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The Pythagorean Double Play

Sadly, I didn't get to see the game yesterday but from all accounts an unique play occurred.

On a crucial play that would have made Pythagorean proud, the Marlins benefited from equal parts geometry and physics to pull out a series-salvaging 4-3 victory against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday.

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With the Marlins clinging to a one-run lead in the ninth with no outs and Braves runners at first and second, catcher Miguel Olivo barehanded a bunted ball from midair, uncorked a force-out throw to third baseman Miguel Cabrera, who heaved an across-the-diamond laser to Dan Uggla for the double play.

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That's 217.28 feet worth of ball-in-air double play (Pythagorean's A-squared plus B-squared equals C-squared theorem proves it true), and those don't happen often.

''I've never seen it,'' Marlins manager Joe Girardi said.

Said Olivo: ``That's my first time.''

The Elias Sports Bureau, baseball's repository of statistics, not only confirmed to a Marlins representative that the double play was uncommon, but said it would require additional time, using a special computer program, to come up with a precise frequency.

I sat and thought about this and in my addled memory I don't think I have ever seen this happen.  Possibly the even stranger part is LaRoche decided to bunt on his own.  Bobby Cox was none too pleased.

"We just gave a game away we should have won," Braves manager Bobby Cox said.

Not sure about it giving the game away, Joe may have gotten out of the jam anyway, but it did make it easier.

If you, like me, missed the game here is the video: Phythagorean DP.