While 2010 is The Year of the Tiger in the Chinese calendar, it’s safe to say that it is The Year of the Pitcher in Major League Baseball.

Last night, Arizona Diamondback Edwin Jackson pitched baseball’s fourth no-hitter this season, and two of the four gems have been perfect games; three if you would like to include Detroit’s Armando Gallaraga who was robbed of his by newest Three-Blind-Mice recruit, umpire Jim Joyce.

Jackson’s no-hitter was anything but perfect, but it will go down in history as the second no-no in D-back’s history. Jackson threw 149 pitches and issued eight walks in the process, loading the bases in the third before escaping without allowing a run and preserving the shutout. It turned out to be a very good thing; Arizona beat the Rays 1-0.

According to STATS, LLC, Jackson’s no-hitter marked the 25th time this season an MLB game ended in a 1-0 score.

Colorado’s Ubaldo Jimenez has been off to one of the best starts in MLB history, winning 13 of his first 15 starts and holding opponents near the Mendoza line. On April 17, he held the Atlanta Braves hitless and started the recent string of pitching prowess.

In early May, last night’s Rays were also on the wrong end of the Oakland Athletics Dallas Braden’s perfect game. Until then, Braden’s only headline grab was declaring the pitching mound his own and off limits to any hitter, especially A-Rod. That day in May, Braden owned the mound, the Rays, and the 19th perfect game in MLB history.

Three weeks later it was Philadelphia Phillie Roy Halladay’s turn, as he shut down the Florida Marlins on his way to perfection and a place in the history books. It marked the shortest span between perfect games in the modern era.

mTwo perfect games in less than a month, and it would have been three were it not for a momentary lapse in judgment on the part of umpire Jim Joyce as mentioned above. That brings us back to Gallaraga and his imperfect perfect game. Joyce’s blown call with two outs in the ninth prevented the Tiger pitcher from joining the perfect party.

The season is not even to the midway point, but it is clear that Dallas Braden is not the only pitcher staking his claim.

Re-printed with permission of the author.

Pat Schueppert is a contributor to Sports Climax who grew up on the frozen tundra and bleeds Green Bay Packer green and gold. The Wisconsin native, while staying loyal to his teams in his home state declares he has never worn a ‘cheesehead’ and “The Bears still suck!”..

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