Havoc: How Bubba Thompson Creates it For Rangers

The rookie is a base-stealing phenom, but he doesn't actually have to steal a base to create trouble for pitchers.

Bubba Thompson can create havoc on the basepaths. In fact, he only needs standing near a base to do it.

The Texas Rangers rookie proved that on Monday night in a 2-1 win over the Oakland Athletics.

Thompson hit an opposite field single to left field with Leody Taveras on base. The hit scored Taveras, gave the Rangers a 2-1 lead and put Thompson at first base.

Thompson came to the Rangers with a reputation for stealing bases. When he was called up from Triple-A Round Rock, he led all of minor league baseball with 49. He’s been in the Major Leagues long enough for the A’s to know that.

Oakland relief pitcher Sam Moll paid extra attention to Thompson, making pickoff throws to first base, which eventually started annoying the Rangers fans in attendance to the point of booing each throw.

But then Moll made a mistake. His pickoff throw went wide of the first baseman. Thompson turned it into a two-base error and reached third.

"Havoc," as Rangers interim manager Tony Beasley called it after the game, and all Thompson had to do was reach base.

“He can do things that create havoc and put pressure on another team just by being on base,” Beasley said.

Thompson’s influence in that moment was clear. He distracts pitchers. Those that can slide-step to home plate and still generate power can mitigate that to some degree. Those that can’t have to adjust their approach. It matters little to Thompson, who has speed to burn either way. But when pitchers have to change their approaches, like Moll had to on Monday, mistakes happen.

Beasley clearly wants to use Thompson’s ability to naturally influence the game at every opportunity, whether it be on the bases or in the field. In the first inning of that game, Thompson made a nifty sliding grab on a fly ball.

“If he caused them to just slide stuff and hang a slider or fail to execute his pitches, then it's going to benefit us so that's huge,” Beasley said.

As with most rookies, Thompson is struggling a bit at the plate. He hasn’t hit his first Major League home run, and he was likely robbed of one by a fan during the Houston series last week. But his bat is starting to come around. After Tuesday’s loss he now has a four-game hitting streak, and his RBI single to bring home Taveras capped a three-game streak with at least one RBI.

The injury to Kole Calhoun helped create the spot on the roster for Thompson. His combination of havoc and speed may make it hard for the Rangers to take it away once Calhoun is ready to return.

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You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard

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