I get the why, I just don’t like it.
The definition of an official “perfect game” (and “no-hitter”) were changed a few years ago - eliminating efforts such as the Expos’ Jim Palmer’s five-inning rain-shortened perfecto, and the Pirates’ Harvey Haddix’s 12-inning perfect game that he lost in the 13th.
I can agree with the 5 inning “perfecto”. You’d no doubt have hundreds of those if they counted. 4 innings? 3 innings?
You have to get 27 outs.
However, I think if you get 27 outs of no-hit ball, it should count even if you lose it in extra innings. Add notes if you want. Make it a separate section. In fact, I think a reliever should get credit if he goes 2nd to 10th of no-hit pitching as long as he gets his 27.
There were three now “unofficial” games in which 27 batters (or more) were retired in a row. Besides the previously mentioned Hadddix game, on June 3, 1995, the Expos’ Pedro Martinez retired the first 27 batters, and allowed a hit in the 10th - winning 1-0. And the famous Babe Ruth/Ernie Shore game of June 23, 1917, in which Ruth was ejected after walking the first batter. Shore came in and picked off the runner, and retired the next 26 batters in a row.
There were four rain or darkness-shortened perfect games which are no longer recognized. They were registered as completed games since at least 5 innings had been played. (stats for shorter games are not recognized at all)
There were several other games in which 27 (or more) batters were retired in a row - but after a hit sometime during the game.
Well we aren’t going to see back to back perfect games. Tonight was Germàn’s first game after the perfecto. Back down to earth. 4 and 1/3 innings, 9 hits and 3 earned runs.
It’s only been 85 years since the first set of back-to-back no-hitters of any kind. Have patience. Sheesh.
Not to rain too much on his parade (other than the off-field stuff, because f’ him for that) but here are the batting averages for the “team” the A’s put out there during this game:
| Tony Kemp, 2B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .179 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Noda, 1B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .232 |
| Brent Rooker, LF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .236 |
| Carlos Pérez, DH | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .235 |
| Seth Brown, RF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .187 |
| Jonah Bride, 3B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .200 |
| Aledmys Díaz, SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .201 |
| Shea Langeliers, C | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .198 |
| Esteury Ruiz, CF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .260 |
That’s right, the entire lineup was batting .214 after this game. 3 players were under .200 and one was right at it (and another at .201). The highest BA was .260 (and that was the #9 hitter!). I understand a perfect game is a rarity, especially in the modern game, but this was a historically bad lineup he did it against.
There have been thousands of baseball games. Many against mediocre to horrible teams. And yet there have only been 24 perfect games. The A’s have been the same team all year and no one has come close to throwing a perfect game against them. I don’t think it takes away from the accomplishment at all.
They got one-hit on April 9 (with one walk). They were two-hit on April 18 (albeit with 5 walks). They have been held to 3 hits multiple times.
I would be a bit surprised if they aren’t at least no-hit one more time this year.
It’s still obviously impressive, if a bit random, to throw a perfect game. But nobody should ignore the atrocity that is happening with this Oakland team this year.
No Cubbies fan, eh?
Or even just no hitters. Roger Clemens never threw a no hitter. Steve Carlton never threw a no hitter. Greg Maddux never did, Pedro never did, Lefty Grove, Robin Roberts, Fergie Jenkins. Those aren’t just pretty good pitchers, they’re all time greats, absolute slam dunk Hall of Famers.
Just for fun and some very rough numbers, if everyone on a team had a .200 chance of getting a hit, from random chance alone there’s a 1 in 414 chance of a no-hitter. For a .250 team, it’s 1 in 2362. Obviously, these are very rough and dirty numbers, and there are other factors, but that kind of gets you in the ballpark.
And further just looking at it, it seems in 2021 there were a record 9 no-hitters. The MLB batting average was .244, so you would expect using the back-of-the-envelope calculations above a no-hitter (once again, being dirty and applying an equal BA to every hitter for simplicity) one in every 1905 starts (Or about two or two and a half per year, which matches historic average.) We got one for every 540 starts instead. So it seems like those numbers are not too far off reality, just going purely by chance.
I hope he gets the help he needs.