As Buxton and right fielder Max Kepler converged in the gap, Kepler kept yelling “wall” – and crucially, Buxton briefly took his eye off the ball to gauge his proximity to the wall before looking back up to track the ball into his glove.

That’s something that might not have happened earlier in Buxton’s career. In the past, Buxton would often go full-speed into the wall on those plays, sacrificing his body as part of those game-changing efforts. But recently, in part due to the influence of Carlos Correa and other teammates, Buxton has often made sure to look for the wall on such plays, emphasizing self-preservation.

Remember where we mentioned that Buxton had briefly taken his eye off the ball to look for the wall? This is where that becomes critical.

Engel assumed Buxton’s glance at the wall meant the center fielder had missed the ball and that it was landing for a hit. That’s when he took off for third base. Moncada had already been running behind him, apparently having made a similar judgment.

“When he looked toward the wall, I thought he was looking for the ball to go down,” Engel said. “I just made a bad play. Made a mistake on it. Unfortunate. It cost us some runs right there, most likely, and probably would have gone on to win the game.”

“Yoán was really aggressive, which is not the worst thing you can do when you play this game,” White Sox manager Tony La Russa said. “Judgment was wrong and costly.”

 

https://www.mlb.com/news/byron-buxton-starts-first-8-5-triple-play-in-al-nl-history

 

To complete the first 8-5 triple play on record in AL/NL history, according to the SABR database that tracks every triple play dating back to 1876.

“I don’t know how much more stuff can be a first in MLB history, so at least it was something left for us in the middle age to kind of grab, I guess,” Buxton said with a smile. “It’s cool. Ain’t too much thought into it other than the triple play got us out of the inning and it kind of got us a little momentum going.”

The feat also marked the 16th triple play in Twins history, and the second involving only two players, joining a 2-6 triple play that occurred back on July 25, 1976 -- also against the White Sox. (Glenn Borgmann, Luis Gomez).

 

What went wrong for the White Sox baserunners? It appears that Moncada got a bad read. He never hesitated while running from first to second, and that caused Engel to take off after he initially held up to tag and advance.

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/mlb/news/twins-triple-play-white-sox/dc3funnbng0lnwgmipbc64ph

Edited July 5, 20223 yr by caulfield12

https://twitter.com/JasonHirsch16/status/1544141404884041728/photo/1

New banner picture…

To be fair to the White Sox, Statcast had Pollock's fly ball as a 389-foot knock with an .820 xBA, basically an 82 percent chance of being a hit. Then again, that still leaves an 18 percent chance of a very embarrassing mistake, a historic one at that.

 

https://sports.yahoo.com/byron-buxton-highlight-catch-twins-8-5-triple-play-mlb-history-024907426.html

If nothing else, that play probably guaranteed Buxton’s first-ever ASG appearance…

 

 

 

Edited July 5, 20223 yr by caulfield12

What is the rule here? If Engel would have stayed at 2nd and tagged, it’s pretty obvious Moncada would have passed him or, at least, ran into him. It looked like Engel wanted to tag but saw Moncada coming. If Engel had stayed at 2nd and Moncada passed or made contact, wouldn’t they both have been out?  Didn’t Engel have to run or both out? Again what is the rule if a baseruuner passes or bumps into the runner a base ahead of him?

4 minutes ago, vilehoopster said:

What is the rule here? If Engel would have stayed at 2nd and tagged, it’s pretty obvious Moncada would have passed him or, at least, ran into him. It looked like Engel wanted to tag but saw Moncada coming. If Engel had stayed at 2nd and Moncada passed or made contact, wouldn’t they both have been out?  Didn’t Engel have to run or both out? Again what is the rule if a baseruuner passes or bumps into the runner a base ahead of him?

According to Official Baseball Rule 7.08 (h), any runner is out if he passes a preceding runner before that runner is out. This is not an appeal play but is called immediately by the umpire. There have been many cases of a runner passing a preceding runner through the years.

Engel would have been out only if he got caught (after that) between second and third.

 

Edited July 5, 20223 yr by caulfield12

This team is really fucking dumb. Horrible fundamentals.

Glad I missed this game or Tex would be calling me a hate filled monster right now ?

Engel was right at the bag just touch it! This one goes in the Sox HOF wing along with the Ventura-Ryan matchup. 

3 minutes ago, pcq said:

Engel was right at the bag just touch it! This one goes in the Sox HOF wing along with the Ventura-Ryan matchup. 

Not sure how standing 3 feet away from the bag was helpful, it wasn’t going to help him score at all if the ball did drop. He should have just been standing on the base, if that ball doesn’t get caught Engel scores regardless 

14 minutes ago, TheFutureIsNear said:

Not sure how standing 3 feet away from the bag was helpful, it wasn’t going to help him score at all if the ball did drop. He should have just been standing on the base, if that ball doesn’t get caught Engel scores regardless 

But Moncada intimidated him off the bag…I wonder if that same play has ever even happened in NCAA Division 1 history?

Louisville Cardinals baseball fans around the country are hanging their head in shame.

They need to have Beckham do a full game announcing like this…would be a massive improvement.

Tried to find Most Embarrassing Sox Moments and got this instead.

https://www.mlb.com/news/white-sox-funniest-moments

So far we have Ventura/Nolan Ryan hogtie/noogie, Jerry Dybzynski’s 1983 baserunning blunder, the Gordon Beckham Keystone Kops missed popup in front of the mound, Torii Hunter running over Jamie Burke…Psycho Lyons taking off his pants back in the 1980’s has to be up there somewhere.

