singapore sox fan: the red sox from half the world away

Sox 4, Rays 9: You Can Call Me Ray

A kind of letdown game, and it's a bit worrying to see Pedro in such form. Hard to tell though whether it truly was a dip in form or he wasn't pushing too hard - when the bases were loaded he did seem to rear back and pull out some high heat. Maybe, hopefully, the man needs a bigger stage than the regular season. (Pollyanna alert!)

What with Minnesota losing both games in the doubleheader and Anaheim winning, it could very well be that being the wild card helps the Sox, since we might get to face the AL West winners instead of Johan Santana and Brad Radke in a 5-game series. Of course, the Angels and As will be beating up on each other in the final weekend - talk about a race.

Okay, I take back what I said about "Tessie"

Moonshot Manny, the song.

Rotation Notation

So they're going for a four-man rotation for the playoffs. The funny thing is Wake is good at the Metrodome and Arroyo is good away, but no matter who starts game 1, if we end up playing the Twins the Metrodome pitchers will be Pedro and Schilling. Of course, I'm rooting for a Sox-Angels or Sox-As ALCS.

Don't feel sorry for Derek Lowe even if he goes to the pen though... he's got his PhD to fall back on. Mental Gidget, indeed.

Minaya & Expos move out

As for business of baseball stuff: is it wrong to gloat at Jim Duquette because I think his brother screwed up the Sox franchise? Two words: Mike Lansing. Ugh. Not that I think Omar Minaya will be that much better for the Mets - the Wilpons' constant interference probably screws any GM's chances there.

And the Washington Senators are back in business! Brilliant. (Okay, I know, the current Texas Rangers own the Senators name, but surely they don't want to keep it. The Texas Senators? Only Kay Bailey Hutchison would approve.) It took a lot of arm-twisting of Peter Angelos to get them there, and it's a shame it had to be publicly financed, but MLB screwed over the Expos franchise, and it's time the franchise got moved out of limbo.

Sox 10, Rays 8: Tropicana Juiced

Okay, so Lowe's pitched himself out of the playoff rotation in all likelihood. Not only is his sinker not on, his starts usually mean Pokey at 2B and Mientkiewicz-Millar on the right side instead of Millar-Trot. The domestic-violence duo of Lowe and Adams were pretty pathetic, but I think Embree, Astacio, Mendoza, and Foulke acquitted themselves well. Sweet no-hit effort. Mendoza probably is on the playoff roster. As for Scott Williamson, he got some sort of weird luck with all those pop-ups today, which made it really hard to tell whether he's on or off. I think his breaking ball is screwing up timing nicely, but his fastball still doesn't seem to have that zing. How did what set up to be a slugfest suddenly become a battle of bullpens anyway?

Nothing to complain about the offense. One thing I love about this team is you just know they can come back. 5-1 down, and I was saying on the Sons of Sam Horn game thread that it was very doable. Nice triple by Damon, who weirdly enough is the team's third-highest home run hitter. Oh, and I hereby apologise for ragging on Kevin Millar earlier this season.

157 games, 921 runs. Another 41 runs in 5 games and they beat last season's 961 runs. Considering that that was a team people were saying could be the best offensive team ever, that's some feat. Time to beat up on the D-Rays and the Orioles.

My Postseason Roster: ALDS

15 position players:
Varitek, Mirabelli, Millar, Mientkiewicz, Bellhorn, Pokey, Cabrera, Mueller, Youkilis, Manny, Damon, Nixon, Kapler, Roberts, Ortiz

10 pitchers:
Pedro, Schilling, Arroyo, Wakefield, Lowe, Foulke, Timlin, Embree, Mendoza

As it stands the only real controversy seems to be the last two pitchers. I'm going for Mendoza and Leskanic, leaving Myers off since I think Mendoza's pretty decent at getting the lefties out too. I suppose you could argue for 11 pitchers and 14 position players, but I don't think a 5-game series warrants that.

Rookie Initiations: Best in Class

I'm tired of hearing about the "classy" Yankees from the media, particularly after Halsey's throwing at the head over the weekend. Take this example from Gary Miller's Clubhouse Confidential column, over at ESPN.com:

Take the generation's old ritual of stealing the rookies' clothes on the final road trip of the year and replacing them with something highly humiliating. Most clubs abuse their first-year players with Hooters outfits... The Yankees had a little more class

Um, yeah, that showed much more class, putting your rookies in Elvis suits. Just to show how classy they are, here's Matsui going all Huggy Bear last year in his leopard print pimp outfit:

Mmm, yes. That's classy. Miller keeps piling on the "class" idea.

Crosby thought about buying his as a keepsake, but just to show how high class the Yanks are, all five were rented costumes, complete with rings and necklaces, and would have cost $1,000 to buy.

Um, so apparently renting is classier than buying. Or something. Even when what you're renting are top-dollar Elvis costumes.

I think it's fun, this dressing up tradition, and I like that the Yankees made Contreras and Matsui both do it last year, despite their established veteran status in their respective leagues. I just think it's really contrived to try and make it sound classy when it's supposed to be fun. Elvis costumes, pimp outfits - if they're not kitsch and over-the-top, they're not working. (Sox initiation this year: Lenny DiNardo and Kevin Youkilis as Hooters girls, going through Toronto customs. Too declasse for Miller, who harumphed at both practices.)

Miller does have some good bits on the Sox:

[Shonda Schilling] almost threw me and producer Craig Rothberg out of the box though, when I carelessly mentioned Curt hadn't given up a hit yet.

Right. So who knows how to respect traditions around the ballpark? Breaking the jinx: very, very declasse. Shonda just shot up in my shesteem. As does her husband:

On Sunday, Sept. 19, [Dave] Roberts and his wife Tricia decided to induce labor back in Boston, as soon as the Yankees series ended in New York. [Curt] Schilling arranged for his jet to whisk Roberts back to Boston, where his wife would already be in labor.

Sox 7, Rays 3: Now for the Division

"I'm about to get a ring" - Pedro Martinez. Nice shirt, too.

Wild card clinched, thanks to four blasts and thanks to a timely ejection of Scott Kazmir, who pretty much owns the Sox at this point in his nascent career. (Dear me - lefthanded fireballers.) I didn't think his second throw was intentional, but the warning was on, so out he went. The D-Rays must be the worst supported team in the AL - every Sox hit was cheered, and somewhere in the 7th inning the "Yankees suck" chant was audible. Meanwhile, kudos is due to Bronson Arroyo for becoming the final starter in the Sox rotation to get 10 wins, no thanks to some bad luck. Today's game really added to his claim to the #3 position in the Sox postseason rotation, leaving Lowe and Wakefield out. I'd go with Wakefield and draw on Lowe's strengths as a very capable reliever, but you could make the exact same argument the other way around. In a 5 game series, of course, you only really need 3 starters, so I'd go: Pedro, Schilling, Wakefield, Pedro, Schilling. Schilling's been more consistent this year, but Pedro as the Game 1 starter avoids screwing up the timing of the rotation.

Meanwhile, the As looked in peril of completely missing the postseason today but got a last-gasp Bobby Crosby sac fly. Crosby's looking good as a rookie. Sure, he's not hitting as well as he could but that should improve.

Tomorrow, the work of trying to win the division, settling the postseason rotation, and other tuneups begins. The real task is at hand. But for tonight, I think the Sox are entitled to celebrate.

Angels of the Morning

In non-Sox baseball news, I'm still trying to figure out what Jose Guillen did to get kicked off his team without pay in the middle of a division race. Throwing a hissy fit over someone pinch running for him doesn't seem to quite explain it all.

900 runs, redux

"We're not game-planning to score 961 runs again" - Theo Epstein, quoted in the Providence Journal, Mar 7 2004

Currently the Sox have scored 904 runs, most in the majors, with a certain David Ortiz scoring #900 in the second inning yesterday. To highlight what an offensive juggernaut the Theo-assembled Sox are, this is the first time in history the Sox have scored 900 runs in back-to-back seasons. There's an outside chance of beating last season's astounding total of 961: with seven games to go, they'd need 58 runs or 8.3 runs a game. That's tough and unlikely, given that they're averaging an (already-impressive) 5.8 runs a game, but not completely unthinkable if they massacre the D-Rays and the Orioles.

