I had actually considered Live Blogging NESN’s "What If" show about Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS..but I decided it would be more fun (for ME anyway) to live blog the New York/Toronto game. Why not? Sox already played and won. Bronson already pitched and got a no-decision. I’m home and I haven’t live blogged in a while. So here I am! I love my "Extra Innings" package on Comcast! Game time is 7:07pm – and I’ll be here.
For any of the new folks reading, I don’t like the Yankees. I think that is fairly evident. So I am rooting for the Blue Jays. I actually like the Blue Jays…especially now that they’ve booted that whiny beatch Shea Hillenbrand. So I’m really looking forward to this game.
(SPOILER WARNING!!! AS YOU SCROLL DOWN I REVEAL THE ENDING TO NESN’S "WHAT IF" SHOW. IF YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW HOW IT ENDS, AVOID ANY TEXT IN RED)
A guide so what I write makes some sense:
Slappy or Dora = Alex Rodriguez
Captain Intangibles or Captain Fistpump = Derek Jeter
HGHiambi = Jason Giambi. You probably figured that one out, huh?
Sid or Mr. ‘The Sloth" = Jorge Posada
Grumpy = Mike Mussina
There are too many for Johnny Damon…Demon, Judas, Idiot. You’ll recognize them when they come around.
I honestly don’t PLAN to spend the entire blog ‘bashing’ the Yankees…but I’m sure the opportunities will show themselves. For any questions regarding that…see the name and tagline of this blog.
I just found out I’m getting the YES feed…God has a really good sense of humor!
7:07 – Roy Halladay is pitching…this makes the YES men expect a really good game. Usually when we expect a great pitching match, we don’t get it.
7:08 – Demon starts the game with a hit and Jeter bunts him to second. You go, Jeter…
7:10 – HGHiambi is up. Oh God, Al Leiter is on tonight. I used to really like Leiter but he seemed to have some brain cells sucked out of his head when he joined YES.
7:11 – Michael Kay, just said this could be a clutch situation. In the first inning. The curtain calls make more sense every day.
7:13 – HGHiambi strikes out swinging…have a seat. Two outs with Slappy up.
7:15 – ARod has hit into 14 double plays, Ken Singleton tells me. But not this time. This time he flies out. So sad.
7:17 – I really wish I had the Toronto feed so I could hear what they have to say about Hillenbrand.
7:20 – Grumpy has two outs and Vernon Wells up. Grumpy might very well be a Yankee and a grump…but he sure is a good pitcher. I’d still like to thank him for stiffing the Red Sox to go to the Yankees. Because of it, we got Manny. Good times.
7:21 – Cutie Toronto Ball Boy makes an amazing catch! Slappy is extremely jealous.
7:23 – Three bounces to first base…very smooth Slappy. VERY smooth.
7:24 – Ken Singleton’s call on ARod bouncing the ball to first, resulting in a hit for Wells. "He saved a double". Gotta love YES.
7:25 – Has Troy Glaus always been this HUGE? He’s looking awfully large tonight.
7:27 – Lucky tells me in comments that Giambi struck out looking. YES showed strike 2 and called it strike 3 in the replay I think – or I just missed it. Ah, well…Slappy’s bouncing the ball to first didn’t 
hurt Mussina. No purple nurple for him in the dugout.
7:29 – Hey, Sid’s in the game! Michael Kay is saying he didn’t play yesterday because he got hit with a foul tip on Tuesday. I thought it was because Randy Johnson hates him. Go figure.
7:31 – THAT one was a swing. Nice form, Sid. Another strikeout for Doc Halladay.
7:32 – Bernie Williams, probably the only Yankee I can’t think of anything bad to say about, hits a single. Okay, one bad thing, he’s one of the ‘curtain call’ dudes. Meanwhile, Andy Phillips is out.
7:33 – Troy Glaus makes a beauty of a throw to get Melky out. Is it the pitchers? Why do I feel like this game is going very slooowly?
7:36 – What is MY9? Are there people in NY who don’t get all the Yankees games?
7:37 – Who had 7:37pm down as the first time the YES guys brought up the Red Sox?
