Oakland Athletics’ Pitcher Bartolo Colon Throws 38 Consecutive Strikes
Three years ago, Bartolo Colon’s career appeared to be over. The 2005 Cy Young winner sat out the entire season in 2010 after he went AWOL while he was pitching for the Chicago White Sox in 2009. The fireballer wasn’t a fireballer anymore, topping out at around 90 instead of 96 or so during the prime of his career. But thanks to a controversial surgery that involved stem cells, Colon made his return to the Major Leagues in 2011, starting 26 games for the New York Yankees. Colon didn’t even make a million dollars last season for the Bronx Bombers, and was a free agent this season. The Oakland A’s needed a quality innings eater, ergo they signed Colon to a 1-year, $2 million deal. I’m sure Billy Beane and company just expected some quality innings out of Colon, but instead they are getting Cy Young caliber performances, highlighted by his game tonight against the Los Angeles Angels where he threw 38 consecutive strikes between the 5th and 8th inning.
THIRTY! EIGHT! CONSECUTIVE! STRIKES!
I have never heard of anything like this in my entire life. According to STATS LLC - which goes back to 1988 – the previous record was held by Tim Wakefield who threw 30 consecutive strikes against the Cleveland Indians. Must have been a lot of waives on that knuckleball. Roy Halladay once threw 19 straight strikes to start a game – which is insane in its own right – but Bartolo Colon doubled it!
This is fascinating on a lot of levels. First off, the Angels are a good offensive team. Now, I didn’t see the start, but I have to think a handful of pitches were balls that were swung at. Secondly, how can you throw a shutout when you are constantly throwing strikes? A team that has the talent the Angels have should pound a pitcher that’s throwing strikes consistently.
Congratulations to Bartolo Colon on his improbable epic start. I’m sure his celebratory meal will be a large one.
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