Other than Rodney, seven pitchers had relief seasons with an ERA below 1.00 in 50 or more IP. Their average ERA the next season was 2.81, still very good–after all, you have to be an excellent pitcher to have a season like that. When we expand it to bullpen arms who managed a season with an ERA of 1.50 or below in 50 IP, we have 59 pitchers, 54 pitchers of whom played a significant number of games the next season, and a similar result, an average of 3.14. The median value is 2.96 and is more indicative of the average value in this case because Hung-Chih Kuo‘s ERA after his 1.20 ERA season was 9.00 in 27 appearances. Rodney’s 5.40 ERA would be the highest value of any pitcher other than Kuo, with only Shigetoshi Hasegawa and Rafael Betancourt also registering ERAs over 5.00. Only six even had ERAs over 4.00. If the annals of baseball history tell us anything, Rodney can’t possibly be this bad the entire season. And if Rodney keeps struggling to this extent, it wouldn’t be regression to the mean but an utter collapse.

In the long term, this injury could negatively impact the possible return for Price in a trade. Given the Rays payroll constraints, it was expected that he would be traded either sometime this offseason or the next. However, as Marc Topkin states, his injury will likely lessen the compensation that the Rays could get. Johan Santana is a great example – prior to his injury, the Twins could have gotten more for him, but had to settle for a lesser package.

Yet, could it be possible that the Price injury is actually a good thing for the Rays? Price has not looked right all year, particularly with his decreased velocity. In fact, it may be that the triceps injury could be caused from his trying to pitch through another injury, where he was doing something to compensate for pain elsewhere. By going on the disabled list, he should be able to heal any injuries that he has, hopefully allowing Price to get back to the form he displayed over the past three years. As the Rays have been able to stay in contention and even climb in the standings, potentially getting Price back in top form could only help their chances.

In the long term, if the trade market for Price is somewhat depressed, then it would stand to reason that he may get less as a free agent. Could this possibly increase the odds of the Rays being able to work out a long term extension? Price has stated that he wants to remain in Tampa and is open to an extension. However, he has stated that he does not want to take a discount to remain in Tampa, helping to fuel the trade speculation. Yet, right now, Price is likely at the nadir of his value. If the Rays offer a relatively team friendly deal that could keep Price in Tampa for a year or two into his free agent years, would he consider it at this point?

As much as it may hurt the Rays over the next couple of weeks, or until whatever point that David price returns, the Rays may actually be able to benefit from this. Although it may not have seemed to be at the time, and as odd as it may sound even now, this injury could have both long and short term advantages for Tampa.

The Mets’ Matt Harvey pitched 6.2 perfect innings on Tuesday night and was the first Met to do so since Rick Reed did in 1998 against the Devil Rays. (Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports)

Every major league pitcher dreams of pitching a perfect game and joining an elite list of only 23 pitchers who have accomplished the rare feat in their career. For 6.2 perfect innings on Tuesday night, the New York Mets’ Matt Harvey thought his time had come. Unfortunately for Harvey, an infield hit of the Chicago White Sox’s Alex Rios ruined Harvey’s streak, but the game kept fans on their toes as they witnessed a magical night in baseball.

Harvey was the first Mets pitcher to reach this spectacular feat since Rick Reed pitched 6.2 perfect innings for the Mets against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 1998. While the D-Rays kept Reed from recording a perfect game, it was still a thrilling sight for fans to take in, well, for Mets fans anyway. Here’s a look back at Reed’s almost perfect night on June 8, 1998, at Shea Stadium.

