Red Sox Blog Nation Speaks

Brian at Friendly Fenway has posted his second batch of questions and answers from various Red Sox bloggers about how things are going this season. ... Read it here. (The first one is here.)

He also writes quick and informative wrapups/updates of Boston's minor league teams. His April 26 entry is a great example.

G22: Rangers 7, Red Sox 2

Pathetic. Sleepwalking in the outfield, hacking away early in the count right up to the very end, and a bit of bonehead managing. Oh, it was a great night in Arlington.

Miscommunication between Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez in left center led to a Texas run in the first inning. Boston took the lead back in the fourth. Ramirez and David Ortiz both walked with two outs and Kevin Millar tripled to right center to bring them in.

After a leadoff double in the second inning, Tim Wakefield retired the next 12 batters. In the sixth, he ran into trouble. Dave Dellucci singled and after getting the next two Rangers, Hank Blalock singled, tying the game. Then Alfonso Soriano belted a flat knuckleball to deep left and Texas led 4-2.

Brad Mills, who will be filling in for Terry Francona for the entire series, goofed when he pulled Wakefield and brought in Mike Myers with one out in the seventh. Dellucci was up with a man on second. Seeing Myers, Buck Showalter sent up a right-handed hitter. Chad Allen then singled the runner home -- righties are now 4-for-4 against Myers this year.

The Boston bats were absent against Chan Ho Park and Ron Mahay. How absent?

Five of the nine Red Sox batters did not hit the ball out of the infield: Ramirez, Ortiz, Edgar Renteria, Bill Mueller and Ramon Vazquez.

Boston had only three hits: Damon's single to begin the game (an infield hit deflected off Park to the shortstop, whose throw was a little too late), Millar's triple in the fourth (which hit solidly off the top of Gary Matthews's glove in right center and was catchable) and Doug Mirabelli's single in the fifth (which Matthews, sliding in shallow right, probably should have caught). Bah.

Tim Bausher was called up Thursday, threw in the Sox pen during last night's game and was sent back to Pawtucket. With Mark Bellhorn now having flu-like symptoms, Kevin Youkilis will be in Texas this evening. In a dozen games with the PawSox, Youkilis batted .227 (10-for-44) with eight walks. ... (P.S. Bausher's agent is Billy Martin, Jr.)

John Halama pitched the eighth inning, allowing three hits and two runs. He also let Blalock get a huge jump in stealing second. Should be fun watching him in Detroit on Monday.

Wade Miller had another successful rehab start on Thursday night: five scoreless innings against Scranton/Wilkes Barre. He allowed five hits (two of them infield squibs) and two walks. He will make one more AAA start, Tuesday against Rochester, and then join the Red Sox. He could make his debut on May 8 against Seattle.

Every suspended Red Sock and Devil Ray was also fined $3,000, although Piniella's fine was knocked down to $2,500. Ortiz and Singleton were each fined $500.

In the Bronx, both Roy Halladay and Randy Johnson pitched complete games last night, as Toronto won 2-0 in a zippy 2:08. The Yankees are 9-14, only the second time during Joe Torre's tenure the team has been five games below .500 (they were 5-10 on April 17, 1997).

Bronson Arroyo / Pedro Astacio at 8:00.

"Yankee Bob" Has Spoken

Unless appealed, all suspensions begin tonight.

Terry Francona   3 games
Bronson Arroyo   6 games
Trot Nixon       2 games
 
Lou Piniella     3 games
Dewon Brazelton  5 games
Lance Carter     5 games

The above six were also fined an undisclosed amount of money, as were David Ortiz and Chris Singleton.

It all seems a bit much to me (especially the fines to Tiz and Singleton), though I realize the length of Arroyo's and Brazelton's suspensions are to guarantee they each miss a start.

One lesson I learned today:

Yell at, and take maybe four steps towards, a pitcher who threw deliberately at your head = A fine

Get brushed by a fan (maybe) while fielding a ball and, before throwing the ball back to the infield, turn and try to punch that fan with both hands = No fine (and be showered with praise for your restraint)

Thanks, Bob.

Boston Herald Predictions

Thanks to a fellow SoSH member, I now have the Globe and Herald from the day after the Opening Day Ring Ceremonies. And in the Herald, I found the sportswriters' predictions:

            AL EAST  WILD CARD  NL CHAMP  WS CHAMP
Massarotti  Yankees  Red Sox    Atlanta   Yankees
Buckley     Yankees  Red Sox    Atlanta   Red Sox
Horrigan    Yankees  Red Sox    Atlanta   Atlanta
Silverman   Yankees  Red Sox    Marlins   Yankees

All four writers picked the Twins in the Central and the Angels in the West. Horrigan picked the Twins to win the AL pennant.

Why I Spent $10.50 To See Fever Pitch

Jimmy Fallon was supposed to be reading my book in bed at the beginning of one scene (#91, actually), right after the "fingers-in-my-ears-so-I-don't-hear-the-Red-Sox-score" scene with Drew Barrymore's parents. ... That scene didn't make the final cut. Boo.

However, I did see the book twice: (1) across the room on Fallon's night table early in the movie and (2) on his dresser in the scene after Barrymore calls him from Paris saying she is not pregnant (the book is in the lower left of the screen, though you can't read the actual words on the cover).

What else can I tell you?

FP is a formulaic romantic comedy. I chuckled at two or three of the lines, but I'll be damned if I can remember them now. Fenway Park is one of the most beautiful places on Earth, and seeing game footage from non-traditional angles was cool. The game that prompts the main characters' relationship crisis didn't actually happen, which was bad, because there is a fair amount of actual 2004 game footage in the movie. (Of course, only certifiable Red Sox fans would notice.)

Couldn't one of the season-ticket-holding fans have said that the Curse is bullshit, since most serious Red Sox fans believe that? Barrymore's character has a really cute dog, but she has a non-stop work schedule, so who walks it?

My advice? Wait for the DVD.

Who Starts Tuesday?

"It never fails," Terry Francona said. "Whenever you think you have enough pitching or too much pitching, you're probably fooling yourself."

Tim Wakefield, Bronson Arroyo and Matt Clement will pitch in Texas and John Halama will start Monday in Detroit. The question is who gets the ball on Tuesday. There's not a consensus in the papers and an announcement is expected later today.

Most reports tap Jeremi Gonzalez, who has started for the Cubs and Devil Rays. Gonzalez threw six innings (one run, three hits) on Tuesday. It could be Lenny DiNardo, who threw five scoreless innings for Pawtucket before being recalled. Abe Alvarez has an outside shot. ... The Red Sox will (wisely) stay with twelve pitchers.

Devil Rays reliever Trever Miller jumps into the Piniella-Schilling spat: "You couldn't hear anybody else over Schilling [yapping during the bench-clearing incidents]. He was berating our manager, our ownership, all the way to our waterboys. He was kind of contradicting himself yelling at us and telling us how to play the game when he's going out there stirring the pot and being immature about it. So I find that ironic and pretty sad, especially for a guy that has all that time in the game."

Keith Foulke wants more work. "I could talk until I'm blue in the face. I'm physically healthy. I've got no excuses. I need to pitch three or four times a week. ... I feel great. My shoulder feels incredible. ... You guys see the playoffs last year? You guys remember how I talked all last year about the more I pitch the better I am. Any more questions?"

Francona agrees. "I think his past history is we do use him frequently. The last three days in Tampa Bay some crazy things happened. He'll pitch a lot. He's better when he pitches. We know that." ... With Halama and an AAA arm starting over the next few weeks, the pen should be plenty busy.

Off to see Fever Pitch today.

69 Hours To Stew

This afternoon's game with Baltimore was rained out. It will not be made up on the off-day tomorrow, so from the last out Tuesday to the first pitch in Texas on Friday, there will be a gap of sixty-nine hours with no Red Sox baseball. Lots of time to figure out the starting rotation for the next few weeks.

Curt Schilling knew something was wrong with his ankle when he threw a pitch to Travis Lee during the sixth inning on Saturday. Lee looked at two strikes and then hit a two-run double that gave Tampa its 6-5 margin of victory. "The ankle bone was just not ready to take the force I put on it the other day. ... [T]here was a very legitimate possibility that we could break the bone and the season would be done."

What makes very little sense is that after Lee's double, Schilling stayed in the game and threw 21 more pitches, finishing the sixth and pitching the seventh. Also, Schilling says, "I think it was the hardest pitch I had thrown all year, and I was really trying to reach back and throw the ball." Does that mean that he'd been holding back, afraid to really test the ankle?

Red Sox medical director Thomas Gill said Wells "will benefit from a period of rest and rehabilitation. Currently, there is no exact time frame for his return [Francona was quoted as saying 4-6 weeks]. We expect him to be able to maintain his fitness activities and baseball training throughout the period of his rehab." Fitness activities?

Fun With Numbers: Last night's crowd of 35,670 was the largest for a regular season game at Fenway Park since September 28, 1990. ... The last time the Red Sox allowed 20 hits was July 24, 2003, when the Devil Rays had 21. ... Keith Foulke has allowed 20 base runners in nine appearances, covering 10 innings. His ERA ballooned to 7.20.

Heh:

Schilling: When you're playing a team with a manager who somehow forgot how the game is played, there's problems. ... Lou's trying to make his team be a bunch of tough guys, and the telling sign is when the players on that team are saying, 'This is why we lose a hundred games a year, because this idiot makes us do stuff like this.' They were saying this on the field.

Piniella: I think he should just concern himself with pitching and not worry about what other managers do or don't do. ... I know exactly how the game should be played, and why. Quite frankly, I'm disappointed in his comments, very disappointed in his comments. ... Go talk to the players. I don't think they'd say that. I know you wouldn't get one to say that.

No shit, Lou. None of your players are going on the record calling you an idiot.

This Is No Good

Curt Schilling (7.13 ERA) will join David Wells on the disabled list. He'll miss at least two weeks with a bruised right ankle.

It's the same ankle he had surgery on this winter, but Theo Epstein said the current bruising was higher on the ankle and may not be related.

G21: Orioles 11, Red Sox 8

Shit. Matt Clement couldn't hold leads of 5-1 and 8-3, allowing 12 hits and seven runs in 4.2 innings. Melvin Mora and Miguel Tejada each had four hits. Keith Foulke, entrusted with an 8-7 lead in the eighth, coughed it up, allowing two two-run home runs before getting a second out.

Baltimore starter Rodrigo Lopez was not much better than Clement. He had allowed only five earned runs in his last four starts combined against Boston. He gave up that many runs in the second inning. But his teammates got him off the hook.

Manny Ramirez had three hits and five RBI for Boston, including a line drive three-run home run into the Monster seats that chased Lopez, but a quarter of Orioles relievers shut the Sox out after the fourth inning. Johnny Damon remained hot, with two doubles, and Bill Mueller, back in the lineup, reached base three times in five trips.

The Orioles hold a three-game lead over the Red Sox in the East. Wakefield goes in a 1:00 game Wednesday afternoon.

Wells On DL (That Didn't Take Long)

David Wells was placed on the 15-day disabled list after spraining his right foot last night. He could be out as long as a month. John Halama will start next Tuesday at Detroit and Lenny DiNardo was recalled to replace Halama in the pen. ... Hurry up, Wade Miller!

I would have liked Kevin Youkilis to be recalled, but maybe Bill Mueller, who pinch-hit last night, is ready to return. The Sox have really been caught short by Mueller's bug. He hasn't started since last Wednesday, but it hasn't been serious enough for a full DL stint.

"Babe Ruth Plays The Field"

The Yankees vs. Red Sox Reader is a new compilation of writings on the Rivalry. Contributors include Roger Angell, Peter Gammons, David Halberstam, Thomas Boswell, Bill Lee ... and me.



My short piece recounts the days before Babe Ruth's first game as a position player. He played first base and batted sixth for Boston on May 6, 1918. He went 2-for-4 with a home run, but the Red Sox lost to the Yankees 10-3 at the Polo Grounds. Earlier that week, the Yankees' offer of more than $100,000 for Ruth was turned down.

G20: Orioles 8, Red Sox 4

It wasn't as bad as Saturday's loss to Tampa, but last night's game against the first-place Orioles was nearly as annoying. I mean, Bruce Chen ... again?

Yet, like Red at Surviving Grady, the frustration is not sticking. I watch the boneheaded baserunning, the rally-ending GIDPs and strikeouts, the bullpen meltdowns and I get pissed, but the anger passes much quicker than usual. However, it is not even May yet. We'll see how long this pseudo-honeymoon lasts.

David Wells struggled -- allowing the team's first first-inning run of the season, then giving away Boston's brief lead with two more runs in the second and three in the fourth. He left the game in the fourth with what was termed a "sprained foot." Tony Massarotti of the Herald hints that this might be part of an ongoing condition, noting that "there have been rumblings about Wells having some sort of foot ailment since spring training." ... In the seventh, Matt Mantei twisted his ankle while backing up third base, but x-rays showed no structural damage.

Continuing with the injury theme, both the Globe and Herald notebooks catalogue Kevin Millar's HBP bruises. One account says "his right leg is black and blue, knee to ankle," while the other describes it as "an ugly, yellow, red and purple bruise from his right knee to his lower calf ... the seam mark from the baseball was visible." Ouch.

Bill Mueller remains too sick to start, but he did pinch-hit in the ninth inning. Wade Miller will pitch Thursday for Pawtucket; his scheduled rehab start last weekend with Portland was rained out.

If you've been thinking the Sox have been burned a lot by opposing #9 hitters, you're right. According to statistician Chuck Waseleski, the ninth spot had the highest batting average (.355), on-base percentage (.420), slugging percentage (.597), and most home runs (4) of any spot in the lineup against the Sox. Geronimo Gil, batting at the bottom of the Orioles' order last night, went 0-for-4.

With three singles last night, Johnny Damon now has four consecutive multi-hit games (11-for-17) and has hit safely in 16 of his last 18 games. He isn't hitting the middle innings, however:

Innings 1-3   .361  (13-for-36)
Innings 4-6   .095  ( 2-for-21)
Innings 7-9   .583  (14-for-24)

The Red Sox have added the AL East standings to the scoreboard on The Wall. On the days the Yankees have been tied with the Devil Rays for last place, the two cities have been listed alphabetically, as they are in the newspaper, so New York is above Tampa Bay. I was hoping the Sox would go ahead and put the Yankees below the Rays because it looks better -- and is still accurate. Last night, they did!

Matt Clement / Rodrigo Lopez at 7:00.

Drill Bits

Lengthy discussion at SoSH. A recap of the weekend:

Friday:

Top of 2nd: Kazmir hits Millar (near knee).
Top of 5th: Kazmir hits Manny (outside of front leg; almost behind him).
Bot of 6th: Wakefield hits Gomes (leadoff batter; Boston trailed 3-1).
Bot of 8th: Mantei throws wildly to Huff and inside to Gonzalez (TB announcers felt he was headhunting; looked wild to me).

Saturday:

Bot of 7th: Schilling hits Crawford (2 out, bases empty).
Top of 8th: McClung hits Millar (leadoff batter; Tampa ahead 6-5; unintentional?).

Sunday:

Bot of 6th: Arroyo hits Huff (front leg, by knee; possible retaliation for Saturday).
Top of 7th: Carter throws behind Ramirez (Manny homers on the next pitch).
Top of 7th: Carter throws at Ortiz's head (4th pitch after Manny's HR).
Bot of 7th: Arroyo hits Singleton (obvious retaliation).

To me, everything seemed above board and according to whatever "settle-it-on-the-field/unwritten rules" exist in the game -- except for Carter's pitch at Ortiz's head.

This is merely the latest episode in the Sox-Rays beanball rivalry. On August 29, 2000, Pedro Martinez hit Gerald Williams. Before that game was over, eight Devil Rays were ejected, Brian Daubach suffered a hyper-extended elbow and Lou Merloni received a concussion.

On May 5, 2002, Ryan Rupe hit Nomar Garciaparra and Shea Hillenbrand. Then Trot Nixon's bat flew out of his hands towards the mound after a swing. Sox pitcher Frank Castillo hit Randy Wynn. Suspensions: Castillo (five games) and Nixon (four). On July 18, Tanyon Sturtze hit Manny Ramirez and Castillo hit Brent Abernathy. Both pitchers were fined. Esteban Yan plunked Ramirez later in the game, but was neither ejected nor fined. On September 9, Derek Lowe was tossed after hitting Felix Escalona for the second time. The following day, Tampa's Lee Gardner was ejected for hitting Merloni.

Dewon Brazelton: "I'm embarrassed I got thrown out of the ballgame. Normally when you go out there, it's a song and dance, but in this case ... we had just had two really hard-fought games and sometimes emotion gets the best of you. I'm an educated fellow, but that was uneducated. I really have more class than that."

David Ortiz on Lou Piniella: "This is a game, everyone is professional here and everyone needs to act professional. Sometimes watching TV, their manager [is] going off on their pitching just because they make a mistake. I never saw that before, you know what I'm saying? That tells you, sometimes everything starts up because of him."

And here I thought it had been all Hal McRae's fault. ... The St. Petersburg Times has two stories, as does the Tampa Tribune (here and here).

Manny Ramirez was named AL Player of the Week. In seven games, he batted .364, with four home runs, 10 RBI, eight runs scored, 24 total bases and a 1.091 slugging percentage. Since the award began in 1990, Ramirez has won it 12 times, second only to Frank Thomas of the White Sox (13). ... Last week, the Red Sox and Yankees both won Monday, lost Tuesday, won Wednesday and Thursday, lost Friday and Saturday, and won Sunday.

Baltimore at Fenway:

Tonight: David Wells / Bruce Chen, 7:00
Tuesday: Matt Clement / Rodrigo Lopez, 7:00
Wednesday: Tim Wakefield / Daniel Cabrera, 1:00

G19: Red Sox 11, Devil Rays 3

Ian Browne (redsox.com):

In the bottom of the sixth, Sox starter Bronson Arroyo hit Aubrey Huff with a pitch, setting off what was about to become a very eventful afternoon. Home plate umpire Ted Barrett went out to talk to Arroyo, but no warnings were issued.

Then, in the top of the seventh, Devil Rays reliever Lance Carter threw a pitch behind Manny Ramirez. Warnings were issued to both sides, and Ramirez got the ultimate revenge on the very next pitch, clubbing Carter's meaty fastball over the wall in left to give the Sox a 5-2 lead. Ortiz stepped up next, and the first pitch from Carter sailed over his head, causing both benches to empty. Rays catcher Toby Hall wrapped Ortiz up. Carter and Rays manager Lou Piniella were both ejected, which was automatic with the warning in place. Nixon was also ejected, as he went toward the mound and pointed at Carter. Rays right-hander Dewon Brazelton, who jawed with Nixon, was thrown out as well.

