Porter plans to put focus on baserunning next spring

CLEVELAND -- Astros manager Bo Porter said Friday he wants to emphasize baserunning more during Spring Training next year and will even take over instruction of the team's baserunning. His decision comes after the Astros lost back-to-back extra-inning games, committing glaring baserunning errors late in each.

The Astros blew a great scoring chance in the 11th inning Wednesday, when Jose Altuve inexplicably went from first to third on a single, even though Brandon Barnes was standing on third. On Thursday, pinch-runner Jake Elmore was picked off second base for the first out of the 10th inning with Jonathan Villar at the plate trying to bunt him to third.

The recent baserunning gaffes have only magnified what has been a season-long problem.

"We will place more emphasis on some of the aspects that have happened throughout the course of the year, and it will be addressed from the standpoint of doing different drills that we did not do last spring and issues that will help us be a better baserunning team," Porter said. "Am I satisfied with our baserunning? No, absolutely not. As we move forward into next year, I'm going to take over the baserunning next year and it will be better."

First-base coach Dave Clark currently instructs baserunning, as well as the outfielders.