Max Scherzer Pitches No-Hitter...Misses Perfect Game by One Strike

[splitterpfj]

Max Scherzer was one strike from a perfect game - Tabata leaned into a pitch, with his padded elbow, reaching first in a 6-0 game. The next batter flied out, for the no-hitter.

 

Ken Rosenthal has just tweeted that the Pirates have released Tabata.

[splitterpfj]

I'm going to leave that last post up, even though it came from a fake account....no worries, a bunch of us fell for it.

 

In any case, that's exactly what happened, Tabata leaned into one that wasn't all that far inside.

 

Bush. League.

[jerichoholicninja]

He pretty clearly leaned into it. Call it bush league or whatever you want but the blame falls on the umpire for not calling him back.

[Matt Breen]

The Tabata lean in was kind of lame, but I don't think he thought Scherzer would come inside that much, and he seemed pretty committed to swinging. 2 strikes and 2 balls - I think Tabata was expecting a strike.

[MrTPlush]

Dissapointing for Tabata to do that. One of the worst leaning HBPs I have ever seen. He had to come way down with an open elbow to get that on an elbow pad.

 

I totally support trying to the last out and not handing him the game...but that? No

[trwi7]

He pretty clearly leaned into it. Call it bush league or whatever you want but the blame falls on the umpire for not calling him back.

 

This. I wonder if that's a play you can challenge as a manager. If it is, Williams should've done that assuming he had a challenge left.

[jerichoholicninja]

Being that it's a judgement call I doubt you can challenge if a player attempted to get hit. That ump had a pretty clear view of it too since the catcher set up outside and left a huge hole for the ump too look through.

[splitterpfj]

Watch the slow motion on this. THIS, with a perfect game on the line, YES, the umpire should have stepped in.

 

atmlb.com/1TEy9RI

[trwi7]

Being that it's a judgement call I doubt you can challenge if a player attempted to get hit. That ump had a pretty clear view of it too since the catcher set up outside and left a huge hole for the ump too look through.

 

Sure but I would've at least asked the umps if it's reviewable or asked them to discuss it amongst themselves. What did they have to lose by just asking?

[SRB]

Totally disagree, the batter should be doing everything he can to break up the perfect game (or that he would otherwise do in that situation). Otherwise what's the point, the achievement is meaningless. I have no problem with what Tabata did.

[pacopete4]

Totally disagree, the batter should be doing everything he can to break up the perfect game (or that he would otherwise do in that situation). Otherwise what's the point, the achievement is meaningless. I have no problem with what Tabata did.

 

 

Said perfectly. It's Tabata's job to get on base and Sherzer's job to get him out. Tabata won that battle. Cry me a river for those that thing some injustice was done.

[trwi7]

Totally disagree, the batter should be doing everything he can to break up the perfect game (or that he would otherwise do in that situation). Otherwise what's the point, the achievement is meaningless. I have no problem with what Tabata did.

 

Nobody is saying he shouldn't be doing whatever he can but he should've been called back by the umps for leaning into the pitch. That's not unprecedented and is part of the rule book.

[SRB]

Nobody is saying he shouldn't be doing whatever he can but he should've been called back by the umps for leaning into the pitch. That's not unprecedented and is part of the rule book.

 

Well I can't speak for anyone in this thread, but a lot of people on social media are definitely mad at Tabata. Whether the umpire made a mistake in letting him take first base is a different question (though, when I watched the replay live it looked like maybe he brought his arm/elbow down but it didn't seem like he really leaned toward the plate).

[MrTPlush]

So much for playing the game right. While minor that is not how to play the game. Intentionally moving to get hit is just bad baseball.

[pitchleague]

I'm just taken aback that we were as close as I will probably ever see anyone equal Johnny Vander Meer's record.

 

We were literally thisclose to seeing it if Gomez's "hit" doesn't fall last Sunday.

[jerichoholicninja]

Totally disagree, the batter should be doing everything he can to break up the perfect game (or that he would otherwise do in that situation). Otherwise what's the point, the achievement is meaningless. I have no problem with what Tabata did.

