August 6, 2011

BP Unfiltered

Where No Counsell Is, the People Fall

by Mike Fast

I wrote earlier in the week about Craig Counsell's 0-for-45 near-record streak of hitless at-bats. It came to a fitting conclusion last night.

August 5, 2011. Counsell pinch-hit for shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt with two out and one on and the Brewers leading 7-1 in the ninth inning. On a 2-0 count, he slapped a belt-high four-seam fastball from Enerio del Rosario sharply on a line to right field. The right fielder moved quickly to his left to pick up the ball, and Casey McGehee beat the throw to slide safely into third base on a close play.

Here was the right fielder racing to field Counsell's single.

And here was Counsell at first base, the first time in a long time he had been there with a base hit.

He seemed to enjoy it just a bit.

Congratulations, Craig Counsell!

Mike Fast is an author of Baseball Prospectus. 
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