Jose Caballero’s ‘catch me if you can’ style has Rays on a good run

TAMPA — Getting in the lineup, then drawing a walk or rapping a hit can be the trickier part for Jose Caballero.

Once the Rays’ speedy and versatile infielder/outfielder reaches base, it’s pretty clear to him — and the opposing team — that his focus is to steal the next one. Usually successfully.

“They all know that I’m there to run and that I will run,” Caballero said. “I’m not scared of them. They should be scared of me, and that’s pretty much it. I want them to think about me. I’m not going to think about (those) guys. That’s the mentality.”

That approach has worked pretty well for Caballero.

Last year, in his first full big-league season, he lead the American League with 44 steals, but also was caught a majors-most 16 times.

As this season nears the halfway point, he is again atop the league leaderboard and — with 25 successful attempts in 30 chances, went into play Tuesday on pace to steal more (56) and be caught less (11).

“Getting caught less is really important,” manager Kevin Cash said. “And I think Cabby understands that, and he learned a lot along the way last year.”

One of the most important lessons is that he’s not going to catch any team off guard, with Cash noting how last week in Boston Lucas Giolito paid extremely close attention (and eventually made an errant pickoff throw at second that led a Rays run).

Jose Caballero heads to third base on a steal against the Marlins earlier this month. “(Opponents are) respecting how talented he is and the impact that he can have on the bases,” manager Kevin Cash says. [ LUIS SANTANA | Times ]

“The league and teams know — they’re respecting how talented he is and the impact that he can have on the bases,” Cash said. “And I think Cabby is understanding that he’s going to be treated differently when he gets on base. So he has to be more mindful of his decisions when he’s out there. But to date, his decisions have been really good.”

That part is somewhat of a team effort.

“I think with his speed, there are probably nights where he could probably just go steal the base,” first base/baserunning coach Michael Johns said. “But I think a lot of times with just the amount of information we have and the amount of video, he’s really good at taking that and processing it, and he really does trust whatever we tell him.”

That preparation is a key part.

Caballero watches videos of opposing pitchers’ pickoff moves to get a sense of their tendencies and what tips and tells to look for. He will adjust his initial and secondary leads, and he may tinker with his jumps.

The Rays provide scouting reports with detailed data on the times for pitches to be delivered and catchers to throw to second, and give signs on whether the runner has to go, can decide or should stay. Johns will approach runners at first to whisper quick reminders of the key info.

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And then there is what sets Caballero apart in his “catch me if you can” approach.

Rays first base/baserunning coach Michael Johns, front, praises the instincts of Jose Caballero. “It just starts with fearlessness.” [ CHRIS URSO | Times ]

“The first thing is, he’s fearless.” Johns said. “He’s created so many runs for us just by his speed. And the other thing he does is he makes pitchers do things they don’t want to do. He makes them side step (to quicken their delivery), makes them (attempt pickoffs), and they really put a focus on him. They take the focus off the hitter.”

That last part is something Caballero finds quite rewarding.

“I’m trying to just get in the pitcher’s head,” he said. “There’s been so many close games for us and sometimes I think we need to get the pitcher to think about something else instead of just throwing strikes and getting us out. That’s my way to contribute to the team. I’m just trying to help the team in any way possible.”

The combination of knowledge and instinct has paid off.

“It’s just been one of those things where he just feels it,” Johns said. “(There’s) nothing I can teach him. I’m basically giving him information about the pitcher and the catcher battery, and he takes it from there. So every night’s a little different. Every guy’s a little different, what he’s going to try to do with them. But it just starts with fearlessness.”

Just as important as knowing when to steal is when not to.

“I think he’s done a great job of not trying to force it,” Johns said. “I think both he and I tried to force some things last year when we probably shouldn’t have, and we both kind of learned from it.”

“They all know that I’m there to run and that I will run,” Jose Caballero says of opponents. “I’m not scared of them. They should be scared of me.” [ JASON BEHNKEN | AP ]

“But there’s been times where he’s been on (a green light) and he hasn’t gone. He could have stole the base and he kind of flinched and didn’t think he had it, or the pitcher did something that maybe we didn’t know he was going to do, and he’s done a great job of shutting it down those situations. And then the situations where we really need him, he’s come up huge.”

The Rays have been on the run overall, going into Tuesday’s game leading the majors with 97 steals (in 119 chances, for an 82% success rate that ranks third overall).

And that has been a major element in the team’s overall offensive surge during its majors-best 19-6 run since May 20.

“I think every team that plays us right now knows that it’s a part of our game,” Cash said.

Teammates have enjoyed seeing Caballero, who for his career has 95 steals in 119 chances (79%), lead the way.

Outfielder Josh Lowe, who admits to a “little more methodical” style in swiping 65 bases in 70 career attempts, said “fearless” is a fitting description for Caballero.

José Caballero is caught stealing and tagged out by Rockies third baseman Ryan McMahon on March 30. It’s only happened five times this season. [ JEFFEREE WOO | Times ]

“He’s very aggressive with stealing bases,” Lowe said. “I’m surprised guys don’t pick him off more, like just the way he leads off. But this year compared to last year, he’s done a great job in terms of cutting down those just the stolen bases where he knows it probably wasn’t the right attempt. So he’s grown up in that aspect of learning when to go, and that’s been a cool transformation to see on his part.”

Starter Taj Bradley also has enjoyed watching.

“He’s like a magic act, honestly,” Bradley said. ”He’s real confident on the bases. I think that’s a big part. Watching from the dugout, he has no fear. Being a great basestealer, that’s what it takes. You’re not scared of a pickoff or you’re not thinking about how many limited (pickoff throws) they have, or who’s in the (batter’s) box. …

“So I just think it’s amazing to see.”

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