Actually, we're here to take a look at a remarkable seven-year run of events, from the day that twenty-year-old former high-school superstud Matt Cain joined the Giants until now, when, at 26, this outstanding young pitcher is finally getting his due. That it took pitching's most notable achievement to vault him to this status may be because he's been overshadowed by Tim Lincecum for the past four years, or because he's been typecast as a "workhorse" pitcher, or because he has yet to throw a single inning in the All-Star Game despite being selected twice, or perhaps because he hasn't a gaudy won-lost record to go along with his excellent efforts. We don't know. Certainly his brilliant performances in the 2010 postseason helped raise his visibility, but up until now most of the accolades have come from fellow ballplayers, not from the media. We've been saying "This could be the year" for Matt Cain each of the last few season openers; perhaps 2012 is, in fact, The Year.
Cain was called up in 2005 to replace Kirk Rueter, if you'll remember, when it became clear the veteran southpaw no longer had the stuff to remain in the rotation. Since then he's rarely missed a start. And so, with everything that can be said about that perfect game pretty much already said, herewith we offer a smorgasbord of reaction, commentary, and general verbiage regarding the Giants' 2012 ace, from Day One up until the present. Enjoy, and remember (good gravy, did Cain really lose 16 games in 2007?)...
2005
Cain looks good but loses in big-league debut... Rookie Cain superb as Jints gain a game... Cain's complete-game two-hit masterpiece...
2006
Cain gets through the lineup... once... Red-hot Phillies tee off on Cain... Cain continues his MLB education... Cain's brilliant one-hit shutout... Cain fans 10, just misses no-hitter... Bullpen betrays Cain's 11-K effort... Befuddled bullpen betrays Cain... Cain superb as SF closes gap... Cain sharp, but Giants can't hit... Cain impressive again with 12 K's... Cain takes his lumps early... Cain, Giants complete the sweep... Cain superb as Giants roll along... Cain sharp as Bonds hits 728th... Cain's amazing run continues... Cain brilliant again with 2-hit shutout... "Curse of Coors" catches Cain...
2007
Bonds belts 735th ; bullpen betrays Cain... Cain throws a one-hitter-- and still loses... Cain sharp-- again; bullpen croaks-- again... Cain superb as Bonds hits No. 740... Jints battle in vain as Phils clobber Cain... Beleaguered bullpen betrays Cain... Cursed Cain unsupported again... Yet another Cain quality start wasted... Cain sharp but Giants fall in regulation... Cain basks in glow of Lewis' second 'slam... Same old story as Cain falls to 3-10... Cain's gem squandered in ten... Bonds hits 757th (and Cain hits 1st!)... Cain belts another homer, and wins again... Cain fans eight, wins third straight... Cain allows one hit-- and loses again... Cain unsupported again in 16th loss...
2008
Shades of '07-- bullpen betrays Cain... Cain torched in forgettable home opener... Bullpen betrays Cain again, SF falls in ten... Cain spared loss with rallies in 9th, 13th... Cain, three relievers combine for win... Cain cruises after three-run first... Winn, Cain lead the 4-game sweep... Cain fans 11 but once again gets no help... Cain perseveres and so do Jints... Cain dominates the NL's hottest team... Bullpen betrays Cain's fine effort... Wheels fall off after Cain departs... Cain brilliant; SF sweeps season series 7-0... Same old story: Cain gets no help... Cain pitches well and is rewarded... Cain contiinues mastery of Braves... Cain drops 10th in familiar fashion...
2009
Cain dominates behind Molina's 4 RBI... Renteria's grand slam stakes Cain... Cain falters but Giants can't hit anyway... Cain labors, prevails, avoids sweep... Cain (5-1, 2.40) on track for a great season?... Cain cruises to a soggy seventh win... Cain's complete-game nine-K four-hitter... Cain sharp but Giants fall in 10... Cain hit in right arm by a line drive!... Cain outduels fellow All-Star Duke... Cain wins 12th as Giants tie for wild-card... Cain dominates, but SF needs 10 to win... Cain wins 13th as Giants keep pace...
2010
Cain claims first win with one-hit masterpiece... Cain superb as Giants sweep a road series... Cain all too familiar with 1-0 losses... Cain's brilliant complete-game one-hit shutout... Cain, Rowand, Sandoval save series... Will this be Cain's Cy Young season?... Cain near-perfect as Giants gain a game... Cain pitches, Renteria hits, Giants sweep!... Cain outduels Billingsley, Giants move up... Cain, Posey, Wilson overcome Cubs, Wrigley, rain... Cain's gem lifts Giants back into lead... Matt Cain will take the hill for the Giants against Phillies' lefthander Cole Hamels... Matt Cain pitched seven brilliant, two-hit shutout innings, completely neutralizing one of the most powerful lineups in baseball... Cain, absolutely impassive and controlled throughout, walked three and struck out five with his 119 pitches... Cain has allowed exactly one run, unearned, in his two postseason starts... Matt Cain, the latest "Mister October," continued his brilliant postseason run with seven and two-thirds innings of shutout, four-hit ball... Cain now has pitched 20 and 2/3 innings in three postseason starts without surrendering an earned run, and he's inching his way into Christy Mathewson territory with this streak...
2011
Cain sharp, Giants sweep, tie for first... Cain's complete-game 11-K five-hitter... Jints drop fourth straight despite Cain's effort... Cain's gem rewarded by a most timely balk... All-Star Cain takes fifth loss of season... Old story: Cain's three-hitter not enough... Cain brilliant, bullpen shaky, sweep prevented...
2012
Cain opens 'Bell with near-perfect one-hit shutout... Cain tames tormentors with arm, bat... Cain emulates Mathewson in 1912 uniform... MATT CAIN'S HISTORIC PERFECT GAME!
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