Regardless of that (and regardless of what you think of Theo's conjugation of "game plan" as a verb), even scoring 900 runs is a really impressive feat, and they're on pace for 945 runs right now. Unless some serious blowouts occur elsewhere, only the Yankees will score 900 this season (well, one hopes not - I'd love to see them fail to score 14 runs in the 6 games they have left). This was a supposedly more defensive-oriented team: for a good part of the season we had Pokey-Bellhorn instead of Nomar-Walker, while Trot Nixon has only played 43 games. We knew the rest of the lineup, being largely unchanged from 2003, could hit, of course - but the 2003 Sox were a team that was constantly compared to the 1927 Yankees en route to setting a slugging record. I certainly wasn't expecting this much offensive production especially after losing Nomar and Nixon to injury and then trade (well, Nomar at least), and I think a lot of praise for the continued offensive capability has to go to the stellar on-base capabilities of Bellhorn and the superb season of Johnny Damon. Yes, these aren't the 1950 Sox with their ludicrous 1,027 runs in a 154-game season. But they're still one hell of a hitting team.

(Cross-posted on Sons of Sam Horn)

Sox 11, Yankees 4: Give the Man a Hand

Okay, I may be a rabid Sox fan, but a 2.05am Monday morning start would really screw me over for work, plus the last time I stayed up it didn't work out so well Sox-wise. So all I have to go on are the game highlights on MLB.tv and reports. But if sleeping through the games means 11-4 spankings of the Yankees, then rest away I will. Curt: always as good as his word. Kevin Brown: not so great. I'm looking at the scars on my once-shattered hand as I type this and thinking, it's going to take forever for Brown to recover. Loaiza's not looking much better. Meanwhile, I'm really loving the Sox piling it on... just because Roberts was in for Manny didn't seem to make him feel like he had to be an automatic out. Great stuff. And goodbye, Ellis Burks.

Sox 12, Yankees 5: Sword Mightier Than Pen

As I was asking a friend, how does any work get done in Boston in September or October? Great offensive explosion, love to see the dagger stuck in. 7 runs! Amazing. I love the bottom of this order: Mirabelli, the OC, and Mueller: leaves no rest for the wicked. We've been seeing a lot of the "good hitter gets on base, good runner/defensive man pinch-runs" in late innings (Reese for Bellhorn and Kapler for Nixon today) and I think that's a testament to the depth of the roster Theo Epstein assembled. And Foulke got back to form, killing them softly with his change.

Today's game confirms the fact that the Yankees bullpen - a huge part of their late-90s success - is very weak. Quantrill's been added to the list of faltering Yankee bullpen pitchers, which is really Torre's fault for overworking him.

Sox 4, Yankees 6: Timlin in the 8th

If I stand all alone, will the shadow hide the color of my heart (blue for the tears, black for the night's fears)
And the stars in the sky don't mean nothin' to you, they're a mirror.

I don't want to talk about it, how you broke my heart.
If I stay here just a little bit longer,
If I stay here, won't you listen to my heart, whoa, heart?

Maybe they should just teach the whole of Fenway Park to chant "TIMLIN IN THE EIGHTH, FOULKE IN THE NINTH". Francona got lucky that he didn't commit the mistake in the postseason. If he's smart - and thus far he's shown quite some capacity to learn, a la taking Schilling out earlier after the Blue Jay grand slam debacle, so Grady F'n Little comparisons may be premature - he'll learn that Fenway may forgive a bad reliever, but he'll be run out of town for leaving Pedro in too long.

One Day at Fenway

Salon.com has an excerpt from One Day at Fenway, Steve Kettmann's book covering the Aug 30, 2003 Sox-Yankees game at Fenway from different perspectives. (Yes, it's the one for which Rob Neyer wrote a review under a fake name.) It's excerpted from the epilogue, and at least judging by the excerpt it's certainly not horrible writing, despite Neyer's views. I like this quote:

They are talking about the luxury of caring about something deeply. Nowhere has a deep and abiding attachment to a team been passed from generation to generation the way it has been in Boston. Most sports fans aren't so lucky. Passion like that has become rare in American life, where allegiances tend to last weeks or months.

Really? But Slate says passion and exuberance are the new new thing in American ideas! More seriously, I'm not sure most allegiances are that fickle. Just that most people know how to place life above their teams. Us Sox fans, we know better.

What Kettmann is driving at, perhaps, is that the passion of the Sox fan carries both the modern sense of the word and the old sense of "suffering" (as in the title of The Passion of the Christ). Being a true sports fan is like religion sometimes: it takes some faith to stick it out when things aren't going well.

Baseball Prospectus Playoff Odds

Clay Davenport updates the methodology of the Baseball Prospectus playoff odds Monte Carlo simulation:

The Pythagorean record turns out to almost always be a better predictor than the actual record, but its advantage steadily declines with every game played, until actual record becomes a better predictor after 140 games.

I suppose that means that after 140 games or so, you have enough data from actual W-L records to make a good estimator of the team's "true" ability. Philosophically, the playoff odds makes me think there's a world in which "Timlin in the 8th, Williamson in the 9th" was actually adhered to in the ALCS by a certain ex-manager. Presumably, in that same world, my lottery numbers come up and I'm writing this entry sunning by the pool as servants feed me grapes.

Sox 7, Orioles 9: Sapped

Ah, the depleted bullpen got to the Sox today, as Tito was forced to use Adams, Mendoza, Myers, and BK. Sure, Adams did a serviceable job, but you just know that that's not the cream of the bullpen and pushing them four in a row is really throwing the dice. Still, the Sox almost clinched a 3rd improbable victory, until Newhan intervened to catch Ortiz's long fly. Did I mention how much I can't stand Newhan? Ever since that inside-the-parker he hit.

Sox-Orioles Preview: Cabrera v. Cabrera

Hmm. Predictions of an elite pitching matchup in the previous game failed to materialise, but heck, I'm keeping this going since the Sox are winning. Daniel Cabrera vs Lowe, a sort of blah matchup - I admit I don't know much about Cabrera, but looking at his game log he seems very average. Hardly goes above 6 innings, and occasionally implodes. I really hope it doesn't come down to the bullpens today anymore: I want Lowe to dominate as he did for a lot of the 2nd half until the Yankee game, and I want O-Cab to run the D-Cab out of town.

More thoughts on the game

The homer was Cabrera's first at Fenway Park. And he found himself trying to keep his pants on amid the victory scrum at home plate as someone - he thinks it was Manny Ramirez - tried to pull a prank during the celebration. (Link)

Okay, it's been a few hours, but I still can't believe Orlando Cabrera stepped off a plane and went to work the way he did. Magic. And I really like that the team is 5-0 after Foulke blows a save at Fenway. Shows a resilience that I'm not used to seeing. But then our bullpen is a parade of ex-closers... today, besides Foulke, we had Williamson, Timlin, Embree, Leskanic, all of whom have had the job previously. Now that's closing by committee.

Question time. On the 5th inning Manny holdup: how sad is it that no one trusts Sveum waving them home anymore? Why does the Boston Globe call Byung-Hyun Kim B.K. Kim? The K is for Kim. Is anyone else irritated by Dave Newhan yet? I disdain him the way Seinfeld hates Newman. "Hello, Newhan." I wonder how many people had to go straight from Fenway to Mass General to get a heart checkup?

Pokey deserves praise for covering first in that huge double-play. Imagined scenario involving Pookie Jackson, the equipment manager who was featured on the broadcast: "hi Pokey" "hi Pookie" "Okey-dokily".

