Chicago White Sox Mark Buehrle Tosses Perfect Game

On July 23, 2009, Mark Buehrle of the Chicago White Sox becomes just the eighteenth pitcher to throw a perfect game in Major League Baseball history, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 5-0.

Buehrle would join Lee Richmond, Monte Ward, Cy Young, Addie Joss, Charlie Robertson, Don Larsen, Jim Bunning, Sandy Koufax, Catfish Hunter, Len Barker, Mike Witt, Dennis Martinez, Kenny Rogers, David Wells, David Cone, and Randy Johnson as pitchers to have thrown a perfect game in the Major Leagues.

Since Buehrle threw the perfect game five more pitchers including

Dallas Braden, Roy Halladay, Phillip Humber, Matt Cain and Felix Hernandez have achieved it.

The shortest span of time between perfect games throw was just five days between Richmond’s perfect game on June 12, 1880 and Ward’s perfect game on June 17, 1880. The longest span between perfect games is just under 24 years, between Ward’s perfect game on June 17, 1880 and Young’s perfect game on May 5, 1904.

The American League has seen 14 prefect games while the National League only nine times.

No single player has ever thrown more than one perfect game.

The most perfect games comes from the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees who have had three perfect games pitched each. However, only two of the Yankees perfect games came in the regular season, with Larsen’s perfect game coming in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers, meaning the Chicago White Sox have more regular season perfect games.

Larsen’s perfect game in the World Series was the first and last time a perfect game has been thrown in the playoffs, let alone the World Series.

The team with the most perfect games pitched against them is the Tampa Bay Rays, with three. All of them coming since 2009 with Chicago White Sox Buehrle, Oakland Athletics Braden, and Seattle Mariners Hernandez all doing the feat against the Rays.

2012 saw the most perfect games in a single season as Cain, Hernandez and Humber all pitched perfect games in one season, the most since 2010 when Braden and Halladay both pitched perfect games.

As of Monday, July 22, Buehrle is now pitching for the Toronto Blue Jays and has a 5-7 record in 20 starts with a 4.83 ERA in 123 innings pitched with 82 strikeouts and 33 walks.

So far in Buehrle’s career he has been an All-Star four times, including back-to-back appearances in 2005 and 2006. He was a Gold Glove winner four times, including four consecutive times from 2009-2012.

He was also fifth in Cy Young voting in 2005, when he has a 16-8 record in 33 starts with a 3.12 ERA with 149 strikeouts and just 40 walks.

Buehrle’s career numbers over 15 seasons are 196 wins and 148 losses in 474 games, 449 starts, with 29 complete games, nince shutouts and one perfect game. He has a total of 1,738 strikeouts compared to just 690 walks in 3,015 innings pitched.

Twice Buehrle has led the league in innings pitched, in 2004 and 2005 when he pitched 245.1 innings and 236.2 innings respectively.

His best year for wins was 2002 when he won 19 games and lost just 12 in 34 starts, that year he had five complete games with two shutouts.

Check out the video below of the final three outs from Buehrle's perfect game:

Minnesota Twins Turn Two Triple Plays Against Boston Red Sox

On July 17, 1990, the Minnesota Twins accomplish something that had never been done before as they turn not one, but two triple plays in a game at Fenway Park. 

The triple plays occurred in the fourth and eighth innings and were nearly identical; in both instances, Twins third baseman Gary Gaetti stepped on third base on a ground ball, threw the ball to second baseman Al Newman, who then threw the ball to first baseman Kent Hrbek.

There had been over 600 occurrences of the rare triple play, but never had more than one happened in the same game. 

It was a moot point though, as the Red Sox beat the Twins anyway, 1-0. The next day, the Twins tied an American League record by recording six double plays, but again lost to the Sox, 5-4. The Red Sox also turned double plays that game making for the most double plays ever turned in a single game with nine.

