Everybody is aware of you may’t be in two locations on the similar time. These are the principles — the immutable guidelines of physics.
Ah, however who knew you may play for 2 groups in the identical baseball sport? These are additionally the principles — the wacky suspended-game guidelines of baseball.
So subsequent Monday, if all of the forces within the universe line up proper, Boston Pink Sox catcher Danny Jansen will go the place no baseball-playing human has ever gone earlier than. Not within the massive leagues anyway.
In per week, he might develop into the primary participant in major-league historical past to seem in a field rating for each groups in the identical sport. And right here’s our plea to the forces within the universe: This must occur!
“Oh, man,” Jansen instructed The Athletic the opposite day. “It’s going to be nuts.”
For the final 54 days, since June 26, he has been caught within the batter’s field at Fenway Park, frozen in baseball time. Not actually, after all. However that is baseball. So at the same time as all the things else round him has swirled in 1,000,000 totally different instructions, the field rating of that sport tells us he’s nonetheless batting.
It was the second inning. He was hitting for the Toronto Blue Jays in Boston, with one out and a runner on first. He had simply fouled off a first-pitch cutter. And that was when the climate gods determined it was time to mess with the baseball gods.
UPDATE: We at the moment are in a rain delay ☔️ pic.twitter.com/M1BNJ2l3xF
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) June 26, 2024
So these raindrops became a rain delay. That rain delay became a suspended sport. The resumption of that sport was scheduled for Aug. 26. After which …
The commerce deadline occurred. And Jansen obtained traded, for the primary time in his profession — to the staff the Blue Jays have been enjoying that night time, the Pink Sox. So pals, historical past beckons. And in addition wackiness. We’re massive followers of each.
So the place might this be main? What does all of it imply? And are you certain this has by no means occurred earlier than? (Spoiler alert: Don’t be!) Let’s have a look.
So what occurs subsequent?
When this sport resumes, we will assure one factor: Danny Jansen won’t get to complete his at-bat. The suspended-game rule could also be a little bit zany at instances, nevertheless it isn’t that zany — not sufficient to permit a participant sporting a Pink Sox uniform to bat for the Blue Jays.
However right here is the place this might get enjoyable — and historic. The Pink Sox additionally want to alter catchers. Reese McGuire, who was catching for them on the time, is on their Triple-A roster now, not their big-league roster. So if Pink Sox supervisor Alex Cora is as astute as we expect he’s, we’re headed for one of many biggest P.A. bulletins ever:
“Now catching for the Pink Sox, Danny Jansen. Now pinch-hitting for Danny Jansen … fill within the clean, however who the heck cares!”
“Oh, man,” Jansen stated, after we ran that state of affairs by him. “Such an oddity.”
It’s an oddity, all proper. Nevertheless it’s solely attainable as a result of …
The suspended-game rule is the reward that retains on giving
Of all of the 14 gazillion guidelines within the baseball rulebook, the suspended-game rule needs to be probably the most superior. It makes a lot bizarre and wild nuttiness attainable, it’s the most effective rule ever.
It makes time journey attainable. Because of this rule, Juan Soto managed to debut earlier than his debut again in 2018. He arrived within the massive leagues, with the Washington Nationals, on Could 20. However he later performed in a sport that had been suspended on Could 15 — and homered. Which suggests he debuted earlier than he debuted and in addition homered earlier than his first homer.
Juan Soto homers within the sixth inning of a resumed sport on June 18, 2018, that had been suspended 5 days earlier than his MLB debut the month earlier. (2018 Diamond Photos through Getty Photos)
It makes staff journey attainable. Because of this rule, reliever Joel Hanrahan gained a sport for the Nationals whereas he was enjoying for the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 2009, he pitched a scoreless prime of the eleventh inning for the Nats on Could 5. Then that sport obtained a little bit slippery, in additional methods than one.
It obtained delayed, suspended and completed two months later. However he’d been traded to the Pirates by then. So … yep. Whereas he was hanging out within the Pirates’ bullpen in Miami, the Nationals rallied to win in Washington, so their profitable pitcher was — who else? — Joel Hanrahan. What a magic trick.
