Ryan Ludwick and The Right Stuff

There's a great moment in The Right Stuff that I thought about when I heard the Pirates dealt for Ryan Ludwick today.

When Alan Shepard climbed into the capsule, getting ready to be the first American into space, he saw there was a hand written sign placed on the capsule. It read "No Handball Playing In This Area." Shepard saw it was placed there by John Glenn as a joke.

It was a lame joke and Shepard pointed that out to his rival. He thought Glenn was too squeaky clean not one of the boys.

Glenn for a moment is disappointed that his attempt at humor was rejected but then Shepard says "But I do appreciate it John. I surely do." And they share a bond at that moment that was real and warmer than anything they had up until that part of the movie.

And it was the moment where all the animosity between the two ended. They had a common goal that was greater than their many differences. At that moment they were only compatriots.

It's a great moment in a great movie.

So what the hell does that have to do with Ryan Ludwick being picked up by the Pittsburgh Pirates?

OK, in my analogy, John Glenn is the Pirates organization and Alan Shepard represents the Pirates fans. And the lame handball joke? That's the trade for Ryan Ludwick.

Is it a difference maker?

No.

Will he lead the Pirates to the playoffs?

Probably not.

Will it be a forgotten move in a few weeks?

Probably.

But Pirate fans see the team TRYING to improve for the stretch run instead of shipping off the players that are any good.

That's Shepard saying to Glenn "I do appreciate it. I surely do."

For the first time in a long time, the Pirates are trying. They are giving a damn. And the team isn't just pocketing the revenue sharing.

It's a change in culture.

It's the right stuff.

Watch the clip below... at 17:20 of the clip is the scene I am talking about.

And rent The Right Stuff. What the hell is the matter with you?

The Giants and Rockies took my advice

I like to think that most GMs like to read Sully Baseball on a daily basis and they take my suggestions to heart. And it seemed that the Giants and the Rockies may have done just that.

Last May I gave the Giants some advice in what looked like a potential playoff run.

Brian Sabean listened to some of my advice (recalling Madison Bumgarner and Buster Posey sooner than later and giving Pat Burrell a shot) and ignored others (signing Jermaine Dye and seeing if Eric Hacker could handle long relief).

One thing I suggested was dealing Zack Wheeler for a bat. I figured that while you almost never deal young pitching, this was the exception if it would bring a difference making bat. Now as it turned out, they didn't need the difference making bat last year. There is no way that even bringing Albert Pujols onto the 2010 Giants would have improved anything.

Put away the calculators and getting ready to show me Pujols' OPS+ and Base/Hit to Contact Adjusted ratio. (I just made that up, but I am sure it is being used by SOME stat head.)

If you put Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton on the 2010 Giants, the end result would not have improved... because the end result was a World Series Championship.

Well I for one gave a big grin when I saw Wheeler was dealt for Carlos Beltran, a deal that screamed "No Brainer" for me.
Sure Wheeler has a chance to be a big time pitcher for the Mets. Beltran has a chance to help cement the Giants as a national brand.

People are noticing the Giants, and as I suggested in the video we made last January, they are slowly becoming an alternative bandwagon to the ultra serious and competitive Red Sox and Yankees turf wars.

Another October run with this cast of characters could solidify them as a big time franchise and destination place for free agents. Ask yourself, 4 or 5 years ago was Philadelphia considered to be a desirable landing spot for star players?

If the Phillies could make that kind of turn around based on a World Series title, some more post season appearances and a dash of cool, why not the more extroverted Giants?

A nice pitching prospect is a small price to pay for helping build a national brand, especially with Lincecum, Cain, Bumgarner, Volgelsong and Sanchez all still in the rotation.

I know the Giants are only 2 games up on Arizona. No part of me is worried. They are heading back to the playoffs and have as good a chance of anyone to get to the World Series.

Meanwhile the Rockies did EXACTLY what I told them to do. A few weeks ago I begged them to deal Ubaldo Jimenez while people still thought he was an ace pitcher.

I don't think he is. I think he is a good pitcher who had a great half of a season. He's not an ace. He's an ace flavored product.

And if the Rockies dealt him while he still looked and felt like an ace, they would get more in a haul for him then if they waited for Ubaldo to reveal that he isn't a true #1.

While I admire the Indians for going for it and picking up a guy who clearly isn't a rental, it's unlikely that Cleveland would have parted with four players including highly touted prospects Drew Pomeranz and Alex White, if Jimenez started piling up .500 seasons with mediocre ERAs in Denver.

Yeah Jimenez was a popular member of the Rockies. So was Matt Holliday. The Rockies dealt HIM when he still had a "potential MVP" aura about him and wound up getting Carlos Gonzalez and Huston Street in the deal.

I think before long, the dealing of Matt Holliday and Ubaldo Jimenez, as unthinkable as it may have been when they were contending for big awards, might be the best thing that ever happened to the Rockies franchise and could lead directly to another pennant very soon.

Just glad they took my advice.

NOW we get to see if Colby Rasmus becomes a big star

You got your wish, Colby Rasmus.
You were removed from the baseball purgatory that is St. Louis... from the blockhead manager that is probably going to the Hall of Fame... and a situation where you could make the playoffs for the second time in your three year career.

It must be a relief.
Now he can show the world what Tony LaRussa couldn't see.
And what evidently his supporters already see.
And the people who think the Blue Jays are stealing a star.

I am no LaRussa fan, but I have a hard time seeing how a guy with a decent season under his belt and lots of potential (you know, like Alex Ochoa) could be the focus of so much hand wringing.

I know he's young.
So were every bust in baseball history.

He remains hitless as a Blue Jay. But it is his FUTURE that everyone craves.

The strange thing about the future... sometimes it doesn't unfold the way you want.

And maybe if Rasmus struggles in an empty Rogers Centre for non contending Blue Jays teams, he might pine for the days when he played in a great baseball city along side future Hall of Famers with one of the great managers of all time.

But maybe I am wrong.
And if I am wrong, I will eat crow.

I need more than projections and potential. He needs to actually become a star.

This is a huge day for the Pirates

The culture in Pittsburgh baseball just had an enormous rumbling last night.
Derrek Lee was acquired by the Pirates. It cost the team a Single A first baseman named Aaron Baker.

Do you understand how significant this is?
Lee may or may not be a factor and that doesn't matter. For more than a decade and a half, the trading deadline in Pittsburgh meant graduation for the quality players on their roster.

If you were a good Pirate, they were going to trade your butt at the deadline.

