Some thoughts...

The Red Sox almost indirectly ruined my family tonight. Actually, my dad almost ruined my family. He decided to try to convince me that Josh Beckett had hurt himself on the way to the game, that it happened while I was in my class tonight. My dad and I will not be speaking anytime soon.

The blogging while watching thing...yeah, not so much. Got to focus my positive energy on my boys! Isn't it crazy, how superstitious we sports fans can be? I once dated a guy who said things wouldn't work out since it rained the day of our first date. He said that on the first date. He couldn't believe I thought he was crazy. He thought all sports fans were superstitious about all things. needless to say...it didn't work out, and it wasn't because of the rain.

I'm so pumped for tonight. Beckett vs the Russian Rocket...why russian? Well, they aren't quite as good as the rest of the rockets. They fall apart, they might be a little past their prime and still in use. Maybe you'd send a dog up in a Russian Rocket, but never a human. Go Sox.

Dice-K @ Pettitte

I haven't done this all season, but I think I'll blog this one as it goes.

6:57 - How can you trust a guy who cheated on Halle Berry. This is why, when I watch a game on YES, the TV volume goes all the way down, and I put a little XM music on. Thank god for Lucy, playing the alternative hits of the 90s.

7:03 - So, Tiger Woods likes baseball? Maybe? IT would seem the game isn't on YES (Thank theo.) but on WNGS. I'm not sure that's much better, especially after the random soundless shot of Tiger Woods, and a brief station identification screen. Stupid Yankees networks.

7:12 - Pettitte takes seven pitches to get Dustpans, Youk, and Papi 1-2-3. Nice to hear the biased Yankee announcer acknowledge the ROY season Pedroia is having.

7:18 - Jeter said "shit" on TV. Maybe his herpes are flaring up today.

7:24 - A-rod slides into second. and by second, i mean lugo's ankles. I hate that guy. Not Julio.

7:28 - Gotta walk away for a minute or two. Gonna stop the posting, thinking it's bad karma. Dice-K is having a rough inning, but in true Dice-K form, I have faith he will shake it off and be just fine as soon as he gets out of this one.

until next inning...

"a fantastic second half"

I'm just so tired of hearing this said about the Yankees. Give me a break...let's take a look at who they've played since the all-star break...Tampa Bay, Toronto, Tampa Bay AGAIN, Kansas City, Chicago, Kansas City, Toronto, Cleveland, Baltimore, Detroit, LAA, Detroit. Are you kidding me? I could put the JV softball team from our school up against those teams and come out with a winning record. The Yankees have not had a fantastic second half. They've had a bunch of games against teams that are mediocre at best. The Cleveland series was a joke...I was so disappointed in the Former Buffalo Bisons. (Seriously, when did Cleveland stop swinging the heavy bats? Talk about a surprise...) Out of the serious contenders, they went 4 - 4 with Detroit, 1-2 with LAA, and swept Cleveland. Good luck, so-called Bombers. Because let's face the facts...you don't have the pitching to make the long haul. And despite the fact that your september looks like an easy coast, the Mariners and the Red Sox will foil the plans of the Evil EMpire. But you just can't call it fantastic baseball. It's not, not by any stretch.

Sox at Yankees, t-minus 30 minutes. Tonight, Dice-K vs Pettitte. Give 'em hell, boys.

And big ups to the AL players of the week, Captain Graybeard and Big Papi.

Name for a Gnome

So, I have these garden gnomes on my front porch. And two are playing leapfrog; we've named them Hercules and Big Randy. The other is a bobblehead gnome (really fun on windy days) and he hasn't had a name since Franklin and I rescued him from a doomed life at Walgreens. He's carrying some mushrooms, and judging by the look on his face, they just may be of the magical variety. And as I was watching a little Sox action today, the perfect name occurred to me. So next time you find yourself on Crestwood, come introduce yourself to Julian Tavarez, the bobblehead gnome.

A Study In Optimism, via Instant Messanger

me: so, do you think eric gagne is trying to ruin my life on purpose?
geoff: i think on purpose is a string term
me: string term?
geoff: maybe more of an enjoyable side effect?
me: i hate that guy
me: fucking 3 earned runs on six batter
geoff: jebus
me: yeah, exactly
me: dude is gonna get his ass kicked in boston tonight
me: hope he has good security
me: your next career: eric gagnes body double
me: high risk, but i bet it would be good money.
geoff: its only the next logical step
me: for you and for him
me: i'm really upset with him right now.
me: i bet there's a way i could pin this on steinbrenner though
me: quick, call the conspiracy theorists
geoff: there's always a way to pin it on steinbrenner
me: for real
me: at least we unloaded wily mo today


even after gagne blows a save, there's always a light at the end of the tunnel.

