Major League Baseball

Unlikeliness of Heston's no-hitter punctuates baseball's greatness

Published Jun. 10, 2015 2:43 a.m. ET

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A few thoughts after Chris Heston threw Major League Baseball’s first no-hitter of 2015:

● How is it that the Giants never seem to have a highly-rated farm system, yet continually produce quality major-league players? Heston — a 12th-round pick from East Carolina in the 2009 draft — is merely the latest example.

Giants assistant general manager John Barr, who leads the team’s amateur scouting efforts, has drafted the following current Giants: Buster Posey, Madison Bumgarner, Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Brandon Belt, Brandon Crawford, Joe Panik, Matt Duffy, Andrew Susac and Heston.

Evidently, Barr is quite good at what he does.

The organization’s player development staff deserves credit, too: Heston developed his sinker with help from former Giants lefty Steve Kline, now a Double-A pitching coach in the system.

● The Giants now have four no-hitters in as many seasons. Only one player has been in the starting lineup for each game: Posey, whom Heston credited afterward for helping him feel at ease in the late innings.

Posey caught Cain’s 2012 perfect game and Lincecum’s 2013 no-hitter, in addition to Heston’s masterpiece Tuesday night. Posey played first base, with Hector Sanchez behind the plate, during Lincecum’s no-hitter last year.

● Sure, we can call Heston an “unlikely” candidate to throw a no-hitter. Consider:

— Heston, still a rookie at age 27, wasn’t on the Giants’ original Opening Day roster. He was summoned to the majors only after Cain was placed on the disabled list with a right flexor tendon injury.

— Heston made only three big-league appearances (one start) prior to this season. He didn’t throw a pitch in the 2014 postseason, as the Giants won the World Series.

— Heston’s previous start didn’t exactly foreshadow the brilliance he displayed Tuesday night: He allowed five earned runs on seven hits against the Pirates and failed to complete the fourth inning.

And that, among many other reasons, is why baseball is the greatest sport of them all.

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