Red Sox @ Yankees - Blogging the Game

7:06 Paul Byrd against Sidney Ponson. A showdown of veritable pitching giants. Something tells me that on Opening Day, this is not how these two teams thought today’s game would begin. Just as importantly, we are joined - nay, lead fearlessly - by Stevie Phillips and Dave O’Brien.

7:09 Pedroia singles. There goes the perfect game for Sir Sidney.

7:12 Of all the little things that grounds crews have been accused of over the years of doing to favor the home team, I’ve never heard anyone being accused of timing the ads that appear on the wall behind home plate so that ads that are white, which makes the ball hard to see for fielders, show up when the home team is batting. Probably because they don’t do it. But it’d be a good idea.

7:14 Youkilis strikes out. Not that they did it for him in Yankee Stadium, but Youkilis batting reminds me how sick I am of fans who make a big deal out of guys whose names have a sound that rhymes with “boo”, like “Youk”. I think fans think they’re being really ironic when they yell these names. “Yooooouuuukk! Get it! It sounds like we’re booing, but we’re not! If you don’t know that, you’re not a real fan! Yooouuukk!” It’s the same with two guys named “Moose”: Mooooose (Mussina) and Mooooose (Daryl Johnston of the mid-90s Cowboys), among others. The only time I thought this was okay was when I didn’t know any better because I was 7 and Bills fans chanted “Bruuuuuuuce” for Bruce Smith. It only took the maturation level, however, of being 8 or possibly 9 at the oldest when I realized that this is dumb.

7:17 Sidney has allowed two in two thirds of an inning. Sounds about right.

7:18 Steve and Dave are talking about how today’s games are the last ones in MLB without replay, as replay begins tomorrow. I repeat: you cannot change rules in the middle of a season! Wait until next year!

7:20 Steve just said that Jon Lester “has become the ace” of the Red Sox staff. Not true. Josh Beckett and Dice-K have fallen so ungracefully that Lester has had no choice but to assume the “ace” role, if he even has.

7:21 Great assist to Pudge by Abreu to end the inning. We’ll miss his occasionally accurate arm next season.

7:26 Warren Spahn strikes out Damon with a pitch on the corne-...Sorry, I mean Paul Byrd’s windup strikes out Damon with a pitch on the corner. Bonus: Spahn was born in Buffalo.

7:28 Arkansas Megan is blogging the game as well. I have a sick feeling hers is going to be more entertaining than mine.

7:30 They just showed Mark Kotsay in the Boston dugout, as they just traded for him. Kotsay, of course, was at one time a brilliant acquisition by brilliant Money Ball manager Billy Beane, who has brilliantly managed his way to zero World Series appearances.

7:31 A-Rod scores Abreu from first. Suddenly the fans love him again. Hmm. 9 more years of this.

7:36 Every time I announce that I need more shaving cream, Arkansas Megan asks if I’m going to get the new kind whose commercial has hundreds of microscopic girls in tight jumpsuits and jet packs flying into the guy’s nose. Do women think that this is a popular male fantasy?

7:39 I would be more hesitant to take a shot of this garlic sauce that came with our pizza than I would be of taking a shot of the rattiest moonshine in West Virginia.

7:40 Sir Sidney fooled Ellsbury with two nice curveballs. Ellsbury has leveled out statistically to become a satisfyingly average player with above average speed.

7:47 The Phillies are currently beating Johan Santana 2-1. The Mets absolutely positively need to win that game. Just ask Matt J. If you want his head to spin around like the Exorcist girl’s. Especially now that O’Brien is reliving the Mets’ finish to last season. I happen to know that Matt J is not watching this broadcast; it’s probably for the best.

7:55 Steve Phillips proclaims to Peter Gammons that the most important player in the history of the Boston Red Sox is…Jason Varitek. I’m not even sure what to say.

7:57 Gammons is trying to clean up Phillips’ mess. It’s been roughly 10 minutes since anyone mentioned anything about what’s happening on the field.

8:02 There’s a reason Peter Gammons is a famous writer: because he’s a lousy TV announcer. Get him out of the booth.