Sox 7, Orioles 6: Extra, for Pleasure

Whew. It's 11.30am, and I'm spent. That whole 12th inning was a heartstopper: 1st and 2nd, no outs, and then the HUGE double play. Then Orlando Cabrera makes himself a Boston folk hero - comes back from being with his wife in surgery, launches a walkoff shot. One thing I like about our 'defensive' team compared to what Francona had at the start of the season: Cabrera-Reese-Mientkiewicz is not just pure Gold Glove, but can occasionally, like today, hit some. Remember the hapless flailing of Reese-Gutierrez-McCarty? You need defense, but not at the expense of giving up 3 outs in the lineup. So Foulke blew the save, he'll bounce back like he did from July. I was just freakin' scared that Kim would come in and get eaten by the wolves if he flubbed it up. Francona, Francona - pinch-running Roberts, pinch-hitting Mirabelli, putting in Mientkiewicz for Millar. It may not all have worked, but he left the Sox in a position to win a tie game, which is more than one can say about some Sox managers past.

Is it weird that 4 AL games ended in 7-6 wins? Pure coincidence, but except for the Seattle-Anaheim blowing out now, every game tonight was a 1-run or 2-run game. So no one's rolling over. The Jays get the Yankees, the ChiSox get the Twins, Texas beats the As. September baseball, gotta love it.

Sox-Orioles Preview: Bronson and Ponson

Sir Sidney Ponson may have a 5+ ERA over the season, but he's been hot the last 3 games, particularly that 2-hit complete game against the Yankees (the one where Rivera imploded). Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Bronson Arroyo has been not too shabby himself, posting a 2.29 ERA over the last 3 games. Good matchups, and Arroyo will probably want to get revenge for his sole pitiful outing against the Orioles where he let in 5 runs in relief... It won't be as tight as yesterday, but it'll be good, and the Sox will win in the end.

Timmeh, Man of Charity

Tim Wakefield has been struggling of late, but he's still one of the game's good guys, and is currently the team's nominee for the Roberto Clemente award:

Before every Tuesday game at Fenway Park, the "Wakefield Warriors" -- patients at the Franciscan Hospital for Children -- are the knuckelballer's guests. He takes them on the field during batting practice, maybe autographs a souvenir, or introduces them to some teammates, and then they stay for the game. (Link)

Good man.

Sox 3, Orioles 2: 2B or not 2B? No question

Wow. When I was writing my preview, I had the premonition that this game would be won and lost by the bullpens. I just didn't realise it would be bottom-of-the-9th, 2-out heroics. Next time I get gut feelings like that, I'm printing them. Now, who thinks Bellhorn Ks too much? He's one shy of the strikeout record (Butch Hobson had 162 in 1977), but that just means he works the counts and gets the OBP... heck, you can't be a truly awful hacker to get a strikeout record, because the manager would've yanked you from the lineup long beforehand.

Anyway, Foulke got the extremely cheap win today, which goes to show only that them's the breaks. As I've always said, I'd take lucky over good when it comes to the Sox. Up till then, it was an awesome pitching duel, Lopez always brings his A game to the Sox and Schilling responded in kind. 14 Ks! The man's a horse, no doubt. Francona's management of this game was solid, even if McCarty as PH instead of Mirabelli was a bit of a headscratcher. But it don't matter... (Radio DJ voice) Coming to you from Boston, it's the Standells with their 1966 hit single, "(I Love That) Dirty Water"!

Edit: added some comments and the pic.

Pat Jordan on Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling

Over at Bronx Banter, there's an interview with Pat Jordan, the baseball writer. Yeah, it's a Yankee site interviewing a Yankee fan, but Alex Belth is a good baseball writer, and there's a great quote on Roger Clemens:

he’s a total narcissist, but he’s also…he’s not bright. It’s sort of like being with an overgrown child. He’s a hyperactive child, all the time. I’m a believer that the reason he works out so hard is to burn off energy. Cause he’s like the kid that you have to keep chocolate away from, you know?

Someone needs his Ritalin, stat. Jordan on Schilling:

I don’t like him personally, I think he’s an asshole, but I think he’s a strong pitcher. Oh, he’s an ego [driven] media hound, and bullshit artist.

I don't care, as long as he carries us to the World Series...

Sox-Orioles Preview

Right now, just seeing the Orioles on the schedule has me weary. Excluding Rafael Palmeiro, who at least hits the Yankees hard, they're all on the hit list (I'm opting for the candlestick in the conservatory). I really want the Expos to move to RFK to annoy Peter Angelos.

I think the annoying thing about the recent 3-game losing streak for me is that Lowe-Pedro-Wakefield were 2-1-4 in ERA in 2002, so I know they can be better than that. Fortunately, Schilling takes the mound today. Time for a stopper.

Lefty

Isn't this a really weird pic of Johan Santana to use in an article about him?

Makes his left arm look as big as the rest of his body. No wonder he's the Cy frontrunner.

(Link to Santana story from ESPN)

Sox 6, Orioles 10: For the Birds

You know, there are two kinds of sports-team hate: I hate the Yankees, but they're a good team that plays us hard. Then there's the Orioles, who play us tough and then all but play dead for the Yankees. Without them, we'd have the AL East lead. Oh well. They're not going to be in the playoffs. And Wakefield's chances of seeing a playoff start seem to be slip-sliding away.

Sox 1, Yankees 11: 911 on 161

Sigh. Shell-shocked. But this year has been weird: every time either the Sox or the Yankees suffer what should be a crushing loss, such as when each team swept the other or when the Yankees lost to Cleveland or Kansas City, the teams bounce back. Got to put the past out of your mind, got to move on. Learning to cope with baseball is like taking lithium: it mellows your highs, it tempers your lows.

Here is theory of anticlimactic duels: marquee pitching matchups always end up with one pitcher being subpar. Pedro vs Hudson was a good example, and the wheel of fate turned against Pedro today. Whereas the best pitching duel I saw this year was the 1-0 Royals-Tigers game between Zack Greinke and Mike Maroth. C'est la vie, said the old folks, goes to show you never can tell.

On-Base Machine

If you needed proof of Barry Bonds' towering greatness in this game. Jayson Stark supplies a stat:

Even if he had zero hits this year (i.e., subtract his hit total from times on base), Bonds still would have a higher on-base percentage (.378) -- just counting his walks -- than Juan Pierre (.373), Vladimir Guerrero (.377), David Ortiz (.373), Milton Bradley (.363) or Rafael Furcal (.352). Among about 600 others. (Link)

Ortiz and Vlad! My word.

Sox 4, Yankees 14: It's True What They Say

Yup, it's true, the Yankees do [inhale]. Or maybe Derek Lowe just blew today. Pity we had to use our bullpen so much today, though. Jon Lieber and El Duque are the two best Yankee pitchers now (who would have thought it at the start of the season?) so I'm glad we got a split from the two games. 1-1 now; Pedro for the rubber game. That's good.

Change of URL, and More Bronson Facts

Tech stuff: I'm moving my hosting server, so now the URL of this site is

http://www.singaporesoxfan.com

instead of

http://www.dsng.net/singaporesoxfan.php. Links to the old URL should work.

And a bone of baseball trivia: Boston has won all four starts by Arroyo against New York this year, but didn't have a decision in any of them. So if Wakefield is a Yankee-killer, was does that make Bronson? A Yankee-bulwark, buttressing the Sox till they can feast on the Yankee bullpen?

Law & Order: Red Sox, Episode 4

The familiar DUN-DUN sound....

YANKEE STADIUM, 161st ST, THE BRONX, NY. 9/17/04, 10.13PM.

Manny Ramirez (Manny Ramirez) is suspected of aggravated robbing of a homer. Det. Reynaldo Curtis (Benjamin Bratt) speaks to the shady-looking witness, Miguel Cairo (Miguel Cairo). Cairo gibbers unintelligbly about how he can't believe he saw that. Curtis: "Something about Cairo's manner bothers me". Det. Lennie Briscoe: "You gotta speak slower, Cairo." Lt. Anita (S. Epatha Merkerson): "The video footage seems pretty conclusive though. Bring him in. And better find that mysterious Sox fan who got out of the way while you're at it."

