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Saturday, April 21, 2012

ESPN: White Sox righty Humber tosses perfect game

21st perfect game, ends on a check swing by Brenden Ryan.

Tripon Posted: April 21, 2012 at 06:33 PM | 58 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: game recaps, history, mariners, white sox

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1. akrasian Posted: April 21, 2012 at 08:18 PM (#4112677)

If only the Mets could have a pitcher like this.

2. Lassus Posted: April 21, 2012 at 08:26 PM (#4112681)

I saw the replay, but haven't looked around online. What's the word on the final call? Crappy?

3. AndrewJ Posted: April 21, 2012 at 08:29 PM (#4112682)

As I posted in the game thread, there's almost no rhyme or reason to the historic distribution of MLB perfect games -- only five were thrown from 1871 through 1955, and now 16 since Don Larsen (17 if not for Jim Joyce). In retrospect, it's astonishing nobody threw one against the 1899 Cleveland Spiders or the 1916 Philadelphia A's, and equally amazing that Bunning's perfect game in 1964 was the first one in the NL in 84 years.

4. SouthSideRyan Posted: April 21, 2012 at 08:33 PM (#4112684)

[2]Very.

5. The Keith Law Blog Blah Blah (battlekow) Posted: April 21, 2012 at 08:33 PM (#4112685)

Is it really pronounced "Umber"? If so, can we call him "The Greatphil" now?

6. Bob Tufts Posted: April 21, 2012 at 08:41 PM (#4112689)

No first base dugout camera replay looking directly at Ryan?

7. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: April 21, 2012 at 08:47 PM (#4112691)

I don't want to read too much into one pitcher's turn around, but what's the feeling on Don Cooper? He got a lot of acclaim during 2005, when the Sox were in the WS, but has been kinda out of the spotlight since. Is he one of the better pitching coaches in the game?

8. RB in NYC (Now Semi-Retired from BBTF) Posted: April 21, 2012 at 08:50 PM (#4112692)

No first base dugout camera replay looking directly at Ryan?

I guess we're all just pretending he went, so we don't need to see a replay

9. Dag Nabbit: Sockless Psychopath Posted: April 21, 2012 at 08:52 PM (#4112696)

Don Cooper is definately one of the best pitching coaches in this game. I wrote about it here. (Scroll down a bit, it's the fourth of the five questions).

EDITED to add link.

10. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: April 21, 2012 at 08:53 PM (#4112697)

I don't think he went but it was close. Any ump in the world would have rung him up I think. It certainly wasn't Jim Jouce level bad.

11. The District Attorney Posted: April 21, 2012 at 08:56 PM (#4112702)

Is it really pronounced "Umber"?

Well, he certainly wasn't burnt this game.

More of a hulk, in fact.

12. Mark Edward Posted: April 21, 2012 at 09:01 PM (#4112706)

- What a fun game. I only got to see the final three outs of Buehrle's perfect game, but I got to watch this entire game. Really wish Hawk got to call the game though.
- Don Cooper's a ####### genius. It's early but the pitching staff looks great so far. Peavy's had some good starts, Sale's transition to starting is going well, and the bullpen's been solid outside of Santiago's gaffes. Humber's ERA+ has to be something like 400 after this game.
- I haven't really looked at the numbers to back this up, but it seems like Humber's added some MPH's to his fastball this year. In the past, he wasn't able to blow hitters away with his fastball (see his strikeout of Saunders in the 9th today).
- This organization has been thoroughly mediocre since 2005, but there have been a lot of fun moments in this time frame: Buehrle's no-hitter & perfect game, Bobby Jenks tying the MLB's consecutive out streak, Buehrle breaking MLB's consecutive out streak, 2008's Game 163, Thome's 500th homer, today's game.

13. This is going to be state of the art wall Posted: April 21, 2012 at 09:05 PM (#4112709)

Is he one of the better pitching coaches in the game?

Arguably the best.

14. This is going to be state of the art wall Posted: April 21, 2012 at 09:10 PM (#4112710)

This organization has been thoroughly mediocre since 2005, but there have been a lot of fun moments in this time frame: Buehrle's no-hitter & perfect game, Bobby Jenks tying the MLB's consecutive out streak, Buehrle breaking MLB's consecutive out streak, 2008's Game 163, Thome's 500th homer, today's game.

