In the 1st inning of Sunday’s rubber match against the Washington Nationals, Giants starter, and future first-ballot Hall of Famer, Justin Verlander became the 10th pitcher in baseball history to record 3,500 strikeouts in his career. As he had done numerous times before, Verlander rode across the finish line on the back of a 95 MPH fastball, painted on the outside corner that Nathaniel Lowe could only wave at as it passed.
And…that was it. Weirdest thing — nothing else happened. After the picture-perfect fastball, Verlander acknowledged the crowd, and everyone agreed that baseball was over for the day. No more. Instead of cutting to commercial, my TV screen went black. The broadcasts and MLB At-Bat feeds cut out simultaneously out of respect for the career-defining feat.
As for the 40,000 people there in the stands at Oracle Park — I assume they all rose to their feet to applaud the achievement and then just dutifully and respectfully filed out of the stadium. I hope Verlander did that too — because why would you want to keep pitching after that? Why retake the mound? What is there to improve on? What good could happen? Put your feet up, crack a beer, and rest on your laurels for a bit.
I bet after he walked off the field, he just kept on going, strolling through the dugout and tunnel and clubhouse and right out of the stadium, with his uniform and cleats still on, to take in that sweet salt air and cool bay breeze along the Embarcadero. I can see the look of close-mouthed contentment stretched across his stubbled cheeks as he waves to the people in the street cars as they pass. I can see him staring up at the submerged red bow-and-arrow sculpture nearby, nodding placidly along. “I get it,” he says to himself with an unfurrowed brow, before spitting and carrying on, wondering why all the pier numbers are out of order, wondering if that pier with all the sea lions is nearby.
About a 40 minute walk, Justin. And on a gorgeous day like today, why not make the trek? Nothing else going on. Nothing to fret about or over-analyze. In fact, let’s all just take a page out of Verlander’s book and zen out. Get off the computer, delete the MLB app, ditch the phone entirely, go outside, take a deep and long restorative breath… then treat yourself to some ice cream.
I can’t imagine a more perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon.