Pedro!

"It is emotional. Unless you don't have a heart or you're made of ice you wouldn't feel that, and if you're made of ice you would probably melt. I was really emotional and I appreciate it so much." -- Pedro Martinez (From Boston.com)

Tonight: Josh Beckett vs Pedro Martinez 7:05/4:05 PT

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Get well soon Peter Gammons. Our thoughts are with you.

Proof That Red Sox Fans Rock

The Yankees and Marlins were rained out on Saturday afternoon and the game was rescheduled for 8pm on Sunday as the second half of a day/night doubleheader. What was the attendance at Yankee Stadium for that game?

6,809

(No, that number is not missing zeros. Yankee Stadium was 88.2% empty.)

As we all know, the Red Sox and Phillies also had a game rained out this weekend. It was played on Monday DURING THE WORKDAY. What was the attendance at Fenway?

36,459

See? Red Sox fans rock.

Hat tip to Jere who tries to make sense of the "Real Empty Environs".

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Big Papi Does it Again...I think he is Superman

Okay, so usually when a professional athlete performs above and beyond what is considered to be the "realm of human possibility," we start to wonder whether he or she has used some type of illegal performance enhancing substance. In the case of David Ortiz, the discussion should be, "Is he actually HUMAN?"

Many players go their entire career without even one clutch walkoff hit and now Ortiz follows up a walkoff home run on Saturday with a twelfth inning game winning single on Monday? Has anyone searched for this in the back of his closet? Tested his blood for abnormalities? Checked for an aversion to Kryptonite? He just seems too good to be true.

Nine in a row. Bring on the Mets!

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Bill Mueller's Career Could Be At Risk

It's never good to hear grim news about an old friend -- especially one who did more than his part to help the Red Sox win the 2004 World Series. The Los Angeles Dodgers are reporting that Bill Mueller is "holding out hope", but after having knee surgery that did not improve his condition, his career could be "at risk":

"I'm bone on bone in three different places," said the 35-year-old Mueller, who underwent a third operation on the knee in May. "Right now, I can't even walk on it without it swelling up...I've been hoping for anything that helps."

Mueller Holding Out Hope, By Ken Gurnick

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Big Papi Called Walkoff

(Photo from Boston.com)

As David Ortiz strode to the plate in the 10th inning Saturday, I proudly stated that I would eat a raw habenero pepper if he didn't hit a walkoff home run. (Anyone who knows me is well aware that if I had to follow through on this it would be no easy task.)

Big Papi may have called his walkoff shot too. According to the Globe: "Alex Gonzalez said he heard David Ortiz tell one of the grounds crew members before the bottom of the 10th, 'That's it'...'He wanted to be the hero and he did it' said Gonzalez."

Awesome.

Monday: Cory Lidle vs Tim Wakefield 1:05/10:05 am PT

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Be Dan Shaughnessy

Boston Sports Media Watch is conducting the best contest ever. Bruce Allen writes:

"Next week, the New York Mets come into town, and of course with them will be Pedro Martinez. We know Shaughnessy will write a column about the return of Pedro. You probably have a good idea what it is going to read like. So write it. That's right, write Shaughnessy's column about Pedro's return, complete with all the phrases and references he's bound to use. When you're done, email it to me. I'll go through them, and when Dan's column appears, (Right now Pedro is lined up to pitch on Wednesday) whoever's column is the most like Dan's in both style and substance will win a prize."

I can't wait to see what they come up with.

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Joe Thornton is pretty darn psyched about taking home the Hart Trophy as MVP of the NHL. He received the award at the NHL's award ceremony in Vancouver, BC Thursday night.

Despite my anguish over the fact that Thornton won the Hart as a Shark and not as a member of the Bruins, this photo is hilarious.

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Photo from sportsline.com

What A Difference A Week Makes

(Photo from Boston.com)

One week ago today we stumbled out of bed, powered up our computers and leafed through our newspapers to read about what appeared to be the sinking ship that was the Red Sox season. The Sox had just been swept convincingly by the Twins. There were ghastly photos of exasperated pitchers and a slew of articles that read a lot like this:

"How come it feels like the SS Francona is taking on water and there aren't enough lifeboats? Maybe it's because the Sox have stopped hitting (six runs in 30 innings in the Metrodome), their pitching is shredding, and they've lost four straight games for the first time since May 2005."-- Dan Shaughnessy (Globe)

What we witnessed last Friday morning was "rock bottom." Here we are a week later and the Sox have not lost again. The team is back in first place, -- two games up on the Yankees--- the offense is alive and kicking, one highly touted rookie has won two straight decisions, and the bullpen has been well...better. What a difference a week makes.