Not this year. At least for one season, the Pirates are NOT a Quadruple A farm team to be picked apart by July 31st vulture contenders.

Clint Hurdle may have won the Manager of the Year award with this trade. Why?

Because for one season at least, the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates were BUYERS!!!

July 31 Has Provided Many Infamous Days In Mets History

Before 1986, the trade deadline used to be June 15, a date Mets fans most associated with the Midnight Massacre in 1977 and the acquisition of Keith Hernandez in 1983. Over the past 25 years, teams have been allowed to make non-waiver trades up to the July 31 deadline.

This year, there have been a frenzy of deals in the last days and hours before the non-waiver trade deadline. Carlos Beltran was traded by the Mets to the Giants. Kosuke Fukudome was dealt to the Indians by the Cubs. Hunter Pence, born and raised in Texas, was shipped off by the Astros to the one place in America that's the polar opposite to the politeness of the Lone Star State, Philadelphia. Michael Bourn became a Brave, Derrek Lee became a Pirate and Ubaldo Jimenez pitched one inning for the Rockies, was traded to Cleveland during his start, and was spared getting his final loss as a Rockie while being a member of the Indians when Colorado rallied to defeat the Padres.

Got that? Those were only a few of the dozens of trades made throughout major league baseball over the past few days. Even Joey Beartran considered trading away his colleague (yours truly) to a different Mets blog for Rich Harden and a toasted bagel with cream cheese, but that trade was pulled back once Joey realized that Harden would probably get injured picking up that bagel.

The Mets haven't been strangers to the last-minute deal since the trade deadline was pushed back to July 31. In fact, the team has made 13 deals on July 31 in the last 25 years. Unfortunately, most of the 13 have proven to be unlucky for the Mets. Let's review some of these trades (with thanks to Ultimate Mets Database for providing the trade details).

On July 31, 1989, the Mets engineered two deals, neither of which worked in the long run. They traded Rick Aguilera, David West, Kevin Tapani, Tim Drummond and Jack Savage to the Minnesota Twins for former Cy Young Award winner and Long Island native Frank Viola.

Those shades can't hide you, Frank Viola. We know you weren't worth Rick Aguilera and Kevin Tapani.

Although Viola went on to win 20 games for the Mets in 1990, becoming the last Met pitcher to accomplish that feat, his stay in New York was short. Viola finished 38-32 in 2½ seasons with the Mets. In his final year in New York (1991), Viola struggled, going 13-15 and leading the major leagues in hits allowed (259). He also lost the ability to strike out batters, finishing the season with 132 strikeouts, after registering at least 182 whiffs in each of his previous five seasons.

Meanwhile, two of the players he was traded for flourished in Minnesota. Kevin Tapani won 75 games in six seasons as a Twin, finishing fifth in the Rookie of the Year voting in 1990 and seventh in the Cy Young Award balloting in 1991 when he finished 16-9 with a 2.99 ERA. Rick Aguilera was turned into the Twins' closer and became the franchise's all-time saves leader. (His 254 saves have since been tied by Joe Nathan.) Aguilera's 42 saves in 1991 tied Jeff Reardon's club record and was one of the main reasons why the Twins went from worst to first, as they won the World Series that year over the Atlanta Braves. The 1991 season also marked the first of three consecutive years that Aggie was selected to the American League All-Star team. Aguilera's 318 career saves (of which only seven came as a Met) rank 15th on the all-time saves list.

On the same day the Mets traded away the winning pitcher in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, they also dealt the man who hit the little roller up along first that enabled Aguilera to be credited with the win, as fan-favorite Mookie Wilson was sent to Toronto for Jeff Musselman.

This picture is wrong, just wrong.

Mookie would end up helping the Blue Jays win the 1989 American League East division title, even garnering consideration for the 1989 AL MVP award. Jeff Musselman, on the other hand, didn't do quite as well with his new team. After a decent end to the 1989 season (3-2, 3.08 ERA for the Mets), Musselman was downright atrocious in 1990, going 0-2 with a 5.63 ERA for a Mets team that won 91 games. Although he was only 27 years old in 1990, Musselman never pitched again in the major leagues following that awful season.

Ten years to the day after the trade for Frank Viola and the trading of Mookie Wilson, the Mets conducted another ill-fated deal, sending Jason Isringhausen (and Greg McMichael) to the Oakland Athletics. In return, the Mets received A's closer Billy Taylor, who was 37 at the time. After coming to the Mets, Taylor showed his age, appearing in 18 games for New York and registering an ungodly 8.10 ERA and 2.18 WHIP. In only 13.1 innings, he allowed 29 baserunners (20 hits, 9 walks) and opponents hit .345 against him.

Meanwhile, Jason Isringhausen became one of the best closers in baseball over the next decade. He pitched two years in Oakland, saving 33 games (and making the All-Star team) in 2000 and 34 games in 2001. He then signed a free-agent contract with the St. Louis Cardinals following the 2001 season and became the all-time saves leader of that storied franchise, surpassing such greats as former all-time saves leader Lee Smith and Hall of Famer Bruce Sutter.

Isringhausen is now back with the Mets, becoming the de facto closer after the trade of Francisco Rodriguez to the Brewers. Interestingly enough, Izzy's next save will be the seventh of his Mets career (he saved one game in his first stint as a Met), which will tie him for 31st on the Mets' all-time saves list. Who will he tie? None other than Rick Aguilera, the other player the Mets traded away on a July 31st who became his new team's all-time saves leader.

At least we got Izzy back, even if it was a decade too late.

We could stop here, ending this piece with the symmetry of the Aguilera and Isringhausen deals, but there's one more July 31 non-waiver trade deadline deal we have to discuss. It happened only five years ago, but the Mets are still paying for it today. In this case, they're paying for it quite literally.

On July 31, 2006, the Mets traded rightfielder Xavier Nady to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Roberto Hernandez and some guy you might have heard of. His name is Oliver Perez.

At the time of the deal, which was only made because Duaner Sanchez had a case of the midnight munchies and was injured in a taxicab accident on his way to sate his grumbling tummy, Nady appeared to be on his way to his finest season in the major leagues. He had 30 extra-base hits (15 doubles, one triple and 14 home runs) and had driven in 40 runs. All of those numbers were compiled in only 75 games and 265 at-bats with the Mets. To put this into perspective, two years earlier, a Mets player was called up from the minor leagues in July and also picked up exactly 14 and 40 RBI, doing so in 263 at-bats, or two less than Xavier Nady needed to achieve the same statistics in 2006. That player was David Wright.

