Baseball '09, Volume IX: Remote From Hawaii Edition
The last live game I attended, back in June, I accidentally noted that Barry Zito was throwing a no-hitter through six innings, which of course ruined the whole thing. Tim Lincecum has come close in a couple of starts this year, including a no-hit-through-seven-innings effort on Thursday, July 9th.
There is something magical about no-hitters. That notion of mastery, defense over offense, one pitcher with help from the defense doing exactly what they are supposed to do for nine innings and 27 batters, which is a lot harder than it sounds like it should be, because the offense is always trying to do what they are supposed to do, i.e., preventing the pitcher from succeeding at what he is trying to do. Usually when two opposing forces meet, there is a little bit of give and take, a little bit of destructive interference going both directions.
I've never considered the possibility of a Giants no-hitter. It has never happened while I have been alive. It seems like one of those magical realms that I'm too pessimistic to believe the Giants can reach.
Then Saturday night, we turned on the TV in our hotel in Waikoloa, and Jonathan Sanchez, relegated from the starting rotation three weeks ago because of pitching struggles, only starting due to an injury to Randy Johnson, pitching in front of his father, had thrown a no-hitter.
I love this game. This season, irrationally perhaps, is really getting me excited. The Giants are now being mentioned as wild-card contenders, against all expectations. This no-hitter, the first of the year, in which Sanchez walked no one and overcame a Juan Uribe error that was the only blemish in an otherwise-perfect game, seems to bring a little bit of charm and fantasy into the air.
The season is now half over. Where do we go from here?
Of course, after that bit of perfection, the pessimist in me doesn't want to think of there being nowhere to go but down.
There is something magical about no-hitters. That notion of mastery, defense over offense, one pitcher with help from the defense doing exactly what they are supposed to do for nine innings and 27 batters, which is a lot harder than it sounds like it should be, because the offense is always trying to do what they are supposed to do, i.e., preventing the pitcher from succeeding at what he is trying to do. Usually when two opposing forces meet, there is a little bit of give and take, a little bit of destructive interference going both directions.
I've never considered the possibility of a Giants no-hitter. It has never happened while I have been alive. It seems like one of those magical realms that I'm too pessimistic to believe the Giants can reach.
Then Saturday night, we turned on the TV in our hotel in Waikoloa, and Jonathan Sanchez, relegated from the starting rotation three weeks ago because of pitching struggles, only starting due to an injury to Randy Johnson, pitching in front of his father, had thrown a no-hitter.
I love this game. This season, irrationally perhaps, is really getting me excited. The Giants are now being mentioned as wild-card contenders, against all expectations. This no-hitter, the first of the year, in which Sanchez walked no one and overcame a Juan Uribe error that was the only blemish in an otherwise-perfect game, seems to bring a little bit of charm and fantasy into the air.
The season is now half over. Where do we go from here?
Of course, after that bit of perfection, the pessimist in me doesn't want to think of there being nowhere to go but down.
Labels: baseball, Giants, magic, moments of joy
posted by Devin at 10:45 PM
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