Time to reap

Susan/Circle:
Big Papi-On! One flap of his bat and it's a game metamorphosis from larva to a thing a beauty.

 

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Mike:
Like in chaos theory, one clutch swing and half a world away a tempest forms in the resulting breeze.

 

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Susan/Circle:
The comeback tales of Ortiz would cure deafness.

 

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Mike:
Papi keeps us out of the dahk backward and abysm of time.

 

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Susan/Circle:
And what about Papelbon-bon, the bullpen fondant?

 

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Mike:
It was a defining moment. The confidence. The pure intensity on his face. The fastball good as evah. The splittah coming along.

 

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Susan/Circle:
And Manny, digging in, digging in like a Cape Neddick clammah.

 

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Mike:
The playoff possibilities are before us. A progression of the infinite to the finite, the hope of April to the must of Octobah.

 

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Susan/Circle:
I keep like fruitcake. Subsist on air. Not a worry nor care.

 

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Author's Notes:

A cornucopia of quotes and allusions today, oh, how I love this time of year bringing out the pent up frenzy in all of us.

In case you missed it, Susan's "Papi-on" is a play off the French word for butterfly, le papillon, which leads to the metamorphosis and notion of the "butterfly effect" reference to chaos theory.

Mike's mention of a tempest spurs the "would cure deafness" and "dark backward and abysm of time" quotes, both from The Tempest, 1. 2 by the Big Papi of English Lit, William Shakespeare.

Mike's "a progression of the infinite to the finite" is from Gian-Carlo Rota's description of "the progress of mathematics."

Susan's "fruitcake" speech is taken from Sandra Cisneros' poem "Pumpkin Eater" from the collection Loose Woman.

OK, so I'm a bit manic today, you?

Comments

[birthofasoxfan97]

The electricity is in the air - Austin went from 108 degrees last week to 80 yesterday and we saw some geese going south - things are lookin' up now.

Papelbon's destined for glory and I could see the offensive determination to win when Johnny got on first in the ninth. But that Fenway crowd chanting "MVP" was spine tingling.

The kids are alright.

[RonF]

Must win 3. Either 3 of 3 or 3 out of 4. If the Sox play on Monday, where do they play?

[RonF]

Don't look for help tonight on the wild card side from the White Sox. They were bragging last night about how we weren't going to see All-Star levels of effort tonight against Cleveland. Bastards.

[Bob]

Swweet, sweet Papi. He is a champagne truffle, a chocolate creme broulee, a Hawaiian vintage cocoa bean.

Here's my amateurish attempt at playoff poetry:

Win one and they’re done
Unless the Tribe drops a pair
Then they play Monday
In the Red Sox lair.

Win two and they’re in
At least for one game
Monday in the Bronx
For division title fame

Win three and we're east champs
That’s the easiest way
To achieve their great dream
Of a repeat parade day.

[spd_rdr]

I have entered into that trance-like mode where everything is calm and quiet. The train has left the station and there's nothing left to do except stare out the window. I know that all hell is going to break loose, but that's later. Right now it's time to reflect on a long season and sacrifice a few of my wife's cats.

[Billy Mahty]

h.b. - you astound with your references. kudos.

judging from that white sox comment, i would say i was wrong in my assessment yesterday. it could be that the white sox are thinking that they'd rather not face boston or new york.

by the way, i'm happy to give ortiz the mvp. that's not what it's about...

[Billy Mahty]

Bob, technically, you left out one other possibility involving a broom (I respect that positive attitude). The outcome would be the same as if the Sox win just one.

[Kaz]

There is no "tie" in the AL East without a tie with Cleveland. If Chicago doesn't take one of its three (i.e., Cleveland does no worse than potentially tie us for the wild-card), then tying the Yankees (going 2-1 this weekend) gives Cleveland the WC and the Yankees win the tie due to season record against us (10-9 them). The tiebreaker game is only used when interdivision questions abound.

But to keep pace with Cleveland in a Cleveland sweep scenario, we'd beat the Yankees in a sweep and take the AL East alone (putting the Yankees out of the playoffs).

We have to keep pace with Cleveland or better at this point, because simply tying the Yankees is not good enough to force any playoffs.

Taking 3 over the next 3 days really is our only good option and it doesn't force us to rely on anyone else.

[tessie]

Blastphemy?

Our Big Papi
who art in clutch situations
MVP be thy claim
Beantown is yours
for breaking the curse
in NY as well as in Fenway
give us this day
some timely hits
and delete the Sox deficit
as we erase the edge of the Evil Ones' against us
lead us to the Divisional Crown
and deliver us through the playoffs
Through thine is the thing won,
your power and your glory
as in the big innings
is now and ever shall be
forever and ever.