Over the next two full seasons after the trade, Nady blossomed, hitting .278 with 20 HR and 72 RBI in 2007 for Pittsburgh. He followed that up with an All-Star-caliber year in 2008, splitting his year between the Pirates and Yankees, and hitting .305 with 37 doubles, 25 HR and 97 RBI, all of which were career-highs. Meanwhile, while Nady was having excellent years in 2007 and 2008, the Mets were choking away their seasons, employing rightfielders Shawn Green (.291, 10 HR, 46 RBI) in 2007 and Ryan Church (.276, 12 HR, 49 RBI) to replace Xavier Nady. Green and Church combined to produce 22 HR and 95 RBI over those two seasons, numbers that were surpassed by Nady in 2008 alone.

As for the pitchers the Mets received in the Nady trade, Roberto Hernandez pitched in only 22 games for the Mets before signing a free-agent contract with the Cleveland Indians following the 2006 season, while Oliver Perez...ah, you know the rest.

Because Duaner Sanchez wanted the plate on the right, we got a plateful of Ollie.

Sure, the Mets made some decent deals on July 31, like the trade that brought them Shawon Dunston in 1999, who engineered one of the most important at-bats in franchise history, leading off the bottom of the 15th inning in Game 5 of the 1999 NLCS with a base hit, setting up the inning that ended with Robin Ventura's Grand Slam Single.

That same day, they also traded for Darryl Hamilton, whose biggest moment as a Met came in Game 2 of the 2000 NLDS against the Giants, when he ripped a two-out double in the 10th inning and eventually scored the winning run on Jay Payton's single.

You know what? Come to think of it, if the only good trades the Mets have made on July 31 have involved players who were only known for one at-bat with the team, then maybe the Mets shouldn't make last-minute trades at the non-waiver trade deadline. Let other teams make moves for the Hunter Pences, Ubaldo Jimenezes and Michael Bourns of the world. We'll make do with what we have. We don't need any more Billy Taylors, Jeff Musselmans or that Other Pitcher whose name escapes me at the moment.

I am keeping my eye on Tommy Hunter

A year ago, Tommy Hunter looked like he was exactly what every team wanted. A young pitcher who could win. In fact he had the best winning percentage in the American League. At age 23 he won 13 games, pitched to a solid 3.73 ERA in Texas and had an ERA+ of 120, which I understand is good.

He made three post season starts and while he didn't exactly shine in the October spot light, he got his initial butterflies out.

Cut to a year later, and injuries and the rise of Matt Harrison has made him expendable and he has been shipped off to Baltimore for 36 year old Koji Uehara.

I'm going to watch Tommy Hunter carefully as he goes to the Orioles. There is no way Uehara will be part of any playoff team in Baltimore.

But I wonder what Hunter will be at Camden Yards. Will he be yet another toss in, a young player traded away at the deadline never to be seen again.

Sure he started in the post season.
Big deal. So did Dana Kiecker.

But what if the Orioles got a steal. A nice valuable piece to an elusive playoff puzzle.

What if Hunter comes back and becomes a nice #3 or #4 starter like he was last year? What if that happens and some combination of Zach Britton, Jake Arrieta, Chris Tillman, Brian Matusz and Dan Klein break through and become successful?

Then he might become a valuable cog in a surprising young pitching staff.
Hell, he has ALREADY been on a staff like that. Maybe that's what his role would be. The guy to remind them "Hey! Nobody thought WE'D be a good staff. But we wound up playing in a little thing called the World Series."

It's an interesting deal.
It could amount to nothing... but I have my eye on him.

Say this about the Indians... they aren't boring

Here I was about to tear into the Indians for falling to an even .500 and letting a winnable division slip away while playing the Royals.

And what do they do? They score 4 in the bottom of the 9th, 3 on a walk off homer by Matt LaPorta, to win the game.

Tomorrow is the last day of July and they are tied with the Tigers in the loss column for first place (3 behind in the win column.)

And the crowds seem to be back.
It seems like every single win of theirs was a walk off homer this year.

Even when they lose, they get no hit.

Seriously, even if the Indians DON'T win the Division, you can't deny they put on a hell of a show.

OF COURSE Edwin Jackson threw a great game!

Get a pitcher of any level talent and put him in a Cardinals uniform under Dave Duncan's watchful eye and they will suddenly become a big time pitcher.

Watch, he is going to Jeff Weaver his way all the way to the World Series clincher.

If I am the agent for a pitcher, I am calling the Cardinals every day asking "Do you have a spot in the rotation? Let me know if ANY Cardinals pitcher needs a nap. My client will be a Cardinal at a moments notice."

Is that any way to support Tim Wakefield?

One damn run is all Wakefield gets?
He's trying to pass Roger Clemens and Cy Young, damn it! Get those bats going!

It's those White Sox.
I've been warning you about them for weeks now.

They finally got to .500, have looked like underachievers. But they are 2 games back of the Tigers in the loss column for first place. I'm telling you... they will sneak into the playoffs.

Right it down.

Meanwhile, let's update the tally.

DODGED BULLET GAMES - 34

April 8 - 9-6 win against the Yankees. (The Sox end their 6 game losing streak with a slugfest. John Lackey stinks but Phil Hughes stinks even more.)
April 10 - 4-0 win against the Yankees. (Beckett and Sabathia duel in a game that was 1-0 until the late innings.)
April 20 - 5-3 win in Oakland. (Red Sox survive a lead off homer and two bases loaded situations and facing the tying run at the plate to win their first road game.)
April 21 - 4-2 win in Anaheim. (The Red Sox stranded 15 men on base and Josh Beckett's went 8 strong with no decision. But the Sox rallied in the 11th to win.)
April 22 - 4-3 win in Anaheim. (Peter Bourjos makes a 2 run errors and the Red Sox survive a bizarre passed ball by Jarrod Saltalamacchia that let a run scored from second.)
May 1 - 3-2 win against the Mariners. (Ichiro loses a ball in the sun that turns into a 9th inning triple for Lowrie. Crawford singles him home for the win.)
May 8 - 9-5 win against the Twins. (Dice-K lets up 3 runs in the first but settles down as the Red Sox clobber Carl Pavano.)

