Hitting for a Cycle..whats the big deal

[1952boyntoncollector]

I know its a statistical oddity. but does it really matter. I rather have my player shoot for 4 homers than homer/triple/double/single......

never heard of a record celebrated where you are aiming lower ....so If you have a homer triple and double...and your 4th AB you are penalized on a base hit that you stretched into a second double....because now no cycle? guess you should slow down and take the easy single instead of the sure double to preserve the cycle....

who really cares about filling each category...to me a true cycle is homer triple double single, walk and hit by pitch....lets see that happen...

but oh what a pitty if a guy hits 3 homers and a single....not as good as a cycle......

[bnorth]

You have a very interesting view on baseball and collecting in general.

[Orioles1954]

Originally Posted by 1952boyntoncollector

I know its a statistical oddity. but does it really matter. I rather have my player shoot for 4 homers than homer/triple/double/single......

never heard of a record celebrated where you are aiming lower ....so If you have a homer triple and double...and your 4th AB you are penalized on a base hit that you stretched into a second double....because now no cycle? guess you should slow down and take the easy single instead of the sure double to preserve the cycle....

who really cares about filling each category...to me a true cycle is homer triple double single, walk and hit by pitch....lets see that happen...

but oh what a pitty if a guy hits 3 homers and a single....not as good as a cycle......

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[packs]

There are four different hits you can collect in a game: a single, a double, a triple, and a home run. So if you can collect every possible hit in a single game, that is a big deal.

When you hit for the cycle you accomplish every base hit you can have in a game. That's why people are impressed.

[1952boyntoncollector]

Originally Posted by packs

There are four different hits you can collect in a game: a single, a double, a triple, and a home run. So if you can collect every possible hit in a single game, that is a big deal.

When you hit for the cycle you accomplish every base hit you can have in a game. That's why people are impressed.

still that's 10 total bases..and maybe only 1 or 2 rbis.....isn't 2 homers and double and a single more impressive....a bigger deal? its 11 bases..and probably a chance for more rbis and runs etc...

id rather collect 3 homers and single than a homer triple double and single......isn't that a bigger deal?

[1952boyntoncollector]

Originally Posted by Orioles1954

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[packs]

Dude, think about things logically. How often do you hear about some guy hitting 2 homers and a triple? Never. The cycle is accomplished on rare occasions. That's why it's news.

[1952boyntoncollector]

Originally Posted by packs

Dude, think about things logically. How often do you hear about some guy hitting 2 homers and a triple? Never. The cycle is accomplished on rare occasions. That's why it's news.

fine 2 homers and a double......what has Duda on the Mets done the past 2 weeks..how many 2 homer games? Some of those involve 3 or more hits..some of them have to be doubles such as on August 1...so took me a whopping 3 days ago to find an example .... and that's just one player..there have been many many games where the player gets more total bases than the player getting a cycle.....2 homers and a double and a single is less worthy than a cycle..?....

you are asking about how often someone hits 2 homer and a triple and the fact it never happens to support your argument on why a cycle is better than that situation...now im giving you an example that does happen every year but is very rare...the total bases are the same or even more than hitting for a cycle....yet everyone is up in arms defending how great a cycle is...where basically in my examples..my players could get a cycle if they wanted too if they just didn't take the extra base and are penalized for getting too many bases like Duda...heck what Neueheis with 3 homers..


so basically to get the cycle you should not touch home on a second home run..? just stay at third for a chance of a cycle? Again we seem to be celebrating a lesser feat.....not sure what the big deal...

[packs]

No man what I'm saying is you don't HEAR about someone hitting 2 homers and a triple because it's not news. You HEAR about the cycle because it is news. I've already explained why.

You're looking at things from some kind of pseudo fantasy sports perspective re: total bases or whatever. You need to look at the coverage from a logical perspective of why something is rare and why people are more likely to want to hear about rare feats.

[Runscott]

Sort of switching topics - have any of you watched 'Idiot Abroad'? The guy's brain works in really weird way, and he is often amazingly funny. It gave me a lot of insight into some of the stuff I reads in discussion forums.

