Defensive struggle makes IKF substitute for Game 4
“I think he’s been a bit defensive on defense throughout the series, so as not to make mistakes,” Boone said on Sunday. “I talked to him and my message was, ‘Look, you’re going to have a big role in this. Hopefully we’ll be here for a few more weeks.'”
Often quoted by the Yankees Internal stats that paint Kiner-Falefa as one of the better defensive shortstops in the league explain their preference to keep him starting at rookie Oswald Peraza, the No. 3 prospect in every MLB pipeline, he Excluded from the ALDS roster.
“We’re not trying to convince a lame player to Played well there,” Boone said. “[Kiner-Falefa] has all the skills that are really good.”
This was the case on Saturday Game 3, when Kiner-Falefa missed when he said “let’s lose the game”. Kiner-Falefa didn’t play Josh Naylor’s first-inning RBI single, threw a poor pitch to first base on Andrés Giménez’s infield bat, and dropped the ball carelessly on Myles Straw’s ninth inning hit Got an extra base.
“I’m just disappointed in myself, ‘ said Kiner-Falefa after the third game. “I feel like I have a chance tonight to come up with some key games and help the team win. I can’t come up with them.”
“We’ll see,” Boone said. “I don’t expect anything from it.”
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