Who's the most bored MLB player?

August 31, 2013 5:55 PM

What is the longest streak of at-bats a fielder has played through without being part of a play?
posted by Hollywood Upstairs Medical College to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (8 answers total)

I would imagine that there have been players in no-hitters who were not involved in any play at all, which would make the answer "27".
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 6:08 PM on August 31, 2013

Not necessarily, there could be long stretches during extra-inning games where a fielder isn't involved. Or a streak could span one, two, or several games.
posted by otters walk among us at 6:18 PM on August 31, 2013 [2 favorites]

I would imagine that there have been players in no-hitters who were not involved in any play at all, which would make the answer "27".

I'm not sure this answers much, 27 would be the minimum number of at-bats a defensive player could be in and have played a whole game - it would have to have been a perfect game at that. Some 18 inning, 15 to 16 run marathon extra inning game with nothing to the right fielder is more what I think the OP is looking for.

Can the streak span multiple games?
posted by bitdamaged at 6:19 PM on August 31, 2013

Toby Harrah played both games of a doubleheader at shorstop without a fielding chance. Presumably there have been longer streaks, especially at other positions.
posted by leopard at 6:28 PM on August 31, 2013

Best answer: On June 25, 1976 the Texas infielder stood around in the shortstop's spot in Arlington, Texas for two whole games with the White Sox and didn't have a single chance the whole day. That's the major league record.
posted by Ironmouth at 9:04 PM on August 31, 2013 [2 favorites]

Well, no, that's not the major league record. Because while he recorded the last out of the previous game, he didn't get a chance until Jorge Orta grounded out 4-6 in the third at bat of the next game.
posted by bowbeacon at 9:22 PM on August 31, 2013

Response by poster: I was thinking across multiple games whether or not they had a chance at the play...just how many at-bats they stood where they were supposed to stand for without touching the ball.
posted by Hollywood Upstairs Medical College at 12:14 AM on September 1, 2013

From the same article listed above is the record for all fielders (not just infield or shortstop): Baby Doll Jacobson was a major league outfielder for 11 years, mostly with the St. Louis Browns. Shortly after changing his Brownie uniform for that of the Red Sox in 1926, Baby Doll played in seven consecutive games in right field (actually 64-1/3 innings) without getting a single putout or having one assist in all that span.

Which reminds me of a classic Skip Caray bit that he'd do sometimes when a fielder made three unassisted putouts in an inning: "And with that catch Andruw Jones ties the major league record for unassisted putouts in an inning." The first time I heard that I was like wow, that's really cool, I'm surprised they're not making a big--, oh wait, I get it. Bastard.
posted by bfootdav at 11:19 AM on September 1, 2013 [2 favorites]