All We Do Is Throw No Hitters
Without question, the best thing about The Flap is the way it connects Giants fans around the world. As the no hitter was unfolding, and I was avoiding the blog for stupid jinx reasons that I don’t believe in anyway, I wondered if there were any Flappers in attendance. I thought I’d remembered MacDog was going, wondered if PK and DJ went as well. I always assume BuzzSaw is there.
Anyway, turns out but one lone wolf Flapper made it to the game. Considering we’re 2,906.7 miles away from New York, one ain’t bad….MacDog, take it away…..
Sorry I’m late with this. I gotta say, when Craw made that play to end the 8th and then Heston got those three punch-outs in the 9th to finish it off, I was as excited as I’ve ever been at any sporting event, and I’ve been to just about everything, except the Super Bowl, as far as team sports go. I’m still stunned — Chris Heston!!!, not someone like MadBum or Timmy. Ok, so that wasn’t exactly the ’27 Yanks he faced, and the Mets certainly helped with all those bats left on their shoulders. But what an amazing game: That homegrown infield making every play look easy, Heston putting it where Buster wanted it just about every time, and then throwing that hook of his to finish ’em off. And to be surrounded by Giants fans (yes, there were many) as it all unfolded. I’m just so very grateful to be a fan of this team and get a chance to experience in person one of the many special moments they’ve given us over the last five years.
This was my third no-hitter. The first two were against the Giants: Terry Mulholland in ’90 and Kevin Millwood in ’03, both at the Vet, the only no-hitters ever thrown there. So maybe I was owed one.
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Great report, MacDog!
I was fortunate to be at a no-hitter in ’75, the Halicki one, (against the Mets also.) Second game of a doubleheader, after the Giants had suffered a beat-down in Game One, with Kingman hitting two homeruns for the Mets, one of them a grand slam. I was 14 years old, and too young to fully appreciate what a rare thing the no-hitter was. I can remember how excited my friend’s dad was, who had taken us to the game. His dad passed away several years ago, and I sent my friend an email, and the main thing I talked about in the email was how cool it was that his dad had taken us to the games that day.
You just never know for sure what’s going to happen at a sporting event; it’s one of the great things about sports. I was at a Giants game the other day where the Giants lost 8-0. I did not see that coming. 🙂
That is an awesome report, MacDog. I was thinking about you and the other right coast Flappers during the game, and like Flav, ignoring the Flap. I was sitting at a local pub watching the game from about the 5th inning, and around the 6th or 7th I started really thinking…Heston very well may throw a no-no. There were other Giants fans there, and not a one said anything about a no-no. After the bottom of the 8th, my to-go pizza was ready and as I headed out, a guy said “three more outs…and the Giants win the game.” We both knew to what he alluded.
And to punch-out the side to finish the game. Wow. Anyway…so happy for you that you were there to take it all in Mac. That is so fucking cool.
And I agree with Craig. The coolest thing about the Flap is how it connects fans from around the world. Flap Universe, baby!
Mac mentions one point about the Giants that is overlooked a bit IMO, and that is the home-grown infield. There were a couple of plays last night where I went “wow, this Duffy kid is really looking good at 3rd.” I think we have our 3rd sacker for the forseeable future, Flappers.
Living the dream as a Giants fan…life is good!
(to the theme tune of ‘Rawhide’) : Basking, basking, basking. Giants fans are basking. Strike em out, throw em out, set em down. Basking.
Thanx for the eyewitness, MacD. What an experience. What a team.
Good stuff, Mac! Of all he hundreds of games I’ve gone to I’ve yet to see a no no. My poor daughter traded out of going to Cainer’s no no. Ya just never know when they will pop up.
Saw Scotty Garrelts throw one hitter back in the day, and saw Jason Schmidt throw a 2 hitter and k 17 but no no no’s.
Wow, nice Mac.
Um do us all a favor and keep your schedule open in October, OK?
I’ve never seen a no hitter live, Mac has been to three. That is pure AWEsome.
Kruk on KNBR this morning giving the lion’s share of credit for the no hitter to Posey. lol. Interesting fact: Posey has caught 3 no hitters, Varitek is the only one who’s caught 4.
Great report Mac!
I’ve said it before on here, but I was at the Jerry Reuss no-hitter at Candlestick. I was with my dad, his lawyer-friend and his son. We sat in their box seats right behind the visiting dugout. My dad (not a huge sports fan) and an old-fashioned guy, insisted it was appropriate we get dressed up for the game since we were sitting in the “box seats.” I think he thought everyone in the boxes would be dressed up like it was Connie Mack stadium in 1955. So I that there in polyester slacks and a corduroy sportcoat feeling like a jerk while the lawyer’s kid (and everyone else) was wearing jeans and a sweathshirt—while watching a Dodger no-hit my Giants.
Amazes me that the Pads have never had a no-hitter in their existence and I’m at the point with the Giants where a no-hitter isn’t that huge of a deal. Think if Petit would have got that perfect game–we’d have 4 guys on the staff who have thrown no hitters and Dirty Sanchez not long ago either.
This is hilarious Peter . . . I’ve read it twice and am still laughing. Great stuff! 🙂
Yeah, I can just picture San-Diggity pimping in his polyester and corduroy…lqtm…
Macdog, thanks. Man, you can’t beat the atmosphere of being there. You nailed it. Your post is one that Howie Rose should put in the books. Since he won’t, we will.
I texted my 18yo daughter last night that this is about the best time in history to be a Giants fan. #hardwon
Heston proven he can be a top of the rotation guy when he’s on. Key with his fastball topping out at 91 is command.
Sure like his makeup; not a guy who gets bothered out there and his very cool understated reaction to the no no says a lot about him.
He fits in so well with the other yungins Duffy Panik…maybe not the most gifted but no one will out work them or let success mess with their head. Gotta like these “kids”!
-Funny Posey gets much of the credit when a guy is lights out, but little of the blame when he gets bombed.
I tip my hat to you for finding a way to still get in a dig at Posey the day after he catches his 3rd no hitter!
I will never understand why Flappers hate on Buster!
Agreed on the hating on Buster, San…I do not get it.
You shouldn’t read it as a dig. It was just a off the cuff response to Kruk’s saying he deserved a lot of credit for the no no. For the record, I have no prob with Buster and the credit he deserves.
I may have to bust out my “You Gotta Like These Kids” button from back when Clark and Thompson first came up with the big club.
I keep wondering what the rest of the casual baseball fans around the country must be thinking about our pitching. “Heston? Who the fuck is THAT? Where do the Giants get all this pitching!?!!?!??!” lqtm
Another little note about the game. Had there not been a no-hitter, I would’ve titled my game report “Thor Losers.” I think it was right before Heston’s 2-run single, after yet another infield hit, that my Mets fan buddy became absolutely infuriated with all the “cheap” hits the Giants were getting. So when the inning was over, I shot back: Hey, the Giants been have through the lineup twice now and have ZERO strikeouts. Heston has faced nine batters and has, what, 4-5 Ks? (It was 5). The point being, try putting the damn ball in play and maybe your team can get some cheap hits.
Of course, there was nothing cheap about those bombs by Duffy and Panik, hahaha.
surprised to find out that Heston was the first P to finish a no hitter with straight k’s. Guaranteed this will be the only time a P finishes one with 3 K’s with 3 hitters watching all 3rd strikes get called while they sit passively watching them go by.
Hr totals td
Infielders 38
OF…9
Pitchers 1
OFers, especially of the power hitting type, are SO overrated. Ask snarkk. 😉
Keep the conga line moving…a hit is a hit is a hit…
Regarding Posey, he’s central to how the rest of the nation sees the “3 in 5” era Giants. I have a friend who lives in NY City, who pretty much believes the Giants are Posey and some other guys winning championships in amazing and inexplicable ways. Posey is “the guy” to the fans of other teams, when they think of the Giants. He’s LeBron, pulling the Giants to victory. It’s a huge over-simplification of what’s happened, but the American public generally likes to put things in simple descriptions.
