5/19/2004 08:55:00 AM by Rob

Today is Bob Hendley Day on the Sloth

True Cub and Baseball fans know the story of Bob Hendley.

One night in 1965, Bob pitched the game of his life for the Cubs vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers, then destined for a world championship. A recent minor-league callup, he gave up one bloop hit the whole night, and one unearned run.

The problem, of course, was that his mound opponent that night was Sandy Koufax, and all he did that night was throw a perfect game, which incidentally was the last time the Cubs were no-hit. All other teams in existence in 1965 have been no-hit since.

All other teams in existence in 1972 have pitched a no-hitter since Milt Pappas threw his for the Cubs. There's some connection there, I'm just not sure what it is. It would seem that, if the wind is blowing in, it would be relatively more likely to hold an opponent down in the cozy confines. Even the notoriously slow-legged outfielders we have put out there.

Anyway, Jason Schmidt lost his shot at SportsCenter greatness last night, because the Big Ugly went out and did to the Braves what he threatened to do to us earlier this year. In nearly 140 years of big-league ball, there have only been 17 perfect games. Sometimes, it is overpowering, unconventional guys like Koufax and Johnson. Other times, it is Bobby Witt, David Wells, and Len Barker that pull it off.

I guess hitting 4 dongs in a game happens less often, but, hey, hitting 5 in a game is rarer still, since nobody has. Until that time, the perfect game is, to me, the ultimate in single-game individual dominance.

Kenny Holtzman was just a batting practice pitcher in 1965, and he was summoned to throw BP that night, since he was left-handed. He would, of course, live to throw 2 no-hit games himself, so he was no slouch. But, this night, he was instructed to just lay it in there for his teammates.

Nobody could touch HIM that night, either. According to Jane Leavy, semi-authorized author of Koufax's best selling biography, Holtzman remembered thinking "If they can't hit ME out there, what in the world are they going to do against Koufax?"

Point is, sometimes you just suck. You don't come to play, and you get your shit handed to you. This wasn't because Sam-Me wasn't there to save us, although I believe Todd Hollandsworth is beginning to show the stress of playing every day. Some guys were never meant to play every day (see Hill, Glenallen).

The rest of the Giants pitching sucks, which is why Schmidt was allowed to flap his arm 144 times last night. Obviously, they don't trust their pen at ALL, so let him finish up, and give him an extra day (or two) of rest. We did this with Wood, and it seemed to work out reasonably well, sore tricep considered.

We ought to hit better tonight. Just for once, I'll try to be mellow about it.

God help us if they can't push one across today.

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