DUN-DUN

NEW YORK STATE SUPREME COURT OF BRONX COUNTY, 851 GRAND CONCOURSE (AT 161st ST), THE BRONX, NY. 9/18/04, 9.14AM.

Ramirez is indicted on aggravated ROH. Executive ADA Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston) tries to cut a deal with Ramirez's lawyer (Ramiro Mendoza), but to no avail. The mysterious fan has not yet been identified either. In a surprise twist, Kenny Lofton (Steve Bartman), arrested on a separate charge of not catching two, depraved indifference, takes the stand in his case and unveils a tangled web of corruption, deceit, and sunflower seeds, centering around 161st St. "Mr Steinbrenner overruled everyone to bring me here. Paid off Brian Cashman. Now look. Catch the Ball. Those three words. They'll haunt me forever." In the stands, Mariano Rivera (Mariano Rivera) mouths the word "snitch". Adam Schiff (Steven Hill): "The jury's never going to indict Ramirez, you know, even though you and I know he stole that homer. And we have bigger fish to fry." In the courthouse, McCoy has the closing words: "You can go now, Mr Ramirez. Mr Steinbrenner, we need to talk."

Sox 3, Yankees 2: Catch of the Day

There are times when all's right with the world, when everything comes together into a nexus of pure unbridled joy. On a day which started with inpropitious omens - the Manny homer reversed - we saw comedy in Cairo's disbelief, a stirring recovery by the entire lineup, and finally the epic collapse of Rivera, brought down by the failure of his fellow trooper, Kenny Lofton, to "catch the ball".

Bronson Arroyo did well, I thought, considering that he had to wait through the rain delay. Yeah, so he left with the Sox lagging, but 6 innings, 2 runs is pretty decent; who knew Tanyon Sturtze would actually hold the line? Wakefield looks increasingly in danger of losing his spot on the postseason rotation.

I love that this team can bash people into submission and that it can run the bases and single them to death by a thousand cuts. I love not sighing in resignation anymore when Rivera steps to the mound. And I love hearing the Liza version of "New York, New York" and not the Frank one.

And Johnny Damon can probably sleep with any woman, and probably half the men, in Boston right now.

Law & Order: Red Sox, Episode 3

The familiar DUN-DUN sound...

FENWAY PARK, BOSTON, MA. 9/16/2004 9.42PM.

Curt Schilling and Terry Francona are hauled up on charges of misdemeanour overstaying in the 8th inning. "Let's go, Curt," says Det. Lennie Briscoe (Jerry Orbach). "You'll have plenty of time to practice your Boston accent where you're going". Det. Ed Green (Jesse L. Martin) to Francona: "no Greek God is going to save you now".

DUN-DUN

SUFFOLK COUNTY COURTHOUSE, BOSTON, MA. 9/17/2004 11.04AM.

Executive ADA Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston) argues that precedent was set last year in the case Suffolk County v. Gump. Defense counters that 1) the offense in that case was felony overstaying in the eighth inning two, depraved indifference; and 2) Gump was insane at time of said offense, making the case inadmissible. Expert testimonies on pitch counts have conflicting conclusions, leading to a tense scene as jury members deliberate. In a surprise twist, certain members of the jury (featuring a cameo by Ramiro Mendoza) are found to be members of an Internet Red Sox discussion forum of which Schilling is also a member. Judge declares mistrial. McCoy sighs. Adam Schiff (Steven Hill): "Can't win them all, Jack". The episode ends with the elevator door closing on McCoy clutching his motorcycle helmet.

Sox 11, Rays 4: Schilling Gets 20

"They never let up. When you slip up, they take advantage right away and there's nothing you can do about it." - Rocco Baldelli

Schilling wavered a bit in the 8th, but let's just say, the man is as good as advertised. 20 wins. Let's put it this way: the win is a somewhat dubious stat, but if you win 20, you can't be all that bad, to say the least. The Cy may be Johan Santana's to lose, but the ALDS/ALCS/WS MVPs are still up for grabs. Much cleaner game then yesterday's, with the bats waking up nicely, and showing that killer instinct, grabbing the other team by the scruff of the neck, shaking it, and not letting go.

The Texas Bullpen Incident

Rangers fans weigh in on the Francisco chair-throwing incident. Wow, the rumours about what the heckler said sound bad. Still doesn't mean he should've thrown the chair, but what makes a whole bullpen, which is probably used to heckling, snap like that? Quote from a spectator:

I feel bad for Franky, because he seems like such a nice guy. He was in a great mood before the game, handing out candy to any little kids sitting by the bullpen. He was passing out gum and chocolate like it was going out of style.

Another Sox blog

Sox blogs, they're everywhere! Like kudzu. Or Adam Hyzdu. Here's Neophyte Girl, not purely a Sox blog, but has some content.

Law & Order: Red Sox, Episode 2

Hey, at some point Dick Wolf's gotta run out of things to make Law & Order shows about.

Next on LAW & ORDER: RED SOX

The familiar DUN-DUN sound...

FENWAY PARK, BOSTON, MA. 9/16/2004 8.58PM.
Tim Wakefield's knuckleball has flattened out. Detectives Lennie Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Ed Green (Jesse L. Martin) investigate. Speculation centres around the changes in air currents caused by heavy breathing by male fans near first base. A particularly heavy-breathing fan (cameo by Rich Garces) is charged with disorderly conduct/fan interference. Lt. Anita (S. Epatha Merkerson) watches his interrogation through the one-way mirror.

DUN-DUN

MOAKLEY COURTHOUSE, FAN PIER, BOSTON, MA. 9/17/2004 11.04AM.
Adam Schiff (Steven Hill) warns, "Don't try this case in the media", which proves useful when the fan turns out to be asthmatic rather than horny. In a surprise twist, during the course of the trial, Ramiro Mendoza (Ramiro Mendoza) reveals on the stand that he had been taking money from "an unnamed source in the Bronx" but that the funding was cut off when he forgot to send in an eggplant sandwich. "Mendoza!" Executive ADA Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston) threatens to try Mendoza for perjury. Attorney counters that once the funding was cut off, Mendoza was back to his usual self. Mendoza has swung across the line from fan-hate to fan-love, and Adam Schiff knows it. Adam gets the final words: "Make a deal, Jack". Jack sighs.

What if you had the perfect season and no one was there to see it?

Poor Randy Johnson. Sets the record for strikeouts by a lefty on a day with the second-lowest ever attendance in the BOB, and in a season where the D-Backs have collapsed.

Sox 8, Rays 6: Slouching Towards Bethlehem

A stumbling performance today, but a win is a win is a win. Was Wakefield left in there for 5 innings to qualify for the win? He was clearly struggling in the 5th, but I guess that either shows Tito's faith in him, faith in Brazelton's deficiency, or just good ol' unwritten rules: you don't yank if your starter has a chance at the win. Good work by the bullpen today, with the exception of Leskanic. It was really interesting seeing Mendoza up there with a close lead, I think Tito's finally coming round to the fact that somehow Ramiro's refound his touch. It's nice to see this on the box score:

Batters faced:... R Mendoza 3; M Timlin 3; K Foulke 3

3 innings each, 3 up, 3 down. Bang, bang, bang. Talk about shortening the game.

Anyone else think Francona's gone all National League? Working pitching matchups, bringing in pinchrunners (Hyzdu for Belli, Roberts for Millar, Reese for Bellhorn). And kudos to Theo for assembling a roster that lets Tito keep mixing up the styles of play.

Touched by the Hand of God

File this under "I knew it was great, but I didn't know it was this great": in terms of baserunners per inning pitched, Pedro's 2000 season outshines Bob Gibson's 1.12 ERA season in 1968, or Koufax's 1963-65 run of greatness.

The meaning of Ichiro

I've always thought Jose Melendez's "Keys to the Game" to be one of the most entertaining parts of the Sons of Sam Horn Game Threads, particularly when he riffs on interesting tangents. Here he weighs in on the meaning of Ichiro, specifically as an Asian athletic role model. I guess personally I've never seen Ichiro as a role model, but then coming from Singapore there's quite a stark separation between the Asian ethnicities, and so the Japanese are really seen as coming from a different ethnic group. But I do like the increasing international flavour of MLB. I always get a big kick out of the fact that Bruce Chen is Panamanian. (1.73 ERA. Why can't we get players like him? Oh wait. Heh.) Throws people's assumptions about links between nationality and ethnicity into wack, which is fine for someone like me who has Jamaican cousins. Bruce Chen, Ramiro Mendoza, Mariano Rivera. That's a pretty decent pitching staff to throw into the World Cup.

Sox 2, Rays 5: Rocked by Kazmir

Well... Trot Nixon is back and hitting against righthanders. That good bit apart, why do I get this sinking feeling every time I look at the schedule and see a rookie starter? Kazmir came as good as advertised.

But two losses in a row do not a crisis make, even if the intervening off-day meant the Sox went a hell of a long time between scoring runs. Back on track tomorrow. I hope.

Attack of the 6' 2" reliever

Former Sox farm-system boy Frank Francisco was arrested for throwing a chair in the stands at some heckling fans, and breaking the nose of an innocent bystander. Weird stuff. FF probably should be arrested - physical retaliation by a player is never the answer - but I really wonder what was said. Something about his Sept 11 birthday? From the ESPN report:

Showalter said reliever Carlos Almanzar had to come out of the game after having an asthma attack because of the incident.

And he had just been named Rookie of the Month too. Talk about throwing it away.

Punch Out

Random factoid: Pedro's awesome 17-K one-hitter in the Bronx in 1999 is the record number of Ks of a Yankees team. That I knew. What I didn't know was that Schilling is tied at #2 with a 16K performance, back from his Philly days.

Sox 0, Mariners 2: Full Fathom Five

"Woke up this morning, got yourself a gun"
- Alabama 3, "Woke Up This Morning"

Bleah, bleah. Monday morning 8am is not the time you want to find out about a Sox shutout loss and a rollover by those damn Baltimore birds. What's up with random pitchers like Lilly and Meche suddenly discovering their touch against the Sox? At this rate, I'm much happier to see Hudson, Mulder, and Zito on our schedule. Someone on SoSH noted that this was a really light-hitting lineup with Reese and McCarty, and without Ortiz. I tried to be the optimist then, thinking that infield defense helps Lowe more than anyone, but I guess there's such a thing as taking pure defense too far. Just as well I have work to throw myself into.

Sox-Mariners preview: Seattle Slewn

Derek Lowe meets Gil Meche for the final game of the Seattle series. When I try to picture Gil Meche, I always picture Gil from the Simpsons.

"Oh, lord, my hot plate. I only had two payments left!"

What do I know about Meche? I just finished reading an article in the New Yorker. Apparently it's also known as doucette, and has grown in popularity as a salad vegetable. Oh, wait, that's mache. Actually, my memories of seeing Meche pitch are that he can be hot and cold - he can sometimes be dominant and sometimes just keep missing the strike zone. Whereas Lowe has been nothing but up since the Trade, and will have a stellar infield defense behind him. Cabrera to Reese to Mientkiewicz: bang, bang, bang. I daresay we could see Ichiro ground into a double play...

Sox 9, Mariners 0: Alone on a Wide Wide Sea

Bronson Arroyo, man of corn rows, how does your blond hair grow?

As I learnt from watching NESN today, Bronson was responsible not just for his cornrows, but for Trot Nixon's mohawk. Perhaps he needs some training at Blaine? But while he may be no Vidal "I was an Israeli commando" Sassoon, he can flat-out pitch. The only threat from Seattle against Arroyo today was in the 3rd inning, and that was thanks to a fairly measly infield single from Dobbs followed by a single from Wilson. 7IP, 4 hits, 0ER - Bronson keeps up his reputation as a killer on the road.

With the next Bronson win, the entire starting rotation of the Sox will have at least 10 wins each, which is amazing. One thing I feel about watching these Sox, as I've said before, is that the rotation is like a pitching education. Pedro is king of a 1000 pitches, of course, but let's just say his changeup and curve are the sickest of the sick and Schilling's splitter is wicked. Then the back end of the rotation - which could be a front end in New York - feature Wakefield's knuckleball and Lowe's sinker, both of which, when on, are the premier examples of either pitch in the majors. And while Arroyo doesn't have any such distinctive pitches (he has a nice curve when it's on, but Pedro and Zito definitely top him), he's got that distinctive leg kick. I'm rooting for him to get his 10th win next time up, it's long overdue.

Good to see Hyzdu get his first major-league hit for a perfect 1.000 batting average. One thing I like about the way the Sox are playing now is that they always go for the jugular. Even when they're up 7-0 the late-inning scrubs/defensive replacements (Hyzdu, McCarty, Mirabelli, Reese) are trying to pile it on.

I Heart New York

At the end of July 2001, I left my East 28th St apartment in New York to reenter the military in Singapore, flying out of JFK through Eero Saarinen's glorious TWA Terminal. I spent my second-last night in New York in the shadow of the looming towers, roaming through TriBeCa, gazing up at their lights, gaping at their magnitude. I knew I would miss the city, its energy, the confluences of worlds compressed into its five boroughs.

Less than two months later, the world changed, and on that horrible day we were all Americans.

Always remember. Always.

In memoriam Sept 11, 2001.

What's up with all these rookie starters?

Danger Will Robinson!

After going 0-5 against rookie starters they have not seen before, the Sox will see another one Tuesday when [Pedro] faces Tampa Bay's Scott Kazmir in the opener of a three-game series at Fenway Park.

Time for Pedro to show that the hype about Kazmir is just that - hype.

Sox-Mariners Preview: Rime and Reason

Facile credo, plures esse Naturas invisibiles quam visibiles in rerum universitate. Sed horum omnium familiam quis nobis enarrabit? et gradus et cognationes et discrimina et singulorum munera?
- Prelude to Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

Baseball fans are a superstitious lot. We wear the same grubby clothing that "helped" our team on its winning streak, we sit in the same spot that's become damp with the sweat of our thighs, we ix-nay any attempts at premature celebration. But we're not the only group that's superstitious. There's actors, for one. You can't say "Macbeth", you've got to refer to the play as the "Scottish Play". So I have decided that I will, from henceforth, refer to Grady Little's brainfart in not knowing "Timlin in the 8th, Williamson in the 9th" as the "Scottish Play". Or, for that matter, the phrase can be employed any time a manager's too slow with the hook: "And Torre turns the Scottish Play".

Why that preamble? Because I've figured that the one time I didn't blog a preview to a game recently was at Wakefield's loss, and I'm not going to let that happen again. So here goes: Lowe vs Moyer. Methinks the power supply will keep flowing. These Sox can smell blood, and like sharks are heading for the chum. These Mariners will be sunk. The Minnow would be lost.

Sox 13, Mariners 2: Bash Brothers

"She spends his Franklins at the mall with her friends"
- Wyclef Jean, "We Tryin' to Stay Alive"

If you're Bob Melvin, what can you do? Franklin's spent, giving up the entire cycle in 2/3 of an inning (Ortiz homer, Mueller single, Roberts double, Damon triple) but "You Can't Call Me Al" Kida isn't exactly the most convincing name in the bullpen. The Sox carried some of yesterday's sluggishness into the first few innings, but one thing I love about the current state of the Sox is that they know how to pour it on. 2 outs thanks to a DP that could've sucked the life out of the team, and instead they go on a rampage, culminating in Man Ram's Grand Slam (does that sound like a dish at Denny's? That's right, serve 'em). I like it very much: no nibbling 1-run innings, just blasting it open with all kinds of hits. More please.

