Crafting the Call -- Triple Plays
In Episode 4, Jesse and I discuss how treacherous it can be describing a Triple Play and keys to success
Crafting the Call is a YouTube series that I developed along with Jesse Goldberg-Strassler. Each week, we examine different aspects of baseball play-by-play announcing, offering our perspective as working professionals for fans, and advice for fellow broadcasters.
The triple play is one of the rarest feats on a baseball diamond.
On average, there is about five per season in the major leagues. Teams might go multiple years without turning a triple play. In my 11 years calling games for the Albuquerque Isotopes, our defense has only turned one, and our offense has hit into none, so we’re definitely bringing down the average.
When a Triple Play does occur, there is often confusion. Was the ball caught or not? A baserunner often makes a poor decision. Or it’s just plain bad luck for the offense.
In Episode 4 of Crafting the Call, Jesse Goldberg-Strassler and I get into the details of how treacherous it can be for a play-by-play announcer calling a Triple Play. We look at examples with great catches, confused announcers, and what happens when lightning strikes twice in the same game.
I also give an example of the time I almost predicted a Triple Play … and how my over-exuberance taught me a lesson.