Baseball question only for the diehards (and the people that watched baseball tonight)

[molarmite]

If you watched Baseball Tonight when they talked about this, please don't answer.

How can you record a triple play without any fielders touching the ball, besides the pitching throwing the pitch?

This has happened in a game before, only the smart and diehard baseball fans can figure this out.

I'll give you hints along the way if no one is even close.

[myasu]

At least 2 runners on bases, the hitter hits a homerun, and all three runners including the hitter fail to touch the base (any bases) ?

However, it is so hard to imagine really happening...

* I do not think this would even be called a triple play! Damn me...

[Russ]

How about bases loaded, home run, all other runners pass the runner on third who's just hanging out not doing anything?

Bases loaded. Pop up. Infield fly rule, batter out. Ball bounces, runner on first is running and kicks the ball, he's out. He kicks it towards the third base line and the runner on second is now running towards home and kicks the third baseman in the nuts preventing him from picking up the ball.

[Big Hugg]

Originally Posted by Russ

Bases loaded. Pop up. Infield fly rule, batter out. Ball bounces, runner on first is running and kicks the ball, he's out. He kicks it towards the third base line and the runner on second is now running towards home and kicks the third baseman in the nuts preventing him from picking up the ball.

Well, this got me thinking, what about this...

1st and 2nd, nobody out, batter pops it up on the infield.

1. Infield fly, 1 out
2. Runner from 1st passes the runner from 2nd, runner from 1st out, 2 outs
3. Ball comes down and hits runner from 2nd, 3 outs

I can't believe this has ever happened in a game though. How dumb would you have to be?

[Russ]

Originally Posted by Big Hugg

Well, this got me thinking, what about this...

1st and 2nd, nobody out, batter pops it up on the infield.

1. Infield fly, 1 out
2. Runner from 1st passes the runner from 2nd, runner from 1st out, 2 outs
3. Ball comes down and hits runner from 2nd, 3 outs

I can't believe this has ever happened in a game though. How dumb would you have to be?

Pretty dumb. I remember a game a few years ago where the batter struck out, the runner from first was caught stealing, and the runner on third broke for home and was thrown out. That's the only thing I can think of that's happened that is close to this. But maybe something like that has happened before.

[myasu]

I thought it was "any fielders touching the ball, besides the pitcher throwing the pitch".

[mrskippy]

Interesting. I like myaus' answer, but I think there might be another way.

[mrskippy]

From The Hardball Times

4. Triple play without the ball touching a fielder

Not necessarily a rule per se but rather a composition of a range of rulings. Again there is some debate as to whether a triple play without the ball touching a fielder is an urban myth. While it might be technically possible, it certainly hasn’t happened and nor is it likely to.

The theory goes like this:

There are runners on first and second with no outs. The batter hits a fair ball that can be fielded by one of the infielders. He is out by the infield fly rule even if no one touches the ball. Then the crazy stuff really starts. The runner on first passes the runner on second, so the runner on first is out due to rule 7.08, which forbids a runner overtaking another runner on the base paths. Two outs. The runner at second is then struck by the batted ball as it lands (rule 7.08 again—look, it covers a whole host of base running situations). There we have it three outs and no fielder has touched the ball.

The Mariners somehow "hit" into a triple play in a Sept. 2 game in Tampa Bay—without a ball being put in play. How'd that happen? It wasn't easy. Raul Ibanez got called out on strikes for the first out. Adrian Beltre got nailed stealing second for the second out. Then Jose Lopez bolted for the plate and got thrown out at home for the third out. Try that one on your X-box sometime.

Ah, the joys of the creative mind.

[Russ]

Originally Posted by myasu

I thought it was "any fielders touching the ball, besides the pitcher throwing the pitch".

I'm just thinking maybe the OP miswrote what he was trying to say, not judging your reading comprehension skills.

I did some research after guessing and I can't find anything that's actually happened in a game.

[myasu]

Originally Posted by Russ

I'm just thinking maybe the OP miswrote what he was trying to say, not judging your reading comprehension skills.