It makes cloning attainable. Because of this rule, Adam Duvall and Daniel Hudson as soon as confronted one another with two totally different groups, in two totally different video games, on the identical day. And now that we’re this deep into this part, that doesn’t even appear unusual anymore, does it?
On July 21, 2021, the Miami Marlins have been enjoying the Nationals. Duvall went 1 for 4 for Miami. Hudson pitched a scoreless eighth for Washington. However …
In the meantime, in an alternate universe, the Braves performed the Padres that very same day, in one other sport that might get suspended. By the point they resumed it in September, guess what had modified?
Duvall was a Courageous … and Hudson was a Padre … and within the sixth inning of that sport, Adam Duvall, the Courageous, hit a house run off Daniel Hudson, the Padre … on the identical day the field scores inform us they have been additionally enjoying in opposition to one another in Washington. It’s proper there in Duvall’s sport go online Baseball Reference. Basic!
(screenshot from Baseball Reference)
So now that we’ve got that enjoyable preamble out of the best way, again to Danny Jansen. It makes no logical sense {that a} participant might get taken out of a sport, after which, on the similar actual second, get subbed into that sport for the opposite staff. However have we talked about that the suspended-game rule is creative like that? Right here’s what it says, proper there in Rule 7.02:
A participant who was not with the Membership when the sport was suspended could also be used instead, even when he has taken the place of a participant now not with the Membership who wouldn’t have been eligible …
Sure!
Not that Jansen was intricately accustomed to any of that when he obtained traded to Boston on July 27. However all it took was in the future in his new clubhouse earlier than he realized he was going to should bone up on this factor — as a result of these Boston writers had a whole lot of questions, a few feat he didn’t even know was attainable.
“I didn’t know (a lot about this) at first,” he stated. “I used to be like, ‘What — am I going to should go on the opposite staff?’ I didn’t know what was going to occur. It simply form of caught me off guard about the entire scenario. As a result of once I obtained traded, it was only a whirlwind at first, and I didn’t give it some thought. However then, as soon as that stuff settled, I heard about (the suspended-game state of affairs). And I used to be like, ‘Oh, that’s cool. That’s a novel factor that’s going to occur.’”
Ah, however how distinctive is it? Don’t reply too rapidly, as a result of there’s, in reality …
One other residing human who really did this
Except you have been an enormous fan of Worldwide League baseball within the Eighties, you most likely don’t acknowledge the title Dale Holman. However do you know he has a number of artifacts from his profession which might be at present housed contained in the Baseball Corridor of Fame?
True story. And why is that? As a result of in 1986, Holman did one thing which may sound acquainted when you’ve learn this far:
He performed for each groups in the identical sport.
He began that sport in June, enjoying proper subject for Syracuse. He completed that sport on Aug. 16, enjoying left subject for Richmond. Sure, we even dug up the field rating.
However in contrast to the saga of Danny Jansen, who merely obtained traded from one staff to the opposite, a bunch of stars needed to line up for Holman to drag off his feat. He didn’t get traded. He obtained launched. In order that isn’t often a surefire ticket to creating historical past.
At age 27 and caught in his fifth season in Triple A, he wasn’t even certain he’d get one other job. As a substitute, he hooked on with the Braves’ Double-A staff in Greenville, SC. He was nonetheless there a month later when the Braves’ Triple-A membership in Richmond wanted to search out an outfielder in a rush. Guess who obtained referred to as up?
Naturally, simply two days later, Holman’s new staff was about to renew a suspended sport together with his previous staff, Syracuse. It’s protected to say there was loads much less buzzing about that momentous occasion than what Danny Jansen is experiencing. The truth is, it virtually went unnoticed, besides …
That afternoon, a fortuitous lightning bolt all of a sudden hit Richmond infielder Paul Runge. Wait, he thought. Wasn’t the brand new outfielder on the town enjoying for the opposite staff when this sport started?
“Till then, no person had remembered it, even myself,” Holman instructed The Athletic after we tracked him down at his house in Miramar Seaside, Fla. “However then Paul Runge did. I keep in mind we have been sitting within the clubhouse, and he stated one thing about it. He stated: ‘You’ve obtained to get in there!’”
So subsequent factor he knew, Holman was within the lineup — and singled in his subsequent two at-bats … in opposition to a staff he was enjoying for as lately because the third inning. However that wasn’t even his greatest declare to fame.