8:04 Now they’re talking about Curt Schilling, who, I don’t have to remind you, has not thrown a single inning this season. He’s not even there. Is he even on the team? Let’s talk about Ruben Sierra!

8:11 The Most Important Player in Red Sox History flew out to center. Unrelated: I think Steve Phillips is drunk. Or he has a huge crush on Gammons who is STILL IN THE BOOTH. The game has become a sideshow. I would take Michael Kay, Al Leiter, and John Flaherty over these goobers any day. And I don’t think Dave O’Brien is that horrible!

8:15 Steve Phillips says that in his mind Maris’ 61 homers is still the single season record. I suppose Steve Phillips also thinks that Steve Phillips is a successful major league manager, too.

8:16 Footage of Roger Maris’ 61^st homer. Rounding the bases, his head was down and he wasn’t sprinting, but he wasn’t prancing either. Modern players claim to idolize guys like Maris. Why don’t they try to emulate them?

8:27 Cano brings A-Rod around on a single, tie game. Steve Phillips declares that the Yankees need “more things like that” (RBIs) in order to “turn this thing around.” Invaluable insight from the Skipper. Madden-esque.

8:28 Pudge flies out to end the inning. He has one homer and is hitting something right around the Mendoza line since joining the Yankees. In the past several years, supposedly talented veterans such as Pudge who have joined the Yankees have this look about them that says “I used to be an All-Star, but I’ve come here to falter.” Pudge has perfected this look, and he has faltered. Randy Johnson did this pretty effectively as well.

8:40 Ponson has thrown 7 straight balls, putting Youkilis at 3-0 with the bases loaded. This does not have postseason push written all over it.

8:41 Full count.

8:41 Ellsbury is walked in. Turning point of the game?

8:43 Jason Bay sac flies to right. 4-2, Boston. I can’t wait for the first Bills game.

8:43 Arkansas Megan, who has abandoned her blog for a comfy spot on the couch, notes how sad it is that the Yankees fans don’t applaud for Ponson as he leaves the game. I have to agree.

8:53 Jeter lines out. It’s ok, he’s so dreamy.

8:56 A-Rod at bat. A-Rod swings real hard. Ball soars to centerfield. Crowd gets very excited; they obviously don’t know that Coco Crisp can see where the ball is going much better than they can, as he steps under the pop fly to make the catch. Why do fans insist on ignoring the movements of the guys who are paid millions of dollars to catch the ball? They know where it’s going and watching them will help you look like not a doofus.

9:17 I really enjoy watching Pedroia play. I think he’s the Red Sox’ Jeter. He’s a great hitter who has become a leader very early in his career. He’s a relentless fielder. He’s a team guy. I’ve heard interviews with him and he seems like a good person. He beats out every hit and puts his head down when he homers. You never hear him say anything dumb (well, dumb in the sense of deconstructive to the team; all athletes are pre-programmed to say unintelligent things). He just struck out, but he did it while swinging so hard that he almost knocked himself over, which is another reason I delight in watching him. He also provides some minor unintentional comic relief because he looks like he’s about 17, then immediately ages about 25 years when he takes his helmet off.

9:25 Understandably, the announcers won’t shut up about it being the last year at Yankee Stadium. It reminds of a website, which I will not link to, that is a petition to keep the Stadium standing. Not as the home of the Yankees, mind you, but as a minor league complex, or as a museum, or even a shopping mall (I’m not kidding). This petition claims that “The Stadium is a national treasure, a part of our country’s history.” Look, there is ten tons of history there, but baseball history. Yes, ok, non-baseball events include: Louis vs. Schmeling, Zale vs. Rocky, Colts vs. Giants in “the greatest game ever played”, a few papal visits, the 1946 Army-Notre Dame (the Game of the Century), the win one for the Gipper game, and some concerts. And other things, I’m sure. But let’s not get carried away here. It is not critical to our nation’s history that the Stadium remains. Battlefields, monuments to great men, Yankee Stadium? Not so sure about that. The Polo Grounds was torn down and its legend probably looms larger than if it hadn’t been torn down. Let the Stadium go. Its legend will only grow.

9:32 Delcarmen lays down the Yanks in order to end the 7^th, still 4-2 Sox.

