Roy Halladay, a standing "O"

[Brutus]

I went through and re-watched the game. No, I'm not a sadomasochist, but just wanted to take in Halladay's performance.

After getting over the initial sting and burn of the whole no-hitter, watching as a baseball fan, I would like to applaud what Halladay did last night. It's almost disappointing in hindsight that he walked Jay Bruce in the 5th. Because after watching this game again, he actually pitched one of the better games I've watched in my young life (watching baseball since 1990).

While the Kerry Wood 20-strikeout game gets a lot of mention for possibly the most dominating game of the last 20 years or so, and there have been a few perfect games this past decade, Halladay's command and precision movement on every single pitch he threw Wednesday was phenomenal.

I really think we need to drop the pretense he was aided by the strike zone. He was unhittable and while being just the second postseason no-no in MLB history should be enough to contextualize the performance, I wish it were a perfect game because - he was that good.

Chew on these numbers:

104 pitches, 79 strikes / 25 balls

28 batters faced, 25 balls

28 batters faced, 25 first-pitch strikes

94 game score (tied for third best this season behind his own perfect game and Brandon Morrow's 17 K 1-hitter)

12 grounders, 3 infield flies, 3 flyouts and 1 lineout (Travis Wood)

In the last 20 years, there have been about 50 game scores better than his 94 (all between 95-101). But given the circumstances of this one, his unbelievable ball-strike ratio and grounder-flyball ratio, this game is as good as almost any of them.

He may not have rivaled some of the overpowering games of baseball history, but his flow, command, break and mixing up his pitches was absolutely unbelievable to watch. If I were teaching a son how to pitch, I'd pull this game out and show him.

From a standpoint as a Reds' fan, this game bit the bullet. But going back watching from the view of a baseball purist, you have to tip your cap and acknowledge that was one heck of a game by the pitcher. Truly historic.

[BoydsOfSummer]

Just finished watching it. One hell of a performance! That's the NL's best offense he just dominated in the playoffs. Impressive.

[icehole3]

I couldnt believe not one player squaring up to bunt, every batter tried to swing for a homerun on their first swing, that tells me the Reds were trying to hit 5 run homers

[dman]

I felt like I do when we show up up at a big Hunter/Jumper show with my daughter and her Quarter Horse and we're competing against all these big European Warmblood breeds. Outclassed at every corner, and you wish that you (or in this case the Reds) had the money to be able to compete on that level with those kind of players.

Anyway, fantastic performance ny Halliday.

[cumberlandreds]

That was one of the best pitched games I have ever seen. He was as good as you can get. I doubt the 27 Yankees,the 76 Reds or any other great hitting team could have done much better. You just have to tip your cap to him and come back Friday and go get Oswalt.

[Heath]

Reds seemed jacked up. They did not disrupt anything until Votto stepped out in the 7th.

There were some calls that Halladay got that were questionable, and John Hirschbeck had a very liberal strike zone.

[Phhhl]

I give Halladay all of the credit in the world for having some of the best stuff I have ever seen for a single ballgame. His command was perfect, and the sinker was absolutely devastating. But, even when you have no hit stuff, the odds against a pitcher pulling it off on a given night are astronomical.

So, while in awe of the performance, I cannot completely dismiss the horrible strike zone as a contributing factor to the no hitter. The umpire not only defied the eyeball test, but failed the Fox strike zone graphic with too many pitches last night to count (or, maybe someone CAN count them if they tivo'd the game or something). Halladay established the wide strike zone early and had such incredible command that he exploited it for the remainder of the game. It basically left Reds hitters no chance to square up a pitch all night long, forcing them to swing at pitches off the plate early in the count.

Lots of pitchers go into games with no hit stuff and cannot get it done. Halladay probably does more than 20 x's a season. I felt the Reds were not only facing a beast of a pitcher last night, but one that had the benifit of some additional help too. I don't view that as detracting from the performance whatsoever.

[15fan]

The only way to hit Halladay last night was to guess before he threw the pitch.

He was working both sides of the plate and getting a ton of movement on each of his pitches.

A lineup of Aaron, Mays, Clemente, DiMaggio, Williams, Robinson, Mantle, Bench and Griffey Jr wouldn't have fared much better.

[OesterPoster]

While I don't think he got too many favorable strikes called last night (though it seemed like Rolen had at least 1 ball in every AB called a strike), I do recall Halladay getting similar treatment in his perfect game earlier this year. Some quotes from that game against the Marlins:

While saluting Halladay, the Marlins did say they thought he benefited from a favorable strike zone by DiMuro that was evident from the first inning.

Chris Coghlan led off the game by striking out on a 3-2 count.

"I thought it was close, a ball, but obviously it was a strike to the umpire tonight," Coghlan said.

Halladay had seven three-ball counts and all but one were full counts.

"I don't want to talk about the strike zone because that discredits what he did," Coghlan said. "But there were some pitches that were close, but you can't do nothing about it now."

He had pinpoint control each night, and he had ridiculous movement on the pitches in the zone. But having the right umpire behind the plate, and getting a little luck with ground balls hit directly at defenders all added up to almost the same thing.

[lollipopcurve]

I have to say, about a half hour before the announcer said that Charlie Manuel likened Halladay to Greg Maddux, but with better velocity, I had the exact same thought. He has impeccable command of lots of pitches all over the strike zone. Throw in 93/94 on the fastball, and forget it.

[membengal]

As Radar would have said on Mash, as far as I am concerned, halladay and the phils can go to h e double hockey sticks.

[reds1869]

Originally Posted by icehole3

I couldnt believe not one player squaring up to bunt, every batter tried to swing for a homerun on their first swing, that tells me the Reds were trying to hit 5 run homers

Bunting for the first hit when a no-hitter is in progress is a big no-no. It is a very good way to get one in your teammate's ear. The unwritten code of the game still applies in the playoffs.

[oneupper]

Originally Posted by Brutus the Pimp

.
I really think we need to drop the pretense he was aided by the strike zone.

Why? Because you don't agree?
Who's "we"? This board?
I'm not dropping anything because you think "we" need to.

I can agree to disagree. Can you?

I have no interest in homogenizing perceptions here.
I've read your arguments, I respect your opinion. I don't agree.

Please respect mine.

[Cedric]

I don't really give standing O's to players like Halladay and Oswalt. For some reason they get a pass for their behavior in getting out of contracts from other teams.

Other players in other sports have been hammered for far less than that. I suggest Oswalt might have even quit on the Astros to force a trade.

Great job last night though.

[sivman17]

Originally Posted by reds1869

Bunting for the first hit when a no-hitter is in progress is a big no-no. It is a very good way to get one in your teammate's ear. The unwritten code of the game still applies in the playoffs.

I don't buy this. It's the playoffs. I can understand not trying to bunt in the 7th or 8th inning during a no-no in May or June, but come on. You don't just roll over and let him pitch a no-no because it's "in the spirit of the game."

You're up there hacking and trying to get a hit. Are you going to feel bad if you do get a hit in the 8th or 9th inning? Hell no. Why would you feel bad if they are going to allow a bunt single?

Bologna, I'm sorry.