Here's why I wanted to get the game in last night. There would have been an eerie parallel to 1978 if it had been postponed. Back in June 1978, the Sox and Yankees had a three-game series at Fenway. The Red Sox blasted a hurting Yankee team in the first two games, but the third game was rained out. It was made up on what was an off-day, September 7, the first of the four-game disaster at Fenway that year. (On the original schedule, it was just a three-game series.) On the schedule now, there is a three-game series between the two clubs starting September 14, with an off-day the day before (like in 1978). It was too close for comfort for me, and the media types would have made a big deal over it. And besides, I don't want to give the Yankees anything to try to hang their hats on for September. The Sox lost last night? Not happy about it, but so be it.
Also remember this: the Red Sox have played the Yankees 12 times so far this season, going 7-5 against them. They have 6 more games against New York, a series in late August at New York and three at Fenway in September. How many times have the Sox played the Tampa Bay Devil Rays so far this season? None. They play them 19 times in 2007, and the first meeting isn't until July 3.
I also got a great email from my friend Adam in Maine after last night's lousy Red Sox loss at Fenway, so I thought I'd share it with you. It really made me laugh out loud.
The Red Sox lead over the Yankees in the AL East this morning is, courtesy of Mark Bellhorn and the late Nelson De La Rosa:
Wow.. that took me WAY too long to decipher that rebus. Twelve and a Half. Whew!
ReplyDeleteWas Lowell's body check REALLY legal? I mean, the base path was obstructed, sure, but he didn't just push through, it looked like he stopped and threw a shoulder. I can't help thinking if he'd been ejected for that, then Doug wouldn't have taken the bump.
I s'pose it's all okay, though.. Doug's gonna be fine (fingers crossed) and it shook up the yankers enough to deliver us the game.
It WAS legal Rob. If a player has the ball and is obstructing a runner's baseline (like a catcher at home) he has the right to do what Lowell did. After all, Mike later explained, "I learned it in the Yankee system." (He was originally drafted by NYY.)Mike also has a rep for being a clean player. Even Joe Torre said it was a clean play. Only Cano thought it was dirty.
ReplyDeleteAll the best to Doug. He will miss 6-8 weeks, but it sounds like he will be fine.
Hiya, bumped into this blog by accident. Can't say I am a Red Sox fan (I live overseas) but it is a star-studded team worth peeking into every now and then (been doing it since Nomar Garciaparra's time), and this is a quality blog about Red Sox. I hope The Sox will continue their good job! Cheers
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate the kind words, James. Thanks for stopping by and letting me know your thoughts about the blog.
ReplyDeleteJames, you're right! This is an everyday stop for me.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite time of year is here - a west coast Sox trip! I play ball in the early evening, then get home in time to see or hear the game from Oakland, etc.
ReplyDeleteLife is good.
And especially because the Red Sox have a double-digit lead in the standings as well...
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