I guess this is a tradition. A glorious, amazing tradition. After Jonathan Sanchez threw a no-hitter, there were 50 awesome things about that no-hitter. When Matt Cain threw a perfect game, the same thing happened. Tim Lincecum, you magnificent bastard. Here are 50 awesome things about you and your no-hitter.

1. It was Lincecum

Tim Lincecum. The guy who lost his talent in a poker game before the 2012 season, then came back to be a relief hero in the playoffs. The guy who was alternating good starts with bad. The guy who dragged the franchise out of the post-Bonds doldrums and won a couple of Cy Youngs and championships.

There's so much weight behind something like this. Metaphorical weight. Lincecum still weighs a buck-fifty.

2. The Hunter Pence catch

Last season, Hunter Pence couldn't do anything right. He was supposed to have five tools. He showed up with a miter saw and six toothpicks. This season, he's played a mean right field. He's been outstanding defensively. And in the eighth inning, he had one of those catches. In which a no-hitter is saved.

If the ball ticked off his glove, there would have been disappointed groans, but no one would have blamed Pence. Instead, he caught the ball.

3. Then Hunter Pence made this face

4. It was the first no-hitter at Petco Park

It was like the christening of a ship, where you break a champagne bottle on its bow. Except it was Tim Lincecum's big ol' changeup wang instead of a champagne bottle. I'm not sure what that means, but you just watched it.

5. Pablo Sandoval's play down the line

Pablo Sandoval is back. Pablo Sandoval's back. Pablo Sandoval has back. He's been hitting lately, and he's been picking it clean at third base, too. He made a clean play on a tough chopper in the seventh, and Tim Lincecum didn't allow a hit.

6. The look of relief on Lincecum's face as the ball gently nestled into Gregor Blanco's glove

There was a shot that tracked Lincecum from the third-base dugout, from pitch to out, and he calmly watched the ball gently nestle into Gregor Blanco's glove.

That's the official terminology, by the way. For a no-hitter. Balls "nestle" into gloves. It's a beautiful thing.

7. This is the 45th season of Padres baseball. They have never had a no-hitter

I knew a Padres fan who claimed the Padres had the better all-time team. He had Willie McCovey and Ozzie Smith on his all-time team. I'd like to think that guy is really sad now.

8. This happened when Lincecum was struggling

Look, a no-hitter when Lincecum was winning Cy Youngs would have been dandy. It would have been the cherry on a dominance sundae. But there's a little added poignance with the struggles of the previous years. It's not like he's going to emerge from the depths of the ocean reborn, a new pitcher, a new man, everything is fixed. But, screw it, Lincecum was awesome for a night.

9. That Andres Torres was zooming behind Gregor Blanco for the final out

Just in case.

10. There were runs

Just like the Matt Cain game, the Giants were never really in danger of losing. There were lots of runs, and they came relatively early.

11. Jon Miller's call of Pence's catch

He did a great call of the final out, too, but the Pence catch was the seminal moment, and Miller knew it.

12. The kid-in-the-candy-store vibe given off by Mike Krukow

He's a professional. He can be silly at times, but he takes his craft pretty seriously. And in the ninth inning, he said, "He can do this," so earnestly, so genuinely, that it only added to the spectacle.

13. That Buster Posey was the catcher

Because they hate each other, everybody. Timmy's like, "no bro i need to get high and play NHL '93," and Buster's like "Dammit, this is your life, you wastrel" and this went on for years and years, and then the Giants won World Series and Tim Lincecum threw a no-hitter.

14. There was a pitch-count concern, but it didn't really matter

Pretty cool, everybody.

15. /tugs at collar

Yeesh. Whatever. No-hitter!

16. That Twitter wasn't a maelstrom of pitch-count bitching.

Everyone was goofy for no-hitter-mania. We'll worry about tomorrow tomorrow. Maybe really worry about it! But on Saturday, Tim Lincecum threw a complete game, and he did not allow a hit. The list of pitch counts over 140 in San Francisco Giants history includes Marks Leiter and Gardner. The last one was Jason Schmidt, but he turned out okay. Right? Right?

17. Twenty-nine swings and misses was a career high

Except for the 2010 NLDS (31), which is still probably still the best game ever pitched in San Francisco Giants history.

