Once again, it’s time for Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday. I hope you are enjoying this weekly presentation of baseball occurrences that for some reason caught The Roundtable’s eye. (I’m particularly fond of unexpected performances and statistical coincidences.) These won’t necessarily be momentous occurrences, just events, statistics or coincidences that grabbed my attention. I’m also drawn to baseball “unicorns,” one-of-a-kind MLB accomplishments or statistics.
Today’s tidbits focus on unassisted triple plays (there have been fewer of those than perfect games). In this case, the usual disclaimers come into play. Due to the changing shape of the game and potential challenges with early game recordkeeping, I am limiting this to the Modern Era (post-1900). Game-by game records for the Negro Leagues from 1920-48 (now officially major leagues) have not been fully integrated into the MLB record books).
Today (July 8) marks the 31st anniversary of Red Sox’ shortstop John Valentin’s unassisted triple play – turned in the sixth inning of a Boston 4-3 win over the Mariners (in Fenway). It came in the bottom of the sixth, with the Red Sox trailing 2-0. Mariners’ 1B Mike Blowers opened the inning with a ground ball single (off Chris Nabholz), followed by a walk to RF Keith Mitchell. Next up was DH Marc Newfield who lashed a 1-1 pitch on a line right at Valentin (with the runners moving on the pitch). Valentin snagged the drive, stepped on second to force Blowers and then tagged Mitchell who had been on his way to the second base bag. Boom! Inning over. Valentin earns unicorn status, as he was the first batter in the bottom of the inning and he took Mariners’ pitcher Dave Fleming deep to left field for a home run. It made him one of three batters (to date) to homer in the same game that they turned an unassisted triple play, one of only two batters to homer in the same inning as they turned an unassisted triple play and the only MLB batter to homer when coming to the plate immediately after turning a triple play.
It was Valentin’s sixth homer of a season in which he would go .316-9-49. Valentin played in 11 MLB seasons (1992-2002 … all but his final season with the Red Sox. (He finished his career with the Mets.)
Image: American Tobacco Company, sponsor, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The only other player to homer the same inning in which he turned an unassisted triple play was Cleveland Naps’ SS Neal Ball, during a July 19, 1909, 6-1 win over the Red Sox (in Cleveland). The Naps had a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning, when Red Sox’ SS Heinie Wagner opened the frame with single to center (off Cy Young, who had been traded from Boston to Cleveland that February). Red Sox’ 1B Jake Stahl then beat out a bunt to put runners on first and second with no outs. That brought 2B Amby McConnell to the plate and he lashed line drive over the head of Young that appeared headed for the grass in center field. Ball, however, made a leaping, run-saving catch, to retire McConnell. He the stepped on the keystone sack to force out Wagner and tagged Stahl, who had been on the move toward second. Ball came to the plate (two outs, bases empty) in the bottom of the inning and hit the first pitch he saw from Charlie Chech to deep centerfield. Ball scampered (Do people still scamper?) around the bases for an inside-the-park home – making him the only player to hit an inside-the-park homer and turn an unassisted triple play in the same game. It was Ball’s first career home run, only home run of the season and one of only four he would hit in his career (three were inside-the-parkers).
Ball played in seven MLB seasons (1907-1913 … Yankees, Naps and Red Sox), going .250-4-151.
The only other player to homer in the same game in which he turned an unassisted triple play was Athletics’ 2B Randy Velarde. His moment came on May 29, 2000, as the A’s lost to the Yankees 4-1 in New York. It happened in the bottom of the sixth inning and was set up, in part, by his own error.
With the Yankees ahead 1-0, New York RF Paul O’Neill opened the inning by drawing a six-pitch walk from Omar Olivares. CF Bernie Williams than tripled O’Neill home. Next, 1B Tino Martinez was hit by an 0-2 pitch. Next, an error by Velarde allowed Williams to score, Martinez to go to second and the batter (C Jorge Posada) to reach first. Then, with the runners moving with the pitch, DH Shane Spencer lined out to Velarde, who did things in a bit of reverse order: First tagging Posada, who was approaching second from first and then stepping on the bag to force Martinez. Velarde waited awhile to join the Homer/Triple Play Club. He took Andy Pettitte deep with one out in the top of the ninth for the A’s only run of the game.
For those into Trivia(l) Tidbits:
- Being in the middle of the diamond is ideal when it comes to unassisted triple plays. All but two of the 15 unassisted triple killings have been accomplished by middle infielders (eight by shortstops, five by second baseman.) The other two belong to first sackers.
- Only two unassisted triple plays came on the final play of a game. On May 31, 1927, in the top of the ninth, with the Tigers up 1-0 over the Indians in Detroit, runners on first and second (walk and bunt single), Tigers’ 1B Johnny Neun turned a line drive by Homer Summa in a triple killing, ending the contest contest; on August 23, 2009, with his Phillies up 9-7 over the Mets in New York, runners on first and second and nobody out, Eric Bruntlett turned a liner by Jeff Francoeur in a game-ending unassisted triple killing.
- Cleveland has turned the most unassisted triple plays (three) and also been victimized an MLB-leading three times by unassisted triple plays.
- Indians’ 2B Bill Wambsganss turned the only post-season unassisted triple play – in Game Five of the 1920 World Series (versus the Brooklyn Robins). The Indians won the contest 8-1 and won the Series four-gams to three.
Primary Resources: Stathead.com; Baseball-Almanac.com; “July 19, 1909: Neal Ball’s unassisted triple play and homer propel Cy Young to win over former team,” by Bill Marston, Society for American Baseball Research
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