ANAHEIM, Calif. — Jered Weaver didn’t stop celebrating until 3:30 in the morning. But several hours later, as he sat in the dugout reliving Wednesday night’s no-hitter, he still wasn’t ready for a good night’s sleep.
“I’m still a little bit pumped up,” he said. “I wish I could go back out there again tonight, but my arm wouldn’t let me.”
Weaver and arm deserve a few nights off. His 121-pitch gem in a 9-0 victory over the Minnesota Twins marked the 10th no-hitter in Angels history and was the team’s first individual no-hitter at home since Nolan Ryan in 1975.
The Hall of Fame called. Weaver will send his jersey and a game ball to Cooperstown, although he said he’s keeping the ball that right fielder Torii Hunter caught for the final out of the game. Catcher Chris Iannetta will also send his game jersey, and Tim Mead, the Angels’ vice president of communications, collected several handfuls of dirt from the mound to send along.
The people at “The Late Show with David Letterman” had hoped to use Weaver for their Top Ten list, but production problems prevented his appearance.
And then there were all those phone messages he needed to answer.
“There was a lot of text messaging, I think 116 to be exact,” he said. “I just got to them all right now. Obviously, the support was tremendous. It still hasn’t kicked in yet. It’s one of those things you never expect to do at a major league level, and to have it happen here in front of the home fans was a very special night.”
Weaver’s parents, Dave and Gail Weaver, were in the stands along with his wife, Kristin, whom he married last November. They rushed onto the field and exchanged hugs.
When he came into the clubhouse afterward, his teammates showered him with sprays of champagne and beer. “That was pretty cool,” Weaver said.
The chance to remain in Southern California, where he was born and raised, and pitch in front of his family is likely one reason Weaver chose to re-up with the Angels last August for five years and $85 million rather than wait for free agency after this season.
“He’s very comfortable out here,” manager Mike Scioscia said. “He has a very close family, and he feels good with their ability to come see him pitch. But I think his expectations are right along the lines of what ours are, to get to a World Series and win a World Series.”
At Angel Stadium, Weaver has a career 45-18 record and a 2.59 ERA. No wonder he likes it here.
“Any pitcher likes to pitch at home,” he said. “It’s just comforting wearing the white unis and having your hometown fans cheer you on. It’s why I stayed here. I love the atmosphere, I love the community, I love everything about it.”
Weaver also loved sharing the moment with his dad, who pitched to him and his brother, former major league pitcher Jeff Weaver, when they were kids.
He saved a game ball for his father, he said, and made sure to snap some photos with him on the field after the game.
“And I gave him a nice cold Bud Light, so that was nice,” Weaver said. “I still don’t think it’s left his hand.”
