Baseball Puzzler

[jtexas]

Lefty McDougal, star pitcher of the cellar-dwelling Kenosha Ramblers, has an incentive clause in his contract that guarantees him an extra hundred thousand bucks if he wins 20 games this season.<br /><br />He has 19 wins and is scheduled to start the last game. An hour before gametime, as Lefty's warming up in the pen, the manager approaches him and says, "You ain't starting the game." <br />"Why not?" says Lefty, "You know it's worth an extra hundred grand!" <br />"Well that's the problem," the manager explained. "The owner of the club doesn't want to cough up the dough and he told me that if you throw a single pitch today that I'd be out of a job in the spring." <br /><br />But as Lefty walks away with a long face, the manager says, "But don't give up hope. I'll think of something." <br /><br />Well, the manager does think of something; Lefty is the winning pitcher, and collects his hundred thousand dollar bonus without throwing a single pitch. <br /><br />The question is, how did this happen?

 

[magster65]

Re: Baseball Puzzler

Ummmmmmmm, because he didn't throw a single pitch, he threw a whole bunch?

 

[jtexas]

Re: Baseball Puzzler

Originally posted by magster65:<br /> Ummmmmmmm, because he didn't throw a single pitch, he threw a whole bunch?

nope, he threw no pitches at all

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: Baseball Puzzler

Did he throw any warmup pitches?<br /><br /> <br /><br />Ken

 

[deputydawg]

Re: Baseball Puzzler

Played him as a DH.

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Baseball Puzzler

Lefty starts the game, but the other team forfiets before any pitches are thrown.

 

[Dave Abrahamson]

Re: Baseball Puzzler

He pitched for the other team?<br />It said win twenty games....not necessarily with the same team.

 

[eeboater]

Re: Baseball Puzzler

Lefty goes into the game, throws a guy out while trying to steal second base... Last out of last inning in game. Game won - no pitches thrown.<br /><br />Sean

 

[AzMeadMan]

Re: Baseball Puzzler

Top of the ninth, tie score, bases loaded and no one out. 3 - 2 count on the batter. Lefty comes in as the relieve pitcher. He sees the runner on first leaning towards second ready to go on his first move. The first baseman slides towards the bag. Lefty snap throws to first for the tag. The guy on third sees this and makes for home. The first baseman throws home. Out by three feet. The guy on second broke for third when he saw the other guy head home. The catcher makes a perfect throw to third and he's out by inches. Triple Play and they are out of the inning without Lefty throwing a single pitch. The manager for the visiting team argues the call with the third base ump but is ejected for bumping him and calling him a (insert your managers favorite line here)<br /><br />Bottom of the ninth, the visiting pitcher, upset at seeing his team run itself into a triple play throws a hanging breaking ball and Gorilla Magilla tattoos it over the left field fence and the hapless Ramblers win by one run. Lefty is given the win as he was on the mound when all three outs were recorded and the winning run was scored in their half of the inning. <br /><br /><br />Am I right. Am I right. What did I win, what did I win!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[lakelivin]

Re: Baseball Puzzler

Originally posted by eeboater:<br /> Lefty goes into the game, throws a guy out while trying to steal second base... Last out of last inning in game. Game won - no pitches thrown.<br /><br />Sean

gotta add game was tied when Lefty picked the runner off, then Leftys team scores a run in the bottom of the ninth, Lefty gets credit for the win.

 

[gewf631]

Re: Baseball Puzzler

It's in here , somewhere.<br /><br />Unless we're all barking-up the wrong tree, since it doesn't say whether or not the teams follow MLB rules!

 

[JB]

Re: Baseball Puzzler

Bottom of the 9th. Tie game.<br /><br />Lefty pinch hits for the pitcher, becoming the pitcher of record when his team scores a "walk off" run.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Baseball Puzzler

Sean & Lakelivin together have the correct answer. That was too easy, jtexas! Got any more?

 

[Barbee Q]

Re: Baseball Puzzler

Lefty used a disquise and threw the pitch. I'm I right... Oh I KNOW.. The manager bet a Hundred thousand dollars or Million that his team would win and he bought the baseball team from the club..<br />I'm I right NOW....<br />or way off....

 

[deputydawg]

Re: Baseball Puzzler

so tell us man, i can't take it anymore!

 

[jtexas]

Re: Baseball Puzzler

Sorry, didn't get a chance to get back on-line Friday before I left for a long week-end camping trip to Lake Texoma (perfect weather, and yes the stripers are biting!).<br /><br />eeboater & Azmeadman got my answer...Lefty comes in to pitch with score tied in the top of the ninth, picks a runner off for the 3rd out, home team wins in the bottom of the ninth.<br /><br />I'm guessing JB's answer is correct as well...except in the American League. Unless...if an AL team made a pitching change after the top of the 9th, would he get the win? Does anybody care?<br /><br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><br />Okay, TilliamWe, here's another one for ya:<br /><br />I walk into a restaurant, belly up to the bar, order my favorite adult beverage, and look up to see a major-league baseball game on the television. The guy on the next stool mentions there's two outs & nobody on base. The batter swings at the next pitch & hits a grounder to the first baseman, who fields it cleanly & throws across the diamond to third. Third baseman catches the ball & steps on the bag, umpire signals out and the players all head for the dugout.<br /><br />What the heck happened?

 

[QC]

Re: Baseball Puzzler

During the previous at bat there was a runner on third with one out. The batter hit a fly ball and the runner tagged up. However, he left the bag early. The run scored (temporarily) and when the next batter (your batter) comes up the pitcher puts the ball in play by pitching, it is hit to the first baseman who throws over to third for the appeal on the early tag up. The previous runner is called out, the run is erased, there are now three outs.<br /><br />The next question is what happens to the batter who hit the ball? I honestly don't know . . . Does he bat the next inning? Is his AB counted as a fielder's choice? Scorecard would not balance then, so I say he bats leadoff next inning.

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: Baseball Puzzler

Quietcat, that would require the umpire to make a mistake (not seeing the early leave), and then reverse the mistake on the next play.<br /><br />Kinda weird.<br /><br />Ken

 

[jtexas]

Re: Baseball Puzzler

sorry QC, when the next pitch was thrown, it would be too late to throw the runner out from the previous at-bat. [btw, the batter who's up when a runner is picked off or caught stealing for the 3rd out does lead off the next inning]<br /><br />KIZ, it wouldn't be a mistake - the umpire couldn't call the runner out for leaving early because he isn't out until he or the bag is tagged.

 

[QC]

Re: Baseball Puzzler

Originally posted by jtexas:<br /> sorry QC, when the next pitch was thrown, it would be too late to throw the runner out from the previous at-bat.

Yeah, I figured it couldn't be that easy. I thought maybe, just maybe, because no additional out had been recorded that this would count the same as the pitcher stepping onto the rubber (in play) and then off the rubber and throwing to third for the appeal. Guess not.<br /><br />Kiz,<br /><br />Happens all the time with the appeal. The umpire will not call the play unless asked on appeal.