Tag: Red Sox

Baseball Surprise

The Red Sox have been dreadful this year. A complete embarrassment. No one thought it would be this bad again.

Or so I thought.

I just looked at the standings. They are 73-80 right now. They have nine games remaining. If they could magically go 8-1 over those nine games they would finish the season at 81-81 for an even .500 record.

Prior to the season starting my thought was that they would not be very good this year, but they would be better than last year. I thought the upside would be a .500 record. That or something close to it.

By June I had changed my tune. Last place with a bullet! They suck to high heaven! They are going to lose 100 games!

Who knew that my original prediction was going to be so close to correct. They have a legitimate chance to finish only a few games shy of .500. I am totally shocked! It is amazing what can happen when you are out of contention before the all-star break!

500 Home Runs

David Ortiz hit his 500th career home run last night.  Finally, something in this dreadful season for Red Sox fans to celebrate.

Remember when 500 home runs made you a lock for the hall of fame?  I do.  Then steroids happened.  Thanks a ton, steroids.

I want Papi in the hall of fame, I honestly do.  There is just so much working against him.  The steroid link alone will keep him out, at least for a while.  There is also his position.  Despite the 500 home runs and three championships, he’s a designated hitter and no one takes that seriously.  Even without that steroid test he still probably would not have made it in.

Regardless of what happens after he retires, he is the best clutch hitter I’ve ever seen with arguably the best post season resume in baseball history.  Congratulations to David Ortiz on reaching such a huge milestone.

Happy Fathers Day

Happy Fathers Day to all the Dad’s out there, especially my Dad.

There was a thread on twitter this morning asking people to share their favorite sports memory of their dad. For me it’s easy.

July 24, 1979. I was eight years old and my father took me to Fenway Park for the first time. The Red Sox were playing the A’s. Dennis Eckersley pitched for Boston. The Sox won 7-3. Dwight Evans hit a monster home run over the screen in left (which doesn’t exist anymore). Fred Lynn made a diving catch in center field. The only thing missing from the script was Jerry Remy was injured and didn’t play.

It was the seventh inning. The Sox were up 3-2. There was one runner on base. My father had told me a few weeks before that Yaz had hit his 399th home run. I didn’t really get the significance of that, but he told me that 400 was kind of a big deal. We were sitting behind the Sox dugout. I can’t really remember how far back we were. I don’t remember if we were under the roof or not. I don’t think so, but I know we weren’t that close. We probably were. I was eight years old and it was my first time there so I felt like I was practically on the grass. Everything looked bigger and smaller at the same time.

When Yaz stepped up to the plate the crowd got pretty excited. It had been almost a month since his last home run and everyone was hanging on every at bat. My father yelled out, and I’ll never forget this, “Come on Yaz, I can feel it in my bones!” Yaz hit the first pitch Mike Morgan threw and that was all I saw. The little kid sized me had my view blocked when every single human being in the stadium jumped to their feet. I caught a very brief glimpse of the Oakland right fielder up against the fence in front of the A’s bullpen. I caught a very brief glimpse of Yaz rounding first. That was it. I know he came out for a curtain call before the first pitch to the next batter, but I don’t think I saw it. He came out for another one after the game as the 30,000 or so fans chanted, “We want Yaz!” and just wouldn’t go home. I saw him wave to the stands. I was probably standing on my chair.

So many things about that night are permanently burned into my memory. Nothing about it though compares to my father actually calling the pitch. That was a little extra awesome sauce poured over a perfect night.

Hockey Hate

The two NHL teams I hate the most, the New York Rangers and the effin’ jerkwads the Montreal Canadians are both losing in their second round playoff series. Wouldn’t it be something if they both got bounced in the same round.

It wouldn’t make up for the lack of post-season Bruins, but it would be pretty sweet.

Oh, and the Red Sox just took the lead in the bottom of the third.

I’ll enjoy all of this while I can.

Day Four – Identify Your Audience

Today’s blogging 101 prompt is to identify your target audience, and write a post directed at them.

I’ve been struggling with this idea (well… not really struggling) since I started using Blogger a little more than six years ago. Who was I writing to? Who did I want to read what I wrote? Do I want to pick a specific topic and stick to it?

No. I wanted it to be a source for any stray idea that popped into my pea brain. No topic. If I wanted to post about photography, I would post about photography.
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If I wanted to post about music, I would post about music.

(and hey, did anyone else know you could embed tracks from spotify into wordpress.com posts? I didn’t, but I do now. It’s possible an entire new world of goofiness may have just opened to me)

If I want to post about the Red Sox (I’m seeing a .500 team with an amazing offense and a mediocre pitching staff, and what do you mean Castillo is already injured?) or the Bruins (what do you mean Connolly is already injured?) I will. If I want to post millions of camera phone pictures of my cat acting like a lazy asshole, then I will.

What it comes down to is simple. I will write whatever I feel like, whenever I feel like it.

Does that mean I don’t have a target audience? Maybe, but no. It does not. There is a target audience. There is someone for whom each post is targeted.

Hi Jen. I love you with all my heart. I hope your having a good morning at work. Smoooooch.

Bruins and History Repeating Itself

Think back to the early Spring…

Remember when the Red Sox season was about to start and everyone was sure they would be contenders this year? I mean, they were World Series Champs after all. Remember how after the season started it became clear that they couldn’t score runs at all and they ended up in dead last place after a full season of suck?

I sure hope that doesn’t happen to the Bruins… who have only managed one goal in each of their first four games and are currently holding a 1-3 record.

Boy… that would suck, huh?

Baseball: Temporary Allegiance

So I guess we can all agree that the Red Sox aren’t going to make the post season. It’s time to start thinking about which teams I want to root for during the playoffs. My allegiance will of course be temporary. It will only last until the World Series ends. Then it’s 100% Red Sox again.

I usually go for the A’s when they’re still in it. Right now they are in a three way tie for the two wild card spots in the AL, along with Kansas City and Detroit. I’m hoping Detroit is the odd man out of that race. I like Oakland and Kansas City. The Tigers? Not so much. There’s also the Angels, but I don’t think so. Too obvious, with Mike Trout and all. Baltimore? An AL East team? Oh hells no. I think in the American League I’ll go with the Oakland A’s for as long as they’re in it. Then when Jon Lester resigns with Boston over the summer it will be even nicer. (not going to happen though)

In the National League? San Diego! My second favorite city! But wait… they suck again? Oh yeah. So not them. Washington, maybe. Then when the Red Sox lure away their whole roster next year I’ll be more familiar with everyone. St. Louis is an option, but only in the World Series and only because their total World Series Championship count is second only to the Yankees. Any team that can knock the Yankees off of that perch is worth support (although they have a long, long, looooooong way to go) The Dodgers? Hell no. The Giants? Nope. Both teams are still too New York for me. Pittsburgh? Maybe. Atlanta or Milwaukee? Maybe and Maybe.

I guess when the Red Sox season ends I’ll throw most of my fanboydom over to Oakland, and maybe a little to St Louis. At least that’s how it would be if it all ended today. First things first, the A’s need to clinch one of those wild card spots and get themselves into the dance.

Red Sox Weirdness

It’s so strange, but now that the Red Sox have no starting pitchers on their roster, they are somehow more interesting. They are also playing a pretty good game against the Yankees tonight.

Why is that? Is it lovable loser syndrome?