Notice: Trying to get property 'display_name' of non-object in /var/www/html/wp-content/plugins/wordpress-seo/src/generators/schema/article.php on line 52
keyboard_arrow_uptop

The baseball world is celebrating Matt Cain's perfect game against the Astros last night. For someone who only a couple of years ago was being questioned by much of the mainstream media for his lack of wins, it's nice to see such an emphatic statement of Cain's true talent. After this perfect game and some of his starts earlier in the year (Cain now has the two best pitched games by Game Score this season), there aren't going to be many people questioning that big contract Cain signed earlier in the year.

But not everyone is celebrating. This was, after all, a perfect game thrown by the San Francisco Giants and, for many Dodgers fans, it's impossible to feel good about anything positive that happens to the orange and black. I know I've already seen some evidence of that from the hardcore Dodgers fans I know.

So my question to all Dodgers fans out there: On a scale from 1-10, with 1 being "the Giants just beat the Dodgers to advance to the World Series" and 10 being "Sandy Koufax just came out of retirement to throw a perfect game at Dodger Stadium", how excited are you by Cain's performance last night? And if you're not a Dodgers or Giants fan, how would you answer this question if your most hated rival had managed the feat instead? Do Red Sox fans remember the perfect games from David Wells and David Cone? How about Mets fans and Roy Halladay's perfecto?

Thank you for reading

This is a free article. If you enjoyed it, consider subscribing to Baseball Prospectus. Subscriptions support ongoing public baseball research and analysis in an increasingly proprietary environment.

Subscribe now
You need to be logged in to comment. Login or Subscribe
TheArtfulDodger
6/14
On a scale of 1-10 I'd have to say I'm about a 7. I'd probably be a 9 had I been able to watch the event as it happened (my MLB.tv was crapping out). Even as a Dodgers fan and Cain being a member of the Giants, you root for perfect games as they happen. They're rare and beautiful. It's a spectacle. I want to say I'd be at a 10 had I watched it, but sitting here I know that I have a pang of resentment that it HAD to be a Giant pitcher to accomplish the feat. So being honest, I'd take off a point for that, but overall it's tremendous and you have to be happy for the kid.
sam19041
6/14
Not a dodger fan, Larry, but really enjoyed your definitions for the spectrum (Koufax out of retirement...).
morpheusq
6/14
Disagree with the Artful Dodger. I hate the Giants more than I love perfection. I'd probably say about a 3. Maybe 2.5.

BTW, not sure if it is worse than the Giants beating the Dodgers to go to the WS, but Bonds breaking the single season HR record against the Dodgers with not one but TWO HRs in the game is a 1 for me.
jahoffmn
6/14
a perfect game is a perfect game. I'm not a Dodgers fan, but there are plenty of teams and players that I really don't care for at all. Examples: the Mets and Tigers, and I've been on the edge of my couch rooting on Santana and Verlander for each of their recent no-hitters.

Even if a player I "hate" or find really annoying (like Chris Carpenter of the Cardinals) was on the verge of a perfecto, I'd still be hoping he got it done because perfect games and no-hitters are always awesome. Granted it wouldn't be a 10/10 like Humber or Buehrle, but it'd be up there in the 7-8 range
dodgerken
6/14
I've been a Dodger fan since they moved to Los Angeles in 1958, so I give it a "1" since you didn't allow negative numbers. When I think of the Giants I still think of the blood dripping down Johnny Roseboro's head, so no good wishes to that team or their players!!!
rgmoore68
6/14
I'm a lifelong Dodger fan, but I love baseball and that was a beautiful performance. I'll give it a 7. I would say I appreciate it, but I'm not all that excited by it. I'm not at all bitter about it, maybe because the Dodgers are in 1st place.
boards
6/14
I'm an Astros fan and I have to say I was rooting for him. I give it a 9.
NativeWharf
6/14
I'm at an 8. Sure, I'm a huge Dodgers fan and I hate the Giants, but it was a PERFECT GAME! Greatness like that transcends rivalries. Now, had he thrown it AGAINST the Dodgers, it'd be a different story. As fans, you've got to give credit where credit is due.
KBarth
6/15
Another Dodger fan here. I give it a 5. I'd rather the Gboys lose but if they are going to win a game, a perfecto is pretty cool. Fun stuff.