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Still More No Hitter News

Since last night wasn't the greatest of nights, that is, unless you were a fan seated in the outfield where most of the fly balls ended up.  Here is some more news out about the Sanchez no-hitter.

The first being about Anibal.

When Anibal Sanchez woke up Thursday morning, he closed his eyes again and gave thanks with a prayer.

"I saw my wife next to me," he said. "She was asleep. I just said, 'Thank you, God, for giving me the opportunity to throw a no-hitter and for letting my wife be there.''"

In the picture posted on Wednesday night after the game, Anibal is pointing to his wife in the stands.

I believe that is only the third game she has been able to attend due to her desired career path.  But she may have played an important role in the outcome of the game.

Yeliceth, a medical student, might deserve some credit for the no-hitter. Hours before her husband arrived at the ballpark Wednesday afternoon, she cooked him a chicken Alfredo dinner.

"It was like spinach for Popeye," Sanchez said with a laugh.

Guess what Sanchez will be dining on before every game he starts for the rest of the season.

There is a long tradition of the superstitious pre-game meal in baseball.  The most recent, I know about, was Wade Boggs.

Long-time Boston Red Sox batting champ Wade Boggs always had chicken for his pre-game meal.

When a pitcher throws a no-hitter, the Hall of Fame comes a calling.

Now comes the tough part: deciding what to give the Baseball Hall of Fame, which has a baseball (not necessarily from the final out) from every no-hitter thrown since the museum opened in 1939.

Sanchez said he will keep the ball from the final out, his glove, his shoes and his hat - "Because I've got my grandmother's and my cousin's name on my hat."

The grounds crew dug out all the bases and the cleat cleaner from the mound and gave it to the Marlins, who had the equipment wrapped in plastic to preserve the dirt.

What's left for Cooperstown?

Girardi grinned mischievously.

"I told him he should send them his bat."

The bat isn't a bad idea unless it is his lucky sacrifice bat - he did have one of those the night of his no-hitter.

Since the final out ball is not required, I'm sure the team can come up with a ball that was in play on Wednesday night to meet the minimum requirements of the Hall.

Cooperstown probably understands that when a player achieves a first in their careers they like to hold onto the memento.