Sunday, June 11, 2006

The H&K Report: Protocol, protocol, protocol!

Earlier this week, I awaken one morning to the middle of the Cubs game, with Carlos Zambrano pitching a no-hitter in the seventh. Because it's a webcast, I'm stuck with the Astros announcers that day. And all they talk about is the no-hitter, the Cubs' history of no-hitters, what it takes to do a no-hitter, blahblahblah.

Baseball, if nothing else, is a game of tradition and superstition. Turk Wendell and his quirks. Wade Boggs and his pre-game chicken. Bill Spaceman Lee and his buckwheat pancakes every morning, sprinkled with marijuana for that pick-me-up we need every morning.

And we all know you do not mention a no-hitter if someone on your own team is pitching one. But what's the etiquette if your opponent is shutting you down? Sure, you don't want to be no-hit, but it's baseball, man. There are rules, especially the unwritten ones. Care to discuss?

PS: Zambrano lost his no-hitter in the eighth to a strong single to right. Damn you, Jim Deshaies and Larry Dierker!

No comments: