If you can't handle tough love, you probably can't handle playing for Pat Murphy either. But it seems like rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt can withstand the heat thrown his way when Murphy swiftly benched him in the Milwaukee Brewers' one-run, extra-inning loss to the New York Mets.
Murphy explained to Brewers media (h/t Hunter Baumgardt) after the game that Pratt made two mistakes he wanted to correct when he benched the 22-year-old at the top of the fifth inning. Pratt pulled back on a bunt attempt that Milwaukee's coaching staff asked him to take, and didn't run hard on a pop-fly and eventual Mets error that easily could've turned into a double instead of a single.
The reigning NL Manager of the Year offered some more insights into his thought process after the loss:
"I know who this kid is. He's a great kid. It's not laziness, but you gotta have your head in the game," Murphy explained. "You've got to be locked in if you are going to play at this level, so hopefully [this is] a good learning experience."
And while this was aimed specifically at Cooper Pratt, the Brewers' leader made it clear that Pratt isn't alone in this. Rather, he wanted to send a message to the entire lineup about the importance of locking into the intricate details of the game so they can execute at the highest level and win.
The Milwaukee Brewers need to win in the details of the game if they want to secure the No. 1 seed and make a deep playoff run.
Murphy is trying to teach two essential concepts here: trust and discipline. Pratt didn't put his trust in the game plan laid out by Murphy and his crew, and then didn't have the discipline to run hard off his initial hit or maintain momentum when rounding out to second base. At the same time, Murphy said outright that he was trying to make an example out of Pratt for the rest of the team.
The tone is simple — trust in your managers and stay focused on the opportunities that present themselves. This is not a Brewers team that is going to lead the league in home runs or start slamming dingers in the postseason unless they get hot, lucky, or some combination of both. This is a team that knows when to swing and how to make contact, but the home runs don't come as consistently as other teams.
So when you have an opportunity to turn a single into a double, you have to take it. And when the team just needs you to bunt and get on base, that's not something that can be taken lightly.
The Milwaukee Brewers are transitioning into a postseason mentality and Pat Murphy is preparing his team for the intensity and scrutiny that comes with it. Cooper Pratt just so happened to be the player to make an example out of, but the point stands... Murphy isn't messing around.
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