Jon Lester pitches no-hitter

[hoyarooter]

I'm sure that even fans of the loathesome Yankees can agree that this is a great story.

[DanMcQ]

Spectacular - and his first major league complete game.

130 pitches, 86 strikes, 9 Ks, 2 walks. He had a great curve and cutter and was still hitting 95-96 in the 9th.

Great catch in center by Jacoby Ellsbury in the 4th on the only legit chance at a hit by the Royals.

Box Score: boston.stats.com/mlb/boxscore.asp?gamecode=280519102

First Sox lefty no-hitter since Mel Parnell 7/14/56.

AP story: boston.stats.com/mlb/recap.asp?g=280519102

Varitek becomes the first major league catcher to catch 4 no-hitters.

[hoyaLS05]

Hideo Nomo, Derek Lowe, Clay and Lester?

[DanMcQ]

May 19, 2008 21:10:43 GMT -5 hoyaLS05 said:

Hideo Nomo, Derek Lowe, Clay and Lester?

Correct. Yogi Berra is second with 3.

[Deleted]

SOMEONE THREW A NO-HITTER!!!! PRAISE JESUS!!!

PRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAISE HIM!!!!

[Nevada Hoya]

Jon Lester is my hero!!!

[SDHoya]

It Editedes me off every time a no hitter happens, because it is a continuing reminder that no Padre has ever done it. I have been to three one hitters, Andy Benes, Sterling Hitchcock and Chris Young coming agonizingly close. Young's no-no was into the 9th. Teams seem to have no problem getting them against us, but even though we have produced a few Cy Youngs, we have never tasted the sweet nectar of a no-hitter.

But Boston, who has fans who constantly whine about how bad their franchise was and how they deserved a World Series, get two World Series and now a no hitter? These people have no idea what real futility is. The Expos/Nationals have never even been to the m#$%^&f@#$ing playoffs, but Bill Buckner lets a ground ball go through his legs and its all "oh how cursed we are".

Sorry, rant over. :-)

[DanMcQ]

SD, I feel your pain, having been a Brewers fan for many years. You may not realize it, but there has been precious little whining in Boston in 4 or so years.

;D

[AvantGuardHoya]

May 19, 2008 21:25:33 GMT -5 DanMcQ said:

May 19, 2008 21:10:43 GMT -5 hoyaLS05 said:

Hideo Nomo, Derek Lowe, Clay and Lester?

Correct. Yogi Berra is second with 3.

Actually, Dan, it turns out that Varitek is now tied for the lead. Seems that one Ray Schalk also had four w-a-a-a-y-y-y back in the day w/the White/Black Sox.

Must be a Sox thing, huh?

[Nevada Hoya]

I saw one of Yogi's no-hitters (WS 1956).

[AustinHoya03]

May 19, 2008 20:50:03 GMT -5 DanMcQ said:

So has the rule on not posting picture files been ditched, or is it temporarily lifted whenver there is yet another "classic moment in Boston sports history?"

Congratulations to Jon Lester. You will be annointed as a king in Boston now that you have completed a no-hitter, the feat recently accomplished by all-time greats Anibal Sanchez and Mark Buehrle.*

Sorry, I'm cranky today.

*I actually love Mark Buehrle, just pointing out that his MLB success is based on smarts and not natural pitching ability.

[DanMcQ]

Avant: I was posting the info available last night. If he's tied, no big deal. It is evidence of the major role Varitek and Schalk had in the success of their respective pitching staffs.

On edit, you lose on a technicality:

www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2008/05/did_ray_schalk.html

on Sept. 4, 1991, baseball's committee on statistical accuracy, chaired by Fay Vincent, changed its definition of what a no-hitter was. The committee voted 8-0 to define a no-hitter as a game of nine innings or more that ended with no hits.

The definition eliminated 38 shortened no-hitters and 12 games in which a pitcher threw nine no-hit innings, then gave up a hit in extra innings.

That's what happened with one of Schalk's no-hitters. In 1914, Jim Scott of the White Sox had a no-hitter through nine innings, but gave up two hits in the 10th. After '91, that no longer counted as a no-no.

Schalk caught a no-hitter by Joe Benz in 1914, Eddie Cicotte in 1917 and a perfect game (no hits, no walks, no errors, 27 up, 27 down) by Charlie Robertson in 1922.

Austin: a moderator can allow himself a privilege or two for all the crap he has to put up with here.

As much as you and others want to whine about this being "another classic Boston sports history" moment, the Lester story is not about Boston. Just ask others who have had to deal with a diagnosis like his how inspirational this is to them. Frankly, the picture posted is a compelling shot, nothing more.

[HoyaFanNY]

lester had as much of a reaction pitching a no no than jobu does with a k in the 8th inning of a 7-4 game. steroid boy needs to get 24 more gold thongs for the bronx bums.

[fatthew]

May 20, 2008 11:59:21 GMT -5 DanMcQ said:

Avant: I was posting the info available last night. If he's tied, no big deal. It is evidence of the major role Varitek and Schalk had in the success of their respective pitching staffs.

On edit, you lose on a technicality:

www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2008/05/did_ray_schalk.html

on Sept. 4, 1991, baseball's committee on statistical accuracy, chaired by Fay Vincent, changed its definition of what a no-hitter was. The committee voted 8-0 to define a no-hitter as a game of nine innings or more that ended with no hits.