On the first pitch of the bottom of the seventh, Arroyo hit Chris Singleton, leading to his ejection, and that of manager Terry Francona. Though the benches emptied again, things stayed calm ...

There is also a five-minute video clip at the link above, showing Carter throwing at Manny and Ortiz and the ensuing scuffle. Nixon looks ready to chew nails.

After things settled down, Boston sent 12 batters to the plate in the eighth, scoring six times. Jay Payton, who took over for Nixon in right field, hit a grand slam.

One Sox blogger has already weighed in.

G18: Devil Rays 6, Red Sox 5

Curt Schilling did not mince words: "This was a game we should not have lost. ... I made every mistake I could make at the wrong possible times. ... It was a pathetic display of pitching all around."

Following along in the SoSH game thread, it sounded like Schilling had decent location most of the time, but lacked his usual velocity and couldn't put hitters away. The pitches he left over the plate -- coming in at only 88-90 -- were belted all over the lot. In the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, he allowed three singles, two doubles, one triple and one home run. Tampa scored five runs in that span, coming back from a 4-1 deficit.

Boston held an early 4-0 lead -- six of their first 10 batters reached base -- and were set to cruise to victory, but the Devil Rays chipped away steadily in the middle innings. The bullpen quartet of Casey Fossum, Seth McClung, Trever Miller and Lance Carter shut Boston down in the final four innings, allowing only one hit, one walk and one HBP (Millar again).

David Ortiz whacked two long solo home runs, measured at 432 and 455 feet. The second one -- the longest homer hit at Tropicana Field -- landed four rows shy of the back wall in right field.

Alan Embree was cool about Eduardo Perez's post-home run reaction. "I know Eddy. It wasn't anything directed at me. I played against him at several levels. He's a good guy." ... Wade Miller's start for Portland (A) was rained out yesterday, so he'll pitch the first game of a doubleheader today.

Johnny Damon on Scott Kazmir: "I think that kid's going to be the next best thing. I still can't believe the Mets traded him. I mean, every scout said, 'This guy's a can't-miss.' He showed it and I don't think he had his good stuff, either. He was still good enough to shut down a good offense like ours."

Good news from the Bronx: The Yankees lost to the Rangers 10-2, falling into last place. Their 7-11 record is their worst start since 1997 -- the last year they did not win the AL East. Brian Cashman: "Right now you feel like you're Pig Pen because you've got the dirt cloud following you."

Jaret Wright left yesterday's game with an injured shoulder and was immediately put him on the disabled list, but that didn't stop Yankee fans from booing him off the field. ... It sounds like Steinbrenner is itching to fire someone. ... Bob Klapisch looks at the 2005 Yankees and is reminded of the 1965 club -- a team that got real old real fast.

Bill Mueller should be back today. ... Bronson Arroyo / Hideo Nomo at 2:15.

G17: Devil Rays 5, Red Sox 4

Did Eduardo Perez get all of that one? Yoinks.

Pinch-hitting in the bottom of the ninth after Boston had rallied for two runs to tie the game at 4-4, Perez blasted a high fastball from Alan Embree off the "D" ring catwalk for a Devil Rays victory. It was Embree's only pitch of the game.

Terry Francona planned to have Embree face two batters (Sanchez and Crawford), then go with Mike Timlin. Lou Piniella sent up Perez -- who homered twice off another lefty, Randy Johnson, earlier in the week. Embree was obligated to face at least one batter -- and Perez tagged him.

The home run ruined what was a nice comeback. Boston trailed Scott Kazmir 4-1 after seven innings, but rallied against the Rays pen with one in the eighth -- Manny Ramirez tripled and scored on Kevin Millar's single -- and two in the ninth. Facing Danys Baez, Trot Nixon walked and Mark Bellhorn doubled him home. Ramon Vazquez, again filling in for the still-sick Bill Mueller, bunted Bellhorn to third. Johnny Damon's single through the infield into right brought in the tying run. Unfortunately, Edgar Renteria lined out to the pitcher and Damon was doubled off first to end the inning.

Again, Extra Innings denied me NESN. The Fox Sports Network duo of Joe Magrane and Dewayne Staats was horrible. In the bottom of the eighth, Matt Mantei had trouble finding the strike zone (to put it charitably). He allowed an infield single, then walked two batters, and threw a wild pitch (Jason Varitek saved a few others).

Because Kazmir had hit two Red Sox batters earlier, the announcers were accusing Mantei of headhunting -- a colossally stupid observation. They figured Mantei was thinking: "My team's losing 4-2 in the 8th, I've loaded the bases, now I'll hit someone to make it 5-2." ... When Baez walked Nixon to start the ninth, the announcers were hoping that Baez would avoid "answering" Mantei's close pitches.

Will Perez hear any chin music for his bat-flip and dugout-point after the home run? Schilling / Waechter at 6:15.

Also: Check out The Boston Blogger.

G16: Red Sox 1, Orioles 0

Eighteen bagels -- served up by David Wells, Blaine Neal, Matt Clement and Keith Foulke.

Baltimore began the brief two-game series hitting .295. They had scored 77 runs in their last 11 games. The Red Sox staff, in sweeping the series 8-0 and 1-0, held the Birds to a paltry .190 (12-for-63) average.

Clement allowed eight hits, but only four of them left the infield. After giving up two infield hits with two outs in the eighth, he got Sammy Sosa on a tapper back to the mound. Foulke gave up a one-out double in the ninth, but retire Jay Gibbons and BJ Surhoff on routine fly outs to close it out.

Rodrigo Lopez was as tough on the Sox as usual -- he was 3-1, 1.78 against Boston last year. Like Clement, Lopez pitched eight innings. After Boston scored in the second inning, they were able to get only one runner to second base. The only runner Baltimore got to third all night was Palmeiro, who was thrown out at the plate to end the fourth.

In his last two starts, Clement is throwing a much higher percentage of his pitches for strikes. He was quick to give credit to Jason Varitek. "He comes with a great game plan. It's just fun to throw to somebody like that. I've never been around somebody like that in my career." In the past seven games, Boston starters have posted a 1.13 ERA (48 innings, six earned runs). Overall, the starters' 3.15 ERA is second in the AL. ... David Wells is the first Red Sox lefty to start in back-to-back shutouts since Bruce Hurst in May 1987.

Kevin Millar was in the middle of things last night. He began the second inning with a double off the left field wall. He went to third on a throwing error by Miguel Tejada and scored on Ramon Vazquez's ground out. Then, when Palmeiro tried to score from first on Jay Gibbons's double to right, Millar was the relay man on a 9-3-2 play at the plate.

Terry Francona found out before the game that hitting coach Ron Jackson had been suspended for "excessive arguing" by reading it online. That was the game against the Yankees in which umpire Greg Gibbons said he read Jackson's lips in the Red Sox dugout -- he admitted he didn't hear Jackson -- and tossed him. Coaches cannot appeal suspensions, so Jackson was absent last night. Jay Payton was seen in the dugout wearing Jackson's uniform (with a bunch of towels stuffed underneath) and toting a clipboard.

Pedro Martinez has a sterling 2.17 ERA in 29 innings (four starts) this season, with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 38-4. Last night in Florida, he pitched seven innings, allowing one run on three hits. At one point he threw 18 consecutive strikes. ... Derek Lowe has a 1.27 ERA in 28.1 inning for LA.

The first-place Red Sox (10-6) are in Tampa Bay:

Friday: Tim Wakefield / Scott Kazmir, 7:15
Saturday: Curt Schilling / Doug Waechter, 6:15
Sunday: Bronson Arroyo / Hideo Nomo, 2:15

Comments

Anyone can comment here -- and disagreements are fine. If you are a troll, however, your posts will be deleted. This is my blog, not a public forum. Anything does not go. Calling me an asshole in all CAPS most certainly does not go.

Deleting meritless posts does not mean I'm running my blog -- as one anonymous idiot who had his comments zapped claimed -- "like Hitler ran Germany."

G15: Red Sox 8, Orioles 0

It's getting easier to watch David Wells in a Red Sox jersey. His four starts:

              IP    H   R  BB   K   ERA
Starts 1-2   10.2  19  10   1   8   8.44
Starts 3-4   15     9   0   1   8   0.00
             25.2  28  10   2  16   3.51

Wells wanted to pitch a complete game, but after a long top of the ninth -- three Sox walks and a pitching change -- Wells was a little stiff and Francona gave the final inning to Blaine Neal. Tito: "My heart was wanting to send him out there for the ninth, but my head won out."

Wells allowed only three singles: Sammy Sosa in the second, Javy Lopez in the fifth and Luis Matos in the sixth. His only walk was Brian Roberts in the sixth (Wells also snapped Roberts's 14-game hitting streak). Wells retired the side in order in five of his eight innings. The win left Boston (9-6) in a tie with the Orioles for first place.

Bruce Chen was equally effective -- for four innings. Boston scored the game's first run on Chen's bases-loaded balk in the fifth; they also made Chen throw 33 pitches in that inning. Jason Varitek's three-run home run in the sixth provided a 4-0 cushion. ... Manny Ramirez reached base in all four of his plate appearances: two walks, double, single.

Wade Miller's next rehab appearance will be Saturday afternoon in Portland (AA). He's hoping to throw about 90 pitches. After that, he expects to pitch for Pawtucket (AAA), then make his Red Sox debut either May 3 in Detroit or May 8 at home against Seattle. ... Curt Schilling watched some video with Dave Wallace and thinks he found a flaw in his delivery.

The last word(s) on the Sheffield/House incident belong to the Globe's Bob Ryan.

Last night was one of those rare evenings when EI didn't give me the NESN feed. Orioles announcers Fred Manfra and Jim Palmer weren't bad -- Manfra often sounded exactly like Jon Miller, same observations delivered with the same cadences -- but I need Jerry and Don tonight.

Matt Clement / Rodrigo Lopez at 7:00.

"an effort to extricate himself from the situation and to avoid further abuse"

AP:

Yankees outfielder Gary Sheffield won't be punished for his role in a scuffle with fans at Fenway Park last week. ...

"We do not condone any interaction between fans and players whether initiated by either fans or players," commissioner Bud Selig said in a statement. "I am pleased that Gary Sheffield showed restraint in not overreacting to the improper and clearly aggressive action of the fan in question."

The commissioner's office said Watson concluded the fan reached over the barrier near the right-field corner during the April 14 game in Boston and "struck Sheffield on the head as he was attempting to field a ball in play."

"Sheffield in response swung his arms in an effort to extricate himself from the situation and to avoid further abuse, then completed the play and returned to confront the fan," the statement said. "At that time no further altercation occurred, Red Sox security stepped in promptly and order was restored. Under the circumstances, Bob Watson concluded that discipline for Sheffield was not warranted."

Will MLB release the video that shows this altercation, because I don't think anyone has seen it yet.

Surprising decision from the former Yankees general manager. And Selig is a riot: "We don't condone any interactions .... uh ... except this one."

ESPN: "Nomo Drops AL Champs To 5-9"

ESPN believes the Yankees won the 2004 pennant. ... Boston Dirt Dogs has a screen shot. ... The headline now reads: "Nomo Drops Yankees to 5-9."

Sorry, ESPN, wishing won't make it so.

Manny Was Pulled Because Of Quad

Manny Ramirez was not lifted last night for defense. Francona: "His quad is bothering him. It was bothering him [Monday]. When he said he needs to go ice it, that's the thing to do. We didn't take him out for defense. That was health-related." ... Ramirez should play tonight.

After signing Wakefield to an extension, the Sox are in no hurry to have further discussions with any of the other potential free agents (Damon, Mueller, Millar and Timlin).

Theo on Wade Miller: "He got stronger as the game went on, with command of his fastball, he touched 93, he sat on 89-90, he had good breaking stuff." Miller will be with the team in Baltimore and is set to pitch again on Saturday, either for Wilmington (A) or Portland (AA).

Boston police are seeking misdemeanor criminal charges against the two fans involved in the Sheffield scuffle.

Tonight: David Wells / Bruce Chen, 7:00
Thursday: Matt Clement / Rodrigo Lopez, 7:00

G14: Blue Jays 4, Red Sox 3

Frustrating -- no patience for most of the game against Halladay, an Embree-Foulke bullpen meltdown, a few second-guessing opportunities. On the plus side, Arroyo pitched well and we saw another Manny moonshot -- this one cleared the left field light tower.

Arroyo allowed two two-out singles in the first and second innings, but kept Toronto off the board. He allowed a game-tying home run to Koskie in the sixth, but posted a nice line: 7-8-1-1-3-103.

Halladay cruised through the first six innings, throwing only 56 pitches. Ramirez destroyed his 10th pitch, driving it over one of the light towers and into the parking garage across Landsdowne Street. It bounced once in the garage and landed down on the railroad tracks that run along the Mass Pike. Manny's last five hits have been home runs.

That first-inning homer gave Boston a 1-0 lead until Koskie's HR tied it. Halladay actually had a three-pitch inning in the fourth. Nixon singled, Ramirez hit into a double play and Ortiz tapped back to the mound. If the first two guys are out on two pitches, you almost always see the third guy take at least a couple, if only to give his own pitcher an opportunity to get a drink of water. Not this time.

Halladay ran into trouble in the seventh. With one out, he walked Ramirez on four pitches and gave up a home run to deep right to Ortiz. Millar was hit with a pitch and David McCarty pinch-ran. He also took over at first base in the top of the eighth. At the same time, Francona pulled Ramirez, sending Jay Payton to left field.

If Manny wasn't hurt, this was a highly questionable decision. Boston held a two-run lead with two innings to play, and Manny's spot was guaranteed to come up again -- he would be the 5th batter in the 8th. Alan Embree relieved Arroyo in the eighth and in five pitches gave up a single to Koskie and a game-tying home run to dead center to Vernon Wells.

In the bottom of the eighth, Halladay retired Vazquez and Bellhorn, but allowed a single to Damon, balked him to second and wild pitched him to third. Toronto decided to walk Nixon intentionally (the count was 3-2) and pitch to ... Payton. Manny's understudy popped up the first pitch to left to end the inning.

Keith Foulke allowed the go-ahead run in the ninth. After hitting Catalanotto and walking Zaun, Foulke gave up singles to Hillenband (a runner was thrown out at the plate) and Koskie. 4-3 Blue Jays.

The Red Sox rallied against Miguel Batista in the bottom of the ninth. After Ortiz flew to the track in left, McCarty singled to deep short. Renteria flew to left, but Varitek's single to left center put McCarty on third. But that was as far as he got, as Vazquez hit an 0-2 pitch to Wells in center.

You could second guess Francona for bringing in Embree in the eighth -- should Foulke have pitched two innings, having been off yesterday? However, I think those criticisms would be off-base because (a) Embree has been quite good and (b) Foulke gave the game away anyway.

Rather than fault Tito's use of the pen, I'd bitch about taking Manny out of the game and the entire team's failure to work the count against Halladay. Boston hit zero two-strike fouls in the first six innings. Halladay's pitch count by innings: 15-10-10 3-9-9 27-17: 100.

Until the seventh, the Red Sox had only two base runners: Manny's home run and Nixon's single leading off the fourth. Trot was erased on a double play on the very next pitch.

Good news from the Bronx, however, as Tampa Bay scored six runs off Randy Johnson (5.13 ERA) and beat the Yankees 6-2. Eduardo Perez hit two home runs for the Rays. ... Brian Roberts led the Orioles to an 8-4 win over the Tigers.

Boston visits Camden Yards at 7:00 tonight, with Wells facing Bruce Chen, who threw a complete game four-hitter at the Yankees in his last start.

Wakefield Signs Extension

Tim Wakefield signed an extension for 2006 today that contains club options for 2007 and beyond. According to the Globe, "the contract will remain in effect as long as the Red Sox continue to exercise their yearly option."

An annual, open-ended club option? In a way, it reminds me of contracts under the reserve clause, but there are huge differences here. First, Wakefield was a part of the negotiations and agreed to the arrangement. Second, he's not shackled to an unfair contract in the prime of his career. Third, he clearly wants to pitch for the Red Sox as long as he remains in major league baseball. It's also not a huge amount of money from the club's standpoint.

Wakefield will earn $4 million next season (performance bonuses could boost that to $5.25 million). Theo Epstein said the deal "virtually guarantees Wake will retire as a Boston Red Sox, which is fitting. In the long, proud history of this franchise, few men have brought greater honor to the uniform."

Crack Up In The Sun, Lose It In the Shade

Trot Nixon on losing fly balls in the sun:

No one understands it. They think just because you have on a pair of glasses you should be able to catch the ball, but when you have a high sky and the ball gets in the sun, you can't see anything. Maybe what the scorers should do is grab a glove and come down here, take some fly balls in the sun, then they'll know what we're dealing with.

Standing in the right field stands during afternoon batting practice at Fenway can be a little scary. Often times, balls crushed by left handed hitters crash into the section almost without warning, like incoming mortal shells. I sometimes wonder how anything gets caught out there. ... And thinking of blind grabs at the ball in the sun, fuck you Lou Piniella.

The Herald has the full text of Chris House's statement. In part:

I had no intention to make contact with Mr. Sheffield, and I do not believe contact occurred. It is ridiculous for anyone to even suggest that I punched him or even attempted to. I was shocked and disappointed by his reaction and I thank Red Sox security and Boston Police for quickly coming to my assistance. Fan interference was not called, but I was asked to leave the park, which I did without resistance.

I believe House will also be interviewed on Boston radio today -- check out BDD this evening for that.

Wade Miller pitched five innings for Wilmington (A) last night. He allowed six hits (including a leadoff home run), struck out six, and walked none. He threw 67 pitches, 47 for strikes. ... The 13-run inning was the biggest for the Yankees since June 21, 1945, when they scored 13 in the fifth inning of a 14-4 win at Boston. It was only the third time in history New York has scored 13 times in an inning and the first at Yankee Stadium. ... The Boss's pep talk didn't work on Jaret Wright (10.05 ERA), however. He was slapped around for 11 hits, three walks and eight runs in 5.1 innings, but got credit for the win.

Arroyo / Halladay at 7:00.

Yankees Score 13 in Second Inning

The Fear of George is a powerful motivator!

Matsui (cbbbc) walked.
Rodriguez (s) homered to left, Matsui and Rodriguez scored.
Giambi (cb) doubled to center.
Posada grounded out first to pitcher, Giambi to third.
Martinez (bcffb) singled to right, Giambi scored, Martinez to second on error by right fielder.
Womack (cb) singled to shallow right, Martinez to third.
Jeter (cffbb) singled to right center, fielded by RF, Martinez scored, Womack to third.
Williams (b) singled to right, Womack scored, Jeter to second.
Sheffield singled to left center, fielded by LF, Jeter scored, Williams to second.
Matsui (b) singled to right, Williams to third, Sheffield to second.
Rodriguez (cfb) doubled to deep left, Williams and Sheffield scored, Matsui to third.
Carter relieved Bell.
Giambi (iii) intentionally walked.
Posada (bc) singled to right, Matsui scored, Rodriguez to third, Giambi to second.
Martinez (bbbc) Martinez homered to right, Rodriguez, Giambi, Posada and Martinez scored.
Womack (cfbb) grounded out shortstop to first.
Jeter (bsbb) walked.
Williams flied out to right.
13 Runs, 11 Hits, 1 Error

Final: Yankees 19-8. ... New York fans shouldn't get too confident -- bad things happen to the Yankees after they win games by that score.

