LOS ANGELES-
Three pitches, nine outs.
The Los Angeles Angels have had a relatively uneventful spring training—except for the three triple plays they have executed. Only six times since 1900 has a team turned as many as three triple plays during an entire regular season—most recently the 1979 Oakland Athletics and Boston Red Sox.
“It’s good to see that,” Angels hitting coach Mickey Hatcher said Friday. “We didn’t have very much magic last year, so hopefully this is an indication of what kind of magic we might have this year—because that’s what you need sometimes to get where you want to go. You just hope there’s more of those kind of breaks during the season.”
The Halos completed their latest triple play during Thursday night’s 6-1 victory in the Freeway Series opener at Dodger Stadium.
Second baseman Howie Kendrick caught pinch-hitter Brady Clark’s seventh-inning line drive with the runners going, stepped on second to double up pinch-runner Adam Godwin and threw to first baseman Casey Kotchman to retire Andy LaRoche. It was Clark’s first plate appearance in a Dodgers uniform, following Monday’s trade that sent reliever Elmer Dessens to Milwaukee.
“It’s very peculiar, to say the least,” said Kotchman, who has been involved in all three triple plays. “There’s no outs to start the play, and then you’re running off the field. Before the pitch is made, you’re kind of figuring out scenarios in your head about where you’re going to throw the ball if it’s hit to you.”
The Angels, who have turned only six regular-season triple plays in franchise history, victimized the Colorado Rockies in the third inning of a 9-8 victory on March 3 at Tucson, Ariz.—albeit with a little help from second base umpire Tony Randazzo.
Steve Finley lined Dustin Moseley’s pitch to Kotchman, who caught the ball inches off the ground. He tossed it to Mosley covering first base for the second out on Garrett Atkins, and the pitcher relayed to shortstop Erick Aybar at second for the third out on a confused Kaz Matsui, who thought Finley’s ball had hit the ground first.
First base umpire Chris Guccione ruled no catch, but he was screened on the play, so Randazzo overruled him and called it a catch.
There was no doubt about the one the Angels executed on March 20 in the first inning of their 10-inning, 8-7 loss to the Padres at Peoria, Ariz.
San Diego’s Josh Bard struck out against Ervin Santana before catcher Mike Napoli erased Todd Walker trying to steal second. Brian Giles was the third out, getting trapped off third in a rundown before third baseman Chone Figgins applied the tag.
“It’s great, especially when you’ve got a two-run lead. You’re sitting there, thinking the other team has a chance to put a big inning together and get back in the game—and the next thing you know, everybody’s running in. It’s a good feeling for that pitcher who’s struggling out there.”
The Angels haven’t had a triple-play in the regular season since July 5, 1997, against Seattle’s Rich Amaral.
