Sean Manaea’s No Hitter
Hats off to Oakland Athletics’ Lefthander, Sean Manaea, for throwing 2018’s first No Hitter. As it usually goes, No Hitters do tend to just fall out of the sky. No one shows up at a ballpark anticipating something this historic to happen every night out, especially the starting pitcher. Yes, you can tell when a pitcher is on his game early one, though when you get to the middle innings, anything can happen. In the event of a No Hitter, you can feel the intensity cranking up as it gets closer to the 27th Out. Throughout this post, we are going to breakdown the magic of Sean Manaea’s No Hitter while touching some numbers that may blow your mind!!!!  

 

The Magic of Sean Manaea’s No Hitter
The MatchUp

Manaea is going up against the Red Hot Boston Red Sox. Coming into this game on April 21, they have won 8 straight with an overall record of 17-2. Not to mention, Manaea was squaring off against none other than the most dominant lefty in the American League, Chris Sale. When facing a pitcher the caliber of Sale, you have to keep in mind, that most nights, he only needs 1 run to win. So you have to be on your game also. Your offense will not be too prone to dig themselves out a 3 run hole against this ace.

In the top of the 1st inning, Manaea walked the leadoff batter, Mookie Betts. Even though he worked the count full, a lead off walk is never the ideal way to start a game. On the 3-2 pitch, Manaea missed with a change up. The silver lining here is that he was feeling conviction with his offspeed early.  The next batter, Andrew Benintendi grounded into a force out. Then the lefty proceeded to strikeout Hanley Ramirez and J.D. Martinez to end the inning unscathed on 17 pitches.

Manaea settled in and retired the side 1,2,3 for the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th innings.

 

The Magic of Sean Manaea’s No Hitter
The Inevitable
Inning of Adversity

The inevitable and ugly monster always shows up for at least 1 inning. That’s just the way he works. Now the baseball gods do keep him in hibernation for perfect games. For everything else, there is always 1 frame where he will show up. Even in shutouts and No No’s. It is all about how you show up when his ugliness arrives.

As Manaea was cruising, retiring 11 straight hitters entering the 5th, none of them were yet to even put the ball in the outfield. Take that Launch Angle!  

The first 2 batters on the inning jumped on pitches up and over the plate early in the count for long flyouts. This could have been an indicator that Manaea may struggle going through the line up the 2nd time. On the next batter, he made a good pitch on the outside corner of the plate to get Sandy Leon to pop up. However, on a tough angle going straight over his shoulder, the ball bounced off the heel of the glove on Shortstop Marcus Semien.

Since the first hit of a game must be a legit hit, Simien was charged with an error. Although, Manaea admitted in the post game press conference, that he thought was scored a hit. While facing the next hitter, Jackie Bradley Jr. Leon moved up to 2B on a Wild Pitch. Mind you that this was only a 2-0 game at this point. A base hit after would have put a run on the board as the Red Sox were about to turn over the line up.

Manaea kept his composure and struck out Bradley on a 3-2 Change Up to end the inning.  As a kind gesture of atonement, Semien made amends for his blemish as he homered off of Sale in the bottom of the inning to tack on an insurance run. I have said before that baseball is both a game of failure and redemption. On both sides of the ball that is….

 

 

In the 6th, Manaea got over the hiccup and retired the side in order on just 7 pitches.

 

 

The Magic of Sean Manaea’s No Hitter
There Always Seems to Be
an Oddity

With 2 outs in the 6th, Manaea made a good pitch up and in under the hands which Benintendi hit a weak roller in front of the cut out at 1B. First Baseman Matt Olsen fielded the ball and unsuccessfully lunged to make the tag as Benintendi was called safe, thus breaking up the No Hitter. Then as the umpires gathered to talk about the play, Benintendi was then ruled out for being out of the baseline to avoid the tag. That was a huge break, for Manaea and the A’s as it ended the inning and kept the No No intact.  

 

The Magic of Sean Manaea’s No Hitter
You Begin to Realize That
it is YOUR NIGHT

 

After the compulsory anomaly, Manaea retired the heart of the Boston lineup in order again in the 7th. While setting the tone for the last 6 outs needed to seal the deal, Manaea ran a 1-2 Slider Down & In to Eduardo Nunez which induced this nice embarrassing result.  

 

Yes, pitchers are not supposed to catch pop ups. Although, it was not even high enough for the other infielders to get to it, when you are in this much control of the game, why not take it yourself?

 

Manaea retired the side in order again in the 8th with 2 Ks. Here when he struck out Jackie Bradley Jr. for the 3rd time, you begin to realize something special is becoming tangible.  

 

 

The Magic of Sean Manaea’s No Hitter
On to the 9th…

Pinch Hitter Blake Swihart grounded out to short for the 1st out. Mookie Betts flied out to the warning track in right for the 2nd out. Benintendi worked a 7 pitch walk with 2 outs. Only the 2nd walk of the game. Manaea missed up with a 3-2 Slider. Similar to the leadoff walk in the 1st inning, Manaea had full conviction that the Slider was the right pitch here in the Lefty vs Lefty matchup. So it missed… What is a no no without a little drama in the 9th?

Next batter was Hanley Ramirez. Ramirez saw a healthy diet of change ups all night from Manaea. Thus, that was the game plan he stayed with. After missing down and then up with the first 2 change ups, one more good one was all Manaea needed. He located it on the outer half of the zone and Hanley pulled the 82 MPH pitch to SS to record the force out at 2B.

In the Oakland Coliseum, cue Kool and the Gang for the A’s victory song. History was made. Welcome to baseball immortality, Sean Manaea!

 

 

The Magic of Sean Manaea’s No Hitter
Inside the Numbers

Let’s look at some of the numbers from this magnificent pitching performance.  

Sean Manaea struck out 10 in the CG on just 108 Pitches. Compare that to his counterpart. Chris Sale, “Mr. Double Digit Strikeout Game” himself, also struck out 10 in 7 IP on 110 Pitches. Manaea’s efficiency was impeccable. As the lefty faced 30 hitters, 19 of them were greeted with a 1st pitch strike (63%). 13 of the 27 outs were recorded on 3 pitches or less. That is 48% of the Outs. 6 of the 9 innings, he retired the side in order. Contrary to this degree of efficiency, there were ZERO Double plays in this game. Thus, making it all the more impressive.

 

Only twice did he throw more than 15 pitches in an inning. In the 2 subsequent innings after which he allowed a base runner in the previous, Da Kid threw less than 10 pitches in those innings.  After the 2 innings when the A’s scored a run, in seamless fashion, Manaea followed suit with a shutdown inning.

His fastball average 90.9 MPH while he threw it 48.2% of the time. He worked his change up (29.6% / 82.8 MPH) and Slider (22.2% / 79.9 MPH) effectively off of his fastball. All this while 75 of his 108 pitches were for strikes (69%). C/O Fangraphs.com

When you can rack up more than a strikeout per inning while averaging only 3.6 pitchers per batter is a rather frugal use of pitches. Quite insane if you ask me! Proof once again, that good pitching can cool off even the hottest of teams. Focus on making pitches and position yourself to control the game.

 

 

Congrats to Sean Manaea on his special history making night!!!!  We wish him the best and will follow his career closely. And as always good sir….

Keep Dominating!!!