Listen, we know it’s tough to catch up on everything happening in the baseball world each morning. There are all kinds of stories, rumors, game coverage, and Vines of dudes getting hit in the beans every day. Trying to find all of it while on your way to work or sitting at your desk just isn’t easy. It’s okay, though, we’re going to do the heavy lifting for you each morning, and find the things you need to see from within the SB Nation baseball network, as well as from elsewhere. Please hold your applause until the end, or at least until after you subscribe to the newsletter.
The Padres almost threw their 1st-ever no-hitter. Almost.
Friday’s Say Hey, Baseball includes the Padres’ attempt at their first no-hitter in 48 years, as well as the disappearance of the left-handed starter.
Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images
* * *
The Padres joined Major League Baseball in 1969. They've played over 7,500 games that counted in the standings since, and not a single one of them has featured San Diego throwing a no-hitter. They got oh so very close on Thursday night against the Mets, though. New York was held hitless into the seventh inning thanks to Colin Rea's strong outing, which would eventually result in eight innings of one-run, three-hit ball and a Padres win. The shift betrayed San Diego in the seventh, as Yoenis Cespedes hit a slow roller to the right side of the infield at the same time most of the Padres' infielders were on the third base side of the diamond. Two more hits came after, so it's unlikely the shift truly ruined this no-no, but after 48 years and 7,500-plus games, it's hard not to think like that.
On the bright side, Rea’s dominance over a Mets lineup that has been doing work this season is a good sign for the Padres, who are using 2016 to rebuild. Over his last five starts, the 25-year-old Rea has a 2.61 ERA and is averaging nearly 6 1/3 innings per outing -- this is the kind of encouraging performance San Diego needs from their young pitchers this year, especially so soon another young arm, Robbie Erlin, was found to need Tommy John surgery.
It’s going to be a long summer for the Padres, but as long as players like Rea progress and they are able to trade some of their key veterans for more pieces of the future by the time the trade deadline rolls around, the 2016 season can still be a success. It would be nice if they could also sprinkle a no-hitter in there somewhat, but a no-hitter, as fun as they can be, is just a piece of trivia. What the Padres need more than no-nos is more performances like this one from Rea and Drew Pomeranz and the rest of the kids.
- Speaking of shifts, this newspaper spelled the word wrong in the most hilarious way possible.
- The Giants lost against the Rockies to a degree that it might have broken Grant Brisbee.
- Byung Ho Park is making the Twins look smart, which they kind of need right now given how some of the rest of the roster is playing.
- Mike Trout is back to being Mike Trout after a (relatively) slow start to the season.
- The percentage of left-handed starters in baseball has dropped in the last five years, and no one is sure why.
- The Red Sox need to promote last year's seventh overall pick Andrew Benintendi to Double-A if they want to figure out who he's going to be, because he's not learning a single thing terrorizing High-A pitching.
- Alex Reyes is the latest in a line of Cardinals' pitchers who you (meaning, non-Cards' fans) will grow to dislike over the course of years.
- If you're into the economics of baseball at all, you'll want to read Trevor Strunk's latest for Baseball Prospectus on the problems with efficiency in front office costs.
- Here are six prospects who are likely ready for the majors right now.
- The Cubs are about as good as a baseball team can be. The Nationals aren't that far off, either.
See More:
