Philadelphia Phillies vs Cincinnati Reds: Five Observations from Philly’s First Loss

Odubel Herrera Still Has His Cavalier Attitude

Odubel Herrera and manager Pete Mackanin butted heads several times the past two seasons over how Herrera plays the game. Most of the time it was for lack of effort, but the two could have a different conflict after Wednesday’s game.

In the ninth inning, Odubel Herrera reached base on an infield single, and Maikel Franco struck out after him to give the Phillies two outs. Herrera made an attempt to steal second base but was originally called out. The umpire’s view was blocked, and replay review showed that Herrera was able to get his hand in before the tag was applied. Tommy Joseph struck out to end the game, so the stolen base was moot.

However, Herrera engineered the steal on his own rather than taking a signal from the coaches. Had he been called out and then the play stood, he would look like a major bonehead.

Mackanin certainly wasn’t happy with the play, as Montemurro reported:

Next: Phillies Triple-A Prospects Ready for Season

While this may not be the biggest thing to have a conflict over, it still shows that Herrera acts on his own accord on occasion, even in his third season.