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.