Harvey Haddix. Armando Galaragga. John Means.
Three pitchers who pitched perfect games that will not be recognized by Major League Baseball.
On Wednesday, Means became the third pitcher this season to throw a no-hitter (four if you count Madison Bumgarner’s seven-inning no-no as part of a doubleheader). No hits. No walks. No hit batters. No errors in the field.
The only base runner the Mariners managed came on a dropped third strike. Of all ways to lose a perfect game, that might be second-worst to Galaragga.
“He should be throwing a perfect game today if I blocked that, if I get that breaking ball between my legs,” catcher Pedro Severino told reporters after the game. “I feel just really, very bad. But after, we still threw a no-hitter. We celebrated.”
As Means was getting mobbed after getting the final out, nobody was thinking about a dropped third strike. Just what an outing that was.
Is it a little cheap to lose a perfect game like that? Yeah, but give the hitter, Sam Haggerty, credit for being aware of the situation and hustling to try to make a play for his team. Plus, it was in the third inning, well before anyone would be paying attention to a no-hitter or perfect game.
It’s hardly a José Tábata wild elbow scenario.
In 1991, MLB changed the official parameters for a no-hitter or perfect game, stripping Haddix of his distinction. When asked about it, Haddix responded, “It’s ok. I know what I did.”
Means knows what he did, and so do we. Even if it isn’t recognized by the league, that was a perfect game, and perhaps the best pitching performance we will see this season.
YOUR TURN: In your eyes, did Means pitch a perfect game? What do you think of the dropped third strike rule?