The six double plays tied a record the Twins already owned. Three years earlier in 1987 playing against the Toronto Blue Jays, the Twins turned six double plays in a 10-inning game.

In 2006 the Twins turned another great triple play, against the Seattle Mariners, with the bases loaded and no outs, Juan Rincon gets Kenji Johjima to ground into a 4-5-6-3 triple play to end the inning.

In the history of the Twins organization the Minnesota ball club has turned 11 triple plays on defense, and hit into seven.

 Check out the video below of the Twins' two triple-killings:

Cleveland Indians' Sandy Alomar Jr. Wins All-Star Game MVP

On July 8, 1997, the 68th annual Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star game was played.  

The game took place at Jacobs Field in Cleveland, Ohio and hometown hero, Cleveland Indians catcher, Sandy Alomar Jr., was named the game’s Most Valuable Player. 

Alomar Jr. is the only player to win an All-Star game MVP and have his brother win the All-Star game MVP the next year, as Roberto Alomar did in the 1998 All-Star game.

Sandy Alomar Jr. (left) taking a curtain call at the 1997 MLB All-Star Game.

The American League went on to win 1997 All-Star game by a score of 3-1, it was one of the lowest scoring games in All-Star game history.

Edgar Martinez of the Seattle Mariners opened the scoring with a solo home run in the third inning.  The game remained 1-0 until the seventh inning, when Javy Lopez of the Atlanta Braves tied it with a solo shot of his own.  

However, in the bottom half of the inning Sandy Alomar Jr. would hit the game winning home run, a two-run shot off San Francisco Giants pitcher Shawn Estes.

Sandy Alomar Jr. became the first player to be named All-Star Game MVP while playing in his home stadium. MLB CEO Paul Beeston awarded Alomar with the trophy, as the MLB commissioner position was vacant at the time.

Alomar Jr. put together a solid career in MLB playing 20 seasons, earning the 1990 AL Rookie of the Year and also earning the 1990 American League Gold Glove for catchers, and being selected to six All-Star games between 1990 and 1998. He finished his career with a .274 batting average, 112 home runs and 588 RBI’s.

In 2008, Alomar Jr. began his coaching career starting with the New York Mets acting as the catching instructor. He filled that role in 2008 and 2009. After the 2009 season Manny Acta the Indians manager hired Alomar Jr. to be the teams first base coach. He filled that role during the 2010 and 2011 season. After the completion of the 2011 season Alomar Jr. was promoted to being the Indians manager, a position he held for one year, but since he has taken over the duty as being the teams bench coach, the position he currently resides in.

 

Alomar Jr. was inducted into the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame in August of 2009.

Roger Clemens Records 3,000th Strikeout

On July 5, 1998, then on the Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Roger Clemens strikes out Devil Ray's outfielder Randy Winn to record his 3,000th career strikeout. 

 The 'Rocket' is 11th pitcher in major league history to reach the coveted milestone. Clemens would finish his career ranked second in all-time strikeouts with 4,672, but would be passed by one man, a Bay Area native, Livermore’s own Randy Johnson.

Since Clemens threw his 3,000th strikeout a few more pitchers have joined the club.

Former Arizona Diamondback Giant Randy Johnson eclipsed 3,000 strikeouts in 2000. Johnson would finish with the second most strikeouts of all time, totaling 4,875 for his career, almost 1,000 shy of the all time strikeout leader, Nolan Ryan.

Former Chicago Cubs pitcher Greg Maddux notched the feat in 2005. Curt Schilling a long time Phillies pitcher joined the elusive club in 2006. Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez reached his 3,000th strikeout in 2006 and former Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz was the last player to reach the 3,000 strikeout club in 2008.

The other players on the list of pitchers to reach 3,000 strikeouts in a career are, in order from highest strikeout total to least. Nolan Ryan, 5,714, Steve Carlton, 4,136, Bert Blyleven, 3,701, Tom Seaver, 3,640, Don Sutton, 3,574, Gaylord Perry, 3,534, Walter Johnson, 3,509, Phil Niekro, 3,342, Fergunson Jenkins, 3,192 and Bob Gibson 3,117.