G13: Red Sox 12, Blue Jays 7

An unconventional Patriots' Day game this morning-afternoon, played in a lengthy 3:41.

Nineteen runs, 32 hits, three balls dropped in left field because of the bright sun, a 40-pitch second inning from Curt Schilling (but no runs scored), another two home runs from Manny Ramirez, Trot Nixon robbing Alex Rios of a home run down by the Pesky Pole (as the fans kept their hands to themselves), Shea Hillenbrand reaching base in all five plate appearances...

Schilling threw 118 pitches in only five innings (16-40-15-24-23), though he did strike out ten Jays. Francona went to his bullpen too much, I thought. He could have let John Halama go more than one inning (he threw 11 pitches in the sixth) and could have stayed with Matt Mantei with two outs in the seventh rather than burning both Mike Myers and Mike Timlin when Toronto went to its pinch-hitters.

Manny's second-inning rocket off Dave Bush may still be traveling. It made his two homers on Friday look like wind-aided pop-ups. His homer in the sixth just cleared the left field wall, bouncing back onto the field. There was little doubt about its legitimacy, but the umpires needed to confer before giving a definitive ruling. Jays manager John Gibbons disagreed and was ejected.

Mark Bellhorn hit his sixth double of the year in the third, after the Jays foolishly walked Bill Mueller (2-for-2 with the BBI and HBP) to load the bases. Trot Nixon had a couple of hits and two RBI from the #2 spot.

With the strong starting pitching and the bushels of runs since the middle of last week, it really feels like the Red Sox are unstoppable. A few losses down the road will straighten me out nice and quick, but right now, everything is fun. ... With the win, Boston moves into second place, bumping the Jays to third.

Dan Shaughnessy seems to share in the sunniness, calling Fenway Park "the happiest place on Earth. ... [H]ome games have become festivals of cheer and celebration. The anger and agony of seasons past is gone." But as we know, happiness in the Nation is castor oil to the CHB, who must resort to petty insults. Thus, Schilling's 11:00 am start "probably took [the pitcher] away from his little website friends late last night, but everyone's got to make sacrifices."

Ron Chimelis of the Springfield Republican has an idea: A six-man rotation. ... The Nixon/Payton platoon is working well.

NESN Trivia this afternoon: Who hit the first grand slam against the Blue Jays? Answer: Carlton Fisk, September 6, 1977. Don Orsillo mentioned that Fisk hit it off Mike Darr. That name sounded familiar. I had done some research into one-game players many years ago and Darr was one of them.

Darr's start that Tuesday night against the Red Sox at Exhibition Stadium was his only major league appearance. He started and lasted only 1.1 innings, allowing three hits, four walks and five runs. Play-by-play:

Red Sox 1st: Burleson singled. Doyle flied out center. Lynn walked, Burleson to second. Yastrzemski flied out to left, Burleson to third. Rice hit by pitch, Lynn to second. Fisk homered, Burleson, Lynn, Rice and Fisk scored. Carbo walked. Hobson struck out.

Red Sox 2nd: Miller walked. Burleson flied out to right. Doyle singled to right, Miller to third. Lynn walked, Doyle to second. Murphy relieved Darr. Yastrzemski hit a sacrifice fly to left, Miller scored. Rice grounded out shortstop to first.

Boston won 11-2 behind Bill Lee (though both teams had 11 hits). Fisk hit a three-run homer later in the game and finished with seven RBI. ... Darr's son, also named Mike Darr, a Padres outfielder, died in a car accident during spring training 2002.

Re Steinbrenner's Burst of Hot Air: Dave Anderson of the Times: "His timing might be perfect. Of the Yankees' next 13 games, 11 will be at the Stadium, beginning tonight against the Devil Rays. When the Yankees do turn it around, as a team with all that talent surely will, Steinbrenner can take full credit for having lighted the fire under them." ... Newsday's Ken Davidoff: "You get what you overpay for, Boss."

Lou Piniella is also sounding a bit testy. How tough was Matt Clement? "I guess he was tough. Ask our hitters. You people ask the manager like he's supposed to know everything. If I knew everything, we wouldn't be getting our ass beat every night." ... Asked about Scott Kazmir's performance against the Sox, Piniella barked: "I don't know, Son. Go look at the [expletive] charts. They'll tell you about him. I don't know. You people ask the same [expletive] questions every day - every [expletive] day. What else we got?"

The latest on Sheffgate: The Red Sox have revoked Chris House's season tickets for 2005 and prohibited the fan who spilled beer on Sheffield from buying tickets for the rest of the season.

G12: Red Sox 3, Devil Rays 1

Tim Wakefield pitched six innings and a three-spot in the third gave Boston a Sunday afternoon win and a three-game sweep of the Devil Rays. Edgar Renteria opened the inning with a home run to center (just to the right of the triangle) and Jay Payton singled home David Ortiz and Kevin Millar a bit later.

Wakefield departed after 100 pitches and Matt Mantei, Alan Embree and Keith Foulke finished up, allowing only one base runner in the final three innings (an HBP by Mantei). Wakefield struck out five batters, upping his Red Sox career total to 1,343. He passed Cy Young on the all-time Sox list and now trails only Roger Clemens (2,590) and Pedro Martinez (1,683).

Wakefield also kept Boston's streak of not allowing its opponents a first-inning run intact. Carl Crawford began the game with a double. Julio Lugo was safe on a bunt single and stole second, giving Tampa runners on second and third and no outs. Wakefield struck out Alex Sanchez, got Aubrey Huff to line out to first and struck out Josh Phelps.

In the second inning, Tampa took a brief 1-0 lead when Travis Lee doubled and scored on Crawford's two-out single. That was the Devil Rays' last hit of the day, however.

Baltimore beat the Yankees 8-4 and Texas beat Toronto 6-5, so the Orioles are now in first place, one game ahead of Boston. New York and Tampa Bay are both four games out. ... Yes, checking standings after two weeks is silly, and as Yankee fans will (now) be quick to tell you, championships are not won in April!

Early game against the Blue Jays tomorrow: 11:00 am (Schilling vs. Dave Bush).

George Is Gettin' Upset

After the Yankees lost this afternoon to Baltimore -- their fourth consecutive loss and eighth in ten games, George Steinbrenner released this statement:

Enough is enough. I am bitterly disappointed as I'm sure all Yankee fans are by the lack of performance by our team. It is unbelievable to me that the highest-paid team in baseball would start the season in such a deep funk. They are not playing like true Yankees. They have the talent to win and they are not winning. I expect Joe Torre, his complete coaching staff and the team to turn this around.

SoSHer switchhitter33: "Awww, come on Georgie. It's not that bad a funk. It's not like you've never lost 4 in a row before."

New York (4-8) begins a two-game series on Monday with the Devil Rays (4-8) -- The Battle for the Cellar.

G11: Red Sox 6, Devil Rays 2

Or: Manny Ramirez 6, Devil Rays 2.

Ramirez hit two home runs last night -- a two-run shot in the third and a grand slam in the fourth -- both off of Dewan Brazelton. The slam was Ramirez's 18th, tying him with Willie McCovey for third place on the all-time list behind Lou Gehrig (23) and Eddie Murray (19). It was also Manny's 40th multi-homer game.

That should silence anyone silly enough to think Manny was in some kind of prolonged slump. "They're thinking about sending me to Pawtucket," Ramirez joked to the Globe before the game. Tito: "If that's our biggest concern - Is Manny going to hit? - we're going to be in pretty darn good shape."

Matt Clement pitched seven strong inning, showing much better control than in his previous two starts. He threw only two balls to the first eight hitters in the Tampa lineup -- and one of those was his first pitch of the game. He allowed seven hits -- three in a row scored Tampa's first run in the second -- and struck out six.

At the bottom of Tampa's lineup, Alex Gonzalez went 4-for-4. The 7-8-9 spots in the order collected seven of Tampa's 10 hits. ... The Red Sox are the only team that has not allowed a first-inning run. ... Bob Hohler looks at the rampant use of amphetamines.

Baltimore battered New York's bullpen in a five-run seventh yesterday, beating the Yankees 7-6. New York has lost five of its last six games and shares last place with the Devil Rays. Both teams are 4-7.

Tim Wakefield / Scott Kazmir at 2:00. Wakefield needs four strikeouts to pass Cy Young for third on the all-time Red Sox list (he has 1,338 now).

Sheffield Apologists Continue To Apologize

Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes that Sheffield exhibited "commendable restraint" and "good, old-fashioned common sense." He believes baseball should use this incident as a "shining example of ... how well its players have learned how to defuse these situations." Burwell explains away Sheffield's attempts to punch the fan as "human nature" and a "defense mechanism."

Peter Schmuck, Baltimore Sun: "Sheffield deserves credit for collecting himself before the incident became really ugly. He reacted viscerally to the Boston fan who took a swipe at him when he was fielding a ball at Fenway Park on Thursday night, but all he did was push the guy away and then glare at him."

George King of the New York Post typed this sentence: "Sheffield could be fined for extending his arms toward House."

A few writers are asking what's the big deal?

Lenny Megliola: "I'm not taking either guy off the hook, but geez, was it that big of a story? ESPN went crazy with it, summoning panel discussions of such a dire nature you would have thought national security was at stake. Talk shows, and not just WEEI, turned the incident into a crusade on ballpark etiquette, beer sales, security and prevention of cruelty to ballplayers."

John Tomase called the play a "freak occurrence" and not "the fall of civilization. ... I'm not sure Sheffield deserves all the plaudits he's received for showing such restraint, considering it took half the Yankees roster to restrain him. But whatever. He didn't go into the stands. ... Had the incident occurred between two teams other than the Sox and Yankees, it probably wouldn't have caused such an inflamed reaction."

Conflicting reports:

Times: "The Boston Police Department does not plan to take action against the fan who swiped Gary Sheffield in the face at Fenway Park on Thursday. ... Asked if the police considered the case closed, [Officer Mike] McCarthy said, "It was never open, actually.""

Post: "[T]he Boston police [are] seeking a judge to sign an arrest warrant for Chris House..."

There will be no ruling from "Yankee Bob" Watson until at least Tuesday.

Jeter: The Second Coming of Jackie Robinson

I'm a Red Sox fan, so I'm genetically predisposed to hate Derek Jeter, but what the fuck is this garbage? And on the anniversary of Robinson's first major league game? WTF? ... Seriously, WTF?

I swear that what follows is in the article:

Jeter closest we have to modern-day Jackie
Gary Gillette, ESPN

When we look around for a modern-day Jackie Robinson, one player stands out: Derek Jeter. In many ways, the parallels between the careers of these two great middle infielders are striking. Here's a look:

* Both were highly touted amateur athletes, though segregation and World War II delayed Robinson's debut till age 28.

* Both Robinson and Jeter came to the majors with high-profile teams in New York City.

* Both played key defensive positions ...

* Both players made immediate impacts as rookies -- on their teams, on their cities and on their leagues.

* Both men were acknowledged leaders on their clubs, even though they played with many veterans who were much older. ...

* Both hit for high average ...

* Both infielders had good power for their positions ...

* Both ballplayers were smart, disciplined hitters with excellent on-base percentages ...

* Much like Robinson, Jeter has speed, power and a burning desire to win.

* Both had good speed, stole bases at a high rate, and were heads-up baserunners. ...

* Aside from their individual attributes, both Robinson and Jeter led their clubs into dynastic eras. ...

* Both were big men for their positions and their times. ...

* Both players were durable ...

* Both men were fearless on the diamond. Robinson, of course, had to contend with vicious racial slurs and the constant threats of fisticuffs. In a much more genteel era, Jeter doesn't face the same level of danger, though his headfirst, full-speed dive into the seats at Yankee Stadium last July showed the extent of his physical courage. ...

The lead-in is here.

This is what passes for journalism at ESPN. And it's located in the section you have to PAY to read! What professional writer would turn in this crap? And what professional editor -- at the most famous sports website in the world -- would print it?!?

***

Yeah and I'm a modern-day Walt Whitman.

Wait a minute ... I am! Here's a look:

* Whitman lived in Brooklyn. When I first moved to New York City, I lived in Brooklyn.

* Whitman lived in New York City when it was believed to be the world's greatest city. I lived in New York City when it was believed to be the world's greatest city.

* We both wrote about sports for newspapers -- and we both loved baseball.

* Whitman is thought by at least one person to be an early blogger. You are reading my blog. Right now!

* Whitman self-published "Leaves of Grass"; I self-published my book.

* Whitman "spent time studying great works of literature in the libraries of New York City." Me, too.

* Whitman is recognized as one of the greatest writers this country has ever produced. While I'm not so well-known or highly-regarded, I have sometimes thought it would be pretty cool if I was.

Can there be any doubt? I am the Whitman of the 21st Century.

G10: Red Sox 10, Devil Rays 0

As I wrote last night's lineup into my scoresheet, I thought That is a great lineup. It won't be long before they start scoring runs in big bunches. ... Nope, not long at all. Maybe thirty minutes.

Boston battered Hideo Nomo for seven runs in the second inning, en route to a 10-0 Friday night whitewash of the Devil Rays. One of the three hits in the inning (Nomo walked four) was a grand slam by David Ortiz, a line shot down the right field line.

Nomo threw 46 pitches in the inning and was actually left in to start the third. Only after Edgar Renteria tripled and scored on an error and Jason Varitek singled was he pulled. Former Sox lefty Casey Fossum came in and pitched very well, allowing only one hit and two walks in four innings. It was his first appearance against his former team.

On the home side, David Wells pitched seven solid innings in his Fenway debut. He allowed the leadoff man to reach in the second, fourth and sixth innings, but no Tampa runner reached third base all night. Matt Mantei and John Halama each pitched an inning of relief.

It looks like Edgar Renteria has relaxed. He singled and tripled and made two nice plays in the field, leaping and throwing on a double play in the second and spearing Carl Crawford's line drive before it went into center field in the third. ... Mark Bellhorn had two doubles and a walk in four trips and pinch-hitter David McCarty singled in the final two runs in the seventh.

The Orioles also had a seven-run inning last night -- against the Yankees. Bruce Chen -- another former Sock -- pitched a complete game, four-hitter as Baltimore won 8-1.

It was a great night for complete games. Out in Los Angeles, Derek Lowe allowed only three soft singles in a 4-0 blanking of San Diego. Lowe also drove in two runs. ... Aaron Heilman pitched a one-hitter for the Mets -- giving up an infield hit in the fourth -- as New York beat Florida 4-0.

According to Newsday, Gary Sheffield "answered questions about the incident for nearly 10 minutes [but] wouldn't say what he thought of the play after watching the replay Friday for the first time." Sheffield: "I didn't know all that took place in that short period of time. You've got to look at the tape. You have to pass your own judgment. I can't sit here and try to convince you one way or another." ... Either Sheffield is less confident that he was actually struck by the fan or simply doesn't want to (or was advised not to) talk about this anymore. Or both.

MLB opened an investigation into the incident, which should be complete by early next week. Torre said he would be surprised if Sheffield received a suspension. The Post's George King said that sources have told him there will be no suspension.

Speaking of Torre, Filip Bondy of the Daily News calls bullshit on the Yankee manager's version of events: "The gravest transgression at Fenway on Thursday had not been the inadvertent collision between a Boston fan's arm and Gary Sheffield's face in right field. The real misdemeanor was gross exaggeration, arguably downright fabrication, by Torre himself. The Yankee manager was guiltier than anyone in this matter of distorting the facts, creating a furor and possibly inciting worse incidents in the future. ... Torre should have known better yesterday, calmed things down a bit, yet he would not backtrack."

Trot Nixon: "I'm not upset with our fans. But now it's something I'm gonna have to deal with when we go back to New York." Dan Shaughnessy writes: "Nixon will probably need his batting helmet and rain gear the next time he backs up to the right-field wall" in the Bronx. ... Thankfully, we know that if Nixon ends up near the Yankee Stadium stands and is brushed (or thinks he is brushed) by a fan and attempts to punch the Yankee fan with both hands, all the pinstriped yahoos saying Sheffield did the right thing and showed admirable restraint will immediately rush to Nixon's defense with similar comments. ... Right?

Wade Miller makes his second rehab start Monday in Wilmington, NC, and will join the Red Sox in Baltimore on Wednesday. ... The Daily News reports that the lawyers for New York city and state and the Yankees are completing a "memorandum of understanding" for a new "retro" ballpark in the Bronx. The proposed new park would hold about 7,000 fewer fans that the current Yankee Stadium does. Meanwhile, Fenway continues to expand.

By the way, anyone else out there keep score at home, either while watching TV or listening to the radio?

Upon Further Review

After watching a six-minute clip from NESN at mlb.com (here), I think that the fan did intentionally touch Sheffield, though not very hard, almost slyly, knowing he was on camera. It's awfully hard to come up with another motive for his movements. There is no way he was trying to reach for the baseball -- and he wasn't trying to prevent his friend from reaching for it either.

It was interesting that as Sheffield is turning to throw the ball back to the infield, after taking a swing at the fan, the guy in the red jacket is cheering and pumping his fist in celebration. He isn't surprised at all by Sheffield's reaction. ... Also a guy in the second row (on the left side of the screen, behind the two women in the front row) flicks his cup of beer on Sheffield as the right fielder tries to punch the fan.

Lost in all of this is that the Red Sox won the game despite some of the worst home-plate umpiring you'll ever see. Edgar Renteria drove in three runs with a home run and a double, Varitek also drove in three with a triple and home run, Johnny Damon scored twice, and Jay Payton hit a two-run homer. ... Keith Foulke struggled in the ninth, loading the bases on a double and two walks, throwing 34 pitches (he threw 53 in his two innings of work).

More On The Sheffield Incident

The morning papers quote fans who were also in Section 86 last night. (Hey, you think a certain columnist might have made something of "Section 86" had Boston not won the World Series last year? Just wondering ...) The fan who allegedly made contact with Gary Sheffield is Chris House.

Chris Lyons (sitting nearby): "[House] definitely tried to hit him. You could tell. And right away, Gary looked up and went nuts."

Helen Lambropolous (one of two women closest to the play): "[House] was reaching for the ball. When the ball came down here they may have rubbed against each other. [Sheffield] screamed, 'Don't you touch me!' when he came back."

