For the fourth consecutive season, and the fifth time in six years, the Orioles have the fewest stolen bases in all of Major League Baseball. Does that make them bad at base running? No. If anything, it may keep them from being even worse at it than they already are.
What brings the subject of base running to mind is the latest dopey thing that Manny Machado did on the bases. On Monday, in the Orioles’ series opening 7-4 loss to the Yankees, Jonathan Schoop grounded into a fielder’s choice that resulted in Machado being forced out at second base.