The answer is: Halladay, Lincecum & Weaver. The question is: name three of the best pitchers in baseball who did not hurl the first No-Hitter of the season. Instead it was Francisco Liriano of the Minnesota Twins – an unlikely candidate given his sky high ERA, but tonight he was brilliant in pitching – a 1-0 gem against the Chicago White Sox.
No-No Liriano
All this on a night when Andre Ethier of the Dodgers extended his consecutive game hitting streak to 29 games.
Which is the great accomplishment? Well consider this: There have been 270 No-Hitters in all of baseball, but only 54 hitters are ahead of Ethier with a streak of 30 consecutive games or more.
Consecutive Game Hitting Streaks
Since baseball is a game of numbers, the evidence shows Ethier’s streak of hitting in 29 straight games is a greater accomplishment than pitching a No-Hitter. To pitch a No-No you have to be a master for one day. To hit in 29 straight games, you have to be consistently good for 5 weeks in a row – a standard of consistency few players can accomplish.
How far can Ethier go? Most players flame out after 30 consecutive games of getting a hit – the physical toll and the media pressure become too intense. I think Ethier can go 35 and will then prove to be mere mortal like everyone else. But that’s why I think Joe Dimaggio’s streak of hitting in 56 consecutive games is the single greatest achievement in baseball. He broke the record in 1941 – and no one has done it since. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. What do you think?
Truly a great night for baseball!