Linda Annese (the other woman): "My gut feeling from watching [House] was that it wasn't malicious at all. He was clearly going for the ball and not taking a swing at [Sheffield]."

Keith Whamond (sitting directly behind House): "Everybody was just going for the ball as it was banging around. Sheffield said, 'Don't [expletive] punch me. He kept saying, 'This guy tried to punch me.' Nothing malicious happened out here. They both went for the ball."

Matt Donovan (sitting two seats away from House): "Sheffield was being a thug. He yelled '--- you, you mother!' and I thought he was going to hit him."

Brian Giguere (sat two rows back): "[House] was never going for the player, he was trying for the ball. They just connected when he was reaching."

Jodi Ingerbritson (House's fiancee): "He just said he was going for the ball. He's been a season ticket-holder for a lot of years and he's always careful not to interfere with the ball."

House: "I'm not going to say anything till [today]."

Boston Dirt Dogs has info from WEEI's callers about the drunken state of House and his friends. If there is any news about this in Boston, BDD'll have it first. ... Denton of Surviving Grady was sitting in Section 89: "The fan was trying to knock Sheffield's cap off, instead hitting him in the mouth. ... Sheffield's reaction was justified when he tried to punch the 'fan'. ... The woman in the next seat did not douse Sheffield with a beer. The man one seat to her left absolutely and intentionally did throw his beer at Sheffield."

Some Sheffield quotes:

I don't know if he punched me or not. I almost snapped. It could've been worse if I didn't hold my composure.

I felt it. It felt like my lip busted. I tried to continue with the play.

I just felt like I was getting hit in the mouth, and I couldn't take it. ... He hit me, and I reacted.

It felt like a hand hit me in the mouth, but I have to look at the tape.

From the print edition of New York Times: "Sheffield said he did not "throw no punch or nothing..." (web link omits the direct quote)

Steve Buckley of the Herald wrote that Joe Torre is "often the voice of reason in these matters," but notes that right after saying the fan took "a cheap shot," the Yankee manager "admitted that not only could he not see the play from the third base dugout, but that he had yet to see a replay." ... Torre: "I was just too far away. I wasn't even aware anything had happened until some younger eyes told me." ... Torre also made multiple references to a fan coming onto the field. "Somebody came out of the stands and whacked Shef, that's basically what happened."

Bob Klapisch (Bergen Record) can't make up his mind: "... near-brawl between Gary Sheffield and a fan who struck the right fielder in the face ... Sheffield took a glancing blow from a fan ... [never saw] the blow that struck him squarely on the mouth."

John Harper (Daily News) has a greater grasp on reality:

Sheffield didn't show as much restraint as he was trying to tell everyone last night, after his incident with a fan at Fenway Park. ... [E]ven though Sheffield maintained that he didn't throw a punch, the tape shows that he took a full-blown swipe at the fan, before he even threw the ball back into the infield. ... How hard [the fan] hit [Sheffield] was hard to tell, and certainly it didn't look like it was as hard as Sheffield indicated, when he said he "got punched in the mouth."

Jon Heyman (Newsday) says Sheffield "became so unglued ... violent response was a stark overreaction to a fan's clumsiness. ... The fan reached over the wall in an apparent attempt to gather the $9 baseball and nicked the $13-million-a-year Sheffield's face instead, sending the outfielder over the edge. ... Sheffield needs to be punished, too. Ten games is about right."

The covers of the New York tabloids: Daily News and the Post! ... Even after seeing the replay dozens of times, there is no consensus at SoSH about what happened.

Francona on Papa Jack's ejection: "The explanation I got was he could read [Jackson's] lips. That [expletive] guy can't even see a ball in front of him. That was a [expletive] answer." ... Schilling on Gibson: "His own crew doesn't even like him."

Varitek played the game with a fever of 102. ... More on the bias over at Al-Yankzeera. ... Did Alex Rodriguez save a kid's life on Newbury Street yesterday? The story apparently originated from Slappy himself and has more holes than the Yankee infield.

Wade Miller pitched 4.2 innings (73 pitches) for Greenville (A) on Wednesday. He allowed two runs on four hits and a walk, while striking out four. He'll make somewhere between two and four more starts -- including next Monday with Class A Wilmington -- before being activated. Francona: "From the reports we got, innings two and four were good and one and three were so-so. ... He had a good breaking ball and his velocity was up to 90." The Globe notes that the Red Sox have also reworked Miller's mechanics.

Devil Rays Match-Ups:

Friday: David Wells / Hideo Nomo - 7:00
Saturday: Matt Clement / Dewon Brazelton - 7:00
Sunday: Tim Wakefield / Scott Kazmir - 2:00

G9: Red Sox 8, Yankees 5

What I saw: Varitek's extra-base hit rattled around the right field corner. Instead of trying to cut it off, Sheffield waited for it to roll along the wall to him. One fan in a red jacket was reaching down for the ball and another fan (in a blue jacket) was trying to pushing him back from the play.

I assume Blue Jacket knew that if Red Jacket touched the ball, it would be a ground rule double, but if he didn't, Varitek had a shot at a triple. So as Blue Jacket was reaching down and over to push Red Jacket out of the way, he may have brushed Sheffield, who was just about to field the ball.

Sheffield got the ball, but before throwing it back to the infield, he turned and swung both hands at Blue Jacket. After getting rid of the ball -- Varitek did get a triple -- Sheffield whirled around again, ready to fight. Fortunately, all of the fans along the wall had backed off, Sheffield remained on his side of the stands and a security guy raced over from the bullpen to keep order. The fan was ejected from the park, but I don't think he was arrested.

Sheffield: "I just felt something hit me in the mouth. I don't know if he hit me or not, it felt like it. I thought my lip was busted. ... To get punched in the mouth, you don't expect that in a baseball game."

Except you didn't say you were punched. In fact, you're not even sure you were hit. ... I'm sure the fans were giving it to Sheffield all night, which doesn't help matters, but I've yet to see a replay that showed any intentional contact between a fan and Sheffield, let alone an actual punch. Photos.

G8: Yankees 5, Red Sox 2

Bad Tito. Curt Schilling looked sharp in his first four innings last night, throwing in the low 90s with impeccable control. But the Yankees were fouling off a lot of pitches, so he was working a little harder than normal.

In the fifth, he was clearly tiring. Jason Giambi led off with a single and Tino Martinez doubled him to third. After Bernie Williams popped to short left, Tony Womack walked and Derek Jeter singled. That tied the game at 1-1. Gary Sheffield hit a sacrifice fly to center and it was 2-1, New York. Schilling finished the inning by striking out Hideki Matsui, but his pitch count was now 94.

In the bottom of the fifth, Trot Nixon's solo home run into the Red Sox bullpen re-tied the game, but there was no action in the Boston bullpen. Schilling came out for the fifth and lasted only four batters. Jorge Posada singled and Giambi homered to deep right. Only after Martinez grounded out did Mike Timlin get up.

When Williams homered to right center on Schilling's 108th pitch, Tito finally went to the pen -- which had been fully rested thanks to the day off on Tuesday. Christ. The quartet of Timlin, Blaine Neal, Mike Myers and John Halama kept the Yankees off the board after that, but the Boston bats were silent.

The Red Sox really should have had about six runs by the time Schilling's night was over. It seemed like Jaret Wright was in constant trouble, the Sox only a hit or two away from grabbing a sizeable lead. Wright went to a three-ball count on the first six batters in the third -- he walked three in that inning while throwing 35 pitches -- but the Red Sox scored only once and left the bases loaded. After Wright's five innings, Boston did nothing with Tanyon Sturtze, Tom Gordon and Mariano Rivera.

I missed watching it live, but Kevin Millar tripped and fell coming out of the dugout in the first inning last night. Sarah has a screen shot. ... Kevin Youkilis was sent down to Pawtucket when Schilling was activated. He still has options and with only one off-day over the next month, Francona wanted to go with 12 pitchers. ... So don't be afraid to use them, Tito.

Bronson Arroyo / Randy Johnson at 7:00 tonight.

Everybody Hates A-Rod

Have you seen the new Speed Stick commercial starring Alex Rodriguez? Someone at SoSH posted a screen shot of the end of the commercial -- there's a stadium light tower in the distance and you can see an unmistakable "E-5" in the lights.

I saw the commercial a few days ago and remember thinking the lights looked a little weird, but didn't really take much note. ... Gotta be the work of a Red Sox fan!

Sour Grapes

From today's Soxaholix:

Bill:

Remembah the good old days when hack sports columnists who were suffering writer's block would dip into the old "Red Sox fans are such whiners" or "Red Sox fans identify themselves with pain and loss" bin of cliched storylines?

Mike:

Yep, but now it's all a scramble to come up with a new hackneyed mail-it-in column and it seems all they've can derive is the "you're annoying us with being so cocky and happy."

They are referring to two ESPN columns: "86 Things We Hate About You" and "Red Sox Overload." There have been others, scattered across the nation's newspapers. ... Do not click on these links -- they are presented for illustrative purposes only.

Schilling: "I'm ready. It's been a long time, a lot of months. I'm nervous. I'm very nervous. It's the start of the year. We're home. It's the Yankees. I'm very nervous." ... To make room on the roster for Schilling, Blaine Neal will likely be designated for assignment.

In New York, the Post's Mike Vaccaro: "[P]anic may be a premature reaction. But concern, deep concern, seems an appropriate alternative, even this early in the season." Back page.

The Schedule: 15 games in the next 15 days, a day off (April 28), then 13 games in 13 days. Once the Yankees series has been played and the New York blackout is lifted, I'll be getting my nightly dose of NESN. The season has truly begun.

Just A Little Jealous

Posted on Sons of Sam Horn:

Johnny Damon was signing copies of his book last night at Borders in Braintree. He had his World Series ring with him and was letting fans put it on and take pictures of themselves wearing it. ... Derek Lowe apparently did the same thing at Sonny McLeans, a Red Sox bar in Santa Monica, after he flew back to California after the ceremony.

Wow.

The View From New York

Everything And More

Johnny Pesky: "This tops everything ... I'm glad I was alive for this. This is like being reborn."

Damon: "It's better than my wedding ring. You can always get wedding rings."

E-Rod: "I think I'm becoming a cult hero in Boston. I don't want that. I don't want that at all."

Mariano Rivera: "I didn't know they loved me so much here. It was nice. I enjoyed it. ... What was I going to do? Get upset and start throwing baseballs at people? You just roll with it."

ESPN seemed desperate to create controversy where none existed. John Kruk and Harold Reynolds spent a good deal of time saying they were shocked that Derek Lowe (and to a lesser extent Dave Roberts) wore Red Sox shirts when they received their rings. Both players are now employed by other teams, so they apparently dissed their new teammates by wearing those shirts for 15 minutes. ... I heard no mention of Ramiro Mendoza, who also wore his Red Sox jersey, even though he is currently under contract to the Yankees. Perhaps I missed it.

The ceremony was marred only by Terry Cashman (he wrote the horrible "Talkin' Baseball" song), who sang what was quite possibly the worst song in the history of ever. The Globe's Eric Wilbur called the song "pathetically and painfully awful. It was so bad that as the pennant was being raised in center field, fans were rather quiet. The pinnacle moment of all this, and we've got Terry Cashman. The Yankees had to be embarrassed for everyone involved in this one. Ugh." The song included these lines:

Raise the flag, the Curse is over,
The Babe don't live here anymore.

To my surprise, Red Sox management was okay with the Ruth Curse theme. Wilbur notes that fans entering Fenway received signs that read, "I got you Babe." He also reports that you can now buy a Red Sox Rally Monkey. Noooooooooooooooo ...

The Times' Richard Sandomir reports that "the Yankee-centric myopia of the YES Network reached a fascinating level of absurdity yesterday in a pregame show that virtually ignored the sight of the Boston Red Sox receiving their World Series rings. Oh, it was discussed, but not seen live. During Kimberly Jones's 5-minute-24-second report from Fenway Park, the camera never showed the ceremony, live or on tape." ... Steve Zipay of Newsday calls YES's behavior "a bush-league move."

After the rather sedate atmosphere of Monday's win, I think the crowd will be back to normal on Wednesday night. Curt Schilling opposes Jaret Wright.

G7: Red Sox 8, Yankees 1

A perfect afternoon. I was able to watch the pre-game ceremonies via a NESN broadcast on my laptop -- which was a godsend since ESPN was utterly useless. The Baseball Tonight broadcast showed scattered clips -- a lot less than I expected -- and even then the four anchors insisted on blabbing idiotically, thus ruining the moment.

Wakefield pitched seven strong innings, Mantei looked better than usual, Foulke pitched a perfect ninth (great, use him in an 8-1 game, but not a 3-3 tie), Mirabelli hit an early bomb off of Mussina, Millar and Nixon both had two-rbi hits and Renteria banged a double in his final at-bat.

Various SoSHers were at the game and have posted pictures here.

The 1918 Red Sox Never Got Their Rings

On this glorious day, here's a look back at why the 1918 Red Sox are the only team to have never received World Series emblems (or rings) from major league baseball. From my book on the 1918 team:

For much of the [1910s], each member of the World Series champion team had received between $3,000 and $4,000, often as much or more than his annual salary. The National Commission [a three-man body consisting of the two league presidents and Reds owner August Herrmann] decided this was too much money, and during the winter of 1917–18, they sought ways to reduce the players' profits. ... The Commission ended up adopting [AL president] Ban Johnson's suggestion of awarding a share to each of the top four teams in both leagues. ... The Sporting News reported that the players didn't need to be involved in the decision, because they "always have been hungry for money." ...

[Based on previous years] the 1918 winning and losing shares would be $1,835 and $1,215, respectively. In January, the Commission had announced a per-player cap of $2,000 and $1,400 for the World Series participants, anticipating 1918 revenues would be higher than the previous year's. But they had changed the distribution plan without considering either the war's effect on game attendance or the reduced ticket prices.

Most players, writers and fans believed the $2,000–$1,400 figures were guaranteed. How and when the truth about the revenue plan emerged is unclear, but on the train from Chicago to Boston after Game 3, the players figured a best-case scenario would be $1,200 for the winners and $800 for the losers, but the final numbers might fall as low as $900 and $600.

Representatives from both the Red Sox and Cubs tried meeting with the Commission, but nothing was arranged until the morning of Game 5. At that meeting, the player reps, led by Boston captain and right fielder Harry Hooper proposed a compromise of $1,500 and $1,000.

Herrmann said he would review the matter and make his final decision before that afternoon's game. Then, after a quick word with Commission secretary John Bruce, Herrmann corrected himself: his decision would come after the game, around 5:30 p.m. He told the players not to worry and promised them the right thing would be done.

"Well then," Hooper cracked, "I suppose we shall have to throw ourselves upon your tender mercies." With that, the players left. Hooper's sarcasm went right over the Commission's collective head. As one reporter noted, speaking of Herrmann and Johnson, "the thick-headed Czar of the triumvirate and his man Friday interpreted the speech as a backdown" and spread the news that the players had surrendered.

The Commission members went off to a celebratory lunch. At Fenway, however, the players decided they would not wait until 5:30 pm. They wanted an answer now -- and they would simply stay in their locker rooms and wait until the Commission showed up and rendered a final decision.

Johnson and Garry Herrmann didn't arrive at Fenway until five minutes before the game was scheduled to start (they had also almost missed the start of Game Four). ... At first, Johnson and Herrmann refused to meet with the players at all, and as much as 30 minutes passed before the two Commission members made their way to the umpires' dressing room, off the Red Sox's locker room. Hooper, Mann, a few other players, some reporters and "not a few fans" were packed inside the "tiny, little, super-heated coop." ...

Hooper took one look at Johnson and instantly knew that the meeting would not go smoothly. The American League president was holding on tightly to Herrmann's and Heydler's shoulders, undoubtedly to keep from falling over. Johnson was "pretty well oiled" and Herrmann appeared more than a little tipsy as well.

The American League president's penchant for getting intoxicated at the World Series was no secret. Sportswriter Fred Lieb had been covering baseball since 1911 and he couldn't recall a single game at which Johnson was sober. Stories of Johnson's tippling were legion. He once urinated in an elevator after a league banquet, much to the dismay of the lift's operator. On another night, Johnson staggered back to the hotel and up to his room. When he turned on the light, he found a man sleeping in his bed. Johnson had the right room number — but the wrong hotel.

Johnson babbled to the players before breaking down into tears, begging them to play (that evening, one of Boston's smaller papers printed what amounted to a near transcription of Johnson's hilarious ramblings). Discussions with Johnson were useless and the players could hear the anxious crowd outside. A majority of players wanted to call off the Series, but it was eventually decided they would play. Johnson told Hooper that no action would be taken against the players for the delay. ... By October, however, the AL president had sobered up.

[He] announced that as punishment for the players' one-hour delay before Game Five, the Commission was withholding the traditional championship emblems, which were similar to lapel pins and the equivalent of modern-day World Series rings. In 1916, the Commission had also tried to withhold the Red Sox's emblems because of a barnstorming tour. After intense criticism, they reversed the decision, but fined each player $100, the approximate value of the emblems. This time, however, the Commission wasn't backing down. ...

Shortly before Christmas, each Red Sox player received a letter from John Heydler informing him that he would not receive an emblem "owing to the disgraceful conduct of the players in the strike during the Series."

At the American League meeting in December, Ban Johnson was asked about his promise to Harry Hooper that the Red Sox players would not be punished for their Game Five delay. Johnson denied having said it. As a show of thanks that winter, Harry Frazee presented several of his players with pocket watches engraved with their names and the words "RED SOX 1918 CHAMPIONS."

Several Red Sox players petitioned the Commission -- outfielder George Whiteman wrote many letters over the next few years -- for the emblems. There were rumors that they were hidden away in a safe in the AL president's office. Harry Hooper met with every Commissioner from Kenesaw Mountain Landis to Bowie Kuhn in an attempt to get the Red Sox players (or their families) their rightful emblems. Every Commissioner told Hooper there was nothing he could do.

On the 75th anniversary of that infamous season, the Red Sox held a ceremony at Fenway Park, at which they handed out emblems to the descendants of more than a dozen of the 1918 players. Unfortunately, no member of the 1918 team was still alive -- the last player, third baseman Fred Thomas, had died in 1986.

G6: Blue Jays 4, Red Sox 3

Brad Mills erred by sending Mike Timlin out for a second inning this afternoon. Timlin has always been iffy-to-bad when he pitches more than one inning.

After the Red Sox rallied for two runs in the top of the ninth, tying the game on Edgar Renteria's single, Timlin allowed a single to Reed Johnson and a game-winning double to Orlando Hudson.

Where was Keith Foulke? Was Mills saving him for a save situation in extra innings? I fucking hope not. Was he worried about using him for two innings with the Yankees looming tomorrow? Perhaps. ... I'm not even sure Foulke warmed up at all. I'll have to check the video tape.

