The topic of this article may not meet Wikipedia's notability guideline for stand-alone lists .(September 2024) |
In baseball statistics, a double play (denoted as DP) is the act of making two outs during the same continuous play. One double play is recorded for every defensive player who participates in the play, regardless of how many of the outs in which they were directly involved, and is counted in addition to whatever putouts and assists might also apply. Double plays can occur any time there is at least one baserunner and fewer than two outs. [1] In baseball and softball, the second baseman is a fielding position in the infield, commonly stationed between second and first base. The second baseman often possesses quick hands and feet, needs the ability to get rid of the ball quickly, and must be able to make the pivot on a double play. In addition, second basemen are almost always right-handed. Only four left-handed throwing players have appeared as second basemen in the major leagues since 1950; one of the four, Gonzalo Márquez, was listed as the second baseman in the starting lineup for two games in 1973, batting in the first inning, but was replaced before his team took the field on defense, and none of the other three players lasted even a complete inning at the position. [2] In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the second baseman is assigned the number 4.
Second basemen typically record a double play by receiving a throw from another player to force out the runner advancing to second base, then throwing to first base to retire the batter/runner, or by fielding a ground ball and then either throwing to the shortstop covering second base or stepping on the base themselves before the throw to first base is made. Second basemen generally benefit in this respect from playing alongside an excellent shortstop with great range and quickness; strong middle infields are regarded as crucial to a team's defensive play, and double play totals are regarded as a strong indicator of their defensive skill. Double plays are also recorded when the second baseman catches a line drive, then throws to a base before the runner can tag up, or another infielder or the pitcher catches the line drive and then throws to the second baseman in the same situation; on occasion, the throw might come from an outfielder after an unexpected catch of a fly ball. Other double plays occur when the second baseman records an out at second base, then throws out a runner attempting to advance on the basepaths, or on a double steal attempt in which the catcher throws out a runner attempting to steal second base, and the second baseman throws back to the catcher to retire a runner trying to steal home. Double plays are also occasionally recorded when a rundown play is involved, almost always as the second out. Because of the high number of ground outs, second basemen and shortstops typically record far more double plays than players at any other position except first base.
Most of the career leaders are relatively recent players who have benefitted from improved infield defense, with equipment of better quality; 9 of the top 14 players made their major league debut after 1962, and only two were active before 1945. Longer careers have compensated for the fact that as strikeout totals have risen in baseball, the frequency of other defensive outs including ground outs has declined, with double play totals for second basemen likewise declining; 23 of the top 29 single-season totals were recorded between 1935 and 1974, and none of the top 362 were recorded before 1921. [3] Bill Mazeroski holds the record for the most career double plays by a second baseman with 1,706. [4] Nellie Fox is second with 1,619; only four other second basemen have recorded 1,500 career double plays.
Rank | Rank among leaders in career double plays. A blank field indicates a tie. |
Player (2024 DPs) | Recorded double plays in 2024 |
MLB | Total career double plays as a second baseman in Major League Baseball |
* | Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame |
---|---|
Bold | Denotes active player [lower-alpha 1] |
Rank | Player (2024 DPs) | Double plays as a second baseman | Other leagues, notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
MLB | American League | National League | |||
1 | Bill Mazeroski * | 1,706 | 0 | 1,706 | Holds the single-season record of 161 (set in 1966) |
