"We're Nasty": a Halo No-Hitter from Heaven

Post date: Jul 14, 2019 12:14:57 AM

"We're nasty", apparently that was Tyler Skaggs favorite phrase. The Halos were indeed "nasty" last night by combining for a no-hitter. I mentioned in my previous entry that my brother and I had tickets for last night's game, together we were able to partake in history something that we will share the rest of our lives.

I find it appropriate that I'm writing this entry on what would've been Tyler Skaggs 28th birthday. This may sound cliché, but there was something different about last night. My brother hit traffic on his way home from work and we were not able to leave to the stadium as early as we normally do, so we missed all the pre-game tributes that the Angels' organization had planned for Skaggs; as such, we were both unaware of everything that was going on at first. The Angels decided to wear the alternate red jersey which Skaggs was fond of, the Angels organization was granted special permission by Major League Baseball to wear Tyler Skaggs' complete jersey, with both his last name and jersey number. It showed a touching tribute of unity amongst the team. After all, they did lose an individual whom the entire team considered a family member and they certainly acted that way both on and off the field. The first inning finally concluded and the Angels were ahead 7-0 on their way to a complete rout of the Seattle Mariners which ended 13-0, both scores coincidentally reflect his birthday, 7/13 as Mike Trout pointed out in an interview.

As a closing tribute to Skaggs the entire team left their number 45 jerseys on the pitcher's mound at the conclusion of the game, much like fans had left their tributes such as posters, baseball caps, flowers, and candles on the pitcher's mound of the field replica located just in front of the home plate gate at Angel Stadium.

As a fan, the atmosphere was electric, the roar of the crowd, the strength, passion, and dedication that was evident in each of the players' mannerisms. The fusion of these different factors made it very special; it felt much more electric than a playoff game. For the first time in a long time all these factors were mixed together into one entity, and energy that if I attempt to describe with words, no matter how eloquent, I simply wouldn't do it justice. Let me suffice to say that I am ecstatic that I was able to share that type of experience with my brother.

While I agree that the 11th no-hitter in the Angels' franchise history is very special, it was the circumstances surrounding the no-hitter that made the experience unique, and will never be duplicated again. As I mentioned before, I have supported this team for over 30 years, and yesterday's moment was one of the most bittersweet and memorable moments I will cherish for the rest of my life. I am only one of the 43,140 Angels' fans at Angel Stadium that will share this experience together for the rest of our collective lives. Yes, "we're nasty" and that nastiness was showcased in the Halo no-hitter from heaven. Rest in paradise, Tyler Skaggs 45.

-ICE