Sanchez Back from the Pen

Stepping back into the rotation for the injured Randy Johnson, Giants lefty Jonathan Sanchez fired the 2009 season's first no hitter. San Francisco has moved Sanchez to the bullpen after the southpaw had struggled as a starter this season. He had amassed a record of two and eight with an ERA over five. But last night none of that seemed to matter.

The story lines really are spectacular in this one. Sanchez coming back from the pen. His father coming to see him start a game in the majors for the first time. The Giants pitcher carried a PERFECT game into the eighth, before Juan Uribe had trouble fielding a Chase Headly grounder. And what is a no-hitter without a great defensive play? Aaron Rowand goes back to the wall in this highlight to preserve the no-no in the ninth.

Congrats to Jonathan Sanchez.

Scott Pinawoski of Yahoo! Sports has an interesting take on Sanchez's no hitter in his Roto Arcade Closing Time article. He takes a look at how Sanchez, and Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo (pitched a four hit complete game shutout against the Mets at Citi Field), has killed your fantasy team all year and what to do now. Both Sanchez and Arroyo were thought to be solid pitching options to start the season, both have majorly disappointed. This week, I SAT Bronson Arroyo and now get to stare at his 45 points on my bench. I trail all three teams I am playing in that league and will most likely lose each one.

The Royals' Brian Bannister pitches a hell of a game against the Boston Red Sox in Fenway Park... and loses. Bannister went up against Boston lefty Jon Lester and came up short in the one to nothing Sox win. The Kansas City pitcher went seven and two-thirds, giving up just three hits. Lester gave up four hits and struk out eight for the win. The Red Sox moved back into sole possession of first place because...

The Yankees visited their own personal House of Horrors. Staked to a four to nothing lead early, Joba Chamberlain decided he didn't much like seeing the Angels lose. Anaheim came back from that deficit and then some, beating up the Yankes ten to six. Mr. Chamberlain didn't make it out of the fifth inning for his second consecutive start. This is becoming a very tired story as it seems he has lost all of mojo from 2007. The Bronx Bombers really screwed up this process and have now shattered his confidence (even if he won't discuss it). He is simply not the same pitcher. But New York chose him at their "fresh face" last year and will not back down. I wonder if the marketing people are running the company now. The best thing you can market is WINS, not Joba Chamberlain. They need to move him to the pen and find a way to stretch Hughes back out (though that probably won't happen this season)

Jorge Posado showed off the leather... er... his batting glove in the field.

Off to Massachusetts for a couple of days. Will try to update tonight and tomorrow but can't promise there will be wireless for me to stea... borrow.