Hey, Mon!

[illegitimate son of dwight evans]

I was checking the score all night, and got home and turned on the TV just as Ortiz was coming to bat. Just seeing that, the 4-4 tie, the bottom of the ninth, 1st and 2nd - it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

This is going to be a rough weekend, regardless of what happens. Like Morgan Freeman says in "Glory", it's time to ante up and kick in like men. Like men!

[NV in SD]

...and that is why David ORtiz is the MVP.

Holy shit- we needed that one, huh? A little touch and go for a while there, but I managed to keep my hands away from the sharp spinning objects. Again,

ortizneverceasestoamazemeilovehimasmuchasamancanloveanothermanifiwasableiwouldseekhimouthandhavehisbabies.

Whew. Like yesterday- in through the nose, out through the mouth. Apart from Mr. Stupendous, Jonathon should have cured Tito's anti-young guns illness. Fuckin shit man- kid looked like a seasoned vet out there. Awesome performance, boys. Lets take that spark and go set some buildings on fire.

Today, I make it a point to wear my red Ortiz 34 t-shirt under a white button down, just so the MFY fans at work know what the score is going into this weekend. Go Sox.

Just win baby.

[NV in SD]

BTW hb- fucking epic strip today.

"And Manny, digging in, digging in like a Cape Neddick clammah."

That shit almost made me cry for some reason- probably because I wish I were home for this. Well done, sir.

[JimmyZ]

I was having cahdiac arrest in the 6th.
Man Crush on Papi alert!

[Aaron]

Wow, a huge Sox win and a nod to the hometown (York, ME, of which Cape Neddick is a section) in the next days' Soxaholix. Quite the day for me!

I hear the clammin' wasn't very good this summah, though. Red tide and all.

[Jason O.]

Dwight Evans jr.,

Sonovabitch!!! Just when I'm building up some genuine animosity you have to go and quote one of the 10 best movies of the last 50 years. Churchill wrote something to the effect that, besides WWII, the American Civil War was the most noble purpose for which men took up arms.

People hammer Broderick for that role, when in reality it was his best (better than Bueller) and he was perfectly cast. The moronic critics didn't understand that Shaw was quite like MB's portrayal, i.e., a Beacon Hill upper class guy who becomes a brother to freedmen under Confederate shells and minie balls.

The charge on Fort Wagner? "Inspirational" does not even come close.

[Kelly the Ballgal is Hot]

If the Sox and MFY tie and Cleveland has a better record (and therefor the WC), we play the MFY in the toilet on Monday. H2H record doesn not break the tie...

[Kaz]

Ah, yeah, I misread the White Sox wrapup article at mlb.com last night (I admit it...the early half of the game had me into the Jack Daniels early). If both teams are guaranteed to make the playoffs then there's no tie-break game. For that to happen, Cleveland would have to lose the series to the White Sox and we'd have to take 2 of 3. Then, we'd get WC while Yankees won the division because of head-to-head record.

Ugh...I need the hair of the dog...

[NV in SD]

JO- eloquent as usual, but do you talk about baseball? Just a thought, seeing as how that's te main focus of this site.

[Jason O.]

NV, point taken, but I first saw Glory in 1990, 17 years old, the night before my first visit to the Gettysburg battlefield. I'm very partial to it.

Besides, it's abundantly clear that:

1) RSN is elated about about begging and stealing a split with Toronto...16 games out of first.
2) The Sox are somewhat lucky to even be within striking distance of the men in pinstripes after the last 2 weeks.
3) A maxim: The Yankees always have the pitching advantage with MR in the pen.
4) Wells talking about retirement a few days before his biggest start? A red flag, that.

Of course, the Yankees must continue their excellent play over the last 30 games in Fenway. Boston is always dangerous, however there's a non-trivial probability that their shaky recent play causes Sunday to witness Mark Bellhorn, Felix Escalona, Phil Vento and Melky Cabrera taking the field for the NYY!

Lastly, please I beg Francona...bring in Stanton to face Matsui-san in the late innings.

How's that for baseball, lamb chop?

[pawsoxpop]

You've inspired me HB, although after you read this you may regret it:

Yankees to the right of them
Yankees to the left of them
Yankees ahead of them
Here comes their hardest test
Our boys must do what boys do best:
Whack the Wang; beat the Big Unit; mash the Moose
Whew! That sure felt good
Manny, Papi, Olerud
Yankees behind them
Honor the charge they made
Honor the Sox Brigade
Noble Mango Salsa

[h.b.]