[Runscott]

We got your point that it is not as important to the team as other feats, but your questioning why it is celebrated is still a head-scratcher.

But I also question why Karl would want to throw his old furniture in a volcano. It is normal to not understand everyone, and in some cases desirable.

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by Runscott

We got your point that it is not as important to the team as other feats, but your questioning why it is celebrated is still a head-scratcher.

But I also question why Karl would want to throw his old furniture in a volcano. It is normal to not understand everyone, and in some cases desirable.

If i understood everyone on this forum, I would be seeing a shrink in the morning.

[Econteachert205]

Would it be similar to say what is so great about a hat trick in hockey... From the perspective of if I score two goals and assist on two then technically I was involved in four scores versus just a hat trick with no assist? It's not a perfect comparison. There is no comparable for football or basketball, but what has always set baseball apart in my mind is the statistical obsession, which I like. That was what was so terrible about steroids, baseball is a stat guys dream.

[digdugdig]

Originally Posted by Econteachert205

Would it be similar to say what is so great about a hat trick in hockey... From the perspective of if I score two goals and assist on two then technically I was involved in four scores versus just a hat trick with no assist? It's not a perfect comparison. There is no comparable for football or basketball, but what has always set baseball apart in my mind is the statistical obsession, which I like. That was what was so terrible about steroids, baseball is a stat guys dream.

Mario Lemieux once had a 5 goal game in which he scored 1 goal in each of the 5 ways you can score (statistically) ... even strength, powerplay, shorthanded, penalty shot, and empty net. I can't remember his personal best for goals scored in one game but I do remember that.
It's an individual accomplishment that's just plain and simply "kinda cool".
Like an unassisted triple play as opposed to one with multiple players involved ... "kinda cool".

Evidently, the players think so as well. Read where Brock Holt was told by his teammates (needing a 3B in his last AB) ... you hit one in the gap, you just keep running.

[drcy]

While not unimpressive, a cycle as a particularly special event is a human cognitive bias. Two doubles, a triple and a home run is a better game. Two home runs and two doubles is a better game.

While getting those cycle hits makes for an impressive game, its perceived specialness is akin to numerology. I remember it was said that one player going for a cycle and needing just the double, purposely slowed down to make a triple into a double-- which says all you need to know. He made what in reality would be a more productive game (higher slugging percentage) into a less productive one in order to hit the numerology eye candy mark.

[Runscott]

Well-said, Dennis.

[bn2cardz]

Originally Posted by freakhappy

A cycle is celebrated because of its rarity, not because it's better than hitting two homers and a double in the same game, but because every at-bat has to be so specific in what happens. Most guys don't hit more than two to three triples a year...take all of those guys and on the two or three days that they hit a triple, that's when they have a shot at a cycle. All they have to do is get four hits and they have to be a homer, double and single in the other at-bats...easy enough, eh? Now take the guys that do indeed hit ten to twelve triples a year...most of them fail to hit more than five to eight homers all year! Again...it's all about the rarity of the accomplishment.

But I get what you're saying, Jake...in the grand scheme of things there are a lot of better hitting days each year than what a cycle brings.

I think this touches on why a Cycle is interesting. A cycle shows the "all around" abilities of a hitter. Some guys can hit the ball over the wall, but seldom can get a triple or double because they aren't fast enough. Others are fast and can stretch out bunts for a single or routine line drives for a double, but still can't get a home run. For someone to hit for the cycle, typically they have to be able to run and hit for power.

[Runscott]

Would anyone here hold up at 1st on a sure double if they needed the single to complete the cycle? I wouldn't, even if my manager told me in advance that he would not mind.

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by Runscott

Would anyone here hold up at 1st on a sure double if they needed the single to complete the cycle? I wouldn't, even if my manager told me in advance that he would not mind.

There have been 260 cycles hit in major league baseball history. I'd like to know how many of those required a single as the last hit to complete the cycle.

