Dusty Baker offers hitless Trea Turner some words of wisdom before Game 4
Trea Turner
Trea Turner is 0 for 12 through three playoff games. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
CHICAGO â Dusty Baker had a long talk with  Trea Turner  Tuesday morning before Game 4 of the National League Division Series between the Nationals and Cubs was rained out. The conversation with his struggling 24-year-old shortstop veered into a history lesson. Baker told him of the time Orlando Cepeda  then the MVP  struggled in the playoffs. He recalled Dave Winfield  another Hall of Famer  once had a terrible World Series. He told him of his personal struggles  of the time he hurt his hand in a fight before the 1981 World Series  couldnât swing a bat  and played anyway.
 Turner  isnât a Hall of Famer or even an all-star yet  but Bakerâs impetus for a chat is clear:  Turner  is the Nationalsâ energizer bunny and  his  struggles are crippling their offense. The Nationals hoped  Turner âs speed would disrupt the Cubs  who have a couple of pitchers notorious for their inability to control the running game. But  Turner  hasnât reached base in the playoffs yet. Through three NLDS games   he âs 0 for 12 with five strikeouts  including one with the bases loaded in Game 2. As  Turner  has said  you canât steal first base.  His  game-changing speed has been wasted.
âI havenât been nervous for a pitch this series â  Turner  said. âIâm focusing on ways to contribute to the team. Play some defense. If I can get on base  thatâd be great  but I havenât so I got to focus on other things and focus on my teammates  be a good teammate and hopefully we can turn this thing around.â
After Game 3 Monday   Turner  said  he âs made small adjustments âhere and thereâ at the plate in the series to break through and put  his  speed to use.  He  nearly did in  his  final at-bat in the eighth inning Monday  but Cubs second baseman Ben Zobrist made a diving stop on a groundball 79 mph off Turnerâs bat.
âThings still gotta go your way  â Turner  said. âYou still gotta find holes. Even if you hit the ball hard  you got to find the holes. Things arenât going my way.â
If the lineup Baker unveiled for Game 4 Tuesday before it was postponed is any indication   Turner  will have another chance atop the lineup again Wednesday against Jake Arrieta  who couldnât contain  Turner  when  they  clashed in June in Washington.  Turner  singled in  his  first plate appearance and walked in  his  second against Arrieta. Each time  he  promptly stole second and third base for four steals in three innings. Arrieta would allow six runs (five earned) and walk six batters in just four innings.
After the game  Cubs catcher Miguel Montero criticized Arrieta  whose delivery makes him susceptible to base stealers  for his inability to neutralize  Turner  on the base paths. Arrieta agreed with Monteroâs assessment  but Montero was designated for assignment anyway. So Montero wonât catch Wednesday. Itâll be Willson Contreras  who boasts one of the strongest arms behind the plate in baseball and picked  Turner  off first base in the first game of that four-game series back in June.
But base runners  Baker always says  steal bases off pitchers  not catchers.  Turner  could wreak havoc again and spark a Nationals offense hitting .121 through three games and on the brink of elimination.  He  just needs to get on base first.
[TGT]  is 0 for 12 through three playoff games. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
CHICAGO â Dusty Baker had a long talk with   [TGT] Tuesday morning before Game 4 of the National League Division Series between the Nationals and Cubs was rained out. The conversation with his struggling 24-year-old shortstop veered into a history lesson. Baker told him of the time Orlando Cepeda  then the MVP  struggled in the playoffs. He recalled Dave Winfield  another Hall of Famer  once had a terrible World Series. He told him of his personal struggles  of the time he hurt his hand in a fight before the 1981 World Series  couldnât swing a bat  and played anyway.
  [TGT]   isnât a Hall of Famer or even an all-star yet  but Bakerâs impetus for a chat is clear:   [TGT] is the Nationalsâ energizer bunny and   [TGT]   struggles are crippling their offense. The Nationals hoped   [TGT]  âs speed would disrupt the Cubs  who have a couple of pitchers notorious for their inability to control the running game. But   [TGT]   hasnât reached base in the playoffs yet. Through three NLDS games   he âs 0 for 12 with five strikeouts  including one with the bases loaded in Game 2. As   [TGT] has said  you canât steal first base.   [TGT]   game-changing speed has been wasted.
âI havenât been nervous for a pitch this series â   [TGT] said. âIâm focusing on ways to contribute to the team. Play some defense. If I can get on base  thatâd be great  but I havenât so I got to focus on other things and focus on my teammates  be a good teammate and hopefully we can turn this thing around.â
After Game 3 Monday   Turner  said  he âs made small adjustments âhere and thereâ at the plate in the series to break through and put  his  speed to use.  He  nearly did in  his  final at-bat in the eighth inning Monday  but Cubs second baseman Ben Zobrist made a diving stop on a groundball 79 mph off Turnerâs bat.
âThings still gotta go your way  â  [TGT] said. âYou still gotta find holes. Even if you hit the ball hard  you got to find the holes. Things arenât going my way.â
If the lineup Baker unveiled for Game 4 Tuesday before it was postponed is any indication    [TGT] will have another chance atop the lineup again Wednesday against Jake Arrieta  who couldnât contain   [TGT]   when  they  clashed in June in Washington.   [TGT]   singled in   [TGT]   first plate appearance and walked in   [TGT]   second against Arrieta. Each time   [TGT]   promptly stole second and third base for four steals in three innings. Arrieta would allow six runs (five earned) and walk six batters in just four innings.
After the game  Cubs catcher Miguel Montero criticized Arrieta  whose delivery makes him susceptible to base stealers  for his inability to neutralize   [TGT]   on the base paths. Arrieta agreed with Monteroâs assessment  but Montero was designated for assignment anyway. So Montero wonât catch Wednesday. Itâll be Willson Contreras  who boasts one of the strongest arms behind the plate in baseball and picked   [TGT]   off first base in the first game of that four-game series back in June.
But base runners  Baker always says  steal bases off pitchers  not catchers.   [TGT]   could wreak havoc again and spark a Nationals offense hitting .121 through three games and on the brink of elimination.  He  just needs to get on base first.