I always TiVo the Texas Rangers. But last night when I got home my roommate already had the game on and when I got home I heard TV voice Josh Lewin exclaim:
"Hit record on your DVRs, you're about to witness history!"
Whoa, I exclaimed back, the possibilities running through my minuscule mind. Home run cycle? Four homers in a game? Double no-hitter? Ron Washington going an entire press conference without a subject-verb hiccup?
Nope. Just an almost combined no-hitter.
Yawn.
Don't get me wrong, what pitcher Rich Harden accomplished was fantastic. Almost seven innings and 111 pitches of no-hit baseball on a sweltering night in Arlington. Considering his last outing of less than three innings, it was as improbable as it was impressive.
But ...
A combined no-hitter just has a hollow ring to it, no? It's like climbing Mount Everest or running the White Rock Marathon - as part of a relay team. It's like tag-teaming the porn star.
I know it's never been done in Rangers' history and I guess it would've been significant. But, honestly, I'm more excited about the 4-0 win over the Minnesota Twins, the 8.5-game in the AL West and the magic number shrinking to 30.
Oh, and if you are one of the ones ripping Washington for not leaving Harden in, you don't deserve to be a baseball fan. Harden, remember, has a history of arm problems and was recalled off the disabled list early Monday. Having him throw 130+ pitches in pursuit of personal glory would have been a ridiculously horrible move.