Matt Clement threw 108 pitches in six innings -- 49 balls and 59 strikes -- a horrible ratio. He allowed six hits and five walks (he also hit a batter) and somehow left trailing only 3-1.

Boston left six men on base against Ted Lilly in the second through fifth innings, and that inability to get men home cost them. ... Many Ramirez, Johnny Damon and Jason Varitek each had two hits -- and Renteria's clutch hit should earn him some applause tomorrow.

Part of me wants to vent about how dead the bats have been, but I know it's very early. However, even following along online, the game had the distinct feel of the middle part of last season, when the hitters seemed to be going through the motions way too much of the time.

The home crowd tomorrow afternoon should wake them up -- and them some.

Memo To Wells: We've Left Ft. Myers

Wells: "It seems like I'm in spring training mode right now." ... Hey, fatass, why did you say back in February that you didn't need to pitch too many innings in Florida because you know what you need to do before the season begins? I can't cheer for this jerk, but I'd like to at least tolerate him. He's making it difficult.

Brad Mills had some big decisions yesterday when it came to deciding when to go to the bullpen. The Herald's Tony Massarotti said sending Wells out for the seventh was a "curious decision." I don't agree, but apparently Mills does: "If I'm kicking myself at all I'm kicking myself that I let [Wells] go out for that inning. To see a starter come back like he did, you hate to have them lose the ballgame."

Tomorrow:

12:05 Gates open
12:15 Red Sox batting practice
1:15 Yankees batting practice
2:00 Pregame ceremonies begin
2:15 Presentation of World Series rings
2:30 Raising of the World Series banner
2:40 Introduction of the Yankees
2:45 Introduction of the Red Sox
2:53 Moments of silence for Pope John Paul II and Dick Radatz
2:54 National anthem
2:56 Military jet flyover
2:57 Ceremonial first pitch
3:00 Ceremonial pronouncement to "Play Ball" by 92-year-old Charlie Wagner, a former Red Sox pitcher
3:05 First pitch - Tim Wakefield to Derek Jeter

ESPN has Baseball Tonight scheduled for 2:00, so they will probably be showing the ceremonies. With any luck, they will shut up and let us simply watch. ... A few Yankees talk about witnessing the ceremonies:

Joe Torre: "If our BP ends at 2, it's not likely we'll be outside. Guys will do what they normally do to get ready. I'm not saying the dugout will be empty. I didn't give anyone instructions. The one thing we don't want to do is purposely not be there."

Jeter: I won't go out of my way to not see it. If I'm doing something to get ready and I'm there, then I'm there."

Jorge Posada: "We've never watched anyone get their World Series rings. I don't want to see that."

In Atlanta, Pedro Martinez pitches this afternoon for the winless Mets against John Smoltz. At 0-5, the Mets are off to the third-worst start in their history (1962 (0-9) and 1963 (0-8)). They haven't even held a lead in a game since Braden Looper blew an Opening Day save.

G5: Blue Jays 12, Red Sox 5

I work weekends, so I taped this afternoon's 12-5 loss. But I doubt I'll be watching very much of it on Monday morning.

David Wells allowed six runs and nine hits in 6.1 innings. He surrendered back-to-back-to-back home runs in the third inning -- three bombs by Vernon Wells, Corey Koskie and Shea Hillenbrand in the space of six pitches. ... The last Red Sox pitcher to give up three consecutive homers? Wes Gardner, against the White Sox on July 9, 1988.

After those shots gave the Blue Jays a 5-1 lead, Wells retired nine of the next ten batters (and he picked off the one guy that reached). In that time, tied the game, thanks to a three-run homer to deep center from David Ortiz in the sixth and a bases-loaded groundout from Trot Nixon in the seventh.

Wells had thrown only 69 pitches in six innings, but after giving up a double to Alex Rios to start the bottom of the seventh and striking out Gregg Zaun, Brad Mills pulled him. Not watching the game, it's hard to say whether it was a quick hook or not. Managing in front of my computer screen, I probably would have left him in.

Brad Mills: "At that time, I thought Mantei had a better chance at getting the hitters I knew they were going to pinch-hit with. And mainly with strikeouts at that time."

Mantei allowed singles to his first two batters, but thanks to Manny Ramirez throwing out a runner at third, he avoided further damage. So the score was 6-5 with two innings to go. Not so bad. ... But the Red Sox went down in order in the eighth. In the bottom half, the first six Blue Jays reached base against Mantei, John Halama and Blaine Neal: single, walk, single, HBP, single, grand slam home run. Then Boston went meekly in the ninth.

Also: Wade Miller's next outing will be Wednesday for Greenville (A). ... Kevin Youkilis may get a start at third base tomorrow; Johnny Damon may need another day off. ... Matt Clement / Ted Lilly at 1:00.

Yet More Red Sox Blogs

A few more that are new to me:

Away Team: The Year After Next Year - Dan, Abe and Noah are three Sox fans living in New York. Dan was at the same Sox/MFY game I was and also picked up on the anger (and that was a game the Yankees won).

Destination: Dynasty - By Zach.

3,079 Miles to Fenway, 3,448 miles to Yankee Stadium - Written by a Red Sox fan from Edinburgh, now living in Manhattan, and a Yankee fan from Portsmouth (UK)

Back to Foulke - Boston sports (from another guy in New York)

The Yankee Despiser (not actually a Sox blog, but one of the contributors is named Manny Ortiz)

G4: Red Sox 6, Blue Jays 5

As he was congratulated on the field following Boston's win in ALCS 6, Keith Foulke joked to Bronson Arroyo: "Gotta make it interesting." ... He could have said the same thing last night after he "earned" his first "save" of the season.

What was a comfortable 6-3 lead with three outs to go ended with the bases loaded and the game-tying run on third base -- before Orlando Hudson grounded out to Mark Bellhorn on Foulke's 29th pitch. Jeez. But a win is a win and because of Baltimore's 12-5 dismantling of the Yankees and Tampa Bay's 10th-inning victory over Oakland, all five AL East teams are 2-2 this morning.

Arroyo pitched well in his first start of the season, allowing two runs on three hits in six innings. Those three hits came in a span of four batters in the second and third innings. After Russ Adams's home run leading off the bottom of the third, Arroyo set down 12 of the next 13 Jays, the lone base runner being his only walk of the night (to Adams, in the fifth). The top five hitters in the Jays' order were 0-for-15 against him.

Alan Embree pitched a shaky seventh, surrendering a home run to Eric Hinske and two other hard hit balls. Mike Timlin was sharp in the eighth, retiring the side on nine pitches. Foulke allowed three singles to begin the ninth, scoring one run, and a groundout brought Toronto to within 6-5. Foulke got the second out, which moved the tying run to third, before walking Frank Menechino on five pitches (a lot of his pitches were missing high and outside) and hitting Reed Johnson with an 0-2 pitch.

Nearly everyone in the Red Sox lineup contributed to the win -- and they got some extra-base hits along the way (finally). Johnny Damon had two hits and scored two runs, Trot Nixon hit a home run and also scored twice, Manny Ramirez singled and walked twice, David Ortiz had two hits and a walk, and Jason Varitek homered high off the right field pole. Edgar Renteria was 0-for-4, but did make a couple of nice plays in the field.

Get Your Act Together NESN: Last night was my first NESN broadcast and it was good to hear Don Orsillo reading the press notes verbatim once again. Sadly, NESN is still missing pitches because it can't stop showing promos for itself. I counted three missed pitches last night: the first two to Manny in the sixth and the first pitch to Damon in the ninth. Inexcusable.

The Blue Jays now have huge LCD scoreboards on the outfield walls in the gaps. They are covered by sheets of plexiglass, which have rough edges and bolts or screws protruding from them. Damon cut his left elbow in the second inning and needed six stitches to close the wound. The garish yellow and green lights seem to confuse outfielders on both sides. Damon will not play today and is questionable for Sunday.

Manny Ramirez says he's going to play three more years and then retire. ... Terry Francona was suffering from a viral infection and will return to the dugout for the home opener Monday. ... Pokey Reese will get his World Series ring in the mail. While he's on Seattle's 15-day DL with a strained right shoulder, he declined an invitation to fly to Boston.

Speaking of Opening Day, here is a hint of the Opening Day festivities. According to the Times, the Red Sox have arranged things so the Yankees do not have to watch the ring and banner ceremonies. Those will begin after New York has finished batting practice. The visitors are not due back on the field until introductions 40 minutes later, so "the only players who will be in the dugout for the ring and banner ceremonies will be those who choose to be there."

From Ken Rosenthal's column in The Sporting News on Alex Rodriguez: "The Rangers do not view Rodriguez fondly. Third baseman Hank Blalock imitated Rodriguez's glove slap in mocking fashion in an early spring training baserunning drill."

Finally, some idiocy from Jerry Green of the Detroit News:

Sad is what the current reigning world-champion Red Sox have become. A blip on history. A team lacking dignity and honor, a team of overflowing egos, a team of classless athletes who have shamed their classy Boston baseball uniforms with their behavior. ...

What grabbed me was that after 86 years of frustration and futility, the Red Sox themselves and so much of the New England populace, dissed the imperial Yankees. They had won a World Series, yet they preened and boasted as though they had won the World Series 26 times since 1918.

The Sox had been a haunted franchise since then, when they had Babe Ruth before peddling him to the Yankees out of desperation. The Curse of the Bambino, it was called. And all of New England believed it. ...

Sorry, Mr. Green. It was, and always has been, Yankee fans who fueled talk of the Curse. And judging from the atmosphere around Yankee Stadium this week, they believe in it still, unable to let go of one of the foundations of their fandom. True Red Sox fans have never believed in ghosts and goblins and we never talked about it, except to mock the lazy sports media for using it as a crutch to avoid any actual reporting.

The Rings

The first publicly available pictures of the World Series rings are here.

Schilling Set For Yanks; Tito To Miss Jays

Curt Schilling's line in Indianapolis was not pretty: six innings, 11 hits, seven runs. He threw 103 pitches, struck out six and walked none. ... The Globe's Chris Snow: "The difficulty, as it often is with tuneups of this kind, is how to decipher those totals. Whom and what to believe? Your eyes, your ears, the stat sheet? Or nothing?"

Schilling: "The performance and the way I felt were at opposite ends of the spectrum. ... But physically I don't have any questions in my mind about how I'm going to do or how I'm going to feel. I'm ready to go. ... In the bullpen I felt fantastic. I don't know that I was as live out there during the game. I feel like I've stretched it out. No fatigue. I didn't feel my stuff got any worse or my location any worse. I feel sharpness-wise I'm as ready as I've ever been at the end of spring training."

I found out too late that Schilling's start was being broadcast on MLB.com. In the clips I saw, however, Schilling looked quite beefy, even a bit fat. His next outing will be in Boston on Wednesday against the Yankees.

Terry Francona did not suffer a heart attack, but he will likely be away from the club for the entire series in Toronto. ... Wade Miller threw 60 pitches in an extended spring training game on Thursday. "I was trying to spot some pitches, work in some breaking pitches, and I feel like I was able to do that. It felt good." ... Among the players getting their World Series rings at Fenway on Monday will be Curtis Leskanic and Ellis Burks, who are both retired, and Derek Lowe, whose new team (Dodgers) are off on Monday.

The Herald's Gerry Callahan foresees a beanball war when the Yankees come to Fenway next week. "As sure as the stands are going to be full for the Yanks and Sox rematch, the dugouts are going to empty at some point. The bullpens, too. ... In the series against the Sox, four Yankees batters were hit by pitches before Jeter took one to the side of the head. Jeter, in fact, was hit in the left hand by Matt Clement on Tuesday ... Ortiz or Manny Ramirez had better be ready to duck."

There may be more batters hit (or brushbacked) in the series, but let's be clear: two of those four Yankee HBP were on pitches that Jason Giambi leaned into -- in clear violation of major league rules. They were in no way, shape or form bean balls. If the home plate umpire bothered to follow the rules, he would have called both pitches balls and told Giambi to keep batting.

More on Mariano Rivera:

John Tomase, Eagle Tribune:

In order to get to the clubhouse as soon as a game ends, most beat writers leave the press box at the start of the ninth inning, assuming the game's in hand. Mariano Rivera protecting a one-run lead once resulted in a mass exodus of journalists to the basement of Yankee Stadium. But as the strains of Metallica's 'Enter Sandman' wafted from the speakers yesterday afternoon, barely a writer stirred.

As Rivera was pulled on Wednesday, YESman Michael Kay said, "If he gets booed you really have to question the fans, after what he's done. You hope there aren't boos." Daily News media critic Bob Raissman responds:

Kay's statement was strange on a number of levels. Most notable was the fact that on Tuesday, after Rivera had gagged against Boston in Game 2 of the season-opening series, it was Kay, on ESPN-1050 radio, who ripped into the pitcher, casting doubt about Rivera's future. While there were no "boos" in Kay's Tuesday spiel, his content was a lot harsher, and more cutting, than the sentiment offered by Stadium boo-birds Wednesday afternoon.

Jon Heyman (Newsday) writes that Rivera is far from cooked, but he does have a problem:

Yes, the Red Sox are his daddy. That mango-loving megastar Pedro Martinez introduced that funny phrase to baseball's greatest rivalry and is maybe the only big-time player who'd ever admit such a thing. Yet, it applies equally well here. Maybe better.

It won't last much longer, but here's what Mark Bellhorn has done so far this season:

Game 1: K, double, K, K
Game 2: K, single, single, K
Game 3: K, K, single, single

Probable starters for Blue Jays series:

Friday: Bronson Arroyo/David Bush, 7:00
Saturday: David Wells/Roy Halladay, 1:00
Sunday: Matt Clement/Ted Lilly, 1:00

Five Questions

Asked at The Hardball Times. Ben Jacobs on the Red Sox:

1. Did Epstein find any huge bargains this off-season?
2. Is Boston's rotation a strength or a weakness?
3. So, is the bullpen going to be a problem at some point this year?
4. Can Boston's offense really be better this year than the last two seasons?
5. But are they built for success in the playoffs as well as they were last year?

Larry Mahnken on the Yankees:

1. What will Jason Giambi do?
2. Which Randy Johnson are the Yankees getting?
3. Can a team win with only two outfielders?
4. Tony Womack?!
5. Will the revamped bullpen be good enough?

Ben and Larry also write the Rivals In Exile column.

Here are some of THT's predictions:

American League East 
                 1st  2nd  3rd  4th  5th
Brian Borawski   NYY  BOS  TOR  BAL  TAM
John Brattain    BOS  NYY  TOR  TAM  BAL
Craig Burley     BOS  NYY  TOR  BAL  TAM
Joe Dimino       NYY  BOS  BAL  TOR  TAM
Aaron Gleeman    BOS  NYY  BAL  TOR  TAM
Brian Gunn       BOS  NYY  BAL  TOR  TAM
Ben Jacobs       BOS  NYY  BAL  TOR  TAM
Larry Mahnken    BOS  NYY  BAL  TOR  TAM
Tom Meagher      BOS  NYY  BAL  TOR  TAM
Lee Sinins       NYY  BOS  TOR  BAL  TAM
Studes           BOS  NYY  BAL  TOR  TAM
Steve Treder     BOS  NYY  BAL  TOR  TAM
 
ALC Consensus    MIN  CLE  CHW  DET  KAN
ALW Consensus    OAK  LOS  SEA  TEX
NLE Consensus    ATL  PHI  FLA  NYM  WAS
NLC Consensus    STL  CHC  HOU  CIN  MIL  PIT
NLW Consensus    LOS  SDP  SFG  ARI  COL
 
World Series

Brian Borawski    Giants over Yankees
John Brattain     Red Sox over Marlins
Craig Burley      Red Sox over Cardinals
Joe Dimino        Yankees over Dodgers
Aaron Gleeman     Red Sox over Atlanta
Brian Gunn        Red Sox over Cubs
Ben Jacobs        Red Sox over Dodgers
Larry Mahnken     Yankees over Cardinals
Tom Meagher       Red Sox over Phillies
Lee Sinins        Yankees over Cardinals
Studes            Yankees over Atlanta Braves
Steve Treder      Dodgers over Red Sox

Let's Bash The Media

Blogger was acting up for me most of yesterday, so here's some stuff I had lying around:

Karen Guregian's article in Wednesday's Herald was headlined "High Heat From Pedro -- Ace Rips Theo, Questions Schilling." It was highly misleading, a clear example of an editor trying to make Pedro's comments into something they were not.

Pedro on Theo: "Hearing Theo talk today on ESPN, saying they wanted to spread my money around, and keep Jason, that's a smart thing to do. He could afford to get rid of all of us, except Jason. I can appreciate that, but there was no need to mistreat my name. I can understand the business part of it. I can understand, I can live with the business part of it, not being able to afford me, or thinking I'm not that good, but I cannot understand the part where you mistreat my name, or mistreat what I did for the city of Boston ..."

I'm not sure how Epstein mistreated Pedro or his name, but this is in no way "ripping."

Pedro on Schilling: "I never had any problems. Me and Schilling got along really well. There was never, ever anything bad, or any disagreement on anything. I don't really understand why the comments came out about my work habits. If anybody knows my work habits, there's no way to fool anybody. I don't know if Schilling said it, but if Schilling said it, he doesn't know me all that well. Those are things Schilling should have never said if he said it, as a player. If he didn't say it, I guess I expect that from the media in Boston."

And Pedro on his former teammates: "I'm rooting for them, and I'm watching every game just to see them do well. About my teammates, I'd love for them to win and do as well as they can."

***

On Baseball Tonight last night, Karl Ravetch alluded to one of Pedro's quotes from Guregian's story: "If they want to keep the (World Series) ring, that's fine." In the article, the quote comes out of nowhere and appears unconnected to anything else Martinez said. It seems like it just popped into his head and he said it. ... Ravetch repeated the quote as: "That World Series ring? You can keep it." ... Lazy or careless, take your pick.

***

Selena Roberts's Wednesday column in the Times was headlined: "Boston Hasn't Learned How to Strut Its Stuff." Roberts wrote: "As the Red Sox capitalize on their fame as winners, and still try to remain true to their rebel souls, validation will become a serious matter." I know writers do not headline their own stories, but this is another example of how athletes and/or teams can't win with the press. In other circumstances, the Times would likely ask why, after winning one measly title since 1918, are the Red Sox strutting so much?

***

Don't be surprised if next week (and anytime these two teams meet up) the New York and national media tells us that Mike Timlin beaned Derek Jeter in the head with a pitch. Most of the accounts of the HBP were accurate:

Bob Herzog, Newsday: "... which struck him high on the left shoulder and caromed off his head and left ear, knocking his helmet off ..."

Sam Borden, New York Daily News: "... after Jeter was hit in the helmet by a Mike Timlin pitch that seemed to glance off Jeter's shoulder ..."