Watch the video below of Clemens recording his 3,000th career strikeout:

New York Yankees' Roger Clemens Gets Win 350

Clemens pitching during his 350th win.

On July 2, 2007, New York Yankees ace Roger Clemens gets career win number 350

Clemens nick named “The Rocket” had a great career pitching for the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays and the Houston Astros.

Clemens would rack up many more accolades in his career besides just winning 200 games, including seven CY Young awards, in 1986, 1987, 1991, 1997, 1998, 2001 and 2004, which are two more than the next player on the list Randy Johnson, who would earn five over his 20-year career. Clemens would also win the 1986 All-Star Game MVP.

Clemens would be nominated to the All-Star game 11 times, including 1986, 1988, 1990-1992, 1997-1998, 2001, 2003-2005. Clemens also won two World Series titles with the New York Yankees in 1999 and 2000.

Clemens pitching during his first 20 strikeout performance.

Clemens is also one of only two pitchers to have a 20-strikeout game; the other was Chicago Cubs Kerry Wood. However, Clemens is the only pitcher to accomplish the feat twice, doing so in 1986 and 1996.

Clemens would finish his career with

In 1986 Clemens won the MVP and the CY Young award, becoming the first pitcher in the American League since 1971 to win both awards in the same season. In 1971 Vida Blue did the feat.

Clemens finished the season with a league leading 24 wins, 238 strikeouts and a league leading 2.48 ERA. Clemens fantastic season on the mound beat out Don Mattingly of the New York Yankees for the MVP, Mattingly had a solid season with a league leading 238 hits, league leading 53 doubles, 31 home runs, 113 RBI’s and a .352 batting average.

Since Clemens two other pitchers have won the CY Young award and the AL MVP in the same season.

Oakland Athletics closer Dennis Eckersley in 1992, with a record of 7-1, with a league leading 51 saves, 91 strikeouts and an ERA of 1.91. The runner up that year was Kirby Puckett of the Minnesota Twins. Puckett had a good season with a league leading 210 hits, 19 home runs, 110 RBI’s and a .329 batting average.

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Justin Verlander in 2011, with a record of 24-5, league leading 250 strikeouts and a league leading ERA of 2.40. The runner up that year was Jacoby Ellsbury of the Boston Red Sox. Ellsbury had a good season with 32 home runs, 105 RBI’s, 39 stolen bases and a .321 batting average.

When Clemens finished his career he had 354 wins and 184 losses, a 3.12 ERA and 4,672 strikeouts. His 354 wins were good enough for seventh all-time when he retired, but Greg Maddux has since surpassed him with 355 wins. His 4,672 strikeouts were good enough for second all-time when he retired but since then Randy Johnson has surpassed him with 4,875.

Clemens won the pitching Triple Crown twice in his career, both in his time with the Blue Jays in back-to-back seasons. In 1997 Clemens finished the season with a 2.05 ERA, 21 wins and 292 strikeouts leading the MLB in all three categories. In 1998 his stats would not be as impressive but he would once again lead the MLB in ERA with 2,65, wins with 20 and strikeouts with 271.

Clemens in one of only five pitchers to have won the pitching Triple Crown more than one time. The others are Christy Matthewson, 2, Walter Johnson, 3, Grover Cleveland Alexander, 3, Left Grove, 2, Lefty Gomez, 2 and Sandy Koufax, 3.

In 1999, Clemens was named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.

Clemens was on the ballot for the Cooperstown Hall of Fame this year but with his name still being dragged through the mud, which is the Mitchell Report and steroids in baseball it might be a few years before he makes his entrance into the Hall of Fame.

 Watch the press conference following Clemens' 350th win below:

Oakland Athletics Dave Stewart And Los Angeles Dodgers Fernando Valenzuela Throw No-Hitters

On June 29, 1990 Oakland Athletics Dave Stewart no-hits the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers Fernando Valenzuela no-hits the St. Louis Cardinals. 

