A satisfying win, despite Mike Timlin's super-shaky ninth. Matt Clement pitched eight innings, Kevin Millar homered and drove in three, David Ortiz reached base in three of four appearances, including Bomb #37 beyond the Sox pen, Edgar Renteria singled twice, Jason Varitek walked twice; seven different Sox scored one run apiece.
I cannot believe that anyone pays Buck Martinez, one of the Orioles announcers I had to listen to on the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network, to talk about baseball. The man speaks with the strongest possible conviction -- and is a colossal moron.
Before the game, Martinez said Kevin Youkilis was making his 6th start at second base. As Martinez spoke, the on-screen graphic said it was Yook's first start. ... He mentioned Manny Ramirez's 6th error, then referred to it as his 7th error in his next sentence.
In talking about Curt Schilling, he implied that Schilling pitched for Philadelphia between his stints with Arizona and Boston. ... He mentioned Clement's AL-leading winning percentage at least twice during the broadcast. Winning percentage! But then he also talked about how Clement had received no-decisions in five of his last seven starts.
Gabe Kapler doubled to start the Red Sox 3rd. He took third on a grounder and scored on a fly ball. Martinez said that when a pitcher gives up a double to start an inning, he should simply concede a run to the opposing team. ... In the very next half-inning, Miguel Tejada doubled. Martinez said the O's really needed to take advantage of the hit. I guess Clement didn't get the memo about conceding the run (though thanks to two Sox outfield errors, two runs did score that inning).
Finally, after Damon and Renteria began the fifth with singles, Martinez said that putting those two guys at the top of the lineup was the best protection for Ortiz. ... I thought the idea of protection (if it even exists) was that the hitter after the batter at the plate is being protected. For example, you wouldn't want to walk Edgar because Ortiz is on deck, so Edgar might get a better pitch to hit. Ortiz protects Edgar, not the other way around.
Wells / Lopez at 2:00.
Yeah, I had to watch the stupid O's announcers as well and just muted the volume. I've come to the realization that we don't really need announcers on TV. We can SEE everything. Why not just flash interesting stats on the streaming bottom line and do away with play by play idiots??
ReplyDeleteStill not as bad as YES. The lack of "see ya" from them and "he gone" from the White Sox idiots. Oh, and I'd say the Oakland announcers are at least as inaccurate, I can't believe some of the stuff I heard from them on our first west coast trip of the season.
ReplyDeleteSean O...agreed. Especially "he gone", but also "You can put it on the boooooooooard...yes!" Fuck that dude (his commentary was also shitty and inaccurate). At least Michael Kay gives a less enthusiastic "See ya" for the other team's home runs.
ReplyDeleteWell, Don & The Dawg, are back on in NYC. It feels soooooo good. Wait'll next weekend with Al Yankeezeera & their Cousins @ FOX.
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to say that you guys are entirely too accepting of the Sox duo, in my view. With not even one night per week of McDonough to allow a respite from Orsillo, I have come to turning the volume off nearly 100% of the time. Remy by himself is ok, but he can't carry the show and Orsillo never saw a moment of quiet, thoughtful time that he didn't commit himself to filling with his babble or repetition of what's on the screen. Beyond that, I recall no Red Sox announcer with as little knowledge of the game and I go back to Gowdy.
ReplyDeleteVery true about Orsillo. But the difference with him is that he usually doesn't say anything that is head-bangingly stupid.
ReplyDeleteAll he does is read the stats in the press notes verbatim. Which can be highly very annoying. In the bottom of the ninth inning, the Sox are rallying, and Don is busy babbling about the opposing pitcher being drafted in the 52nd round in 1995 and pitching 12.1 innings in A ball, etc., etc.
He is more of a droning that can be ignored or tuned out, at least for me.
Very curious who I will get for the Yankees series. Having lived in New York for 17 years, I have never heard NESN do a MFY game. I hope I get the chance this Friday.
I just wanted to say that you guys are entirely too accepting of the Sox duo, in my view.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Orsillo's numbers recitation makes my brain go numb. By the 5th or 6th inning the sound of his droning voice is like a drill bit in my brain.
Remy is a self-serving used car salesman. I don't understand how you guys can call Michael Kay a homer and defend Remy, as big a homer as any announcer outside that blithering Hawk idiot.
I don't hate either of them, but Red Sox fans give them a free pass while bashing all the other announcers. Hmph.