The Dodgers’ broadcasters, rightfully so, marveled at the fact that most Major League Baseball players wouldn’t have scored from second base on that play.
He swiped the white slab of rubber, glided a few more feet, and popped up with a spin just ahead of Phillies catcher J.T.
Turner has emerged as one of the top players in the majors, a dynamic talent expected to break the bank in free agency this winter.
Turner, 28, has replicated the slick act a few more times since August, each instance adding to a niche highlight reel.
He said he doesn’t know when he added the slick slide to his arsenal, but his teammates at North Carolina State, in the minor leagues and with the Washington Nationals all noticed his unusual skill before the Dodgers acquired him at last July’s trade deadline.
Turner has taken a mundane move performed dozens of times over nine innings — and made it cool.
They slide too close to the bag, jamming their foot or, worse, injuring their hand.
It wasn’t until he watched the video after the game that he realized Turner had pulled another one off.
Ebel said Turner’s intuitiveness, derived from wreaking havoc on the bases at every level, is unmatched, allowing for the smooth landings.
Statistically, Turner’s sprint speed of 30.1 feet per second this season was tied for third in the majors entering Sunday, according to Baseball Savant.
Mike Trout and Peter Bourjos, players he coached with the Angels, are next on the list.
Elliott Avent, Turner’s coach at North Carolina State, had a nickname for his star shortstop: Seabiscuit, after the legendary race horse from the 1930s.
Not necessarily from a smoothness standpoint, but whether the slide slowed down the runner.
