The umpire was oblivious to the fact that a possible perfect game was in progress. The A’s fielders were overly aware, which is why they were nervous wrecks. And somehow the pitcher on the verge of ...

Nearly 10 years after his perfect game, the 19th in major-league history, Dallas Braden revealed that he was not actually at his best that day. “I wasn’t following protocol, let’s say,” Braden said.