May 9 - 2-1 win against the Twins. (A bullpen breakdown cost Beckett the decision but Cark Crawford ended the game with an 11th inning walk off hit.)
May 13 - 5-4 win in the Bronx. (Youkilis homers off of Joba and Bard and Papelbon make it more interesting than it needed to be.)
May 15 - 7-5 win in the Bronx. (Sox fall behind 4-1 but come back as Youk, Papi and Salty all homer.)
May 16 - 8-7 win against the Orioles. (Down 6-0 after 6 innings, the Sox rally and win it with a 2 run walk off double by Adrian Gonzalez)
May 18 - 1-0 win against Detroit. (With 2 outs in the 8th, Salty doubles home Crawford from first for the only run. Papelbon gets himself in and out of 9th inning trouble.)
May 19 - 4-3 win against Detroit. (Bard blows Beckett's lead but Carl Crawford wins it with a walk off hit.)
May 24 - 4-2 win in Cleveland. (Varitek throws two runners out and homers as the Red Sox win their first game against the Indians.)
May 29 - 4-3 win in Detroit. (The Red Sox blow an early 3-0 lead but David Ortiz wins the game with a pinch 9th inning homer.)
June 3 - 8-6 win against Oakland. (Buchholz lets up 4 runs in the first but the Sox come back thanks to Carl Crawford's 2 run single.)
June 4 - 9-8 win against Oakland. (Red Sox blow a 4 run 9th inning lead and trail in the 11th before Ellsbury ties it and Drew wins it in 14.)
June 7 - 6-4 win in the Bronx. (Papelbon strikes out A-Rod to end the game with a runner on base.)
June 9 - 8-3 win in the Bronx. (Down 2-0 to Sabathia in the 7th, the Sox score 7 runs as Papi exacts revenge after getting plunked. A 3+ hour rain delay pushed the game past 1:30 AM)

June 15 - 3-0 win in Tampa Bay. (Youkilis homers in the 7th for the only runs in Beckett's 1 hit masterpiece.)
June 16 - 4-2 win in Tampa Bay. (Papelbon wiggles out of a 2 on, nobody out jam in the 9th thanks to Youk's diving catch.)
June 26 - 4-2 win in Pittsburgh. (The Pirates make 4 errors and the Red Sox score 2 in the 7th to avoid a sweep by the Bucs.
June 30 - 5-2 win in Philadelphia.(An injury to Cole Hamels leads to the Red Sox bats waking up.)
July 1 - 7-5 win in Houston. (The Sox score 6 in the 7th inning to come back and win.)
July 3 - 2-1 win in Houston. (The Red Sox score a run in the top of the 9th on a walk to break a tie.)
July 5 - 3-2 win against Toronto. (Lester gets hurt but Darnel McDonald throws out the tying run at the plate to end the game.)
July 6 - 6-4 win against Toronto. (The Sox score 4 in the 4th to take the lead and Wakefield and company hang on for dear life.)
July 10 - 8-6 win against Baltimore. (The Orioles score 6 runs off of rookie Kyle Weiland in the second, but the Red Sox hit three homers in the bottom of the second to tie the game and hold for dear life.)
July 16 - 9-5 win in Tampa. (Lackey puts the Sox in a 3-0 first inning hole, but 3 Sox homers bring them back for the win.)
July 17 - 1-0 win in Tampa. (Beckett throws a masterpiece and the bullpen throws 8 amazing innings. But the Sox bats go dead, leaving 17 men on base before Pedroia drove in a run with 2 outs in the 16th inning.)
July 18 - 15-10 win in Baltimore. (The Sox blow a 6-2 lead but score 8 runs in the 8th to take the game.)
July 22 - 7-4 win against Seattle. (John Lackey beat Felix Hernandez and Mike Carp's error helped the Red Sox score 5 in the 7th to give them some breathing room.)
July 23 - 3-1 win against Seattle. (Ellsbury gets Beckett off the hook in a tight pitchers duel when he got a 2 out, 2 strike 2 run go ahead single in the 8th.)
July 26 - 13-9 win against the Royals. (The Sox trailed in the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th before the bats exploded in the 5th.

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 27

April 1 - 9-5 loss in Texas. (The Sox tie Opening Day in the 8th with an Ortiz homer only to have Bard implode and the Sox let up 4 in the bottom of the 8th.)

April 5 - 3-1 loss in Cleveland. (The Sox drop their 4th straight as the bats are dead in Cleveland.)
April 7 - 1-0 loss in Cleveland. (Sox blow a great Lester performance on a squeeze bunt and Darnell McDonald overrunning the bag to end the game.)
April 12 - 3-2 loss to Tampa Bay. (A solid Lester performance is wasted as Kyle Farnsworth of all people shuts down the Sox.)
April 15 - 7-6 loss to Toronto. (Bobby Jenks implodes with a 4 run seventh inning as the Red Sox waste Pedroia and Youkilis homers and a clutch RBI double by Scuatro.
April 19 - 5-0 loss in Oakland. (Pedroia gets picked off, the Sox bats go dead and waste a solid Lackey start.)
April 26 - 4-1 loss in Baltimore. (Buchholz pitches tentatively and the Sox let Kevin Gregg of all people to close out the 9th.)
April 27 - 5-4 loss in Baltimore. (The Sox tie the game with a 3 run 8th only to have Bard lose it in the bottom of the 8th.)
April 29 - 5-4 loss to Mariners. (Bobby Jenks blows a 7th inning lead, wasting 2 Mike Cameron homers.)
April 30 - 2-0 loss to Mariners. (The Sox strand 11 runners and let Milton Bradley double home the go ahead run.)
May 4 - 5-3 loss to Angels. (7 hours with rain delays and stranded runners. Marco Scutaro was thrown out at the plate in the 12th)
May 10 - 7-6 loss in Toronto. (8th and 9th inning heroics, including a homer by Adrian Gonzalez, are undone by a walk off sacrifice fly by David Cooper.)
May 21 - 9-3 loss to Cubs. (Up 3-1 in the 8th inning, the bullpen and defense implode. The Cubs score 8 runs while both teams wear their 1918 uniforms.)
May 23- 3-2 loss in Cleveland. (The Sox blow a 2-1 8th inning lead when the Indians rally with 2 outs. Crawford ends the game on a double play.)
May 29 - 3-0 loss in Detroit. (Verlander keeps the Sox off base and prevents the sweep.)
June 1 - 7-4 loss to White Sox. (Konerko drives in three, spoiling a game tying Ortiz homer.)

June 14 - 4-0 loss in Tampa Bay. (Wakefield's solid outing is spoiled. Longoria scores on a passed ball.)
June 18 - 4-2 loss to Milwaukee. (The Brewers hit three homers early off of Lester and hang on.)
June 21 - 5-4 loss to San Diego. (Ortiz hits a double play in the 9th to stifle a potential winning rally.)