Great point, The last decade has been really good to Sox fans, despite the periods of mediocrity during that stretch.

15. Downtown Bookie

Posted: April 21, 2012 at 09:13 PM (#4112712)

If only the Mets could have a pitcher like this.

Call it the curse of Nolan Ryan.

Humber joins the list of pitchers (headed by Ryan) who tossed at least one no-hitter after leaving the Mets. Humber also becomes the second ex-Met to toss a perfect game (not counting Kenny Rogers, since Rogers, having pitched his perfect game prior to wearing the Mets uniform, was not an ex-Met at the time).

DB

16. base ball chick Posted: April 21, 2012 at 09:15 PM (#4112715)

pretty amazing the turnaround that humber made after coming to the sox - he was lousy with the mets/twins/royals on their AAA teams

i wonder how he turned his career around

17. bobm Posted: April 21, 2012 at 09:17 PM (#4112716)

Game Time 2:17

Wow.

18. Eric J can SABER all he wants to Posted: April 21, 2012 at 09:47 PM (#4112732)

Is it really pronounced "Umber"? If so, can we call him "The Greatphil" now?

Dunn was thinking of a .200 batting average, wondering if he would ever see it again, when the Greatphil lurched to his feet.

"MY TEAMMATES!" he shouted, his voice booming through the clubhouse. "Here is what I say to these two managers!" He spat, releasing not a stream of tobacco juice, but the shells of several MLB-approved sunflower seeds. "Bobby Valentine is nothing to me, nor Joe Girardi neither. Why should they rule over me and my teammates, from some distant seat in Boston or New York? What do they know of Disco Demolition Night or Michael Jordan's baseball career or William Ligue, Jr? Even their Sox are wrong. The National League take the Brewers, too, I've had a bellyfull of them." He reached back over his shoulder and drew his immense two-handed rosin bag. "Why shouldn't we rule ourselves again? It was Ozzie we bowed to, and Ozzie is suspended for accidentally inflammatory comments about Fidel Castro." He hefted the rosin bag in the general direction of Robin Ventura. "There sits the only manager I mean to bow my knee to, m'teammates," he thundered. "THE MANAGER IN THE SOUTH SIDE!"

19. Lassus Posted: April 21, 2012 at 09:49 PM (#4112733)

#18 was wonderfully reminiscent of Bat-Girl. Well done.

20. escabeche Posted: April 21, 2012 at 09:51 PM (#4112735)

pretty amazing the turnaround that humber made after coming to the sox - he was lousy with the mets/twins/royals on their AAA teams

Heck, I was at his game against the Orioles last week, and he was lousy then. He only gave up 1 ER in 5 1/3, but he was constantly behind in the count, gave up a lot of hard-hit balls, and had 6 hits and 3 BB against 7 strikeouts in the short outing. If you told me somebody in baseball was going to pitch a perfect game this week and asked me to guess who, I would have listed a hundred guys before I got to Humber. I might even have listed somebody on the Orioles before I got to Humber!

But he did it, and more power to him.

21. Zeba Zeba Eata Posted: April 21, 2012 at 09:57 PM (#4112737)

Ah, Philip Humber did a great thing! *Fond memories of Philip Humber, Mets prospect* *Screws up in 2007 collapse* *Hard feelings* *Damn it* *Mets No-Hitters = No" "Don't do the Humbdy Humb"

22. Benji Posted: April 21, 2012 at 09:59 PM (#4112739)

Was this on FOX? I couldn't find it anywhere. I have a bunch of inning 7-9 no hitters that I got on DVD and after the gamebreak on the Yankee game I hunted for it. Damn. But congrats to Humber.

23. RB in NYC (Now Semi-Retired from BBTF) Posted: April 21, 2012 at 10:04 PM (#4112743)

Was this on FOX? I couldn't find it anywhere.

FOX cut into the Yankee game in NYC to show it, which makes me think they must have cut in everywhere.