1) RSN is elated about about begging and stealing a split with
Toronto...16 games out of first.

Who's elated? Not I. Not the characters. Not SoSh. Not DirtDogs. Not Surviving Grady. Not anyone that I know.

We are hopeful. That's all.

2) The Sox are somewhat lucky to even be within striking distance of
the men in pinstripes after the last 2 weeks.

What? That's nonsensical. The record is what the record is given the wins and losses each team has had.

3) A maxim: The Yankees always have the pitching advantage with MR in
the pen.

Well, they didn't in 2004, but I'll give you that advantage this year, granted.

But I don't think David Ortiz or Manny have much fear of Rivera. Do you?

4) Wells talking about retirement a few days before his biggest start?
A red flag, that.

Trying to read stuff into what Wells says? Jeez. Might as well read into what Manny says at well. Thought we already established most MLB guys are hired for their baseball ability and not their rhetorical skills?

[pawsoxpop]

First the MFY fans say the Sox were chokers because they couldn't put the Yankees away, now they say we're lucky to be as close as we are? If you use consistent logic you'd have to say the Yankees are chumps for failing to put us away, wouldn't you? Oh I forgot, we're talking about Yankee fans; logic does not apply.

It wasn't too long ago (a week?) when the Empire was downright giddy about taking a series from Tampa Bay. How many games out of first place are they?

After Sunday Jason, you'll have all fall and winter to watch "Glory" and read your Civil War history books, while RSN watches the playoffs and World Series.

[NV in SD]

Awww you called me lambchop. That's cute. Thanks for jumping on that one hb, but let me have a go at it:

1. Elation over a split with the Jays is not in my or most other Sox fans' vernacular. Those guys owned us this year, plain and simple. I am elated that we don't have to see them again this year, but we should've taken three outta four.

2. What the fuck are you talking about? Look at how this season has gone. As I've said before, what's more likely- the MFY keep up their torrid streak or the Sox right the ship and take the games they have to? There is one reason and one reason only the standings show what they do- Aaron Small. If not for that guy, your boys would be wallowing well out of the wild card race. You should be praying at his altar.

3. MR is property of the Boston Red Sox. We don't have our closer this year, but we do have three young guns who are itching (especially Mr. Papelbon) to show the Skanks what they think about ny's "pitching advantage". The key now is for Tito to let them go at it. Don't forget about the rest of your pen either. What's that? Tom Gordon's arm fell off and Tanyon Sturtze is eating it? Sorry.

4. I don't recall Boomah saying anything except how he might be anticipating offseason knee surgery. As I told you a few days ago, you need to stop getting your info from the NY Daily News back page. That thing is a rag unsuitable for birdcages. The fat man is a big game pitcher, and I'm sure, come 4:05 my time, the only thing that will be on his mind is how he's gonna spin that 12-6 curve.

Good to see you decided to put down the latin proverb book and join the conversation, Jay.

[Jason O.]

1) Well then, confined to the proprietors of 4 blogs and the people you know, then that gives us approx. 104 people, assuming you've spoken/emailed with 100 people since last night. That's approximately 1/330th of the sample size I witnessed at Fenway last evening.

2) A nice attempt at obfuscation, but: Comparing the records/standings today tell us nothing about the Red Sox stumble in the last 25 games. (Quite like politicians who use snapshot polls to "convince" the sheep of the validity of their cause) The Sox actually should be given credit for not free-falling out of the race after particularly bad games, like the last TB affair...but some of it is good fortune.

3) Bringing up 2004, HB? What relevance does '04 have to today? Have you ever maligned someone for bringing up the Curse of the Bambino? BTW, I am dissapointed that yankees.com has the Aaron Boone home run on the home page. That's as relevant to this weekend as the cigar I smoked last night.

4) I probably have to concede this point....Wells is a simpleton. (And not even the Mayor of Simpleton)

[Jason O.]

NV,

Re: putting down the latin proverb book:

I have adhered to the stoicism of Cicero, Seneca and Marcus Aurelius for several years. It is well-suited for our fragile lives in general, but is particularly well-suited for passionate baseball fans.

[h.b.]

First of all, SoSH is not a blog. Secondly, the sites I pointed out all have a pretty good pulse of Red Sox Nation, especially if you condider the comments left which, yes, can quickly number into the hundreds. Thirdly, of course people are elated at Fenway after a win. I'm pretty fucking elated just stepping into the shrine. Oh, and did you speak with each person individually who attended last night's game or were you just basing that on the bravado of the crowd?