June 24 - 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh. (The Red Sox strand 7 runners in scoring position.)
June 25 - 6-4 loss to Pittsburgh. (The Red Sox fall out of first as Pedroia's error leads to a Pirates run.)
June 29 - 2-1 loss in Philadelphia. (Vance Worley duels John Lackey and slumping Raul Ibanez drives in both runs.)
July 4 - 9-7 loss to Toronto. (John Lackey's miserable start puts the Sox in too big a hole to climb out of.)
July 19 - 6-2 loss in Baltimore. (Scutaro gets thrown out stealing and the Orioles tack on 3 big runs late.)

July 25 - 3-1 loss to the Royals. (Scutaro botches a potential game winning squeeze play in the 12th as the Red Sox lose in 14.)

July 28 - 4-3 loss to the Royals. (Crawford's bid for a walk off homer falls just short.)
July 29 - 3-1 loss to the White Sox. (Sox blow a late 1-0 lead and spoil a solid Wakefield start.)

Down to +7.

It's a 2 game losing streak. I don't like losing streaks... even to a team that will catch people off guard and make the playoffs.

Good news and bad new for Kosuke Fukudome

The good news is you have left a team whose fan base is fatalistic and paranoid that they will never see a championship in their life time.

The bad news is... you are going to Cleveland. Their fans are kinda sorta depressed.

Just a heads up.

New Sully Baseball Video "These Are The Good Old Days"

In the latest Sully Baseball video, I wax nostalgic for the greatest era in baseball history.

When would that be? The 40s? The 50s? The 80s of my childhood?

Nope.

When you look back at the flawed decades of the past, baseball might be at a high point of quality RIGHT NOW!

Don't believe me?

Then check out the video.

And as always, you can check out the previous Sully Baseball videos by clicking HERE.

This video was shot around the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum (or whatever it is called now). As always, the video was directed and co-written by my wife Lisa Zambetti.

If you like the videos, pass them around.

As soul crushing series go, that wasn't so bad for the Pirates

When a team loses a 19 inning game, it is heart breaking.

When they lose a game based on a horrible call that sparked a national controversy, then that can be agonizing.

When that team is fighting to stay near first place, it can be cruel.

And when that team is trying to change the culture of nearly two decades of sub .500 ball, there's a lot of reason to think that could be the turning point back to Loserville.

Now throw on the fact that the very next night after the 19 inning marathon, the lost ANOTHER extra inning game, then maybe you'd assume that Cinderella's carriage was turning back into a pumpkin.

But take a step back.

Don't focus on the two losses and see that they won the first game and tonight's game.

OK, show of hands, Pirates fans. How many of you would have taken a split of the 4 game series against the Braves IN Atlanta?

I am expecting a lot of hands up.

The Pirates whom everyone predicted would wither in the post All Star Game run against contenders are holding their own.

The only two losses against one of the truly elite teams could have easily gone the other way.

And with the Cardinals dropping their last two to the horrible Astros, the Pirates remain tied for second.

And the Pirates are tied in the loss column with the Brewers for the Division lead.

We are a few days away from it being August, and the Pirates are staying within range of the post season.

Tomorrow is their biggest test. They go to Philadelphia. They will play the VARSITY team of Pennsylvania baseball.

But so far, the Pirates have played half of the most important 20 Pirates games since 1992, and they split those 10 games.

Not bad for a fading team whose spirit should be crushed.

What if Hideki Irabu had signed with the Padres?

Hideki Irabu, one of the fastest throwers in Japanese baseball history and his leagues greatest strikeout artist, died today in Los Angeles County. The first reports say it looks like a suicide.

For a pitcher who has been the butt of many jokes and a Frank Costanza rant, there suddenly is nothing funny about him. Like Donnie Moore before him, a player who was a source of ridicule suddenly became a tragic figure.

In 1997 he was brought to New York as a newly minted millionaire potential hero and given the key to city by Rudy Guiliani and a spot in the defending World Champion Yankees' rotation. 11 years later his credit card was declined in a bar in Japan and he got into a brawl.

And today, trying to find work in an independent minor league, he was found dead.

Sitting at my dining room table, I can't sit and pretend to know all of Irabu's demons. Clearly anyone who could go through with ending their own life has plenty. But it is impossible to avoid the thought that failing on such a grand scale in New York may have contributed to his downfall. Joe Torre had him on the roster for the 1998 and 1999 post season but used him in a single game over 6 series. He pitched in mop up duty for Roger Clemens' dreadful Game 3 start in the 1999 ALCS.

I remember being startled when he came out of the bullpen against the Red Sox that day. I forgot he was even on the team.

He became a symbol of a Steinbrenner move to make a backpage splash and tap into the Japanese market instead of improving the team. (Of course if he delivered, Steinbrenner would have taken the credit of being forward thinking.)

And his debut in 1997 was a solid win where he pitched into the 7th. And remember in 1998, he started off as a very effective pitcher. He was the AL Pitcher of the Month for May, 1998. By mid June of 1998, he was 6-1 with a 1.59 ERA and was a big contributor to the Yankees stellar first half. As late as July 20th he had a terrific record (9-3) and a very good ERA (2.86.) A string of 6 bad starts, plus the emergence of El Duque Hernandez, pushed him out of the post season roster.

But his 1998 could hardly be called a total failure. But 1999 was not a good year for him and by 2000 he was an Expo. By 2002 he was a Ranger, his last season in the majors. He pitched in 2009 for the Long Beach Armada of the Golden Baseball League. Former Padres shortstop Garry Templeton was his manager. His teammate was Jose Lima, who passed away last spring.

I can't help but wonder what would have happened if he played in a smaller market.

The Padres paid the posting fee for Irabu to bring him to America and they owned his signing rights. But, wanting to be on the biggest stage (and have the greatest marketability) he refused to sign with San Diego. He and his agent engineered the trade that sent him to the Bronx.

Had he stayed with the Padres, his fame would not have been as great, but neither would the magnification of his failures. Like the Yankees, the 1997 Padres were coming off a post season berth and had talent.

If he had put up the same numbers with the 1998 Padres as he did with the 1998 Yankees, he would have been beloved by the fans instead of being cursed out.

Remember the '98 Padres were a terrific team that went on to win the National League pennant. They were not as good as the historic 1998 Yankees, but they had a deep lineup and a tough bullpen.