Put me down, zummie I love to keep it simple. In fact, I am capable of little more. Giants good, doggers bad. Go Gigantes.
and speaking of our unusual home grown group, I am working on the idea that our man Sabean with his move away from hands on GM job that he is focused on the bigger picture. The team has set the bar pretty high for future seasons and he knows the organization is doing fine for the short term so he is doing the work of making it happen into the future?
It has never been all about Sabes, while sure, he had the ultimate responsibility on calling the shots, but Sabes has always been surrounded by a deep scouting group, and you have Tidrow, Evans (now the GM), and John Barr all with consideral input, I am sure. It would be fun to know exactly what Sabes will be doing in his new capacity.
Poaching Barr from Dodgers one of Sabes best decisions. No question he (and his scouts) have considerable input. I believe Barr was scouting Posey while he was still in High School.
Buster in an interview last yr…
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/kawakami/2014/10/09/buster-posey/
“I’m really close with John Barr, our scouting director. I’ve known him since I was 16. I met him at one of those national high school tournaments. It was neat that he ended up drafting me.”
Just watched the condensed game at MLBtv. Posey squared up everything, Panik with smooth power, Dirtbag Duffy doing everything to make McDP an afterthought and Heston with a pitching clinic resulting in a no no.
Humm baby!
I’m going to watch that during lunch it has. To be Giant.
Diggity, where was the Yan Gomes love from yesterday’s thread? And I don’t hate Posey, but I do think he’s vastly overrated. There are at least 12 position players I’d start a team with before Buster. And yes, I pulled 12 out of my ass but if someone challenges me to list off 12 I bet I could do it.
Posey’s value goes beyond the stats, and his stat sheet, especially for a catcher, is good. One of my favorite Posey moments is when the Giants were celebrating at City Hall after winning the championship in 2010. He gave a brief celebration speech, and then smacked the podium with the palm of his hand and said something like “We’re going to work hard to win another one.” It was delivered straight-forward, not as hype, just as a statement. It was very cool.
Heston’s sinker was moving like magic last night, but he got most of his SOs with the curve. The first place mets looked baffled. What a game. The other home-grown new guys were terrific, too.
Meanwyile, Brandon Belt, DL’d last year after getting beaned by a pre-game throw, did himself bean Blanco a couple of days ago between innings. Concussion symptoms for Gregor. Possible DL for Pence. “Thin” would understate the status of the OF bench right now.
xoot brings up a good point about the OF being thin, especially if Pence hits the DL and Blanco cannot go for a while.
So, who would get the call? Perez has the ML level experience, but he is hitting like .230 in Sacto. I would like to see Jarrett Parker get the call. He is only hitting .268, but he has 12 bombs and is 2nd on the Rivercats in RBIs. What the hell…roll the dice, baby…see if we have another kid who may impress.
Is Parker on the 40 man?
Yes, he was…prior to the call-up today.
Actually Koufax struck out the side in 1965 Flavor..
yeah, Adam Rubin tweeted out the info I used and he was wrong.
SanDog, love that story at 8:20am! I can’t blame Mets fans for fuming. Gawd, at least flail at a pitch. Swing, batter batter! Did they think they’d score five runs on HBPs, walks, and wishful thinking? Pussies.
Just got a couple of the NY papers.
Daily News — HOLY MOSES! Heston to Mets: Thou shalt not hit.
NY Post — OH, NO-NO! Giants’ Heston holds anemic Mets hitless.
Then my daughter came home from school and said everybody was talking about the no-no, and that one of her teachers who played at nearby Monmouth U. said he remembered seeing Heston when they played East Carolina. That’s kinda cool.
the radio dudes kept noticing the loud chats that the Finnerty’s crew got going throughout the game–bet there’s a lot to talk about at the bar today.
