Phillies’ added weapon in NLCS: Davey Lopes’ stopwatch

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Phillies first base coach Davey Lopes knows a thing or two about stealing bases. As a prized member of the Dodgers in 1972-1981, Lopes twice led the National League in stolen bases.

So it’s no surprise that he leaves little to chance in helping Philadelphia’s runners, which is why he holds a stopwatch during games to constantly time opposing pitchers -- in this case, the Dodgers pitchers in the National League Championship Series.

‘A lot of guys do it [use a stopwatch], but I don’t know if they use it to the point that I do,’ Lopes said Thursday night after the Phillies won Game 1 of the series at Dodger Stadium.

Lopes, 64, said he doesn’t time pitchers’ throws to first base when a runner is aboard, but rather is ‘timing the deliveries’ of their throws to home plate to help calculate his runner’s chances of stealing second.

‘The only thing you’re looking for is the throw to the plate, how quickly he gets it there,’ said Lopes, a Dodgers captain during his playing days. ‘I watch to see if the [pitcher] stays consistent. Some guys, as the count gets deeper, they get slower.

‘So I’m watching,’ he said. ‘You factor how fast this [pitcher] is, who’s the runner, how fast the catcher throws down to second base.’

And does Lopes immediately tell his runners what he’s learned with his stopwatch? ‘I always talk to the runner,’ he replied. ‘I’m always relaying whatever information I get. I mean, that’s why I’m here.’

-- Jim Peltz