Fluttering Flutterbys: Rangers-Sox Gamer V

BRAND NAME(S): Orazinc, Zincate

Side Effects: Nausea, stomach upset, heartburn may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor or pharmacist promptly. Tell your doctor immediately if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: fever, chills, sore throat, sores in mouth, unusual tiredness, weakness. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

So our newest hurler takes the mound tonight in his major league debut against the offensive-minded Texas Rangers at the Fens. And the above phenomena sound just about right as the residue of watching a virgin knuckleballer testing his wares in the shadow of the Green Monster. We wish him luck, we'll be watching as we sit down to a home-cooked dinner.

Comment away here.  Lineups after the jump.

Sox:
1. J.D Drew CF
2. Dustin Pedroia 2B
3. David Ortiz DH
4. Kevin Youkilis 1B
5. Mike Lowell 3B
6. Jason Bay LF
7. Jed Lowrie SS
8. Jacoby Ellsbury RF
9. Kevin Cash C
SP -- Charlie Zink

Rangers:
1. Ian Kinsler 2B
2. Michael Young SS
3. Josh Hamilton LF
4. Milton Bradley DH
5. Marlon Byrd LF
6. Frank Catalanotto RF
7. Gerald Laird C
8. Chris Davis 1B
5. Ramon Vazquez 3B
SP -- Scott Feldman

Comments

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Ellsbury's a scratch just before gametime.

Zink gets through the first on 12 pitches.

[rootbeerfloat]

IBM - any word on why??

[rootbeerfloat]

Big Papi!!!

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Not yet.

3-run homer for Papi!!!

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Let my Cameron go ...

[rootbeerfloat]

??

[rootbeerfloat]

Double steal!

[rootbeerfloat]

well, at least this knuckleballer is getting run support. Wake is probably pissed!

[I'mBillMcNeal]

J E D!!!

[I'mBillMcNeal]

"Let my Cameron go ... "

Line from Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
Jason Bay looks like Alan Ruck's character Cameron from that movie.

[Micah-SF]

Welcome to the big leagues, Charlie - have some run support!

[rootbeerfloat]

Batting through the order in the first.

[Devine]

Holy sh*t, this is awesome!

[Devine]

No, wait. Two 3-run homers for Big Papi in a single inning is what's awesome.

I repeat: HOLY SH*T!!!

[Paul SF]

Sox making sure Zink has pleeeeenty of run support.

ORTIZ AGAIN!!!!! 10-0!!!

[I'mBillMcNeal]

I LOVE YOU PAPI!!!!!

[Micah-SF]

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I have Papi and Pedroia on my fantasy team, so my rough count for Points Per Inning is sitting at roughly "a billion" for this game so far.

[Atheose]

Holy crap two homers in the same inning for Papi!

Slump = over.

[Paul SF]

This is incredible!

[Devine]

The Sox doubled their run count in the 4 minutes between my posts.

[SF]

Uh, what's going on?! I put the kid to bed and come out to this? I have been waiting to see an inning like this for weeks, and I MISS IT!!!!

[David (SF)]

Youks gotta be pissed making 2/3 of the outs that inning - both Ks!

[Micah-SF]

They have to be giving Youk a ton of shit in the dugout for making 2 of our 3 outs via strikeout in an inning in which we scored 10 runs.

[rootbeerfloat]

SF - Maybe it's you. Spend more time tucking that kid in.

[Paul SF]

How effing awesome was that inning?

[rootbeerfloat]

I bet that's the first time Youk has struck out twice in one inning!

[Paul SF]

I kept meaning to go turn on the radio to hear the calls, and runs just kept getting scored before I could!

If I were Tim Wakefield, I would be pissed.

[SF]

9.00 WHIP for Feldman. Not usually good for the ultimate results.

[Paul SF]

Chien-Ming Wang would be pitching a shutout with a WHIP like that!

[Lar]

I have Ortiz in my fantasy lineup, mostly on the bench for this year.. well, glad I put him in today!

Looks like this game is over. Well, if Zink gives up 10 runs, I wouldn't mind too much.. ;)

[Paul SF]

Two on to lead off the second. We might need those runs...

[SF]

Ok, I will go away for a minute or two, I am not a good influence.

[Atheose]

Charlie apparently gets nervous when he's 10 runs ahead after 1 inning.

[Paul SF]

Drew makes the catch in foul territory. Now two down with runners on second and third.

[Paul SF]

Well, phooey, single plates the pair after all.

[SF]

15 runs are needed.

[Devine]

If there's one team not to get complacent about a big lead with, it's this one.

[SF]

This game has all the makings of a scary blown lead. It's all set up: erratic knuckleballing rookie against bombsquad from Texas. Over/under of 25 runs tonight!

[rootbeerfloat]

I hope Zink knows the bull pen can't be counted on to hold less than a 7 run lead.

[SF]

Yay! Four more like this and the Sox will be up 50-8. That would probably be safe.

[Paul SF]

Well, at this rate, the final score will be 80-8, so no worries!

[Devine]

Okay, as long as the Rangers keep this pace, we win 10-9.

Unless the Red Sox intend on keeping their pace up, in which case...80-9.

[Paul SF]

Hehe, same track, SF.

[Paul SF]

Wow, apparently everyone had the same idea!

[Devine]

I feel so...unoriginal.

[Paul SF]

More likely: The Sox somehow manage not to be able to touch Feldman for the next four innings.

