Kershaw’s “no-no” should include an asterisk
“LA Dodgers’ super star pitcher Clayton Kershaw pitched a no-hitter last night at Chavez Ravine against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox, a AAA Team.”
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LA Dodgers’ super star pitcher Clayton Kershaw pitched a no-hitter last night at Chavez Ravine against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox, a AAA Team.
Kershaw’s accomplishment will ring out in baseball history. It was the 284th no-no in Major League Baseball history. Number 22 racked up the 22nd such performance in Dodgers’ history. His fifteen strike-outs were the third most ever in a no-hitter and Keshaw did not allow a walk. It was very nearly a perfect game and the third no-hitter posted against the Colorado franchise in its history.
While Kershaw’s performance was jaw-dropping it should be recorded with an asterisk.
The Rockies fielded a AAA team against the Dodgers last night. With the exceptions of catcher Wilin Rosario and short stop Troy Tulowitzki Colorado had a substitute player at almost every position. Carlos Gonzolez, Nolan Arenado and Michael Cuddyer, three of Colorado’s most effective offensive weapons, are on the disabled list and Justin Morneau, who has been impressive in 2014, was rested on Wednesday night along with Charlie Blackmon, another of Colorado’s most dangerous swatters.
Rather than having their normal murderer’s row of batters in place for their final game of a six-game west-coast road trip the Rockies fielded Corey Dickerson, Brandon Barnes, Drew Stubbs, Josh Rutledge, DJ LeMahieu and rookie Kyle Parker. This group could just as easily have been the starting lineup for the Sky Sox or the Tulsa Drillers as for the actual Rockies. Things really could not have set up any better for Clayton Kershaw.
Kershaw deserves to be pleased with his performance. He was outstanding last night. But Kershaw did not square off against a legitimate MLB team. The Rockies are a shadow of what they can be when healthy and their run totals reflect that fact. With all their pieces in place they would not have allowed Keshaw to no-hit them. He was the beneficiary of their injuries and their circumstances.
