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Awesome night card, pt. 241: no-hit victims


After yesterday's post, I have this modest bit of no-hitter research sitting here on a post-it note when it should be properly presented out in the open so anyone can look at it and twist it into whatever they like.

So, without further ado, a list of how many times each major league team has been no-hit in the last 40 years, separated by division:

American League East

Orioles - 6
Rays - 5
Blue Jays - 4
Red Sox - 2
Yankees - 1

American League Central

White Sox - 4
Indians - 3
Tigers - 3
Twins - 2
Royals - 1

American League West

Angels - 6
Astros - 3
A's - 3
Mariners - 3
Rangers - 3

National League East

Braves - 5
Expos - 4
Marlins - 3
Mets - 3
Phillies - 2

National League Central

Cardinals - 3
Brewers - 2
Pirates - 2
Cubs - 1
Reds - 1

National League West

Giants - 8
Dodgers - 7
Padres - 6
Rockies - 3
Diamondbacks - 2

A few brief observations:

-- Every major league franchise has been no-hit in the last 40 years (if we lump the Nationals in with the Expos, that is. The Nationals, since they've been know as the Nationals, haven't been no-hit). The Cubs ensured that I could say that when they were no-hit by Cole Hamels earlier this year. It was the first time the Cubs had been no-hit in 50 years.

-- The no-hitter is the best "you never know" (to quote Joaquin Andujar) moment in baseball. The time that has passed between some teams being no-hit is crazy. The Reds hadn't been no-hit for 39 years until Roy Halladay blanked them in the playoffs in 2010. The previous time they'd been no-hit was when Rick Wise pitched one against them in 1971. The previous team to be no-hit prior to Wise's no-hitter against the Reds? The Reds -- twenty days earlier.

-- The Rays have the most devastating cluster of no-hitters thrown against them in the last 40 years. They have been no-hit victims in 2009, twice in 2010, and in 2012. Not to mention the indignity of being no-hit by Edwin Jackson.

-- Now that the Cubs are out of the way, the team that has gone the longest without being no-hit is the A's, who were last no-hit in 1991 by a foursome of Orioles pitchers. The last single pitcher to no-hit the A's? Nolan Ryan with his sixth no-hitter in 1990. The other team that has gone a long time without being no-hit is the Red Sox. The last time they were no-hit was in 1993 by Seattle's Chris Bosio.

So that's a little glimpse of what I think is interesting.

I promise I won't talk about no-hitters in the next post.

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Night Card Binder candidate: Dwight Gooden, 1997 Upper Deck, #120
Does it make the binder?:  No. As interesting a card as it is, it can't beat this.

Comments

Zippy Zappy said…
What's crazy is that the people who often throw no-hitters are often the guys you'd least expect. Was anybody really expecting the likes of Mike Fiers, Dallas Braden Phillip Humber (those two threw perfect games actually), Jonathan Sanchez or the bad version of Tim Lincecum to throw no-hitters?
Dave said…
There have been a few teams that were no-hit and went on to win the World Series in the same year.... 1958 Yankees, 1969 Mets and 1971 Piraes to name a few. Everyone has bad days.
Brett Alan said…
I don't think your "this" links to what you want it to. Unless it's a problem with my browser....

What's most amazing to me is that 4 of the 5 most no-hit teams are in California. What's up with that?
night owl said…
No, there was an issue with the link. I fixed it. Thanks.
BobWalkthePlank said…
When Scherzer no hit the Pirates this year that was all I was thinking. "Hey, at least this guy is good all the time."
Stack22 said…
Wallach is a magnet for no-hitters, both for and against. He was involved in at least six as a player, I haven't been keeping track how many he's been part of as a coach.
No hitters may be meaningless for stats, but they're fun to watch live when your team's delivering. I missed seeing the Mariners/Orioles no hitter in the stadium by just a few days...