 

Here, here. That is the same non-sense as bunting to break up a no hitter being bush. At point during a no hitter/perfect game are hitters just supposed to give up so the pitcher can get his achievement?

[splitterpfj]

Totally disagree, the batter should be doing everything he can to break up the perfect game (or that he would otherwise do in that situation). Otherwise what's the point, the achievement is meaningless. I have no problem with what Tabata did.

 

Here, here. That is the same non-sense as bunting to break up a no hitter being bush. At point during a no hitter/perfect game are hitters just supposed to give up so the pitcher can get his achievement?

 

No, it most certainly is not the same thing. Bunting for a hit, is getting a base hit if you can do it, leaning into a pitch, intentionally, is against the rules.

[Eye Black]

Count me among the group that did not like it. Break up a perfect game in the bottom of the ninth by swinging the bat (or taking a walk), not dropping your armored elbow into a breaking ball.

[jerichoholicninja]

Totally disagree, the batter should be doing everything he can to break up the perfect game (or that he would otherwise do in that situation). Otherwise what's the point, the achievement is meaningless. I have no problem with what Tabata did.

 

Here, here. That is the same non-sense as bunting to break up a no hitter being bush. At point during a no hitter/perfect game are hitters just supposed to give up so the pitcher can get his achievement?

 

No, it most certainly is not the same thing. Bunting for a hit, is getting a base hit if you can do it, leaning into a pitch, intentionally, is against the rules.

 

I agree it is against the rules but if a rule is never enforced is it still a rule?

[adambr2]

Scherzer in his last 18 innings has allowed 2 baserunners - a sketchy HBP and a flukey bloop single.

 

That's got to be one of the most dominant 18 inning stretches ever.

[adambr2]

The rule not only prohibits leaning into the strike zone, but also mandates that the batter must make an attempt to get out of the way of the pitch to be awarded first base.

 

The umpire could have easily simply called a ball without awarding first and been justified in doing so.

[igor67]

If every ump for years and years has awarded the base in that situation, it is the rules otherwise we'd need to go back and question how many no hitters from the 90's with incredibly wide zones or how knows what else.

[torts]

games like last night tarnish my opinion of the pirates... I mean, come on.

 

http://dkonpittsburghsports.com/2015/06/20/pirates-unhappy-unapologetic-after-no-hitter/

[jerichoholicninja]

“You know,” Tabata said at his swarmed stall, appearing almost overwhelmed by the bombardment of questions. “I was just doing my job up there. That’s all. I knew he was throwing a perfect game, but I wanted to do my job. He’s one of the best pitchers in the game. But I’m trying to get on base.”

 

This right here. You play to win the game.

 

Anyone who has a problem with what he did should go back and make sure the second base was touched every time the Nats turned a double play. Once again, this all falls on the umpire. He's the one that didn't enforce the rule.

[MrTPlush]

“You know,” Tabata said at his swarmed stall, appearing almost overwhelmed by the bombardment of questions. “I was just doing my job up there. That’s all. I knew he was throwing a perfect game, but I wanted to do my job. He’s one of the best pitchers in the game. But I’m trying to get on base.”

 

This right here. You play to win the game.

 

Anyone who has a problem with what he did should go back and make sure the second base was touched every time the Nats turned a double play. Once again, this all falls on the umpire. He's the one that didn't enforce the rule.

 

But you see the issue isn't that they didn't call the rule(because I have only seen it called once on Nyjer Morgan.) since no umpire calls it. The problem is Tabata went out of his way to make sure it hit him on an elbow pad. I have never seen someone try that hard to get hit.

 

I can agree that he was doing everything to get on base, but that doesn't make it right. I don't see anyone prancing around supporting steroid use because they are doing everything they can to win. Would you support intentionally injuring Trout so you have a better chance to beat the Angels? How about a cleats up slide into second? It isn't as severe or as frowned upon, but it is still wrong. It should still be looked at as the wrong thing to do.

 

If I was Max I wouldn't care though. If someone has to jump in front of my pitch just to get on base that is pretty awesome.