2 | Nellie Fox* | 1,619 | 1,568 | 51 | Held major league record, 1963-1970 |
3 | Willie Randolph | 1,547 | 1,391 | 156 | |
4 | Lou Whitaker | 1,527 | 1,527 | 0 | |
5 | Bobby Doerr* | 1,507 | 1,507 | 0 | Held major league record, 1951-1963 |
6 | Joe Morgan* | 1,505 | 62 | 1,443 | |
7 | Charlie Gehringer* | 1,444 | 1,444 | 0 | Held major league record, 1938-1951 |
8 | Robinson Canó | 1,418 | 1,347 | 71 | |
9 | Roberto Alomar* | 1,407 | 1,001 | 406 | |
10 | Frank White | 1,382 | 1,382 | 0 | |
11 | Red Schoendienst* | 1,368 | 0 | 1,368 | Held National League record, 1957–1967; held NL single-season record, 1954-1961 (tie) |
12 | Bobby Grich | 1,302 | 1,302 | 0 | |
13 | Ian Kinsler | 1,291 | 1,255 | 36 | |
14 | Jeff Kent | 1,261 | 3 | 1,258 | |
15 | Eddie Collins* | 1,239 | 1,239 | 0 | Held major league record, 1926–1938; held American League record, 1922–1938; held AL single-season record, 1920-1921 (tie) |
16 | Ray Durham | 1,189 | 746 | 443 | |
17 | Bid McPhee* | 1,188 | 0 | 657 | Includes 531 in American Association; held major league record, 1889–1926; held single-season record, 1886–1921; held National League single-season record, 1892-1923 |
18 | Billy Herman* | 1,177 | 0 | 1,177 | Held National League record, 1942-1957 |
19 | Joe Gordon* | 1,160 | 1,160 | 0 | |
20 | Ryne Sandberg* | 1,158 | 0 | 1,158 | |
21 | Craig Biggio* | 1,153 | 0 | 1,153 | |
22 | Brandon Phillips | 1,115 | 97 | 1,018 | |
23 | Bret Boone | 1,085 | 502 | 583 | |
24 | Frankie Frisch * | 1,062 | 0 | 1,062 | Held National League record, 1933-1942 |
25 | Luis Castillo | 1,051 | 126 | 925 | |
26 | Nap Lajoie* | 1,050 | 883 | 167 | Held American League single-season record, 1906-1921 |
27 | Jim Gantner | 1,036 | 1,036 | 0 | |
28 | Frank Bolling | 1,003 | 521 | 482 | |
29 | Steve Sax | 998 | 404 | 594 | |
30 | Chase Utley | 993 | 0 | 993 | |
31 | Jose Altuve (82) | 991 | 768 | 223 | |
31 | Tom Herr | 991 | 54 | 937 | |
33 | Glenn Hubbard | 975 | 94 | 881 | |
34 | Manny Trillo | 973 | 73 | 900 | |
35 | Ski Melillo | 965 | 965 | 0 | |
36 | Buddy Myer | 963 | 963 | 0 | Held single-season record, 1935-1950 |
Bobby Richardson | 963 | 963 | 0 | ||
38 | Hughie Critz | 960 | 0 | 960 | |
39 | Cookie Rojas | 953 | 518 | 435 | |
40 | Tony Taylor | 950 | 91 | 859 | |
41 | Harold Reynolds | 948 | 948 | 0 | |
42 | Dustin Pedroia | 940 | 940 | 0 | |
43 | Julián Javier | 907 | 0 | 907 | |
44 | Jerry Priddy | 906 | 906 | 0 | Holds the American League single-season record (150 in 1950), was the major league record until 1966 |
45 | Mark Ellis | 903 | 703 | 200 | |
46 | Dave Cash | 901 | 0 | 901 | |
47 | Rogers Hornsby* | 895 | 10 | 885 | Held National League record, 1929-1933 |
48 | Fred Pfeffer | 894 | 0 | 821 | Includes 73 in Players' League; held National League record, 1888–1929; held single-season record, 1884–1886; held NL single-season record, 1884-1892 |
49 | Robby Thompson | 873 | 0 | 873 | |
50 | Félix Millán | 855 | 0 | 855 | |
51 | Brian Roberts | 850 | 850 | 0 | |
52 | Del Pratt | 849 | 849 | 0 | |
53 | Orlando Hudson | 841 | 407 | 434 | |
54 | Ted Sizemore | 835 | 31 | 804 | |
55 | Don Blasingame | 834 | 224 | 610 | |
Chuck Knoblauch | 834 | 834 | 0 | ||
57 | Tito Fuentes | 832 | 119 | 713 | |
58 | Johnny Temple | 829 | 175 | 654 | |
59 | Johnny Ray | 828 | 263 | 565 | |
60 | Mark McLemore | 823 | 815 | 8 | |
61 | Bucky Harris* | 817 | 817 | 0 | Held single-season record, 1921–1928; held American League single-season record, 1921-1935 |
62 | Eddie Stanky | 816 | 0 | 816 | |
63 | Tony Cuccinello | 812 | 2 | 810 | Held single-season record, 1931–1935; held National League single-season record, 1931-1950 |
64 | Davey Lopes | 811 | 171 | 640 | |
65 | Tony Lazzeri* | 808 | 798 | 10 | |
66 | Tommy Helms | 807 | 0 | 807 | |
67 | Ronnie Belliard | 801 | 238 | 563 | |
68 | Aaron Hill | 800 | 539 | 261 | |
69 | Eric Young | 786 | 13 | 773 | |
70 | Bobby Ávila | 785 | 764 | 21 | |
71 | Dan Uggla | 784 | 0 | 784 | |
72 | Julio Cruz | 780 | 780 | 0 | |
73 | Bobby Knoop | 779 | 779 | 0 | |
Fernando Viña | 779 | 275 | 504 | ||
75 | Damion Easley | 772 | 666 | 106 | |
76 | Adam Kennedy | 769 | 606 | 163 | |
77 | Carlos Baerga | 759 | 552 | 207 | |
Davey Johnson | 759 | 600 | 159 | ||
79 | Glenn Beckert | 758 | 0 | 758 | |
80 | Mark Grudzielanek | 744 | 259 | 485 | |
Jerry Remy | 744 | 744 | 0 | ||
82 | Delino DeShields | 743 | 100 | 643 | |
83 | Bill Doran | 742 | 5 | 737 | |
84 | Rougned Odor (0) | 739 | 726 | 13 | |
