The Big Story: Justin Verlander

A daily look at the big story of the day in sports as seen through the eyes of writers and bloggers all across the internet.

We wrote a bit about this last night right after the game wrapped up but we're revisiting Justin Verlander's no-hitter this morning as well. First of all, we're guessing Emily Yuen, the lovely lady to Verlander's right, didn't throw the second no-hitter of the night in Motown. If you take a look you can see Justin's belt is already undone and not even a tank topped Todd Jones shoving shaving cream in your face could stop you from going about your business once you're done with the interviews.

There's a lot of ways to skin a cat and there's a lot of ways to throw a no-hitter and short of a perfecto Verlander was about as impressive as could be last night. He walked four Brewers, including Bill Hall three times, but he gave up just four fly ball outs while striking out 12. He hit 102 on the radar gun in the ninth inning and was just pumping fastballs at Milwaukee. The Brewers weren't up to the challenge, striking out 12 times and rarely coming up with even a close call. The 2006 Rookie of the Year was so dominant, in fact, that calling it the first no-hitter of his career doesn't seem like hyperbole. When you throw a Ryan-esque fastball and have such command of your pitches there are going to be more nights where Verlander flirts with history.

If it's possible the San Diego Padres probably feel even worse than the Brewers this morning. In the 2004 draft they passed on Verlander to take high school shortstop Matt Bush with the first overall pick because he was less expensive than the righthander. Bush has struggled at A ball and is closing in on the unenviable crown of first overall picks who failed to make the major leagues. He failed so fully at shortstop that the Friars have converted him to pitcher in the last few weeks to try and salvage something from a mistake that might get included in future versions of the bad draft decisions we outlined last week. The Padres are doing okay but imagine putting Verlander into a rotation that already includes Jake Peavy and Chris Young? You'd be looking at the 00's version of the Atlanta Braves. As it is the Tigers may have it with Verlander and Jeremy Bonderman.

Not to say that Verlander is a Hall of Fame lock at age 24. But when your fastball hits triple digits and your curveball and changeup overwhelm hitters in a way that radar guns can't measure, every start has the potential to make big news. No one, with the exception of opposing hitters, understands that better than the men who evaluate baseball talent for a living. (Jerry Crasnick, ESPN)

I wish I could type up something poetic or dramatic or chuck full of literary goodness. I don’t really have that in me, and I don’t think I could muster it right now anyways. But watching this unfold was a thing of beauty. Justin Verlander was good in the first inning, and better in the 9th. His defense helped him of course, but with strikeouts accounting for 12 of the 27 outs, he certainly didn’t overtax them. A triple digit fastball, a sharp curve, and a masterful change-up had a pretty good Brewers offense shaking their heads after flailing helplessly at the plate. (Detroit Tigers Weblog)

I had to take awhile to breathe. To think. To remember. Not really to digest. How can you not digest what went on? Verlander stood on the mound and for 27 outs did not allow a hit. Not to gain perspective. It’s easy to put this one into perspective. Every Tigers fan knows who Jack Morris is. Every Tigers fan knows how long ago 1984 was. Every baseball fan knows how rare a no hitter is. And Verlander is 24, is in just his second year in the majors. No, I think the guy down the street who doesn’t watch baseball can put that into perspective just fine. (Mack Avenue Tigers)

Way to go man! It’s one of the sweetest sights a fan can witness in baseball. We’re all envious of you, Justin Verlander. I clapped from my own living room. I even got weepy. Oh, and nice no-hitter too.

(AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

But let’s stalk talk about your girlfriend there. The caption said her name is Emily Yuen, and all I know about her is that she’s gone steady and/or shared malts at the diner with Verlander since high school, which from the looks of them could mean it’s been at least two months. (The Futon Report)

A no-hitter is certainly something that all teams hardily celebrate, but this particular one just seemed… special. Here’s one guess why: everyone on hand–the fans in the crowd, the players, the home-viewing audience–feels like, just maybe, they just watched a young, talented kid take another big step towards becoming not just arguably the league’s best pitcher under 25, but one of its very best, period. (Empty The Bench)

The best part about this no hitter was not so much that it was a no hitter. It was the fact that he did it so easily - 12 strikeouts, 10 ground outs, just 3 balls out of the infield, an easy ninth inning. This was not one of those flukey no hitters that happen once in a while. (Tiger Tales)

No sir, this was one of those no-hitters that makes you think future no-hitters might become a recurring event in Verlander's career. Not to put any pressure on the kid or anything ... (Matt Watson, The Fanhouse)