And their fan base is forgiving. Playing for a large passionate fanbase has its disadvantages. Not being able to hide any flaws is one of them. Trevor Hoffman had many high profile critical game blown saves in his career with the Padres. Had he blown those games in New York, Philadelphia or Boston, he would have been run out of town on a rail. In San Diego they are retiring his number.

I wonder if Irabu had pitched in San Diego, if he would have been able to develop and adapt to America better than in New York, where he was expected to be the next Nolan Ryan right out of the gate.

I wonder if Padres fans could have accepted him for what he was instead of tormenting him for what he wasn't. 13 wins and an OK 4.06 ERA mixed in with a pitcher of the month award would get a lot more respect in a smaller market gunning for their second ever pennant.

Maybe he pitches well along side Kevin Brown, Andy Ashby, Sterling Hitchcock and Joey Hamilton. Maybe he fares well against the Yankees in the World Series.

Or maybe his demons were just too strong to conquer. Maybe this has nothing to do with bis baseball career.

But seeing how far he fell makes it impossible to wonder. Did he have to perch himself up so high?

What a strange series

The Red Sox finished a 4 game set against the Royals. In 2 of the games, they appeared to be able to score at will.

They scored 13 runs in one game and 12 in another.

And the other two games, runs were at a premium.

1 run in 14 innings on Monday? 3 runs today?

Wasting solid efforts by Jon Lester and Josh Beckett?

The Sox just finished a 10 game stretch against the Orioles, Mariners and Royals... the three worst teams in the American League. They went 7-3 in those games.

I guess in any stretch where the Sox play .700 ball, I can't be too greedy.

But this was a chance to pick up a half game on the idle Yankees and bring the magic number down one more.

Instead... I'm updating the tally.

DODGED BULLET GAMES - 34

April 8 - 9-6 win against the Yankees. (The Sox end their 6 game losing streak with a slugfest. John Lackey stinks but Phil Hughes stinks even more.)
April 10 - 4-0 win against the Yankees. (Beckett and Sabathia duel in a game that was 1-0 until the late innings.)
April 20 - 5-3 win in Oakland. (Red Sox survive a lead off homer and two bases loaded situations and facing the tying run at the plate to win their first road game.)
April 21 - 4-2 win in Anaheim. (The Red Sox stranded 15 men on base and Josh Beckett's went 8 strong with no decision. But the Sox rallied in the 11th to win.)
April 22 - 4-3 win in Anaheim. (Peter Bourjos makes a 2 run errors and the Red Sox survive a bizarre passed ball by Jarrod Saltalamacchia that let a run scored from second.)
May 1 - 3-2 win against the Mariners. (Ichiro loses a ball in the sun that turns into a 9th inning triple for Lowrie. Crawford singles him home for the win.)
May 8 - 9-5 win against the Twins. (Dice-K lets up 3 runs in the first but settles down as the Red Sox clobber Carl Pavano.)

May 9 - 2-1 win against the Twins. (A bullpen breakdown cost Beckett the decision but Cark Crawford ended the game with an 11th inning walk off hit.)
May 13 - 5-4 win in the Bronx. (Youkilis homers off of Joba and Bard and Papelbon make it more interesting than it needed to be.)
May 15 - 7-5 win in the Bronx. (Sox fall behind 4-1 but come back as Youk, Papi and Salty all homer.)
May 16 - 8-7 win against the Orioles. (Down 6-0 after 6 innings, the Sox rally and win it with a 2 run walk off double by Adrian Gonzalez)
May 18 - 1-0 win against Detroit. (With 2 outs in the 8th, Salty doubles home Crawford from first for the only run. Papelbon gets himself in and out of 9th inning trouble.)
May 19 - 4-3 win against Detroit. (Bard blows Beckett's lead but Carl Crawford wins it with a walk off hit.)
May 24 - 4-2 win in Cleveland. (Varitek throws two runners out and homers as the Red Sox win their first game against the Indians.)
May 29 - 4-3 win in Detroit. (The Red Sox blow an early 3-0 lead but David Ortiz wins the game with a pinch 9th inning homer.)
June 3 - 8-6 win against Oakland. (Buchholz lets up 4 runs in the first but the Sox come back thanks to Carl Crawford's 2 run single.)
June 4 - 9-8 win against Oakland. (Red Sox blow a 4 run 9th inning lead and trail in the 11th before Ellsbury ties it and Drew wins it in 14.)
June 7 - 6-4 win in the Bronx. (Papelbon strikes out A-Rod to end the game with a runner on base.)
June 9 - 8-3 win in the Bronx. (Down 2-0 to Sabathia in the 7th, the Sox score 7 runs as Papi exacts revenge after getting plunked. A 3+ hour rain delay pushed the game past 1:30 AM)

June 15 - 3-0 win in Tampa Bay. (Youkilis homers in the 7th for the only runs in Beckett's 1 hit masterpiece.)
June 16 - 4-2 win in Tampa Bay. (Papelbon wiggles out of a 2 on, nobody out jam in the 9th thanks to Youk's diving catch.)
June 26 - 4-2 win in Pittsburgh. (The Pirates make 4 errors and the Red Sox score 2 in the 7th to avoid a sweep by the Bucs.
June 30 - 5-2 win in Philadelphia.(An injury to Cole Hamels leads to the Red Sox bats waking up.)
July 1 - 7-5 win in Houston. (The Sox score 6 in the 7th inning to come back and win.)
July 3 - 2-1 win in Houston. (The Red Sox score a run in the top of the 9th on a walk to break a tie.)
July 5 - 3-2 win against Toronto. (Lester gets hurt but Darnel McDonald throws out the tying run at the plate to end the game.)
July 6 - 6-4 win against Toronto. (The Sox score 4 in the 4th to take the lead and Wakefield and company hang on for dear life.)
July 10 - 8-6 win against Baltimore. (The Orioles score 6 runs off of rookie Kyle Weiland in the second, but the Red Sox hit three homers in the bottom of the second to tie the game and hold for dear life.)
July 16 - 9-5 win in Tampa. (Lackey puts the Sox in a 3-0 first inning hole, but 3 Sox homers bring them back for the win.)
July 17 - 1-0 win in Tampa. (Beckett throws a masterpiece and the bullpen throws 8 amazing innings. But the Sox bats go dead, leaving 17 men on base before Pedroia drove in a run with 2 outs in the 16th inning.)
July 18 - 15-10 win in Baltimore. (The Sox blow a 6-2 lead but score 8 runs in the 8th to take the game.)
July 22 - 7-4 win against Seattle. (John Lackey beat Felix Hernandez and Mike Carp's error helped the Red Sox score 5 in the 7th to give them some breathing room.)
July 23 - 3-1 win against Seattle. (Ellsbury gets Beckett off the hook in a tight pitchers duel when he got a 2 out, 2 strike 2 run go ahead single in the 8th.)
July 26 - 13-9 win against the Royals. (The Sox trailed in the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th before the bats exploded in the 5th.