24. Mark Edward Posted: April 21, 2012 at 10:21 PM (#4112752)

Was this on FOX? I couldn't find it anywhere. I have a bunch of inning 7-9 no hitters that I got on DVD and after the gamebreak on the Yankee game I hunted for it. Damn. But congrats to Humber.

This was the coverage map for the Fox games this afternoon. You can ignore the editorializing at the bottom but I thought it was funny (got it from South Side Sox).

25. The Keith Law Blog Blah Blah (battlekow) Posted: April 21, 2012 at 10:25 PM (#4112754)

@18 Nice work.

Cursing, the Greatphil flung a breaking ball into the left-handed batter's box and bellowed that Ryan was so green he must piss grass.

26. Benji Posted: April 21, 2012 at 10:31 PM (#4112757)

I thought MLB Network would cut to it (don't trust FOX) but they stayed with the "game 162" documentary that they'll show a few million times more. Maybe FOX wouldn't let them?

27. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: April 21, 2012 at 10:35 PM (#4112758)

Fox has exclusive rights bu they cut away in Boston too. When they cut away it was 9-1 Boston and the top of the seventh was starting and the Bruins were tied 3-3. The next hour of my life sucked in spectacular fashion.

28. Sleepy was just looking for porta potties Posted: April 21, 2012 at 10:50 PM (#4112765)

This was the coverage map for the Fox games this afternoon. You can ignore the editorializing at the bottom but I thought it was funny (got it from South Side Sox).

Awesome. I'm still amazed that a bigger stink hasn't been made about these stupid Saturday blackouts.

29. Lassus Posted: April 21, 2012 at 11:41 PM (#4112782)

I thought MLB Network would cut to it (don't trust FOX) but they stayed with the "game 162" documentary that they'll show a few million times more. Maybe FOX wouldn't let them?

Exactly right. When I was doing highlight publishing for MLB.com, we were told very clearly by the higher-ups that anyone putting up a highlight from those games on the website during the 4pm-7pm FOX window - even by mistake and taken down 15 seconds later - would have to be fired on the spot.

30. Random Transaction Generator Posted: April 22, 2012 at 01:32 AM (#4112818)

Here is a screenshot from a video someone made while at the game.
(and then posted to youtube)

Maybe one more frame and he "breaks his wrist", but nevertheless, considering he lunged forward for the swing, and the location of the bat, I'd be hard pressed to find an umpire that WOULDN'T call that a strike.

31. Lassus Posted: April 22, 2012 at 01:45 AM (#4112820)

Awesome. I feel much better now.

32. Shredder Posted: April 22, 2012 at 01:46 AM (#4112821)

Oh man. Congratlations to Humber, but that was a flat out awful call on the final out. That wasn't even close to a swing.

33. The Long Arm of Rudy Law Posted: April 22, 2012 at 01:49 AM (#4112823)

The umpire was very clear on the last swing. MLB may have told them to emote.

34. Tripon Posted: April 22, 2012 at 01:53 AM (#4112824)

It was a crappy pitch, but that check swing by Brenden Ryan was ridiculous. Commit either way, checking during the last at bat of a perfect is bullshit.

35. Lassus Posted: April 22, 2012 at 06:35 AM (#4112868)

The umpire was very clear on the last swing. MLB may have told them to emote.

You MLB black-helicopterers are nutso.

36. Gamingboy Posted: April 22, 2012 at 09:34 AM (#4112895)

Congrats to Humber. Never panned out for the Mets, Twins or basically anybody else, good to see him finally play to his potential (AND THEN SOME).

Thing is, this probably won't even be the highlight of his year: his wife is apparently very pregnant.

37. Dale Sams Posted: April 22, 2012 at 10:56 AM (#4112919)

Really wish Hawk got to call the game though

Wait...Hawk didn't call the game?? Thank God almighty, I can actually watch the replay. Seriously, the first thing I thought was "I have to listen to Hawk Harrelson ejaculate over another White Sox perfect game?"....." YES! YES!YESSSSSSYES!YES!"