 

We are baseball stupid. Engel had no reason not to tag on that play. Plant your ass at second because if the ball is caught, you can make third. If the ball isn't caught, you will most likely score anyway. Moncada certainly couldn't take off until they knew for sure that ball didn't land. Moncada should have went halfway and waited for a catch or drop instead of looking at Engel. Just baseball stupid. 

I don't particularly appreciate it when this play is called the Twins "turned" a triple play.  It was the WS who "turned" the triple play.  Both Engel and Moncada should be ashamed of themselves as should "coach" Boston.

 

7 minutes ago, poppysox said:

I don't particularly appreciate it when this play is called the Twins "turned" a triple play.  It was the WS who "turned" the triple play.  Both Engel and Moncada should be ashamed of themselves as should "coach" Boston.

 

What about McEwing?

This play was absolutely baffling to me. How 2 MLB baseball players can't figure out that the ball was caught and they need to tag up.

I honestly think Moncada thought there was 2 outs because he put his head down and ran even before Buxton was near the ball.

I can't understand what Engel was doing. He clearly seem to know it was not 2 outs, was by the bag and still did not tag up.

JUST STUPID!!!!!

10 minutes ago, SonofaRoache said:

We are baseball stupid. Engel had no reason not to tag on that play. Plant your ass at second because if the ball is caught, you can make third. If the ball isn't caught, you will most likely score anyway. Moncada certainly couldn't take off until they knew for sure that ball didn't land. Moncada should have went halfway and waited for a catch or drop instead of looking at Engel. Just baseball stupid. 

You are right about the Sox being baseball stupid. And they have been that for a long time. But when JR only hires managers and coaches who are his friends, it is not shocking that this continues to happen. 

8 minutes ago, tray said:

What about McEwing?

Contributed...but not to the same extent IMO.

Moncada looks like his mind is elsewhere. He seems like a nice person that unfortunately may be preoccupied with some personal demons that interfere with his ability to focus on the tasks at hand.  I initially attributed what I felt was under-performance on long Covid and then on lingering injury, but now I am thinking it may be a mental thing. If so, he may need some counseling and some help from Spanish speaking teammates like Abreu to get him right again. 

Edited July 5, 20223 yr by tray

I for one am glad I got to witness, in person, a triple play, baseball history, and perhaps the dumbest play in White Sox history all in one foul swoop. 

Fire Tony. 

15 minutes ago, poppysox said:

I don't particularly appreciate it when this play is called the Twins "turned" a triple play.  It was the WS who "turned" the triple play.  Both Engel and Moncada should be ashamed of themselves as should "coach" Boston.

 

If Kepler wasn’t being a good teammate and communicating effectively over the crowd noise about Buxton rapidly nearing the fence…then it wouldn’t have been possible.  It would have been one out, runners on second and third after he crashed full force into the wall and doubled over in pain.  Engel even potentially scores if it was the past more reckless fence-hunting version of Buxton.

How many stories have been written about Sox players helping each other out defensively this season?   2?  3?  Less than 5 for sure.

Why does Daryl Boston have a job?

Im really close to taking a sox fandom hiatus until Jerry dies/sells and the team. Hopefully we get a good owner who spends money on decent coaching throughout the farm and at the big league level.

I cant take it anymore, the triple play is just the icing on the cake for how bad this team is and im tired of the nightly embarassments. 

Edited July 5, 20223 yr by reiks12

12 minutes ago, Joshua Strong said:

Why does Daryl Boston have a job?

Good at clapping and encouraging players after timely base hits or walks?

Edited July 5, 20223 yr by caulfield12

My biggest takeaway was Yoan was going hard, trying to score on a double.  He should have been 3/4 of the way or better and unfortunately misread it as a hit.  Mistakes happen.  The internet fan base has wanted to see some hustle and effort, he gave it to you.

Engel should have been closer to 2B, watching it the whole way,  if that gets down he scores easily, if not, he can tag up, easily.  I blame him for not showing more composure but I can see how he could have gotten rattled on the play with Yoan barreling at him.  

For me, this play cost them the game but is not a systemic problem or the epitome of the poor start to the season.  That was some can't predict ball at it's finest. 

Edited July 5, 20223 yr by GREEDY

Moncada needed to be benched after that play, and probably Engel too, though Engel likely would have tagged properly if Moncada wasn't racing full speed ahead.  

I would bench Moncada for the series over it.  It lost the ballgame. 

That and Luis Robert being asleep in CF on the 2 doubles that bounced in the grass.  

Plus, Joe Kelly has a fastball.  Why doesn't he use it?  Ball 1, ball 2, ball 3.  He was not a good signing.

This is just the explanation point for the season on how dumb our players are running the bases. We've had tons of baserunning mistakes all season and of course this is the worst one yet. At this point the team is just embarrassing themselves on the field.

Moncada is either really stupid or mentally not in the game. This crap only happens in little league. He needs to get some serious psychological counseling. He hasn't looked focused all season. 

Engel obviously choked under pressure and had a brain malfunction not to stay at 2nd to tag up. 

However, the two most guilty people here are Daryl Boston and Joe McEwing. Why in the hell did Boston not scream at Moncada to stay at first? Why did McEwing not wave his arms and scream to send Engel back to tag? I'm sorry but both these coaches have made numerous poor coaching moves all season at first and third. 

This has to be collectively the worst and most pitiful coaching staff in baseball. Of course the demented HOF manager keeps his job. Btw, I was watching TLR's post game comments and I had a hard time understanding one word he was mumbling about. This what happens when an idiot, arrogant and stupid owner hires a clown manager...you get this circus!

Edited July 5, 20223 yr by The Kids Can Play