Dom Amore and David Heuschkel, Hartford Courant: "... hit in the head ... pitch sailed up and in, glancing off Jeter's left shoulder and hitting him above the left ear ..."

But I fear the lasting impression may be this one:

George King, New York Post: "... [Jeter] was drilled in the head by a Mike Timlin fastball ..."

***

Gordon Edes asked Brad Mills about some of his strategy in yesterday's game. Mills explained why he didn't hit Varitek for Mirabelli with two outs in the top of the eighth or why he chose not to have Myers face Matsui in the bottom half.

What Edes did not ask was why Mills decided not to have Varitek hit for David McCarty after David Ortiz began the eighth with a double (the game was then tied 2-2). The only answer I can come up with was that Kevin Youkilis would have been playing first base and perhaps Mills wanted a better glove there in the later (and possibly extra) innings.

Mo Pitches, Mo Problems

Mariano Rivera has blown his last four save chances (all against Boston) and six of his last 11 against Boston. Since the start of the 2001 season, he has blown 11 leads against Boston and 16 against all other teams combined.

Steve Buckley (Herald):

You know how the Red Sox own Fenway Park, NESN and the remnants of that old bowling alley on Brookline Avenue? They also own Mo. He is a wholly owned subsidiary of Red Sox Nation. ...

After Tuesday's game, which the Yanks won on a Derek Jeter homer after Rivera had served up a ninth-inning, game-tying home run to Jason Varitek, Mo had this say about his troubles against the Red Sox: "My God, I don't want to have to live with all that crap. There's no logic to that."

Following yesterday's game, a New York television reporter put it to Rivera that perhaps he has his very own curse - the Red Sox. Rivera turned away from the reporter, saying: "Next question."

Mike Vaccaro of the Post blasted the "leather-lunged brigade of blowhards who ... committed one of the most despicable acts of baseball ingratitude we've seen around here in a long, long time:

You booed Mariano Rivera? You really booed Mariano Rivera? Yeah. Damn right. Shame on you. ...

"There are always about 20,000 Red Sox fans here when we play them," Mariano Rivera said, a half-smile on his face. "Maybe it was only Sox fans who were booing." If they were, then a lot of the people showering Rivera with their unspeakable bile were Sox fans who decided to wear Yankees hats, Yankees jerseys and Yankees jackets to the Stadium yesterday ...

Dom Amore, Hartford Courant: "Hitters seem to be stepping back to avoid being jammed by Rivera's cut fastball. Damon leaned back and fouled off a two-strike cutter before getting a more hittable pitch and driving it through the right side." Mel Stottlemyre says Rivera is rushing his delivery, which is the reason for his loss of command.

Two of the more extreme headlines in Gotham:

Bergen Record: Once-Reliable Rivera Is Now Questionable
Newsday: Closing Door On Great Era Of Rivera

I think you can actually hear Bill Simmons cackling with glee as he types:

Secret Yankee Closer Election Set for April 8
Extensive Security Planned for Friday's Funeral

Major League Baseball on Wednesday set April 8 as the date for the historic start of the conclave to elect a successor to Mariano Rivera ... Candidates include Oakland's Octavio Dotel, Detroit's Ugueth Urbina, current set-up man Flash Gordon, Rick Ankiel and Charlie Sheen. The Yankees will continue to use Rivera from the bullpen, but only in blowouts and games where the lead or deficit is six runs or more. ...

eBay Auction: Mariano Rivera

PITCHER SHOWS MODERATE WEAR BUT IS STILL IN GREAT WORKING CONDITION (AS LONG AS IT ISN'T AGAINST THE BOSTON RED SOX). ...

If (when) eBay pulls the auction, click here.

G3: Red Sox 7, Yankees 3

Yankees ahead by one run, Red Sox three outs from being swept, Mariano Rivera on the mound, the bottom of the Boston order due up -- sound familiar?

Mueller (bcbb) walked.
Bellhorn (cb) singled to right, Mueller to second.
Damon (bcbcffb) singled to right, Mueller to third, Bellhorn to second.
Nixon (bbfs) struck out swinging.
Ramirez (ffbf) safe on error by ARodriguez, Mueller scored, Bellhorn to third, Damon to second.
Ortiz (b) grounded out pitcher to first, Bellhorn scored, Damon to third, Ramirez to second.
McCarty (bbb) walked.
Renteria singled to left center, Damon and Ramirez scored, McCarty to second.
Mirabelli (bbbc) walked, McCarty to third, Renteria to second.
FRodriguez relieves Rivera.
Mueller (fb - McCarty scored, Renteria to third, Mirabelli to second on wild pitch - fbb) struck out looking.

Wow. The Red Sox batted around against Rivera, who threw 38 pitches. He has now blown four consecutive saves against Boston.

Walking off the field after being pulled by Torre, some Yankee fans cheered him, but a lot were booing. Jeter was booed during his 0-for-32 (35?) slump last spring, but I can't remember Rivera ever being booed before.

Just an amazing win -- after Boston did just about every bone-headed thing you can do to lose a ball game. They hit into three double plays (two by Renteria, who did get two hits later in the game), Damon got tagged out by Jeter by stepping off second base after the following batter walked, Nixon forgot how many outs there were in the outfield. Yet they managed to focus in the final inning and pull out a win.

There will be buckets of ink spilled musing about Rivera's performance. What's wrong? Is he hurt? Is it mental? He had some elbow problem in spring training, if I recall, and while Boston did touch him for three hits, his control was terrible. He walked David McCarty, a batter he would usually dismiss as if he were a mosquito, on four not-close pitches.

Considering Rivera's performance in this series, and the effect it's having on Yankee fans, I say we won this series 1-to-2.

Mariano: Who's your daddy?

Francona In Hospital With Chest Tightness

Terry Francona was taken to Cornell Medical Center for "precautionary testing" after complaining of tightness in his chest this morning.

Bench coach Brad Mills will serve as interim manager. According to Mills, Francona fell asleep on the bus ride over to Yankee Stadium this morning, telling his coach "I don't feel very well."

Francona suffered life-threatening blood clots following arthroscopic knee surgery in November 2002.

G2: Yankees 4, Red Sox 3

A report from what was likely my last game at Yankee Stadium:

The anti-Boston t-shirts being sold on River Avenue outside the stadium yesterday focused on two themes: (1) 2004 was a fluke and (2) We still have more rings than you.

Even Idiots Get Lucky -- You always hear how Red Sox fans are allegedly obsessed with the Yankees because of their inferiority complex, but a lot of the new Yankee shirts focused on the Red Sox. And instead of the classic Boston Sucks, this one offers excuses. Likewise with the There Was No Curse - The Red Sox Just Sucked For 86 Years.

Numbers Don't Lie -- This apparently refers to the huge edge in championships New York has over Boston (26-6). However, these numbers don't lie either: 6-4, 5-4, 4-2 and 10-3.

Hey Boston, Now You Know What It Feels Like To Be A Yankee -- Um, not really. My team never choked away a 3-0 lead in a best-of-7 series.

Inside the park, the fans' chants and insults were more amusing than biting, though I admit I found myself getting fairly annoyed through the first six innings. Any thoughts I had before the season began about being complacent to any degree after winning the World Series have been completely eradicated. After sitting among Yankee fans for just one half-inning, I realized that these idiots -- real idiots, not the manufactured Boston kind -- needed to be slapped down again ... and again ...and again ...

And early on, that simply wasn't happening. At first, the game was bit see-saw-ish. Boston went 1-2-3 in the top of the first against Carl Pavano (Nixon and Ramirez struck out) and the Yankees went quickly and quietly in their half against Matt Clement. New York loaded the bases with one out in the second, but Clement wriggled out of trouble; in the top of the third, Boston singled twice, but also did not score.

In the bottom of the third, Clement hit Jeter with his first pitch and Edgar Renteria committed an error on a hot shot by Rodriguez. After Sheffield's groundout scored Jeter and moved Slappy to second, I expected Terry Francona to walk Hideki Matsui. In his first at-bat, Matsui had drilled a single off the right field wall (and the man in general just wears out our pitchers). With one out, Boston could go for the double play with Jorge Posada up. Instead, Clement pitched to Matsui. He took two balls, then looked at two strikes, then lofted a high fly that carried into the right field stands for a three-run home run.

David Ortiz got one of the runs back in the next inning with a solo shot to center and three straight singles in the seventh (Bill Mueller, Mark Bellhorn, Johnny Damon) chased Pavano and also brought Boston to within one run. In the top of the ninth, after Mariano Rivera struck out Renteria (the home fans cheered Rivera as if last year had never happened), Jason Varitek lined a 1-2 pitch to right for a game-tying home run, putting another dent in Rivera's armor.

The Red Sox fans in my section celebrated noisily (some of us had said we were simply waiting for Rivera to start our comeback). Unfortunately, we were silenced a few minutes later when Jeter opened the bottom of the ninth with an opposite field shot off Keith Foulke. The Red Sox are now 0-2.

If you sit in the upper deck at Yankee Stadium (as I did, out by the right field foul pole (also known as The Bellhorn Pole!)), it's a long, slow walk down the various ramps to the street. The Yankee fans were quite obnoxious, but their celebration seemed borne more from relief than confidence. Rivera had blown yet another save against Boston and they were scared. When Jeter responded in the home half, they acted out. But it was more out of dodging another Boston bullet and not having to deal with recurring October flashbacks.

There is a lot of anger. Yankee fans were high-fiving each other and ragging on us after Jeter's home run, but when I silently opened my jacket to reveal my 2004 Champions shirt, their happiness switched to fury, as they screamed obscenities and waved their middle fingers. At SoSH, I read many comments from Opening Night along the same lines.

Even before the game, during the national anthem, Yankee fans were yelling at various Red Sox fans to remove their caps (they ignored the few Yankee fans who kept their caps on). One burly fan was pointing and screaming at me from another section: "Take off your fucking cap! Take it off! Show some fucking respect!" He kept this up for at least 20 seconds -- while the anthem was being sung. This, of course, is nothing new. I guess in the Bronx, respect is a one-way street.

Wakefield/Mussina at 1:00 pm.

In Theo We Trust

You may know Evan Burrell from such websites as Most Valuable Network and Firebrand of the American League. Now, he's written a three-part analysis for Goat Riders of the Apocalypse detailing why Theo Epstein is the best general manager in the game.

Pedro: 6-3-3-3-2-12; Looper Blows It

Pedro Martinez made his Mets debut in Cincinnati Monday afternoon. He struck out 12 batters (a team record for opening day) in six innings. But like he did many times with the Sox last year, he had a rough first inning. The three hits and three runs he allowed all came in the opening frame.

After surrendering a long three-run homer to Adam Dunn, Martinez struck out the next four batters, nine of the next 10 and 12 of the next 14. He struck out the side in the second, third and fifth innings. Pedro: "I had a hard time getting my pitches down for strikes. I had a hard time feeling the ball in my hand. It was dry. Later in the afternoon, I got a little feel."

It was the 100th double-digit strikeout game of his career. The PBP:

Reds 1st: Jimenez (c) flied out to center. Griffey (sbs) singled to right. Casey (bsf) singled to left, Griffey to second. Kearns (fcffb) flied out to right, Griffey to third. Dunn (bbbf) homered to right, Griffey, Casey and Dunn scored. Randa (cf) struck out swinging.

Reds 2nd: Aurilia (cffbbb) struck out swinging. LaRue (csbbfb) struck out looking. Wilson (bsbcbf) struck out swinging.

Reds 3rd: Jimenez (bbfbs) walked. Griffey (ff) struck out swinging. Casey (fc) struck out swinging, Jimenez stole second. Kearns (bss) struck out swinging.

Reds 4th: Dunn (bbcs) struck out swinging. Randa (cbfb) struck out swinging. Aurilia lined out to center.

Reds 5th: LaRue (bsfb) struck out swinging. Wilson (scb) struck out looking. Jimenez (bbbcff) struck out looking.

Reds 6th: Griffey (sbbb) walked. Casey (ffb) grounded into double play, second to shortstop to first. Kearns (bsbsb) grounded out to third.

The Stems lost the game, 7-6, when Adam Dunn and Joe Randa both homered (Dunn's second shot of the game) off Brandon Looper in the bottom of the ninth.

Just Wanna See His Face

After standing in line for two hours, I finally got to shake Johnny Damon's hand and have him sign my copy of Idiot.

I arrived at the Barnes & Noble at Rockefeller Center for the 1:00 signing about 11:45. I had to buy a copy of the book, then go outside and walk west on 48th Street. The line was long, maybe 200 people, when I got there. People being interviewed near the front had been there since 9:00. I'm not sure how many blocks it eventually stretched.

Many men wearing Yankee caps passed by, most of them not making eye contact. One guy, however, did engage the fans around me. In reference (I guess) to last night's Yankee win, he asked, "you guys back for some more pounding?" Someone else drove by and yelled "Chokers!" at us. After laughing at both of them, we all wondered WTF?

It was also nice to see Riff, a poster from SoSH and ProJo's Your Turn message board, passing out flyers for a new Sox bar in the city. The Boston 212 Cafe is at 79 Madison Street (& 28th Street) and will host a benefit for the Red Sox Foundation on April 15 (the trophy will be there).

B&N employees explained the rules: Damon was signing only copies of Idiot ("so don't pull out any bats"), no personal sigs, pictures could be taken of him but not with him. Inside the store, however, Damon was posing for pictures with any fan with a camera. That's our Johnny, floutin' the rules ...

After I said thanks for last year and shook his hand, I slid a copy of my book across the table. He looked at it and said he appreciated it before an assistant reached over and took it away. Presumably, he got it back. Damon doesn't strike me as much of a reader, but who knows?

In Idiot, Damon writes about the Slap Play: "I couldn't believe it. It was an unsportsmanlike act of cheating the likes of which none of us had ever seen."

He now says the phrasing "might be overblown a bit. That was a play that was looked at by Boston fans and our players as cheating. In retrospect, that wasn't the case. ... I remember when I was in Oakland and we were playing the Yankees, I got picked off and when I went back into first base, my hand went right into Tino Martinez' glove. I couldn't get my hand out. I pulled and the ball popped out. I was called out. Was I trying to cheat? No."

Since Slappy McBluelips admitted that he struck Arroyo on purpose, with the assumption that the umpires wouldn't have the guts to rule against the Yankees in their own ball park late in a must-win game, I don't think we can compare it with Damon's example, which does not sound deliberate. Damon hopes to speak to Slappy and explain.

While Damon was backpedaling, however, Bronson Arroyo was telling reporters: "The way he carries himself off the field creates a perception. Alex gives off the impression, he's been a great player, but (a bit) of a prima donna, where guys are maybe jealous or not like him."

Down in Fort Myers, Wade Miller threw 38 pitches in three hitless innings in a minor league scrimmage on Sunday. He plans to pitch on Thursday, possibly for Boston's South Atlantic League (A) club. If he does that, his 30-day minor league rehab will begin, meaning he'll have to join the Sox by May 7. ... Curt Schilling starts for Pawtucket on Thursday in Indianapolis. If all goes well, he'll face the Yankees in Fenway on April 13. ... I doubt Yankee fans are too broken up over the news, but Kevin Brown was placed on the disabled list.

G1: Yankees 9, Red Sox 2

The honeymoon is over! ... Hey, we're only a half-game out of the wild card. ... Alright, how about: It's a shame the Yankees couldn't have done that in game 4 ... or 5 ... or 6 ... or 7.

The cold night (low 40s) affected both pitchers' breaking stuff, hurting Wells more than Johnson. The Fat One allowed 10 hits and one walk and was also undone by lackluster fielding in both the infield and outfield. However, he allowed New York's leadoff man to reach base in the first four innings, he hit two batters (both Giambi, actually) and balked a run home. He departed in the fifth -- the Yankee Stadium crowd booed him; I'm surprised they didn't cheer -- after throwing 80 pitches.

After that, everyone in the bullpen except Keith Foulke was used. Mike Myers got an important double play to end the fifth when the game was still close and Mike Timlin tossed a scoreless seventh (though he needed 25 pitches to do so). Blaine Neal and Matt Mantei were less impressive.

Johnson was no great shakes: his 6-5-1-2-6 line was certainly not prime Unit, but he was able to get by with his fastball (which is far better than Wells's) and a decent slider. Things looked good in the top of the second when Ortiz opened with a double to right, Millar nearly hit one out -- Matsui made a leaping, Mannyesque catch at the wall in left -- and Jay Payton singled in the first run of the season. Johnson then walked Mueller, but wriggled out of trouble. Boston didn't get another guy past second until there were two outs in the sixth.

The bats were quiet. The top five -- Damon, Renteria, Manny, Ortiz, Millar -- went 1-for-18 (with only four balls hit out of the infield). Tanyon Sturtze pitched two perfect innings (with three strikeouts) in relief. Varitek had three of Boston's six hits. ... Chris Snow of the Globe wrote an excellent game story, reminding me of the great work Buster Olney did covering the Yankees for the Times in 1998-99.

ESPN allowed the local stations to use their own guys, because I was stuck with Kay-Kaat-O'Neill on MFYES. They managed to have a steroid discussion without mentioning either Giambi or Sheffield. That was impressive. And while it was nice to hear Kay refer to the "World Champion Red Sox" several times, he was still insufferable. ... I spied this Kay quote in A Tale of Two Cities (Tony Mazzarotti and John Harper): "Watching the Red Sox celebrating on the field after Game 7, I honestly felt sick to my stomach. I guess even after all these years in this business, that got to me. I still can't believe it happened." ... And he still goes on and on (and on) about how impartial he is.

A couple of SoSHers at the game mentioned that last night was the first time they had been at Yankee Stadium and not heard the "1918" chant. Deweys New Stance said "that was the most noteworthy thing about the evening too ... very strange not to hear it after 29 years ... strange in a really nice way." All I saw on TV was a couple of "2090" signs. I'll be at Tuesday's game, ushering in the Matt Clement Era, so I'm curious about the in-person reaction.

Off to see Damon at his book signing at Rockefeller Center this afternoon.

Play Ball!

"It still smells like champagne in here."
-- Doug Mirabelli, Boston Herald and Newark Star-Ledger

Red Sox       Yankees

Damon CF      Jeter SS
Renteria SS   Rodriguez 3B
Ramirez LF    Sheffield RF
Ortiz DH      Sierra DH
Millar 1B     Matsui LF
Varitek C     Posada C
Payton RF     Giambi 1B
Mueller 3B    Williams CF
Bellhorn 2B   Womack 2B
 
Wells P       Johnson P
 
Sox Against Johnson
 
Renteria .280, 7-for-25
Millar   .217, 5-for-23
Payton   .216, 8-for-37
Ramirez  .211, 4-for-19
Mueller  .211, 4-for-19
Varitek  .143, 1-for- 7
Bellhorn .000, 0-for- 9
Damon    .000, 0-for- 1
Ortiz    Never faced him
 
Slappy v. Wells: .357, 7 HR in 56 AB
Sierra v. Wells: .371 in 62 AB

Millar, Payton, Ramirez and Renteria each have homered against Johnson. ... Wells is the oldest Red Sox Opening Day starter at 41 years, 316 days. ... He is also the first lefty to start on Opening Day since Bruce Hurst in 1986. ... Tonight will also feature the first Opening Day matchup between pitchers who have thrown perfect games.

