It has almost gotten to a point where “The Year of The Pitcher” has turned into some kind of untold Greek myth, where steroid-crushing hitting gods have been unceremoniously usurped of their thrones by the rival pitching gods. But there are actual classical myths that would resonate with a higher degree of validity to the casual baseball observer who is completely unaware of the pitching dominance that has occurred in 2010. And even if you buy the notion that all major leaguers are off the juice, the out-of-this-world pitching that has been going around as of late makes Zeus’ overtaking of the Titans seem elementary.
The latest to have his name immortalized in the baseball record books––Matt Garza. The right-hander became the first pitcher in Tampa Bay Rays history and the fifth pitcher in the major leagues this season to throw a no-hitter in the Rays 5-0 victory over the Detroit Tigers. In a game where neither team generated very much offense, Garza struck out six and faced the minimum 27 batters, allowing only a second-inning walk that otherwise would have given him a perfect game.
The last time there were at least five no-hitters in a season was back in 1991. For 2010, Garza joins Dallas Braden, Roy Halladay, Ubaldo Jimenez and Edwin Jackson as the fifth major leaguer to throw a no-no this year. And don’t forget about Armando Galarraga’s jam job that cost him a perfect game and would have made six no-hitters in 2010.
It’s no secret that watching guys bust the guts out of baseballs is way more entertaining than watching a scoreless, hitless game. But if this really is The Year of The Pitcher, it would be extraordinary to see the name live up to the hype and have 2010 break the record of 8 (uncombined) no-hitters that were thrown in 1884.
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