Bring out the imp

Mike:
So now that the Division seems^* locked up, I'm a little embarrassed about my own doom and gloom pronouncements last week.

^*[said with fingers-crossed while knocking on wood]

 

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Bill:
Yeah, and aftah reading Verducci's debunking of the biggest myths of MLB's wild-cahd era, our recent histrionics seem even more laughable.

 

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Mike:
Well, I guess that's why they call us "fans" short for "fanatics" and not "imps" short for imperturbable.

 

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Bill:
Seriously, I wish I could say otherwise, but the fact is, 100 times, no, make that 101 times out of 100 if the Sox have a 14.5 game lead that dwindles to a 1 game lead, I'm going to bust a nut.

 

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Mike:
But no point in dwelling on our weaker moments.

 

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Bill:
Of course not, especially during Christmas.

 

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Mike:
On the first day of Christmas my Manny gave to me, 5 RBI.

 

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Comments

[Bob]

Just a reminder to the Soxahlix:

Sunday, around noon to game-time, at Copperfield's downstairs ("Down Under").

That game may just have "best record" implications. And even it it doesn't, it's going to have "too many beers and Jameson" implications.

BTW, H.B. my girlfriend actually got angry at me this morning for calling her an "imp." I meant impish, but still, a cool coincidental strip today.

[chucks]

Pretty interesting to see a once-proud franchise, whose fans laughed at the Sox's wild card celebrations in 2003 and 2004, pop champagne and get teary-eyed over being 4th best in the AL. How the haughty have fallen - pass the peas.

[Youk Rules]

The wins feel good and the future looks bright -- and we should enjoy it -- but let's wait until the division really is locked up before we look back at our foibles and smile.

[Genghis Ortiz]

Papi does bear a striking resemblance to Marcellus Wallace...

Props to Lowell. Solid hitter, fielder, with the Nick Esasky swing. Too bad he'll be gone after November.

[h.b.]

//but let's wait until the division really is locked up before we look back at our foibles and smile.//

But the theme of today's strip is it doesn't matter. Making the playoffs is what counts. The rest is just fan warm/fuzzy.

The characters are saying that the Red Sox attitude was right all along: the Division is a nice to have but don't overwork pitchers and rush back Manny etc in order to achieve it if you're already assured the wild card at worst.

[Jason O.]

Chucks is hilarious: When last I checked, there was an AL East team in 2006 that folded like a $5 suitcase, missed the playoffs and blamed it on injuries...

See you in two weeks.

Assuming, of course, that both teams win their respective ALDS.

[NYSoxfan]

I hear you H.B., the playoffs are what counts. I think the MFYs agree given their champagne celebration in Tampa Bay last night. But goddam, I'm looking forward to the end of the Joe Torre era, after which chaos will reign in the Bronx as the Spanks go into a long, slow, agonizing decline into mediocrity. The sooner the Sox start winning AL East titles, the faster my dream will come true. I'm sorry, call me cruel, but I don't just want to beat 'em, but I want to see the MFY 'fans' suffer. With that I'm off to work.

[Jeffrey]

With Beckett pitching for the sox tonight, and Kazmir pitching for the D-Rays, I think this thing could be wrapped up tonight. Then our boys can have a little sweet champagne of their own.

[h.b.]

Jason O, can I offer you some tunnbröd to go with that red herring you're serving?

[Youk Rules]

HB, is that really the theme of today's strip?

I agree that the playoffs are what counts, but the first line in the strip is a presumption that the division seems "locked up."

It's not clear to me that the characters are approving the Red Sox "attitude" or that the theme is the importance of a playoff berth.

Maybe I'm missing something, but I'm going to wait until it's "official" before popping any corks.

[Jason O.]

Please...along with a Nils Oscar Julol Imperial Stout while I recall:

BP playoff odds June 30: NYY - 18% chance of making the postseason.