The definition eliminated 38 shortened no-hitters and 12 games in which a pitcher threw nine no-hit innings, then gave up a hit in extra innings.

That's what happened with one of Schalk's no-hitters. In 1914, Jim Scott of the White Sox had a no-hitter through nine innings, but gave up two hits in the 10th. After '91, that no longer counted as a no-no.

Schalk caught a no-hitter by Joe Benz in 1914, Eddie Cicotte in 1917 and a perfect game (no hits, no walks, no errors, 27 up, 27 down) by Charlie Robertson in 1922.

Austin: a moderator can allow himself a privilege or two for all the crap he has to put up with here.

As much as you and others want to whine about this being "another classic Boston sports history" moment, the Lester story is not about Boston. Just ask others who have had to deal with a diagnosis like his how inspirational this is to them. Frankly, the picture posted is a compelling shot, nothing more.

As a Yankee fan, I'm usually disgusted by anything Red Sox, particularly when it involves Varitek. However, as someone who had a close family member suffer through (and beat) Non Hodgkins Lymphoma, I think this is a great story. I'm happy that Lester is healthy and I hope he continues to be successful. Its important for other people who are diagnosed with this disease, and their families, to see that the diagnosis is not a death sentence, and that you can resume a normal life after treatment.

[Boz]

Bah. One guy pitches a no-hitter. Grandstanding at its best.

Now, me? I like that the last time the Orioles pitched a no-hitter, they used four pitchers to do it.

Now THAT is teamwork, baby!

You can have your individual stars, your Jon Lesters, Derek Lowes and so on. They can pitch themselves all the livelong day. But when it comes to the Orioles? That's right, Part...Of...A...Team!

;D

Congrats to Lester.

[SDHoya]

May 20, 2008 11:26:11 GMT -5 DanMcQ said:

SD, I feel your pain, having been a Brewers fan for many years. You may not realize it, but there has been precious little whining in Boston in 4 or so years.

;D

You're probably right, Dan. I think its just that there was so much whining up there prior to that, that its remnants still haven't finished echoing through the halls.

[Nevada Hoya]

May 20, 2008 11:59:21 GMT -5 DanMcQ said:

As much as you and others want to whine about this being "another classic Boston sports history" moment, the Lester story is not about Boston. Just ask others who have had to deal with a diagnosis like his how inspirational this is to them. Frankly, the picture posted is a compelling shot, nothing more.

Yes, I can attest to that.

[EasyEd]

The first major league game I attended was a no-hitter by Rex Barney.

[AustinHoya03]

May 20, 2008 11:59:21 GMT -5 DanMcQ said:

As much as you and others want to whine about this being "another classic Boston sports history" moment, the Lester story is not about Boston. Just ask others who have had to deal with a diagnosis like his how inspirational this is to them. Frankly, the picture posted is a compelling shot, nothing more.

Before you attempt to paint me as the heartless Mr. Pro-Cancer on this board, perhaps you should go back and read your prior posts, which make no reference to Lester's disease. Given your prior posting history on the Pro & College sports board, as well as multiple references to former and current Red Sox who are not named Jon Lester in this thread, it's easy to see how your posts could be interpreted not as inspirational, but as more rah-rah Boston BS. I am waiting for the day you put the BC fight song (For Boston, For Boston...) as your sig.

And just so we're absolutely clear, I think that someone overcoming Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma is an inspirational story, whether that person goes on to pitch a no-hitter or goes on to do anything else in life. I was not attempting to discuss Lester's disease with you in any way.

[DanMcQ]

May 20, 2008 15:23:42 GMT -5 AustinHoya03 said:

May 20, 2008 11:59:21 GMT -5 DanMcQ said:

As much as you and others want to whine about this being "another classic Boston sports history" moment, the Lester story is not about Boston. Just ask others who have had to deal with a diagnosis like his how inspirational this is to them. Frankly, the picture posted is a compelling shot, nothing more.

Before you attempt to paint me as the heartless Mr. Pro-Cancer on this board, perhaps you should go back and read your prior posts, which make no reference to Lester's disease. Given your prior posting history on the Pro & College sports board, as well as multiple references to former and current Red Sox who are not named Jon Lester in this thread, it's easy to see how your posts could be interpreted not as inspirational, but as more rah-rah Boston BS. I am waiting for the day you put the BC fight song (For Boston, For Boston...) as your sig.

And just so we're absolutely clear, I think that someone overcoming Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma is an inspirational story, whether that person goes on to pitch a no-hitter or goes on to do anything else in life. I was not attempting to discuss Lester's disease with you in any way.

As long as we are being clear, the intent of my initial post was not to post (in your words) "rah-rah Boston BS". I would find Lester's accomplishment praiseworthy no matter what uniform he wore. As for proofreading my posts, I think you'd have to be living in a cave to not know the guy had NHL so I didn't include that bit.

Further, if you are such an avid student of my prior posts, you would see that a number of them are downright vitriolic against BC so I have no idea where that slap comes from.

Finally, I was NOT attempting to paint you as "pro-cancer". Apologies if you took it that way, not my intent at all. If you want to discuss further, take it to PM.