Friday Baseball Post

I do remember the previous Giants no-hitters before Sanchez last year, but that one was a nice treat.  For my (fantasy league) Blue Sox, however, I didn't have a single no-hitter from my first roto year in 1988 until Verlander got one for me a while ago.  Now, I have two, with Dallas Braden's perfecto.  Not bad!

Odd that half of my Blue Sox no-nos are perfect games...or, apparently, not.  Turns out that the ratio of perfect games to regular no-hitters has gone way up recently, although no-hitters as a whole are less frequent than they used to be.

Why?  Here's my guess -- pitches, and pitch counts.  As K/9 has gone way, way, up over time, so has pitches per inning.  That's one of the reasons that there are a lot fewer complete games.  Fewer complete games, fewer no hitters.  But if you're also not walking anyone, then your pitch count stays nice and low, and you can finish it.  Hmmm...I know lots of pitchers have been pulled with a no-hitter intact, but how often does a pitcher leave when he's perfect? 

So my guess is that pitchers have no-hit stuff more often now (why?  I don't know), but usually run out of gas -- except when they're perfect, they don't run out of gas.  I guess what I'd wonder about is the, say, 5th inning data.  Compared to years past, how often do pitchers take a no-hitter/perfect game through five?  That's where I'd start my study, if I was to do one.

As it is, I'll just enjoy the perfecto.  Congrats, Dallas Braden, and thanks for bringing honor and glory to the Blue Sox.