04/18/24
April 13, 2011
Sam Fuld Blows Cycle -- by Hitting Double: On Monday night, Tampa Bay Rays left fielder Sam Fuld stepped up to bat needing just a single to complete a cycle. His team led 14-4. He ripped a hit to the left-field corner, rounded first and made it into second base safely. "I know a lot of guys who would have stopped," said Rays manager Joe Maddon. "Some guys in the dugout said they would have slid into first base."
He is young. He will learn.
To pad his own stats at his team's expense? I hope not.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 12:22 PM on April 13, 2011
To pad his own stats at his team's expense?
He wouldn't be padding his stats by staying on first instead of running it out for the double. It's a feat that few ever have a chance to get but he did the right thing.
If he were smart, he would've stumbled out of the box or "tripped" to get the single.
posted by BornIcon at 12:37 PM on April 13, 2011
Ugh, I hate this stupid unwritten rule about "doing the right thing". Then again, it'd just seem weird to stop if you had a clear shot at second, so I don't blame him.
I would ask of the URC (Unwritten Rules Committee) why running out a double in a 14-4 game, when stopping to get the rare cycle would be easy, is "the right thing", but swinging for the fences at a 3-0 meatball in a game with the same score would get you hit by a pitch in your next plate appearance.
posted by hincandenza at 12:48 PM on April 13, 2011
How is it not a feat to basically hit the cycle plus an extra base to help your team out for good measure. Good job kid, that's a hell of an accomplishment.
posted by phaedon at 12:56 PM on April 13, 2011
Good for him.
posted by flannelenigma at 01:21 PM on April 13, 2011
Geeks care more about OPS than cycles anyways. Fuld is a moneyballer.
posted by dfleming at 01:58 PM on April 13, 2011
Yes, that extra base that he picked up with the double bumped up his OPS+ by 1 point to 101. Otherwise he'd just be league average.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 02:06 PM on April 13, 2011
I would ask of the URC (Unwritten Rules Committee) why running out a double in a 14-4 game, when stopping to get the rare cycle would be easy, is "the right thing", but swinging for the fences at a 3-0 meatball in a game with the same score would get you hit by a pitch in your next plate appearance.
I might have an older version but I can't find this situation in my copy of the Official Unwritten Rule "Book". The main theme of unwritten rules is 'don't be a dick'. He's not showing up anyone by either running out the double or stopping at 1st so the URC has no opinion on the matter and no one gets plunked. I think you have the wrong committee anyway, that sounds more like the PRWC (Playing the Right Way Committee). They cover shit like steroids and spit balls too.
posted by tron7 at 02:08 PM on April 13, 2011
I always thought a cycle should be defined as hitting for at least what is actually defined as a cycle. In my book, this qualifies as a cycle (ish).
posted by Ricardo at 02:31 PM on April 13, 2011
Hitting for the cycle is fun, but not because it's an exceptional hitting achievement. It's just a statistical fluke.
Stopping at first on a double, to assure yourself of a cycle, takes the fun out of it. You engineered your own cycle.
Fuld won't be remembered as a guy who hit for the cycle, but how much would have he been thought of for hitting one? The last Ranger I remember for hitting one is Oddibe McDowell in 1985. The subsequent ones went in my brain and right back out again.
posted by rcade at 02:45 PM on April 13, 2011
Sam Fuld Blows Cycle
If it was Mickey Mantle the cycle would blow him.
posted by THX-1138 at 05:13 PM on April 13, 2011
I saw this and was happy. The cycle is the dumbest "achievement" that we give credit to. It's worse than batting average.
You trying to tell me a single is somehow better than a double? Ever?
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 06:01 PM on April 13, 2011
The last Ranger I remember for hitting one is Oddibe McDowell in 1985.
Bengie "The Flash" Molina. Last year. Perhaps the most improbable cycle of all time.
posted by graymatters at 08:17 PM on April 13, 2011
The last Ranger I remember for hitting one is Oddibe McDowell in 1985.
That was the first one hit by someone in a Texas Rangers uniform.
There have been 4 more since then, all in the last 7 years.
Perhaps the most improbable cycle of all time.
John Olerud has hit two cycles (one in the AL, one in the NL).
He hit only 13 triples in 9000+ PA.
He's probably the most unlikely to hit 2 cycles in a career.
posted by grum@work at 09:44 PM on April 13, 2011
He's probably the most unlikely to hit 2 cycles in a career.
May be right. But Bengie was the most unlikely to make it to third base running without stopping for oxygen or a wheelchair. As I recall the play unfolding, when Bengie got to second, he looked like he was praying for someone to please get the ball so he could stop running.
posted by graymatters at 09:48 PM on April 13, 2011
The Padres still have no cycle hitters, and no one with a no-hitter, after more than 40 years.
posted by LionIndex at 10:06 PM on April 13, 2011
"Some guys in the dugout said they would have slid into first base."
That one got a laugh out of me.
posted by dyams at 08:23 AM on April 14, 2011
He is young. He will learn.