It is the first time no-hitters were thrown in both leagues on the same day. 

The two were also teammates in 1981 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the last time the Dodgers won the World Series.

Stewart played 17 seasons in the MLB with the Dodgers, Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, Athletics and Toronto Blue Jays.

Stewart ended his career with one All-Star nomination in 1989, a three-time World Series Champion in 1981 with the Dodgers, 1989 with the Athletics and in 1993 with the Blue Jays. In 1989 he was also the World Series MVP.

Stewart was a two time American League Championship Series (ALCS) MVP in 1990 and 1993, with the Athletics and Blue Jays respectively. In 1989 he won the Babe Ruth award and in 1990 he won the Roberto Clemente Award.

Stewart finished his career with 168 wins and 129 losses, a 3.95 ERA with 1,741 strikeouts in the regular season.

In the post season Stewart excelled. In 22 games he pitched 133 innings with 10 wins and six losses, posting a 2.77 ERA with 73 strikeouts while only allowing 13 home runs.

In the World Series, Stewart started eight games, and pitched in 10 for a total of 57 innings. He accumulated a 2-4 record with an ERA of 3.32 while striking out 33. Both of his World Series victories came with the Athletics against the San Francisco Giants in the 1989 Battle of the Bay World Series.

After retirement Stewart has served as pitching coach for the San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers, and Toronto Blue Jays.

He was also assistant general manager for the Blue Jays, and for a time regarded as a candidate for GM.

He started a sports agency called Sports Management Partners, and currently represents Major League players such as Matt Kemp and Chad Billingsley of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Valenzuela played 18 seasons in the MLB with the Dodgers, California Angels, Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres and the St. Louis Cardinals.

Valenzuela ended his career with six All-Star nominations, one World Series Championship in 1981 with the Dodgers.

He was the 1981 Rookie of the Year and CY Young award winner, making the first time in history that a rookie had won both awards. He was a Gold Glove winner in 1986, a two-time Silver Slugger winner in 1981 and 1983.

Valenzuela finished his career with 173 wins and 153 losses, a 3.54 ERA and 2,074 strikeouts in the regular season.

In the post season Valenzuela was stellar. In nine games he pitched 63.2 innings with five wins and one loss, posting a 1.98 ERA and 44 strikeouts all while allowing just one home run.

In his only World Series appearance Valenzuela pitched a complete game, nine innings allowing four earned runs, striking out six for the win over the New York Yankees.

After retirement Valenzuela returned to the Dodgers organization in 2003 as the Spanish-language radio color commentator for National League West games, joining Jaime Jarrín and Pepe Ýñiguez in the Spanish-language booth.

Valenzuela also served on the coaching staff of Team Mexico during the 2006 World Baseball Classic, 2009 World Baseball Classic and 2013 World Baseball Classic.

He was inducted into the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame on August 23, 2003, in a pregame on the field ceremony at Dodger Stadium.

In 2005, he was named one of three starting pitchers on Major League Baseball's Latino Legends Team.

Dodgers’ clubhouse manager Mitch Poole has unofficially kept Valenzuela's jersey number 34 out of circulation out of respect for him.

On October 26, 2010, ESPN broadcast a documentary commemorating Valenzuela's arrival with the Dodgers titled Fernando Nation as part of their 30 for 30 documentary series.

In 2013, he was enshrined into the Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame.

Toronto Blue Jays Frank Thomas Hits 500th Home Run

Frank Thomas hitting home run 500.

On June 28, 2007, former MVP slugger Frank Thomas is the first of three players to hit their 500th career home run in 2007.

Thomas' blast came in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays.

The longtime White Sox player had been ungracefully cut by Chicago after they won the championship in 2005. Thomas then bounced to Oakland and then to Toronto; in 2008, he returned to Oakland after being waived by the Jays.

