Monday (Perfect games, imperfect pitchers) edition: Wha' Happened?

"Maybe Braden's (throwing a perfect game). You ever think of that?" -- Reg Dunlop in Slap Shot, quote slightly altered.

Though Dallas Braden couldn't strip down to his underclothes a la Ned Braden after yesterday's perfect game -- it being Mother's Day and all -- the 19th perfect game in MLB history did make us wonder: how have the most recent perfect pitchers (since 1980) fared during the rest of the season in which they threw the perfect game?

So here's a list for you, along with some other career-wise noteworthy facts:

Mark Buehrle (July 23, 2009): The White Sox lefty was a very modest 13-10 with a 3.84 ERA last year. A solid season, but nothing spectacular. He has also led the AL in hits allowed three times during his career.

Randy Johnson (May 18, 2004): Record-wise, 2004 was one of Johnson's worst years at just 16-14. However, his ERA (2.60) WHIP (.9) and K's (290) suggest he was still plenty dominant during that season, even if he would show starting the following season that the end of his dominance was coming. He might have been a likelier candidate to throw one in the late 1990s/early 2000s, but then again his control in 2004 (44 BB) was a factor. In his more dominant years, he rarely had games where he didn't walk anyone.

David Cone (July 18, 1999): Cone's perfect game came at the tail end of a very good career. He went to 10-4 on the season with his gem in 1999. He was 16-29 for the rest of his career.

David Wells (May 17, 1998): Wells through his perfect game in arguably his best season ever (18-4, 3.49 ERA). His propensity for giving up hits (he led the AL twice in hits allowed and finished with more hits than innings pitched for his career) was offset by this fact: Matt Lawton, Brent Gates, Paul Molitor, Marty Cordova, Ron Coomer, Alex Ochoa, Jon Shave, Javier Valentin, Pat Meares. That was your Twins starting lineup that day. Starting pitcher for the Twins that day: LaTroy Hawkins. Those were the days.

Dennis Martinez (July 28, 1991): OK, hard to argue with El Presidente. He led the NL in ERA during his perfect game year (2.39) and also had five total shutouts that season.

Tom Browning (September 16, 1988): Continuing our trend of decent lefties who gave up a lot of hits but managed to be perfect one day, here is Browning. He was 18-5 in 1988; he also led the league in HRs allowed with a whopping 36. Must've kept the ball down that day against the Dodgers who, by the way, went on to win the World Series. Fun fact: Browning also threw a one-hitter that year against the Padres during which Tony Gwynn broke up the no-no with one out in the ninth.

Mike Witt (Sept. 30, 1984): A career 117-116 pitcher who had the first of a string of four pretty good seasons in 1984. Before that season, he was 23-29. He could strike out a guy (topped 200 once) but he also gave up his share of walks. Fun fact: His perfect game took 1 hour, 49 minutes and was on the final day of the regular season.

Len Barker (May 15, 1981): Barker finished his career 74-76. He could be very good at times, but overall he was a pretty average pitcher. That, however, didn't stop the Braves from trading Brett Butler AND Brook Jacoby to Cleveland in 1983 in desperate pursuit of his power arm for a division run. Barker went 10-20 in three Atlanta seasons. Brett Butler would go on to gain more than 2,000 of his 2,375 career hits with other teams, often flirting with or topping a .400 OBP as a prototypical leadoff man for the era. Brook Jacoby would have a solid career that included a 32-homer season. No, this entire list was not compiled because of Len Barker. But yes, we are still bitter about that trade.