I did some research after guessing and I can't find anything that's actually happened in a game.

Probably, molarmite meant "without a ball being put in play"?
I think the Mariners' play mrskippy mentioned above would be the right answer.

[mrskippy]

Originally Posted by myasu

Probably, molarmite meant "without a ball being put in play"?
I think the Mariners' play mrskippy mentioned above would be the right answer.

I had to look it up on Google search myself. I think that the Mariners play is correct, depending on the definition of "fielder" ... if the triple play happens without contact being made, than it is the answer. I don't think the other "infield fly" thing has ever happened like that -- than again, who knows.

[theasfl]

I saw the lead-ins on Baseball Tonight, but was showering whenever they actually discussed it. He said the fielding team never touched the ball, though I could be wrong.

Buck Showalter was managing the game, I don't think what you guys are bringing up is the right answer, but I'm not sure.

[Andy]

It's not my thread so I will wait for molarmite, but someone in this thread does have the right answer.

[statman]

Originally Posted by Big Hugg

Well, this got me thinking, what about this...

1st and 2nd, nobody out, batter pops it up on the infield.

1. Infield fly, 1 out
2. Runner from 1st passes the runner from 2nd, runner from 1st out, 2 outs
3. Ball comes down and hits runner from 2nd, 3 outs

I can't believe this has ever happened in a game though. How dumb would you have to be?

I watched it and this is what they explained and it happened but not in a ML game, was a minor league game.

[Tony M]

Whatever it is, it's going to be up there with the inside-the-park home-run from a dropped third strike

YouTube - Dropped Third Strike = Home Run

[theasfl]

Originally Posted by redsoxford

Whatever it is, it's going to be up there with the inside-the-park home-run from a dropped third strike

YouTube - Dropped Third Strike = Home Run

impressive

[molarmite]

Big_Hugg, and mr.skippy's "Theory" were very close. As some people mentioned it happened in a minor league game that Buck Showalter was managing. There's is just one flaw in both of their answers. After the infield fly was called, Buck sent the runners back however, only the lead runner saw so he was running back and the other runner kept going and then passed him. Although I don't know how the ball could possibly land on his helmet, but it did. Congrats to Big_Hugg for being a baseball junkie.

[Sdpm100]

Originally Posted by redsoxford

Whatever it is, it's going to be up there with the inside-the-park home-run from a dropped third strike

YouTube - Dropped Third Strike = Home Run

Well surely it's a strikeout (dropped strike three) with a passed ball and E2, four base error, not a home run?

EDIT - no it's got to be a three base error on the advancement.

[Dagrims]

Originally Posted by mrskippy

The Mariners somehow "hit" into a triple play in a Sept. 2 game in Tampa Bay—without a ball being put in play. How'd that happen? It wasn't easy. Raul Ibanez got called out on strikes for the first out. Adrian Beltre got nailed stealing second for the second out. Then Jose Lopez bolted for the plate and got thrown out at home for the third out. Try that one on your X-box sometime.

My brush with baseball history: my eight-year old son and I were at that game, sitting on the first base side. I spent the next half-inning excitedly explaining to my son how rare a triple play was, and how that might have been the first time it ever happened just like that. He was about as excited as he would have been were I describing my job responsibilities as an accountant. The reaction from the crowd wasn't much more than some sparse clapping - not a surprise with only about 10,000 in attendance.

[Dagrims]

Originally Posted by redsoxford

Whatever it is, it's going to be up there with the inside-the-park home-run from a dropped third strike

YouTube - Dropped Third Strike = Home Run

Almost that exact scenario happened to the son of a co-worker, in an April Little League game. His team was up by one in the bottom of the last inning, two outs and runners at second and third. The batter swung at strike three, but the ball popped out of the catcher's mitt. The team on defense ran off the field and started celebrating, until they heard the opposing coach yelling to the batter "run, run!". All runners took off and one player on the defense ran back to the ball, turned to the firstbaseman who had gotten back to the bag, and heaved it way over his head into an empty right field. Both runners scored and the game ended.