Empty the Bench

We thought it was impressive when Detroit Tigers ace right-hander Justin Verlander hit 99 mph on the radar gun in the 8th inning. But that was nothing–a few batters later, the defending AL Rookie of the Year clocked at 101 in the 9th inning! But that’s a footnote to his unbelievable performance: with all kinds of nasty, nasty, unhittable breaking balls and fastballs in his arsenal tonight, June 12, 2007, the 24-year-old became the first Tigers pitcher since Jack Morris did it during that magical 1984 season to toss a no-hitter. And the last time a Detroit hurler tossed a no-hitter at home? Virgil Trucks back on August 25, 1952, against the visiting New York Yankees.

The Milwaukee Brewers didn’t have a chance tonight. One after the other, one through nine in the batting order, the NL Central-leading Brews headed back to the dugout shaking their heads in confusion. Verlander did surrender a few walks, but more than made up for it with 12 count ‘em 12 strikeouts. I picked the game up in about the 5th inning, and as Verlander moved through the game he seemed to be picking up more and more steam, like a locomotive speeding down a downhill slope with its head engineer still shoveling as much coal into the engine as he could. He got some help from his friends, too, like early-season MVP candidate Magglio Ordonez making a sliding catch in the 7th, and utility infielder Neifi Perez teaming up with All-Star game bound Placido Polanco on an amazing double play in the 8th.

When it was all over, after Verlander had struck out the first two batters in the 9th, then forced J.J. Hardy into a fly out to right, the home crowd erupted like the Tigers had just won the World Series, and manager Jim Leyland was seen tearing up in the dugout (reports could not be verified that he was actually crying because he had misplaced his last pack of cigarettes). It’s hard to describe the sense of joy that was evident in Comerica Park after this one, from the fans on down to every single Tigers player in uniform. A no-hitter is certainly something that all teams hardily celebrate, but this particular one just seemed… special.

Here’s one guess why: everyone on hand–the fans in the crowd, the players, the home-viewing audience–feels like, just maybe, they just watched a young, talented kid take another big step towards becoming not just arguably the league’s best pitcher under 25, but one of its very best, period.