7:39 – Nice pitch, Mike. Strike one on Bengie Molina.
7:40 – Michael Kay seems to be hinting around that the Rangers might have lost the game today because they flew to Boston this morning. Meanwhile, Ken Singleton just showed us that he doesn’t listen to to Michael Kay because he had to ask what the Sox score was after Kay already said it.
7:41 – Hey, it’s Al Leiter! Kay and Singleton aren’t letting him speak much tonight.
7:42 – Who had 7:43pm as the first time Mussina gets mad because he doesn’t like the ump’s call?
7:42b – Sit down Greg Zaun. Just sit down. No score at the end of 2.
7:45 – Miguel Cairo smacks the first pitch for a base hit. Miguel Cairo…the biggest secret in MLB. Seriously.
7:46 – Cairo steals on Bengie Molina. Bengie is not happy. Ken Singleton takes this time to make fun of Molina’s throwing prowess.
7:46b – Demon hits a double to knock Cairo in. YES is telling me he leads the Yankees with 23 doubles. I will not be convinced that his foot is hurt until I see it.
7:47 – Jeter can’t do his job and he’s in the dugout while Johnny is still on second. Let’s see how the HGH helps us in this situation.
7:50 – Thanks to some brilliant baserunning by Damon, Aaron Hill makes the double play. 1-0 Yanks.
7:55 – Technical difficulties in the Red Sox Chick home…including root beer and lap top…not a good mix.
7:56 – John McDonald gets a one-out hit.
7:57 – No mention of Shea Hillenbrand yet.
7:57b – Nice double play. This is the team the Yankees are supposed to be worried about knocking on their door?
8:00 – If ARod gets a double and doesn’t knock in a run, does he get docked some of his pay?
8:01 – Sid the Sloth gets a single and Dora was too afraid to try and run home.
8:03 – ARod scores on Bernie’s hit. Two on, no out, Andy Phillips up and the score is 2-0 Yanks.
8:04 – Phillips hits into a double play. Going into the bottom of the fourth. Four innings in less than an hour. This game is going by quickly but it feels like it’s going by slowly. How’s that work?
8:05 – So if the Yankees win does this mean Yankees fans will want me to live blog their games all the time? 🙂 I still have faith that Grumpy will have one of those morale crushing innings I love to see.
8:09 – Won’t be this inning. Mussina already has two outs.
8:10 – Michael Kay makes a wife joke and Al Leiter and Ken Singleton uncomfortably go along with it. Kudos to Singleton for defending having a wife. Good God, what is this the middle ages? Of course, Mussina is out of the inning.
8:13 – I actually turned on the "What if" show…now I’m back on YES and I hear they are talking about Schilling. Seriously. Someone tell me again that the Sox are obsessed with the Yankees but the Yankees aren’t obsessed with the Red Sox.
8:14 – Fans are booing and rightly so. Cabrera was out. Or he was safe, depending on where you look, I guess.
8:15 – Now they’re talking about Shea Hillenbrand. Has it occurred to no one that there must really be a good reason to get rid of Hillenbrand? I love that the YES guys can’t understand why they would get rid of him because he hits well against New York. As if the Blue Jays don’t know this. This from the team that hires the drug users and alcoholics. There is OBVIOUSLY something bigger than personality issues at play here. But, of course, the YES guys think it’s all about the Yankees.
8:17 – Nice non-play there boys. Good God. Melky gets a gift at first and now he’s on third with no outs.
8:18 – "Miguel Cairo just gets it done, over and over again". True, he picked up an RBI, but a hit instead of an out would probably be ‘getting it done’ a little better. 3-0 Yanks with one out and Demon up.
8:19 – There was a throwing error and a gift at first. That’s how Cabrera got to third. But Leiter thinks it’s all just because Cabrera is fast. Whatever, Al. Demon is out.
8:20 – Jeter makes the third out. I switch to NESN to see if Grady has taken Pedro out yet. Why do I torture myself with that?
8:22 – The commercial for "Pirates of the Carribean" basically just said you should go see it, not because it’s good – but because it is a ‘cultural phenomenon!". Okay.
