Absolute Perfection
Congratulations to Mark Buehrle of the Chicago White Sox for his perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays at home while his family watched. In Chicago's 5-0 win, perhaps the most dominant AL left hander earned his second career no hitter as well as a brief call from President Barack Obama, a noted White Sox fan.
It almost wasn't to be. In one of the few real scares of the day, former Red Sox outfielder Gabe Kapler hit a bomb to left center field in the ninth inning. Last minute defensive replacement Dewayne Wise then made the circus catch of the season, perhaps even the decade, robbing Kapler of a home run and keeping his pitcher's shutout, no hitter and perfect game intact.
Such plays bring home a little made point: That perfect games aren't pitched by individuals. Perfect games are played by nine men. When Buehrle threw his first no hitter, he bought all his starters watches. Lord knows how much it'll cost him to reward his teammates for today's flawless effort but one suspects he won't care about the expense.
posted by jurassicpork @ Thursday, July 23, 2009
7 comments
7 Comments:
[P]erfect games aren't pitched by individuals. Perfect games are played by nine men.
Word. I wasn't around for Don Larsen's World Series perfect game in '56, but I read about it quite a bit in my baseball-besotted youth.
Mickey Mantle tracked down a screaming liner to the left-center gap, catching the ball ice cream cone-style. He was one of perhaps four or five guys in the Majors with the wheels to snag that ball, and a couple of years later his bad knees had knocked him off that list.
I've always thought it's interesting that in baseball, the defense controls the ball. I don't know how that's significant, but I find it interesting nonetheless.
One other thing: This particular perfect game was played by nine men with an assist from the manager. Wise was put in during the 9th inning as a defensive replacement. THAT was an inspired move.
It makes me pity poor Bill Buckner (he lives here in Idaho, by the way, and doesn't look a day older than he did at retirement).
McNamara should have been flogged for leaving that brave but hobbled warrior in the game, rather than putting in a fresh first baseman.
(To anybody who doesn't know to what and whom I refer ... I'm sorry.)
I pay little attention to BB today but a NO Hitter last week by G ( I live near the Bay) and this game I'm in awe of.
jo6pac
I'm in Tampa,I was listening to the game in the car on the way to my son's house.I called him to turn on the game (it was an afternoon game,)we got to watch the final two innings together sitting at the kitchen table.We're both Rays fans but after Wise made that catch we became Sox fans for about 15 minutes.It was a great father son moment.
I kind of had a moment like that with my one of my step sons when Randy Johnson threw his own perfecto against the Braves in '04. It's so rare, fathers and sons can easily not see one together.
I miss those moments with my stepkids...
That catch will be replayed on highlight videos forever. Given the circumstances, it's one of the greatest plays in baseball history.
mikefromtexas
I was born a White Sox fan so it doesn't get any better than this, except may be another World Series Win.
Thanks.
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