There is site out there that came to my attention shortly after Johan Santana completed his no-hitter tonight: Nonohitters.com. It was written by a Mets fan who kept count as the Mets continued to not have a no-hitter.
The person who runs it can now, presumably, sell it to a Padres fan, as they now have that record.

But anyway…

This was a no-hitter that was good for baseball fans in general (well, except for Cardinals fans). The Mets now finally have their no-hitter, all the more amazing considering the great pitchers they had in the past. Tom Seaver and Nolan Ryan didn’t throw one in a Mets uniform. Neither did Dwight Gooden or David Cone. Tom Glavine didn’t do it either. ‘

But Johan Santana did. This was something everyone (again, except for Cardinals fans) could get behind. Johan is one of the great pitchers of his generation, but could have been even greater if not for his injury problems as a Met. He became, over the years, something of a shadow of his old Minnesota self. Now, however, it appears that he has returned, which is good for baseball.

In many ways, this was the most entertaining no-hitter of the year, with the possible exception of Phil Humber (who Johan Santana was traded for once) and his perfect game. Here’s why:

• There was controversy: Carlos Beltran definitely deserved a hit for the ball that he ripped down the line. It clearly hit the chalk, and if a ball hits anywhere on the line, it is a fair ball. That said, I have to imagine that nobody will remember that in 20 years.
• Mike Baxter made perhaps the greatest no-no saving catch since Dewayne Wise saved Mark Buerhle’s perfect game. He paid for it too, going straight into the wall and injuring what appeared to be his shoulder. Hopefully the doctor’s office had a TV or radio, and hopefully Santana buys him something nice.
• Santana came up in the bottom of the 8th and proceeded to stand as still as a statue, yet still got a 3-2 count before he finally struck out like he had hoped.
• The first two outs of the ninth seemed to be possible hits, especially Holliday’s. I was sure that Andres Torres was about to overrun the ball.
• At the end, a fan in a Gary Carter uniform ran on the field, and, for a few seconds, was able to join in the pileup before being inevitably tackled by security. Maybe it was the fact he had on a Gary Carter jersey, or maybe it was just the neatness that one guy was able to celebrate with his team, but I think that was cool.

So, it was game to remember for every baseball fan in America who isn’t a Cardinals fan. Well, except for Mets radio announcer Josh Lewin:

Oh my. MT @sportswatch: Mets radio man @joshlewinstuff told me Wednesday he would be missing Friday’s game for his daughter’s graduation.

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 2, 2012

Ouch.

So, anyway, congratulations to Johan Santana and all of those New York Mets fans who finally have a no-hitter to celebrate. Padres: you are on the clock.