Rantings and ravings from an admitted fan (as in fanatic!) of the Boston Red Sox. Updated only occasionally, but with my take on recent developments in Red Sox Nation. Updated more frequently during the end of the regular season and playoffs (hopefully).

Thursday, October 27, 2005

Mad Props to the White Sox

OK, so this American League domination of the World Series is getting a little ridiculous. Do you realize that the AL has won eight straight World Series games? That's right, after the Red Sox and White Sox back-to-back sweeps, the last time the NL won a WS game was in 2003, when the Florida Marlins won a Game 6 clincher against the Evil Empire. Unbelievable.

But the White Sox really deserved this title. They were a strong team, and they peaked at the right time during the postseason. They were nothing short of dominating. I thought Houston was a great team (and I *thought* they were peaking as well, although I was wrong), but the White Sox just decimated them. They found different ways to win ballgames, and that's always the sign of a good team.

In other news, a few points:

  • The Red Sox need to pay Theo. Today it looks like they are getting close. After negotiations reportedly broke off earlier in the week, both Theo and Larry Lucchino described talks today as "fruitful." That's a good sign. Sure, he may be over the hill as a GM and it's probably time for him to retire, but I think the Sox can squeeze another 40 years or so out of Theo.
  • I live in Philadelphia, and all the talk lately about the Phillies opening at GM has centered on Brian Cashman (it doesn't anymore). The local media was all aflutter about what a wonderful GM Cashman is. Now I admit my bias here (or haven't you been paying attention), but please! Give me $200 million to spend, and even a pinhead like me can build a competitive baseball team. The Yankees needed pitching in the offseason last year. Cashman signed Randy Johnson and Carl Pavano! Where did Cashman come up with that brilliant move? That's not brain surgery, that's called spending George's money! So can we please get some perspective and call BS on this Cashman talk. Give Billy Beane $200 million in payroll and just imagine the juggernaut he would build. Or Theo. And just remember, with all that money in the Bronx, their last title was in 2000. Where's your genius now?
  • Manny wants to talk. I read those words today and a big smile crossed my face. I really thought he was gone, and he may still be, but the fact that Manny wants to sit down and talk about the Sox future is a very good sign. As I said, I think the odds are still against him coming back, but I'll take any chance at this point of keeping him in Beantown.
  • How many days is it until pitchers and catchers report?

Friday, October 07, 2005

There's always last year

I've given this a great deal of thought, and I think I liked the ending to last season better. Yea, 2004 was definitely better.

Thursday, October 06, 2005

At least we have a new fan...

Picture on the right is from my brother.

"The Nation" may be down 2-0, but at least we have some of the coolest fans on the planet.

Yet another reason to like U2.

I say we win on Saturday, and then make the next day "Sunday Bloody Sunday" to tie the series at 2-2.

Damn Yankees

This just in from the coast ... the Yankees still suck. I repeat, breaking news out of a Anaheim. The Yankees still suck.

I know it's immature, petty, whatever words you want to use to describe it, but at least the dreaded Yankees aren't going home with a 2-0 victory. The Angels rallied Thursday night to defeat the Evil Empire and now face the prospect of facing the Big Unit in the Bronx with the series tied 1-1 instead of staring at a 2-0 hole.

Et Tu, Tony???

Poor Tony Graffanino.

You gotta feel bad for the guy. Rarely can you ever point to one play, by one guy, that completely cost a team a game like that. The broadcasters were making comparisons to Bill Buckner (who didn't see that coming?), but I don't think this is going to define Graffanino's career or anything, like unfortunately it did with Billy Buck. Tony even made an effort to make go from goat to hero with a nice double in the ninth, but was left stranded.

So down 2-0 and heading back to Fenway. It's easy to lose hope, and it really doesn't matter what I think, but the Sox know they can come back from this. They don't need to look back too far in their history to see that. You know Kevin Millar is keeping the clubhouse loose, and I'm sure the references to last year are flying. Still a pulse. Still a pulse.

