For a moment, John McDonald probably regretted teaching Will Middlebrooks a thing or two.
McDonald, now playing for the Los Angeles Angels, suited up for the Boston Red Sox down the stretch in 2013. The veteran infielder almost was like an extra coach, with his tutelage of Middlebrooks spilling into the offseason, where the two worked out together.
Middlebrooks returned the favor Monday night by absolutely robbing his old friend in the ninth inning of the Red Sox’s 4-2 loss to the Angels at Fenway Park.
McDonald smoked a line drive down the third base line, and it looked destined for the left field corner. However, Middlebrooks took one step to his right, laid out and snagged the liner, depriving the 39-year-old of what likely would have been his second extra-base hit of 2014.
Middlebrooks gave a quick grin after popping up and throwing the ball around the horn. And why not? The 25-year-old got the better of his mentor, although McDonald’s Angels certainly earned the last laugh.
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