Shoppach gets first steal; keeps base

Share

BOSTONKelly Shoppach had made a promise to himself.

Ive been saying for years, if I ever steal a base, Im taking the bag, Shoppach said. Im making light of it but Im really excited. Thats a column that I hadnt filled as a professional.

Shoppach filled the SB column on his stat sheet Friday afternoonthus, explaining the base he held under his arm as he stood at his locker after the Red Sox 12-2 pounding of the Rays.

Shoppach stole the first base of his careerin his first career attemptin his ninth big league season.

It was awesome, Shoppach said. Ive already got a great idea of how Im going to hang it up. Still photo of me sliding, jumping, kissing the dirt, then getting the bag. What a day for all of us, a lot of fun. Its nice to have those days, especially with what was todays opening day and 100 years and all that stuff. So, a lot of fun day.

The stolen base -- what was to have been a delayed steal with Mike Aviles on third base -- came in his 464th game. It had been the longest active streak of consecutive games to begin a career without a stolen base attempt. Since 1995 the only other big leaguers to go at least 463 games into their careers before a steal attempt were Javier Valentin (631 games) and Johnny Estrada (612 games).

Shoppach, though, was at a loss for words to describe his slide into second base that was anything less thanahemgraceful. His current and former teammates were not so reticent.

Hes got to work on sliding, Dustin Pedroia said. It was a great play. He did a great job. He did a great job today. He picked us up did and started off a lot of rallies so it was huge for us.

I think we need to get that on the highlight reel, said manager Bobby Valentine. Thatll be good for a rainy day, thats for sure.

He slid nine feet too early, said Rays shortstop Reid Brignac. I looked back at him like, What are you doing, Kelly? You can tell hes never stolen a base before.

Asked if catcher Jose Molina was shocked by his steal, Shoppach replied:

Sure. I felt bad, too. I apologized to him.

Against his former team, for whom he hit .176 with just 39 hits last season, Shoppach went 3-for-4, reaching base four times getting hit by a pitch, with two doubles, two RBI, and three runs scored. It was his fifth career game reaching base at least four times, and the first time since Sept 10, 2008, in Baltimore while with the Indians.

I know those guys are happy for me to have a good day any time, Shoppach said of his former teammates. Its a good group of guys and I know they didnt want it to happen against them. But made some good relationships over there and I'm sure Ill get some text messages. I probably already have about some of the stuff that went on on the field. But great day, like I said, open the ball park that way, the 100th year opening day for the season. And for us to come out and have a solid game all around like we did it was great for all of us.

Contact Us