Sox-Mariners Preview: O Captain My Captain

Yo no soy marinero
Yo no soy marinero
Soy capitan
Soy capitan
Soy capitan
- Ritchie Valens, "La Bamba"

"La Bamba" would be a fun song to hear on the Fenway PA when the Mariners ever come to town. Unfortunately every time I try to picture Ritchie Valens I just get Lou Diamond Phillips. I remember singing along to the Los Lobos version so much as a kid, and then one day I finally decided to figure out what the lyrics to the song meant, and was so disappointed to find out the "I am not a sailor / I am the captain" truth. But hey, it's the most appropriate lyrics for the upcoming game. I apologise for not doing a Sox-Mariners preview for the previous game. If that stopped the streak, here I am, back to get the Sox on their winning ways. Or at least pacify my superstition-addled mind. That Seattle bullpen looks very iffy, and the sooner the Sox can chase Franklin out of the game the deeper the damage they can inflict.

Sox 1, Mariners 7: Tattoo You

Sigh. A loss hurts, but somehow you knew it was going to come against one of the weak sisters of the American League. For some reason, the Sox can go on fire against the very best, but every now and then run into some undistinguished pitcher pitching the game of his life: first Ted Lilly, then Chris Young, now Bobby Madritsch. (Young and Madritsch are in their rookie seasons, admittedly, so it's easier for them to pitch the game of their lives, but still...) What is it? Do the Sox need copious amounts of video to truly study a pitcher's tendencies? Is it just a case of the Reverse Lock theory in action? Or do the laws of baseball gravity mean there has to be a comedown sometimes? Just glad we avoided the shutout, and, more than that, staged a semblance of a rally in the 9th. It's like the Bellhorn slam in the 8-6 loss to the Rangers: sure, it's a loss, but at least we came back - hope it carries over into the next game.

Is it just me, or does anyone else worry more in these games with the weak AL teams than the possible (fingers crossed!) ALDS matchups with the As, Angels, or Twins? Fortunately, Curt Schilling steps up to the mound tomorrow. Screw the Franklins - I'd rather have Schillings.

Random thoughts during the game: what does the half-Sioux Madritsch think about having to pitch against the Indians? That logo alone must be galling... did Jolbert tip his brother Orlando off for the homer? heh - purely invented conspiracy theory... I think Ichiro will hit 257, but not .400... the D-Rays may have keeled over for the Yankees, but at least the Yankees had to use Halsey-Sturtze today, so their rotation is really looking iffy...

Slouching towards Bethlehem

Lately, it's become fashionable to talk about the rag-tag appearance of the Sox. Jerry Crasnick wrote a piece that alternated between loving their goofiness and tut-tutting, calling the team

"a Kafka-esque parade of screwballs, wingnuts and fun-loving frat boys who are fixated on hair as a means of self-expression."

(The article is ESPN Insider-only, but you can get the main gist from the first few paragraphs.) Meanwhile, in today's Boston Globe, Dan Shaughnessy, the self-described Curly-Haired Boyfriend, writes about the team's appearance, but heck, the aura is so good around Boston that even Shaughnessy can't find it in himself to be mean. Compare this to the last time Shaughnessy wrote about the similarities between his and Pedro's hair, when he wrote in a much less flattering light:

"Personally, I think it's Pedro's new Shaughnessy hairstyle that might be messing him up, but whatever is going on, Martinez needs to get back on track"

For me, the interesting part about the article on the Sox's follicular follies are Theo Epstein's words:

"Let's say we had a policy requiring haircuts and no facial hair. The benefits would be uniformity, discipline, and perhaps a heightened sense of order. But we'd lose individuality, self-expression, and fun. Given our personalities, our players thrive when they're allowed to be themselves and have fun."

I think it's funny that Theo actually sounds like he did a cost-benefit analysis of letting hair grow out on his team. There's probably a regression analysis of World Series success to hair length floating around the bowels of Fenway Park, with Oakland's 1970s teams helping to raise the Hair Efficiency Ratio. But, to drag up an old quote, here's Brad Mills, Terry Francona's college teammate on meeting Francona for the first time:

He had hair way down past his shoulders, red Chuck Taylor hightop sneakers on, long cutoff jeans all raggedy, and a T-shirt on. I mean, your first thought is, 'Holy smokes.'

So it's probably not like Tito really has the desire to do anything about this team's appearance. (The U of Arizona did make Tito get all neat. Maybe he's still scarred by the experience. Or jealous that these people still have hair.) They really are the sons of Tito Francona...

Sox 8, As 3: It Never Gets Old

So, Tito held tryouts for the playoff roster (Astacio and Adams, you're out), while Tim Hudson contributed nicely to the Sox's offensive preparation by pitching batting practice. Keith Foulke got 1 out for a really cheap 5-run save, and Pedro hits 94 before getting some rest for a crucial stretch. It's flabbergasting, frankly. Who, seriously, would have thought the Sox's record in this Angels-Rangers-As stretch would be 8-1? Who would have thought the Rangers would most benefit in this battle for the AL West title because they went 1-2? I'm as optimistic as anyone, and I was seeing 6-3, 7-2 at best. Now the Crank Yankers are only 2 games back. It's really, really weird to see a Sox team defy expectations. No let downs now. The Sox are on to Seattle, and it's time to start beating up on the soft underbelly of the AL.

Law and Order: Red Sox

The familiar DUN-DUN sound...

PAWSOX TRAINING FACILITY, PAWTUCKET, RI. 6/1/2004 12.58PM.
BH Kim's fastball is declared dead. Jerry Orbach investigates. Bronson Arroyo is the prime suspect. They indict Arroyo on "conspiracy to take the #5 spot in the rotation".

DUN-DUN

MOAKLEY COURTHOUSE, FAN PIER, BOSTON, MA. 9/8/2004 11.04AM.
Turns out Arroyo has rock-solid evidence that he was noodling around at Daddy's Junky buying a new guitar. In a surprise twist, Sam Waterston tries Dr Morgan of the Sox medical staff for Murder Two, depraved indifference.

***

Next episode: Kevin Millar is involved in another copyright violation!

As for the preview of the final Sox-As game: No energy to write much. It's late in the evening, I'm wondering what clothes to wear. It's Pedro v. Hudson - in baseball, what more is there? Yes, it'll be wonderful tonight.

The OC is on

The New York Times runs an article on Orlando Cabrera today, in which I learnt, among other things, the trivial fact that Orlando and Jolbert Cabrera are brothers. The article also mentions that a cable company in Cartagena has purchased the rights from NESN to televise Red Sox games to Colombia. I always wonder about the effects of securing a player that's iconic, the way Pedro is for Dominicans. It almost certainly helps in terms of ensuring fan support, but does it also help our farm teams by breeding a generation of would-be Sox players?

As for the defensive upgrade, I think the best thing about good infield defense is it gives you breathing room as far as relievers go, since by saving runs and turning hits into outs you get the starting pitchers lower pitch counts and push them into later innings. There's two limitations in constructing a baseball roster. One, most obviously, is payroll. But the other is roster slots, whether you're talking about the 25 or 40 man. (And you can try to solve this constrained optimisation problem using a Lagrange multiplier... oops, economics coursework somehow revisited itself upon me.) So slotting in a good defender at certain key spots (SS, 2B, CF) may allow you to carry one less reliever and put in a DH/PH type hitter instead.

Incidentally, how come the New York Times doesn't need to disclose its part-ownership of the Sox when running stories about the team?

Sox 7, As 1: Hip hop don't stop

Big wheel keep on turnin'
Proud Mary keep on burnin'
Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river
- "Proud Mary"

And the juggernaut keeps rolling on. Offense, defense, starting pitching, bullpen: all cylinders are firing. Damon's back. If I were an opposing pitcher I wouldn't even know where to breathe in the lineup: sure, there's Manny Ortiz, but the OC can deliver, so can Kapler. Even Derek Lowe can joke about his terrible first half.

"The other four days [in the first half] I would imagine the guys felt like they had a chance and then they said, 'Oh, God, here's Derek's day, let's see what we can do.'"

Compare that to him getting all snippy when asked about his pitching issues earlier this year (the whole "mental Gidget" thing). There's confidence oozing through the pores here. There's Pedro yesterday, fast and loose, kidding around by dialling into the cell thrown down by some rabid As fan. (Question: who throws a cellphone onto a field? Sure, the other team's pissed you off. Why would you get rid of something as valuable as your cellphone?) Nothing fazes them. I'm out of superlatives, and I'm out of breath.

