Last night two American League West rival teams, the Oakland A’s and the Texas Rangers, both played East Coast teams at home. Both American League West teams won with the same score: 8-0. The Rangers starting pitcher was pitching a no hitter until the last out of the ninth inning. The A’s starting pitcher only gave up two hits in eight innings pitched.

Who were these pitchers? On the mound for Texas was their ace, Yu Darvish. Oakland’s pitcher was Tommy Milone, a struggling pitcher who might well have been sent down to the minor leagues yesterday instead of a teammate, if it hadn’t been his turn to pitch last night.

Yu Darvish in 2012 (photo by mjl816 on Flickr, cropped by UCinternational)

Tommy Milone in 2012 (photo by Jrchun)

I love baseball because it is full of amazing stories and the power of possibility every day.

Thank you, baseball.