CLEVELAND: In one breath, Jason Kipnis is defending his double-play partner, insisting it’s best not to put bumpers on Francisco Lindor, but instead to let the kid be himself.
Yet, in the very next breath, Kipnis is the one attaching the bumpers.
Such is life when dealing with a 22-year-old budding superstar. Not even his own teammates know how to handle him.
Lindor’s two-out single in the third inning scored Rajai Davis with what proved to be the winning run in the Indians’ 2-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series. Lindor’s single followed his two-run homer in Game 1 Friday, meaning Lindor is responsible for driving in three of the Indians’ four runs in the series.
“When I’m calm, I’m not moving much [in the batter’s box]. I’m relaxed. That’s what I want,” he said. “When I’m moving too much, I start thinking too much and the next thing you know, the ball is on me and I’m swinging late. I just try not to think.”
Think less, hit more.
At this point, the youngest player on the team doesn’t know what he doesn’t know. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, since it’s clear by now Lindor hasn’t been swallowed up by the moment.
“What’s the point of thinking if you’re having success without thinking?” Kipnis said. “Let the kid go out, be who he is, enjoy the game. As long as he’s playing the right way and doing the right things, you don’t want him changing anything. If he can do it with a free and clear mind, let him just go out and play.
“I think you get so caught up in putting bumpers on him and redirecting him into a way to go when sometimes the best case for some guys is just to let them go out and play and let them be who they are.”
Kipnis, however, admits he can be tough on Lindor. Whether it’s his role as locker room veteran or because he’s often the closest player to him on the field, Kipnis rides Lindor at times. He said Lindor gets so preoccupied trying to direct traffic in the field — as shortstops tend to do — that Kipnis sometimes refocuses him to make sure he knows what he is supposed to do.
Lindor certainly knew what he was doing in the second inning Saturday when he went deep into the hole to field a smash by Jose Bautista. His leaping, one-hop throw to first from the outfield grass beat Bautista by three steps.
“I’m his biggest critic. I’m the one trying to keep him in check,” Kipnis said. “Like I said, you don’t want to put bumpers on him, but I’m the idiot putting bumpers on him. That’s what is amazing about him. He’s playing this well and the kid can get better. It’s just going to come from experience and a lot of games. He’s having a lot of firsts in his career right now: October and postseason. He’s handling it fantastically.”
Lindor is 4-for-7 through the first two games of the ALCS and he’s hitting .350 overall in his first postseason exposure after ending the regular season in a slump. Now he’s one of the few bright spots in an Indians lineup that has managed just four runs and 10 hits through the first two games — yet, thanks to the pitching, it’s enough to carry a 2-0 series lead into Rogers Centre on Monday.
“He’s got a ton of talent. I just think you can tell how much he enjoys playing the game,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “Shoot, if I had his ability I’d feel confident, too. But on the baseball field, that’s where he’s most comfortable. And you can tell he’s enjoying himself. And what’s probably even better is as good a player he is, he’s probably a better kid. That’s saying something.”
Jason Lloyd can be reached at jlloyd@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Cavs blog at www.ohio.com/cavs. Follow him on Twitter www.twitter.com/JasonLloydABJ.