8:23 – When does Mussina usually have his ‘bad’ inning? Fifth or sixth, right? I mean, I know he doesn’t ALWAYS have it…but it’s one of those isn’t it? Let’s hope it’s the fifth. This is getting ugly.
8:24 – Bottom of the 8th in Game 7. Nick Johnson is up. Pedro has 101 pitches. I hate Grady Little.
8:25 – Lyle Overbay just struck out. He looks a little geeky with that facial hair. Not very intimidating at all.
8:26 – Bengie. To steal from a friend: Your mother wants you to get a hit. Your father wants you to get a hit. Your brothers want you to get a hit. Get a dam hit.
8:26b – Wang is on an ‘elite level" according to Michael Kay. Is this man for real? Oh yes, and they’re talking about the Red Sox again.
8:27 – Bengie, you just made your mother cry.
8:28 – I just got confused switching between NESN and the current Yanks game and left it on NESN too long. 2004 was the most amazing thing I’ve experienced as a Red Sox fan…yet 2003 still stings. Meanwhile, Mussina is out of another inning. Here’s hoping for a sucky 6th for him.
8:30 – Jerry Remy just said, "Timlin, Embree in the bullpen, you would think Embree for Matsui if that becomes a possibility.." Cue the vomit coming into my mouth.
8:31 – Taylor Hicks really does have the perfect voice for commercials. Good luck with that, Taylor.
8:31b – Grady Little just took Pedro out of the game. I literally have tears in my eyes. I hate NESN.
8:32 – Yanks have two outs. Kay just mentioned David Ortiz. This is cracking me up.
8:33 – Grady brought Embree in to pitch against Matsui. If NESN loves me they’ll make the Red Sox lose this game anyway. YES men still talking about the Red Sox.
8:34 – Bill Mueller throws out Matsui. I hate NESN.
8:36 – Jerry Remy just called Alan Embree "Timlin". Embree walked Sid. Yes, I am now multi-live blogging because I’m so twisted I have to watch this ‘fake’ game as well!
8:36 – Yankees have a guy on second. Michael Kay thinks he has to explain who "Bartman" is.
8:37 – Embree strikes out HGHiambi to end the eighth at 5-3. Yes, I know it is pretend. Leave me alone.
8:37 – In the real Yankees game, Yanks get out. Still 3-0. Time for Grumpy’s bad inning.
8:39 – I just did it again. Thought I had on the live game, but it’s NESN. Mo is on the mound in the top of the ninth and Bill Mueller is up. Mueller is out. As if any of you care. 🙂
8:40 – Aaron Hill just hit a lead-off double. Welcome to Grumpy’s nightmare.
8:41 – Kay is now alluding to Leiter being a party animal. I’ve never noticed that Kay acts like he’s 16 around Leiter. Mo has a 3-1 count on Varitek and Damon has short hair. I’m really going to start getting confused soon.
8:42 – My Red Sox obsession forced me to miss a Blue Jays out and Reed Johnson getting to second. DAMMIT, I missed Dora make another error! Yanks lead with one out 3-1 in the sixth. Singleton sounds a little too happy saying "E-5!".
8:44 – Mo has two outs and Johnny has a 2-0 count. End of the Sox ninth…’Boston is 3 outs away from heading to the World Series". Timlin is coming in. If the Sox blow it in the ninth it’ll be all on him. Are they going to THEN do a "What if Mike Timlin came back to Boston the goat instead of Tim Wakefield?" special?
8:45 – Hey, Frank Catalahoo-o just grabbed himself an RBI. 3-2 Yanks with one out, one on and Vernon Wells up.
8:47 – Blue Jays get another hit. Two on. What was I saying about a bad inning for Mussina?
8:48 – Sierra just made the first out, right to Kevin Millar. Two outs to the World Series.
8:48 – Holy cow, Troy Glaus just smacked the ball past Slappy!!!!!!!! 4-3 Blue Jays!!!!
8:50 – Timlin just walked Karim Garcia.
8:50 – Two outs, man on third with angry little Bengie Molina up. Bengie makes the third out, but not before Singleton gets another dig in at the third baseman. 🙂
8:51 – One out, one on…Soriano strikes out! (I put an exclamation point after that like it matters. I kill me.)
