Tag: Red Sox

Hall of Fame

David Ortiz is a first ballot Hall of Famer. He was the greatest post season performer I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching. He was the best clutch hitter, period.

I’m still conflicted though. I’m one of those miserable assholes who wants steroid users kept out of the hall. Ortiz never tested positive, but a year before the testing officially went into effect they tested the testing process. A few years later the names of the players who tested positive during the test leaked and his name was on it.

Is that enough? I’ve been asking myself that question for five years and now that the moment of truth has arrived I think I’m okay with it. If that makes me a hypocrite then I guess I’m a hypocrite.

It’s not me being a Red Sox homer though. I’m 100% against Roger Clemens getting in and no one rooted for him more than I did when he played for the Red Sox. I was also one of those miserable old pricks who was seriously hoping he’d come back for one year to end his career with us.

Speaking of Roger, he, Bonds, and Sosa, steroids users all, failed to get in on their 10th try which means they are off the ballot. There are still a couple of ways for them to get in, but for now at least they are out. I’m fine with that.

The important thing though is that David Ortiz is a Hall of Famer. Congratulations, Big Papi.

Lock Out

Did you hear that Major League Baseball locked out the players union? The first work stoppage since 1995 I think. Is this another case of billionaires bitching that millionaires are taking too much money?

At least the Bruins have a 2-0 lead over Nashville in the third. That’s something at least.

Sportsball Bummers

I didn’t see the Bruins game yesterday. I know they played Vancouver and somehow did not win by 20, which is sort of telling as to how the season is going so far. Vancouver is having a really, really bad time this year and we didn’t slaughter them. We’re not that good either, I fear. I didn’t want to admit it, but there it is.

Anyway, I didn’t see the game, so I didn’t see the play in question, but Brad Marchand was suspended for three games today. Now I don’t want to see the play because… crud. Just what we need.

So hockey is frustrating these days. What about baseball? Baseball can’t be frustrating. It’s the offseason, right? Well, here’s how out of touch I am. I learned today that we’re a couple of days away from a lock out. Oh, lovely.

Both of the sports I am following are bumming me out, big time. Crud. Again. Crud.

The Boston Penguins? The Pittsburgh Red Sox?

I’m a little conflicted about this one even though it makes zero difference to the universe from my perspective, and also because it’s not actually close to happening. But…

The Fenway Sports Group, the company that owns the Boston Red Sox, is in talks to purchase the Pittsburgh Penguins.
(https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/32646194/fenway-sports-group-advanced-talks-purchase-pittsburgh-penguins-source-says)*

Does this matter? No, no it doesn’t. I have no problem rooting for this company’s baseball team while rooting against their hockey team. None at all. The only things I would ask are that they change the name of the Penguins arena back to The Igloo because, let’s face it, that name pretty much rules. Second, once the seven year grace period mentioned in the article is over, MOVE THEIR ASSES TO BOSTON. If not Boston then maybe Hartford. I hate the Penguins with a passion. I don’t hate them as much as I hate the Canadiens or the Rangers, but I hate them. Still, if New York can have two teams, the Rangers and the Islanders (three if you count the Devils next door in New Jersey. I hate the Islanders too, and I also hate the Devils. I hear Jesus hates the Devils** too) then why the hell can’t Boston support two teams? Granted, New York is about 10031503135 times bigger than Boston, but anything those creeps can do, we can do better. Blah! Suck it, New York! Burn!

If you can’t move the Penguins to Boston, then move them to Hartford. For a couple of reasons. One, brass bonanza. Two, it would be fun to watch the Civic Center roof collapse on the Penguins. Three, as much as I hate them, I do sort of missing having The Whale right next door.

According to the article, there is a deal on the table but the Fenway Sports Group needs to approve it, and then the NHL also needs to approve it. I would guess that those two steps mean that any potential sale is still a long way off, and again it won’t effect us at all. Still… maybe it would be weird to actively root against the folks who own the Red Sox. That’s not going to stop me from happily doing it though. Go Bruins. Bite me, Penguins.

*Wordpress.com’s post editor keeps saying that I am successfully adding a link to that line of text, but every time I click publish and then click the link it opens to a blank page.

**Back in the days when my brother and sister and I were buying 10 game partial season ticket packages for the Boston Bruins we went to a game against the New Jersey Devils. There was a guy sitting up in the balcony near us who was chanting, at the top of this voice, “Jesus hates the Devils” and that guy, whoever and where ever he may be, gets an A+ in life.

Jerry Remy

Jerry Remy passed away last night. Former Red Sox second baseman, decades long Red Sox color commentator, president of Red Sox Nation. Two of those are real things, the other is a marketing gimmick that actually happened. Which is which? You decide.

How many Sox games did he broadcast? Many. Many, many. He was the starting second baseman when I first started following the Red Sox. That was 1978 or so. I clearly remember him going to the disabled list in ’79. It was late in the season when my father took me to Fenway for the first time. The game had everything. Ek started (and won). Lynn made a diving catch in Center. Evans and Yaz both homered, Evans’ cleared the screen in left, and Yaz’ was the 400th of his career. It was a pretty freakin’ awesome game. The only thing I was disappointed about was Remy was injured and didn’t play.

He lost a long fight with cancer. How many times did he go on leave from NESN to fight cancer, then come back, then go on leave again? Many times. Rest in peace, Jerry Remy. Dude is bunting for base hits off the angels now.

Heading into the Eighth

Heading into the top of the eighth, we are still down 2-0. What a frustrating game!

They ran themselves out of a promising inning in the seventh. Two on and one out and the inning ended on a strike out/caught stealing double play. It was awful.

Two innings to go. Come on Red Sox bats, wake up!

No More No No

The Red Sox broke up the no hitter with a two out triple in the top of the sixth. One pitch later the inning ended. We are still down 1-0 but both teams are into the bullpens now. That feels like an advantage for the Astros but we will have to see.

The Bruins beat the Sabers tonight and UMass Lowell tied Michigan State. I could really go for the Red Sox giving me an undefeated night. Defense needs to hold them at one run, and the offense needs to wake the frick up!

Go Red Sox. Please.

Pretty please.

ADDENDUM: As I was clicking publish the Astros lead off the bottom of the sixth with a triple. Ugh.

Trailing After Four

Stress.

The Red Sox are down 1-0 after four innings. They are hitless. Nothing. Zero.

The Astros had runners at second and third with no outs in the fourth and Eovaldi came roaring back to strike out the side and strand the runners. Could that swing the momentum?

Nope. Garcia is mowing us down in the top of the fifth. Three up and three down. The no hitter is now through five innings.

Shit.