9:37 Paraphrasing Phillips: “Bay is actually having a pretty good year. He’s actually a pretty good player but you’d never know it before now because he’s been in Pittsburgh!” Take a closer look at the hand that feeds you, Steve, for your answer.

9:46 Bases loaded, no outs. I’m not even nervous. Just waiting.

9:47 Sac fly. 6-2, Boston.

9:49 7-2 Sox on a Crisp single. It may be bedtime.

9:56 Red Sox have batted around. Papi just did something good after some other guys did some good things since I last updated. Oh, Pedroia knocked a grand salami. 11-2, Boston. 1 out, by the way.

9:57 McCain has reportedly picked his running mate, and will make the announcement on Friday at 11 am, presumably timed to take the wind out of Obama’s sails after his speech on Thursday night. Hopefully a post on this topic will write itself tomorrow.

10:00 Youkilis hit the ball and a Yankees player caught the ball before it hit the ground. I don’t remember what that means.

10:03 From the east coast! To the west coast! This is oooouuuurrrr cooouuunnttrryy!

10:06 Mike Timlin wears one of those little ropes around his neck. I never understood that trend. I don’t understand many trends, in fact. I’m not very trendy. Don’t listen to me.

10:08 Yankees haven’t had a hit since Sunday. I mean the 5^th inning. You can stick a fork in the fat lady, the party’s over. Or however that saying goes.

10:10 I enjoy Old Spice commercials. The centaur in the shower, and the Doogie Howser bits. Pretty funny. I’d link to them if I could for just a second rip my eyes away from these wet noodles parading around in pinstripes.

10:14 On to the bottom of the ninth. Time for a ten run rally. The giant plush turtle I won at an amusement park is sitting on his head in place of a rally cap.

10:17 Tonight’s game was sold out with 55,027 in attendance. Last night it was sold out with 55,058 in attendance. What do you call a sold out game that 5% of the ticket-holders don't go to?

10:18 The 42 people left in the stands watch Giambi hit a meaningless home run. The nearest fan is still running to go get the ball, because he was 17 sections away. He was the closest one to the ball.

10:19 Nady with a nice base hit to left. This is nonsense.

10:20 Matsui singles to right. Timing is everything.

10:23 Double play to end the game. This game was a microcosm of the Yankees’ season: shaky starting pitching, underachieving offense, ending on a double play. Boston will play its last ever game at the Stadium tomorrow. Maybe we’ll have a disputed, replayed home run to make it interesting. Actual meaningless, non-binding prediction: Yankees pound it out and win easily with Moooooooooose on the mound. I don’t think they lose their last game against the Red Sox at the Stadium to get swept.

Huge Trading Deadline

After what feels like forever, I'm getting a chance to post again. It's largely my fault for not making the time, but I have to now because of all that's happening: baseball is seriously heating up, the presidential race is driving me up a wall, and the country is slowly, in places, falling to pieces. Today's post is going to be stolen almost entirely from an email I wrote this morning (for some context, it was to a good friend in Boston who is a true fan of not only his team the Red Sox but also of the great, all-encompassing game of baseball, two very different things. He was at Lackey's almost no-hitter at Fenway the other night and called me yesterday evening to proclaim that his Red Sox will miss the postseason.) Here goes:

Secondly, I know several people both real (myself, one of my attorneys who is a big, big Cubs fan) and fake (ESPN talking heads) who agree with you that the Red Sox may miss the postseason. Honestly, a foreign thought after the past couple years. If the Yankees overcome and win the wild card, you're looking at the World Series champions finishing third in their division and the NL champs lucky to finish second in their division, which will be won by a team hovering around .500. What a crazy game.

Thirdly, you must tell me what the reaction in Boston to The Trade is like, primarily because you'll be talking to people and listening to the radio so you'll get a better feel, and secondarily, and probably more importantly, because I refuse to read any of it myself; I prefer having you as a filter! I am very interested to see how ultra-laid back Joe Torre deals with Manny. I feel like you must be glad to some extent that he's gone, despite the fact that his absence may seriously cut the Sox' playoff chances. As Schilling said on ESPN (quoting Schilling? What??!!), it's disheartening to play with a guy who you know doesn't want to be there (or is at least acting like it, as Manny was).