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 26

April 1 - 9-5 loss in Texas. (The Sox tie Opening Day in the 8th with an Ortiz homer only to have Bard implode and the Sox let up 4 in the bottom of the 8th.)

April 5 - 3-1 loss in Cleveland. (The Sox drop their 4th straight as the bats are dead in Cleveland.)
April 7 - 1-0 loss in Cleveland. (Sox blow a great Lester performance on a squeeze bunt and Darnell McDonald overrunning the bag to end the game.)
April 12 - 3-2 loss to Tampa Bay. (A solid Lester performance is wasted as Kyle Farnsworth of all people shuts down the Sox.)
April 15 - 7-6 loss to Toronto. (Bobby Jenks implodes with a 4 run seventh inning as the Red Sox waste Pedroia and Youkilis homers and a clutch RBI double by Scuatro.
April 19 - 5-0 loss in Oakland. (Pedroia gets picked off, the Sox bats go dead and waste a solid Lackey start.)
April 26 - 4-1 loss in Baltimore. (Buchholz pitches tentatively and the Sox let Kevin Gregg of all people to close out the 9th.)
April 27 - 5-4 loss in Baltimore. (The Sox tie the game with a 3 run 8th only to have Bard lose it in the bottom of the 8th.)
April 29 - 5-4 loss to Mariners. (Bobby Jenks blows a 7th inning lead, wasting 2 Mike Cameron homers.)
April 30 - 2-0 loss to Mariners. (The Sox strand 11 runners and let Milton Bradley double home the go ahead run.)
May 4 - 5-3 loss to Angels. (7 hours with rain delays and stranded runners. Marco Scutaro was thrown out at the plate in the 12th)
May 10 - 7-6 loss in Toronto. (8th and 9th inning heroics, including a homer by Adrian Gonzalez, are undone by a walk off sacrifice fly by David Cooper.)
May 21 - 9-3 loss to Cubs. (Up 3-1 in the 8th inning, the bullpen and defense implode. The Cubs score 8 runs while both teams wear their 1918 uniforms.)
May 23- 3-2 loss in Cleveland. (The Sox blow a 2-1 8th inning lead when the Indians rally with 2 outs. Crawford ends the game on a double play.)
May 29 - 3-0 loss in Detroit. (Verlander keeps the Sox off base and prevents the sweep.)
June 1 - 7-4 loss to White Sox. (Konerko drives in three, spoiling a game tying Ortiz homer.)

June 14 - 4-0 loss in Tampa Bay. (Wakefield's solid outing is spoiled. Longoria scores on a passed ball.)
June 18 - 4-2 loss to Milwaukee. (The Brewers hit three homers early off of Lester and hang on.)
June 21 - 5-4 loss to San Diego. (Ortiz hits a double play in the 9th to stifle a potential winning rally.)

June 24 - 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh. (The Red Sox strand 7 runners in scoring position.)
June 25 - 6-4 loss to Pittsburgh. (The Red Sox fall out of first as Pedroia's error leads to a Pirates run.)
June 29 - 2-1 loss in Philadelphia. (Vance Worley duels John Lackey and slumping Raul Ibanez drives in both runs.)
July 4 - 9-7 loss to Toronto. (John Lackey's miserable start puts the Sox in too big a hole to climb out of.)
July 19 - 6-2 loss in Baltimore. (Scutaro gets thrown out stealing and the Orioles tack on 3 big runs late.)

July 25 - 3-1 loss to the Royals. (Scutaro botches a potential game winning squeeze play in the 12th as the Red Sox lose in 14.)

July 28 - 4-3 loss to the Royals. (Crawford's bid for a walk off homer falls just short.)

Down to +8.

On to Chicago... let's hope the surging White Sox are done with their second half come back!

Zack Wheeler: Is He Nolan Ryan Or Oliver Perez?

The trade of Carlos Beltran to the Giants became official earlier today, as the longtime Mets' outfielder agreed to join the NL West leaders. In return, the Mets received top pitching prospect Zack Wheeler, who was the sixth overall pick in the 2009 Amateur Draft.

Wheeler was ranked No. 55 among all prospects prior to the 2011 season, but moved up to No. 35 in the recently released mid-season rankings. Clearly, Wheeler is expected to someday produce at the major league level or else Sandy Alderson wouldn't have asked for him when he traded away his All-Star rightfielder.

Right now, Wheeler has a slight problem controlling his pitches. Okay, slight might be an understatement when you consider his career minor league numbers.

Since playing in his first professional game in 2010, Wheeler has pitched in 37 games (29 starts). In 146.2 innings, he's walked 85 batters, averaging 5.2 walks per nine innings. But that doesn't tell the whole story. Wheeler has also thrown 19 wild pitches and hit 11 batters.

Let's put these numbers in perspective. There are six pitchers in the National League who have already surpassed 146.2 innings this season. Therefore, it's fair to say that Wheeler has pitched the equivalent of what some National League pitchers have pitched this year.

Currently, J.A. Happ is leading the National League in walks, handing out 60 free passes this season. That's 25 fewer than Wheeler.

Those 19 wild pitches thrown by Wheeler? That's almost twice as many as the National League leader, Hiroki Kuroda, who's uncorked 11 wild ones. No one else in the NL has more than nine.

Wheeler's 11 hit batsmen would also be pacing the National League, as that total surpasses NL leader Randy Wolf by one.

Of course, Wheeler still has plenty of time to work on his control, as he is only 21 years old and will be pitching for the St. Lucie Mets. Still, one can't help but wonder if Wheeler is going to someday challenge for the Triple Crown of Pitching (leading the league in wins, ERA and strikeouts, as Dwight Gooden did for the Mets in 1985) or the Triple Crown of Wildness (leading the league in walks, wild pitches and hit batsmen).

Nolan Ryan was also wild in the minors, walking 200 batters in his first 291 minor league innings. Then again, so was Oliver Perez, (you thought you'd never see his name in a Studious Metsimus post again, didn't you?) who issued 150 walks in his first 322 professional innings.