The fan who caught the home run ball, 24 year-old Todd Eisenlohr, gave the ball back to Thomas in exchange for a chance to meet him.

Jim Thome launching his 600th home run.

Thomas got his 500-ball and awarded Eidenlohr with an autographed bat, ball, and jersey. It would have been a perfect story ... except that Thomas argued a call in the ninth inning and was promptly ejected, earning him the distinction as the first player to get ejected in a game where he hit his 500th homer.




The other two players to hit their 500th home run in the 2007 season were Jim Thome and Alex Rodriguez.

Alex Rodriguez hitting his 500th home run.

Thome would go on to finish his career with 612 home runs, while Rodriguez currently has 654 home runs, although he will have to wait until next season to see if he can add on to his total due to a season long suspension.

Boston Red Sox Roger Clemens Earns Win 200

On May 21, 1996, former Red Sox pitcher and Hall of Famer Roger Clemens beats the New York Yankees for career win 200.

Clemens nicked “The Rocket” would go on to have a great career pitching for the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays and the Houston Astros.

Boston Red Sox pitcher Roger Clemens in 1995.

Clemens would rack up many more accolades in his career besides just winning 200 games, including seven CY Young awards, in 1986, 1987, 1991, 1997, 1998, 2001 and 2004, which are two more than the next player on the list Randy Johnson, who would earn five over his 20-year career. Clemens would also win the 1986 All-Star Game MVP.

Clemens would be nominated to the All-Star game 11 times, including 1986, 1988, 1990-1992, 1997-1998, 2001, 2003-2005. Clemens also won two World Series titles with the New York Yankees in 1999 and 2000.

Clemens is also one of only two pitchers to have a 20-strikeout game; the other was Chicago Cubs Kerry Wood. However, Clemens is the only pitcher to accomplish the feat twice, doing so in 1986 and 1996.

Clemens would finish his career with

In 1986 Clemens won the MVP and the CY Young award, becoming the first pitcher in the American League since 1971 to win both awards in the same season. In 1971 Vida Blue did the feat.

Clemens finished the season with a league leading 24 wins, 238 strikeouts and a league leading 2.48 ERA. Clemens fantastic season on the mound beat out Don Mattingly of the New York Yankees for the MVP, Mattingly had a solid season with a league leading 238 hits, league leading 53 doubles, 31 home runs, 113 RBI’s and a .352 batting average.

Since Clemens two other pitchers have won the CY Young award and the AL MVP in the same season.

New York Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens in 2000.

Oakland Athletics closer Dennis Eckersley in 1992, with a record of 7-1, with a league leading 51 saves, 91 strikeouts and an ERA of 1.91. The runner up that year was Kirby Puckett of the Minnesota Twins. Puckett had a good season with a league leading 210 hits, 19 home runs, 110 RBI’s and a .329 batting average.

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Justin Verlander in 2011, with a record of 24-5, league leading 250 strikeouts and a league leading ERA of 2.40. The runner up that year was Jacoby Ellsbury of the Boston Red Sox. Ellsbury had a good season with 32 home runs, 105 RBI’s, 39 stolen bases and a .321 batting average.

When Clemens finished his career he had 354 wins and 184 losses, a 3.12 ERA and 4,672 strikeouts. His 354 wins were good enough for seventh all-time when he retired, but Greg Maddux has since surpassed him with 355 wins. His 4,672 strikeouts were good enough for second all-time when he retired but since then Randy Johnson has surpassed him with 4,875.

Clemens won the pitching Triple Crown twice in his career, both in his time with the Blue Jays in back-to-back seasons. In 1997 Clemens finished the season with a 2.05 ERA, 21 wins and 292 strikeouts leading the MLB in all three categories. In 1998 his stats would not be as impressive but he would once again lead the MLB in ERA with 2,65, wins with 20 and strikeouts with 271.