8:53 – Timlin is goinig to walk Nick Johnson. 3-1 count. Hey, Timlin is throwing heat – 93.
8:53 – Jeter is on deck. Timlin walks Johnson. I see what is going to happen. Jeter hits a homerun and wins it for the Yankees. Mark my words.
8:54 – Don’t do this to Mike Timlin. Bring Scott Williamson in to lose the game!
8:55 – Oh my God. Bill Mueller just threw out Jeter. Sox win. Joe Torre looks sad and the guys are celebrating on the field. They’re even showing dejected Yankees fans inthe stands. That’s some good stuff. Okay, that’s enough of that. Egads.
8:56 – One out already for Halladay with little Melky up. Does anyone really believe Dora’s toe is injured? I mean, isn’t it more a matter of his pride being injured? Two outs.
8:59 – 4-3 Blue Jays going into the stretch.
9:02 – Guess I called that Mussina inning, eh?
9:05 – Ken Singleton sounds like he just wants to scream, "I HATE YOU AROD!!!!!".
9:07 – Mike Mussina had a good seventh inning. For what it’s worth.
9:09 – Eighth inning. Ten past nine and it’s already the EIGHTH inning? Why does this game feel so slow since it’s going so fast?
9:10 – Demon breaks his bat and pops it up. Phillips, Giambi and Jeter don’t have any hits tonight. Everyone else does. Jeter is at bat and Scott Proctor is up in the bullpen. Jeter still doesn’t have a hit. Two outs in the Yankee 8th.
9:12 – John Gibbons just yoinked Halladay from the game to bring in BJ Ryan to get the last four outs. Giambi is up next. I guess I kind of see his logic, but given that the bullpen has blown four saves for Halladay, I don’t imagine old Doc is too happy right now.
9:14 – Oddly enough, as Michael Kay just pointed out, Halladay doesn’t look too bothered by being taken out. Hmmm.
9:15 – HGHiambi hits a two-out single. I haven’t seen the dugout shot of Hallady punching John Gibbons yet. Bubba is in to pinch-run for Jason.
9:16 – Listen, I have no love for ARod. But the dude is a great player. Michael Kay seems to now be jumping on the hater bandwagon. "Now Alex has a chance to atone". Tell him to go eff himself, Slappy.
9:18 – Ryan walks Dora. Seriously, they should keep the camera on the Blue Jays dugout. Halladay wrapping a baseball bat around his manager’s neck will make for great television.
9:19 – Posada just gets a hit and scores Bubba. Tie score. Good work, BJ.
9:21 – End of the Yankees inning. Score is tied, Ryan is yelling at himself. Yell at your manager while you’re at it, BJ. By the way, Jonathan Papelbon has some luggage you can carry for him. 😉
9:22 – "Clerks 2" being in color is just wrong.
9:24 – Scott Proctor is in for Mussina. So much for that pitcher’s duel everyone expected, eh?
9:25 – Proctor already has two outs. Hey, they’re letting Leiter talk again. I think he’s only allowed every other inning.
9:26 – Holy cow. Al Leiter is the voice of reason when it comes to taking out Halladay. Go figure. Shut up, Kay and listen to the guy who used to PITCH FOR A LIVING!
9:27 – Vernon gets a base hit while Kay says one of the more stupid things he’s ever said. "Talk to most people in baseball and they’d rather have Roy Halladay than any other pitcher". His panties are in a major bunch over this. Sorry, Michael, I like Halladay too…but there are a few others I’d want over him. Including your own Mussina.
9:30 – Jays end the inning without scoring. Not good since Mo will be coming in, I assume, in the ninth.
9:32 – Hey, BJ got an out!
9:33 – Michael Kay and Ken Singleton talking about the money that the Blue Jays spent on Ruan and Burnett…and now Leiter joining in. HELLO? PEOPLE??? You work for the freaking YANKEES!!!! Pot, Kettle, Black, folks!
9:35 – Ryan walks Melky to bring up Cairo. Cairo is only hitting .253…it seems to me like he’s always in the middle of the offense when things go right for New York. Maybe it’s just an illusion.