Wednesday, October 05, 2005

At least we got a safety...

OK, so as beginnings to the post-season go, this was not what you would call auspicious. 14-2 loss to the White Sox. The Pale Hose were clearly jacked for the start of the postseason, and they jumped on Matt Clement for five runs in the first and cruised home.

But if 2004 proved anything, it is that one game (or more???) does not a series make. Sure, this is a short series, and the Red Sox don't have much time to screw around, but they basically lost one game at the opposing teams' ballpark, no matter what the score. They can steal one tonight (with Boomer on the mound, who knows?) and go back to Fenway needing to win two home games to take the series. We're ok.

That being said, yesterday's game was so annoying in so many ways, I just had to make a list. So herewith, I present my "Top 10 Annoying Things About Game 1," brought to you by the good folks at Foxwoods Resort & Casino.

10. The ESPN Announcers (I usually love Chris Berman, but hate the 3-person booth)
9. The 5-run first inning
8. Mike Piazza's tie
7. The trendiness of the White Sox. (Listen, we all "get it," ok. The White Sox play small ball, Ozzie Guillen is a great coach with a great staff, yada yada yada. Enough already!).
6. Comparisons of the 2005 White Sox to the 2004 Red Sox. Sorry, no sale. The 2004 Red Sox were a unique band of idiots. Come up with another comparison, because I'm not seeing that from this group of Pale Hose.
5. Mike Piazza's tie (still)
4. Matt Clement
3. The bullpen
2. When Guillen elected not to go for 2 after the 2nd touchdown. I thought that really could have turned things around.
1. The Yankees won. That just put a cherry on the ice cream sundae that was my day.

But like I keep telling myself today, it's just one game. We've still got a pulse. Let's just steal one tonight.

Monday, October 03, 2005

We're in!!!

OK, we take 2 of 3 from the Yankees on the last weekend of the regular season, and we have to watch the bastard Yan-KEES celebrate at Fenway. (Well, some of us outside of Boston didn't get to watch, as by some licensing rule it was not available on MLB extra inning package, and the mlb.tv internet broadcast was blacked out as well. If any genius as MLB can explain that one to me, I'm all ears). So I had to "listen" on mlb live audio to the Yankees celebrate, which was just as well. Some things are better left unseen.

So here it is. I think the Sox got the better divisional series matchup. I don't know what it is about the White Sox, but they just don't scare me as much as the prospect of travelling all the way out to Anaheim, as the Yankees have to do. Don't get me wrong, I've got a healthy amount of respect for the Pale Hose, and they are perfectly capable of beating the Red Sox, but my point is that I don't mind this matchup. Call them co-division champions, call them wild card entrants, whatever. The important thing is that it's October, and "The Nation" is still alive and well, and the Sox are in the playoffs for the third year in a row. As Martha Stewart would say, "It's a good thing. Now get out of my face before I bust a cap in your ass." Clearly prison changed Martha.

Go Sox! The Red ones...

Saturday, October 01, 2005

Papi and Varitek and Timlin, oh my

What a great game last night!

Big Papi starts things off with an RBI single (about time this guy contributed) to the chants of "MVP MVP MVP," the Cap'n Jason goes yard with a 2-run blast. Then they intentionally walk Papi to pitch to Manny? I thought the ESPN announcers were going to have an episode over that one.

But the big story was how Timlin came on with two outs in the 8th inning and slammed the door on the Yankees. Loved the intensity, and it was just the thing the Sox needed from a still suspect bullpen. One down, two to go, but the weekend is off to a great start!!

That's a good thing, because my nerves can't take much more of this...

Does it get much better than this?

Big Papi comes through on Thursday night with a game-tying homer against the Jays, and the Sox come into the last weekend of the 3-game series vs. the Evil Empire one game out (thanks for the love, Orioles, we really appreciate it).

No problem. Is anyone really surprised that it ended up this way? It's still September, but that October feel is in the air, and you know it will be rocking this weekend at Fenway! Bring on the Yankee scum!!!