Welcome back to the rotation, Wake. (Photo taken by me in 2005)
I really enjoy these mornings when watching “Breakfast with the Sox” is something I go out of my way to do. (When the Sox lose, I don’t watch the replays, hell I usually don’t even watch the post-game show!)
As an aside before I start bragging on Clay, Based on feedback I’ve been receiving the past few weeks after each live chat, I’m banging around the idea of a message board connected to the blog as a place where folks can talk baseball (or just random daytime talk before games!) and have game day discussions (with a chat room attached as well). Folks seem a little reticent to use the comments for chatting and some suggestions have come in about having a discussion board to visit. Not sure what the response would be from the masses, though, so I thought I’d throw the idea out there and see what you all think. Shoot me an email or leave a note in the comments section and let me know what you think (emails would be great since then I’d have YOUR email address and could send out invites for the board if folks are so inclined). What say you, folks?
What can I say about Clay Buchholz except that he’s becoming the pitcher I knew he would? :) Pitched eight full innings and didn’t hit 100 pitches until he threw the curveball that got Nick Punto out to end the eighth. By contrast, Scott Baker’s last pitch in the 6th inning was his 105th. Clay left the game in the 9th having thrown one less pitch than Baker. On a night where the Sox not only could have really used the win but the bullpen needed a bit of a rest, Clay came through in spades. Almost nothing in baseball makes me happier than watching a pitcher leave the mound during the game and seeing him tip his hat to the crowd because of the ovation he’s getting. Clay got to tip his cap last night and the folks at the game got to show him the appreciation he deserved. (Incidentally, the hour-long recap of last night’s game didn’t include the hat tip but it DID show us the umpires leaving the field/coming back on the field for the review of Papi’s home run. Someone at NESN needs editing tips.)
The way this team has played this week, even the first game in New York that they ended up losing, shows they aren’t ready to roll over and play dead. The types of games we’ve been witness to this week should show folks that, win or lose, there is still a lot of excitement in watching the Boston Red Sox. And for those of you who booed David Ortiz or just wrote him off…well, I hope you’re still off the bandwagon. Go sit on a tack.
I mentioned this in chat the other night and on Twitter last night but I feel like it’s worth mentioning again. In a friendly exchange with a fellow Red Sox fan, I was surprised to read that this person considered the Sox roster “very unlikable”. This is a weird season for me. There’s no Kyle Snyder or Mike Timlin that I’m living and dying with every appearance. If someone forced me to pick a “favorite” on the team I’d probably go with JD Drew or Kevin Youkilis (I never say Papi or Wake because they’re eternal favorites and I feel like it goes without saying!) but there’s no one I’m deeply “attached” to. On the other hand, there is usually one guy on the team that drives me batshit who I can’t stand to see on the team (usually for totally random and/or ridiculous reasons – I admit this freely) – see Byrd, Paul or Kotsay, Mark – but this year we don’t have one of those guys either. Sure there are some guys I like less than others but, on the whole, I like this team and the guys on it. I don’t find any of them “unlikable” and watching them do well is enjoyable not just as a fan but as a person who wants to see this group succeed.
After last night’s game, Scott Schoeneweis told the media that he had been DFA’d to make room for a shortstop. While the DFA’ing made some kind of sense (sad as it is) the shortstop line didn’t until it was announced that Marco Scutaro was given a cortisone shot and would be out for a few days. Part of me is starting to feel like the team will be fielding all of the PawSox come July and while that would be fun to watch for different reasons it also proves a little worrisome. They finally DL’d Josh Beckett (I’m a big fan of the DL over just letting the guys sit out games while they shake their Magic 8 Balls and hope they get an answer about when they can play again) and we have to expect that it’s possible Marco is going to be headed that way as well. Tonight Angel Sanchez gets the call to play short while Bill Hall gets sent to the outfield again. I’m hoping Jon Lester gives us a Clay Buchholz-like performance.
Genuine, heartfelt, positive vibes are being sent to Scott Schoeneweis and his family today. Being DFA’d sucks but being DFA’d the night before the first anniversary of your wife’s death has to be the ultimate suck and it’s very sad to read that this is exactly what happened. In no way do I “blame” the Sox for this timing (and one could argue that in going home today he’s where he really wants to be) but it just breaks my heart to think about all the pain this guy has gone through over the last year.
If you can’t wait until 7:10pm for baseball, the Portland SeaDogs have a noon game today and in addition to the great players you would normally get at a SeaDogs game, you get the bonus of both Mike Cameron and Jacoby Ellsbury playing with the team today. Give a listen and I’ll be you’ll get hooked on the rest of the team too!
Two wins is the start of a winning streak, yes?
2 comments for “Wins. Wins are nice.”