9:36 – I love whenever a young player isn’t swinging the bat well and someone says, "he’ll only get better because he’s young". Now, I don’t mean this specifically about Melky, but about ANY young player. What if he doesn’t? What if mediocre or even BAD is as good as you get? I would think the older you get, the worse you would get. I mean, being young and meh doesn’t mean you’ll automatically get better with age.
9:39 – It’s obvious to me now that if Michael Kay says "black", Al Leiter will say "white".
9:41 – BJ strikes out Cairo to bring Demon up to bat.
9:42 – Why even bother trying to throw out Cabrera? He was practically on the base before Molina got the throw off. Ryan has an 0-2 count on Demon. Johnny swings and ends the inning. Thanks, Johnny!
9:45 – To quote Michael Kay, "one pitch, one out". Man, that irriates me. Look at a freaking pitch!
9:46 – Today is Bengie Molina’s birthday and he doesn’t have a hit. That doesn’t seem fair. Bengie, get a hit for your mother.
9:47 – Bengie, your mother is still crying. Nice swipe at the air, there.
9:47b – Two outs and Greg Zaun swings at the first pitch. Brilliant. End of 9 – score tied at 4.
9:50 – BJ Ryan is out of the game. Methinks John Gibbons learned bullpen management at the feet of Terry Francona. Way to waste your closer in the 8th, John.
9:51 – Meanwhile, Jeter has a 2-2 count.
9:52 – Jeter actually leaned out to swing at ball 3 and JUST pulled back. Not that time, though. Sit down, Captain Fistpump.
9:53 – Torre disrespects the Bubba by pinch-hitting the new guy for him.
9:55 – New guy (Guile?) strikes out. Nice move, Aaron. Hoo-boy, Slappy is up.
9:56 – Dora’s average is two points higher than Alex Gonzalez. Doesn’t mean a thing. I’m just pointing it out.
9:57 – Slappy has a 3-2 count. Toronto fans are getting excited. (Only took them 10 innings)
9:58 – Slappy gets thrown out. 1-2-3 inning for NOT BJ Ryan. Still tied at four.
10:00 – Mariano is in for the bottom of the 10th. He’s an amazing pitcher, no doubt…and I think he’s a good guy based on stuff I’ve read about him…but I love it, love it, LOOOOOVE it, when he blows a game. Tonight would be a good time for one of those, Mo. Hey, I got my lousy Mussina inning, why not this as well?
10:03 – Sometimes I think the HoF gets a little grabby with the stuff they want. I mean, why WOULDN’T Rivera want to keep the ball from the game where he got his 400th save? Geez.
10:03b – Two outs in the 10th and Reed Johnson up. Come on, Reed, end this. There are people who need to be places in Toronto. Michael Kay mentions the Sox again. 🙂
10:05 – People of Toronto, Reed Johnson cares not about you. 4-4 at the end of the 10th.
10:09 – A Devon White mention!!! Something you don’t get every day.
10:10 – Yankees have one out and Bernie has a 2-2 count against some new Toronto pitcher named Tallet. Whatever.
10:12 – Andy Phillps is out. Bottom of the 11th coming up.
10:13 – Rocco is watching this game in Iraq at 6 in the morning…I think the people of Toronto can suckup an extra inning game. 🙂
10:15 – Kay on Catalonatto, "He’s a good hitter". He gets a single and then gets thrown out at second!
10:16 – What the heck was that????? It’s a tie game, you have Vernon Freaking Wells up at bat and you try to STEAL?
10:16b – WOO-HOO!!!!! Doesn’t matter! Vernon Wells hits a walk-off! 5-4 Blue Jays and they do their happy dance at home plate!!!!!!!!
10:18 – Kay just said something I like. "John Gibbons is the happiest guy in Toronto because he just got taken off the hook for pulling Halladay" – or something similar to that. He’s absolutely right.
10:19 – Well, Rocco, I’m sorry you had to stay up for that. Truly. But I have to admit, I’m very happy. Have a great night and thanks for stopping by! (Thanks to everyone!)
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