[Devine]

It better not rain.

[Micah-SF]

Looks like that's how it's going to be so far, Paul. Hopefully Zink won't let them back in the game in the meantime, but even my Soxfan pessimistic streak can't feel TOO worried.

[Lar]

You mean, doing their impression of the Yanks? =P

[Paul SF]

Is it supposed to, Devine?

Lowrie with his second double in two innings!

[Paul SF]

Dinnertime... Ciao!

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Who started the season at SS for us? I forget his name.

[Devine]

It's raining a little bit now, it seems.

[SF]

This game is going to get delayed, it looks like, but hopefully not rained out.

http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/local/USMA0046?from=enhsearch_loc

[I'mBillMcNeal]

NWS radar seems to indicate whatever rain is out there will neither be heavy nor last long.

[SF]

Who started the season at SS for us? I forget his name.

Dwight Schrute.

[sf rod]

i miss the 1st inning as well. just my luck.

the zink could looks...serviceable.....for an alumnus of Savannah College of Art and Design (no joke).

[sf rod]

jeez. i need to put down the pipe.

i missed the first inning...
and
theis zink kid looks...

[Atheose]

Wow, replays show Ortiz' second homer was actually a double?

About time one of those calls went our way, instead of the other way around.

[sf rod]

ummmm yeah.

[Atheose]

Laser show, Sox threatening again.

[SF]

Feldman done for the night. Rough night.

[David (SF)]

Gameday shows the last 2 pitches of that walk as in the zone; were they that close?

[sf rod]

david- both pitches were low.

[SF]

12-2.

[Devine]

Orsillo and Remy stand corrected...Ortiz's second home run in fact...a home run (not a GRD).

[sf rod]

texas has the 2nd best road record in the AL at 2 games under .500.

[Devine]

EFF YOU LOWRIE, YOU'RE USELESS!

(Kidding)

[SF]

Lowrie grounds out to end the inning, left'em loaded. 12-2. Down to a 36-6 pace.

[Micah-SF]

8-pitch inning. Much cleaner, I like it.

[Devine]

Dude, the Rangers infield *stinks*.

[SF]

Bob Zupcic.

[Atheose]

GOD BLESS COCO!

It's been a long time since I've said that.

[SF]

AFLAC Trivia question: Who was the last Sox player with a last name starting with "Z". Zupcic is my guess.

Guess what: Kevin Cash is a really shitty hitter.

[sf rod]

it's another bad nite for atheists. hamilton strikes again.

[SF]

9 run lead and shrinking. Zink gives up another hit, two on and one out in the fifth. One swing and it is a six run game!

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Your Red Sox Z players:

Paul Zahniser Pitcher 1925-1926
Al Zarilla Outfielder 1949-1950, 1952-1953
Norm Zauchin First Base 1951-1957
Matt Zeiser Pitcher 1914
Bill Zuber Pitcher 1946-1947
Bob Zupcic Outfielder 1991-1994

[sf rod]

wait. i thought we acquired byrd earlier today. oh. damn.

[rootbeerfloat]

someone remind me how many innings the game needs to go before it's an official game, even if it rains?

[SF]

Gapper plates two, now it is 12-4, two on in scoring position and only one out. Glad the kid has a big lead, he isn't that impressive right now.

[SF]

sorry, that only plated one, hence the 12-4 score.

[I'mBillMcNeal]

21 combined hits and we're just one out into the fifth. Red Sox have as many hits as outs, 12.

[Atheose]

Zink exploding. The Sox picked a great night to score 10 in the 1st.

[SF]

Another gapper. 12-6, man in scoring position. Yank him, Tito, he is pitching terribly. This is now a ballgame with so many frames left.

Just terrible - a 10 run lead in the fifth inning and it isn't safe. Unbelievable.

[rootbeerfloat]

Yikes - SF do you have another kid to tuck in?

[Devine]

Let's see if Zink can "earn" this "win".

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Zink has zilch left.

[Devine]

Awwwwwww, damn it, Coco.

[SF]

Coco, what the hell!? Make the f*cking catch with a six run lead. You shouldn't even try to make the quick pass to the throwing hand - the guy is on second, not scoring, and you HAVE A SIX RUN LEAD.

[Devine]

Yeah, uh, gone?

Gone, yeah. Sucks for Zink. Should be politely applauded instead of cheered as he leaves.

[SF]

Seriously, there is no excuse for what Coco did, whether the guy got the call wrong or not. Awful baseball. Embarrassment.

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Lopez. We're going from a guy whose last name starts with a Z to a guy whose last name ends with a Z.

[Devine]

More than half the game has to be covered by the bullpen.

*gulp*

[SF]

Well, it was nice to meet you, Charlie.

Now go back to the minors.

[Atheose]

In all fairness the Rangers are a kick-ass offensive team. Could have been worse for Zink.

[Devine]

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Need a double play here.

[Devine]

Okay, the K. Uno mas to preserve our suddenly-tenuous 5-run lead. Please?

[SF]

This is shaping up to potentially be one of the more pathetic losses I have ever seen in my life...

Still, if we only have 12 when this ends I will be very suprised, so I am optimistic. That's what two championships do: they make you only slightly concerned about blowing 10 run leads, as opposed to fatalistically certain they will be blown.

[Devine]

2-run game. Wow. I'm gonna go ahead and leave work now.