Reed, 33, at the time of the game, was a pitcher with a very interesting career arc. A 26th round pick by the Pirates in 1986, Reed found his way to the major leagues two years later but could never establish himself in the major leagues. He went 3-7 with a 3.68 ERA in 100.1 innings pitched with the Royals in 1992, but that was the only time in the first 11 years of his professional career that he pitched as many as 55 innings in the majors. But after a big season with their Triple-A Norfolk affiliate in 1996 at age 31, the Mets decided to give Reed a shot in 1997 and the results were incredible. Reed quickly emerged as one of the aces of the Mets’ staff, going 13-9 with a 2.89 ERA in 31 starts, 2 relief appearances, and 208.1 innings pitched. 1998 saw him go 16-11 with a 3.48 ERA in 212.1 innings pitched, and he never looked better than he did on that June night at Shea Stadium.

The start of the game immediately stood out for Rick Reed. A pitcher who didn’t strike out many batters and allowed a lot of home runs as a flyball pitcher, Rick retired six in a row to begin the game, the three of the outs via the strikeout and the other three on the ground.  While Reed rolled, Devil Rays pitcher Dennis Springer had a shaky start, giving the Mets the upper hand with a wild pitch and even giving up a hit to Reed before the Mets scored two runs in the second inning.

Rick Reed pitched 6.2 perfect innings for the Mets against the Devil Rays in 1998. (Credit: www.going9baseball.com)

Reed finally reverted to his flyball tendencies in the 5th, recording all three outs through the air, but he struck out two more in the 6th and it was clear that he had something special going, not allowing a single baserunner while striking out 8 in the first 6 innings. Then Quinton McCracken and Miguel Cairo went down on a popout and a groundout respectively as Reed was perfect through 6.2 innings. But then Wade Boggs came to the plate and the perfect game quickly came crashing down. Reed’s attempt to reach a perfect game was squelched as Boggs doubled, and Fred McGriff followed drawing a rare walk from Reed who walked just 1.2 batters per 9 innings in 1998. Reed was obviously rattled after losing his perfecto, but suddenly the Mets had to worry about winning the game as the tying run came to the plate in the form of Paul Sorrento. But Reed rebounded to strike him out and keep at least his shutout intact.

Still down 3-0 in the 8th, the D-Rays got back-to-back singles from Dave Martinez and Mike DeFelice to bring the tying run to the plate once again. But Reed refused to let his outing by marred, retiring the next three batters before ending his outing with a perfect 9th to cap off his shutout effort. Reed went all nine innings allowing just 3 hits, striking out 10 while walking 1. It was the only time in all of 1998 that he threw a shutout or struck out 10 batters, but it was just one highlight as part of an outstanding season. Reed beat a D-Rays pitching staff that wasn’t nearly as dominant but pitched well enough to win on a different night, with starter Springer and relievers Scott Aldred and Esteban Yan combining to allow just 3 runs, 2 earned, on 7 hits in the game, striking out 5 while walking 1. And although the D-Rays offense were unable to put up any runs on the scoreboard, they still played a part in history by keeping Reed from making bigger history with a perfect game or no-hitter.

Ironically, it wasn’t until the Rays became one of the best teams in baseball that they became susceptible to perfect games and no-hitters, falling victim to Mark Buehrle, Dallas Braden, Edwin Jackson, and Felix Hernandez in the last five years. Also ironic was that it not during the Mets’ great run from 1997 to 2000 where they won 88 or more games each year punctuated by a World Series berth in 2000 that they nailed down their first no-hitter but in 2012, when Johan Santana dominated the St. Louis Cardinals to finally get the Mets franchise their first no-no. No-hitters are a crazy thing–anyone can throw one on any given outing, and any team, even one amidst a run as good as any team in baseball, could fall victim to one before they know it.

With this feat under his belt and most of the season yet to be played, the baseball world will definitely be watching Matt Harvey if they were not already. Mets fans and simply baseball fans know that magic could be in the air anytime Harvey takes the mound. And with some awfully good pitchers on the Rays, fans can hope as well that one of the Rays’ starting five will give them a little magic of their own this season as well. After seven no-hitters were thrown in 2012, not one has been thrown so far in 2013 after Harvey’s attempt was foiled. Following all the no-hitters thrown in recent years, the question is obvious: who’s next?