Clemens in one of only five pitchers to have won the pitching Triple Crown more than one time. The others are Christy Matthewson, 2, Walter Johnson, 3, Grover Cleveland Alexander, 3, Left Grove, 2, Lefty Gomez, 2 and Sandy Koufax, 3.

In 1999, Clemens was named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.

Clemens was on the ballot for the Cooperstown Hall of Fame this year but with his name still being dragged through the mud, which is the Mitchell Report and steroids in baseball it might be a few years before he makes his entrance into the Hall of Fame.

Rickey Henderson Gets Steal 800

On April 9, 1989, Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson steals base number 800 for his career, in the New York Yankees 4-3 loss to the Cleveland Indians.

Henderson was a left fielder who played in Major League Baseball for nine teams from 1979 to 2003, including four stints with his original team, the Oakland Athletics.

Nicknamed "The Man of Steal", he is widely regarded as the sport's greatest leadoff hitter and base runner^/ holding the record for most career leadoff home runs with 81, and winning three Silver Slugger awards in 1981, 1985 and 1990. His 1,406 career steals are almost double the previous record of 938 by Lou Brock, and just under 800 more than the current active leader in stolen bases, Juan Pierre, who has 614.

Oakland Athletics great Rickey Henderson, the "Man of Steal," after breaking Lou Brock's record of 938 steals.

Henderson is the all-time stolen base leader for the Oakland A’s and previously held the New York Yankees' franchise record from 1988-2011.

He also holds the major league records for runs scored and unintentional walks.

Henderson also holds the single-season record for stolen bases (130 in 1982) and is the only player in AL history to steal 100 bases in a season, having done so three times.

A 12-time stolen base champion, Henderson led the league in runs five times and was among the league's top ten base stealers in 21 different seasons.

Henderson was named the AL's Most Valuable Player in 1990, and he was the leadoff hitter for two World Series champions: the 1989 Oakland A's and the 1993 Toronto Blue Jays.

At the time of his last major league game in 2003, the ten-time American League (AL) All-Star ranked among the sport's top 100 all-time home run hitters and was its all-time leader in base on balls.

His 25-year career elevated Henderson to the top ten in several other categories, including career at bats, games, and outfield putouts and total chances.

His high on-base percentage, power hitting, and stolen base and run totals made him one of the most dynamic players of his era.

He was further known for his unquenchable passion for playing baseball and a buoyant, eccentric and quotable personality that both perplexed and entertained fans.

Once asked if he thought Henderson was a future Hall of Famer, statistician Bill James replied, "If you could split him in two, you'd have two Hall of Famers^.

In 2009, he was inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame on his first ballot appearance with 94.8 percent of the vote.

The Oakland Athletics also retired Henderson’s no. 24 jersey in 2009.

Toronto Blue Jays Play First Game

On April 7, 1977, the Toronto Blue Jays played their first ever regular season game, the attendance was 44,649 as the Jays took on the Chicago White Sox at Exhibition Stadium.

Exhibition Stadium in 1977 for the Toronto Blue Jays first ever regular season game.

The game was most remembered for the weather, which was cold and snowing at the time of the scheduled first pitch. However, snow would stop and the game would continue as planned.

The Jays would come out as the victor of the American League teams by a final score of 9-5.

The win for the Jays was one of just a few that year as they compiled a 54-107 record that year, 45.5 games behind the division winner Yankees.

Joe Carter Hits Walk-Off Home Run

On Oct. 23, 1993, Hall of Famer Joe Carter's home run crushes Phillies in 1993 World Series.

The Philadelphia Phillies were picked to finish last by most experts. 

However, they reached the World Series and faced the defending champion Toronto Blue Jays. 

The Blue Jays ended the Phillies dreams of a World Series championship in 1993. 

Trailing 6-5 in the bottom of the ninth in Game 6, Toronto's Joe Carter hit a three-run shot to give the Blue Jays their second title in a row. Carter was given the World Series MVP.