Man hugs and ice cold vitamin water all around.

Tonight: Josh Beckett vs Ryan Madson 7:05/4:05 PT - Keep it rollin'.

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Hello. Wage the intern here. I am in charge today while our staff celebrates a birthday. Today Drunken Bleachers cofounder and super Sox Fan Chris, turns 29. Happy Birthday Chris!

I am supposed to be writing an in-depth analysis of Tuesday's 11-3 Sox victory but my pal Trivia Guy alerted me of this dating service for Red Sox fans. I am busy working on my profile. Chicks always tell me that I am "too orange" or they complain that my eyes are "always open", but I am a wicked huge Sox fan. Do you think I can score a date?

Tonight: Jon Lester vs. Shawn Hill 7:05/4:05 PT - Let's hope that Lester bribes the lineup for run support as well as Wakefield does.

Go Sox!!

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Tonight: Royals' castoff Kyle 6'8" Snyder vs Tony Armas 7:05/4:05 PT

Drink heavily as needed.

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Giraffe @ Fenway photo by bruno1378 via Flickr

It's Dad's Day

Happy Father's day to my dad and to all of the other Sox lovin' dads out there!

Thanks Dad for passing down your love of baseball and for playing catch with me so that I learned to throw NOT quite "like a girl."

To watch tonight with Dad: Schilling vs. Smoltz 8:05/5:05 PT

Go Sox!!

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The best possible news for Red Sox Nation:

The Sox don't play in Minnesota again until 2007. Damn that Metrodome.

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Photo by sopheava via Flickr

"You can't run away from trouble. There ain't no place that far. "

Life was better on Wednesday morning when we could eat our flapjacks and delude ourselves with the idea that the Red Sox really do have quality young relief pitchers stashed away in the bullpen and that Terry Francona just refused to use them in pressure situations.

After last night's 8-1 loss, we now know that "the young guys," Jermaine Van Buren (9.64 ERA) and Manny Delcarmen (5.25 ERA), aren't any better than "the old guys."

Today we'll just have to chug our morning coffee and wage bets on which faction of the Sox bullpen will give up a grand slam tonight.

Theo help.

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Any sentence containing the words "bat boy" and the phrase "open-field tackle" has to be worth posting about. Here is some comic relief from Dave Campbell's AP article:

"A couple of customers interrupted the top of the eighth inning, running all over the field before their capture. One of the men managed to high-five Hunter and sprint around the bases. After a headfirst slide into home, the (Red Sox) bat boy slammed him to the turf with a perfect open-field tackle and pinned him down until security arrived. "As soon as the guy rounded third, there weren't any guards around, so I thought I'd hit him," said Nate Reese, 25, who received plenty of praise afterward in both clubhouses."

Update: Deadspin actually just posted this amazing video of the tackle:


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Title quote by Uncle Remus
Photo from sportsline.com

Was Tuesday's loss the most painful of the season so far, or am I overreacting?

Recovery Tonight: Clement vs. Radke 8:10/5:10 PT - It's Flag Day and Youk is back batting leadoff. Coincidence?

Go Sox!

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Big Papi on AT&T Home Turf

David Ortiz gives us a tour of his Green Bay, Wisconsin home in the first installment of AT&T's "Home Turf" series. The purpose of the video is to promote AT&T products ("See how AT&T can hook you up like your favorite players!"), but it's amusing anyway because well...it's Big Papi.

Who would have guessed that the big guy watches the tv show Gunsmoke?

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High Trek Adventure Results

Nantucket Greg and Boston Dan

BOSTON, MA --Last week, Drunken Bleachers sponsored a team in the High Trek Adventure race in Boston. It was the inaugural Boston adventure race for the fledgling company and it drew about 40 teams of two from different parts of southern New England. Team Bleachers was comprised of Boston Dan and Nantucket Greg. The race itself requires teams to solve 12 different clues that lead to locations spread throughout Boston and Cambridge. Teams may only run or use public transportation to reach their destinations. To decide the order in which teams leave the start line, there is a 5 minute 20 question trivia quiz.

