One Yankees great knows exactly how Domingo German is feeling.
That is David Cone.
German became the 24th pitcher, and fourth Yankee, to throw a perfect game in Wednesday night’s 11-0 win over the Athletics in Oakland, Calif.
“This was great to follow,” Cone told Chris Sheeran and Jack Curry on YES Network for the Yankees’ postgame show.
“He was so efficient the whole time.”
Cone also said it was a great moment for German, catcher Kyle Higashioka and the entire Yankees’ organization.
“You know, … this is a long time coming for both of those kids and too see them celebrate together after the game with the team and the photo behind it, I think was just remarkable.
“[The] pure joy on Domingo’s face was just palpable.”
Cone said the 30-year-old German had the same mentality the former hurler had during his perfect game on July 18, 1999, against the Expos.
“I think the battle is, is you just want to stay in this sort of relentless attack mode,” Cone said. “I know that’s what I thought is you, you can’t take your foot off the gas pedal, so to speak.
“He did a great job of that. He really did.”
The YES and ESPN baseball analyst said there was one big difference between his perfecto and German’s — the amount of communication between the batteries as the innings went on.
Cone said he did not talk with catcher Joe Girardi at all, whereas German was seen talking with pitching coach Matt Blake and Higashioka as the game got deeper.
“You know, he almost went out of his way to avoid me,” Cone said of Girardi. “So yeah, it’s much different today, you know, I mean, obviously there’s a lot more information in today’s game.
“They’re very prepared on what pitches they want to throw ahead.”
The 60-year-old Cone said he, along with Girardi, relied more on feel for his perfect game.
“Whereas I kind of played it by feel, you know, we were allowed to kind of do it on the fly a little bit and Joe Girardi and I just kind of read bats, and we did it kind of the old school way,” Cone said. “Whereas I understand today there’s much more preparation and much more information.”
Cone said he hoped German will be able to use this start as a confidence-builder for a strong rest of the season, as David Wells did after his perfect game in 1998.
Cone said Wells was the best pitcher in baseball in 1998 after the perfecto.
“So, you know, you hope the confidence that Domingo gets in this game gets him on a run and allows him to really truly believe in himself and get over the hump in terms of whatever confidence that he has needs moving forward,” Cone said.
Cone also said in the long term German and Higashioka will be remembered for the perfect game.
“He and Kyle will be signing autographs for life and the further they get from it, the more they’re going to appreciate it,” Cone said.
Curry had one more question for Cone about if he was surprised how “chill” German was talking to Blake late in the game.
But he was met with silence as Cone didn’t respond, possibly already having hung up.
But it was clear Cone was impressed and happy another Yankee joined the perfect-game club.
German has one thing in common with the other four Yankees’ who threw perfect games.
All four pitchers’ first names began with a D.
German joined Cone, Wells and Don Larsen to be the only Yankees to pull off the impressive feat.