Within the second inning, when he was nonetheless within the Syracuse lineup, he’d smoked a two-run double … in opposition to Richmond. So not solely had he performed for each groups, he’d gotten a success for each groups in the identical sport. And even nuttier, he obtained credit score for driving within the profitable run in opposition to the staff he was enjoying for when that sport ended.
This sounds extra like a Brockmire script than one thing that unfolded in actual life. However almost 40 years later, it’s maintaining the legend of Dale Holman alive. And even he’s amazed that anybody is remotely conscious of any of this.
“It’s simply a kind of loopy issues,” he stated. “It might have occurred to anyone, nevertheless it occurred to me. I used to be within the unsuitable place on the proper time, or no matter.”
If it occurred at the moment, he’d most likely have became a TikTok people hero just about immediately. However this was 1986 — a time with out Tik-ing, Tok-ing or tweeting. So it’s a miracle that phrase of this unimaginable feat made it past the Richmond metropolis limits.
“I actually don’t suppose something would ever have been recognized about that, if not for a lady in our workplace (in Richmond), and he or she despatched one thing in to USA As we speak,” Holman stated. “On the entrance web page of their sports activities, they used to have a little bit column that was one thing like ‘As we speak in Sports activities.’ So they’d a little bit paragraph about it.
“Then the subsequent Saturday, one in every of my previous roommates referred to as me and stated: ‘I’m watching the (NBC) Recreation of the Week. And I simply heard Joe Garagiola point out your title about enjoying in a sport for each groups.’”
That was about as viral as Holman’s spectacular feat obtained on the time. However fortunately, alongside got here Jansen to encourage hard-working media retailers like us to mud off the archives and produce it again to life. So no surprise the primary phrases out of Holman’s mouth, as soon as we related, have been: “I obtained your message. I used to be excited to speak to you.”
So right here’s an thought. Let’s attempt the first-ever…
Danny Jansen vs. Dale Holman Story of the Tape
For almost 40 years, Holman has had this area all to himself. As finest as even longtime minor-league historians can inform, the Two Groups within the Identical Recreation Membership consisted of just one man — him. So we have been curious: Was he rooting for Jansen to hitch him or not?
“Nicely, he can’t be a part of me,” Holman stated, cheerfully. “He didn’t get a success (earlier than altering groups). You understand, that’s the deal. So he can go forward and play for 3 or 4 groups in a day. It doesn’t matter.”
We relayed these phrases to Jansen. He discovered them fairly amusing.
“He’s not unsuitable,” Jansen stated, laughing. “I imply, I ended my day with the Blue Jays 0 for 1 — no, wait. I’m 0 for 0, and down, 0-1, within the rely. So I didn’t get a success for either side.”
Sure, if that’s the large class — getting a success for each groups in the identical sport — Holman has that area of interest wrapped up. However now let’s make the case for Jansen, assuming he will get put within the lineup because the catcher when this sport resumes.
First off, he’s doing it within the massive leagues. In order that’s one huge checkmark on Jansen’s facet.
Second, Jansen began this at-bat because the hitter — and he has an opportunity to complete it because the catcher. So who the heck has ever batted and caught in the identical at-bat in a sport? No one. Clearly. So what’s the cool think about doing that?
“Ooh,” Jansen stated. “That might be very cool.”
Then he had a query for us: If the pinch-hitter goes in for him and strikes out, “does that go on my stats? … As a result of if it did, I used to be considering we’re going to should get that man to roll one over to 3rd base.”
However the reply to that’s: Nope. Since there was just one strike, no matter occurs on this at-bat will get credited to the pinch-hitter. Jansen appeared relieved to listen to that.
Besides what if he’d seen another pitch in that sport earlier than the rain hit? What if there had been two strikes on him as an alternative of 1? Then he would have had an opportunity to do some actually bizarre stuff. He might have caught the third strike of a strikeout of himself.
“Wow,” Jansen stated. “That might be wild.”
Or what about this even wilder factor that might have occurred. (Hat tip to loyal reader Frank Mercogliano for this one.) If there have been two strikes as an alternative of 1, after which Danny Jansen the catcher wasn’t in a position to maintain onto the pitch that struck out Danny Jansen the hitter, he might have theoretically tagged himself out. Or that’s how the official play-by-play annals of baseball would have described it, anyhow.
