Detroit's Verlander reflects on his no-hit night against Milwaukee

Detroit designated hitter Gary Sheffield said only a young Roger Clemens can compare to the 24-year-old Verlander.

"He has an overpowering fastball like Roger did when he came into the league and (Clemens) had other pitches he could go to. When those pitches were working, you had no chance," said Sheffield, whose major league debut was in 1988 with Milwaukee. "I would compare him to my uncle (Doc Gooden), but he was a two-pitch pitcher.

"Verlander has more pitches, so I can only compare him to Clemens."

Verlander threw the first no-hitter for the Tigers since Jack Morris in 1984 and was the first to do it in the Motor City in more than a half-century.

"I'm glad he did it," Morris said. "I told all the 50,000 people I talked to today that I won't be shocked if he does it again because he's got that kind of God-given talent that rarely comes along in baseball."

When Morris held the Chicago White Sox hitless on the road, Tigers manager Jim Leyland was a third-base coach for the opposition. When the game was over Tuesday night and Verlander was mobbed by his teammates, Leyland kept himself and his coaches behind the third-base line.

"The celebrating is for the players -- not us," Leyland said.

Leyland did enjoy a poignant moment with Verlander, however, in an emotional embrace before the pitcher got to the dugout.

"I just lost it," Leyland said.

Verlander's famed catcher said he can't lose if he keeps striving to improve.

"He can be the best pitcher in the game," 13-time All-Star and 12-time Gold Glover Ivan Rodriguez said. "He has the stuff to do it.

"You can talk to all the hitters on all the teams, `How do you feel facing Justin?' They're going to tell you he's tough because he has a nasty breaking ball, a good fastball and a good changeup."

Verlander had the Brewers guessing and flailing meekly throughout his 112-pitch masterpiece in which just three balls were hit to outfielders.

"I think the pressure started in the first when he's throwing 100 with that curve and change," Hardy said.

Even though his next outing isn't until Sunday at Philadelphia, Verlander insisted he was finished celebrating his no-hitter.

"I put it behind me, log it in and go to work," he said. "I was out here running today, preparing for my next start."