There is a baseball saying as old as the game itself: “Walks kill you.” That is, of course, unless you are on the team receiving them, in which case it’s the proverbial: “A walk is as good as a hit.”

During Friday’s Spring Training game between the Los Angeles Dodgers (of Los Angeles) and the Los Angeles Angels (of Anaheim), it was both for The Boys in Blue.

On the day, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts‘ team received 10, count ’em, TEN free passes, accounting for both of their runs on the day – the first on a one-out bases loaded walk to soon-to-be (on March 15) 32-year-old Dodgers center fielder fielder Trayce Thompson in the top of the fourth inning at Tempe Diablo Stadium off of Angels right-hander Carlos Estévez to make it 1-0 Dodgers.

Two batters later and now with two outs, Angels 26-year-old replacement left-handed pitching prospect Kolton Ingram walked 24-year-old Dodgers right fielder (and Thousand Oaks, CA native) Jonny DeLuca to make it 2-0.

That’s the good news.

The bad news is that in the bottom of the ninth inning and needing only three outs to secure their fourth win of the Spring, 34-year-old Dodgers left-hander (and outfielder) James Jones walked two Angels batters and then gave up a two run double to 24-year-old Angels catcher Myles Emmerson to tie and eventually end the game at 2-2. (There are no extra innings in Spring Training games).

Yes, live by the walk or die (tie) by the walk.

Play Ball!

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