Prediction: Verlander throws a gem in Oakland tonight
If you’ve read this space before, you may be aware of my fateful evening of not-attending Justin Verlander’s no-hitter in 2007. I absolutely blame my wonderful wife for that; I had ever intention of going to that game and was held back.
Last year, I mentioned how I gave my friend the option to attend one of two Giants games (a friday or saturday night); Jonathan Sanchez night or Matt Cain night. My friend picked Matt Cain. Sanchez threw a no-hitter on the friday night game; Cain was hit by a line drive and out of the Saturday game before the third inning.
Earlier this spring, I promised myself I’d go to a game at Dodger Stadium; when i realized Detroit was playing there in May, I made plans. Going to LA! Woohoo! Found some friends who were interested, and we planned it out… and guess what? Verlander would be pitching on a Sunday. Let’s go Tigers!
For over a month, the schedule has held up; Verlander was still scheduled to pitch on the Sunday game. Then, disaster struck… Monday’s White Sox game was rained out. Verlander gets bumped to Oakland’s game tonight… and the Detroit pitching in Dodger stadium comes down to Dontrelle Willis, Armando Galarraga, and Rick Porcello.
Yes, I’m still going to Dodger stadium, going to catch Porcello. But with my schedule, I can’t make the game in Oakland tonight. Once I found Verlander was pitching, I knew one thing: He’s going to toss a gem. No doubt about it; the baseball gods have been against me for three years now, and there is no reason to think tonight will be any different. Because the only reason I won’t attend tonight’s game will be MY choice/conflicts (not my wife’s or my friends), Verlander may throw a 12 inning perfect game.
That’s just the way it goes sometimes. Throw in Dallas Braden pitching for Oakland, and who knows what might happen.
NOTE: I had no connection to Braden’s perfect game in Oakland two weeks ago… if I had, i probably would have given up baseball altogether.