No-hitter alert

Carl Crawford says that's that.

 

Whew.

 

re: knuckleball no-hitters

Phil Niekro pitched one in 1973.
Wilhelm's in 1958.
And Eddie Cicotte, while not a true one-pitch knuckleballer (but he did throw one and his nickname was "Knuckles") pitched one in 1917.

Can't think of any others.

 

Hey, Knuckles! What are ya throwing at the kid for?

 

Did Candiotti come close once?

 

Came close twice. Threw two one-hitters about a month apart in 1987.

Took a no-no into the eighth on 8/3/87: http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1987/B08030CLE1987.htm

Didn't allow a hit until two outs in the eighth on 9/2/87, and amazingly lost the game 2-1 to the Tigers: http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1987/B09020DET1987.htm

 

Why'd they lose the second game? Because they gave Brook a night off!!!

 

You might be on to something there. ... He only missed 7 games that year, far and away their best offensive player (142 OPS+). And his best year, too.

Ya got me convinced.

 

Did you, is the most important question.

 

Well, the first two were up and in, so where's the next one going to be?

He's not going to want to load the bases, so low and away.

But watch out for in your ear.



(Or something like that).

 

He never begs out of his home duty.