Brian Urlacher wasn’t sure how dominant he could be any longer, so he’s calling it a career after 13 seasons with the Chicago Bears.And what a career it was:•Eight Pro Bowl seasons.FORT WAYNE – The Texas Rangers have one of the top lineups in baseball.
Five position players made the All-Star team. Three are in the starting lineup for today’s game.
But on June 4, Oakland Athletics pitcher Jarrod Parker shut Texas down.
The Norwell graduate took a no-hitter against the Rangers into the eighth inning. Michael Young ended the bid with a single to start the eighth inning.
“Against a team like the Rangers,” Oakland catcher Kurt Suzuki told The Associated Press after the 12-1 victory, “to do that was impressive.”
Parker has continued to impress. The right-hander has a 5-4 record at the All-Star break.
He ranks seventh in the American League in ERA (2.86), is 15th in WHIP (1.25) and tied for 36th in strikeouts (67).
Parker has received praise from national reporters.
“Parker has so much poise,” ESPN’s Buster Olney wrote on his blog on ESPN.com on June 9, “it’s easy to forget that he’s 23 years old.”
Parker’s start made baseball history. He became the first pitcher since Ferdie Schupp to give up one run or less in 10 of his first 14 career starts.
Schupp did it from 1913 to 1917.
“It’s just cool,” Parker told The Associated Press after matching the mark in a 6-1 win against Boston on July 2. “Obviously it’s something I never really thought of and didn’t think it was possible at all. It’s fun to look at, and I’m obviously honored to be compared to those guys. It’s awesome.
“I do what I can and will try to do less than one run every time.”
