By JIMMY D / No hitters are for losers - so says Jimmy | Jimmy's archive

No-hitters are for losers.

Not sure why everyone gets so hyped about the damn things. Plenty of greats never threw one and plenty of scrapes – Jose Jimenez, Tommy Greene, Chris Bosio, Juan Nieves to name a few – have managed to fluke one out.

Hell, Hideo Nomo, Bob Forsch and Kent Mercker each chucked two! (Didn’t think you were gonna read Bob Forsch’s name today, did ya now?)

Jimmy’s most vivid no-hitter memories are the ones that got away.

Back in 1988, Dave Stieb lost no-hitters in consecutive starts – both with two outs in the ninth and both with two strikes. It was funny stuff watching him angrily stalk around the mound, spitting and cussing and adjusting his jockstrap like a bunch of hornets just flew in there.

For good measure, he lost a perfect game the next season in the same gut-gnawing fashion and he got just as mad before finally getting one in 1990.

He wasn’t as big a no-hitter loser as Andy Hawkins, who back on Canada Day 1990 was a double loser. First, he was credited with a no-hitter even after the Yankees committed three errors in the eighth inning and he lost the game 4-0.
Worse, because he was pitching on the road (at Comiskey Park), he only pitched eight innings and his no-hitter was stricken from the record book years later.

Ah, fun stuff.

So when Minnesota’s Scott Baker took a perfect game into the ninth Friday, Jimmy didn’t really care. In fact, he was sorta cheering for a Royal rally in the ninth, selfishly hoping Joe Nathan (one of Jimmy’s closers) would get a save opportunity.

He lost it with one out, but the next night – pitching in Tim Wakefield’s spot (Jimmy was annoyed because Wakefield is on Jimmy’s roster) – rookie Clay Buchholz threw a nine-strikeout no-no against Baltimore.

All it really meant to Jimmy was that Oriole Miguel Tejada was 0-3 on the night. What it should mean for anyone still in contention in their fantasy baseball league is to try to scoop up both these guys.

Buchholz made it look easy, winning in his second career start (not as clever as Bobo Holloman, who did it in his first start back in May 1953 for the St. Louis Browns). And he should get lots of chances down the stretch for Boston. And Baker has thrown into the seventh inning in nine of 10 starts and boasts the dirty sinker and mid-90 heater to get folks out.

Pedro no-no?

Pedro Martinez - perfect example of a Hall-of-Famer-to-be who never got a no-hitter, although his less-talented brother Ramon did.

Pedro was slated to pitch Monday in his first action of the season after rehabbing his wrecked shoulder. If you have been hawk-eyeing the news reports waiting to pounce, the time is now. But will grabbing Pedro for September help or hinder your chances?

He has been erratic in his rehab starts and hasn’t even been cracking 90 mph of late. Is the cagey veteran just messing with us or can he still get hitters out?
He is risky for sure – one wrong move and his shoulder pops again and if he can’t get strikeouts, does he even deserve to bump one of your current starters?

NFL is a go-go

So how did everyone’s NFL drafts go?
Jimmy’s usual league mates, probably tired of seeing Jimmy dominant their sorry butts season after season, didn’t even extend an invitation this year. Oh well. We’ll hook up with one of the greenhorn poolies and help him co-manage his team to the title.

That’s the double-edged sword when it comes to being a fantasy expert – people get tired of staring up at you in the standings.

Check all the cut lists announced on the weekend to ensure none of your players are on them. If they are, size up the likely fantasy impact.

In New England, Rodney Harrison is suspended four weeks, so this may slow the Pats defense a bit. In Jacksonville, Byron Leftwich is out and David Garrard is in at QB, but beware rash decisions here: Garrard is no stud and the Jags are a running team.

And with a half dozen teams starting the season with crap QBs, there might be a spot that is right for Leftwich soon. Just dump him too quickly unless he was your starter (in which case you have serious problems).

Stay busy, stay lucky.

Email Jimmy at jpoole@herald.ca .