What a huge trading deadline. Allow me a small indulgence here to say that all three major AL East trades went the Yankees' way: getting Nady and Marte, a much needed bat and a much needed lefty specialist, getting Pudge, whose value needs no explanation, and of course Manny being shipped to the senior circuit, because, and I'm sure you don't need to be told, he just eats Yankee pitching for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Ortiz-Bay doesn't come within 100 miles of Ortiz-Ramirez. Although, I don't think Bay will be hitting 4, anyway; who will? Drew? Lowell? Guess we'll find out tonight.

Did you see the highlights of the near-no-no? I noticed what you did also, that Lackey seemed nearly emotionless. After he gave up the homer, you could see him yelling to his catcher, "Just give me the fucking ball!" clearly wanting to finish the game. Very cool.

I thought the Angels hammered the Red Sox so badly because Boston was tired and distracted by the whole Manny saga. Then they absolutely pounded the Yankees last night. Scary looking team, although no one seems to think they're going to last in the postseason. Interesting; assuming that's true and they're "not built to last" and the Rays are "too young and inexperienced", that leaves the three of the Twins/Sox/Tigers/Yankees in the AL. That's making the big assumption, of course, that the Red Sox completely fall apart and the Yankees overtake them. It is going to be a great last couple months, to say the least.

This year is shaping up to be one of the more exciting in recent memory. And no, I don't think that every year.

Quickie

Some real quick nuggets:

• Should have blogged the game last night. Joba went 6 with 3 runs and 5 Ks, which was good, but he also had 4 BBs, which was not so good, not to mention a wild pitch that let a run score and a slider that slid all the way behind Youkilis’ thigh. All in all not a bad outing.
• Rivera pitched two strong innings for the win while Papelbon got walked off by rookie Brett Gardner. He’s really fast.
• Jose Molina has made several perfect throws to take guys out at second and third this past week or so. He has an impressive throw out rate, about 50/50 on bases stolen/guys thrown out.
• A-Rod tied the Mick for career home runs.
• Boston lost its sixth straight one run game.
• Joe Morgan was at the top of his moronic, self-loving game. Or maybe I mean he was at the bottom. Whatever; he was notably unbearable, even for him. He and Jon Miller continue to impress by messing up players’ names, confusing them with managers, etc.
• You know the irrepressible fear that I get whenever Kyle Farnsworth comes in with a lead smaller than 12 runs? I get the feeling that Red Sox fans are starting to feel the same way about Hideki Okajima (the guy who, if you listen to Miller and Morgan’s hyperboles, never ever looks at the plate before he pitches. We’re talking from when he walks out of the bullpen to when he leaves. Never looks. Yes, he jerks his head in a funny way. We get it.)
• Why is A-Rod’s divorce first page news on ESPN? I love ESPN but I’m starting to lose faith in them.
• I know I’m picking on the Red Sox a lot in this post when there are equally annoying or bad things about the Yankees. I’ll get to them later.
• Did you hear about the kid at Purdue who got in trouble for bringing a book to work about the Ku Klux Klan? Not just any book, but one about how the students of Notre Dame battled the Klan in the 1920s; not a book glorifying the Klan! Just by bringing the book to work he was accused of “harassing behavior” towards his black co-workers. He was ordered to not bring the book to work anymore or he might get fired. By the way, he was working for Purdue. An American university punishing a student worker for reading a book they carry in their own library!
• The latest GOP plan to “trap” Obama into a flip-flopper role is symptomatic of the disease that is the electoral season. Obama is clearly a flip-flopper; we all know it and he’s shameless about it. But guess what: they all are! Democrats, Republicans, anyone who wants to get elected is! They do it every cycle! Do we learn nothing! McCain’s camp is trying to trap Obama into either a) admitting that he is going to ignore the realities on the ground Iraq and stick to his 16 month plan no matter what, which will expose him as being someone who ignores facts and is unable to change, or b) changing his position on his withdrawal plan so he can be labeled a flip-flopper. Obama and his cronies must be spending time figuring out how to avoid this trap. I wish them luck. The McCain cronies must have spent a bunch of time figuring out how to lay the trap. Is this really what these people are spending all their time on? This is how we win elections in this country?
• Senators are expending so many resources, using so many people who are supposed to be smart on their campaign. Senators themselves are, theoretically, also smart. We could have all these people using their collective brain juices on solving the real problems this country is having as opposed to creating problems for their counterpart blowhards. As such, upon declaring their candidacy for the presidency, senators should be forced to resign their positions in Congress. This will not only allow their constituents to retain a representative who is actually serving them, but it will also make certain senators (and congressmen and governors, for that matter) think twice about opening campaigns that everyone knows are doomed from the beginning but are just for the publicity (see: Huckabee, Mike and Paul, Ron). They can run again later if they want but for the duration their constituents need people who are paying attention to them and not personal endeavors.

