Monday, April 30, 2007

OMG Another Automatic cookie

While there have been 39 immaculate innings in the history of baseball, this feat seems commonplace when compared to the Unassisted Triple play. As Wikipedia states, of all the rare events in baseball(perfect game and 4-HR game) this one is the most luck-based. Despite this we still award Troy Tulowitzki a cookie.

1 comment:

Matt said...

I'd argue the contention that a triple play requires more luck than a perfect game and a 4-HR game. The unassisted triple play does require a specific set of circumstances (runner on first/second, no outs) and a line drive usually paired with runners in motion. However, it only requires a singluar moment of "luck," during which the middle infielder is in the right place at the right time.

A perfect game, meanwhile, requires a three hour synergy of luck. Even during perfect games such as David Wells' in 1999, where there are no three-ball counts, the balls batted into play are out of the control of the pitcher. For the most part, all the non strikeout in a perfect game are the result of luck.

Similarly, the 4 HR game requires certain atmospheric conditions, the quality of the home run hitter, and the poor quality of the pitching. It also requires that the game be some kind of blowout so that the batter actually gets to the plate four times and isn't intentionally walked (as he might be in a close game).