Humber's Humble Road to Perfection

Photo Credit: Elaine Thompson/AP Photo

When the scoreboard reads all zeros, it could mean one special thing: perfection. That is exactly what Philip Humber managed to achieve today, when he became the 21st pitcher in major league history to throw a perfect game. He made it look easy Saturday throwing a total of just 96 pitches to complete the game. Not everything was this easy for Humber, as he had a long journey to get to this point. The Rice product was the third overall selection of the 2004 MLB Draft by the New York Mets. His career got off to a rough start when his right elbow required Tommy John Surgery in 2005. In 2006 and 2007, Humber spent most of the seasons in the minors before making September call ups. The Mets weren't impressed by what they saw, so they included him and three other minor league players in a 2008 trade to the Minnesota Twins for star Johan Santana.

Humber's bullpen struggles continued with the Twins, who decided to let him go as well. He had stints with the Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals before signing with the Chicago White Sox in January 2011. The White Sox made the surprising move of trying to turn Humber into a starter in their rotation. Humber accepted the assignment and got to work. That first season as a starter with the White Sox, he finished 9-9 with a 3.75 ERA in 28 games. Humber showed flashes of great stuff, but couldn't seem to put it all together on the mound at once.

That all changed April 21, 2012. In just his 30th career major league start, he completed a perfect game. He got the Mariners hitters to strike out nine times, ground out five times, and fly out thirteen times. You might want to ask Humber what changed to make this happen. This was his response, "For so long, I was trying to make it about me. I was going to make it happen because of how hard I was working. ... But because of the road I took, I couldn't deny the fact that it was God doing it, that God had a plan." Philip Humber's path to perfection was unconventional to say the least. When all is said and done, he doesn't even want to take the credit for making it happen. That is humility for you.

Predators Continue Prowl Through the Playoffs

Photo Credit: John Russell/Getty Images

The Nashville Predators franchise has been getting better and better over the course of its brief history. You can read more about that in my March blog posted entitled Predators on the Prowl. This blog post is more or less a continuation of that because tonight, the franchise took the next step. The Predators beat their Central Division rival Detroit Red Wings in five games to advance to the Western Conference semifinals.

This is especially significant for a franchise looking to prove itself as a Stanley Cup contender. Defeating a rival in a convincing manner such as this is impressive to say the least. One of the main reasons why is how consistently the Predators have played on the ice. Pekka Rinne has been a rock in net. In Games 3 and 4, he had phenomenal nights with 41 and 40 saves, respectively. Rinne seemingly thrives under pressure. During the regular season, he was 5-0-2 with a 1.66 goal-against average and .958 save percentage in games when he faced 40 or more shots. Throughout the series, Rinne has been a Sports Center Top Ten staple with his athletic saving ability and dominance as a netminder. In the clinching Game 5, center David Legwand led the Predators attack with an assist and scored the series-clinching goal thirteen seconds into the third period.

These are just a couple of the guys who have stepped up for the Predators this series. The team is playing great hockey throughout their lineup. With Rinne in net, defensemen like Ryan Suter and Shea Weber, and a balanced offensive attack this team is built for a playoff run. What they have lacked in the past is confidence and experience. They have a lot of both right now, and it is evident in how they are playing. It will be interesting to see how the Predators do the remainder of the playoffs. I believe they are capable of making a deep run. These Nashville Predators are serious contenders. If you don't take them seriously, they will make you pay. The Predators are on the prowl, seeking more prey to devour.

Granderson's Grand Evening

Photo Credit: Tim Farrell/US Presswire

The New York Yankees have a storied history to say the least. Many excellent ball players have worn the pinstripes proudly. There has been a fair share of pop in their collective swings over the years. After all, they aren't called the Bronx Bombers for nothing. Tonight, Carlos Granderson took his place in those hallowed history books. Granderson came up to bat in the first, second, and fourth innings of the game against the Minnesota Twins. In all three plate appearances,  he rounded the bases on home run shots. Just like that, Granderson became the twentieth Yankee all-time to hit three home runs. He had two more chances to hit his fourth, but he instead settled for a pair of singles, finishing the night five for five.

Granderson's night simply exemplifies what he has done since becoming a Yankee. He thrived last season, hitting a team-best 41 home runs and a league-best 119 RBIs. Granderson's swing is tailor-made for Yankee Stadium. He loves being a Yankee for other reasons as well. He likes being in the spotlight, but not the focal point of it. He feels as though he is being somewhat overshadowed and understated. He is completely fine with this. He would much rather be doing things behind the scenes. Granderson's quiet demeanor and professionalism can be seen both on and off the field. He is actively involved in community service and outreach. Carlos Granderson is a man who does his job faithfully and cares about others deeply. Tonight, his work on the field paid big dividends. Granderson's trio of home runs will be remembered for many years to come. I tip my cap to you, Mr. Granderson. Your historic night has drawn to a close, but you did a job well done indeed.