Hello, what?

Why I Hate Some Yankee Fans and Joe Morgan (again)

LaTroy Hawkins just came into the game for the Yankees to try to hold off what feels like an impending Red Sox rally. LaTroy is wearing #22 tonight after beginning the season as #21. He came to the Yankees this past offseason. LaTroy is by all accounts one of the nicest guys in baseball. He’s a veteran who immediately stepped up and became a leader in a clubhouse chock full of young pitchers. He’s not a stellar player, but he’s a good guy. He was forced to switch to #22 after Yankees fans insisted on booing him every time he came out because Paul O’Neill had worn #21 when he was with the Yankees, and the fans took offense to LaTroy daring to wear “Paul’s number”.

Paul O’Neill was a good Yankee. We all liked him. But booing a guy like LaTroy for wearing #21, which he chose to honor Roberto Clemente, by the way, just soils the whole thing. It’s disgusting.

Joe Morgan went on to mention that Yankee fans were also upset because Clemens also wore #21. That isn’t true. Clemens wore #12 at first precisely because O’Neill had #21. Clemens then changed to #22 midseason. Good job Joe.

Joe and Dave O’Brien (Jon Miller must be off forgetting things somewhere…actually, O’Brien just explained that it’s because Rick Sutcliffe has cancer. As Arkansas Megan just pointed out, “Why do they need to talk about someone with cancer, during baseball?” Excellent point.) were talking about Monument Park at Yankee Stadium. Joe was fawning over it, as usual, talking about how special and inspiring it is. He mentioned how his first time playing at Yankee Stadium he went out there before the game and as a result was so touched, he was inspired to play well that night. Well, Joe, I checked, and you were 1 for 4 with a strikeout. Oh and you had an error too. And it was in the World Series. Nice.

Yankees-Sox Rivalry loses luster...

Joel Sherman says what I've been thinking for a while....

A few good links...

A few good links...

John McCain hammers out a key economic speech, while Barack Obama feels mighty put out by the media.

Meanwhile, Jimmy Carter does everything but make out with a terrorist.

In other news, my usual forty minute commute to work today turned into a hour and forty minute ordeal despite the absence of any major accident on the 295N corridor. Gotta love drivnig in VA/DC/MD. This makes for a very cranky blogger.

The Red Sox were on ESPN again last night. This time viewers were treated to the fool that is Steve Philips, as well as a come-from-behind Red Sox victory that needs to remind the American League and the world, that until someone beats the Sox in October, you can take the moniker of "best team in baseball" from their cold, dead hands.

Coming later today, a Mets' fan vents about things that worry him in the new season.

Sunday Night Baseball

Currently watching the Red Sox meltdown in the 8th inning.  And if Francona brings Papelbon in for 6 outs I'll drive up to Boston myself and crush him....Francona goes to the mound and here comes....Javier Lopez...this could get ugly quickly.

Listening to Jon Miller and Joe Morgan is always a bittersweet experience.  There is hardly anyone better in the game than Miller when it comes to letting the game do most of the talking while providing context and description that only adds to the experience.  

"Double play! Beautiful! Dustin Pedrioia took it the only way it could've been done." 

