The Giants are sinking like a stone, with even Tim Hudson getting knocked around on Wednesday. They’ve lost eight of their last nine. The Dodgers have won seven of their last 10, but that’s nothing compared to what happened Wednesday night. Clayton Kershaw pitched one of the best games in baseball history, a no-hitter with no walks and 14 strikeouts.
The only blemish: Hanley Ramirez’s throwing error in the seventh inning. Kershaw’s start earned a game score of 102, second all-time behind Kerry Wood’s 20-strikeout, one-hit masterpiece against the Astros in 1998. The Rockies had absolutely no chance tonight. It’s hard to imagine any team that would’ve fared much better.
Dodgers Executive Partner Earvin Johnson, whose Twitter feed is nothing short of magical, added some relevant information only known previously by true diehards.
Kershaw’s no-hitter tonight is the 2nd this year for the #Dodgers the first was by Josh Beckett against the Phillies earlier in the season!
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) June 19, 2014
Magic is providing a service here. Because, as everyone knows, Dodgers games are blacked out locally to those who don’t get SportsNet LA. The Dodgers’ new network is only available on Time Warner Cable, and not everyone in the LA-area can switch to that provider, even if they wanted to. As a result, two-thirds of Dodgers fans in the region can’t watch games.
@MagicJohnson and dodger fans couldn’t watch. Thanks!
— suzanne (@dodgerfan2525) June 19, 2014
@MagicJohnson Could not watch my own team on tv. #ClaytonKershaw
— Mariana (@MarianaThinks) June 19, 2014
But Magic would not be deterred. Eight minutes later, we were #blessed with the kind of #analysis that can only come from someone who’s laced ’em up.
When Ramirez, Gonzalez and Kemp hit well & Kershaw is pitching like he did tonight, we can beat any team in baseball! #Dodgers — Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) June 19, 2014
This is probably the time to shed the facade and admit I laughed for at least a minute straight at each of these tweets, and brought up the Time Warner Cable thing earlier to create some semblance of a theme beyond “let’s make fun of Magic’s ‘See Spot Run’ updates.” So I’ll mix in some Dodgers TV blackout responses with a few other choice replies.
@MagicJohnson if only fans could see it! — Tom Leykis (@tomleykis) June 19, 2014
@MagicJohnson no shit magic he threw a no hitter — Spencer Harvey (@NEKTAspence) June 19, 2014
@MagicJohnson and fans still can’t watch. I hated McCort, but at least I was able to watch. And no, I can’t switch to @twc in my city. — suzanne (@dodgerfan2525) June 19, 2014
You had to say something ridiculously obvious huh @MagicJohnson
— LeSecretariat (@Kasaikage) June 19, 2014
@MagicJohnson Stop sending these inane tweets and start reading what @Dodgers fans are writing. We are furious that we can’t watch games!
— Allyson Wagner (@Ally_Wags) June 19, 2014
What’s worse — rubbing the team’s good fortune in the faces of those who want to bask in it most (but can’t), with information that reads as if it was presented by a toddler of above average intelligence … or tweeting good luck to your pitcher a few hours after he lost that day’s game?
