Inspired By Jose Molina, The Longest Triples Droughts By Position

Jose Molina: speed demon

It’s hard to believe, but yes, a Molina brother has tripled.

Jose Molina tripled during today’s game versus the Rays. Jose may not be as slow as his other brother, Bengie, but he kind of makes Jim Thome look like Vince Coleman.

It was Molina’s third career triple and his first since the 2004 season when he had the other two. But even among other catchers, Molina’s streak of at-bats without a triple — 1,409 entering today — isn’t even that impressive. It’s the 26th-longest such drought for a catcher. So who holds the longest streak at each position without a triple? I’m glad Baseball-Reference is here to answer. (The $36/year you pay for B-R’s Play Index is a hilarious bargain).

Now, a couple disclaimers: This isn’t a list of the last time a certain player tripled. It should be read as the last time a certain player tripled while playing a specific position. For example, Rickey Henderson has the second-longest streak by a left fielder. From a stretch between 1996-2000, he went 1,799 at-bats without a triple. He did triple in 1998, but he played center field in that game. So, yeah, it doesn’t count.

To have a game qualify, the player needed to record at least one at-bat.

OK, on with it. …

Catcher

No surprise that Bengie is No. 1. Between Sept. 8, 2000 through May 22, 2007, he had 2,443 at-bats over 678 games without a triple. The Dodgers’ Rod Barajas has the longest current streak and the longest ever in terms of games at 688. But he is still 40 at-bats shy of reaching Bengie.

First Base

‘The Franchise’ Episode 4: Carlos Beltran Joins The Show With Disappointing Results

And I don’t just mean the fact that Beltran went 2-for-17 in his first four games as a Giant. Overall, this episode didn’t give you much past what you could have seen/heard on MLB Network.

The episode focused on the Beltran trade and opened with a chance encounter between Beltran and Brian Wilson during the All-Star break. After Beltran walks out of the frame, Wilson turns back to the camera and says, “Are we getting him? We’re getting him and stuff? … We would definitely use that shot!”

I was looking forward to seeing how the show would present the Beltran acquisition. But it gave us nothing new. There was no insight into the negotiations with the Mets. We just got a bunch of clichés from Beltran and general manager Brian Sabean. Beltran saying he just wants to win, and it’s tough to leave the Mets; Sabean saying how it was hard to part with Zach Wheeler and how he hopes Beltran takes pressure off some of the other hitters, etc.

I am probably asking for too much. I understand that Showtime’s cameras aren’t privy to direct conversations between the Giants and Mets about trades, but if this show really wants to take you deep inside the team, I would have thought the comments from those involved on such a big issue would be more candid. Of course, this is all new to Beltran, so he gets a bit of a pass.