Damon hits into a 4-4-3 double play. (Author breathing easily.)  That was classic Miller -- no frills, proper excitement.  This is a guy who realizes that the game is being broadcast on TV and that his audience is able to see what is happening.  Another great talent that Miller has is the set-up.  Too often a lost art, Miller's color commentary consistently places his partner in the position to offer cogent and timely observations...which brings me to "the other guy."

Quickly, however, Joe Morgan jumps into the action.  Certainly Morgan has been doing this a long time and has impeccable playing (read: HOF) credentials, yet I think his analysis lacks evenness and depth.  Too often, Morgan describes something that the audience can plainly see, thereby covering over more intelligent analysis that he also provides just a few seconds later.  

Earlier in the 8th, Miller and Morgan cut away to an in-game conversation with Peter Gammons (who is not only a HOFer but also will go straight to heaven if God is even slightly just) for a discussion about PEDs.  (Isn't it sad that PEDs are just as commonly discussed as RBIs and ERAs?)  But I digress: the conversation between the three is wrapped up and Morgan says (and I'm paraphrasing): PEDs weren't part of the game, there were players who made it part of the game because they were using them.  But there were plenty of players who didn't use them and make them part of the game.

Unfortunately I wasn't quick enough on the keyboard to type his comments down verbatim, but I came away thinking: whhhhat?  This is Emmy quality reporting?  Not as bad as Charlie Steiner, but we don't need Joe Morgan speaking as if he gets paid by the word, thank you very much.

You're not going to find another Big Papi or Manny in the next few years...

more penetrating analysis from Joe! (Umm Joe, have you seen any Brewers or Phillies games?)

And while I'm thinking about....does ESPN realize that the entire country doesn't want to see the Phillies, Mets, Sox or Yankees every dang weekend?

As Requested

Last night, in anticipation of a rain storm, Joe Girardi kept scheduled starter young Ian Kennedy in the bullpen, replacing him with long reliever Brian Bruney. This sort of move is not unheard of. The reasoning behind it is to “save” Kennedy’s start. If he had started and then there had been an extended rain delay after only a couple innings, it would have then been unwise to return the young arm to the game. Most pitchers, especially 23 year old pitchers, are likely to hurt their arms if they allow them to cool for a long time then return them to action. Some pitchers are even adversely affected by their offense having an exceptionally long half inning at bat (especially in the AL – lazy bastards).

That being said, if Kennedy had started and there had been a long rain delay, Girardi probably wouldn’t have let him continue after the delay and would have to then relieve him anyway, wasting his start. If the game had been called, his start also would have been wasted, obviously. Girardi didn’t want to waste a few of what are going to be carefully monitored Kennedy innings.

I don’t see anything wrong with this move. As it happened, there was no rain and Kennedy ended up coming in in relief late in the game anyway, pitching three fairly ineffective 3 innings, giving up 2 runs and only throwing 32 of his 52 pitches for strikes. This is the part I don’t understand. If you’re going to save the start, save it! Bringing him in late in the game against Zach Greinke, who pitched a great game, doesn’t make much sense to me. I didn’t watch the game, so I don’t know how much Kennedy had actually been throwing and whether or not he ruined himself for starting tonight. Maybe Girardi was looking ahead to the Boston series this weekend and was thinking about matchups there. But in that case, wouldn’t he just have started Kennedy anyway?

Managing pitching to win today versus managing pitching to win tomorrow: an interesting dilemma that the old Joe had issues with. It will be interesting to see how the new Joe handles these sorts of things going forward.

Being a former catcher he must know the psychological impact that bringing a young starter in in relief late in the same game he was scheduled to start must have. That’s for a later post, I suppose. I just hope Joe knows what he’s doing.

In the mean time, formerly 0-7 Detroit pulled it together for their first win, against Boston and overhyped Jon Lester. Papi continues his dismal start, going 0-4 and dropping his BA to .091. I was taking delight in this last week but am now forced to wonder if he’s hurt. Something must be going on with him that we don’t know about.

Tonight: Marlins at Nats. Forecast: beautiful, 67 at game time. Tickets: None yet, will buy at box. Pondering infield gallery, will take pictures. Bonus: free curly W and schedule magnet.