Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Turning a triple play

OK, I've wanted to post this for a while but just haven't gotten to it, but I am still thinking about the unassisted triple play that Troy Tulowitzki turned the other day. I watched the replays both on Sports Center and on Baseball Tonight, and I found myself thinking, "Wait...that's it?" It happened so fast: catch the ball, step on base, tag runner (and then he stepped on the base again and threw to first, saying afterwards that he was trying to make five outs in the inning).

Only the 13th time in baseball history that there's been an unassisted triple play, and it looked so easy. The movements were simple and natural to the game--a catch, a run, a tag--that I really didn't know that it had happened or that it was so unusual. But so many things needed to be in place for that to happen. Runners at first and second, no outs in the inning, a two-strike count so runners were going on the pitch...I know it seems sentimental and overwrought to say it, but it was a beautiful and miraculous thing, and I was glad I got to see it, even in the highlight reel.

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