Tragic Hero Trevor Cahill Pays Dearly For Runaway Ambition

Wednesday afternoon the Angels lost a close one to the Minnesota Twins, 8–7. Angels pitcher Trevor Cahill took the loss, allowing six earned runs in 4.1 innings pitched, so right there you already know it wasn’t his best day. The defining moment of Cahill’s lousy outing, and certainly the most regrettable one, came in the second inning, when Jonathan Schoop tapped a 2–2 sinker up the first baseline, and a hustling Cahill was called upon to make a difficult play.

It’s not so much that Cahill failed to make the play, and it’s not even that in his haste Cahill chucked the ball into foul territory, giving the runners an extra base on the error. Even the attempted behind-the-back flip, as ill-advised as it was, isn’t the worst part of this play. No, the most heartbreaking part of the play is the sight of Cahill’s poor glove, suddenly alone and bouncing forlornly in the infield dirt. Man.

Here’s an even more amazing and wonderful view of this delirious tragicomedy:

I also very much enjoy Cahill awkwardly twitching and fidgeting, still gloveless, after the play, with a thin and unconvincing half-grin on his face, while teammate Jared Walsh chases the ball into the dugout. That play had no chance, and I mean zero chance, of working out. Presumably the humiliation of the moment will prevent Cahill from attempting any such foolishness ever again, but I very much hope I’m wrong.