Minneapolis — Physical errors happen. Baseball is a hard game played by imperfect human beings.
Mental mistakes, as any manager will tell you, shouldn’t happen. They are mostly inexcusable and unacceptable.
Sometimes they are almost inexplicable.
Javier Báez is a Gold Glove-winning shortstop. He’s good for a couple highlight-worthy plays a week. But in the second inning of the Tigers’ 2-0 loss to the Minnesota Twins Tuesday night, he had a brain cramp that contributed to the first run of the game.
Max Kepler was on first base with two outs. Everybody in the ballpark knew that he would be running on the 3-2 pitch to Geo Urshela.