Atlanta Braves Morning Chop: history and importance of the double play

The history of the double play is interesting… but it does play into the Atlanta Braves brand of infield defense in this baseball era.

Another statistical oddity for the Atlanta Braves showed up this weekend… albeit one with dubious celebratory merit.

The Washington Nationals hit into 4 double plays on Sunday, yet still won the game, 7-0.

Over the entire history of the Braves franchise in games of 9 innings or less – back to the start of the data in 1908 – it appears that this is only the second time that the Braves have been shut out despite turning 4 double plays in the loss.

Weird.

That prior game came in 1985: a 6-0 drubbing by the Padres on August 1st of that year.

As it happens, a 4+ DP loss has only occurred 21 times ever for the Braves… but there’s more to uncover about these kinds of double play ‘groups’:

• 16 of the 21 have occurred since the 1973 season began
• The only 5 DP loss of the group came on July 17, 1973 against the Mets.

The team record?  The Braves have turned 5 DPs in 9 inning games on 4 occasions overall (the last time vs. the Florida Marlins early in 2002).

4+ DP games have happened 60 times overall since 1908 for Braves teams, so the Braves are 39-21 in those contests… and again:  60% of these came since 1970.

That’s some of the Atlanta Braves numbers involving multiple double plays in games, but that subject lead further – to some history about how the DP has progressed in the history of baseball.

In short… it is becoming more important to teams than it used to be.