I'm guessing it's not very many. Also the idea of not stretching a double into a triple is even more ridiculous. Triples are usually risky base running plays to begin with. It assumes you've already hit a triple in that game, and two triple games are not exactly commonplace either (at least beyond the deadball era)

If there's anything to look out for, it's a batter trying to stretch an easy double into a not so easy triple, while chasing a cycle. Once again, this is probably not going to come into play until the last at bat and the opportunity presents itself.

[packs]

I really like this thread.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by D. Bergin

There have been 260 cycles hit in major league baseball history. I'd like to know how many of those required a single as the last hit to complete the cycle.

I'm guessing it's not very many. Also the idea of not stretching a double into a triple is even more ridiculous. Triples are usually risky base running plays to begin with. It assumes you've already hit a triple in that game, and two triple games are not exactly commonplace either (at least beyond the deadball era)

If there's anything to look out for, it's a batter trying to stretch an easy double into a not so easy triple, while chasing a cycle. Once again, this is probably not going to come into play until the last at bat and the opportunity presents itself.

I thought you were going to answer the question. It had nothing to do with stats or any particular situation being "ridiculous" - I just wanted to see if we could address one of Jake's concerns about the cycle.

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by 1952boyntoncollector

...but if you have a single, homer and double and hit a ball over the wall, you can just stay at third for the 'cycle'...

So, you obviously don’t know the game of baseball. Runners cannot simply stop at third and “pass” on the homer.

Originally Posted by 1952boyntoncollector

I think everyone gets my point now...its just statistical thing....which is why I don't make a big deal of it..

Except, of course, within this thread, where you do make a big deal of it, right? Oh, by the way, statistics are fairly important to baseball fans. However, I don’t really expect you to get that.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by Eric72

So, you obviously don’t know the game of baseball. Runners cannot simply stop at third and “pass” on the homer.

Some people have difficulty with things that other people never even think about...and shouldn't.

[Runscott]

I was at Andre Dawson's cycle and Ryan's final no-hitter. No comparison in terms of fan response, but we certainly gave Dawson his due.

[digdugdig]

Actually, now that I think of it ... I think I'd rather hit for a Uzit.

[1952boyntoncollector]

Kemp hit an elusive very rare cycle yesterday..its so hard to do that it also happened last week (yet no 2 homer, double and single hasn't happened in that time).....luckily for him what he thought was a homer turned into something much better. a TRIPLE..he was so happy

triples are better than homers...a triple drives in one less run and score one less run..and are three bases instead of 4......sounds to me you should stop on third if the ball went over the wall..

I started a new thread where you can see Kemp's quote about how happy he was he got the triple versus the home run.... ..and that would of been his choice if could choose...

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by 1952boyntoncollector

I started a new thread where you can see Kemp's quote about how happy he was he got the triple versus the home run.... ..and that would of been his choice if could choose...

Why?

If we have a thread already discussing hitting for the cycle, why did you feel the need to start another where....you're basically saying the exact same thing.

Hitting for the cycle is one of the rarest things in baseball. Period. It's newsworthy in this instance because no San Diego Padres hitter had ever done it.

[1952boyntoncollector]

Originally Posted by the 'stache

Why?

If we have a thread already discussing hitting for the cycle, why did you feel the need to start another where....you're basically saying the exact same thing.

Hitting for the cycle is one of the rarest things in baseball. Period. It's newsworthy in this instance because no San Diego Padres hitter had ever done it.

it happened twice in the past two weeks (luckily no homer by kemp in his last AB which would of ruined the 'accomplishment)....there are teams that havent had a no hitter as well and no hitters are very diminished now as an accomplishment...so should cycles...

Jackie Bradley destroyed today on 8/16/15 what a cycle is...yet cycles are celebrated more

Bradley had 2 homers which were part of 5 extra base hits...also had 7 rbis and 5 runs.... .only been done 2 other times in history of baseball....so 25+ teams have never had one of their players do that..yet we will remember the silly cycle of kemp more than what bradley did yesterday..because there isnt a name for and its not a '1' in four categories....

[CW]

sigh... I'm bored.