I wanna know who got the ball. Posey flipped it to him before amorously hugging him and he dropped it. I bet one of the infielders nabbed it.
Belt got it.
I read where Belt picked-up the ball. Belt was also the one who slipped the ball in his back pocket at the end of Cain’s perfecto.
BF… Belt picked up the ball after the only error Heston made all night.He put it in his back pocket and in the clubhouse asked Heston : Hey kid you think you want this baseball for any reason?
Congrats to a good family friend who was just drafted by the Giants in the 22nd round. Domenic Mazza way to go!! I can only imagine how excited his dad Steve must be right now. Little fucker better sign 😉
how cool. I’ve been looking at some of the draft picks to see if there is anyone I recognize from the boys various teams. probably too early for that but kinda interesting.
With a backname like Mazza, to say nothing of Dominic as a front name; all ya gotta do is come on like the Godfather and say “sign kid!”
Dodgers get another bye tonight, with “gas can” Jeremy Hellickson, AKA HellBoy. Righties (Pederson, Kendrick, Guerrero, and Rollins) are salivating as I type this.
LaBumbos are still scared of facing good teams and superior pitchers.
Same line-up to back Hudson…
1. Nori Aoki (L) LF
2. Joe Panik (L) 2B
3. Angel Pagan (S) CF
4. Buster Posey (R) C
5. Brandon Belt (L) 1B
6. Brandon Crawford (L) SS
7. Matt Duffy (R) 3B
8. Justin Maxwell (R) RF
9. Tim Hudson (R) P
Blanco on the 7 day concussion DL. Jarrett Parket called up. See my 10:41…
I heard an interview with Evans recently and he said Heston was often the best pitcher among the starting staff at every level along the way to the majors and the org has always thought highly of him. Well, he was put on waivers at one point so maybe not THAT highly. Pretty amazing journey for Heston.
The Giants kicked Heston off the roster in 2013 to make room for Francoeur. Glad they he hung around. Heston, I mean.
Very lucky that no one claimed him when they did that.
Good call Chi,
Much rather see Parker then Perez..
Go with The Who Song motto :The Kids are right”
The kids are alright!!
Freakin phone!!
Ensign Parker let’s see what you’ve got.
One thing he’s got is a WS ring…
YEEEEEEEAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
Mets announcer is bagging on Granderson . . . Said something to the effect, “Mets rarely get a hit and when they do, they forget what to do with it.” lqtm.
Yer out!!!
Granderson tried to disrespect Aoki’s arm. Hahaha . . .
Granderson runs like Mr. Machine:
GMen lucked out . . . Score should be 3-2.
For those of you who didn’t get to read this about Heston. David Schoenfield, ESPN SweetSpot blogger, grudgingly gives credit to Heston:
http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/59125/chris-heston-is-the-real-deal-for-giants
What a bizarre catch by Pagan.
Hey Blade, you’re not in NY are you? I think you said it was a possibility…
Loo, along with Pawlie and Mac, I really want to meet you . . . I hope it happens bro. Right now, I’m in the process of getting my Jeep road ready, e.g., windshield wipers motor was recently replaced (I was crazy going to Moab without them working – especially over the summit, where it was snowing . . . and raining the rest of the way. LOL); and, just ordered A/T tires, which will be here on Tuesday. In short, the adventure begins next week some time. First stop will be a mentor (friend) and an uncle in Missouri. After that? Dunno . . . but I am definitely looking to meet the East coast Flapper contingent.
Can I get a photo of you? 🙂
You wouldn’t want one. Ask Macdog. But keep us posted – maybe catch a game at Finnerty’s?
I’m hoping to make tomorrow night’s game if any of you lunatics are around…
Blade: Should you ever make it to the Northwoods of Minnesota i’ll show you how to get from a typical little Missouri town to typical eastern Wyoming ranch country in one mile.