Dating and Baseball..

If I was Alyssa Milano, my life would be a whole bunch easier. First, I'd be a knockout. (Even though Jonathan "ScaryFace" Papelbon has admitted he'd prefer Pamela Anderson.) Second, I'd have a slew of Tony Danza jokes to file in the "Funny-Cause-It's-True" drawer. But mostly, because of this. I've recently decided that if dating was like baseball, my life would be a whole lot easier. And Alyssa Milano dates a lot of ball players. Talk about a fantasy team... (PS, thanks for bringing down carl pavano. Curse of the Babe?!?!)

Anyway, think of the myriad ways in which baseball is better than dating:

...You always know what team the other guy is playing for.
Think about that. No radar required. In giant, color coded letters across his chest, a cute little symbol on his hat, you know just by looking. So smart, when you think about it.

...No one night stands.
Every day, you know who you're playing. And you're guaranteed anywhere from 3 - 19 games with each matchup. Now, having dated more than my fair share of Tampa Bay Devil Ray or Kansas City Royal equivalents, I could certainly see ways in which this strategy backfires. but never again would you have to suffer through the will he call me again garbage.

...Taking one for the team could make you a hero.
Wingmen and wingwomen everywhere, listen up. Has a buddy ever asked you to take one for the team? To sit next to the obnoxious friend who won't stop talking about how cool they are? To dance with the one with no rhythm and wandering hands? Quintessential "Take one for the team" philosophy. But you get plunked with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, and all of a sudden, taking one for the team is kind of a glamorous thing.

...10 men on the field at once!
And they're all willing to play the game. There are no hidden strategies (Unless stealing signs is your thing. We've all done it.), everyone is there for the same reason. None of those guys get dragged along. They hit a slump, and they play right through it. They adjust, they finally change their lucky underwear.

...Ichiro. Dice-K. Hideki Okajima. 1 big bat, 2 big pitchers. I'm so not going into details on this one.

...It's possible to lose, and still have a good game.
In my world, there are certain players I'll always root for, no matter what color they wear. Take Adam Stern, for example. He comes up against the Red Sox, and I'm dying for him to hit it out of the park. I mean, I don't want Baltimore to win, that's just crazy. (I don't even think Baltimore wants Baltimore to win, but that's a different post altogether) But I love to see my favorites have a good game, while their team succumbs to the Mighty Mighty Red Sox.

...Guilt Free Home Runs. 'Nuff Said.

...High socks.
No normal guy looks good in high socks. But you put a baseball player in high socks, and all of a sudden, this girl goes a little weak in the knees. Reed Johnson, Ryan Braun, Jason Varitek, even ancient Mike Timlin. Doesn't matter who (Unless it's He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Let's not ruin this post for me.) the high socks always look good. Something about it...

...There's No Crying In Baseball!
Of course, we all know this to be not entirely true. I'm sure at some point in the near future, A-rod (Shoot, I totally just mentioned his name...) will be an official spokesmodel for Kleenex. I mean, he was really upset in the offseason about what happened with him and Jeter. And no one appreciates a good clubhouse fight more than I do (See: Zambrano and Barrett, Lilly and Gibbons, Fielder and Gatorade Cooler.) Baseball is definitely an emotional sport. But in the long run, it's all just water under the bridge.

All in all, if dating was like baseball, I'd be able to analyze statistics, see a player's entire history, their performance under any conditions, and make educated decisions. Is he better against lefties or righties? Home or away? How did he do in the minors? Is he slumping, or swinging a hot bat? I could figure it all out. It would be mathematical, it would be reasonable, and he would be wearing high socks. Why oh why can't life be more like baseball?

Dear Julio...

I'm sorry for all those times I called you Julie.

Love,
Amy

Are you kidding me?

Kansas City? Really?


wtf.

The Baconator

So, apparently, Wendy's has a new offering in the heart attack waiting to happen file. Not the important part of this story. In the commercial for the Baconator, they put male faces on female bodies. and I swear to god, one of them looks just like A-rod. The face, not the body. This cannot be a coincidence. Theo, I know we've had our disagreements in the past (see: Bill Mueller, Trot Nixon). But I implore you...not A-rod. We just don't deserve it.

