Your opinion

Understanding that ML games are nine inninngs. HS games are seven innings. Since there is no slaughter rule in ML. And there is in HS. Is it fair to award a perfect game for just five innings of play? Seeing that a perfect game is is such a rare occurance (only 17 pitchers in ML http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/rare_feats/index.jsp?feature=perfect_game). For a HS game should seven inings not be the rule. I think that the slaughter rule is nessary but needs to be redone. I'm sure I will get grief on this one but it has weighed heaval on my small mind.

 

Leave the rules as they are. No reason to run it up on someone. If a kid is perfect through 5 innings then he's earned the perfect game in my book. Let the kid have his moment. For the record, Ragsdale has had 2 no-hitters this year, one by Coffey and one by McBride. One went 7 innings and the other went 6. One was a perfect game. Just my thoughts.

 

By the same token should a major league pitcher get credit for a prefect game or no hitter if a game only goes 4 1/2 innings and then is rained out ?

 

No it is not according to rule

A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher (or combination of pitchers) pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base.[1] Thus, the pitcher (or pitchers) cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any other reason—in short, "27 up, 27 down". The feat has been achieved only 17 times in the history of major league baseball.
By definition, a perfect game must be both a no-hitter and a shutout. Since the pitcher cannot control whether or not his teammates commit any errors, the pitcher must be backed up by solid fielding to pitch a perfect game. An error that does not allow a baserunner, such as a misplayed foul ball, does not spoil a perfect game. Weather-shortened contests in which a team has no baserunners and games in which a team reaches first base only in extra innings do not qualify as official perfect games under the present definition. The first confirmed use of the term "perfect game" was in 1908; the current official definition of the term was formalized in 1991. Although it is possible for multiple pitchers to combine for a perfect game (as has happened nine times at the major league level for a no-hitter), to date every major league perfect game has been a complete game by just a single pitcher

 

Out of the journal

Qoute:"Batts' perfect game was the 16th recorded in North Carolina since the 2000 season, according to the NCHSAA record book, and would be the 48th documented by the NCHSAA, with the first recorded perfect game coming in 1953"

Looks as if NCHSAA has a definition for it. I would post but cannot open due to program conflicts. Could someone find and post?

 

let's celebrate, not diminish

When these young players have their moment, let's celebrate their achievement. There is always a circumstance that can be highlighted to diminish their accomplishment if we look hard enough:

• fences are too close for the home run hitter
• other team was weak hitting for the no-hit pitcher
• umpire kept calling the low pitch a strike for the strikeout king pitcher
• perfect game was only five innings because of the slaughter rule

There will be plenty of opportunity over time for the high achievers to be measured against the best and then we can see how they fare. Those that may never see the Field of Dreams are having their moment now, and maybe only now....so, when a kid puts it out there and no one else on the field could change the outcome, then let's give him his due. Besides, when the great performance is upon us and no diminishing circumstance can be cited, then we all know we have seen something truly great......semi-great with a qualifier is OK in the meantime.

Those that want to judge will always see the five inning perfect game that was called because of the slaughter rule as a game where it was easier to be perfect because the opponent must have been weak because they also surrendered so many runs to invoke the slaughter rule. Let them judge, while the rest of us go out to eat and have a good time celebrating a good outcome.....and leave our simple minds to contemplate the beauty of this life and of this world.

 

Was not trying to diminish. Fact is I know the two very well and what they can do. They are good players. I was trying to learn what the rule is. The two pitchers that have been idenified as pitching perfect games did so two different ways. One Five, one seven. So which is the correct NCHSAA definition.

 

I mean this politely but does it matter? The kids all performed well. I would just celebrate the achievement of the pitchers and the team.

 

when McBride pitched his I was kind of hoping Ragsdale wouldn't get that tenth run in the sixth - was hoping to see him shut them down in the seventh (the way he was pitching he would have) knowing that some may say it wasn't "perfect" since it only went six innings.

 

Hey guys

I just want you to know in know way am I trying to do that. My son played with Nick when he was in right field. My son has caught Nick, hung out with him. We have enjoyed some great times. I was just trying to understand the HS definition.