Slowey's no-no broken up by manager

Here's one you don't hear every day.

In the year of the pitcher, the Twins' Kevin Slowey's near no-hitter may be the most bizarre of them all.

Slowey was breezing along with seven no-hit innings against the A's when it was abruptly broken up -- in the dugout.

That's right. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire pulled the plug after Slowe had thrown 106 pitches.

"They said we'd love it for you, but we can't do it," Slowey said of the dugout conversation. "Gardy specifically said, 'Liston son, I can't throw you back out there. I'd love to, but I can't look myself in the mirror and say I threw him back out there."

Why not? The rationale was that Slowey's last start had been skipped because of elbow tendinitis. I get that.

But pitch counts can be one of the most overrated statistics managers use. Slowey was breezing and a majority of his pitches were stress-free. Had Slowey felt anything, sure, take him out. But he could've breezed through the 8th and 9th in 20 innings.

At the very least, I think you leave it up to the pitcher. After all, it's Slowey's future earnings at stake.

"I would do it a thousand times the same way, because Slowey is just coming off an elbow injury and we're not about to e en come close to risking this guy," Gardenhire said. "I know I'm responsible for this young arm."

ESPN agreed with Gardenhire's decision and it's definitely the cautious approach. But this may be a real turning point in the game of baseball. Where the business side has overtaking the fun side.

Sure, the Twins don't want to lose their pitcher to an injury in a stretch run. But what about the 30-some thousand home fans, all wanting to be apart of history.

Instead, they were apart of the color beige.

Fantasy spin: Slowey owners who have hung on for dear life this year, your patience has been rewarded. Slowey showed signs a couple years ago to breaking through to that near-elite status, only to fall way back in 2009. Keeper leaguers, especially of the AL-only variety, take special notice. Slowey could be in for huge things this decade, pitching at the spacious new Target Field. Keep him in mind for a mid-round sleeper in next year's draft. His final numbers will not show up on a lot of radars.