Cabrera turns IBB into single

**tacomax** · 06-23-06, 09:02 AM

Every time I see an IBB in progress then I'm always willing the batter to smack it out of the ground.

**Mudcat** · 06-23-06, 09:06 AM

I know I've seen someone else in MLB do this but I can't remember who it was at the moment. I think they were on the Reds.

**Willie Bee** · 06-23-06, 09:28 AM

I'll see what I can dig up, Mud.

I remember a Cincy player who was actually caught napping and struck out on what he expected to be an intentional walk. In the 1972 Series (can't recall which game exactly) with runners on second and third, Johnny Bench at the plate and Rollie Fingers on the mound for Oakland, the count moved full on Bench and A's catcher Gene Tenace stood up and signaled for an intentional ball. Seemed pretty standard, just one out and they'd be setting up a possible double play. So Bench relaxed, rested his bat on his shoulder and waited for Ball 4. Only Tenace ducked back down behind the plate at the last instant and Fingers delivered a strike instead to send an embarrassed Bench back to the dugout. Oakland did walk Tony Perez, the next hitter, intentionally then got out of the jam when the next batter (Cesar Geronimo maybe?) made an out. As a 3rd-string high school catcher who idolized Bench at the time, even I was embarrassed by what happened to the Reds backstop.

**Mudcat** · 06-23-06, 09:52 AM

Yeah, I think that's what I was remembering with the Reds reference. However I still think I have seen a guy get a hit in that situation before.

Maybe not. Maybe my wires are just all crossed.

**bigboydan** · 06-23-06, 10:37 AM

owned made a post last night saying that david ortiz did this just a few years ago. although, i don't remember it off hand.

**MrX** · 06-23-06, 12:41 PM

That was awesome... and gutsy. Imagine popping that ball up. Someone told me that Todd Helton hit an intentional ball once, but I did not witness it. It would have been at least five years ago.

**bigboydan** · 06-23-06, 12:49 PM

i guess you can call it ballsy. god knows he sure the hell caught the o's off-gaurd with that one.

this one sorta reminds me of the old "hidden ball trick"... btw, does anyone know off-hand when the last time that was done ?

**moses millsap** · 06-23-06, 01:43 PM

Originally posted by bigboydan

owned made a post last night saying that david ortiz did this just a few years ago. although, i don't remember it off hand.

I think I'm wrong. MrX may be right and that it was Helton. All I remember is that I remember seeing a left handed hitter doing that, but ESPN didn't make mention of any in the segment on Cold Pizza.

**tacomax** · 06-23-06, 01:54 PM

Originally posted by bigboydan

this one sorta reminds me of the old "hidden ball trick"... btw, does anyone know off-hand when the last time that was done ?

Weren't you a victim of the "hidden ball trick" the last time you went to a brothel? Legend has it that you've fallen for the same trick on each subsequent visit.

**Willie Bee** · 06-23-06, 01:55 PM

Hidden ball trick...

Mike Lowell is the master of the hidden ball trick. Believe he's the sly culprit in the last two times that has been pulled off. I know he got Expos catcher Brian Schneider late in the 2004 season, and think it was last August that he did it to the Diamondbacks (can't remember who he caught in that one).

**tacomax** · 06-23-06, 02:05 PM

Hidden Ball Tricks

http://www.retrosheet.org/hidden.htm

**tacomax** · 06-23-06, 02:08 PM

Matt Williams is the king of the hidden ball trick.

"Excuse me, can you step off the bag while I sweep away the dirt?"

**onlooker** · 06-23-06, 02:11 PM

Yeah. I made mention of this last night in the Capping and Discussion thread when it happen. I was amazed that he swung it. But Im glad he did. It broke the O's backs, because the Marlins ended up scoring 3 in that 10th inning.

**Willie Bee** · 06-23-06, 02:16 PM

Originally posted by tacomax

"Excuse me, can you step off the bag while I sweep away the dirt?"

Funny stuff, and excellent link to the list of times it happened, taco. That site is a wonderful reference for a lot of things. I'll have to start posting some tougher questions now

**RickySteve** · 06-23-06, 04:03 PM

Ozzie Guillen got duped three times in his career by the hidden ball trick. What a clown.

**bigboydan** · 06-23-06, 04:09 PM

Originally posted by tacomax

Weren't you a victim of the "hidden ball trick" the last time you went to a brothel? Legend has it that you've fallen for the same trick on each subsequent visit.

yep i sure was taco. but when she was deep throating me she swallowed balls and all.