Mid Season Report

Oh man, it is so freaking good to be a sox fan right now.

Let's consider the year so far.

The starting rotation has been solid. Sure, shaky at times, but you can't win em all, and we certainly win more than most. Dice-K seems to have settled down some. Schill seems to be bouncing back from the injury. And yay for theo and tito for making his fat ass sit for a while. Gabbard did ok. You just wait til my boy Jonny Lester gets his cancer-ass-kicking self back in the starting ro. Time to f some shit up. Beckett has been an everloving beast. That kid throws a nasty 12-6 curve. NASTY. Wakey has been getting moderately better run support, so that's been a bonus too. And as for Taz....the dude is crazy like a fox and mad inconsistent. We know he's just a placeholder, and it's good to see the Sox protecting their long term interests by taking their time with Lester and Schill. I have great confidence in the remainder of the year.

The bullpen has been full of surprises, to say the least. Papelbon has still been strong. Maybe not as strong as last year, but still dependable. And add to that the fact that he has the scariest pitching face in the majors. Okie Dokey...lovin Okajima. Rookie of the year, enough said. As for the rest of them...I have big hopes for manny delcarmen. I'd like to see Taz in relief where he belongs. Snyder has been solid this year. Donnelly and Pineiro are on their way off the DL. Timlin has been a disappointment, but he's getting old, let's face it.

As for the offense, it seems to me like the big bats of the DR boys might be getting hot. Manny's been on a tear. If only Dustin Pedroia could share his slump-busting secrets with JD and Jewl-io. That kid has the second highest average on the team. And thank god for Captain Graybeard, and his sidekick, Kevin BigBeard (Yeah, I know...I'll come up with something better). Not only are they one of the most dependable teams of corner defense, they have been so reliable at the plate. Youk is the man, there's just no disputing that.

Here;s the thing. *knocks on wood** Papelbon hasn't been as unstoppable this year. Schill hasn't been top form, nor has timmay. Papi and Manny haven't been hitting. JD and Lugo have been disappointing. Coco is clearly not cut out to play in Boston. And we still have the best record in baseball. What happens when we start firing on all cylinders? Watch out, MLB. Here come the motherf'n Boston Red Sox. Take note.

Summer at Last!

Well, I am finally done with school and can devote more time to the daily postings. Some baseball thoughts...

...anyone else worried about Julio Lugo (pronounced Jewel-io when he's slumping like this)? He's currently batting .191. Is it possible that Dustin Pedroia is the only member of the team who weighs less than that?

...I have said it a million times, I will now say it again. Josh Beckett is a frickin beast.

...Which leads me to my next point. Don't you think it's possible that, just as joshy needed some time to adjust to a different league, dice-k, too, will only get better with time? It would help, of course, if DIce-K wasn't the new Tim Wakefield. We have something like 7 runs over the kid's last three starts. That ain't right, boys...that just ain't right.

...my friend sean goes to yale.

...How much do you love that the Yankees just keep on sucking?

...Iget nervous about all the names I am hearing in trades. Mark Buerhle is not work giving up Jacoby Ellsbury, Clay Bucholz, why does Theo keep thinking like...I can't even say it. But we don't need no stinkin Buerhle. The Yankees can have him, the guy is pretty easy to hit...especialy this year. We certainly don't need to be in the running for a superstar on the decline.

...Speaking of which, good thing the Yankees spent all that money on the Rocket.

I love baseball.

Some Interleague Thoughts...

...remember when Bronson Arroyo had a better average than half his team?

...Do you think it's possible that the sox threw the game against oakland just to boost Lenny's confidence?

....am I the only one who's tired of hearing about the Rocket's tired groin? He knew what he was getting into when he chased andy to NY. Let's consider a few things: The Rocket can only pitch six innings. i know I'm no genius of math, but this means that the weak bullpen still needs to get 9 outs. And a lot can happen on the way to 9 outs. And he beat the Pirates. It's not like he was pitching against the Mets, the Braves, some real hitters. I'm not impressed.

...they showed the Yankees dugout applauding when schill gave up a hit in his no-no attempt the other day. Tell me the rivalry means more to "us" than it does to them. Please. At least the A's fans were classy.

