Yesterday, a New York Mets fan who ran onto the field following Johan Santana's no-hitter back in June pleaded guilty to interfering with a professional sporting event.  Buddy ran onto the pitcher's mound where he mingled with several celebrating players before being apprehended.  The judge ordered this knob to pay $4,000 in civil penalties to the Mets and $1,000 to the city. He also must perform 100 hours of community service and cannot visit Citi Field for one year, although the Mets have already banned him for life.

      Yes it was a great feat.  Not giving up a hit in nine innings.  I don’t know what it is about baseball, but for some reason the no hitter is a mystical beast, and when a pitcher is successful, he is suddenly revered as some sort of dragon slayer.  I’m sorry, but what’s the big deal?  To me, the perfect game is the ultimate feat in baseball.  That’s when you retire 27 batters and no one gets on base.  They all strike out, fly out or are tagged out while getting to first.

        No one goes nuts when a hockey goalie gets a shutout.  It’s a great accomplishment and gets a hearty pat on the back, but if not for his defense he would have been a target.  As far as I’m concerned, hockey shutouts are as big as a no hitter, but in baseball, throwing a no hitter takes on a life of its own.  And in the case of this doofus, made him think he was an actual ball player.