Sabathia's un-no-hitter
Brewers pitcher C.C. Sabathia probably should be basking in the heady aftermath of a no-hitter today, but for a scoring call that gave Andy LaRoche an infield single for a slow roller that Sabathia picked up and dropped. The team is sending tapes to Major League Baseball in an effort to get the call reversed and C.C.'s performance recorded as a no-no.
You can decide for yourselves by taking a look at this ESPN report, but I don't think it -- or baseball's central office -- is going to change anything.
It's fairly apparent that the play should have been called an error. When Sabathia first tried to pick it up, LaRoche was barely halfway down the baseline. Never mind the irony that holding Sabathia at fault for the play also would have rewarded him by keeping his no-hitter alive.
Trouble is, as much as everyone might want to, you can't put the genie back in the bottle. The play happened in the fifth inning, so it's impossible to say that Sabathia would have gone on to pitch exactly the same way if he had been aware of the no-hitter in the late innings.
The timing for the Brewers appeal also is problematic, since MLB just instituted a limited instant replay system and guaranteed it would not be applied beyond home run and fair-foul situations. Though reviewing a scoring call doesn't really fall into the instant replay category, I'm guessing baseball officials still won't want to open that can of worms.
There is, however, still time (24 hours after the end of the game) for scorer Bob Webb to change his ruling, and he's probably being pressured to do just that.
AP photo
Comments
The O's need this guy way more than they need a mark texiera
Posted by: double b | September 1, 2008 9:45 AM
Hey, Pete. Greetings from sunny (today) Sarasota. Yesterday was not so great, thanks to Gustav, so I made the trek up to St. Pete to catch the Tragedy at the Trop (which is redundant in itself). Regarding Buress' sorry start, well, suffice to say, "the cheese stands alone". As for the Trop-- wow. It's a real shame that the fans of such an exciting, young team are forced to watch 82 games in a venue that combines all the best features of the Catacombs and the set for the mothership on Close Encounters. They do a good job of ginning up the crowd, and it does enjoy a kind of minor league park atmosphere (and I do mean that in a good way). And it does beat the old stadium in Montreal, which had all the charm of watching a game in an oversized Home Depot. That's it from the beautiful Gulf Coast. The beach and the Petrer Schmuck show at noon via on-line beckon.
John
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Pete's reply: What impresses me most is that you didn't let some hurricane keep you from driving over the Skywy to see a ballgame.
Posted by: John Huff | September 1, 2008 9:55 AM
I don't think spending tons of money on a pitcher who's going to throw 300 innings this year would be prudent. The Brewers are you using him as a rental and going to ride him until his arm falls off.
Posted by: Shawn | September 1, 2008 12:17 PM
The problem lies with the official scorers. They are so forgiving of the fielder and so generous to the hitter. I don't no how many times this year I have seen plays ruled as a hit when in the past it would have been an error. These guys are major leaguers. Whatever happened to the idea that if it's in your glove . . . . the play should be made?
Posted by: Ray | September 1, 2008 12:31 PM
Hey, the O;s are struggling big time with pitching so it's hard to feel sorry for CC losing a no-hitter! I don't think there's any chance the powers to be will reverse the call so too bad CC. Hey, you're on a contending team, are undefeated and stand to cash in big in the off-season...
In the meantime, we will continue to get our heads bashed in for the rest of the year. Anybody can see that the annual Sept. swoon is mainly due to our schedule. We face primarily contending teams who have something to play for. On the other hand. we don't even have a ghost's chance of finishing out of last place and/or winning 75 games so what's the incentive? Orioles pride is long gone and the retreads we send out there day after day know they won't be around in '09 anyway so all around, it's an ugly situation.
It's one thing to lose close games but to give up double figures on a regular basis is an embarrassment. Yes, we are in a 'rebuild' but does it always have to be this bad?
I see the positives-like Jones/Sherrill/Johnson emergence but the negatives (of course, in the form of terrible starting pitching)are overshadowing any of the good things.I will remember '08 as another lost season unless we take some serious corrective action to address the starting pitching crisis.
Posted by: TerryP | September 1, 2008 1:23 PM
Pete,
Your killing me! To tell me that Bud Selig, the Commish of MLB and silent owner of the Milwaukee Brewers can't overturn or WON'T, I strongly disagree. If for no other reason, they have bet the ranch on this season and then they are in deep deep trouble. Consider it an official no-hitter based soley on the team involved!
Posted by: Keith Rowe | September 1, 2008 1:44 PM
Peter,
The problem I have is that I'm a baseball purest, that's right! As players have gone to season long conditioning, weight training and a host of chemical assistance I don't believe all of the above should lower the standard! And my standard is from our Gold Glove Thirdbaseman Brooks Robinson, "If I could put my glove on it, I should make the play"! Nuff said!
Posted by: Keith Rowe | September 1, 2008 1:51 PM
Even though it should have been an error, who's to say CC would have pitched the same? Maybe he would have been upset he had an error and gave up a hit to the next batter? There are too many variables to go back and reverse the call. It was only the fifth inning, he had 4 more innings of pitching without the pressure of a no-hitter on his back. Yes, the scorer made a mistake. No, MLB should not reverse the decision.
Posted by: Charlie | September 2, 2008 3:39 AM
In 1970 I attended a ball game at RFK Stadium: Minnesota Twins vs. Washington Senators. Cesar Tovar led the game off with a bunt down the third base line that Aurelio Rodriguez misplayed, and the crowd booed when Tovar was credited with a bunt single. Nat's pitcher Dick Bosman ended up pitching a one-hit shutout over the team with Carew, Killebrew, Oliva, etc., the only hit being Tovar's.
In attending baseball games for over forty years, I have yet to see a no-hitter. If Major League Baseball upholds the Brewers' protest and awards CC Sabathia with a no-hitter, I will petition the league to also consider Dick Bosman's gem, finally giving me the privelege of having attended a no-hitter.
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Pete's reply: And I'll be behind you 100 percent.
Posted by: O for the Seventies | September 2, 2008 12:26 PM