Bernie Williams: "Back when I started playing, it was more of a fan/media kind of deal, maybe taken from the 70's, when the Yankees and Red Sox players didn't really like each other. In the last three or four years, it's back to being more of a players rivalry. You could see it, even when Pedro was there, players making comments about some of the Yankees, and some of the Yankees making comments about some of the Red Sox. It's more of a player-versus-player rivalry. To me, that has been the biggest difference. It means more to the players on each team."

Jerry Remy: "I think it's going to be the same, if not more intense, because the Yankees don't settle well into losing a championship and especially the way they did last year. That was pretty evident by their moves in the off-season. I think the last two, three or four years have been as intense as it was back in the late '70s. I think it took a long break after that for a lot of reasons. It never did take a break with the fans, but I think it did with the players."

Kevin Millar: "It's Game 1 of a 162-playoff series."

2005 Contest

                     Red Sox     ERA: Curt v Unit

Brian Young          104-58      Johnson   - 32
Marc Witkes          102-60      Schilling - 15
L-girl               102-60
Jere                 101-61      Schilling - 11
Slater Mondale       101-61      Johnson   -  ? 
Mike Battista         99-63      Schilling - 22
Amy McMahan           98-64      Johnson   - 15 
Dave Weinstein        98-64      Johnson   - 67
Brian M               97-65      Johnson   - 40
Darren Madigan        97-65      Johnson   - 61
William Duval         97-65      Schilling - 18
Josh Friedman         97-65      Johnson   - 30
Leonet_5              96-66      Schilling - 38
Franco Baseggio*      95-67      Johnson   -101
Mike Torsiello        92-70      Schilling - 24
Pat Flannery          92-70      Schilling - 37

Me                   100-62      Johnson   - 25

*: last year's winner.

Nuts and bolts here. In case of tie with Wins, we look at ERA. Good luck!

The Next Battle

Bill Simmons isn't ready to start the season either. Plus he's calling 2005 "Year 1 of a 500-year grace period."

[T]rue Sox fans worried about dying without seeing a championship, not whether the Babe had put a ridiculous hex on the franchise. ... That should have been the angle all along: A baseball team that couldn't get over the hump, supported by millions of fans spread across the country who kept sticking with them. Looking back, did every Fox and ESPN playoff telecast have to start with 435 pictures of Babe Ruth? ...

I never thought I would say the words "Thank God for the Yankees," but I'm saying them now. Thank God for the Yankees. As soon as Sunday night rolls around and Yankee fans are booing Boomer, Manny, Damon and everyone else, every Sox fan will snap right into, "All right, it's time to defend the title now" mode. You can't help it. We're natural enemies in the wild. ...

If the Yankees lay the smack down this season and beat the Red Sox, and this happens a few more times, how many years will pass before Yankee fans officially start playing the "You got lucky once, now things are back to normal" card?

Probably one. That's the funny thing about Yankee fans – they're keeping low for now, but if their team outlasts the Sox this season, they'll go right back to being as insufferable as ever. It's almost like they're biding their time. ... When it comes right down to it, this blood feud with the Yankees is unlike anything else in professional sports right now. They're the Ali to our Frazier, the Iron Sheik to our Sergeant Slaughter. We need them, they need us. We hate them, they hate us. The rivalry is developing into a self-perpetuating organism – a zero sum game for sports, a de facto Cold War – something that neither team can ever truly win. ... And on that note, I'm ready to start the season. Let's defend this thing.

He also wishes Dave Roberts was still around.

Now we don't have a proven fourth outfielder/late-inning baserunner/good clubhouse guy, as well as a walking reminder of the most important moment in Red Sox history and someone who would have been A GUARANTEED STANDING $%#%@%& OVATION EVERY TIME HE CAME TO FENWAY!!!!!!!!!! How could this happen? We couldn't have found Roberts 300 ABs this season? Couldn't have given him a million-dollar bonus to stick around? ..."

Plus, he's not even in the same league anymore. When will he return to Fenway?

Feelings

I still have my identity. I don't wander the streets aimlessly. And I'm eagerly awaiting the beginning of a new baseball season. But there can be no doubt ... things are different.

As I read stories this winter about how I was supposed to feel after finally winning a World Series championship, I thought about my perspective as The Season After dawned. I didn't follow spring training as rabidly as in past off-seasons, so I wondered if some distance come between me and the Red Sox.

After the bitter end of the 2003 season, it took only a few weeks before I was itching for the terrible wrong that had been inflicted on my team to be set right. Getting another chance at the Yankees was paramount and the A-Rod-Schilling-Foulke hot stove action only increased the anticipation.

Beating the Yankees again this summer is imperative -- and could we win the fooking division this year, please? -- but I don't sense the maniacal drive I felt in April 2004. I suppose winning takes some of the edge off.

Having the Red Sox begin the season in the Bronx is drawing the usual media moaning about having such intense games scheduled "too early," but this is exactly what we need -- an electric shock -- literally, a Randy Johnson fastball -- to kickstart the season. It shouldn't take long before we're all at the high level we were at five months ago.

Yankee fans are still smarting over their team's unprecedented choke job last October. At least, I assume they are. I don't have actual contact with any diehard Yankee fans anymore. (Yes, my partner Laura is now rooting for the Red Sox. She explains her transformation here and here and has threatened me with serious bodily harm if I try to take credit for "turning" her.) Those fans want to end those incessant "Year 2000" chants and Red Sox fans want to show the world that 2004 was not a fluke. I don't see how there can be any letdown on either side.

The Globe's Kevin Paul Dupont talked to a few fans about this topic:

Tim Melligan, 36: "It starts all over again, this Sunday. ... And now that you've won the Series, hey, the idea is to win every single year. Is that asking too much, really? I don't think it is."

Dave Kazanjian, 43: "The way I see it, if anyone says they're content now, they weren't a true fan to begin with -- those are the bandwagon guys. Free pass? Never. You taste victory after 86 years, and finally know how good it is, you want that again."

Lloyd Benson, 53: "For the first time in my life, I don't care. I know it might sound trite, but hey, they won, and I'm a happy guy now no matter what happens -- and I can honestly say that I never thought I'd get to that point in my life."

Patsy Valentine: "Now that they've won, I kind of feel they can do no wrong. I don't know if I should feel that way, but I do."

"Win so easy that it's not even like the World Series." I can really relate to that. Even rewatching the post-season last month, it was sometimes hard to grasp the magnitude of what the Red Sox were doing. I'd always expected that when Boston won the World Series, it would be an exhausting, nail-biting battle. I never expected a sweep; that was surreal in its own right, a little anti-climatic. The four games were over before we had fully emerged from the haze of winning the pennant.

I'm not seriously afraid of becoming less of a fan. But all of us have become different fans, whether we like it or not.

Comments Are Welcome

A decent number of people come by here every day -- many of them being regulars, I'm assuming -- so with a new season before us, I decided to enable comments. Go Sox!

Also, this is the new wallpaper on my laptop, thanks to amh03 at SoSH:

Yet More Predictions

Baseball Prospectus sees things one way:

                 AL EAST   WILD CARD
Will Carroll     Red Sox   Yankees
James Click      Red Sox   Yankees
Clay Davenport   Yankees   Red Sox
Jay Jaffe        Red Sox   Yankees
Rany Jazayerli   Red Sox   Yankees
Chris Kahrl      Red Sox   Yankees
Jonah Keri       Red Sox   Yankees
Dave Kirsch      Red Sox   Yankees
Dayn Perry       Red Sox   Yankees
Joe Sheehan      Red Sox   Athletics
Nate Silver      Red Sox   Yankees
Keith Woolner    Red Sox   Yankees

while ESPN's "experts" see them another:

               AL EAST   AL WC      World Series
Jayson Stark   Red Sox   Yankees    Twins over Giants
Peter Gammons  Yankees   Red Sox    Twins over Cubs
Buster Olney   Yankees   Red Sox    Twins over Marlins
Tim Kurkjian   Yankees   Red Sox    Yankees over Atlanta
Jerry Crasnick Yankees   Red Sox    Twins over Cardinals
Rob Neyer      Red Sox   Yankees    Red Sox over Phillies
Jim Caple      Red Sox   Cleveland  Cardinals over Twins
Steve Phillips Yankees   Red Sox    Atlanta over Yankees
Pedro Gomez    Yankees   Red Sox    Angels over Marlins
Eric Neel      Yankees   Red Sox    Marlins over Red Sox
Phil Rogers    Yankees   Red Sox    Atlanta over Angels
Bob Klapisch   Yankees   Red Sox    Yankees over Atlanta
Alan Schwarz   Red Sox   Yankees    Red Sox over Atlanta
Sean McAdam    Yankees   Red Sox    Red Sox over Atlanta
Scott Ridge    Yankees   Red SOx    Angels over Marlins
Matt Szefc     Yankees   Red Sox    Yankees over Marlins
Eric Karabell  Red Sox   Yankees    Atlanta over Twins
Scott Engel    Yankees   Red Sox    Marlins over Twins
Mark Simon     Yankees   Red Sox    Yankees over Giants

Peter Gammons taps Ortiz for AL MVP, Nomar for NL MVP and Pedro for the NL Cy. He writes that Trot Nixon will hit 35 homers and Jon Papelbon may help the Sox in September.

In at least 66 plate appearances this spring (59 AB + 7 BB), Albert Pujols did not strike out. He hit .458/.500/.881. ... Nomar was 2nd in NL slugging at .864; Toronto's Gabe Gross slugged .920 in the AL.

The Roster

I'm pretty sure this is it:

 C Jason Varitek
1B Kevin Millar
2B Mark Bellhorn
SS Edgar Renteria
3B Bill Mueller
LF Manny Ramirez
CF Johnny Damon
RF Trot Nixon
DH David Ortiz
 
 C Doug Mirabelli
IF Ramon Vazquez
IF Kevin Youkilis
IF David McCarty 
OF Jay Payton
 
ST David Wells
   Matt Clement
   Tim Wakefield
   Bronson Arroyo
 
RL Alan Embree
   Keith Foulke
   John Halama
   Matt Mantei
   Mike Myers 
   Blaine Neal
   Mike Timlin

Full and final spring stats here.

             AVG   OBP   SLG
Damon       .333  .381  .410
Nixon       .271  .352  .479
Ramirez     .327  .377  .571
Ortiz       .296  .361  .667
Renteria    .208  .296  .354
Millar      .333  .444  .556
Varitek     .286  .316  .457
Mueller     .235  .297  .382
Bellhorn    .229  .327  .354
 
Payton      .375  .422  .575
Vazquez     .309  .356  .418
Youkilis    .218  .348  .345
McCarty     .200  .407  .225
Mirabelli   .186  .250  .302
 
           ERA    AVG   IP    H  BB  SO
Schilling  7.36  .313   3.2   5   2   2
Wells      7.94  .382  17.0  29   2  10
Wakefield  7.27  .319  17.1  22  13   8
Clement    4.50  .264  18.0  19   2  17
Arroyo     5.40  .324  25.0  35   4  20
 
Neal       0.00  .000   4.0   0   1   1
Timlin     0.96  .219   9.1   7   2   5
Mantei     3.86  .263   9.1  10   2   8
Foulke     4.82  .212   9.1   7   3   5
Myers      5.40  .333   1.2   3   1   0
Embree     7.11  .346   6.1   9   1   2
Halama     7.15  .412  11.1  21   2   5

Counting Down The Hours

And because we set our clocks ahead one hour tonight, the Big Eunuch's first pitch to Jesus is actually sixty minutes closer than you think.

Curt Schilling and Wade Miller were placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 26. While Schilling can be activated April 10, Miller is not expected to return until May. ... At least 10 Red Sox will be on the David Letterman show Monday night.

Bronson Arroyo was hammered in his final spring start on Thursday. Arizona clubbed him for seven runs in four innings. Last night, Tim Wakefield lasted only .2 of an inning, allowing 6 hits, 2 walks and 6 runs. The sky is falling! ... Asked if the Sox might start the season with a "hangover" from last October's success, Terry Francona said, "Our guys are fine with hangovers. It doesn't bother them a bit."

NESN will dazzle us with some new features this year. My idea: How about making sure we don't miss any pitches when coming back from commercials? Get that important aspect down first, then bring in the fancy stuff.

Gordon Edes offers some sobering facts about repeating: "In the last 75 years in the American League, only three teams have won back-to-back championships: the Yankees, the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Oakland A's. ... In the National League, Cincinnati's Big Red Machine of 1975-76 is the only team to win consecutive titles in the last 83 years."

Tizzle: "[W]hen I go to Fenway, never in my life have I ever felt like that. It's like, damn, I'm at home. This is where I want to be. Sometimes I want to be out of my house, hurry up, just because I want to be at Fenway. ... There are some days, man, when your energy is not there, but when I walk in, bro, it only takes me seconds to go back to where I want to be. I have so much fun at Fenway. These have been the best two years, man."

George Steinbrenner: "I hate to lose, anyway, you know, but to lose the way we lost is tough. That was one of the toughest things I've been through in my life." ... Tony Clark: "It took a good length of time during the off-season to turn that page. What happened was a tough pill to swallow." ... Kevin Brown took himself out of Friday's game after three innings with a "stiff and achy" back and hip. He'll miss his first start and may go on the DL.

Interesting quotes from a number of Red Sox on Byung-Hyun Kim:

Mike Myers: "He spoke good English when we were together. He'd speak enough that he noticed I wasn't going to say anything bad about him or talk behind his back. ... His biggest fear was you guys in the media and saying the wrong thing in front of his teammates because of that culture barrier. So he stayed away from people a lot because of that."

Jason Varitek: "Why he didn't fit is because he didn't want to fit in, unfortunately. He didn't want to, period. ... There has to be some kind of give. We tried to give and he just wouldn't receive it."

Mike Timlin: "To me, he was a solitary lone worker. That's all he did. He did his work. He's got tremendous talent, but he didn't connect here with anybody. He didn't try to be part of our team, that's the way I look at it."

In his first appearance with Colorado, Kim retired only one Texas batter while giving up eight runs on six hits (including two home runs). Ouch.

More predictions: Boston Globe blogger Eric Wilbur: Yankees win East, Red Sox win Wild card. AL/NLDS: Twins over Red Sox, Angels over Yankees, Padres over Cardinals, Braves over Cubs. AL/NLCS: Twins over Angels, Padres over Braves. World Series: Twins over Padres.

Opening Night: Torre has offered a partial look at is lineup: Jeter, Slappy and Sheffield are in the top three spots and Tony Womack will hit ninth. ... Boston's lineup will likely be: Damon, Renteria, Ramirez, Ortiz, Millar, Varitek, Payton, Mueller, Bellhorn.

Tell Your Story

I hate that they have to use the C word -- especially about a project by fans documenting our "dedication, perseverance and obsessiveness" -- but if you think you've got a cool story, let 'em know:

Hey Red Sox Fans, what's your story? We're doing a documentary about Red Sox Fans, and we want you to tell us what you personally did to help "break the curse"! Where were you physically and emotionally at key moments during the ALCS and World Series. We are a team of independent filmmakers who want to preserve the stories we've heard and archive them for fans everywhere. Contact us with your story at rsfans@cineking.com, including as much detail and color as you can re-live, for your chance to be interviewed on camera and become part of baseball history.

The Black Table's Baseball Preview

The Black Table, an online magazine, has a lengthy baseball preview. Besides picking the Red Sox to win another World Series and saying the Yankees will not make the playoffs at all, Will Leitch chooses one blog as "the best weblog about each team ... No real fan of a team can survive without checking out these sites on a daily basis." And he chose this blog for the Red Sox. Thanks, Will. Now:

[W]ith their victory, they have now simply become obnoxious Abercrombie & Fitch assheads who have inexplicably become, of all things, cocky. One would think one breakthrough year after 86 years of misery would instill in Red Sox fans a measure of humility and restraint. One would be wrong. ...

One could make the argument that last year's victory over the Yankees was the victory the Red Sox had been waiting for, the first step in winning the great war. But Epstein has done something that George Steinbrenner has not done; he has put together an outstanding team that will also flourish in the future. The war isn't not just starting: It's already over. The Red Sox have won. The Yankees just don't know it yet.

I snipped the part where Will admits that he is "gleefully generalizing in a ludicrously broad fashion." But cocky, obnoxious assheads? Perhaps. ... And I believe the correct term is "asshats."

I do still have an overpowering urge to cackle with glee every time I see a Yankee cap on some poor soul's head. I don't think that feeling is going away anytime soon. I think what has made (some of) us cocky and obnoxious is the way in which Boston won it all. Coming back from being flat on our backs in the grave with the national media (and any Yankee fans we knew) heaping the dirt on us was beyond amazing. Its effect was much more life-changing than if we won a "regular" seven-game series.

To be able to throw off (and throw back) all the insults and taunts that we have heard from Yankee fans for so many years -- especially that our team can't win "the big games" and collapses under intense pressure -- well, it'll take a stronger man than me to not feel somewhat superior.

Also, I agree that the progressive ideas that Epstein and the front office have embraced will now begin to separate the Red Sox from the Yankees. It all begins anew tomorrow night.

Predictions: Boston and New York Media

Boston Globe:

                 EAST     WC        WORLD SERIES
Dan Shaughnessy  Yankees  Red Sox   Angels over Cardinals
Bob Ryan         Yankees  Red Sox   Cardinals over Yankees
Jackie MacMullan Yankees  Red Sox   Yankees over Marlins
Chris Snow       Yankees  Red Sox   Yankees over Cardinals

I couldn't find the Herald's picks online. Maybe they'll run tomorrow.

New York Post

                  EAST     WC       WORLD SERIES
George King       Yankees  Red Sox  Yankees over Atlanta
Mark Hale         Yankees  Red Sox  Yankees over Atlanta
Joel Sherman      Red Sox  Yankees  Twins over Atlanta
Kevin Kernan      Yankees  Red Sox  Yankees over Marlins
Mike Vaccaro      Yankees  Red Sox  Yankees over Cardinals
Michael Morrissey Red Sox  Yankees  Yankees over Astros

Sherman picks Hideki Matsui for AL MVP; Johan Santana for AL Cy Young. Kernan picks Carlos Delgado for NL MVP and John Smoltz for NL Cy.

