Althouse: "The Rangers were officially caught in the first 9-3-2-6-2-5 triple play in major league history."

April 23, 2016

"The Rangers were officially caught in the first 9-3-2-6-2-5 triple play in major league history."

"But you'll have to watch it a few times to figure out what actually happened in all this madness."

24 comments:

Curious George said...: Pretty simple to understand watching it once.; 4/23/16, 9:04 AM
Phil 314 said...: With that many exchanges it's always a run down. Single player triple plays are far more interesting.; 4/23/16, 9:08 AM
Mark said...: From what's listed in the scoring, without seeing the video, I would guess (1) flyout to right field, (2) right fielder to first base, runner out by not getting back to bag in time, then (3) runner that was on third tries to score, first baseman to catcher, runner tries to retreat, catcher to shortstop on thirdbase line, back to catcher, then to third baseman for the tag.; 4/23/16, 9:13 AM
SteveR said...: As a Rangers' fan, it was embarrassing to watch, that many mistakes, at that level of baseball.; 4/23/16, 9:17 AM
traditionalguy said...: The apocalypse cometh.

They could have made four put outs if the inning had not been over at three.; 4/23/16, 9:17 AM
Phil 314 said...: Here's a series of unassisted triple plays.. What's surprising is given the rarity of it how the players nonchalantly discard the ball. (As opposed to the value of a 500th home run ball.); 4/23/16, 9:18 AM
Mark said...: My bad, the shortstop was in the second-to-third line and it was both runners trying to advance. The blame for the third out goes entirely to the third base runner, who had plenty of time to tag and score after the flyout, especially with the commotion at first.; 4/23/16, 9:19 AM
Curious George said...: "With that many exchanges it's always a run down. Single player triple plays are far more interesting."

Very rare. In most cases it's because the runners are going and the batter hits a line drive that the shortstop (or second baseman), who is covering second catches (Out 1), steps on the bag to put out the runner going to third (Out 2) and then tags the runner comming from first (out 3). Bill Wambsganss had an unassisted triple play for Cleveland in the World Series. Weird that I know that.

I like the 5-4-3 around the horn variety myself. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2ayu5iwTOg; 4/23/16, 9:21 AM
RMc said...: Another Prince died last night -- on the basepaths.; 4/23/16, 9:23 AM
MadisonMan said...: Was Prince Fielder even trying to move?; 4/23/16, 9:29 AM
FWBuff said...: SteveR, I feel your pain. Prince Fielder may be a power hitter, but he's a terrible base runner. I can't believe the Rangers paid him $23 Million.; 4/23/16, 9:45 AM
Phil 314 said...: "I can't believe the Rangers paid him $23 Million."

The Money ball philosophy. Power hitting is far more valuable than speed and smarts on the base path.; 4/23/16, 9:47 AM
FWBuff said...: He hasn't been that great as a power hitter either, unfortunately.; 4/23/16, 10:00 AM
MadisonMan said...: I've always confused Cecil Fielder, Prince's Dad, with the great Cecil Cooper. It doesn't help my mind-sorting that both Prince Fielder and Cecil Cooper played for the Brewers but Cecil Fielder did not.

So I'll write this down to remember it

Cecil Cooper: Thin and wiry Brewer.
Cecil Fielder and Prince Fielder: chunk city.; 4/23/16, 10:01 AM
Ambrose said...: @MadisonMan - Cecil Cooper was traded by the Red Sox to the Brewers for George Scott - a first baseman very much in the Cecil/Prince Fielder mold.; 4/23/16, 10:33 AM
Curious George said...: Cecil Fielder and Cecil Cooper. One "sess il" and the other "see sill"; 4/23/16, 10:36 AM
Howard said...: Phil: Thanks for the link to the unassisted triples, that was fun to watch. The rareity is 99% luck and 1% MLB infield skills, so I can understand why many of the players are nonchalant about it.

As an A's fan, I can tell you that real moneyball never pays $23M for a player. However, real moneyball is not designed to win championships. It's purpose is to nurse along a limping franchise stuck in a 1960's stadium prevented from upgrading by an incompetent City government and prevented from moving to Fremont by their cross-bay rivals. The main benefit is a team of no-names that make the playoffs about half the time with cheap and available ticket prices in a stadium that has the best baseball weather in the USA. Real moneyball is the only quadruple A team in baseball.; 4/23/16, 10:41 AM
Ipso Fatso said...: Two thoughts:

1) Given the White Sox have been horrible in the field the last few years under Robin Ventura, it was surprising they did not screw this up. (As an aside, Adam Eaton has been great in right field since his switch. He is the one who started the play).

2) The Cubs just missed an around the horn triple play last night against the Reds.; 4/23/16, 11:20 AM
Birches said...: That was fun. Good work Mark on the guess. I laughed when I realized Prince Fielder was the guy btw home and third. Too easy is what the Sox were thinking at that point.; 4/23/16, 2:48 PM
ndspinelli said...: Prince is one of the fattest vegetarians in the world.; 4/23/16, 3:10 PM
Tacitus said...: The remarkable thing really was that the runner going from second to third was effectively standing still and could have been tagged easily. But it was more fun to run down the lumbering Prince Fielder. Style points in a triple play. Love it.

Tacitus; 4/23/16, 3:39 PM
Otto said...: Here's a weirder scenario. A team hits 3 singles, one double. one triple and one home run in an inning and doesn't score a run!; 4/23/16, 3:59 PM
David said...: Tacitus2 said...
The remarkable thing really was that the runner going from second to third was effectively standing still and could have been tagged easily.

The proper play in that situation is just what they did. Even if you think you have the other runner, get the ball to the catcher. That virtually insures that a run will not score while you are trying to get the other out.

The execution of the rundown was perfect. Pro grade all the way.; 4/23/16, 10:56 PM
David said...: Tacitus2 said...
The remarkable thing really was that the runner going from second to third was effectively standing still and could have been tagged easily.

The proper play in that situation is just what they did. Even if you think you have the other runner, get the ball to the catcher. That virtually insures that a run will not score while you are trying to get the other out.

The execution of the rundown was perfect. Pro grade all the way.; 4/23/16, 10:56 PM