Congratulations to Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Josh Beckett for throwing his first career no-hitter in 324 career starts. Beckett struck out Chase Utley of the Philadelphia Phillies to end the game and complete the task. Beckett’s line for the game reads 9.0 innings, 0 ER, 0 H, 3 BB, and 6 K. He lowered his season ERA to 2.43 and raised his record to 3-1.
Dodgers owner Earvin “Magic” Johnson was among the first to congratulate him via Twitter.
Josh Beckett‘s No-Hitter led the @Dodgers to a 6-0 win over the Phillies! He has been great all season long!
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) May 25, 2014
MLB Network got in on the congratulations as well:
Congratulations to @Dodgers pitcher Josh Beckett on throwing the first no-hitter of the 2014 season! pic.twitter.com/YWHOyEXA6H — MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) May 25, 2014
Sports Net Live’s Dodgers play-by-play man Charlie Steiner reminded us right after the final out that this is the 11th Los Angeles Dodgers no-hitter and 21st in franchise history dating back to the Brooklyn Dodgers. It was the first no-hitter for the Dodgers since Hideo Nomo threw his first one in 1996 — in Coors Field of all places! Nomo threw a second no-hitter in Fenway Park while with the Boston Red Sox in 2001. Both came in very hitter-friendly parks!
The unbreakable record
Naturally, every time a pitcher throws a no-hitter, the discussion of a former Old-School All-Star pitcher named Johnny Vander Meer resumes. Vander Meer holds the record for throwing no hitters in two straight starts in 1938. On June 11 of that year, Vander Meer — then of the Cincinnati Reds, defeated the Boston Bees (Braves’ temporary name) 3-0 with his first no-hitter. He then threw another no-hitter just four days later on June 15. This time, he no-hit the Brooklyn Dodgers and won 6-0.
Many pitchers have thrown no-hitters and even perfect games before and since Vander Meer’s feat. However, no one will ever break this record. No one thought Babe Ruth‘s single-season and all-time home run records would ever fall, but they did. It is highly unlikely that anyone will surpass Joe DiMaggio‘s 56-game hitting streak. It is inconceivable that anyone breaks Rickey Henderson‘s stolen base record of 1,406 or Nolan Ryan‘s seven career no-hitters and 5,714 strikeouts. Those last four records may all stand forever, but the very remote possibility of their falling will exist as long as baseball does.
However, think about it. To break Vander Meer’s record, a pitcher has to throw three straight no-hitters — three straight! With the specialization of the rotations and the bullpens plus the highly-regarded pitch counts, pitchers seldom complete three games in an entire season anymore, let alone three in a row. Baseball is not going back to the days of Vander Meer and before him when pitchers almost always finished what they started.
Throw in the fact that breaking this record also means pitching at least 27 straight innings without allowing a hit of any kind — solid line drive, Texas leaguer, bunt hit, gapper, slow-rolling infield single, home run — just name it. No one can have the luck that it takes to throw one no-hitter (and it does take some luck, too) for three straight complete games.
Unless there is a change in the Dodgers’ rotation, Becket’s next start will occur on May 30 when the Dodgers travel to PNC Park to face the Pittsburgh Pirates. All baseball eyes will fixate on him that night. He will most likely not throw a no-hitter to tie Vander Meer’s record; however, if he goes even few innings into the game without allowing a hit, then get the DVR ready — just in case!
PHOTO CREDIT: wapc.mlb.com
