Congratulations to Matt

[sharksrog]

What a wonderful accomplishment for Matt Cain last night. 128 years. AMAZING catch, too, by Gregor Blanco.

No-hitters usually take at least one really good defensive play.

In Juan Marichal's no-hitter (coincidentally against the Astros), the fine catch was made by left fielder ... Willie McCovey. In Jonathan Sanchez's, it was made by Aaron Rowand.

Sometimes we forget that Sanchez, not Cain, could have been the first Giant to pitch a perfect game. His no-hitter would have been a perfect game if not for an ERROR. From Sanchez's point of view, it WAS perfect.

Back about four or five years ago on the McCovey board, I predicted that Matt was more likely to throw a no-hitter (Who was thinking of a perfect game?) than Tim Lincecum. Given Lincecum's dominance at that time, I was asked why I felt that way (since everyone knew I was arguably Tim's #1 fan).

I replied that somehow teams always seemed to manage to get an infield hit or something against Tim and that Matt was better able to get away with high pitches.

This is kind of coincidental, but just in the past week or so I had remembered the prediction and would have posted about it here if I had remembered to do so.

What an accomplishment by Matt. And yet another reminder that there is almost always some luck in a no-hitter. And I don't mean that to in any way diminish Matt's accomplishment.

When you accomplish something that hasn't been done in 128 years by one of the game's most storied franchises, that's pretty good.

[allenreed]

Could be the most dominant perfromance I've seen in 50 years of watching baseball. Bummy and Cain just compiled 26 Ks with no walks in two games. That's good pitching.

[sharksrog]

Allen -- Could be the most dominant perfromance I've seen in 50 years of watching baseball.

Rog -- Which points even MORE to luck's usually having to be involved. If we had shown the spot at the edge of the warning track and said a ball would be drilled there by a left-handed batter, how many of us would have believed there was more than the slightest of chances that a right fielder would catch the ball? One would likely have said there was almost no chance the ball would be caught, and that if it were, it would be by the center fielder.

That poses an intriguing similarity between Matt's perfect game and Juan Marichal's no-hitter. I have posted this before, but the tough play in Juan's no-no came on a hard-hit ball to left-center (by Jimmy Winn IIRC). The play looked ominous, and virtually all eyes were naturally on Willie Mays.

Willie might indeed have been able to catch the ball, but we'll never know because the left fielder cut in front of him and snagged it, even though it was a back-handed catch by that tall, seemingly immobile left fielder, who was a southpaw.

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[allenreed]

One hit, one batter, does not take away from the dominanace of the performance. Granted, the opponent was pretty weak, but Matt just owned these guys.

[sharksrog]

Almost certainly the best performance of Matt's career. His 14 strikeouts were a career high.

In addition to Matt's perfect game last night, he has also thrown a one-hitter and a two-hitter this season. Over his full career, he has three one-hitters and two two-hitters.

Trivia question: Nolan Ryan has the most no-hitters. Which two pitchers have the most one-hitters?

[Islandboagie]

I'm still a little in shock. I'm still not sure how to put into words what I witnessed last night.

It was an amazing game. I knew around the 4th inning that I didn't want to miss a pitch, and I didn't. I could feel that something special was happening.

When it's all said and done, it wasn't the absolute best best I've seen Cain. He's had a handful of 1 hitters and 2 hitters. I thought he was equally impressive through the 2010 post season. The 1-hit game against the Rockies down the stretch in 2010 was also a great performance, considering Colorado was coming in fast on our heels. That game closed the gate on them and we never looked back.

I'm not taking anything away from last night, but the fact is we all knew Cain was capable of something like this, we're just glad it finally happened for him. Because who deserves it more? Nobody. He deserves one night of everyone in baseball to focus on him. That's what makes this sweet. It's not about the fact that he did it, or the fact that the ball hit over the bag could have very well been fair, or the homerun ball that wasn't. It's the fact that for one night, everyone recognized the pitcher that we've been seeing for years. Matt deserves all the attention, not just for last night, but for his whole body of work, which he should now get.

Rog posted about this making him a lock for the All-Star game, and I agree, but even more importantly it gives him a leg up on the other pitchers for Cy Young consideration. Last night Cain became one of the elite, and he deserves to be thought of like that.

As far as the play by Blanco..I rarely stand up and cheer in my own livingroom, but on that play I did. I yelled "I can't believe he got to that." Now after watching the replay about a bazillion times, you could tell on the crack of the bat Blanco wasn't going to let that ball drop. I know Blanco was playing in the gap, but I've never seen a player cover so much ground on a line drive..simply amazing. After that play, and Melky's catch at the wall.. I knew the baseball gods were with us...the rest is history, literally.

[allenreed]

Trivia question: Nolan Ryan has the most no-hitters. Which two pitchers have the most one-hitters?

Allen- Gotta go with Ryan. It seemed Dave Steib was almost just missing no hitters with Toronto. Seems I recall someone saying Bob Feller had alot of one hitters.

[sharksrog]

You got it, Allen. Nolan Ryan and Bob Feller, who I believe each has 12 one-hitters.

[sharksrog]

Boagie -- Rog posted about this making him a lock for the All-Star game, and I agree, but even more importantly it gives him a leg up on the other pitchers for Cy Young consideration. Last night Cain became one of the elite, and he deserves to be thought of like that.

Rog -- Excellent point, Boagie. I hadn't thought that far ahead, but if the voting were held today, I agree with you that Matt would win. What a well-deserved honor it would be.

If I were going to pick the winner of the award, I would go with Matt or perhaps even more so, Stephen Strasburg.

Matt would have the tale of the solid pitcher who four years into his career suddenly blossomed, winning the Cy in his 7th full season. Strasburg would possess the story of having won it in his first full season. Gio Gonzalez would be right there now, as well. Is he really that good?



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[sharksrog]

Boagie -- As far as the play by Blanco..I rarely stand up and cheer in my own livingroom, but on that play I did. I yelled "I can't believe he got to that." Now after watching the replay about a bazillion times, you could tell on the crack of the bat Blanco wasn't going to let that ball drop.

Rog -- Maybe we're talking semantics here, but to me it appeared Gregor didn't know for sure he was going to catch the all until he actully caught it and held on. Even on his last two steps, he had to make a quick adjustment, and if the all had been an inch farther away from him, I think it would have fallen out as he hit the ground (if not before).

Boagie -- I know Blanco was playing in the gap, but I've never seen a player cover so much ground on a line drive

Rog -- Given the circumstances, could it have been THE play of the year thus far?

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