Comments on: PnP Conversations: No-Hitting and the Tight Rope

By: Beth

Beth — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 23:53:39 +0000

It’s true that most pitches and pitchers look the same from the stands, but witnessing something great, or even just interesting, with a crowd makes the experience better. It’s like as seeing a great band live. Even if you don’t get up and dance and don’t feel the need to push your way up to the very edge of the stage – you’d think the only real difference between live music and recorded music is the volume, but there’s also an energy in a crowd that is infectious. Same goes for a no hitter (I assume).

I tend not to think about what I’d really like to see though. I like every baseball experience I have to be new and unexpected. Maybe someday I’ll see a no hitter and if I do it will be all the more exciting for my not having hoped for it in advance.

Speaking of baseball, and pitchers, and things that are worth seeing, and to prove once again that I have a Sports Night quote for every occasion:

“There’s really nothing like seeing a guy realize he’s not done yet” – Dan (Sports Night – The Sword of Orion)

By: Paul Catalano

Paul Catalano — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 18:47:38 +0000

Agree with the sentiment that a 6-walk no-hitter is a golden turd. Sure, its a nice accomplishment, but really. 6 walks? That seems a bit of a letdown.

By: Eric

Eric — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 22:00:37 +0000

Fair point (and a fairly obvious one when you think about it).

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 21:51:25 +0000

Sorry to be this guy, but I must – the odds of completing a no hitter get better with each batter retired.

As each batter is put down the achievement of having gotten that far becomes rarer and rarer, but the odds of actually finishing out the game without allowing a hit definitely get better the fewer batters you have left to go.

Baseball!

By: Ember Nickel

Ember Nickel — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 20:53:26 +0000

Great editing on the transcript. Nice to see how his pitch count evolved, and where that whole stretch thing came from. I believe Don Larsen had success from the stretch at one point and decided just to start from the stretch during the perfect game.

By: Eric

Eric — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 17:20:04 +0000

Thanks, Kroh. I remember when Nomo threw a no-hitter at pre-humidor Coors in the 90s — that was so magical. It took his mystique to a whole different level.

I’ll check out your site/that transcript too.

By: Kroh

Kroh — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 09:24:48 +0000

Been enjoying the great stuff on this site after we brought our own meditative madness into cyberspace with a collaborative blog of imaginary baseball glory not so long ago. Several of us are Denver natives and Rockies fans who never dreamed one of our dude’s could throw a no-hitter. That is, until Ubaldo turned in one helluva gutsy performance. It’s the PROCESS that should be marveled at; I’ve posted a revised transcription of the radio broadcast you all might wanna check out, in order to fully appreciate just how this particular no-hitter came to be. Keep up the good work, boys.

By: Ted

Ted — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 05:43:28 +0000

Great stuff, all around, thanks for your input everyone, it’s great to hear what you’ve seen and what you want to see.

The 20 strikeout game is, I agree, a far superior feat to a six-walk no-hitter. There’s a lot of luck in the game of hitting hits, after all. Far less so in the game of striking hitters out.

By: Desuko.

Desuko. — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 23:36:27 +0000

Speaking of the Expos and no-hitters and witnessing history, I’ve seen a perfect game in person (Dennis Martinez). Despite the fact that it was nearly 20 years ago and that my team was on the losing end, I still remember it being pretty magical. By the ninth inning I was able to put my usual rooting interest aside and start rooting for El Presidente. And seeing him sitting in the dugout afterward with tears of joy running down his face made it even more special.

As great as that memory is, I’d still trade it for being able to see my Dodgers win a World Series in person.

By: Ember Nickel

Ember Nickel — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 22:35:06 +0000

Man on Wire was a great movie, yeah.

I think no-hitters are defined by their mystique and not level of excellence as per Eric. Probably each individual one falls somewhere different on the Scale of Excellent Pitching Performances; Jimenez’ is towards the lower end of the Excellent part of the scale, Haddix’s near the top of the charts, etc. But we appreciate them for being something else.

I, personally, have a hard time understanding and appreciating the physical actions of baseball in the park or on TV, so I’d much rather see a no-hitter live for the cool factor. I’ve seen a perfect game turn into a no-hitter and then into a mere shutout, all in the ninth inning. I also saw Kelly Shoppach tie the record for extra-base hits in a game.

Harry: yes. The ending made me chuckle. Good call.