Mets fans waited 50 years for Johan Santana to throw the first no-hitter in the team’s history.
But was it all a hoax?
Sure, Santana pitched the game of his life, capped by a devastating change-up that promoted an “It has happened!” from Gary Cohen. But what people undersell is the fact that Carlos Beltran, who now plays for the Cardinals, hit a screaming liner down the line that eluded David Wright and landed in fair territory.
Fortunately for Santana, the umpire didn’t see it that way.
The play was called foul, and well, the rest is history. Does this negate the performance by Santana? No. Should the no-hitter be stricken from the record?
No chance in hell.
Think the opposite situation. Armando Galaragga was the pitcher for Detroit. He was closing in on a perfect game, an even rarer one than Santana accomplished. A ground ball was hit by Jason Donald, and it looked like he had a fair chance to beat it out. The throw clearly beat him by a half step, but for whatever reason, James Joyce called him safe.
It was a mistake. It happens.
Human error is just a much a part of baseball as any other thing. There are plenty of errors. Whether it’s by the umpires or players, it shouldn’t matter. The bottom line? It’s part of the game.
What do you think? Should Johan Santana’s no-hitter have counted? Tell us in the comments section below.
3 Comments