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On this date (May 3) in 2011, Twins’ southpaw Francisco Liriano twirled a gem against the White Sox (in Chicago). It was the first complete game in Liriano’s then six-season MLB career, also his first shutout and – most important – a no-hitter. As the Twins triumphed in a tight 1-0 game, Liriano went nine innings, giving up six walks, fanning two and, of course, allowing no hits and no runs.
Liriano’s performance makes its way into the pages of Baseball Roundtable because it was one of the most unexpected and unpredictable no-hitters in MLB history.
Why unexpected? Coming into the game, Liriano’s record on the season (in five starts) was 1-4, with a 9.13 ERA. In 23 2/3 innings (averaging about 4 2/3 per start), he had given up 27 hits, 24 runs (all earned), 18 walks and one hit-by-pitch, while also fanning 18 batters. In the start immediately before the no-hitter (April 27), Liriano had lasted just three innings and given up seven runs on six hits and four walks. To further make my case for the unexpected nature of this no-no, in the start immediately after the no-hitter (May 19), Liriano had again lasted just three frames, giving up four runs on four hits and three walks. So, his no-hitter was “book-ended” by two games in which he lasted a total of six innings and surrendered 11 runs.
Getting back to that no hitter. In that game, Liriano threw 122 pitches (66 strikes and 56 balls). Despite command issues (hence, the six walks), only one White Sox player reached second base. Liriano was aided by three double plays: 2B Alexi Casilla to SS Matt Tolbert to 1B Justin Morneau in the first and second innings and 3B Danny Valencia to Casilla to Morneau in the eighth.
Liriano finished the 2011 season 9-10,with a 5.09 ERA. It was a bit of an “up-and-down” campaign for him. Among his 26 starts, on the upside, he had nine starts in which he pitched at least six innings and gave up two or fewer runs – and, on the downside, six starts in which he pitched less than five frames and gave up four or more tallies. His two relief appearance were also up and down. In one, he pitched two scoreless innings and in the other gave up five earned runs in two innings. Also, on the downside was a trip to the disabled list in late August – he didn’t pitch from August 26-September 17 and, in September, made just two relief appearances.
The up-and-down nature of Liriano’s career is reflected in the fact that, since the Comeback Player of the Year Award was established in 1965, Liriano is one of only seven players to win it twice and one of only two to win it in both leagues. (Note: It was the Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year Award from 1965-2006 and the MLB Comeback Player of the Year Award from 2005-current – with overlapping awards in 2005-06).
So, let’s look briefly at Liriano’s career. Seventeen-year-old Liriano signed with the Giants as an international free agent (out of the Dominican Republic) in 2000. In the minors, from 2001-2003, he went 8-12, 3.88 with 170 strikeouts in 160 innings. In November of 2003, the Giants traded Liriano to the Twins (Liriano, Boof Bonser and Joe Nathan for A.J. Pierzynski and cash). The Twins saw Liriano as a top prospect with a hard, tailing fastball, a sharp-breaking slider and an effective curve (as well as with an unorthodox delivery). After working his way up through High-A, Double-A and Triple-A (in 2005, he was 12-7, 2.63 with 204 strikeouts and just 50 walks at Double-A and Triple-A), Liriano got in six Twins game as a September call up (1-2, 5.70).
In 2005, Francisco Liriano was the International League (AAA) Rookie of the Year.
In 2006, Liriano had one of his biggest ups, going 12-3. 2.16, in 28 games (16 starts) with the Twins. Observers will agree, his stuff was electric. However, the season was not without its downs. Liriano (known for an unorthodox – often described as violent – delivery) – came down with arm (elbow) trouble and pitched in only one MLB game after August 7. After the season, he underwent Tommy John Surgery – and missed all of 2007.
Liriano was back in 2008, but suffered through the down of starting the season in the minors, got an April call up and put down an 0-3, 11.32 record in three April starts for the Twins. In late April, he was sent back down. However, putting up a 10-2, 3.28 record at Triple-A earned him a call back up to the Twins – where he went went 6-1, 2.74, with 60 whiffs in 65 2/3 innings (11 starts) the rest of the way. Plenty of smiles in Minnesota.
Observers point to Francisco Liriano’s original violent delivery, efforts to (alter) smooth that delivery, injury issues and some just plain hard-luck as factors in Liriano’s up-and-down career.
After that strong finish to 2008, things went a bit south in 2009 – a 5-13, 5.80 record in 29 games (24 starts).
Liriano’s 2010 season was primarily an up year (but still had its down moments). He started out 3-0, 0.93 in four April starts, with 27 strikeouts in 29 innings. Then, in six May starts, he seemed to lose his way (2-3, 5.15), but still there was solid promise – as he recorded 39 strikeouts and just nine walks in 36 2/3 May innings. He righted the ship and was 14-7, 3.28 on September 15 – before losing his last three starts, giving up 12 earned runs in 13 1/3 innings. He finished the season 14-10, 3.62 – and to add another up – won his first Comeback Player of the Year Award.
Then came the 2011 no-hitter season (that we’ve already looked at). This was followed by a 2012 season in which Liriano went 6-12, 5.34 for the Twins and White Sox. In October of 2012, the White Sox released Liriano and in December, he signed as a free-agent with the Pirates. Then, another downer. Shortly after signing with the Pirates, Liriano broke his non-throwing arm playing with his children. Liriano started the 2013 season (after the Pirates’ contract was voided and renegotiated) on the disabled list and didn’t make his first start until May 11. It was pretty much all up from there, as Liriano finished the season at 16-8, 3.02 in 26 starts, fanning 163 batters in 161 innings – winning his second Comeback Player of the Year Award.
In 2014-15, Liriano was pretty steady – going a combined 17-17, and putting up a 3.38 ERA in both seasons (for the Pirates). Still, there were ups and downs. In 2014, Liriano was 1-7, 4.72 through mid-July and then 6-3, 2.20 the rest of the way.
Liriano pitched until 2019 (suiting up for the Pirates, Blue Jays, Astros and Tigers). Over his final four seasons, he went 24-35, 4.68. His final stat line was 112-114, 4.15, with 1,815 strikeouts and 816 walks in 1,813 2/3 innings. He also went 2-1, 3.96 in 11 post-season games (three starts) for the Twins, Pirates, Blue Jays and Astros.
As a Twins fan, I was privileged to see Liriano in action and when he was on his game, it was a beauty to watch – and he could, at times, make batters look helpless “up or down” in the strike zone.
Primary Resources: Baseball-References.com; Baseball-Almanac.com; “Roberts Report: Liriano of old won’t be back soon,” April 24, 2008, ESPN.com; “Twins’ Liriano trying to slow down,” Associated Press, August 25, 2009.
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