Every MLB season, a situation crosses the plate and MLB writers and fans try to square it up and drive it into the cheap seats. This season it seems to be the dropped third strike rule. A few short days ago, the Orioles’ John Means lost out on a perfect game because of this more than a century-old rule. Yes, folks – I’m about to take the hill and tell these whining millennials to get off my grass.
Congratulations on your historic no-hitter, John Means! Your cap and a ball from that game will have a forever home in Cooperstown. Photo: @Orioles pic.twitter.com/eMcTBpOecy — National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) May 8, 2021
It’s in baseball for a reason
Now before you hang a Grandpa Simpson Meme on my Twitter account, after Armando Galarraga lost his bid for a perfect game to the stupidity and blindness of umpire Jim Joyce a decade ago for the Detroit Tigers, I was up in arms and screaming for replay to be added to the menu of MLB. That was a travesty of epic proportions, that thankfully, after my rant, won’t be duplicated. The dropped third on the other hand is an integral part of this game and needs to be protected. Especially in this case.
If you want to come at me and say this rule does not belong in a game played by nine to twelve-year-old’s (no the research department doesn’t need to find this stat for you) in Little League, I’m fine with that. If you want to tell me Pony leaguers transitioning on the 50’-70’ shouldn’t I may argue it (if you buy me a beer) but once you step onto the 90’: all arguments end.
A perfect game is just that – “Perfect.” played not only by the man on the hill but the eight-plus other ballplayers he takes the field with over the course of any game. There is no difference between a passed ball, a wild pitch, a flubbed can of corn, or an ole’d error at third. It’s no longer perfect. And that is what a team, not just a pitcher, has to be to put a single man’s name into the record books as one of just twenty-three hurlers who have accomplished this most prestigious act in baseball.
As always you can follow/give me grief on Twitter @Tmurph207
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#Nohitter #MLB #Orioles #droppedthirdstrike #BaltimoreOrioles #Perfectgame #JohnMeans