38. stanmvp48 Posted: April 22, 2012 at 11:44 AM (#4112946)

From what i can see it is too close to argue either way; my objection is to Fox not showing it.
I may the only person alive who remembers the following incident and who carries a grudge this long:

In 1998 Mickey Morandini was called out stealing in the top of the 10th against the Braves. It appeared to me at the time that the fielder had missed the tag. Since it was the last out of the inning, I assumed that the network (Fox, I think) would come back after the commercials and show every available replay. Instead, they showed a wide angle focusing on the catcher and then showed the original replay. Then the announcer (Kaat, I think) said that they had watched all the replays and it was unclear whether he had missed the tag or not, so they weren't going to show them. I assumed at the time that the ump had blown the call and they were told not to show it. As I say, I can really carry a grudge and i am sure nobody else remembers this.

39. base ball chick Posted: April 22, 2012 at 12:40 PM (#4112981)

the blackout rules are simple - whatever makes the most money for the owners. once they sell the games to tv.cable/RSN, they get X money/year whether or not people watch. so the number of people going to the actual game doesn't matter, just tickets sold, and the number of fans who are not able to watch their own team in their own city/blackout area because the game is not on the designated cable channel are not important.

i guess i am not capable of understanding how any team makes more money by blacking out games in areas which do not have ANY covereage of the game, therefore decreasing fans and fan interest, but, hey, that is why buddy boy and the billionaires have all the $$$ and why i worry about paying the gas.

40. Tom Nawrocki Posted: April 22, 2012 at 12:46 PM (#4112984)

The final out of the Humber game was shown on MLB.com as a live look-in. I guess it might not have been actually 100 percent live, but it was certainly during the Fox 4 pm to 7 pm window.

41. Esoteric Posted: April 22, 2012 at 01:34 PM (#4113018)

Phil Humber tosses the 21st perfect game in Major League Baseball history: 41 comments.

Red Sox give up a big lead to the Yankees in April: 90 comments and counting.

42. Greg K Posted: April 22, 2012 at 01:55 PM (#4113037)

Even odder, Phil Humber tosses 21st perfect game in MLB history, ending on a semi-controversial call.

I haven't seen a replay, though I'm told replays vindicate the ump, which I really want to believe. I did think it weird that the ump didn't ask the 1B ump.

43. Cowboy Popup Posted: April 22, 2012 at 02:00 PM (#4113040)

I haven't seen a replay, though I'm told replays vindicate the ump, which I really want to believe. I did think it weird that the ump didn't ask the 1B ump.

Yeah, I also really want the call to be right. It wouldn't be as much fun (for me, I'm sure Humber and Sox fans don't give a hoot) if he got a gift to end the game. Not that a no hitter is something to sneeze at.

Still extremely cool that a guy who bounced around for so long has finally put it together with the White Sox and then accomplishes something like this.

44. Dale Sams Posted: April 22, 2012 at 02:00 PM (#4113042)

Phil Humber tosses the 21st perfect game in Major League Baseball history: 41 comments.

Red Sox give up a big lead to the Yankees in April: 90 comments and counting.

Braves self-destruct as gloriously as the Sox in September, maybe one Cards fan goes {s/ Nelson laugh}.

45. TerpNats Posted: April 22, 2012 at 02:07 PM (#4113048)

Wonder if Humber will be added to that Verlander-Kate Upton commercial, now that he's joined the perfecto club?

46. base ball chick Posted: April 22, 2012 at 02:55 PM (#4113075)

the braves self destructed last september?

what's a - the braves? (googles it - whoa, they are a major league baseball team. i had no idea that teams besides the yankees and red sox even existed in modern times)

anyway, it can't be true because it wasn't on the first 55 minutes of BBTN or sports center - i mean, just before the screaming home runs from the yankees or red sox or ex-yankees/red sox.

of course, i might could have blinked the 22 seconds where they for some reason mention teams other than the yankees or red sox

47. cHiEf iMpaCt oFfiCEr JE

Posted: April 22, 2012 at 03:05 PM (#4113082)

Wonder if Humber will be added to that Verlander-Kate Upton commercial, now that he's joined the perfecto club?

Are you suggesting an upcoming commercial where Verlander pretends to be Humber but mistakenly wears a Mets jersey?

