K, GDP And CS, Oh My! The Worst Hitting, Running Days In History

Ball8StatsWhile fiddling around with Baseball-Reference’s invaluable play index, we ran across one of the worst days of batting and baserunning a major leaguer has ever had.

On August 22, 2013 against the Nationals, Starlin Castro struck out three times, grounded into a double play once, and was caught stealing twice (after reaching on an error and via walk).

He is the only player in modern MLB history to ground into a double play at least once while striking out and getting caught stealing at least twice apiece. Nobody else has done it. Ever.

Given situational issues, it’s probably not accurate to say Castro had the worst hitting/baserunning day ever. For example, Kolten Wong pulling off a pinch-run walkoff TOOTBLAN in the World Series almost certainly surpasses Castro’s bad day in August while playing out the string.

Still, his performance that day was incredible.

Let’s put it in perspective:

Batters have struck out, GDP’d and been caught stealing at least once each in a game 1,123 times in modern baseball history.

Batters have struck out at least twice, GDP’d at least once and been caught stealing at least once just 149 times (including Castro).

Batters have struck out at least once, GDP’d at least once and been caught stealing at least twice just five times (including Castro):

Rk Player Date Tm Opp Rslt PA AB R H BB SO HBP GDP SB CS
1 Starlin Castro 2013-08-22 CHC WSN L 4-5 6 5 0 0 1 3 0 1 0 2
2 Lance Johnson 1990-07-14 CHW NYY W 8-7 5 4 1 1 1 1 0 1 2 2
3 Elliott Maddox 1978-07-30 NYM HOU L 3-4 5 5 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 2
4 Paul Blair 1970-07-01 BAL CLE W 3-0 4 3 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 2
5 Tommie Agee 1969-09-05 (2) NYM PHI L 2-4 4 3 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 2

Finally, batters have struck out at least once, GDP’d at least twice and been caught stealing at least once just 10 times (not including Castro):

Rk Player Date Tm Opp Rslt PA AB R H BB SO HBP GDP SB CS
1 Travis Snider 2010-08-16 TOR OAK W 3-1 5 5 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 1
2 Barry Larkin 2002-08-30 CIN MIL L 4-9 5 5 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 1
3 Jeromy Burnitz 1997-06-18 MIL STL W 8-4 5 4 1 1 0 1 1 2 0 1
4 Von Hayes 1992-08-10 CAL MIL W 4-1 4 3 0 0 1 1 0 2 0 1
5 Roberto Alomar 1988-08-22 SDP PHI L 5-6 5 4 1 1 0 1 1 2 0 1
6 Carmelo Castillo 1984-04-16 CLE BAL W 4-3 4 3 0 0 1 1 0 2 0 1
7 Bob Bailey 1964-07-22 PIT STL W 13-2 6 6 0 2 0 1 0 2 0 1
8 Bob Allison 1961-05-11 MIN BAL L 7-8 5 4 1 1 1 1 0 2 0 1
9 Andy Carey 1957-05-11 NYY BAL W 6-4 5 5 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 1
10 Bobby Hofman 1955-05-13 NYG STL W 4-3 5 5 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 1

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