New York Daily News

                  EAST     WC       WORLD SERIES
Sam Borden        Yankees  Red Sox  Yankees over Atlanta
Bill Gallo        Yankees  Red Sox  Yankees over Cardinals
John Harper       Yankees  Red Sox  Yankees over Atlanta
Bill Madden       Yankees  Red Sox  Yankees over Padres
Anthony McCarron  Yankees  Red Sox  Marlins over Red Sox
Mighty Quinn      Yankees  Red Sox  Yankees over Cardinals
Adam Rubin        Yankees  Red Sox  Yankees over Marlins
Vic Ziegel        Yankees  Red Sox  Yankees over Cardinals

Madden has the Yankees at 104-58 and Red Sox at 99-63. Also:

                  AL MVP   AL CY    NL MVP   NL CY
Sam Borden        Vlad     Unit     Thome    Hudson
Bill Gallo        Slappy   Unit     Pujols   Pedro
John Harper       HMatsui  Santana  Pujols   Pedro
Bill Madden       Slappy   Santana  Pujols   JPeavy
Anthony McCarron  Ortiz    Santana  Delgado  Pedro
Mighty Quinn      Slappy   Unit     Rolen    Pedro
Adam Rubin        Slappy   Unit     Rolen    Pedro
Vic Ziegel        Vlad     Unit     Pujols   Mulder

Newsday's Ken Davidoff picks the Red Sox to win the East; Yankees in 2nd.

WS 4: Red Sox 3, Cardinals 0

Wednesday, October 27, 2004 -- a mere 31,458 days since Wednesday, September 11, 1918.

Fox's Joe Buck at 11:39 pm:

Two down. The Red Sox are one out away. ... Edgar Renteria, 2-out-of-3 tonight ... The last chance for St. Louis to extend this game. ... Pujols takes second on ball one inside, no stolen base ... [crowd chanting "Let's go, Red Sox!] ... Back to Foulke! ... Red Sox fans have longed to hear it! The Boston Red Sox are world champions!

It has been 86 years -- generations have come and gone -- and for the first time since 1918, the Boston Red Sox are champions of baseball.

Ah, but we're getting ahead of ourselves. Let's go back a little more than three hours earlier -- to 8:26 pm.

Boston 1st: Marquis pitches to Damon:

93 low inside corner, called strike
94 up and away 1-1
93 up and away 2-1
92 fastball, a little high, over the heart of the plate, hit into rcf bullpen, home run

Cabrera grounds out third to first (Rolen runs in, excellent bare-handed grab and throw). Ramirez (bcbb) walks. Ortiz (bbcsb) flies to left. Varitek (ccbbf) strikes out swinging.

Cardinals 1st: Lowe pitching. Womack (bc) singles to left center, over leaping Cabrera, thrown in by Ramirez. Walker (bt) sacrifices pitcher to first (somewhat of a surprise, trying to go near the third base line, but dragged more towards the mound, quickly fielded by Lowe), Womack to second. Pujols (f) grounds out second to first, Womack to third. Rolen (0-for-11 in WS) (fb) grounds out pitcher unassisted (swinging bunt on first base line, Rolen tagged trying to dive into bag). ... Discussion of LaRussa possibly batting Renteria #2 and Walker #4 tonight; Buck says LaRussa was worried it would look like the desperation move of a team down 0-3.

Boston 2nd: Mueller (bbc) grounds out second to first (routine). Nixon (bb) doubles to right center gap, cut off and thrown in by Walker. Bellhorn (bcbbf) walks (strike 2 deep and foul to right field). Lowe (b) bunts out third to second (Rolen runs in, slides in front of mound, pivots for throw, close play), Nixon to third, Bellhorn to second. Damon (bbcf) grounds out first unassisted.

Cardinals 2nd: Edmonds (c) flies out to left. Renteria (cbbf) grounds out third to first (hot shot, nice backhand by Mueller). Mabry (bc) flies out to right.

Boston 3rd: Cabrera (cbb) flies out to left. Ramirez (f) singles through infield into left (had hit safely in 17 consecutive post-season games, tying all-time record held by Hank Bauer and Derek Jeter). Ortiz (b) doubles down right field line into corner, Ramirez to third. [McCarver surprised LaRussa has no one up.] Varitek (bbcb) safe on fielder's choice, first to catcher, Ramirez tagged out (Pujols's casual throw in plenty of time), Ortiz to third. Mueller (bbb) walks, Varitek to second. [McCarver: Marquis is "an accident waiting to happen"; Cardinals bullpen silent.] Nixon (bbb) doubles off right center field wall (crushed), fielded by Edmonds, Ortiz and Varitek score, Mueller to third. Bellhorn (iii) walked intentionally. Lowe (b -- crowd booing; still no pen action; McCarver: "mind-boggling" -- sc -- Reyes now up -- b) strikes out swinging. Red Sox 3-0.

Cardinals 3rd: Molina (cc -- crowd booing passive batting) strikes out swinging (waves at outside pitch). Marquis (.292 during season; McCarver doesn't mind him hitting, "but sending him out there is a considerable risk for the Cardinals") grounds out shortstop to first. Womack (cbbs) grounds out shortstop to first.

Red Sox 4th: Marquis still in. Damon (fbbc) grounds out second to first (nice shovel pass). Cabrera (b - crowd silent except for "Let's Go Red Sox!" chant - fbbf) flies out to CF in left center. Ramirez (chatting between Manny and YMolina; umpire breaks it up; Tito out to see what's up (?) - bbb) flies out to center.

Cardinals 4th: St. Louis fans cheering a bit more. Walker (bbc) lines out to right (Nixon on track). Pujols (cbf) strikes out swinging. Rolen (jammed) fouls out to first.

Red Sox 5th: Ortiz (cbbfb) walks. Haren up in pen. Varitek (bbcf) strikes out looking. Mueller (cffbbb) grounds out second to first (runner off with pitch, Womack to his left, looks at second, throws to first), Ortiz to second. Nixon flies out to CF in left center. Marquis struggling, but he's the first St. Louis pitcher to pitch five full innings in the series.

Cardinals 5th: Edmonds (c) lines out to third. Renteria (bbcfb) doubles to left center gap, fielded by Damon. Mabry (b - Renteria to third on wild pitch; Varitek never gloved it; cross-up?) - ff) strikes out swinging (Mabry says he fouled it; Varitek gets ball, tag Mabry as Mabry argues with ump). Molina (bcb) grounds out shortstop to first.

Red Sox 6th: Cardinals pen quiet (Marquis leads off next inning). Bellhorn (cbcb) strikes out swinging. Lowe (f) grounds out pitcher (snared high off mound in follow-through) to first. Damon (b) triples to right center gap (liner just over 2B's leap; Walker throws in, no play at third. [Reyes up in pen.] Cabrera (bbscf) flies out to right.

Cardinals 6th: Anderson (hitting for Marquis) (c) bunts out pitcher to first (hard bunt right at Lowe). Womack (bbc) flies out to center (towards lcf). Walker (bfbb) walks. Pujols (cfb - crowd cheering/chanting - bb - outside? low? tailing fastball close; Varitek and Ortiz out to talk to Lowe!!) pops out to second (in short right center).

Red Sox 7th: Haren in. Ramirez (cbbs) strikes out swinging. Ortiz (bfb) grounds out first to pitcher. Varitek (b) flies out to CF in deep left center (Edmonds basket catch at track).

Cardinals 7th: Mientkiewicz at 1B; Arroyo and Embree up. Rolen (bfbcb) flies out to center. Edmonds lines out to center. Renteria (cb) singles to right (line drive opposite field). Mabry (fsb) strikes out swinging.

Red Sox 8th: Isringhausen up. Mueller (cb) hits line single to right. Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan visits. Nixon doubles to right field corner (third double of game for Trot), Mueller held at third. Kapler runs for Nixon; Isringhausen relieves Haren; Sanders replaces Mabry in LF. Bellhorn (bsbfb) walks, bases loaded (no outs). Reese runs for Bellhorn; Millar hits for Lowe. Millar (bbsf) strikes out swinging. Damon safe on fielder's choice, Mueller out at home, first to catcher (Pujols ranges to his right, makes excellent and accurate sidearm throw), Kapler to third, Reese to second. Cabrera (bbb - catcher throws to first - ccfff) strikes out swinging (fastball 88 up).

Cardinals 8th: Arroyo relieves Lowe; Reese at 2B; Kapler in RF; Embree, Timlin up. Cedeno (hits for Molina) (cbfb) pops out to second (Pokey in front of bag). Sanders (bfcbb) walks. Embree relieves Arroyo; Luna hits for Womack. Luna (s (92 heat up) b - Sanders steals second (no throw) - b - Cabrera to mound; middle infielders back on Sanders - f) strikes out swinging (94 heat). Walker (3-for-6 v. Embree) (f (93)) pops out to shortstop in short left. [All fastballs thrown by Embree.]

Red Sox 9th: Luna at 2B; Matheny at C. Ramirez grounds out third to first (Rolen fields it on the line). Mientkiewicz (b) pops out to shallow right. Varitek (bfcbff) singles to left (opposite field). [Foulke up] Mueller (t) grounds into fielder's choice, Varitek out shortstop unassisted.

Cardinals 9th: Foulke relieves Embree. Pujols (cbff) singles up the middle (through Foulke's legs) into center field. Rolen (0-for-14 in WS) (csb) flies out to right (routine catch). Edmonds (first live shot of fans in a Boston bar (Fox showed Sox fans at a New York City bar earlier)) (s (89 middle) f (runner off/75 fouled off 3b side) struck out swinging (90 fastball). Renteria (b - Pujols to second on indifference) grounded out pitcher to first.

***********

John Henry, cradling the trophy: "Last week, we all watched the greatest comeback in the history of sports -- and this week, every -- every fan across the country, across the world, in New England especially, all of our fans, have waited all their lives for this night, and it's finally here. We -- these guys did it for you, New England."

Sidd Finch -- 20 Years Later

Alan Schwarz in today's Times:

It was 20 years ago this week that Sports Illustrated ran one of its most celebrated articles, "The Curious Case of Sidd Finch" - in which George Plimpton crafted a 14-page exposé on a bizarre, out-of-nowhere Mets phenom who fired baseballs at a stupefying 168 miles an hour. "Crafted," of course, is what Plimpton truly did - the story was pure fiction. It instantly became its generation's "War of the Worlds," leaving thousands of frenzied fans either delighted at the April Fools' prank or furious at being duped. ...

When Sports Illustrated hit the newsstands several days before the April 1 cover date, "The Curious Case of Sidd Finch" staggered baseball and beyond. Two major league general managers called the new commissioner, Peter Ueberroth, to ask how Finch's opponents could even stand at the plate safely against a fastball like that. The sports editor of one New York newspaper berated the Mets' public relations man, Jay Horwitz, for giving Sports Illustrated the scoop.

A couple of years later, sadly, Plimpton turned the article into a full-length novel. I admit that I have not read the book -- although the actual SI article sits in a box somewhere in Redsock Manor -- but it strikes me as a terrible decision, on par with Spinal Tap actually going on tour, playing actual concerts.

You can read Plimpton's April 1, 1985 article here.

Will Carroll Speaks

The BP writer and author talks to Red Sox bloggers Evan Brunell and Marc Normandin.

From Evan's Q&A, comments on the staff and Wade Miller:

"The rotation should be much like last season for the Sox. A lot of solid innings, a lot of worry about the breakdown, some efficient use of depth, finding rest, and using the minors when necessary. I think the bullpen is actually a little bit better, taking some of the load off. ... [B]arring serious injury to one of the main starters, there's no value in rushing [Miller]. Sure, he could pitch in May, but knowing what we know about the situation, that's not the optimal usage. Thinking of Miller as a mid-season acquisition is the best thing."

Carroll talks about steroid usage in both interviews, though in more depth at Marc's blog.

WS 3: Red Sox 4, Cardinals 1

At the time of this game (Tuesday, October 26), I did not post any comments on the game, so I took notes last night.

Boston 1st: The first four hitters -- Damon, Cabrera, Ramirez and Ortiz -- accomplish two things: they make Jeff Suppan throw a lot of pitches and they hit him very hard. Damon lines out to right, Cabrera is retired on a line drive that hangs up in the soggy air long enough for Jim Edmonds to run it down, Ramirez hammers a home run to deep left, and Ortiz lines a single. Varitek ends the inning with a force out. Suppan: 24 pitches. The Sox did the same thing with Matt Morris in the first inning of Game 2, making him throw 32 pitches.

Cardinals 1st: Pedro, one day after his 33rd birthday, is pitching with extra rest in his first World Series game -- and what will be his final appearance in a Red Sox uniform. He gets Edger Renteria on a grounder to second, but he walks Larry Walker. Pujols hits a hard grounder to third. Mueller dives to his right, trying to short-hop it, but it squirts under his glove and rolls into foul territory. Rolen walks on five pitches to load the bases. Cardinals fans are chanting "Paaay-dro!" (to the tune of the classic "Dar-ryl"). On 2-2, Edmonds (2-for-20 lifetime against Pedro, though that was (mostly, if not entirely) in 1998 and 1999) flies out to short left field. Manny has plenty of time and he makes a perfect throw home to nail Walker. Double play, inning over. Pedro: 23 pitches.

Red Sox 2nd: Quick inning for Suppan. Mueller lines to center, Nixon pops to short and Bellhorn strikes out.

Cardinals 2nd: A 1-2-3 inning for Pedro also. Sanders flies to shallow left, Womack grounds to second and Matheny strikes out. Pedro is not sharp. He's missing with a lot of high fastballs.

Red Sox 3rd: Pedro leads off, watches four pitches (three of them are strikes) and goes back to the dugout. Damon grounds out to second. Cabrera works a full count walk. Ramirez flies to right. Suppan: 52 pitches through three innings.

Cardinals 3rd: Suppan reaches on an infield single, tapping the ball slowly down the third base line and beating the throw from Mueller, who was playing relatively deep. With Renteria batting, Suppan is nearly picked off, but he flops back to the bag. Renteria belts a ball to the opposite field -- Nixon slips and falls on the soggy warning track -- and it's a double. Second and third, no outs. With Walker up, the infield is back. Boston is willing to let St. Louis tie the game in exchange for an out.

Walker grounds out to second on the first pitch. Renteria is 3/4 of the way to third, but Suppan is barely off third bag. Ortiz fires across the diamond and Suppan is out. Double play 4-3-5. Replays show Suppan darting back and forth, unsure of what to do -- with his third base coach giving up about halfway through the farce (he throws his hands up and turns away). Renteria has to scamper back to second. Pujols grounds out to third and Boston escapes unscathed. ... McCarver: "You cannot butcher up a play any worse than Suppan just did."

Red Sox 4th: Boston comes back and scores with two outs. Mueller doubles to left center and scores on Nixon's single over Walker's head in right. Nine of Boston's 19 runs in the World Series so far have been with two outs.

Cardinals 4th: Pedro finds his groove. 10 pitches, 8 strikes. Rolen grounds to third, Edmonds flies to center, Sanders strikes out.

Red Sox 5th: Damon begins with a double to right, also over Walker's head. He's being cautious out there in the soppy grass. Cabrera shows bunt and then dumps a single to right. First and third. LaRussa calls the bullpen; Reyes starts warming during Ramirez's at-bat. Manny grounds a single into left, Damon scores. Red Sox 3-0. Ortiz flies out to center, but Cabrera does not advance. Varitek forces Manny at second (nice stab by Pujols at first to start the play; the relay is late) and Cabrera takes third. Mueller gives Boston a fourth run with a single to right.

Red Sox 6th: Facing Kiko Calero, Cabrera doubles to left center and Ramirez walks. In comes Ray King, who gets Ortiz to ground to first. He walks Varitek on four pitches (an unintentional intentional walk to load the bases) and gets Mueller to hit into a double play to third base.

Cardinals 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th: After Renteria's double in the third, only one more St. Louis hitter reaches base (Walker's home run in the bottom of the 9th).

4th: Rolen (cs) 5-3. Edmonds (f) F8. Sanders (cbbs) K.
5th: Womack (cbcbff) K. Matheny P6. Anderson (b) P5.
6th: Renteria (cfb) 4-3. Walker (b) P4. Pujols (bbcc) K.
7th: Rolen (bb) 3U. Edmonds (cbbsb) K. Sanders (csfb) K.
8th: Timlin in. Womack (c) 5-3. Cedeno (bcs) 6-3. Mabry (bb) 3U.
9th: Foulke in. Renteria (bfbfb) K. Walker (ff) homered to left center. Pujols (b) F7. Rolen (cbf) K.

Cardinals 9th: Fox shows a fan wearing a Cubs jersey and a Cardinals hat. WTF? Can you imagine someone at Fenway Park or Yankee Stadium with a Red Sox hat and a Yankee uniform shirt?

Rant: Joe Buck on Foulke (paraphrased): "If you're looking for a difference between the Red Sox in 2003 and the Red Sox now, you're looking at him." Buck goes right into the old "committee" crapola and says now that Boston has a "real" closer, things are looking good. Yes, Foulke is better than anyone the Red Sox had closing during the 2003 season, but Foulke goes to sleep every night hoping to be as lights-out as the Sox bullpen (Timlin, Embree, Williamson) was in the 2003 ALCS. If only that fucking idiotic shitwit Gump hadn't refused to use them when it mattered most.

Also: Spotted in my neighborhood on dinner dog walk: Guy with worn Yankees warmup jacket and a crisp, out-of-the-box, nearly-gleaming Cardinals hat -- Double Loser!

WS 2: Red Sox 6, Cardinals 2

Sunday, October 24. Again, here is my post after the game.

In six innings, St. Louis manages eight baserunners, but Schilling gets outs when he needs to. Boston makes four errors for the second consecutive game -- something no World Series team has ever done. And yet, the miscues do little harm, and the Red Sox have won both games. ... After Schilling leaves, Embree strikes out the side in the seventh. Timlin allows a run in the eighth before Foulke retires the final four batters.

Fox's sideline reporter Chris Myers is simply horrible. Tonight, he's sent out to the center field bleachers to interview an elderly woman named Annie who is scoring the game in her own scorebook. Myers opens with a patronizing question: "Did you ever think you'd see the Red Sox so close to a championship?" Annie fires right back: "They've been close before! '86, one pitch away, one strike. Shoulda had it."

During Fox's ALCS coverage, Myers obligated to work the words "Aaron" and "Boone" into every question, so he must know how close the Red Sox came in 1986. Did he assume this older woman was that uninformed? Was he humoring her? ... Annie's complaints and praise of the team stampted her as a true fanatic and she offered as much analysis as you'd hear in any random minute from McCarver.

From watching NESN's "Fan of the Game" interviews, I know Fenway is well-populated with gray-haired women who have been devoutly following the Red Sox forever. And they know their shit.