And here I was thinking you were a bright guy.

[pawsoxpop]

IN the case of Mariano vs. the Red Sox, 2004 is extremely relevant because it's the last time he faced our lineup IN OCTOBER.

[pawsoxpop]

And after facing the Blue Jays the Yankees will be a relief. I think we have a much better chance of sweeping the Balco Bombers than we would of beating the Blue Jays. Randy Johnson may be a decent lefty, but he's no Ted Lilly.

[h.b.]

Comparing the records/standings today tell us nothing about the Red Sox stumble in the last 25 games.

What?

My point was the Red Sox record over the last 25 (or any other arbitrary set) is just that: the record.

I don't see where luck comes into it. Are you saying the Red Sox are lucky the Yankees didn't win all of their games over the 25? Or lucky the Sox didn't lose more?

Either way, it's just not how I look at things.

We are where we are.

If the Yankees had played all season as they have the past month, things would be a lot different too.

I don't really see the Sox as having "stumbled" either. They've played pretty much the same way all season. Not particularly great, but good enough to stay in contention.

[NV in SD]

You were at the game last night Jay? Oh wait- I think I saw you on tv! You were that guy in the smoking jacket with your glasses perched on the tip of your nose and the ever-so-slight frown on your face, right? I don't know you brah, but you remind me of that Harvard guy from Good Will Hunting.

How d'ya like them apples?

[h.b.]

3) Bringing up 2004, HB? What relevance does '04 have to today?

I think you can go all the way back to 2003. Rivera is just not scary to me like he used to be. Yeah, he might shut the Sox down lights out, but so might the closer for any other team the Sox face on any given night.

No biggie. I like my guys chances against Rivera as much as their chances against any closer, perhaps more so.

I think deep down you know this is the case too.

[Jason O.]

Oh, I'm sorry, it's not a blog...but people communicate with each other there via some digital medium, yes? I hope I can live down this (really germane) semantic transgression....

How many of those hundreds of posters are repeat commenters?

You're right: Perhaps my survey process was not statistically valid, but the lasting ringing in my ears last night falls under the phrase res ipsa loquitor, the thing speaks for itself.

Bright? I'm not sure. As alt-country godfather Dwight Yoakam says: I may be slow, but I ain't blind....

[Jason O.]

hb, So by that rationale you'd be indifferent about facing Timlin or Rivera? (snort, guffaw, chortle)

NV, it was awesome....security was so impressed by the smoking jacket that they let me have a cigar in the stands, like the Fenway of old....

[pawsoxpop]

Here's a Dwight Yoakum song to plug into the Empire's i-pod Sunday night:

Little A-Rod starts to cry
hey, Moose would to if not for pride
oh, so much...pride it's true
it brought an end to me and you

If I could I turn around
set my feet back on the ground
all this plane ride holds for me
is a 1000 miles of misery

[h.b.]

I brought up the difference between a blog and a message board because your response suggested I was only talking about 5 people.

At this moment on SoSH there 232 unique usernames engaged in some form of interaction with the site.

And I don't see a single thread titled "We are elated because we split with Toronto and are going to win it all."

Also, as someone who has succesfully built up a decent audience of regular Red Sox readers to a site, I suspect I have a pretty good idea of what Red Sox fans are thinking, or else 1) Nobody would visit and 2) People would comment consistently telling me what an idiot I am.

I know the same is true of the fans who painstakingly update their version of Red Sox blogs.

But if you want to continue believing you're more in touch, that's cool. Whatev.

[illegitimate son of dwight evans]

Yeah, sorry Jason, but if you're going to bring up Sox v. Blue Jays, that's fair game for Yankees v. Devil Rays. I think in the competition of "most inexplicable difficulties against a sub-.500 team", the Sox win.

And I can't really say the Sox "stumbled" at any point in the season. Losing streaks? Sure, 4 or 5 games at times. That's not that horrid. Frankly, any year you can tack up 90+ wins you have to call it a good one.

I'm also in the "Rivera is just not as scary" camp, not especially with the Yankee defense going to sleep behind him. There have been plenty of times I've seen the Mo face (where lipreaders can see him saying "catch the f&%$ing ball") when he's been on to face the Sox. With the way Sheffield plays the field they won't be able to stack enough guys out there for the Big Papi Shift(tm).