...I love David Ortiz. There's really no other way to say it.

...I have strong feelings about Mike Lowell's beard remaining its natural grayish color. News Flash: Mike, you're kind of hot. Fake black dye is so unattractive on a man. Don't be that guy. And start wearing high socks. That is all.

...Dice-K looked good in his last start, too bad we couldn't be productive offensively. He takes on the big unit tomorrow. I hope the little guy is ready. He needs some good starts.

...could kevin youkilis be a better hitter? honestly, this guy gets better and better. 5 years down the road, if this keeps up, he'll be leaping tall buildings in a single bound. And I'll be there to say I told you so.

My friend sean traded Curt Schilling for Huston Street...

And where is Mr. Street now? That's right boys and girls, The dreaded DL. Good move Sean. Did I mention that Sean goes to Yale? And is quite possible the only person who reads this blog? ANyway, he sent me this a while ago.

heres a quote for yer blog

"But with a rotation savaged by injuries and a rival bent on running away with the American League East, Torre has had little choice but to pick up the bullpen phone to staunch the bleeding."

now they is 8 games back

Sox-Yanks, series number three.

Wel, coming in to tonight's game, I see that the pitching matchups are not necessarily in our favor. And I could give a crap. Worst case scenario, we are ONLY seven and a half games ahead in the AL east. Best case scenario, 13.5. I'll be happy to split the difference.

And the game is 4-0 yankees in the bottom of the third. Across the room, my phone beeps. No doubt a text message from one of the many yankees fan who haven't been returning my calls in the past few weeks. I'll quote Ice Cube, and leave it at this "Life(Baseball?) ain't a track meet, it's a marathon." I'll talk to you bastards in July. If you had even half a bullpen, I'd be worried. Stupid Yankees fans.

Joshy Beckett hits the DL with an "avulsion"...how much did the team pay the doc to find a synonym for blister?

Youk continues to hit like a monster. Love him.

Mikey Lowell, captain gray beard himself. Not only is he a defensive machine, but hitting like a beast as well. Seriously my Red Sox MVP. a quiet force at 3rd base. I just love the hell outta this guy.

I thought Coco had found his swing. Maybe not so much.

Old leatherface looks lost out in left field. Classy guy, but I have to hate him because of the pinstripes.

Manny leads the team in strikeouts. Hustling in the outfield to make up for it. So easy to forget that manny being manny maybe i'll just pop into the green monster, make some daisy chains in the outfield while i'm at it can actually play some defense once in a while.

Big Papi "I like you, Tim Wakefield. Your crazy dancing knuckleball makes me smile. For you, I bat one in."
I seriously love this guy. Big smile, big swing, big runs, I guess that's why they call me big papi. You gotta love his japanese handshake...look for it when Dice-K or Okajima pitch.

Oh man...4-1. I know it's only one game, but I want so badly to see the Yankees lose hard. Good thing it's only the 6th inning.

Currently 5-0 mariners in the bottom of the first. I just tuned in to the radio broadcast, and I'm wondering how they get five runs on one hit. You would think that Dice-K is having some trouble finding the plate again, eh?

How much do you love Josh Beckett right now!?! 6-0, and I hate to say I told you so...oh who am I kidding, I love to say I told you so. I told you Josh Beckett would have a standout year. 6-0 baby!!!

Coco seems to have found his swing. And Bronson Arroyo's hairstyle.

Julio Lugo and Coco bring what we've never had before, at least not in the last few years. We finally have the kind of speed pitchers think twice about. Those two are stealing bases like it's Christmas. It's nice to see.

Jon Lester might just pitch in Buffalo this weekend. Super Sweet.

Coco has been a defensive demon as well the past couple of games. Don't call it a comeback... (As I write this, Coco recorded three putouts in the top of the second.)

What happened to the Yankees? Not that I mind, but I really thought they'd eat Julian Tavarez for lunch. Suckers.

Hideki Okajima, rookie of the month. You bet your ass. This kid (what am I saying, he's in his thirties.) has a nasty curve.

Papelbon...I'm not mad at ya.

Alex Cora is a beast. That's really all I have to say on that topic.

I find it hard to follow baseball so closely while the stanley cup race is on.

