Out of Office

I will be spending this week on the Oregon Coast without internet access so unless I can lure Boston Dan out of hiding, there won't be any updates on this site this week.

Go Sox!

"This is a collapse of monumental magnitude...." --- Fox Announcer, Tim McCarver on the Red Sox

I've never quoted Tim McCarver before and I hope I never to again, but this phrase just fits.

Aaargh.

"You happy Braveheart?"

Hat tip to Deadspin for tracking down the video of Denis Leary and Lenny Clark on the Sox broadcast last night.

All I can say is that the conversation involves the following phrases: "I’m so proud to have a Jewish first baseman", "Where's Mel Gibson now, huh? He’s in rehab!" and "You happy Braveheart, huh?"
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Every time Josh Beckett gives up 5+ earned runs resulting in a Red Sox loss I promise to post a picture of him from high school.

On a completely unrelated note, here is a question that I had never considered until today: "How long, on average, is a baseball actually in play during a ballgame?"

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What A Catch

(Photo from Boston.com)

That was a lot more like the Sox we know. What an inspirational performance by Mike Lowell, huh?

Today: Jason Johnson vs. Kris Benson 1:25 / 10:25 PT

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Is there really anything worse than a Kansas City Royals fan with a broom?

Tonight: David Wells vs. Adam Loewen - 7:05 /4:05 PT

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(Photo from the Kansas City Star)

Suggested Therapy

There is nothing like a thwarted terrorist plot to put the Red Sox recent meltdown in perspective, but if you're like me and you still need therapy after Wednesday's heartbreaker, here is a suggested regimen:

1. Pop "Faith Rewarded" into the DVD player. It helps to remember that winning wasn't easy in 2004 either.

2. Read Seth Mnookin's Blog: "Get Smart: Reasons why Sox fans should move back from the ledge."

3. Laugh at Johnny Damon: Fox Sports named him one of the Top 10 Sports Pretty Boys claiming that "Damon has a reputation within baseball clubhouses as being a creepily ardent admirer of his own butt."

4. Check out Baseball America's Organization Talent Rankings. The Sox made a "quantum leap" in terms of organizational talent from #21 in 2005 to #8 in 2006. (Hat tip to Empyreal Environs for the feel-good link.)

5. Laugh at A-Rod. Read Eric Neel's article: "Why Do We Hate This Guy, The Softest Superstar". (Beware of the disturbing illustrations.)

6. Place an order for a Pop-Up Hotdog Cooker for no particular reason.

7. Purchase a 750 ml bottle of Tennessee Whiskey on your way home from work.

Tonight: Curt Schilling vs. Runelvys Hernandez 8:10/5:10 PT

Go Sox!!

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Don't Look Back

That was rock bottom.

Tonight: Cover Boy vs Mark Redman - 8:10/5:10 PT - Make us happy Josh.

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BTW: I like this article about Dave Roberts. He still gets hundreds of letters each month from Red Sox fans. Awesome.

Go Sox!

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NY Times: Red Sox are a "poor excuse for a good baseball team"

Murray Chass wrote the following in today's New York Times:

The Boston Red Sox are a poor excuse for a good baseball team. For the second year in a row, they have squandered an advantage they had over the Yankees this year even more grievously than last. Like last year, they will very likely pay for their profligacy. For the first four days in July, the Red Sox led the Yankees by four games in the American League East. Today, the Yankees lead the Red Sox by two games...Bruised and bloodied, the Yankees have been winning with players named Melky and Bubba. With only a third of the season to go, they have won more than the Red Sox, who until catcher Jason Varitek had knee surgery last week, had not dealt with the extended absence of an everyday player.

There is so much that I could write about this excerpt, but I will stick to just four points:

1) Yankees fans and the New York Media are way too excited about being in first place. It is August, not October and there is a lot of baseball left to be played.

2) It is ridiculous to portray the Yankees as a team of underdogs "winning with players named Melky and Bubba." Yes, Matsui and Sheffield are injured, but the Yankees have been able to keep pace in the AL East because they have Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon, Jorge Posada, Randy Johnson, Mariano Rivera and Mike Mussina. One could argue that with all of those current and former All-Stars that the Yankees should have run away with the AL East.

