When the Dodgers signed Yasiel Puig to his seven-year/$42 million contract basically sight unseen, they knew that they were getting a speedster in addition to a power-hitter and a great defender. In fact, in his year and a half in the minor leagues, Puig stole a total of 21 bases – that’s the good news. The bad news is that he was caught stealing 10 times for a 68% success rate.

After his call-up to the big leagues on June 3, 2013, Puig stole 11 bases while being caught eight time (57%) through the end of the season.

Through the first 72 games of 2014, Puig has stolen seven bases while being caught seven times (50%).

In other words, the Wild Horse (as Vin Scully calls Puig) may be fast when it comes to chasing down fly balls and he may be fast running the bases, but he is not a very good base stealer. In fact, he ran the Dodgers out of the inning twice on Sunday afternoon when he was caught attempting to steal second base. And while there is nothing wrong with attempting to steal second base with two outs and nobody else on base, when it isn’t working, perhaps it’s time to re-think this strategy.

With the Dodgers having two of the best base stealers in Dodgers history at their disposal in Maury Wills and Davey Lopes, you would think that Puig would be getting the finest tutoring available. Yet when asked if anyone was working with Puig on his base stealing, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly’s answer might surprise you.

“We haven’t done a whole lot of work, you can only do so much with anybody through the course of the season,” said Mattingly. “I think that’s an area of his game that will continue to get better. Last year we were worried about his throws and we were worried about his strike zone and we were worried about this or that and he’s made a lot of strides, and I think that that’s an area that he will continue to get better at also.”

Mattingly also said that he isn’t worried that Puig rarely (if ever) dives back to the first base bag and instead goes back standing up, which might suggest that he could increase his lead and still be able to dive back safely. In fact, the Dodgers skipper actually defended Puig for this.

“We’ve never had to tell a guy how to get back to a base,” quipped Mattingly. “You’ve got to be comfortable. I’ve seen guys over there that get back easily and still steal bases, guys that dive back and get a real big lead and dive back that don’t steal bases. I think each guy is their own way but with Yasiel I don’t think it’s an art that he’s really picked up yet.”

Rather than increasing his lead and diving back to first base, Puig prefers to take a shorter lead and goes back standing up. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Both times that Puig was thrown out on Sunday he went in feet-first instead of head-first, and rather awkward at that. Asked if this was something that was suggested to him by his coaches, Mattingly said that it was not.

“Nobody said anything to him I don’t think about going in head-first,” Mattingly answered.

In Monday night’s game, Puig went first to third on a base hit and his slide into third base was… well, awful. In fact, he actually re-injured his hip on the play – the same hip that he injured on an awkward slide against the Rockies in Colorado last week that saw him miss two days as a result. Even Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully was amazed at Puig’s inability to slide correctly.

“You know, they’re big leaguers. I wish they all knew how to slide.”

Stan Conte and Lorenzo Bundy look on as Puig tries to shake off the pain after an awkward slide into third base. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

And we all know that if Vin Scully says it, it is so.