Of course, Nolan Ryan learned how to harness his talent and translated it into a Hall of Fame career. Oliver Perez has used his talent to teach his minor league teammates which fast food restaurants are the best in and around Harrisburg, PA, which is where he has toiled as a member of the Washington Nationals Triple-A squad.

Hopefully, the Mets won't promote Wheeler through their minor league system until he has shown improvement with his control. Yes, he's managed to strike out his share of batters (168 Ks in 146.2 innings), but so did Ollie (554 Ks in 517.1 career minor league innings).

It is imperative that the Mets take their time with Zach Wheeler. In a few years, Wheeler might be part of a young pitching staff that includes fellow prospect Matt Harvey, along with 10-game winner Jonathon Niese and nine-game winner Dillon Gee. That staff could rival the 1986 staff, or it could be the second coming of Generation K.

Zack Wheeler is expected to be a big part of the Mets' future. For that to happen, he'll have to put his wild past behind him and focus on improving his control in the present. Nolan Ryan was able to do it. Oliver Perez was not. It's up to Zack Wheeler to figure out if he wants to take a limo to Cooperstown or a bus to Harrisburg.

John Lackey... WINNER

I was worried for half an inning.
Youk made an error and Lackey let up a homer. Sox down 3-0 before they even came to bat.
For that space between the top and bottom of the first I thought "Man, the Sox are REALLY going to lose this game."

Then Ellsbury and Pedroia hit back to back homers and I relaxed. The Sox didn't even have the lead after one, but I felt like the 3 run homer basically was a head start.

Now John Lackey won the game.
He's 4-0 in his last 4 games.
I don't care what other stats you look at. I want my pitchers winning.
Lackey is winning.
I don't understand how this is happening... the 12 run outburst is a decent explanation.

But keep winning Lackey and you'll win Boston's heart... or at least we'll stop hating you.

Meanwhile, the let's talk Magic Numbers.

THE MAGIC NUMBER IS 58!!!

The Pirates and Braves can't go into extras AGAIN, can they?

Last night's goat Jerry Meals is the third base umpire tonight.
Oh PLEASE don't have the game decided on a play at third or an appeal play.

WIPE OFF YOUR GLASSES JERRY!

Who needs Beltran?

Seriously, all the Giants need to do is get 2 runs a game and they can beat the likes of Cole Hamels and the Phillies.

Isn't that the game plan that won them a World Series last year?

Thank you "Law of Averages"

The Mariners were eventually going to win a game.
They weren't going to finish the season 43-119.

I was just hoping the law of averages would kick in while they were playing the Yankees.
Now having Felix Hernandez pitch certainly HELPS push the law of averages along.

But man, it looked great to see the Yankees making bad plays and misplaying flyballs.

OK Sox... just beat the Royals and chop down that magic number!

The Most Recent No Hitter For Each Franchise (Updated for July 27, 2011)

Ervin Santana threw the first no hitter ever for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The last no hitters for the franchise were for the CALIFORNIA Angels.

No hitters always look strange when the losing team scored a run... but not as strange as combined no hitters (which was the last no hitter the team had when Mark Langston and Mike Witt combined in 1990).

Great work Mr. Santana.


Let's update the list.

THE MOST RECENT NO HITTERS
FOR EACH FRANCHISE

LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM
Ervin Santana - July 27, 2011.
3-1 over Cleveland.

DETROIT TIGERS
Justin Verlander - May 7, 2011.
9-0 over Toronto.

MINNESOTA TWINS
Francisco Liriano - May 3, 2011
1-0 over Chicago White Sox

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
Roy Halladay - October 6, 2010
4-0 over Cincinnati. (Playoff Game)

TAMPA PAY RAYS
Matt Garza - July 26th, 2010
5-0 over Detroit.

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
Edwin Jackson - June 25, 2010
1-0 over Tampa Bay



OAKLAND A'S
Dallas Braden - May 9, 2010
4-0 over Tampa Bay. (Perfect Game.)


COLORADO ROCKIES
Ubaldo Jimenez - April 17, 2010
4-0 over Atlanta.


CHICAGO WHITE SOX
Mark Buehrle - July 23, 2009
5-0 over Tampa Bay. (Perfect Game.)


SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
Jonathan Sanchez - July 10, 2009.
8-0 over San Diego.


CHICAGO CUBS
Carlos Zambrano - September 14, 2008.
5-0 over Houston.


BOSTON RED SOX
Jon Lester - May 19, 2008.
7-0 over Kansas City.


FLORIDA MARLINS
Anibal Sanchez - September 6, 2006.
2-0 over Arizona.


HOUSTON ASTROS
Roy Oswalt, Peter Munro, Kirk Saarloos, Brad Lidge, Octavio Dotel and Billy Wagner -
June 11, 2003.
8-0 over New York Yankees.


ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
Bud Smith - September 3, 2001
4-0 over San Diego.


NEW YORK YANKEES
David Cone - July 18, 1999.
6-0 over Montreal. (Perfect Game.)


PITTSBURGH PIRATES
Francisco Cordova and Ricardo Rincon - July 12, 1997.
3-0 over Houston. (10 innings.)


LOS ANGELES DODGERS
Hideo Nomo - September 17, 1996.
9-0 over Colorado.


TEXAS RANGERS
Kenny Rogers - July 28, 1994.
4-0 over California. (Perfect Game.)

ATLANTA BRAVES
Kent Mercker - April 8, 1994.
6-0 over Los Angeles.


SEATTLE MARINERS
Chris Bosio - April 22, 1993.
2-0 over Boston.


KANSAS CITY ROYALS
Bret Saberhagen - August 26, 1991
7-0 over Chicago White Sox.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS (AS MONTREAL EXPOS)
Dennis Martinez - July 28, 1991.
2-0 over Los Angeles. (Perfect Game.)


BALTIMORE ORIOLES
Bob Milacki, Mike Flanagan, Mark Williamson and Gregg Olson - July 13, 1991.
2-0 over Oakland.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS
Dave Steib - September 2, 1990.
3-0 over Cleveland.


CINCINNATI REDS
Tom Browning - September 16, 1988.
1-0 over Los Angeles. (Perfect Game.)


MILWAUKEE BREWERS
Juan Nieves - April 15, 1987.
7-0 over Baltimore.

CLEVELAND INDIANS
Len Barker - May 15, 1981.
3-0 over Toronto. (Perfect Game.)

Bonus
WASHINGTON SENATORS
Bobby Burke - August 8, 1931
5-0 over Boston.

Padres... Mets... Nationals... get on it!