Monday, August 21, 2006

Incredible Play Preserves the Win

'With the Marlins clinging to a one-run lead in the ninth with no outs and Braves runners at first and second, catcher Miguel Olivo barehanded a bunted ball from midair, uncorked a force-out throw to third baseman Miguel Cabrera, who heaved an across-the-diamond laser to Dan Uggla for the double play.

'That's 217.28 feet worth of ball-in-air double play (Pythagoras' A-squared plus B-squared equals C-squared theorem proves it true), and those don't happen often.

'"I've never seen it," Marlins manager Joe Girardi said.

'Said Olivo: "That's my first time."

'The Elias Sports Bureau, baseball's repository of statistics, not only confirmed to a Marlins representative that the double play was uncommon, but said it would require additional time, using a special computer program, to come up with a precise frequency.' (MiamiHerald)

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