Ten years ago Matt Cain did two cool things

[Brother Buzz]

On Wednesday, June 13, 2012, Matt Cain of the San Francisco Giants pitched the 22nd perfect game in Major League Baseball (MLB) history and the first in Giants' franchise history.

Matt Cain warmed up for his perfect game on Wednesday night against the Astros in an unconventional way: by hitting a golf ball into McCovey Cove.

PGA Tour golfer Dustin Johnson was visiting AT&T Park ahead of the U.S. Open at The Olympic Club in San Francisco and hit some balls into McCovey Cove before taking in the game. He also threw out the ceremonial first pitch, though he didn’t pull it off as well as Rory McIlroy.

In addition to Johnson smacking some balls into the water, a few Giants players took swings including Clay Hensley, Aubrey Huff, and former player J.T. Snow. They were looking for more volunteers and Cain stepped forward for a swing. Cain blasted one out of the park and into the water.



Today, Matt Cain told us he didn't realize he was pitching a perfect game until the final out

[MLAA]

1. What a cool story.

[Brother Buzz]

2. To commemorate the occasion, Matt Cain threw out the first pitch in today's Giants-Dodgers game

An 87 mph strike, Baby!

[MLAA]

3. I do love baseball! I watched the D-backs today have a good game.

Randy Johnson was certainly fun to watch, remember him?

[Brother Buzz]

4. I saw Randy Johnson pitch against Oakland when he was with the Seattle Mariners

He was 7 2/3 innings into a perfect game, then BAM, it wasn't a perfect game. It was a VERY, VERY boring game, but I do remember watching him pitch, vividly.

Curiously, I have NO memory of his one year with my team, the SF Giants.

[ProfessorGAC]

5. Excellent Swing!

Smooth as silk.
I'm a bit surprised that the splash was that near the sidewalk.
I'd think a pro athlete with that swing would be nitting it 900-1,000 feet.
I've seen baseballs hit to the water and those only have to go 450.

[Brother Buzz]

6. He was allowed only one ball, no warm-up or practice shots

Cain, reportedly smacked a 342-yard drive during February, 2012 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, so he's no duffer.

[ProfessorGAC]

7. I Believe It

Swing has great tempo & all the speed is at the bottom.
Obviously, he's strong & loaded with fast twitch.
I'd be far more surprised if someone told me he "only" could hit it 280.
I'm still not buying that video unless the lack of perspective means that ball landed farther out than i think.
Warm up or no, there's no way he hits driver only 165 with that swing. He can probably hit a 9 iron that far!
Geez, even i could hit a 5 iron to where that ball looked to splash down. And, I'm 65 and can't hit it anywhere, anymore.

[Brother Buzz]

8. It landed farther out in McCovey Cove then it looks, but nothing like Dustin Johnson's shots

There's a promenade outside the park that doesn't even show in the shot, indicating the angle and dangle didn't do Cain's shot justice; no baseball ever splashed even close to Matt Cain's shot.

[ProfessorGAC]

9. Aha!

So, my lack of perspective made it look like a home run distance, not golf shot distance.
That explains a lot.