Get Your Offbase T-Shirts In Time For Christmas

Only 4 shopping days left until Santa's birthday, so it's time for you to pick up everyone's favorite holiday item: Offbase t-shirts, featuring editors MTD and Derwood Morris.

It's the perfect holiday gift for the hobo in your life, and for a limited time it comes with an Andy Hawkins autographed napkin.


$10 + cost of delivery by-hippo
email mtd@offbasepercentage.com or derwoodmorris@offbasepercentage.com to order

Curveballs for Jobu

Curveballs for Jobu is Off Base Percentage's daily trip around the ballparks.

Today's honorary bat boy: Gene Tenace



Yankees 4, Mariners 2. With apologies to Andy Hawkins, the Yankees finally have their first true ace since Ron Guidry. C.C. Sabathia went eight innings, his sixth consecutive start pitching at least seven (all NY wins), and Robbie Cano and Alex went deep, the last of which was a two-run go-ahead tater in the bottom of the eighth to avoid a horrifying three-game sweep.

Indians 6, Bluejays 1. OK, this is starting to get a little ridiculous. Five consecutive wins for the Tribe? Did Rachel Phelps take away the hot water in the clubhouse again?

Astros 6, Padres 3 (10). Luke Gregerson doesn't walk many hitters. He recently had a 110-batter stretch without issuing a free pass and walked just four in 39 1/3 IP heading into Thursday's game. Then Humberto Quintero and Oswaldo Navarro happened. The pair drew consecutive, two-out walks in the 10th off Gregerson and Michael Bourn followed with a triple to lift the 'Stros.

Athletics 8, Orioles 1. Trevor Cahill pitched seven innings of one-run ball to beat Baltimore for the second time this season. Cahill is unofficially the 407th pitcher to pull off that feat in 2010.

The 12 worst days of Andy Hawkins' life

1990 was not a good year to be a Yankees fan. I cried in my basement on more than 65 occasions that spring and summer. July 1 was the worst of the days: Andy Hawkins throws eight no-hit innings at Comiskey Park and loses, 4-0 to the Whitesox.

I don't mean to bring up old, horrifying memories; encourage anyone to remember Stump Merrill....but take a look at Hawkins' two starts after the lost no-hitter:


July 6: the Yanks lose game one of a doubleheader to the Twins, 2-0 in 12 innings (we couldn't stop Gene Larkin: 3-for-4, RBI). Hawkins went 11 2/3 innings before allowing run-scoring singles to Brian Harper and Larkin.

11 2/3 innings!

I think it took Jaret Wright five starts in 2006 to get to 11 2/3 innings.

July 12: Hawkins gives up eight earned in 4 1/3 innings in an 8-0 loss. Whitesox pitcher Melido Perez, later a Yankee, throws a no-hitter in six rain-shortened innings.


Quick recap:


Start No. 1 - Throws no-hitter; loses 4-0

Start No. 2 - Pitches 11 2/3 innings, allows two runs with two outs in the 12th inning; loses 2-0

Start No. 3 - Allows eight runs in 4 1/3 innings; loses 8-0; opposing pitcher throws no-hitter



Andy Hawkins autographed 1989 Donruss card [Estimated value: four nose hairs]