Guest Article: Triple Play Hipster

He's a Cornhusker fan. He MCd my own personal roast (even though he wasn't invited). He's performed stand up comedy next to a dart board WHILE IT WAS BEING USED. He's suffered in the mire of Wrigley before discovering the light of the Dodgers. And he's been drug free since halfway through this guest article. Ladies and gentlemen: SuperFan and Iron Sheik Sympathizer, SOSG TODD.

Having been reared on sports induced heartbreak, I’ve always been more of a condolence giver than a smack talker. Even on that one weekend a season when our own #ineedmydelino reverts back to being a Mets fan, I tried to be gracious and supporting of his horrible life decision by sending him the following text from the reserve level last Sunday afternoon.

“Picked a bad Mets game to miss.”

Two days later he replied back. (Editor's Note: If it's the choice between texting Todd and staring at the wall, well there's no choice at all.)

“Seriously. Triple Play. “

“Big deal. Already saw one of those this season.”

And with that text, I cemented my unfortunate status as a triple play hipster.

In just under two months I’ve personally witnessed 22% of the triple plays turned against the Dodgers since they became the Los Angeles Dodgers. As first year as full-fledged season ticket holders, there have been some historic moments to witness at the stadium. Was I there for Ryu’s deep run at perfection? Nope. I was at a Memorial Day BBQ hiding in the bathroom staring at my phone until the Reds strung together some hits in the 8th inning.

Was I there for Kershaw’s gem? Nope. Watched that one from the couch because I was “too exhausted” from going to the ravine the previous three nights. Vin on the TV from start to finish (thank you Time Warner) made missing that one much more bearable.

Thanks to Puig’s base running gaffes (or well-intentioned aggressiveness, depending on your world view), I’m now immune to anything bad that can ever happen to Dodgers offensively.
Thank you Puig for being the rattlesnake to my Billy Jack.

While I can’t guarantee you can develop immunity as quickly as I did, I made a handy guide to help you cope should you ever get to witness a triple play in-person.

Stages of reacting to a triple play:

1. Momentary Confusion (If a replay review IS involved.)

The first notch in Puig’s triple play belt was thanks to Terry Francona coming out of the dugout to argue he was out at second after tagging up from first. Because of the excitement of a bang-bang play at the plate, it took a moment for those of us in the stands to do the math and realize that a triple play was at stake. Once we did, it was a nervous few minutes while we awaited word from New York. Donnie Baseball coming out to argue that Gordon was safe at home really botched what could have been a somewhat quick execution at the hand of the ump.

-or-

1. Shock (If a replay review is NOT involved.)

Sunday’s triple play wasn’t so much painful as it was disappointing. As in your grandpa told you he was disappointed in you- the absolute worst form of disappointment on the planet. Sure, getting a potentially game changing rally snuffed out by a double play is a bummer, but seeing Puig fly around third only to be dead to rights at home with half a mile to go left the entire crowd speechless.

After confirming what happened really happened with those around you, move to step 2.

2. RAGE!!!

If you have the strength to rip your seat from the concrete by all means do. And don’t be shy about chucking it on the field.

More On That Crazy Triple Play

Here's some more odds and ends on Sunday's triple play in the ninth inning, which preceded the Dodgers' walkoff victory over the Padres on Jackie Robinson Day (April 15, 2012):

• About that triple play from Sunday's wacky 5-4 win over the Padres: it may have been the right call, but umpire Dale Scott's actions weren't completely in line:

  UPDATE: MLB senior vice president Peter Woodfork released the following statement on Monday afternoon after investigating the play (via Gaslamp Ball):

  "After review and discussion with the umpire, we have determined that the call itself of a fair ball was correct. However, while making the call, there was an incorrect mechanic, which appeared to confuse San Diego's base runners. At no time did the umpire verbally kill the play on the field. After reviewing the entire situation following the game, the umpire realizes his hands were in an exaggerated upward appearance similar to a call that would indicate a dead ball. While we all agree that it was a fair ball that did not hit the batter, the umpire recognizes that the proper mechanic was not executed as he tried to avoid the catcher."

  Well, correctly-signalled call or not: I'll take it.

• More on the triple play from Jayson Stark over at ESPN.com:

  Now here's something you don't see every day: On Sunday, the Dodgers turned a triple play in the top of the ninth inning, then won on a walk-off hit in the bottom of the ninth.

  Here's what you need to know about that crazy daily double:

  • The Dodgers were the first team to cram a triple play and a walkoff win into the same inning since the 1942 Cubs pulled off that trick against the Reds on Aug. 22, 1942 -- except the Cubs did it in the 11th inning. They turned a triple play on a popped-up bunt in the top of the 11th, then manufactured the winning run off Reds reliever Junior Thompson in the bottom of the 11th.

  • But it's even more rare for a team to do something like that in the ninth inning. Retrosheet has assembled box scores dating all the way to 1918. And the Dodgers are the ONLY team with a triple play and a walk-off hit in the ninth inning of any game in the last 95 seasons.

  • Dee Gordon was in the middle of that triple play, then got the walk-off hit in the bottom of the ninth. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Gordon was just the second player in the last 15 seasons to participate in a triple play at any point in a game, then get a walk-off RBI later in the game. The other : Prince Fielder, for the Brewers, on Sept. 6, 2009. Prince's triple play, for the record, came in the top of the sixth inning.

  • Dodger Stadium has been around for 50 years, but this was just the fifth triple play turned there -- and only the second by the Dodgers. To put that in perspective, the Dodgers played 45 seasons in Ebbets Field -- and there were eight triple plays there.

  • Finally, the legendary Bill Chuck reports this was just the second 2-5-6-3 triple play ever. The other? It took place on May 21, 1950 (Cardinals versus Phillies).

  Make sure to keep reading the Stark piece, as he continues on to discuss Aaron Harang's nine consecutive strikeouts two days prior.

Post-Game 10 Thread: Spirit Of Jackie Hands Dodgers Triple Play, Walk Off

DODGERS 5, PADRES 4

On a day that Clayton Kershaw struggled almost from the opening pitch, the boys gutted it out after seeing their 4-1 lead erased late.

A miraculous, if in all likelihood incorrectly officiated, play that started as a bunt and ended as one of the most improbable triple plays you will ever see, took all the wind out of the Pod Rays' sails and you just knew a walk off was in the offing.

True to form, Dee Gordon's slap single over shortstop drove in the winning run, and the dry humping was in order led by Matt Kemp. In the wise words we've grown to know and love: We'll take it!

Dee Gordon is somewhere at the bottom of this pile

On a day that we welcomed Vin Scully back to the booth, the Dodgers moved to 9-1, equaling their franchise best start. Let's enjoy this one, folks! Best record in baseball. Keep that thought in your head.*

*You may need it later in the season.

Photo: Harry How/Getty Images