Triple Plays

A triple play in baseball is very rare to see from year to year, it may happen a handful of times, to not even occurring once during the entire season. It’s not that it’s tough for Major League players to perform the triple play. But it’s rare to have the field is set up just right, and the batter hitting the ball to the right place at the right time. I personally have never been part of a triple play or have seen one in person. But it would be a very cool experience! So what is the definition of a Triple Play anyway? A triple play in baseball occurs when three outs are recorded in the same continuous play.

There are many ways that a triple play can happen. However the most common Triple play is with runners on first and second base, and a ball hit to the third basemen. He then touches third base and throws to second base, lastly the second baseman throwing out the batter running to first, for all 3 outs in a inning. This would be called a 5-4-3 triple play! The second most common triple play occurs when the shortstop catches a line drive for the first out and the proceeds throwing to second base and first base. Catching both of the runners in a force out for the triple play.

April 13th, 2013, New York Yankees vs. the Baltimore Orioles. Yankees turn triple play.

There has been 691 triples plays in the Modern Era of Major League Baseball 1876 – April 13th, 2013, in which the most recent triple play occurred by the New York Yankees vs. the Baltimore Orioles. 691 seems to be a very high number for a triple play to be rare. But out of every inning ever played and out recorded, it’s a very small chance that it may happen. But it would be a very special baseball moment to witness. There has only been one team to date that has made two triple plays in the same game, it was the Minnesota Twins against the Boston Redsox on July 17th 1990. Both triple plays were recorded as 5-4-3 outs. Involving Gary Gaettie at third, Al Newman at Second and Kent Hrbek at first base. Even though the Twins were able to go down in the history books, they had lost the game 1-0. Another interesting fact is that Brooks Robinson, who was known to be slow, is the all-time leader when grounding into triple plays. Robinson has recorded four of them in his career!

Unassisted Triple Plays

Unassisted triple plays are even more rare than regular triple plays. An unassisted triple play is when one player records all three outs during a continuous play. It is so rare that it has only happened 15 times in MLB history. Making the unassisted triple play even more rare than the Perfect Game! Which has occurred 23 times. The most recent unassisted triple play being on August 23, 2009. When Eric Brunlett of the Philadelphia Philles was substituting for Chase Utley at second base. Brunlett caught a line drive by Jeff Francoeur for the New York Mets and then tagged both runners who were advancing on the line drive, completing the triple play. This was the first unassisted triple play to end a ball game in the National league and the second in MLB history, the last one being in 1927.

Typically the unassisted triple play is accomplished by the the second basemen or shortstop. Because the base runners need to be near each other for it to be possible. So how does it typically happen? There must be runners on first and second base and no outs. A line drive must be hit at one of the middle infielders. Once the ball is caught (1 out), next the infielder will tag second base, to have a force out on the runner going to third (2nd out). After that he then tags the runner that is advancing from first to second. Completing the unassisted triple play. Out of the 15 players to have recorded the unassisted triple play, eight were shortstops, five were second baseman and two were first baseman. A cool fact is that the shortest span between two unassisted triple plays occurred on May 27th 1927, when Johnny Neun did it less than 24 hours after Jimmy Cooney. After Neun, it took 41 seasons for the next unassisted triple play to occur, July 30th 1968. Which was the longest time between a unassisted triple play.

Here is a list of the 15 players to have gone down in history making an unassisted triple play. Name/Position/Year/Team/Play Call

1. Neal Ball, Shortstop, 1909, Cleveland Naps, – Caught line drive, touched 2nd, tagged runner.
2. Bill Wambsganss, Second Baseman, 1920, Cleveland Indians, – Caught line drive, touched 2nd, tagged runner.
3. George Burns, First Baseman, 1923, Boston Redsox, – Caught line drive, tagged runner, touched second.
4. Ernie Padgett, Shortstop, 1923, Boston Braves, – Caught line drive, touched 2nd, tagged runner.
5. Glenn Wright, Shortstop, 1925, Pittsburgh Pirates, – Caught line drive, touched 2nd, tagged runner.
6. Jimmy Cooney, Shortstop, 1927, Chicago Cubs, – Caught line drive, touched 2nd, tagged runner.
7. Johnny Neun, First Baseman, 1927, Detroit Tigers, – Caught line drive, tagged runner, beat returning runner to second.
8. Ron Hansen, Shortstop, 1968, Washington Senators, – Caught line drive, touched 2nd, tagged runner.
9. Mickey Morandini, Second Baseman, 1992, Philadelphia Phillies, – Caught line drive, touched 2nd, tagged runner.
10. John Valentin, Shortstop, 1994, Boston Redsox, – Caught line drive, touched 2nd, tagged runner.
11. Randy Velarde, Second Baseman, 2000, Oakland Athletics, –  Caught line drive, tagged runner, touched 2nd.
12. Rafael Furcal, Shortstop, 2003, Atlanta Braves, – Caught line drive, touched 2nd, tagged runner.
13. Troy Tulowitzki, Shortstop, 2007, Colorado Rockies, – Caught line drive, touched 2nd, tagged runner.
14. Asdrubal Cabrera, Second Baseman, 2008, Cleveland Indians, – Caught line drive, touched 2nd, tagged runner.
15. Eric Bruntlett, Second Baseman, 2009, Philadelphia Phillies, – Caught line drive, touched 2nd, tagged runner.

Here out two clips from the last two unassisted triple plays.

In fact, there has even been a more rare triple play, and it has only happened one time in organized baseball. While playing for the Vernon Tigers, in the Pacific Coast League during 1911. Walter Carlisle, a left fielder dove and caught a short fly ball, getting up and touching second base and tagging out the runner advancing to first.

Have you ever accomplished a triple play or seen one in person? If so, I would like to hear your story!

– Matt Ingle