48. Jim Wisinski

Posted: April 22, 2012 at 03:17 PM (#4113099)

Humber's Rice teammate Jeff Niemann pitched 4.2 innings of no-hit ball today, I was starting to wonder if we might be able to get a really cool back-to-back situation.

49. Lassus Posted: April 22, 2012 at 03:32 PM (#4113122)

Humber's Rice teammate Jeff Niemann pitched 4.2 innings of no-hit ball today, I was starting to wonder if we might be able to get a really cool back-to-back situation.

During his 15th consecutive perfect inning, Beuhrle was visibly chuckling in disbelief on the mound. (Sadly, broken up in the following inning.)

50. Gotham Dave Posted: April 22, 2012 at 03:58 PM (#4113146)

Phil Humber tosses the 21st perfect game in Major League Baseball history: 41 comments.

Red Sox give up a big lead to the Yankees in April: 90 comments and counting.

Yeah, but where's the negative spin in this one? The other thread isn't full of people saying, "Gee whiz, that Swisher sure had a good game," it's full of Red Sox fans self-immolating. There aren't many Seattle fans here to self-immolate and like they didn't already know everything they needed to know about their lineup. Nobody wants to talk about good things!

51. TerpNats Posted: April 22, 2012 at 04:09 PM (#4113160)

Are you suggesting an upcoming commercial where Verlander pretends to be Humber but mistakenly wears a Mets jersey?

Verlander pretending to be Randy Johnson? Perfectly logical.

Verlander pretending to be Philip Humber? As Rich Ashburn would have said, "Hard to believe, Harry, I find that hard to believe."

52. Swedish Chef Posted: April 22, 2012 at 04:18 PM (#4113169)

Verlander pretending to be Philip Humber? As Rich Ashburn would have said, "Hard to believe, Harry, I find that hard to believe."

Which would make it even funnier.

53. Slivers of Maranville descends into chaos (SdeB) Posted: April 22, 2012 at 04:20 PM (#4113173)

what's a - the braves? (googles it - whoa, they are a major league baseball team.

Yeah, they used to be in Boston. Not sure what happened to them after that.

54. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: April 22, 2012 at 04:29 PM (#4113179)

Phil Humber tosses the 21st perfect game in Major League Baseball history: 41 comments.

Red Sox give up a big lead to the Yankees in April: 90 comments and counting.

I doubt a bullpen has given up 14 runs in two innings to blow a 9-1 lead in the 7th much more than 21 times either.

55. Monty Posted: April 22, 2012 at 04:45 PM (#4113193)

Yeah, but where's the negative spin in this one? The other thread isn't full of people saying, "Gee whiz, that Swisher sure had a good game," it's full of Red Sox fans self-immolating. There aren't many Seattle fans here to self-immolate and like they didn't already know everything they needed to know about their lineup. Nobody wants to talk about good things!

Exactly. The Red Sox thread has a lot of things people can say. There are Red Sox fans giving up on the season; there are Red Sox fans talking themselves into patience. There are people blaming Bobby Valentine; there are people saying it isn't his fault. There are Yankee fans gloating. Lots of stuff.

Here, there's not much to say. Well pitched, Humber. Mariners fans aren't panicking because this is pretty much what you expect from this season.

56. Bob Evans Posted: April 22, 2012 at 04:53 PM (#4113208)

Yeah, they used to be in Boston. Not sure what happened to them after that.

You could ask ex-Yankee Lew Burdette.

57. Crispix Attacksel Rios Posted: April 22, 2012 at 05:01 PM (#4113217)

White Sox perfect games are old hat. This one didn't even have Dewayne Wise making a Maysesque catch to preserve it.

58. Karl from NY Posted: April 22, 2012 at 08:12 PM (#4113330)

Just in case this needs an answer:

i guess i am not capable of understanding how any team makes more money by blacking out games in areas which do not have ANY covereage of the game, therefore decreasing fans and fan interest

The idea is that whatever cable provider does serve the blackout area will feel incentive and pressure to add the team's cable channel, so that the team/RSN can add a whole provider's worth of more subscriber fees that way.

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ESPN: White Sox righty Humber tosses perfect game

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