3) It is completely untrue that the Red Sox "had not dealt with the extended absence of an everyday player" before Varitek was injured. Coco Crisp, the Sox starting CF, missed seven weeks with a thumb injury. The Sox have also dealt with injuries to its pitching staff: David Wells, Tim Wakefield, Matt Clement, Lenny DiNardo, Mike Timlin and Keith Foulke have all missed significant time. Pitchers are not "everyday players," but they are obviously important to a team's success.

4) The Sky is Not Falling and with fifty-two games left on the schedule there is a good chance that a Boston columnist could be writing a similar article about the Yankees in October.

Go Sox!!
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Photo by Flickr user id10t. Hat tip to my pal Chris S. for the link to the photo.

"Fans at Fenway Are Facing a Stern Test of Faith" [New York Times - free registration required]

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One Week: From Captain to Corky

I'm not sure about other Red Sox fans out there, but for me the end result of being a fan over the past eight days has felt similar to getting kicked repeatedly in the gut. It has been a mostly unpleasant blur of walkoff hits, untimely injuries and blown opportunities. I have "a thing" for timelines, so let's take a look back:

Sunday, July 30
The Yankees trade a bag of baseballs to the Phillies for OF Bobby Abreu and P Cory Lidle.

Trot Nixon leaves the Sox-Angels game in the third inning with a strained biceps tendon.

The Red Sox lead the AL East by one game.

Monday, July 31
GM Theo Epstein does not make a major move to improve the team at the trade deadline.

Jason Varitek leaves the game in the third inning with a twisted left knee.

Big Papi hits a game winning three run home run in the ninth inning to beat the Cleveland Indians 9-8.

Tuesday, August 1
Trot Nixon is placed on the DL after an MRI shows a "Grade 2 strain of the right biceps tendon" and is expected to miss three weeks.

Jason Varitek is placed on the DL with a knee injury.

The Red Sox lose 6-3 to the Cleveland Indians and fall into a virtual tie with the Yankees for first place in the AL East.

A blackbird sits on second base and Sox fans decide to nickname him.

Wednesday, August 2
Mark Loretta hits a walkoff game winning double and the Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians 6-5.

Thursday, August 3
Boston Globe columnist, Dan Shaughnessy, dubs the 2006 Sox the "Walkoff Wonders" likely nixing the chance of any more walkoff hits this season.

Jason Varitek has arthroscopic knee surgery. No official timetable is given for his return.

Mike Lowell fouls a ball off his foot. X-Rays are negative, but Lowell says his foot "feels like crap."

The Red Sox lose to the Cleveland Indians and fall a game behind the Yankees in the AL East.

Friday, August 4
The Red Sox acquire catcher Javy Lopez from the Baltimore Orioles.

Doug Mirabelli leaves the game after twisting his ankle in the first inning.

David Ortiz hits two home runs to lift the Red Sox over the Devil Rays, 3-2.

Saturday, August 5
Javy Lopez becomes the Sox starting catcher but he can't shake his Orioleness. Lopez grounds into a bases-loaded game-ending double play in the Sox 8-5 loss to Tampa Bay.

Sunday, August 6
The Red Sox start a catcher named "Corky." Red Sox Nation wonders if that is his real name.

David Ortiz becomes the first player in Red Sox history to hit 40 home runs or more in three straight seasons. Ortiz subsequently receives a bottle of cologne from Devil Rays Manager, Joe Maddon.

Manny Ramirez extends his hitting streak to 22 games.

Jason M. Johnson pitches well but the Sox relievers blow a 6-2 lead.

The Sox fall two games behind the Yankees in the AL East.

Monday, August 7
Low level, but manageable panic sets in. The Red Sox are only two games behind the Yankees in the AL East and a half game behind Chicago in the Wild Card standings, but the Sox have lost a tremendous amount of momentum. The Yankees play two good teams this week -- the White Sox and Angels. If the Red Sox play well against Kansas City and Baltimore they could be back in first place by this time next Monday. This week could be the turning point.

Go Sox!

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And the ball hit the bat with a "Thock"...

Maybe I won't press that Panic Button after all. This is what keeps us believin'.

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Title from "Baseball" by John W. Knight

MVP

It was a bit bizarre, but I watched Monday's Red Sox game via Direct TV on a Jet Blue flight between Boston and Seattle. When Big Papi launched his ninth inning home run the passengers erupted into a full fledged cheer followed by a high energy MVP chant. Awesome.

I also ate chips made from blue potatoes, but that is beside the point.

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