[Kaz]

A rain delay to let the Yankees get to losing to Kazmir ahead of our start would be perfect...BUT PLEASE let us play this game tonight. (whimper)

I SO want to see these guys celebrate the AL East in Fenway tonight.

[chucks]

Yup, acting like they've been there: http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20070927/capt.3e83b442b28c4d3b978b8e96c402565b.yankees_devil_rays_baseball_spd126.jpg

[yazbread]

So my wife and I went out for breakfast this morning. We have our 25th wedding anniversary coming up in February. I suggested a week in St. Maarten in early March. Sun and great restaurants from what I gather. My wife threw a new suggestion on the table. She wants to do the official 'Red Sox Spring Training Travel Package'. She heard it advertised while listening to the game on XM radio last night. She thinks it would be more fun than St. Maarten. I think her exact words were 'what could be more romantic than watching the team for a week?'. Might give you a good idea of why we will make it to our 50th. I am truly blessed.

[Kaz]

Yankees odds at getting the pennant this year: 1.55%

Yankees odds at getting the pennant by way of a tie instead of overtaking the Red Sox: 1.4%

[h.b.]

Jason,

You're still missing the point of chuck's argument.

The Yankees fans have always pooh-pooh'd the wild card and scoffed at RSN for getting into the playoffs via that route.

Now just because the Yankees came back from what seemed impossible, does not change that.

But I enjoy your herring just the same. Try the mandelpotatis, they are very sweet this morning and will be a nice complement to your salty tears of joy over winning the wild card.

[vermonter]

It's all about living in the moment. When we are in a free-fall going from 14.5 ahead to 1, we're gonna freak. Rightly so. Now that they are doing better, we are calmer...that's normal behavior. It's easy to look back and say how silly we were to not be confident of this outcome, but we were right to be concerned.

I also think teh Sox did a pretty great job considering the Skanks were 70-38 since whenever. See, calmer now. Even complimentary.

[Jason O.]

Given the circumstances over the first 1/2, it completely changes that, hb.

[Bob]

What circumstances, J.O.?

Obviously, after your earlier comment, you can't blame injuries.

[h.b.]

//it completely changes that//

I think that is chuck's point, no?

Now all of a sudden the wild card is cry worthy.

If you recall, the 2004 Red Sox season wasn't w/o it's share of low points and angst, but when they won the wild card that year, Yankees fans mocked our happiness.

I don't think Francona ever cried, though, thankfully.

[Devine]

Well, Youk Rules, there was finger-crossing and wood-knocking in the strip, so I don't think it's so bad to covet the shiny thing that is so, so, so, so close.

So I read the tired hands on the Yanks will get some time off? How much? Are Posada, Jeter, and A-Rod sitting tonight? I'd just like to see this thing wrapped up fast is all.

[Jason O.]

The disingenuous ignorance/omission of the circumstances of the first 90 days of the season and the herculean feats of the past 90 days are to be expected...in fact, welcomed and enjoyed as the nature of the assembled.

"They lie, and we must be merciful to those who lie."
-Col. Kurtz

[chucks]

Not tears, h.b., melting snowflakes. I wish the NYY all the success that other also-ran Ed Muskie enjoyed.

[h.b.]

Wow, Jason, I think this is your lowest moment ever on the site.

I blame it on Torre's tears.

Maybe you on Torre can go on Oprah and emote together?

Maybe bring on Martha Stewart, too, and you all could weep about your great comebacks while you're making a quiche.

[buckner was framed]

I think what Youk Rules means to say is, to borrow a phrase, "I'm not imp yet!"

[ParkerStPete]

JO is essential to the dramatic structure of the comments section. Sort of like the token Republican they always had on staff of West Wing who got the bad office in the basement with bare pipes and erratic heating.

[Jason O.]

Oprah and Martha can't be worse than Sox Appeal, for which you are guilty by association under the Red Sox Nat. umbrella.