[Follower of Tito]

Elated or not, I have the most severe man-crush on Ortiz. Also, I am extremely optimistic about the next 3 because every MFY-loving radio talkshow pundit has ointed the MFY as AL East Champs!! How, it could happen, but let's go through the tired formality of ACTUALLY PLAYING THE GAEME!! Besides, I think being the underdog is the role this team is the most comfortable in....chasing someone or something and taking it down. Would I have rather had the Sox 10 1/2 games up at this point, sure, but since we have to go through hell, as Churchill said, let's keep going.

As for all of the posturing from the MFY fans, I know what it is, we can smell it...it's nerves...Papi & Manny and the boys smell it too.

[Jason O.]

pawsoxpop, that was f***ing awesome, even if anti-yankees. Dwight is really a rare country/rock/bluegrass/zydeco/tex-mex/blues gem in today's bleak music landscape.

HB, within RSN you clearly have mucho gravitas: Like one of the judges on the wall in the trial at the beginning of Superman. ("GUILTY")
I merely saw a statistical vulnerability in your argument that may not reflect your experience. I submit to your judgement on the matter.

[Billy Mahty]

I think that Manny and Ortiz are probably not afraid of Rivera. Ortiz probably relishes the opportunity to go up against him.

I also believe Mo when he says he's not afraid of anyone and he believes he's totally dominant. Once he stops believing that, it will be time for him to retire.

Randy Johnson is no Ted Lilly? huh? ha.

[Billy Mahty]

This weekend just wouldn't be right without taking a look at this again:

http://www.e11even.ca/dump/ArodPurse.jpg

That cracks me up.

And seriously, Johnson's gonna nail down the division tomorrow. You guys can figure out the rest with the Indians.

[Aaron]

Well, we couldn't ask for the rotation to work out any better: the two starters best equipped to face the Yanks (Wells, who knows all their hitters, and Wake, who always gives them fits.) I'm not too enthused about Schilling's last start, but he did pitch lights out in Yankee Stadium the last time he faced them, so that's encouraging.

And, lest we forget, if it does come down to a play-in game on Monday, the Yanks will be starting Mike (1.2 IP, 7 hits, 5 runs) Mussina.

[NewtonNephew]

I love the erudition of the trash-talking on this site. Just want to point out that Giambi, who takes much mockery from RSN, is a class act. Here's what he said, from today's NYT:

"You feel good for them," Giambi said. "The Red Sox are such a great team. They don't quit. They proved that last year.

"They're hot, we're hot, so it should make for a good series."

[TeddyBallGame]

Giambi took drugs to increase his stats and got caught period. He needs to sound classy now!!!

[TeddyBallGame]

OBTW..I do not think BDD in any way can be perceived as representing RSN...they are owned by a major media company who also happens to own a % of the sox..plus they bash sox players all year long...the BDD site is more like a supermarket tabloid than anything else...if you want a good laugh go to BDD..but don't think they speak for the masses.

[illegitimate son of dwight evans]

Amen Teddy. In the BBD World, Clement has a great season and then tanks two games, and all of a sudden the guy's worthless. Ditto with Arroyo. That guy is the classic MFY-type fan - loves the team and proclaims his undying fandom when they're on top, rips individual players when they have a bad showing in one or two or five of the 162 games played in a season. The guy rips on the Sox selling Fenway Sod from last year when he's pimping the craptastic T-shirts that Jimmy Fallon wore in Fever Pitch. F that.

[h.b.]

Still, BDD sends me a couple hundred readers a day, and like 10000 extra readers when he occassionaly puts a feature/headline link to Soxaholix, and for that I'm indebted.

Also the trashing/ripping of things is very much a part of life in RSN whether it's your cup of tea or not. My own mother talks as much trash about the Sox as Silva does on any given day.

[pawsoxpop]

Yeah, HB, but I bet your mother is funnier and more with it than the tired old dirt dogs.

[TeddyBallGame]

The trashing ripping thing I agree seems to be with all sports fans and RSN in particular. I grew up with it. All I am saying is that BDD takes it too far, mocks only certain players, and is very mean spirited and has zero..zilch content. I do believe people do bookmark it to get to sites like yours. Out of town fans or fans from other teams find this site, it does not represent RSN in anyway only the personal attacks from Mr. Silva and whoever else may be pulling the strings at the NYT...

[Billy Mahty]

Hoo boy!

"Hall of Famer Wade Boggs will be honored before the game. A 12-time All-Star, Boggs won five batting titles in his 11 seasons with Boston. He then signed with New York and won his only World Series title in 1996."

I love it.

[pawsoxpop]

TeddyBallGame, I could not agree with you more. If Dirt Dogs had been around in your day, I think you would have strafed them with your fighter. And they would have deserved it too...