Absolutely. I have never been to any of the East coast parks, so I’m down with going to any of them.
Huh? Stix, send me an email. I’m intrigued.
Damn, Blade. Your e.m. addy is stuck in my old i-mac which hasn’t been booted up in a year and a half. You may have to re-up me on that one.
blade3colorado@yahoo.com
While traveling east, if ya get to DC on 7/3 or 7/4 for the games against the Nats, let me know. I’m going to both of those.
John, absolutely . . . Apologize for leaving you off the list of Flappers to see – there is a good chance I’ll continue down to the Carolinas, as I know a gal near Charleston.
“I got your note in Charleston, said you needed my assistance but when I got there, you didn’t need me then. I may not be a wise man, but I know this life your leading. You learned your tricks from lots of other men….”
Huh?
It’s the lyrics to an old Byrds song called Tulsa County.
Ahh! OK, grin . . .
That Giants offense is relentless. Harvey just got Bustered and Belted.
Give me another Belt!!!
Drinks are on me!!
Brandon Belt’s drinking a Harvey over the wall banger!!
Maxwell drops the silver hammer.
Do you fuckin’ believe this?
Relentless road warriors.
I do believe, Loo. Yes sir, I fuckin’ believe this.
Man I don’t see all the hoopla of this Mets team. So far we’ve rocked both Sydergaard& Harvey bars in their crib.
Giants are gonna sweep this team, I guarantee it!
Jon Miller points out that Giants homer total exceeded Harvey’s strikeout total.
Can you fuckin’ believe that?
Baseball protection caps have hit a all-time low with this hideous cap worn by this pitcher Torres.
Thank god no Giants pitcher is dumb enough to try one out..
He looks like he’s going deer hunting…
Pagan hasn’t homered in about 530 PA’s…
What??? Graphic on Met telecast says Affeldt has 22 consecutive scoreless post season appearances.
I know he’s been great, but that is hard to fathom…
Panik has to be an All Star… Highest OPS among 2b.
No doubt. Aoki, Posey, Crawford and Bum, too.
I had hopes for Pagan and Casilla, but doubt it now…
Almost wrote a comment to the Denver Post regarding their plug for DJ LeMahieu. No problem with him being pushed for a place on the team, but the column doesn’t mention Panik and more important, thinks the Sherpa should be the starter. Hilarious. Panik’s OWar is better then DJ, and although his defensive war is slightly better then Panik (subjective), Panik has less errors.
http://www.denverpost.com/lunchspecial/ci_28281763/dj-lemahieu-rockies-second-baseman-deserves-be-an-all-star
Attendance on a perfect weather night with Harvey pitching for 1st place Mets vs. World Champs: 24,436
and half of that were Finnerty drunks
Carstie, got your email and sent you a response.
Come on Romo, quit fucking around.
Is there anything that Panik can’t do? Man, I love this team.
Panik’s winning a battle title maybe more before his career’s over. Dude can flat out rake, has a great eye working counts, frustrates the hell out of pitchers, just like Wade Boggs use too.
I have a great politically incorrect description of Aoki.
Sure miss the good old days when people could joke around…
email me
It’s too obvious to be funny. Just fits so well…
I got blacked out on TV but caught some on audio feed and then from Mets guys while driving. These boys are raking! Take that, Metropolitans! By the way, Macdog, I like the News hed better than the Post’s, for once.
Prudential runs! Or All-State.
With his 4 for 5 tonight Aoki is batting .333 and currently is at least in fifth if not 4th place in the NL batting race. Dee Gordon is still around .380. Miami’s gain is the LaBumbos loss.
No hit ya, or out hit ya. How do you want to play this?
Sweet! Well played, Clown.
LOL!
Put it in the fecking books. Giants win. Giants win. Giants win. I’ll say it again. Casilla underrated. Ice in those veins. workmanlike meister.
