Today's quiz

[Guest iramets]

What play have only Frank Thomas, Buddy Harrelson, and Ron Hunt (on a total of two occasions for the three infielders) been able to perform as Mets? (According to Bill Deane, baseball statistician and nitpicker).

[Guest Edgy DC]

Hidden ball trick?

[Guest iramets]

HBT.

No Met has pulled one off since 1966. Why is that? Gary Carter was supposedly a Met victim of one in early 1988

From UMDB memories ofthe 1988 season:

.



April 8, 1988 Veterans Stadium
Philadelphia Phillies 5, Mets 1
Bob P
November 18, 2003
It was Gary Carter's 34th birthday. He was 3-for- 3...a single, double, and a homer, plus a walk. Then to top it off, Carter was tagged out for the last out of the game by Phillies SS Steve Jeltz on a hidden ball trick!

[Guest iramets]

Again from UMDB (Bob P. seems to specialize in HBTs):


September 12, 1966 Dodger Stadium
Los Angeles Dodgers 3, Mets 2
Bob P
January 23, 2004
Ron Perranoski of the Dodgers struck out the first six batters he faced in relief helping the Dodgers beat the Mets and Tug McGraw.
Rookie SS Bud Harrelson successfully pulled off the hidden ball trick on Dodger OF Lou Johnson in the 6th.

[Guest iramets]

And the ever-reliable Bob P. yet again:

July 27, 1963 Colt Stadium
Houston Colt .45's 1, Mets 0
Bob P
January 27, 2004
Another tough loss for Roger Craig as Houston pitcher Bob Bruce shuts out the Mets, 1-0. Frank Thomas, playing first base, pulled off the hidden ball trick on Jimmy Wynn.

[Guest Edgy DC]

How does Hunt come in? Did he secret the ball to Thomas while the infield mimed a mound conference?

[metirish]

IIRC the Mets were victims of the hidden ball trick as recently as last season or the season before....

[Guest iramets]

Edgy DC wrote: How does Hunt come in? Did he secret the ball to Thomas while the infield mimed a mound conference?

Thomas had long been traded by the time this second HBT occured. According to retrosheet's PBP:

"DODGERS 6TH: HICKMAN STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING LF); Johnson
singled to left; Johnson was picked off first (shortstop to
second); Roseboro walked; Perranoski was called out on strikes;
Wills flied to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Mets 2, Dodgers 3."

Which seems to indicate that Harrelson hid the ball. Hunt snuck behind Sweet Lou (while Kranepool was doing what, exactly? Deeking Sweet Lou by banging his glove loudly and screaming "Let's GO, big boy!!" to Ribant, who was peering into Grote's mitt intently, hoping no one noticed that his own mitt was empty) and Harrelson fired the ball to Hunt. Just your ordinary 6-4 putout at first base.

[Guest Edgy DC]

He couldn't have been peering too intently at Grote's mitt. I think a standard that must be met for the hidden ball trick to work is that the pitcher can't be on the mound.

[Guest iramets]

Edgy DC wrote: He couldn't have been peering too intently at Grote's mitt. I think a standard that must be met for the hidden ball trick to work is that the pitcher can't be on the mound.

[Johnny Carson] I did not know that {/Johnny Carson}

Seriously, is that the rule? I actually saw one of Marty Barrett's HBTs in person and I thought I remembered that the pitcher was on the mound. These things are actually hilarious in person, because youve got literally thousands of fans with wavering attention all asking their equally clueless neighbor what the hell just happened, and where 'd that baserunner go?

[Guest Edgy DC]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hidden_ball_trick

I thought about this because I just saw the a hidden ball trick in the movie Mr. 3000, which, while largely terrible, correctly has the pitcher standing off the mound.

The pitcher himself is a Japanese character played by an actor who neither looks nor sounds the least bit Asian. And the player pulling the trick is somehow staying in the lineup while hitting .032, but Disney gets the details right on how to execute a hidden ball trick. Weird.