“That’s so humorous to consider,” Jansen stated, laughing once more. “Good factor it’s all theoretical, proper?”
Wait. There’s extra. In keeping with the Elias Sports activities Bureau, Jansen would get credit score for enjoying one sport for the Blue Jays and in addition one sport for the Pink Sox in the identical sport. However he would solely get credit score for one complete sport performed. So when does one plus one equal one? Solely in baseball!
And possibly much more unusual, right here we’ve got video proof that Jansen set foot within the batter’s field for the Blue Jays on this sport … and has been caught there for the final seven weeks, technically talking. However he’ll not get credit score for a plate look for the Blue Jays. Don’t imagine your eyes, pals. It’s baseball!
It’s as unusual however cool because it will get, all proper. However simply after we thought we had Jansen satisfied his feat could be approach larger than Holman’s, Jansen really leapt to the protection of Dale Holman, Mr. 3-for-3 himself (for 2 totally different groups).
“Yeah, however three knocks, although,” Jansen stated. “It’s going to be powerful to prime that.”
All proper. Props to them each. As a result of what everybody must ponder right here is that …
Moments like this reverberate via baseball historical past
Holman is the primary to confess he’s not probably the most luminant star within the baseball cosmos. However you must know that he did have his moments. He as soon as hit .344, with a .908 OPS, within the Texas League. He was as soon as on a Syracuse staff that performed a 27-inning sport and a 23-inning sport in back-to-back weeks, main shortly thereafter to his professional pitching debut. He’s within the Louisiana Tech Corridor of Fame. But additionally …
“You’re a baseball man,” he instructed us. “Analysis this one.”
He then instructed a story from his time as a roving teacher within the Braves’ system. He was visiting their South Atlantic League staff when all kinds of weird stuff started to occur. So in a span of 4 video games, he needed to step in as a supervisor, a coach, an umpire and even a participant, thanks to numerous ejections, sicknesses and emergencies.
Has anybody else ever finished that? he requested. Arduous to say. However a minimum of Danny Jansen hasn’t.
Nonetheless, Holman understands that nothing about his profession is remembered as vividly as that fabled sport in Richmond the place he was so combined up within the exploits of each groups that when it was over, “I didn’t know whose hand to shake.” It’s virtually 4 many years later. And right here we’re, nonetheless speaking about this. Superb.
So what would Dale Holman like to inform Danny Jansen as his two-team second approaches?
“I don’t understand how his profession will play out. You understand what I imply?” Holman stated. “Nevertheless it saved my title within the information for a couple of many years. And I wouldn’t be recognized in any other case. I began out my baseball profession as a prospect with the Dodgers. However then all the things light after that. So (this sport) saved me within the information.
“So with him,” Holman stated of Jansen, “with the best way the web is now, it’ll be all around the world. So even when he doesn’t begin that sport for Boston, I’m certain they’ll determine a technique to get him in there for an at-bat or to catch an inning, or no matter. I imply, they’d be loopy to not.”
However is that what’s going to occur? Alex Cora hasn’t tipped his hand. So we could not know till the lineup will get posted.
For many of his time with Boston, Jansen has had much more to give attention to than changing into the reply to one in every of baseball’s biggest future trivia questions: Who’s the one man to play for each groups in the identical sport? However would he like to wind up as that reply? Who wouldn’t?
“It’s fairly cool,” he stated. “It’s a cool factor to be a part of one thing that lives on and is only a rarity, one thing that doesn’t occur fairly often in any respect. That might be superior. You understand, I attempt to be within the second as a lot as attainable. However in the future, if this occurs, it’s going to be a cool factor regardless … however particularly afterward. It’s going to be a cool factor to look again on.”
And the way would he clarify to his grandkids sometime the way it’s even attainable to play for each groups in the identical sport … within the main leagues?
“Baseball is unimaginable,” he stated. “It’s all the time unimaginable. You may’t anticipate that something in baseball can’t occur. Something’s attainable.
“This sport,” stated Danny Jansen, “is nuts.”
(Photograph: Getty Photos / Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe)