Forsythe. Rather than trying from foul territory to get Forsythe at first base, Wright bluffed the throw ? with a full-speed fake ? as Maybin was reaching third.
Not only did Maybin reflexively turn and duck his head (which would have helped Wright find a throwing lane) but he rounded the bag instead of sliding ? further playing into Wright's hands.
By the time Maybin realized he was being decoyed, and had turned back toward third, Wright was racing toward him to put the tag on. Maybin was dead meat.
Wright said he knew when Forsythe made contact that he'd have no chance to get him at first. He simply was trying to keep Maybin from continuing home. Tagging him out, Wright said, was a bonus:
"He probably would have scored if I did throw it. I wanted to work his speed against him."
Wright also hit a three-run home run to help the Mets beat the Padres 7-3, but his fake-out was much cooler.
Terrific creativity and athleticism on the ball field. Even better than Jordan Walden's recent game-ending fake-to-third pickoff to get Curtis Granderson.
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