David Ortiz single-handedly kept the Red Sox in first place today. Not only that, he single-handedly extended the Red Sox' lead over the Yankees to 1 game. Not as good as 2 games, but we'll take it. What did we learn from the Sox' doubleheader split with Texas?
- The David Pauley experiment presumably and desrvedly came to an end today. I love the kid and hope he does great. He actually pitched pretty well once he settled down in the third, but two mediocre starts and one good start (even if it was against the Yankees) are good enough for a Pawtucket trip, not a fourth start in the Major Leagues.
- Tale of Two Bullpens: Riske/Delcarmen, Game 1: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 0 R. Tavarez/Seanez/Foulke, Game 2: 4 IP, 10 H, 1 BB, 7 R. Does anyone need any more proof that seeing more of Delcarmen, Van Buren and Hansen is far better than seeing more of Seanez, Tavarez and Foulke?
- Red Sox 6-9 hitters, Game 2: 2 for 15, 1 run, 1 RBI, 0 Opening Day starters, 1 batting average as high as .250.
- Papi (4 for 7, 3 BB, 2 R, 5 RBI, 1 amazing, knew-it-was-coming, fist-pumping, memory-inducing, scream-across-the-house-causing HR) = Clutch.
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I was in Boston this weekend, attending my two first-ever Fenway Park games. Two great memories. One was last night in the bottom of the 8th (before Foulke made dreams implode) when Manny was up to lead off and the whole crowd as far as I could see stood and cheered and pretty much begged him to deliver. Then he did. Shot to right, putting us within one. It was so darn neat to see the crowd get what it wanted and asked for, and to see my favorite player go yard (two games in a row, as it turned out).
The second almost goes without saying, but...
PAPI!!! CAPS LOCK!!! EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!
One kid (maybe 10) right behind me, about two pitches before the walk-off said, "Papi, if you love me, you'll hit one out."
For those people who left in the seventh or eighth or ninth...f*** you, you f***in' p***ies! Do you not know you can score runs when it seems hopeless (and how hopeless is two runs anyway?)?! Have you not accepted David Ortiz as your Lord and Savior?!
Anyway, great weekend, glad the A's held on, too.
Posted by: Devine | Sunday, June 11, 2006 at 10:39 PM
Wow, what a great story, Devine. Congrats on getting to be there! From the glimpses I saw of the game in between Det. Barnaby's solving a rash of murders at trancendental commune, the atmosphere in the ninth looked positively electric. I was sure Ortiz was gonna do something big, and it seemed like everyone therre was sure of it, too. Too bad we had to go and spoil it by doing everything wrong in Game 2...
Posted by: Paul SF | Monday, June 12, 2006 at 12:05 AM
It was incredible to see Papi put on an amazing display of defensive hitting two times in the at bat, especially getting the bat on the 1-2 breaking pitch in, low, to tip it to stay alive. Otsuka threw a perfect pitch, but Ortiz fought it off. Phenomenal example of bat control after being down 0-2 and working the count to a favorable situation and bring the results witnessed two pitches later. Props.
Posted by: attackgerbil | Monday, June 12, 2006 at 12:25 AM
I don't know where to post and I realize it is off-topic on this thread, but check out the post on Lohud about injured Hideki Matsui's workout routine. Scroll down to Saturday June 10.
Posted by: attackgerbil | Monday, June 12, 2006 at 03:33 AM
Not to be pedantic, but... The Sox would be up 1.5 games, not 2, if Boston had won both halves of the doubleheader.
Posted by: Hudson | Monday, June 12, 2006 at 12:47 PM
"Papi, if you love me, you'll hit one out"?
The theme music from "The Natural" just popped into my head. The only thing Ortiz didn't come through on is hitting it into the light tower.
As for Seanez and especially Tavarez: WTF??!! How many more situations do they need to suck in before someone in management figures out what ever fan has known for weeks??!!
Posted by: MJL in L.A. | Monday, June 12, 2006 at 12:50 PM
Actually, Hudson, it would be 2 games. They were up 1.5 before the start of game 2.
Posted by: Laura | Monday, June 12, 2006 at 01:05 PM
Wouldn't it be 2, rather than 1.5, Hudson?
Situation: Red Sox up 1.5 games, about to play a game with no Yankees game to come
Circumstance 1: Red Sox lose game, lose half a game in standings, 1 game ahead
Circumstance 2: Red Sox win, gain half a game in standings, 2 games ahead
Posted by: Devine | Monday, June 12, 2006 at 01:07 PM
MJL, I suspect that management knows full well how much Seanez and Tavarez have been struggling, but they are in a tricky spot right now, with lots of pitching prospects seemingly on the cusp, but none of them has been consistent enough to really earn a spot alongside Papelbon and (the sorely-missed) Timlin.
they are clearly hesitant to have more than 2 (or maybe 3) young pitchers in the bullpen at the same time, probably figuring it poses an even greater risk than having a pen full of struggling veterans.
Posted by: airk | Monday, June 12, 2006 at 01:21 PM
Devine and Laura (and me! haha!) are right -- Sox were up a half game. The Yankees lost, Sox are up 1 game. Sox win Game 1, we're up 1.5. Sox win Game 2, we're up 2 games. With a Yankee loss, a Sox sweep would have gotten us a gain of 1.5 games. Instead, the losses oiffset, and the Sox gained a half-game for the win.
Posted by: Paul SF | Monday, June 12, 2006 at 02:49 PM