(Photo by Junko Kimura/Getty Images)
I stayed up for a bit of the game last night – watching Clay Buchholz and Kyle Snyder pitch. Kyle gave up 3 hits and a run (on a home run) over 2.1 innings and Clay, well Clay gave up 6 hits, 4 runs and 2 walks over 3.2 innings. (Holy cow, I watched six innings? No wonder I’m beat!)
It surprised me how excited I got when both Papi and JD Drew hit home runs in the first. It’s an exhibition game, it means nothing. Yet I was quite happy about them both. It was also interesting to hear the Japanese feed and realize that even when I wasn’t watching I could figure out what was going on. I enjoyed hearing the game in a different way.
There were other interesting pieces, like the playing of typical ‘baseball’ music before the game (“Blitzkrieg Bop” stands out in my memory). They also played “Song 2” by Blur when someone got a hit. Rob Bradford tells us they played “Sweet Caroline” in the 8th and”Shipping Up to Boston” when Jonathan Papelbon came out in the ninth. How great is it that they seemingly took special care to make the team feel comfortable?
The Sox beat the Tigers, but that ultimately doesn’t seem to matter. Both teams, while I was watching, looked like they were having a great time – and the announcers seemed absolutely beside themselves – cheering and yelling and laughing through the innings I watched. I was totally skeptical about this trip, but after watching the pre-game stuff last night (MLBtv had extensive coverage that was enjoyable – hey I said something positive about MLB!), I’m really glad they made this trip.
I know two people who will be at the Sox/Oakland games next week in Japan – and one of them happens to be Friend of RSC – “Tru”. He’s offered to send me some notes on his trip (and hasn’t promised pictures but did promise to ‘try’) so hopefully we’ll have some first-hand accounts of what it’s like to watch the Sox play over there.
Safe travels to Tru and to Miss Brenda as well. They’re traveling separately but will be at the games together. How exciting to be able to witness a piece of Red Sox history such as this AND do it with a friend? I wish nothing but good times (and safe travels – did I mention safe travels? I’m a travel worrywart.) for you both!
There was a brief outage here yesterday and I need to send a shout-out and “thank you” to Michael H for hooking be back up and not giving me too much grief about being oblivious. Thanks, Michael!
Easter morning at 6am is the second/last exhibition game on MLBtv. I’m hoping to be able to watch this one in its entirety!