Team Bleachers was the first team to arrive at the start line and so wore number 101 on their race bibs. Apparently, Boston Dan (an infamously poor scheduler) thought that check-in was at Noon but it was actually at 1pm, which made their arrival at 11:15am all the more comical. Especially since they showed up in full Insoxicated uniforms and donned the eye black. As each team arrived, Boston Dan told them that they might as well go home because they had no change to win. The intent, ostensibly, was to intimidate the opponents but it only succeeded in giving Team Bleacher the a reputation of being "The Insane Team". Nonetheless, our misguided entrants were awarded 3 minute head start.

At first the going was slow for Greg and Dan. Neither realized how completely out of shape they were until trying to run from Fenway Park to Copley Square. Some of the clues presented a challenge but the team had prepared for this. Since the use of cell phones was permitted, a war room was created and staffed by Cap'n Mac who was equipped with 3 computers, maps, schedules and a 6-pack of Pabst Blue Ribbon. Mac was instrumental in providing help with difficult clues and finding the best routes to take.

Team Bleachers began the race at Fenway Park and then ran to the first destination which was a convenience store in Back Bay. From there is was off to the statue of Cy Young on Northeastern's campus. Clues three through five required a trip to Jamaica Plain. One clue in particular really shook Boston Dan's confidence. It asked teams to solve an equation written in Roman Numerals. Dan, a noted Math Opponent, smelled trouble. The solution to the equation led to a certain street address on Centre St. in JP.... 389 to be precise.

From there is was off to Faneuil Hall to solve this clue: "There is a band that shares its name with a type of spy plane. There is an establishment with in a 1/2 mile of Government Center that shares its name with a song by this band."

Greg knew that there was a type of spy plane called a U2. Dan was able to contribute his intimate knowledge of all 'establishments' in and around Boston and knew that there is a bar/club called Vertigo on State St. Mackie looked up the exact address and relayed the best route to Greg and Dan. This is how most of the day went.

The last remote destination was Harvard Square where there were 3 final clues to solves. Upon arriving in the Square, Team Bleachers spotted 2 other teams all at the exact same point in the race. It was going to be tight. All 3 teams solved their clues at the same time and the race looked like it would be won by the first person to return to Fenway. Team Bleachers was at a crossroads. Was it faster to take the T ( Red line to Park St. and then Green Line to Kenmore)? Or would it be faster to run? Keep in mind that at this point in the race, Greg and Dan would not be running very fast. The other teams chose to run so Team Bleachers Gambled on the T ...Gambled and lost.

Greg and Dan returned to Fenway 4th out of 40 teams. There were prizes for places 1, 2 and 3. First prize being round trip airfare to anywhere in the US.

Lessons learned:
1. Fewer beers in April will perhaps improved the team's fitness.
2. People don't like riding the T while sitting next to two sweaty, very smelly dudes wearing eye black.
3. Someone should research rocket powered roller skates. If said skates were labeled "Public Transport" and available to the public everyday, would they count as public transportation?
4. David Wells is a Bum. But we already knew that.

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Back at Fenway

"Fenway" Photo by girlzone41 via Flickr

Let's hope that the rain holds off for the Sox four games against the Rangers. See you on the other side of the weekend.

Go Sox!

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Six Things To Dig About Last Night

Photo by Shutterbg via Flickr

The Red Sox avoided a sweep in the Bronx Thursday with an impressive 9-3 victory over the Yanks. Here is a short list of what there was to dig about last night:

1. Curt Schilling (9-2) who "still has some tricks up his sleeve", earned his AL leading 9th win by allowing only four hits in eight innings (three of which were home runs) .

2. Pyramid Apricot Weizen Ale in a tall curvaceous glass.

3. Jason Varitek's bat finally came alive.

4. There were no Curtain Calls.

5. The Papel-bot struck out A-Rod to end the game.

6. 55,225 Yankees fans (shown above) went home unhappy.*

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*Priceless. (sorry)

The Kid Is (Almost) All Right

Raise your hand if you stood up in your living room and gave David Pauley a standing ovation as he left the game in the seventh inning.