Take the High Road

Taking up a cause, the Sox should make a nice donation to those affected by Hurricane Frances on behalf of the Sarasota Red Sox and issue an appropriate statement, something like: "We understand that George Steinbrenner must be embarrassed, frustrated and disappointed by the Yankees' attempts to secure a forfeit during a time of great need for Tampa. It is time to get on with life and forget the sour grapes."

And Jorge Posada has increased in my estimation for at least being willing to take a different position from his bosses:

"I always look at it like what I would have done," Posada said. "And if a hurricane is coming and they told me to leave Friday, I would not leave. I would have stayed in Florida and hopefully leave (Monday) in the morning."

Some things in life are above baseball. My relatives in Jamaica weren't harmed by Charley, fortunately, but it's never good to have to worry about your loved ones during these storms. For any Sox fans hit by Charley or Frances, from Florida or in the Caribbean, I hope you're safe and wish you all the best.

Sox-As Preview: How High

More Sox in California hi-jinks, as Lowe meets Redman (on a break from recording with Method Man, apparently) tomorrow. Seriously, Redman's the underrated part of the Oakland rotation, much as Carlos Zambrano has to play fourth fiddle to Prior-Wood-Clement, but it'll be tough. Fortunately Lowe's returning to his happy crotch-grabbing place, and his sinker lately looks on. I predict groundouts galore.

Speaking of Sox-California connections, one thing I've always found odd is that perhaps the iconic Boston song, the Standells' "Dirty Water", was written by a Californian band. It's kind of like an Icelandic band calling itself Singapore Sling (incidentally, according to their label, they play rock in the style of... the Standells). From the Boston Rock and Roll Museum website (i.e. dirtywater.com):

Not a Boston band but rather an act formed in Los Angeles in the early '60s. The kids reportedly chose their name as they often found themselves standing around their agent's office seeking work. The song, " (I Love That) Dirty Water" hit the charts for 9 weeks and reached number 11 back on 6/11/66. The tune allegedly depicts an attempted mugging that took place on the Smoot (nee MIT) Bridge on Mass Ave., Cambridge, when the boy's manager (Ed Cobb; one-time member of the Four Preps) was visiting Beantown back in the mid-'60s

Funny thing, though, the lyrics don't seem to suggest a mugging. More like complaints about dorm room curfews ("Frustrated women... have to be in by twelve o'clock"). Oh, and the bridge that goes to MIT is the Harvard Bridge. Whatever. Beyond being a garage-rock classic, dirty raw guitar and all, it's the classic Sox anthem, the tune I want to hear 81 times a year in the regular season and 11 times more in the post.

Sox 8, As 3: Rapture

Back to back
Does anyone not fear Manny and Ortiz in the 3 and 4 spots? I don't need a 40-40 player, I want a pair of 40-homer hitters. Myth run-down. Ortiz can't hit lefties, yup. Arroyo's a #5 starter, yup. 8-3 against one of the better teams in the AL, nice. It's weird how people can give up on Arroyo after he let in 2 runs in the first 2 innings. Didn't anyone remember Lowe sacking up in that 4-3 win against the Angels? 1-run innings aren't the end of the world. I guess I have faith that Francona increasingly seems to know when to hold 'em and knows when to fold 'em. I hope.

Sacroiliac Spineless movement
Meanwhile, the Yankees destroy all claims to class by insisting that the D-Rays forfeit the game by dint of not having shown up on time. Yeah, you can't grow facial hair, but you can whine when a hurricane threatens the families and houses of your opponents (including your former player Tino Martinez). That's class. No wonder Tampa sportswriters sound irate:

"It's a mess, an unfortunate mess,'' Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said while he and team president Randy Levine accused the Rays of lying, painted the Yankees as victims and wondered why they had not been awarded a forfeit victory. (Italics mine. From Tampa Bay Online.)

How dare they mess up George's doubleheader. The gall. Didn't they know the Yankees were in a pennant race? And what was Rays slugger Aubrey Huff doing missing the plane? So his house is near the water in the Westshore area. So his house was in the water in the Westshore area on Monday. Why do bad things always happen to the Yankees? (From the Tampa Tribune)

On ESPN.com, mysteriously, the scoreboard noted that Tampa beat New York 8-3 to split the doubleheader, and the Sox beat Oakland 5-1. I'm hoping they're just reporting tomorrow's scores.

And a wild attack
Back to Sox-As: Mark Kotsay gets added to the list of As with issues with the Sox (joining Tim "Bar Fight" Hudson and Eric "EB Touch Home" Byrnes), and Oakland fans throw stuff on the field. Ah. So, much in the same way as Billy Beane flips furniture, As fans fling foodstuff, and all semblance of admiration I have for a team that does so well against such fiscal odds falls flat.

Edit: added Tampa-area quotes.

Sox-As preview: Battle of the Bands

Saw this pic of Barry Zito (strumming his pain with his fingers on his sister's band) on the Sons of Sam Horn game threads and one thing immediately came to mind: why does Barry Zito play the guitar righty? A quick search on Google brought this little trivia nugget:

"I've always been ambidextrous," he shrugs. Barry writes and plays guitar right handed - he only makes a living pitching with his Cy Young award-winning left hand.
(Link)

Cool. Seems like a good way to prevent freak *cough Kevin Brown cough* accidents, doing all the autograph signing and all that with the other hand. Having "taught" myself to be ambidextrous when I broke my hand (I write righty, use a mouse lefty, eat with chopsticks lefty, lift heavy loads lefty, and throw righty although I can throw a freaky junkball pitch with my left hand), I guess I get a kick out of people who are proficient with either hand.

But Bronson Arroyo's no slouch with the axe either. Here's Kevin Millar on Bronson:

"He knows 100 songs. You can drink beer, barbeque steaks, and you can tell him to play songs from country, to Metallica, to Creed, to Pearl Jam, to the Dave Matthews band . . . it's a gift. The kid has a gift."

Arroyo was good enough for a live appearance at Daddy's Junky, my favourite Boston music store, on Aug 28. (Daddy's was where I got all the sound setups for my DJing gigs, and they've got awesome, helpful staff. And they're cheap, too.) Stole that pic above from their pictures of the gig.

What does this all mean? Either the two will strut out simultaneously for a searing G'n'F'n'R-style Izzy-and-Slash duelling-guitar solo... or Bronson will get the W. My money's on the latter.

Heard from the Hub

Oh, and a belated thanks to Adam Gaffin from Boston Online for the shout-out.

Sox 6, Rangers 5: Night of the Hunter

Some people ask me what it's like to blog about baseball in a flipped time zone. Well, it's the weekend day games that kill me: a day game with a beautiful 2pm start EST starts at 2am Monday morning for me, making it impossible to follow, at least not without severe repercussions on my work. So I missed the game, and only woke up at 6am to go to the bathroom, chanting "Sox 5 Rangers 1" in my mind - baseball reduces the most rational of us all into gibbering morasses of superstition. A quick glance at the computer screen showed a tighter result, with the Sox continuing their charmed lives, providing ecclesiastical relief to the faithful. Ah. Went back to sleep happy.

On to some analysis, following a quick review of the game on MLB.tv and box scores. Does anyone get the sense that Foulke sometimes likes to make things interesting? There's a debate on Sons of Sam Horn on whether Schilling should even have been out there in the 9th. But if he threw 103 pitches all in, and had been cruising up till then, why not? Tito has had quite a slow hook with Schilling (that Toronto grand slam still lingers in my mind), but lately he's been good about yanking starters before they cough up the lead, and he did so in this game. I don't think Francona is the second coming of Connie Mack, but at least he seems willing to learn.

And 5-1 against 2 of the best teams in the AL is an excellent record to take on to Oakland, hometown of MC Hammer (just thought of the classic "Behind the Music" episode with MC Hammer, can't get it out of my head). September pennant races: U can't touch this.