Start spreading the news, the Giants are in town, they want to be apart of it, kicking the Mets behind..
Any other chump pitchers you want to throw at us? Bring em on!!!
Matt Who? That’s what I think I’ll text my Mets friends and relatives.
Happy Harvey Day!
Mets have a pretty good post game show. Drilling Harvey and the team in general . . . Many kudos to the Giants about how they keep the offensive pressure on constantly, e.g., working counts and keeping the conga line moving.
Seems like road trips, esp. in bandboxes, really wake up our bats.
Road Warriors!
Harvey last 4 starts graphic they just showed:
1-3 record last 4 starts
7.20 ERA
8 HRs (7 all of 2013 . . . he was injured in 2014).
Another wunderkind bites the dust against the Giants.
Collins being asked about the Giants . . . Very effusive in his praise of our team.
yeah, he was yesterday, too, and ESPN or somebody was the other day praising the giants as being in a good spot. It seems commentators are finally waking up to the 3 in 5 facts of the matter.
“3 in 5 facts of the matter”
I love it! T-shirts can’t be far behind, eh?
Collins strikes me as earnest, loyal to his players, sincere, but not half the strategic manager of our guy, nor half as articulate. But a decent-enough and likeable guy, by all measures (not that any measures are really available to us).
The Giants are maintaining this offensive roll like they’ve been doing it for years. They’re in the top 5 of NL clubs in at bats, hits, doubles, triples, total bases, avg, OBP, slugging % and OPS. They lead in hits and total bases. The only categories they are dragging in are HR’s, runs and RBI’s, but they’ve been climbing the ladder in those categories for a while now. Lately they’ve been hitting so many dingers it feels like they should be right at the top.
These guys are tearing the cover off the ball up and down the lineup. Aoki (.333!) and Panik are on fire, Posey is Steady Eddie, Belt has done a complete reversal from his early season woes, Pagan, Craw and Duffy all getting it done.
To top it off, they just got done slapping around one of the best young pitchers in the NL. Holy shit! GO GIANTS! Maybe some of their juju will rub off on the hapless Warriors!
Juju. My friend Hart Seely wrote “The Juju Rules,” a very funny and rewarding baseball book.
I’ll have to look that one up. I’m always down for a good baseball book.
We need Goldilocks to hit a grand slam or two tonight. C’mon!
Friggin’ Snakes, that still might not be enough.
So, no Flappers there tonight? Unless we extend honorary membership to Dieter of Finnerty’s?
Giants have 48 HRs thus far this season. I predicted 118 ONLY for the starting 8. Here’s the link if you want to check your totals (by the by, Bozo and Pawlie were the uber pollys, albeit, they had totals for the whole team).
https://oneflapdown77.com/2015/04/02/guessing-the-starting-8-hr-total/
Met-related trivia question: Who is the only player to have at least 500 hits with 4 different teams?
Carter?
or Staub???
Staub it is! Very nice.
I’ll share one more Fun Fact about Le Grand Orange that I just read tonight. He is one of only 3 players to homer in his teens and after turning 40. The others are Gary Sheffield and a guy by the name of Ty Cobb.
Any other team besides the Mets, no way I guess that. History only goes back to the early 60s, so much easier to figure out.
That fat faggot tried hitting on my date while we were eating in his rib joint around 1981…
Just wanted to add my own fun fact…
I was in the elevator with him going to the Diamond Club or whatever it was called, in the same era. Is his rib joint still around? How ’bout your girlfriend, she still around?
Fun Facts by Loo. I see a book in you.
Something happened to Nicasio in the Dodger game. He left with an injury of some kind.
Saw the Maxwell dinger on highlights. When that dude turns on one, it goes a long way. Belt 2 for 5 with the oppo dinger — he’s swinging well when that happens to the oppo field…
Here’s how the D-Backs play baseball:
No shit. What did I say about “Hellboy”? Five runs allowed in 3.2 innings. Ugh.
Lulz