Uhmm...okay, maybe that was just me. I was moved to cheer the impressive and poised pitching performance by the kid. Too bad the Sox couldn't provide him with some run support.

Raise your hand if you hurled a piece of chocolate cake at the television when Rudy Seanez walked in the go ahead run.

I thought so. It was unnerving that Seanez was the Sox "go to guy" with the game on the line, but considering the depleted bullpen, who else should Terry Francona have gone to in that situation?

A couple more questions:

1. Are any Red Sox fans still cheering for Johnny Damon? I hope not. His little celebration following Melky Cabrera's game saving catch was more than any self-respecting Sox fan could take.

2. What is the deal with the Yankees making curtain calls after every home run?

Tonight: Curt Schilling vs. Jaret Wright 7:05/4:05 PT - Go Sox!

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Photos from Boston.com

Nomar In Hollywood

If you're anything like me, you still have a soft spot for Nomar. You can't quite find a way to drop that #5 Red Sox jersey into the Salvation Army bin. In the end, you're glad that he was traded because the Sox won the World Series, but you never believed for a second that Nomar was the "clubhouse cancer" that the press made him out to be.

That's why it is always a delight to read about Nomar "alive and doing extremely well" even if he is in LA. It is nice to know too that in a way he felt a part of the Sox championship season. From the New York Times:

"It definitely was difficult," Garciaparra, 32, said. "I didn't want to go anywhere. Then one day I'm told they no longer wanted me. That was very difficult. You give your whole heart and soul and suddenly you have to pack up and move."

Adding injury to insult, the Red Sox won the World Series without him. More depression?

"I felt such a part of it," he said. "Guys were calling me through the whole run. 'Did you see the game? We're thinking about you. You're with us.' They called from the bus. I called them and congratulated them."

When it was over, Garciaparra received a Series share and a ring. "It's a championship season, not a championship series," he said.

Is it Hollywood? Garciaparra Is Not Taking Calls by Murray Chass, New York Times

Nomah!

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Mulligan

Uhmm...could we just call a Mulligan on Monday's ugly game?

A complete "do over" would be ideal. The results would be different. I'm sure of it. We wouldn't have to fret that Josh Beckett's so called "big game mystique" evaporated as quickly as dew in the Cape Cod morning sun. We wouldn't have to ponder how the Sox top starter has a 5.27 ERA and we wouldn't have to question why the Sox traded two top prospects to get him. Mulligan.

Tonight: Pauley (Yikes!) vs. Wang 7:05/4:05 PT.

Drink "beer grown up" heavily as needed.

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Let the insanity begin...

Beckett vs Mussina 7:05/4:05 PT - Be there or be sqaure.

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Photo by laurenomalley815 via Flickr

Call It a Bellhorn Day

Win Probability Chart (What is this?)

So Yoooouuuuk....with one swing of the bat you single handedly changed the win probability of Friday's game from close to 100% in favor of the Detroit Tigers to 80% in favor of the Sox. What would you call that?

"I call it a Bellhorn day. Mark was best at that. Three [bad] at bats then boom, home run to win a game." -- Kevin Youkilis on his Motown Hit

Well stated. I'll call it a Bellhorn day too.

Tonight: Wakefield vs Bonderman. See you at 7:05/4:05 PT.

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Win probability Chart from fangraphs.com

A few Red Sox related thoughts to ponder as you finish your bike ride with Grandma and head off to Happy Hour. There is $1 Miller High Life being served somewhere.

• Despite the amount we agonize over the offensive deficiencies of Alex Gonzales (.229 BA), he is an absolute wizard at shortstop and it is fun to watch. Is anyone else warming up to him?

• David Pauley pitched okay in his debut but he really looked as though he needed a HUG in the dugout after he was removed from the game in the fifth inning. No word on whether he got one.

• Manny Delcarmen and Jermaine Van Buren are better than Julian Tavarez and Rudy Seanez.

• Did I just miss out on this when he was in Boston, or did Bronson Arroyo just recently start selling his own line of "61" merchandise?

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Photo from Boston.com