Some thoughts on perfection

Well, being no-hit doesn't derail championship hopes.

The 1952 and 1958 Yankees were no-hit during the regular season and won the World Series.

The 1973 and 1974 Oakland A's were also no-hit during the regular season and also won the World Series.

Now, having been on the wrong side of a perfect game? No team has ever experienced that and won the World Series.

So, things don't look good for the Rays, though their own starting pitching might sink their season more than Mark Buehrle's history-making gem Thursday afternoon in Chicago.

At least it was quick.

The game lasted 2 hours, 3 minutes. Buehrle spent only 32 minutes on the mound. Rays starter Scott Kazmir can do that in two innings.

I know Rays fans won't agree, but at some point you had to root for history.

The Rays were down 5-0, and you know they weren't coming back. So, why not watch something that happened only 17 times in baseball history prior to Thursday?

It's been a funny road trip for the Rays. They are 4-3. They could easily be 5-1, and they can just as easily be 0-6.

They won three games in Kansas City by rallying in the eighth inning during all three games. They had done that only twice during the first half of the season.

On Monday, the Rays almost pull off their first ninth inning-comeback of the season against Chicago closer Bobby Jenks. On Tuesday, they do pull off their first ninth inning comeback of the season against Jenks.

On Wednesday, they blow a 3-1 lead when B.J. Upton plays a line drive that should have been the final out of the inning into a two-run triple that ties the score at 3-3. The next batter drives in the winning run.

On Thursday, Buehrle becomes the 18th pitcher in major league baseball history to throw a perfect game.

What's next?

Roy Halladay of the Blue Jays, that's what's next.

The Rays open a three-game series Friday night in Toronto against Halladay.

Funny thing, if I was in a pool where I had to pick a pitcher likely to no-hit the Rays, I would gladly take Halladay.