Yanks-Sox Part 1

Oh man...what a game! A-rod hits two home runs, one of which Coco chases over the wall into the bullpen! A-rod did some fantastic baserunning after hitting a double. But none of that mattered, because if there is a team in all of Major League Baseball that has the number of "The Great Mariano Rivera," it is the Red Sox of Baahhhhston. Oh, what an 8th inning! We enter the eighth inning down 6-2 after A-rod cranked the aforementioned 2 homers. Myers pitches to Papi, who hits a double. (Is it just me, or does he look just a touch faster this yeaR?) Myers gets pulled, boggling the baseball minds who expect him to pitch to JD Drew, on deck after Manny. Vizcaino steps in, and the Sox tear him up. Walks manny, Drew gets a grounder to advance the runner, and Lowell with an RBI single. I called a double, expecting nothing less from Captain Graybeard (jump on my bandwagon, will you...I'm all about that nickname for Mikey. Unless you think M-lo would be better?). So Mo steps in, and hell continues to break loose on the Yankees. Tek with a single, Coco with a sick liner for a triple, and Cora brings him home. Ahh, sweet victory. Not to mention a solid 9th pitched by Hideki Okajima, against the top of the order. Lovely.

Notes:
Coco and Tek seem to wake up offensively. Hurrah!

Pedroia's drought continues. With the way Cora has been playing, do you sit the little man for a game or two?

Bullpen continues to look solid. When the offense takes off, we are un-freaking-stoppable.

Sabres win the series against NY Islanders. If the Devils win, we conquer all of NYC, with the Rangers in our next series. One by one...

Go sox. Beckett takes the mound against some little leaguer today. In fact, I gotta go so I can catch some of the game on FOX before I head off to the PawSox game here in Buffalo.

Wowza...

So, can you tell I went back to school this week? I've been busy, but here are some thoughts.

-I stand by my prediction that Josh Beckett will have a career year. The kid has been amazing this year.

-Way to back up Wakey, guys. Finally, Timmay gets the run support he needs. The knuckleball was lookin good last night.

-Dougie Fresh with two homers in his last two starts! Dougie's going deep tonight!!!!

-Wily Mo Pena crushed the ball in Toronto the other night. I know because I was there. It was a pretty good game, other than the rough inning that Matsuzaka pitched. Okajima was fierce. I don't think the three walks in the fourth (fifth?) would have been such a big deal if we could have hit the ball. I mean, Youk didn't even touch a base, and you know that never happens. It was mad cool to see Dice-K pitch, though. He wasn't locating very well. It will be interesting to see what the Yankees do with his stuff this weekend.

-Jon Lester continues to improve. That kid is a hero, and I don't care what anyone says about it.

-Coco is back in the leadoff spot. I'd like to see them give him a shot there. He certainly did better there today. I know, only one game...but still.

-Pap goes 4 for 4 in save opportunities. I'd give that kid half my liver if he needed it.

-On the topic of the Toronto Blue Jays, how awesome is Rios? It's fun to watch those guys...it's like they know they don't have a chance in the East, so they just have some fun. I'm hoping to get a chance to see Halladay someime this season.

And on to our big weekend, the first series of the year against the Evil Empire. They've got three pitchers on the DL, but I'm looking forward to the matchup of Schilling-Pettitte tomorrow. It is undeniable that A-Rod is hot, hopefully we can put out the flame. (I am resisting the obvious joke here.) It's always interesting to see these two teams match up early in the season. There's no Boston Massacre this year. I'm calling it at 2-1 sox for the series. Let's go sox!

And while we're giving NYC a big fresh can of whoop-ass, lets share some with the Islanders. DiPietro or no, let's go SABRES!

HYPE!!!!

Well, it looks like the one person who got lost in the Japanese shufflue was Felix Hernandez. Who promptly issued a big "Screw You" to the 350 members of the media who were there to gawk at everyone but him. I say, good for you. kid. At least Seattle has one pitcher with the ability to win. Would have been nice if Dice-K could have won his Fenway intro. I thought he looked good, but I didn't think he had the command he had last week in KC. Through I'll credit him with playing a helluva psychological game. He had Ichiro swinging at pitches in the dirt by the end of the 7th. Good stuff.

Today, let's wake up the bats (Haha, get it..."Wake" up!) when Timmay takes the ball against some guy from Seattle who isn't Felix Hernandez. Go Sox.

Ah, who am I kidding. I will not be thinking baseball tonight. I will be thinking, go, you Buffalo Sabres!!! LET'S GO BUFF-A-LO! I think my temperature's up today. Must be PLAYOFF FEVER!!! (Similar to Natalie's bout of Olympic Fever during the second season of Sportsnight. Doctor, Doctor...Mister MD...can you tell me what be ailing me?)

Home Opener...

What a way to kick off the season at Fenway! I forgot the game was on (I know, some fan I am, right?) until the fourth. By that point, the Red Sox were already in double digits. JD Drew with a homer...and a pretty exciting 8th. Brendan Donnelly came in to relieve Josh Beckett who struck out 8, including Ichiro 3 times! He pitched to Guillen, who apparently caught Donnelly pitching with pine tar in his glove a couple of years ago. He turned him into the home plate ump, so there's some bad blood there apparently. He struck out Guillen, and as Guillen walked back toward the Mariners dugout, Donnelly appeared to say something, and Guillen didn't take it well. (And in my highly non-expert opinion, though I consider myself to be a formidable trash talker, I swear it looked like Donnelly grabbed his junk. I would have said something to the effect of, there's no pine tar here, and I still struck you out, punk. Maybe something slightly more colorful than that.) AAAAAAAAAAAnyway, Guillen charged the mound, Donnelly dropped his glove and glasses. The benches cleared (I love it when that happens) and Guillen had that awesome angry hold-me-back thing going on. There were no punches thrown, despite the fact that I was tossing the word sissy around on the couch like it was Christmas. (I like to think I have an effect on the game) Next batter up, Johjima, and Donnelly plunks him in the thigh. He was ejected...Donnelly, not the hitter. But you know you are in the thick of hockey season when you can't help but root for a brawl.

Hopefully none of that will overshadow the fact that little Joshy Beckett pitched like a champion today. It was amazing to see...I love it when that kid pitches. He gets all fired up, I love to see that kind of passion on the mound. He struck out seven today...good for you, little buddy. And it's nice to see JD Drew do well. Three hits each for Tek (or as Steven/Stephen King would say, Tek Money) and Youk. Lugo did well. Take that, you naysayers who accused us of a slow start. Take that.

And on a side note, the games on NESN are so fun. I love that you can hear the taunts of the crowd pretty clearly if you get really close to the TV. And I'm so wishin I was in Boston so I could be on this show.

OPENING DAY!

Oh man...I'm so glad it's the home opener. Becks takes the ball against Seattle today. I love baseball season. It's still hockey season here in the B-lo though. I keep running into friends who want to know what I'm doing for the game Thursday...I keep thinking they're talking about baseball when they're not. I'm definitely pumped to see Buffalo sweep NY. We're firing on all cylinders, Max and Timmy are back. Hopefully Connolly doesn't break his brain again this post season. But I can't think about that right now, not until Thursday.

Is anyone else sick of the Matsuzaka-Ichiro hype? Big whoop, they're both Japanese. Move on people, let the kid throw some strikes and we'll call it a day.

And you should get this kid on your fantasy team: last night, geoff siener went 5 for 5 with 3HR, one of which was a granny. 10 RBIs, and though I didn't see it, a diving catch that I am assured is web gems worthy. ESPN called and everything. I, of course, refused to take their calls on principle...I really miss Harold. Any way, this kid is amazing. Too bad it was only a softball game. But he played like a beast nonetheless.

They're Baaaaaack!

What. A. Game. Seriously, this is the problem with being a Red Sox fan. The highs are phenomenal, the lows are depressing...but I just can't let go. Last night's game against the Rangers was one of those pitching duels you just love to watch. Papi hit two homers...you just don't tell Papi he's starting off slow. And how much do you love that commercial for the Boys and Girls Club..."I gues that's why they call me Big Papi". I think he reminded us all of that last night. And Schill looked good. Commanding pitches, 7 strong innings. And what do you say about Jonathan Papelbon. (Notice how I just skipped the rest of the bullpen? Pinero and I are no longer friends.) (Until the next game) Papelbon, 5 outs! And against Texeira and Young, no less! It's not like he struck out a couple of rookies or the old guys...he fired that last pitch past Michael Young so fast, I literally thought his head would spin or his eyes would pop out like in the old cartoons.. That kid is freaking amazing.

easter guilt...

One of the perks of my Catholic childhood is the awesome guilt thing. I have to tell you, I feel like Tavarez might have had a better outing if I hadn't doubted him. And if that wasn't bad enough, the baseball gods further abused me...and don't think I didn't get the phone calls and text messages to remind me of it.