Plus, I might get to meet Alexis Stewart...see her on Larry King during the trial? (grrowl)

So let's expand the trash talking: Where's BamaSoxFan? How about those Auburn Tigers? (chortle, snort, guffaw)

[Natalie]

It pains me deeply to say this, but I am on Jason's side in this one. That was a damn impressive second half of the season for the Spanks and that comeback makes their inclusion in the playoffs (by whatever means) special. He can be forgiven his giddy relief, I think... I am now going to go light myself on fire.

That said, I am glad the embarrassing, teary, Dr. Phil-style navel-gazing is being done by Torre and not Tito. What a girl... :)

[Harwich Rich]

Wow Yazbread,you ARE truly blessed. My 1st Ex could've taken lessons :)

[h.b.]

//Oprah and Martha can't be worse than Sox Appeal, for which you are guilty by association under the Red Sox Nat. umbrella.//

More herring? No thanks, I'm full.

Chuck's original premise still holds.

The wild card is for losers unless the Yankees happen to win it, then it's herculean and, sob, meaningful, and, sob, so full of mystique and aura. Sniff.

That's not to say we aren't hypocrites as well at times. I'm sure you can think of many fine examples of that.

[Follower of Tito]

Chucks...that pic is worth a 1000 words beginning with "Ick" My 2 teenage children have played "Would you rather (WYR)..." for years. That picture and others bring up too many horrible images of WYR...the 1st of which is hugging a greasy Juicambi or A-Fraud.

"The horror....the horror!" Col. Kurtz

[Jackie]

Hey Jason - you might want to mention that those were the non-adjusted odds. I don't think the PECOTA adjusted, or the ELO-adjusted, dipped below 50% for the Yanks at any point ever.

I mean, yeah, the Yankees have played great ball for the last 2/3 of the season, but I don't understand why we're supposed to congratulate them on their 'huge comeback' - if they hadn't played so far below their talent (aka, sucked really really bad) for the first two months of the season they would have run away with the division.

So, uh, congrats to the Yankees, for not completely pissing away all your talent for the entire year. *throws blue and white confetti*

[birthofasoxfan97]

Just like blueberry pancakes and a foot rub...

[birthofasoxfan97]

hb's fan warm/fuzzy, that is...

[NYSoxfan]

"Tiny tears make up an ocean
Tiny tears make up a sea
Let them pour out, pour out all over
Don't let them pour all over me." - 'Tiny Tears' by the Tindersticks

[Kaz]

*sniff*

*sniff*

Hmm, ya smell that? Smells good. Smells like someone holding someone else's feet to the fire. Mmmm.

[Jackie]

And speaking of grilled feet - anyone else psyched for the season premiere of The Office tonight? Anyone? Bueller?

[Natalie]

Jackie- BEYOND excited for the Office tonight. But even that pales in comparision to how excited I am for the premiere of FNL next week. Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose! I need a life.

Speaking of returning Fall TV, anyone catch Heroes on Monday? RobIn(NY)CT?

[Kaz]

Price expected to drop faster than a Delcarmen curveball

(man, that's ballsy of me in the face of karma and history)

[ParkerStPete]

Natalie, great to find another FNL fan. I was on a United flight over the summer and they showed the awesome season finale; nice to see NBC seriously promoting an underappreciated show.

[louclinton]

I love the smell of crow pie.

[Bryan Kinnear]

Check out these funny redsox ringtones I created:
http://www.myxertones.com/tag/206807/

http://www.myxertones.com/tag/206821/

Go to: http://www.myxertones.com/home/ to create your own ringtones!

[Billy Mahty]

h.b., the only problem with your ribbing of Jason O. is that he's probably one of the few GBY fans around here who was gracious when the Sox won the wild card the last few years.

Or am I remembering wrong?

[Scott]

I told you Manny would be back and everything would be OK. I'm more worried about the Pats secondary containing CJ & TJH.

[RonF]

Pudge, vermonter, Scott; I don't remember the kid's name, but I think I would if it had been Roosevelt. He wasn't in my class, I didn't know him. Are there a lot of black kids in Franklin now? I know that the population has literally quadrupled since I lived there (I-495 didn't exist until after I moved out).

