Moncada had two hits Sunday, giving him four in three games since being called up from Double-A Portland, but also committed an error and was picked off first base in a 1-0 loss to Oakland.
Perhaps Moncada can use the miscues to figure out how the game is played and the speed with which it is played at the major league level. The knock on Moncada defensively has been that while he has all the tools, his big issue is fundamentals and focus -- things like footwork or getting down all the way on grounders. These are correctable, but the fact remains that Moncada made three errors at third base in nine games with Portland, and the stakes are much higher in MLB when a team is fighting for postseason positioning. Additionally, the Boston Globe's Nick Carfado has observed that the 21-year-old, who is new to third base, holds the ball a tick too long. With the speed that major league runners can get down the line, that can be a difference when reacting from third base, relative to second base. As for the pickoff, we can never know whether it cost Boston a run or perhaps a bigger inning, but that man who stole 45 bags in the minors, needs to learn from it. Whether it was due to an overaggressive lead, or not knowing the pitcher's move, or reading the pitcher incorrectly, it all speaks to underestimating the speed of the game in MLB. So, while the excitement of seeing him up with Boston is warranted, Moncada still requires some finishing work.