84 | Sandy Alomar | 729 | 710 | 19 | |
86 | DJ LeMahieu (0) | 724 | 91 | 633 | |
87 | Plácido Polanco | 718 | 463 | 255 | |
88 | Dick Green | 712 | 712 | 0 | |
89 | Larry Doyle | 698 | 0 | 698 | |
90 | Jim Gilliam | 696 | 0 | 628 | Includes 68 in Negro National League (second) (incomplete) |
91 | Horace Clarke | 695 | 689 | 6 | |
92 | Jonathan Schoop (0) | 691 | 674 | 17 | |
93 | Jody Reed | 690 | 449 | 241 | |
94 | Brian Dozier | 689 | 606 | 83 | |
Johnny Evers* | 689 | 1 | 688 | ||
96 | Rennie Stennett | 687 | 0 | 687 | |
97 | Ron Hunt | 685 | 0 | 685 | |
98 | Howie Kendrick | 682 | 585 | 97 | |
99 | Kolten Wong (0) | 670 | 21 | 649 | |
100 | Mickey Morandini | 669 | 28 | 641 |
Player | Double plays as a second baseman | Other leagues, notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
MLB | American League | National League | ||
Rod Carew* | 664 | 664 | 0 | |
Jackie Robinson* | 607 | 0 | 607 | |
Miller Huggins* | 597 | 0 | 597 | |
Rabbit Maranville* | 311 | 0 | 311 | Held National League single-season record, 1924-1928 |
Paul Molitor* | 279 | 279 | 0 | |
John Montgomery Ward* | 167 | 0 | 167 | |
George Kelly* | 84 | 0 | 84 | |
John Henry Lloyd* | 53 | 0 | 0 | Includes 53 in Eastern Colored League (incomplete) |
Ed Delahanty* | 52 | 0 | 45 | Includes 7 in Players' League |
Roger Connor* | 32 | 0 | 207 | |
George Davis* | 32 | 26 | 6 | |
Ray Dandridge* | 23 | 0 | 0 | Includes 93 in Negro National League (second) (incomplete) |
Joe Cronin* | 18 | 0 | 18 | |
Martín Dihigo* | 12 | 0 | 0 | Includes 9 in American Negro League, 2 in Eastern Colored League, 1 in Negro National League (second) (incomplete) |
In baseball and softball, a double play is the act of making two outs during the same continuous play. Double plays can occur any time there is at least one baserunner and fewer than two outs.
In baseball, a triple play is the act of making three outs during the same play. There have only been 736 triple plays in Major League Baseball (MLB) since 1876, an average of just over five per season.
William Stanley Mazeroski, nicknamed "Maz" and "the Glove", is an American former second baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played his entire career for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1956 to 1972. A seven-time All-Star known during his career primarily for his spectacular defensive play, he has come to be better known for perhaps the most memorable home run in baseball history, a dramatic ninth-inning drive in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series that beat the favored New York Yankees. It was the first time that the major league season ended with a home run, and remains the only walk-off home run to clinch a World Series championship in Game 7. ESPN ranked the World Series winner at the top of its list of the 100 Greatest Home Runs of All Time, while Sports Illustrated had it eighth in its compilation of the 100 Greatest Moments in Sports History. Mazeroski received the Babe Ruth Award for his play in the Series, during which he batted .320.
In baseball and softball, second baseman, abbreviated 2B, is a fielding position in the infield, between second and first base. The second baseman often possesses quick hands and feet, needs the ability to get rid of the ball quickly, and must be able to make the pivot on a double play. In addition, second basemen are usually right-handed; only four left-handed throwing players have ever played second base in Major League Baseball since 1950. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the second baseman is assigned the number 4.
A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majority of plays made at that base. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the first baseman is assigned the number 3.
A hit and run is a high risk, high reward offensive strategy used in baseball. It uses a stolen base attempt to try to place the defending infielders out of position for an attempted base hit.
Baseball scorekeeping is the practice of recording the details of a baseball game as it unfolds. Professional baseball leagues hire official scorers to keep an official record of each game, but many fans keep score as well for their own enjoyment. Scorekeeping is usually done on a printed scorecard and, while official scorers must adhere precisely to one of the few different scorekeeping notations, most fans exercise some amount of creativity and adopt their own symbols and styles.