I was lucky enough (?) to be in attendance at the Mr./Ms. Buffalo show last night, frantically texting friends to see how the game was going. I feel no guilt in doing so (funny how guilt works) as the contestant I was supporting is a sox fan. (and the one who coined the name "Leather Face" for Hideki Matsui. It's funny cause it's true.) I know it's early in the season, so I don't let the errors etc bother me. It was a balmy 38 degrees in Texas last night...it can't be easy to play in that weather. I just have such high hopes for this season...let's hope I am rewarded.

And let the rewards come tonight. At 8:05 pm, Curt Schilling (a blogger himself) takes the ball against Vicente Padilla of the Texas rangers, who seems to be one of the few pitchers who had a worse first outing that Schill himself. Hopefully Schill gets his seeing eye dog or his GPS or whatever he needs to find the plate between now and 8:05. And if you're bored, you should check out Kevin Millar's post on Curt's blog. He's a funny guy, that Millar. I mean, he was hilarious that one time on Queer Eye For the Hairy Guy.

Go Sox.

Hey, Jude...

I have to admit it...I am terrified for this guy's start tonight. Sure, he's got some decent stuff and he did ok when he started last year. (4.01 ERA, a complete game against the Jays.) But he scares the crap out of me. Who doesn't remember the fistfight during Spring Training? He's passionate, we'll give him that. But dear lord, please let him keep the damn lid on til Jon Lester gets back.


(Thanks to MLB.com for that sweet pic.)

WARNING: THIS POST HAS NOTING TO DO WITH THE GAME OF BASEBALL

Ok...I make no secret of the fact that Jason Varitek, Mike Timlin, and Gabe Kapler have one blessed thing in common...the high socks. I am a total sucker for a baseball player sporting the high socks. Until this season, of course. I got a phone call bright and early this morning (thanks for that, by the way) and a message that went something like this...

" So I was watching the game last night, and I noticed that A-Rod was wearing the high socks. I figured you'd be a Yankees fan if you knew that...so just calling to say congrats on the conversion"

Why must that whiny little baby ruin one of my favorite parts about baseball? Makes me angry. Stupid A-Rod. At least I still have Reed Johnson right in my very own backyard. (He's not chained up there or anything, I'm just saying Toronto is pretty close.)

Big Papi Makes Me Smile

First of all:
If I could grow facial hair, I would model it after Big Papi.

Second of all:
Did anybody catch this , at the end of the game against the Royals on Thursday 4/5/07? Matsuzaka, after striking out 10 and getting his first MLB win, went through the line at the end of the game, and was bowing oh-so-respectfully...in response to Big Papi, clasping his hands together and bowing to Dice-K. Possible exchange: "I had four strikeouts, you struck out 10...you win again, Dice-K."

Wakey, Wakey

Oh dear lord, please forgive me...but I cannot handle another season in which Former Buffalo Bison (hereafter abbreviated FBB) Tim Wakefield pitches like a freakin beast, but does not get any run support. I just can't

Happy 2007 Baseball!

So, I've created this blog for a couple of reason. First, because I can't stop talking about the Boston Red Sox. Second, because most of my friends could give a crap about baseball. Third, because the ones who do are Yankees fans, and I am sick of having the exact same argument. You know, the one where I bring up the 2004 ALCS and they say "What's in the past is in the past" and then, being Yankees fans, and having rather small brains, they forget having made that comment, and start talking about the 26 rings they have. you know, the ones they got in the past. The past that didn't matter when we're talking about the Red Sox winning. The past that didn't matter when we're talking about the sox coming back from being down 3 games in a series of seven, and winning that very same series. I'm done having that conversation. I find it much easier to just ignore Yankees fans. You can find me on the Daughters of Kevin Youkilis website too. I'm a Buffalo Girl who flips back and forth between baseball and hockey this time of year (did someone say Stanley Cup?) and who can't get enough of those Red Sox! So bring on 2007...the year which brings us Matsuzaka, Kapler as a manager, the return of Jon Lester (how amazing is that kid, seriously!?!), Beckett's rebound year, no more Trot (I miss your dirty hat already), JD Drew wearing #7, Coco's rebound year, another new shortstop, another Manny hairdo, the list goes on and on. All I can say is...GO SOX!