18. Lincecum didn't have some sort of 94 m.p.h outlier of a game

This was pretty much the Lincecum that we're used to now. And it was still quite good enough.

19. That Petco Park was filled with Giants fans

Good gravy, that has to be so annoying. Like, the worst. So off-putting. So discouraging.

lol.

20. That we get to punch the next trade rumor about Tim Lincecum right in the crotch

One free shot. We all get one.

21. The split-second between Blanco's catch and Posey being right there with the bear hug

22. That Brian Bocock had a two-homer game for the Pirates' Triple-A team tonight

This means something.

Darren Ford came in as a pinch-runner. THIS MEANS SOMETHING.

23. My DVR said that "Get Out Alive with Bear Grylls" was on when the game ended

That probably means as much as the Darren Ford tidbit.

24. After not seeing a no-hitter for my entire life, the Giants have thrown three over the last five seasons

Two were against a divisional rival. They Padres. Who have never had a no-hitter in their franchise history. Feels like that should be mentioned at least once.

25. There were hella strikeouts

There's something pure about a no-hitter with all sorts of swings and misses. Lincecum struck out 13 on Friday night, the most since April 6, 2011

26. That the Carlos Quentin liner in the ninth made us all poop

Every good no-hitter has one of those in the ninth.

27. The Giants just got no-hit

Homer Bailey, you're pretty cool. But you're suddenly the guy who got hosed by a quick Dusty Baker hook in the NLDS again, not the no-hitter demon from the red dimension. That's important.

28. Tim Lincecum scored a run

That's one more than the Padres scored. Because they were shut out. Also, no-hit.

29. The curveball

Dat curve. It was a non-entity for the last few years. But it's back, and Posey's calling for it.

30. This came in the middle of a bad season

Look, it would be better if it came in another championship season. But as an oasis in a desert of losing? This will do fine, just fine.

31. Brandon Belt had a home run in Cain's perfect game, too

That's all. He can hit (Krukow voice), he can hit.

32. That Jeff Francoeur was out there in the dog pile

Hell, I'm a poet. I can appreciate that. It was fantastic.

33. This is the face that Tim Lincecum made when a pitch hit the umpire in the beans







That's by way of Gidget. And it's fantastic.

34. Someone stabbed rock-bottom, took its wallet, and dumped the carcass into the Bay

IN YOUR FACE, ROCK BOTTOM.

/waggles crotch

35. Gaslamp Ball literally used the words "rock bottom" in their post-game thread

Aw, man. I thought rock bottom was a Giants meme.

36. That it wasn't Chad Gaudin. Or Eric Hacker. Or Yusmeiro Petit

Nothing against those guys, but this no-hitter was thrown by Tim Lincecum. There will be Tim Lincecum giveaways at AT&T in 2045. Don't take that for granted. He's kind of a big deal..

37. This eerie screenshot of Ghost Lincecum whispering into Alexi Amarista's ear after Pence's amazing catch





It's alright, guy. It's alright.

38. The All-Star break will give Lincecum a big-ass rest

Easy there, big fella.

39. BABIP

Lincecum's batting average on balls in play has been a big deal over the last two years. He threw an 89-m.p.h. fastball in BABIP's earhole in this game. It kind of hurt.

40. My fantasy team's name is Tim Lincecum's Comeback Jamboree, and it benefited greatly from this performance

Listen, Jeff Locke is carrying my team. I've earned this.

41. This is a Tim Lincecum quote:

I felt fine out there from the first pitch. Maybe just a little sweaty.

42. MLB Jesus has a Vine, everybody

43. George Kontos has a Twitter, everybody

44. A dude in a foam SpongeBob costume was roaming around the park

Look, I don't know. There was a hover jet for Cain's perfect game, so why not SpongeBob?

I was more impressed with Patrick, to be honest. He's my favorite.

45. This picture



Photo credit: Denis Poroy/Getty Images

46. This picture

Denis Poroy/Getty Images

47. This picture

Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

48. This picture

Denis Poroy/Getty Images

49. This picture, oh god, this picture

Denis Poroy/Getty Images

50. Tim Lincecum

Fine work, Tim Lincecum. Fine work. You done pitched a no-hitter. Fine work.

It had to be Tim Lincecum.