Hypothetical BB Triple Play - Trivia O/T

[Archive]

Posted By: Jerry Hrechka

Just thought this one would be fun:



Here is the scenerio:



Runners on first & second, no outs



Batter swings & hits a fair ball then there is a triple play without any fielder touching the ball.



How does this happen under Major League scoring rules.



Fire away.

[Archive]

Posted By: barrysloate

Batter hits a line drive that hits the runner leaving first base; ball then ricochets and hits the runner leaving second base. In the interim, batter runs out of the base path on his way to first.

Preposterous scenario, but I think a triple play.

[Archive]

Posted By: Jerry Hrechka

Another possibility Batter hits an infield fly - out on Infield Fly Rule, Ball hits batter standing off second - 2nd. out, Runner on first passes runner standing off second - 3rd. out.

Any more?

[Archive]

Posted By: PC

Jerry -- good example. However, I believe the runner on 1st is not out by passing the 2d runner, since the runner on 2d was already out.

But I think your scenario would work if the runner on 1st passes the 2d runner, before the ball hits the 2d runner.

Not sure if that is physically possible.

[Archive]

Posted By: john/z28jd

I'm not 100% sure but since a runner got hit by the ball, its a dead ball right then, so anything that happens afterwards is irrelevant. I assume that would include hitting someone else

[Archive]

Posted By: barrysloate

I wasn't too sure about my ricochet theory either. Probably never happened in a game anyhow.

[Archive]

Posted By: john/z28jd

The easiest way to get a triple play without a fielder touching the ball in that situation is the batter hits a home run and none of the runners touch 3rd base(or home) and the opposing team appeals the play. If you count the appeal as the opposing team touching the ball,then the manager switched the pitcher and 3b before the next pitch so none of the original fielders touched it. If youre going to be anal like that though then technically its impossible because the pitcher is a fielder and he touched the ball before anything happened so that makes it impossible.

[Archive]

Posted By: PC

John -- you are correct. The ball is dead after it hits the first runner (first runner is then out, second runner goes back to his base).

[Archive]

Posted By: Frank Wakefield

How about...

Fair fly ball, just to the third base side of second base.

Infield fly is called, batter out runners advance at own risk.

1st base runner runs to second and rounds it. 2nd base runner wanders a few feet off of the bag. 1st base runner passes second base runner, 2nd out.

Remaining runner is struck by the ball, as it bounces into the dirt, then into him. 3rd out.

??

[Archive]

Posted By: Frank Wakefield

All of this reminds me of the crap weather in which they tried to play the World Series. There was a fly ball on the infield with runners on 1st and 2nd, no infield fly was called because of the fierce wind and the rain. And when the infield fly rule is no longer valid because of the weather, at that point they're no longer playing baseball. The overpaid, worthless, owner's whore Commish almost screwed up a WS as much as Arnold Rothstein.

[Archive]

Posted By: J Levine

Well, I will give this a try...

Batter has two strikes and tries to sacrafice bunt. Batter misses bunt, catcher misses ball. Runner from first runs and misses the stop sign...passes the runner on second and called out...runner on second finally realizes as he is passed that the ball is away and runs...as he rounds third the batter finally realizes ball is away and finally starts to run to first where he collides with confused catcher who cannot locate ball. Batter interference is called and both the batter and runner are called out. I think that this works under the interference rules but not positive.

Joshua

[Archive]

Posted By: S Gross

I can think of many interference/base running outs that could result in the forementioned TP.


But I like Frank's situation (first one, although I can't disagree with second). I can just see the lead base runner standing there saying: "Hey, you idiot, you just passed me, your out" ......... PLUNK .... ball knocks him on the head ....... little blue birds start flying around head ............ Bugs Bunny vs. Gashouse Gang sort of stuff

[Archive]

Posted By: Phil

With less than 2 outs and a runner on first base, a missed 3rd strike by the catcher, the batter cannot run to first if the base is occupied.

[Archive]

Posted By: J Levine

True,
okay...put the runners on 2nd and 3rd...

Joshua

[Archive]

Posted By: barrysloate

Slight digression, but I just thought of a triple play possibility that probably has never occurred in the history of the game:

Bases loaded, nobody out, and the batter hits a ball that dies right in front of home plate. Catcher picks it up with his foot on home for one out; throws it to third for the second out; and the third baseman throws it to second for the third out.

In that scenario the triple play happens without the batter making an out himself.

[Archive]

Posted By: Phil

You'd have to have incredibly slow runners for that to happen. With nobody out, the runners will have a decent lead and then move on anything on the ground. Would be very, very difficult to pull off. That is why the batter is usually the last out in a double play (or triple play) because they are slower getting out of the batter's box.

[Archive]

Posted By: barrysloate

Well of course it is only hypothetical...if the runners were really slow the second baseman could throw to first and nail the batter for a quadruple play!

[Archive]

Posted By: J Levine

Some of the mid-1980s Dodgers could have done it...Mike Scoscia, Franklin Stubbs, Mike Marshall, and Fernando Valenzuela being at the plate...they were really really slow.

I am pretty sure I saw Fernando thrown out at first on a clean single to right field.

Joshua

[Archive]

Posted By: Mike

How about the bases are loaded and the guy on third heads home and breaks his leg ? All of the other three runners past him and they are all declared out. Is this right ?