So Close, And Yet No No-No
Congrats to Tim Wakefield for throwing a complete game gem in Oakland today and helping pick up the Sox by their bootstraps with a W, on the heels of the draining Sox extra-innings loss last night. Oh, yeah – and for almost throwing a no-no. You have definitely earned Baseball Boyfriend of the Day honors.
Nick Green gets an honorable mention for the crazy, turnaround catch he made to keep up Wake’s no-hitter bid alive in the sixth — as does the Sox offense, all of whom (save Dustin Pedroia) got a hit today in the win– including JD Drew, with a 3-run homer, Mike Lowell, with a 2-run homer and Big Papi, with an XBH. We’ll overlook that E, Mikey.
And putting on the failhat: NESN, for boldly proclaiming the no-no bid on-air. For a broadcasting crew who made such a huge deal about how delicately they handled the Buchholz and Lester no-hitter bids, that was a painful choice for most of us.
Note to Sox pitchers: if you don’t want your no-no bid broken up in the 8th or 9th innings, make sure it’s against the Orioles or the Royals – and not the A’s.
I was watching the NESN feed the whole time, and I don’t think they made too big of a deal over it.
Then again I’m one of those “don’t care about jinxes” kind of people, so I may not have picked up on it all.
@BenSicard: It’s not that they made too big a deal of it – you’re not even supposed to MENTION it, much less discuss it. Any deal is too big a deal, really.
Today’s game made me fall in love with baseball (and the boys) all over again.
We could also blame MLB.com for advertising it and offering a free view of the game. But mostly, I blame NESN.
Note to Sox pitchers: if you don’t want your no-no bid broken up in the 8th or 9th innings, make sure it’s against the Orioles or the Royals – and not the A’s.
Well, we may be in luck, then! Seriously, though. It was a beautiful game, and Georgie truely looks fantastic catching Wake.
Once I realized what was going on, I refused to move, despite the fact that I was laying uncomfortably on the floor.
My mom is convinced the the second no in no-no stands for something. I tried telling her the phrase just meant no hitter but she doesn’t believe me. Does anyone know where the phase no-no actually came from/when people started using it?
Dammit—it figures the one game in the last five I see is the offensive and pitching gem. Figures. At least I can enjoy it on MLB.tv.
And Wakefield—with a NO-HITTER INTO THE EIGHTH? Words utterly fail me for how strange and improbable a no-hitter would have been. I think it would rank right up there with other major eschatological portents such as the Four Horsemen.
More of this, please!
As I said in the game thread….I couldn’t be happier for Wake, no no or not. And, all that smack I talked about Wake…about how I didn’t think he should be in the majors anymore, etc. I TAKE IT ALL BACK! You pitched a gem…and on a day we needed it the most. We needed to save the bullpen…we needed a win, desperately.
The bats were great. The defense was great. The pitching was fan-freakin-tastic!
GO SOX!!!
@Kara: Same here! I literally did not move for 4 innings straight. I’m a really superstitious person.
I think the Sox are slowly coming back to life. They put up a fight yesterday to go to extra innings and today’s game was just fantastic. Now back to Fenway! Thank goodness.
@Kara: She’s right. “No-no” means no hits, no runs. But you were right, too – it’s just slang for a no-hitter. Per Dickson’s, the first time it was used was in a Sporting News article in 1969.
That’s some weird no-hitter revenge thing going on. First the A’s break up Schill’s in ‘07, then the Sox break up Duchscherer’s in ‘08, now the A’s broke Wake’s today. That’s gotta be some kind of coincidence, at least.
And, it’s not just NESN. The A’s radio people kept saying “no-hitter” repeatedly before it was broken up.
You are so right Texy. I could not believe my ears as Don and Remy seemed determined to sabotage what Wake had happening!
Good for Wakey!! I heart him, bigtime.
He made the late afternoon a tad challenging in the work productivity department but I’ll let that slide.
I didn’t get to see the game (when I say see, I mean gameday) cos it was on at 5am over here – sad.
Also, I am going to ask a completely newbie question, so forgive me in advance – how do I get a picture icon???
@bally: Sign up at gravatar.com
I think of not mentioning it or focusing on it more in terms of not getting our hopes up – but damn, I was hoping. It would have been glorious. But all that aside, what a magnificent performance. How much did we all need that win? And I am so happy for Wake. Not bad for an old guy, huh?
@Twinkie: Yay, thankyou.. I am now avatar-fied
In the future I will keep my unsuperstitious ramblings quiet!
All in all though, I really enjoy games in which Wake really sticks it to a lineup, and with the field giving him offensive and defensive back-up…just made for a really good game today.
@Mac: I should probably add, though, that the A’s radio announcers weren’t saying no-hitter as if they were trying to jinx it; they were just discussing past no-hitters and the word was said often.
@Mac: But isn’t it sort of the duty of the opponent’s announcers to talk up no-hitters and use the N-word as much as possible in an effort to break it up?
A No-No would have been awesome, but I’m just happy that pitching and hitting were present. Maybe this isn’t Bizarro World after all.
@Katherine: Agreed. At this point we’re taking anything we can get… there will be time for no-nos.
@marisa: WHHHHHHAAAA there was a free view? I SO would have woken myself up at 5am for that.
@lone1c: Yeah, well, these are also the same announcers who kept saying “no-hitter” when Cahill, a pitcher for their team, was throwing one up until the 6th.
Fabulous!! I love seeing those with the 1960’s birth dates still kickin’ ass. Thanks, Wake, for boosting the spirit of a devoted ‘Nation’. Lets keep the hitting going at Fenway.
For those of us who didn’t get to see the game: it’s being replayed on NESN at 10:30 ET.
@fc: awesome! I hope it’s not blocked. I’m turning the Giants/Dodgers game on now.
Texy, you’re right–*never* mention a no-no. DO & Remy were so careful in Lester’s game.
I sure wish I could’ve been at the game! I couldn’t even follow it because of a two-and-a-half hour meeting from hell.
Thank you, Wake, for an awesome, complete, W!
@bally: aw yeah, I noticed it at the end of the 6th, I think it was. It wasn’t the whole game, if that eases your pain at all.
I don’t know who in their right minds would speak the words “no-no.” I texted my mom when I saw how well the game was going, but all I said was “I’m not gonna say too much, but Wake is just what we needed.” Uttering those words breaks the cardinal rule.
If I do remember correctly, NESN handled Lester’s no hitter terribly. They kept talking about Buccholz and were even showing highlights!
What I saw after I got home from work, was them showing the line and saying “he has given up no hits thus far.” I didn’t hear them actually say no-hitter. Did they??
PS I think I jinxed it because I came home and only got to watch the 8th :(