When you hear about a guy going 8 1/3 innings without giving up a single hit, it's usually safe to assume he had a pretty good night, right? Maybe most of the time, but not always. Here's Twins beat reporter La Velle E Neal III in his blog for the Star Tribune on what he saw:If Gavin Floyd had pulled off a no-no against the Twins on Tuesday it would have been the sloppiest, most unjust no-hitter that I can remember.(Joe C., for those non-Twins fans reading this, is Joe Christensen, a fellow reporter for the Star Tribune.) Looking at the box score, Floyd walked only three guys while throwing 62 strikes in 105 pitches, so either he was getting more of the plate than Neal is giving him credit for or the Twins will swing at anything (which is more or less an organizational philosophy).
Floyd was far from overpowering. In fact, I sent Joe C. a text message around the fourth inning remarking how Floyd couldn't get ANY breaking pitches or his change up, over for strikes. I was convinced that the Twins would sit on the fastball and start pounding him. [...] The Twins should have hit this guy. I know its easy for me to write that from my position but geez....
In any case, even if Floyd doesn't have complete command of his pitches, it's hard to deny that he's at least been (very) effectively wild. This is the second time that he's thrown at least 7 1/3 innings without a hit, and on the year he has a paltry 2.50 ERA while allowing batters to hit just .149.
ADVERTISEMENT
_thumbnail.jpg "NASCAR Cowboy Hats")
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. I thought Joe C. was Kid Rock's diminutive sidekick.
Posted at 5:44AM on May 7th 2008 by JCN
2. Gee, shocking that Minneapolis-Saint Paul Star Tribune wasn't impressed. Maybe next you'll tell me that the StarTrib thinks the Green Bay Packers arn't very good either.
Anyone who watched last night's game saw that Floyd started off rocky but got much better as the game went on.
Posted at 12:41PM on May 7th 2008 by Steven Andrew Miller
3. I was in the crowd when Tommy Greene threw his no-no against the Expos.
He walked seven and was generally so shaky against a lousy Expos team that we didn't notice he had the no-hitter going until the sixth or seventh inning. The sparse Expos crowd was definitely cheering for him in the last couple of innings as it was a blowout in a 71-win season anyway.
That was an unimpressive no-hitter.
Posted at 12:52PM on May 7th 2008 by VancouverHoops
4. Floyd = overrated.
Posted at 1:15AM on May 8th 2008 by Will Brinson
5. compared to where Floyd was last year, he's made tremendous strides. GO SOX!
Posted at 11:01AM on May 8th 2008 by mcspartan5
6. The jackass reporter who wrote that is a moron, let's see his dumb ass hold a major league team hitless into the ninth. Those posting here who concur with his views are also clearly morons with little or no appreciation for what they see when they're watching MLB games. You can never be simply average at that level and come within two outs of a no-no, regardless of what else takes place in that particular game.
Posted at 1:32PM on May 8th 2008 by Will
7. Funny how another pencil pushing reporter sits on the sidelines and criticizes a professional athlete. What is wrong with you? It was a near no hitter, is there really a bad way to accomplish that? He nearly attained a feat that tv stations cut to, fans die for, and history never forgets.
For once, in our stupid society of doubters and second guessers, can we appreciate that an athlete had a great night. Maybe the Twins "should" have pounded him, hell the Pats "should" have won the Super Bowl, but that is why we play the game. If they should have pounded him,why not emphasize how BAD the Twins really were, not how bad the guy who stuck it to them might have been.
And finally, remember that you in fact are just a reporter. Millins and millions can do your job, nearly any breathing being can do your job. You could never play in the Major Leagues. Nice job Gavin, you had a hell of a night!
Posted at 2:27PM on May 8th 2008 by Ry