Mannyfest destiny

Just read GQ's September issue, featuring an "oral history" of Manny, by Nate Penn. Great stuff, featuring interviews of his high school coaches, former scouts, former and present teammates, and others. Pretty much just illustrates the conventional wisdom surrounding Manny Ramirez i.e. he's just a great hitter, somewhat goofy and kid-like, not too into his money. About the only thing it may add to that conventional wisdom is how much he studies video to hit like he does, but us good Sox fans know that. The stories, though, are fascinating. My favourite quote:

"He once hit a home run with a broken bat. I asked him, 'Manny, you broke your bat on that pitch, right?' And he says, 'No, it was broken before I went up to the plate. I just like that bat." - Sheldon Ocker, Akron Beacon Journal sportswriter.

A goofball who hits like Thor. More, please. Now if only he'd update the game logs on his website more often...

Sox 6, Rangers 8: Range Factor

The streak had to end. Rookie pitcher making one of his first ever starts against a streaking team, making this a candidate for the reverse lock. Especially when the pitcher's name is C Young. (3 Youngs in the starting lineup for the Rangers yesterday - describes the team perfectly.) When it did, at least:

1. The offense came back alive... I like at least that we were the team that clawed back into the game. Bellhorn full-Nelsoned Jeff... what a find at 2B.

2. Yankees lose to the Orioles two games in a row. Will wonders never cease? Oh look, Rivera had 4 ER charged to him and Kevin "Embedded Red Sox Trojan Horse" Brown needs surgery. Keep them wonders flowing! Pythagoras, we salute thee.

3. You don't want to be the As, winning 20 in a row in the regular season only to collapse in the ALDS... a (solitary) loss is good for overall karma.

4. So the knuckler wasn't dancing on a hot day in September. As long as it dances in October...

As Mark Roberts might say, streaking done, time to start streaking again...

Sox 2, Rangers 0: Way Back When

"I want you to know that tonight in America something very important in the fabric of our life took place -- very, very important -- the Red Sox pulled to two and a half games out of the Yankees. Now, I think that's important." - John Kerry, soothsayer

You know, there was a time when I'd watch games like this, with Pedro up 2-0 in the 7th and a flubbed ball by Tek gets the runner on base, and I'd think "oh no". Now that thought keeps getting drowned out by the sweet, sweet hum of an engine running merrily along. Wasdin got killed by the two waybacks, but otherwise I thought he pitched a pretty good game. Just his luck he had to be up against Pedro, Koufax in Jheri-curls, the Dominican Dominator, the King of the Hill. And Tito's managing has been amazing of late: Mirabelli in as a pinch-hitter (even though that didn't work) and mix-and-matching relievers at the right time a la La Russa - Embree's great with handling inherited runners. Heck, everyone's living right it seems - Nixon and Kapler had their suspensions overturned. I'm living by the banks of the Singapore River now, but what wouldn't I give to be on the banks of the Charles, feeling the mood of the city.

In other news, Kevin Brown broke his (non-pitching, unfortunately) hand punching a wall after the loss to Baltimore. See what happens when you don't let people grow their hair out? Aggression and energy has to come out somewhere... I once broke the second metacarpal in my right hand. Took me 2 operations and 8 months before I was out of physical therapy. In fact, it took me 2 months before I could even move my index finger. Don't know whether Brown's break is as bad, but the Yankee implosion seems increasingly imminent.

Add: the Brushback - sort of like The Onion, except exclusively dealing with sports - had a joke story on Kevin Brown earlier this year. "Kevin Brown To Sit Out Entire Season As Precautionary Measure" was the headline. Now how many Yankee fans wish that were true?

1-0 to the Arsenal

From the Boston Globe:

The lovely Ione Skye ("Say Anything . . .") and the lovelier KaDee Strickland ("Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid") have been signed to star opposite Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon in "Fever Pitch," a movie about rabid Red Sox fans, according to yesterday's Hollywood Reporter.

Fever Pitch, the Nick Hornby book, is a great novel, and if it had to be transplanted to an American context (which is flirting with disaster, movie-wise), the Sox are probably the right team to do it with. Like the Arsenal, Hornby's team, the Sox are a well-supported, good team with resources that aren't a sports dynasty. The one thing: the Arsenal win the (1989) championship at the end of the book. Since the movie goes into production for 2005, the Sox could make it easy for the screenwriters...

Actually, I met Nick Hornby once, at a book signing in New York for How to be Good. Nice bloke. After the signing, we exchanged one or two sentences while my friend in the publishing industry passed him some books for him to read. Came away with a signed copy of High Fidelity, which I prize. At the reading, someone in the audience asked him about the Arsenal on behalf of her boyfriend, and he had that look like he was expecting that question but wanted to move on from being forced to talk about the Arsenal to this person who didn't really seem to want to know about the team and just wanted to ask a kooky question. I guess once you write an autobiographical book on your obsessive fandom, you can't really shy away from questions about said fandom.

Sox 4, Angels 3: The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get

I'm on a roll, no self control
I'm blowing off steam with methamphetamine
- Green Day, "Geek Stink Breath"

We can win 'em swingin', we can take 'em nice and tight. Beautiful management this game by Terry Francona: leaving Lowe in just to face Vlad in the 8th, then Myers to get his one lefty out, then Foulke for 4 batters. Lowe pitched a great game - finally seems to have discovered that giving up one run in an inning doesn't mean it has to all end in tears. Bullpen vs. bullpen was as expected, a whole bunch of zeroes all round. Bill Mueller should have had an RBI walk against Brendan Donnelly in the 6th, though, not a strikeout: what kind of strike ends up away, above the waist, and off the plate?

Pedro Does Shots

And in other good signs, Pedro sounds happy:

The Red Sox posed for their annual team picture in the outfield yesterday. The session included Pedro Martinez, who entered the clubhouse minutes after the scheduled 4 p.m. shoot time and announced triumphantly: "For the first time in five years, I'm going to make one!"

Martinez dressed hurriedly and jogged out to his teammates at 4:11 p.m, shouting, "Wait for me!"

Which makes this citizen of Red Sox Nation (Far Eastern Province) very happy.

Sox 12, Angels 7: The Halos Come Off

So, September begins as August ended: amazingly, we put our bullpen against the Angels' and came out on top. Even more amazingly, we put Mike Myers and Terry Adams for 3 1/3 innings (!) and topped the Shields-Gregg combination. Bronson Arroyo ended the run of 41 games of a starter going 5, but to heck with it: Bronson too often this season pitched well in losses, time for the team to get a win in a poor start. I still think he's the team's #3 pitcher, but the playoff rotation (fingers crossed) should be very interesting. Hub of the universe, thou art my town of residence...

In other baseball news, it looks like Dave LaRoche taught Zack Greinke "LaLob" or some variation thereof:

[Greinke] got as high as 95 on his fastball and as low as 50 on a special curveball he learned from Dave LaRoche, the Royals' Triple-A pitching coach.

"We worked on it a little bit but he said, 'You have to promise me you won't ever throw it in a game'," said Greinke (7-9). "I said I'm sorry, I'm going to use it some day." (Link)

Mmm, eephus pitches.

Sox 10, Angels 7: the Night the South Bronx Burned

Who needs Angels in the outfield? We've got Jesus! Or at least, Johnny Damon, whose ability to get on base this season is preternatural. (Incidentally, a thought about Damon's concussion: if Grady Little had not brought in Damian Jackson as a 6th-inning defensive replacement, none of that might have happened.) Mike "So I Pitch Like an Axe Murderer" Myers coughed up enough runs that Dave Roberts' 3-run bomb had to be the difference, but a win is a win is a win.

Meanwhile, Seattle seems to be heating up, with a 5-game winning streak and Ichiro chasing George Sisler's record of 257 hits in a season. They could be a factor in the wild-card race: 4 games against the Sox, 7 against the As and the Angels, 6 against the Rangers. Then again, with a 22-0 drubbing like the Spankees received, maybe the wild card isn't all we're reaching for... the box score is pure numerical schadenfreude. They have a rotation, insofar as a roasting pig on a spit has rotation.

Rosters expand as of today. It's on.

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