Math Schmath ...

Sports are universally enjoyed by people all over the world for a variety of reasons. Some people love the competition and the high stakes drama; some people love the drama of the player’s personal lives; some people are introduced to sports at a young age and follow along with the family fanaticism. Personally, I love sports because, within their constraints, individuals often find ways to defy the laws of physics and math and push the limits of the human body beyond the unfathomable. One of my favorite plays in baseball (and your favorite according to the recent poll on this blog) is the steal of home. The most exciting thing about it is that anyone was ever crazy enough to think it was a good idea.

The act of stealing home requires two key characteristics that Jackie Robinson, in the previous video, was widely known for: superior athleticism and absolute commitment. Even if I didn't mention it, it's blatantly obvious if you take a look at the field and the players. The pitcher's mound is closer to home plate than 3rd base (60' 6" vs 90") and a 90 mph fastball takes far less time to get to the plate than a runner at top speed (. 4 seconds vs 4.4 seconds). On the face of it, the math doesn't compute at all. And yet …

Alright, I know what you're thinking, and I agree, I've ignored the variables here too long. First of all, the steal of home rarely takes place unless there is a left-handed pitcher on the mound (notice both videos above). This is because the left handed pitcher, pitching from the stretch (typical when there are runners on base), has his back to the runner on third base and has to rely on his peripheral eyesight and defense to keep the runner close. You'll notice, in the next video, how it only takes a split second of lost concentration or distraction to make all the difference.

As you just saw, an element of planned distraction is often employed when attempting the steal of home. This can be simply the runner on third acting a little lackadaisical to lull the pitcher and defense into falsely believing he has no intention of going anywhere. It can also be a second runner on the base paths causing havoc. If there is a runner on first base, as well as the runner on third, then the pitcher has to split his attention three ways (the two runners and the batter). To make matters worse, if he’s a left-handed pitcher, as we discussed above, then the runner on first is in his vision at all times and will most definitely cause confusion.

Sometimes it’s just a matter of poor execution. In the previous clip, with two outs the White Sox wanted to just throw the runner out at second and have the inning be over with. However, when the runner slowed down early on the base paths their plan was foiled and it gave the Yankees the opportunity to score the tying run. It not only takes a lot of preparation to complete the steal of home, but also to defend it. You never want to let another runner get to second base, but you definitely don’t want to let a run score like that. I think coaches tend to underestimate opponents when it comes to low-probability plays like the steal of home, and that’s exactly why it works sometimes. One thing is for sure, it’s always exciting and you’re always left wondering how the defense could “let” that happen. Well, hindsight is 20/20 after all, and Math isn’t always so cut and dry when you add all the variables.

So enjoy one of the best plays in baseball!