Ah, but on topic; 3 games up with 4 left is a good thing, but as the noted philosopher (who left Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS early rather than watch the denouement) Yogi Berra said, "It ain't over until it's over."

On that best record thing; what happens if two teams are tied? We don't go to a playoff game, do we? Is it head to head?

[RonF]

Baseball needs to add a second wild card in each league -- and a play-in game between wild cards before the Division Series -- to make division races meaningful.

Great idea. And then half the teams in MLB can put heating coils under the sod of their fields so that they can play the World Series the week before Thanksgiving.

[h.b.]

Jason is gracious. Jason is one of the better Yankees fans out there. Jason adds much to the comments on this site.

Jason also has every right to feel great about the Yankees wildcard clinch.

However, none of the above negates Chuck's original premise: When the Red Sox won the wild card, many Yankees fans were derogatory about it. Now that the Yankees have clinched the same, it's worthy of tears, champagne, and great beating about the breast.

Jason, I believe, suggests this great celebration is due to the way the Yankees overcame diversity this season.

I'm not convinced. I think the fans are just hypocrites.

But I think we all are. It comes with being a fan. After all we are not called "imps."

And so, that brings us back full circle to the theme of today's strip.

QED

[illegitimate son of dwight evans]

I don't think you're remembering wrong Mahty, but you're dishing the same herring that Jason is.

For my money, there's something mystical and aura-like about the Yankees celebrating in front of 1400 fans in the Tropicanadome. Maybe "poetic" is the word. How long until YES is broadcasting the Yankeeography about that mystical game in St. Pete on September 26, 2007?

[Youk Rules]

Manny hitting 2nd tonight, Ellsbury in CF, Hinske at 1st, Lugo at SS, per lineup card.

[buckner was framed]

RonF-
re: BRIB, or at least at tie for same. If the Sox are tied with the Angels and/or Indians for best record, they are top seed due to best head-to-head record (whether two or three way tie, the Sox prevail). By the same token, in the unlikely event the Sox and Skanks are tied, NY gets top seed due to its superior head to head

[Billy Mahty]

Ok, h.b. I will give you that.

Yours in hypocrisy,

B.M.

[Sonoma Sox]

Nat - probably a bit late on this today (west coast/work thing) but cautiously excited about Heroes. Kinda like my entire Sox outlook. I don't want to get bogged down w/ another dozen new characters.

Go Kazmir!
Go Beckett!

[chucks]

Ron F, in case of a tie, it goes to head to head record. If the division title was truly such a big deal they'd make 'em play a 163rd game.

[Jackie]

Natalie - everyone keeps trying to get me into FNL, but I still haven't seen an episode. Eventually I will be convinced, get the DVDs from Netflix, and then yell at everyone I know for not getting me into it sooner. (In the last two years, this exact scenario has happened with: Arrested Development, The Office (US), and Veronica Mars)

[Billy Mahty]

Jackie - I'm the same way. I just got into Freaks & Geeks and Arrested Development. Coming up: 24, Six Feet Under, Firefly, the new Battlestar Galactica.

[Harwich Rich]

Judging from the way Manny just motored around the bases I'd say the Oblique's healed.

[BamaSoxFan]

Jason O,
Pardon me if I borrow the words of Doc addressing Johnny Ringo:

"I'm sure of it, I hate him."

Said in jest, of course . . . As a Bamer and a Yankee fan over the past few years, you can relate . . .

Watching the Tiger and the Sox try their hardest to flush the season down the toilet was carving years off my life. At least the Sox have made a turnaround.

Auburn, on the other hand, is headed to the Swamp this weekend . . .

[Apologies, friends and hb for bogarting the thread.]

[soxdownunder]

the imp's asleep ...

[Bob]

You gonna be "Down Under" at Copperfield's Sunday, SDU?

Come on, how much can it cost you, a few grand?