Back on top

Doug:
The only thing bettah than facing a weak AL club is facing a week National League one.

 

---

Mike:
Nothing like a sweep to break out of 4-game losing streak.

 

---

Doug:
Yeah, and with Kansas City up, it's time to throttle down and get some momentum before heading to the West Coast latah in the week.

 

---

Mike:
You worried about Beckett at all? He's looking very 2006ish lately.

 

---

Doug:
You know, if this were 2002 or 2003, yeqh, I'd probably be wearing down my worry beads, but these days? Not a chance.

 

---

Doug:
Besides, even if Beckett has a dropoff from his phenomenal success last year, it'll be more than compensated this season's nascency toward acehood by Daisuke.

 

---

Mike:
Yeah, and then there's a rejuvenated Colon waiting in the wings. Is this team deep or what?

 

---

Doug:
That's Theo for you. He likes to take the Jenna Jameson approach to building a ballclub … You know, there's no such thing as being too deep.

 

---

Comments

[louclinton]

Worry beads, be gone. These guys are good.

Not that anyone cares, but...

First visit to the yard in 2008 on Sunday.

Here are a few of the notable things I saw:

1. Jacoby Ellsbury caught stealing for the first time in his career. It was on a pitchout and even then it was razor close.

2. THEY SELL BEER IN THE RICH PEOPLES'S SEATS NOW!!
(at least for the first 4 innings or so) I haven't seen beer sold in the stands for so long that I can't even remember. Note to readers: I sit in what is kindly referred to as the "upper grandstands". No beer there. You have to actually get up out of your seat to get it.

3. Josh Beckett pitched great and gave up 4 home runs.

4. Those two little sock things ("Lefty" and "Righty") were a little too much in evidence.

5. The game was virtually irrelevant to 70 % of the patrons in the park.

6. The guy who sits two rows down and to the right of me on the aisle got way fatter over the winter, is extremely unhealthy and coughed up phlegm for much of the game. He should be dead by 2010.

7. Kids under 7 should not be taken to games.

8. $25 is too much to pay for a Rally Wally stuffed animal. I didn't pay that but two priests masquerading as "uncles" paid $50 for two Wallys that their young patrons/boys enjoyed. Don't get me started.

9. Two shitty lite beers and a bag of peanuts gets you .75 back from a 20 dollar bill.

10. The only way Eric Gagne was getting in the game is if every Brewers pitcher was garotted by that fat cop who punches fists with Papelbon. (The whole park yelling "We want Gagne was a nice touch.)

11. Prince Fielder hit a home run to right that didn’t get more than 10 feet off the ground until it snuggled into the bleachers.

12. I made eye contact with Jim Rice, passed Gordon Edes after the game, and saw the fat cop from the bullpen waddle into his service vehicle right after the game.

13. Fenway gives new meaning to the phrase “putting lipstick on a pig”

All in all, a great day for baseball.

lc

[buckner was framed]

lc-
any chance I can get those aisle seats in 2010? "rejuvenated colon waiting in the wings", indeed

[ParkerStPete]

On the depth chart don't forget Hadley V. Baxendale, currently on the DL with a broken crank.

[Bob]

That pitch-out against Jacoby wasn't just a perfect call by the Brewers, it was a perfect throw. And it was still bang-bang.

[Betsy in Rhode Island]

My husband lost money on that pitch out. He bet on Jacoby not getting caught all year.

[COD]

7. Kids under 7 should not be taken to games.

I must respectfully disagree. My first trip to Fenway was well before age 7. Yeah, if the kid has no interest in baseball dragging him along is a waste. But for a six year old fan, that first trip can be a magical experience.

Of course, when I was going at age six, we were sitting in the bleachers for a buck each.

[RogerClemensJohnson]

All in all a great weekend for Boston Sports. In terms of the kids under 7 comments, it really is a matter of chance. I've taken all four of my kids to games beginning at age 2. Sometimes the people in the nearby seats are friendly and actually like having kids around. When I see a 4 year old with his father, I usually say something about how lucky he is to have such an awesome Dad. But occassionally we'll sit near loud drunks that curse out the players--then I just sit and cringe. But overall, I'd say a beautiful summer day at Fenway with Dad is as close to perfect as a 7 year old can get these days! Roger Clemens Johnson

[RationalSoxFan]

HB,

The Jenna coment was brilliant - glad I was not sipping coffee when I read that!

Here's a topic no one has touched, but I've brought up. What about Julio Lugo being replaced for defense in the late innings? Yes, it may make sense, but how embarrassing is that? Who else has a shortstop they'd rather have on the bench in the ninth inning of a close game? Come on! Is it subtle signal they are exploring a trade?

Can anyone recall another starting shortstop that would get removed for defense like that? Has to be rare.

[sonomasox]

The problem b/t now and then and brining youngsters - back when I was said youngster going to games the bleachers were half full. You could still here the vulgarity, which was wicked awesome - but the rarely in those summer afternoon games was the guy right on top of you.

Regardless - I'm bringing 4 week old Beckett and 19 month old Thatcher to the dump in Oakland Sunday.

[stratomaticboy]

I love Jenna!

[louclinton]

I'm not opposed to the kids going to the games. It's just that for the money involved, I don't know what they get out of it.

lc

[sonomasox]

I'm w/ you, LC...that's why we go to Hadlock when we're home. It's a better bargain than Fenway - easily. Luckily the Oakland tix are cheaper than the Fens & at this stage gotta bring the infant - he's basically attached to the boob.

[natalie]

Greetings from Amsterdam yet again. Couple of thoughts, while enjoying a predinner Heineken:

Jenna may think there is no such thing as too deep but do the guys? Isn't that like drilling in the Grand Canyon?

Dr. Phil is on NL tv. Sign of the apocalypse for sure.

I am agnostic about young kids in Fenway. The bleachers could be a little raw, but one of my favorite memories involves sharing a skybox w a 6 year old who shot a grape off a plastic spoon and hit tek on the back as he was sitting on the dugout steps. When he looked up he saw me and my friends laughing and not the kid since he went back in to reload. Tek and I had a convo of hand gestures as he was convinced we had done it and was disappointed in us. Jack came back out and I pointed to him and tek burst out laughing, then clearly telling damian jackson and the dugout cop what had happened. We teased Jack for innings about how the cop was coming for him. His dad who did not see it was so funny, pretending to Jack he was disappointed in him but then asking us to speculate how far he managed to shoot the grape. Have I mentioned I love tek??? ;)

[RationalSoxFan]

Natalie,

Jenna may think there is no such thing as too deep but do the guys? Isn't that like drilling in the Grand Canyon?

Very funny! However, it is uncomfortable (for both parties) when you do hit rock bottom. A little breathing room is nice.

Deeper discussion may not be necessary - lol!

[meredith]

Favorite headline of the weekend: "Colon May Fill The Void Tuesday" (thank you, boston.com)

[Bob]

//The problem b/t now and then and brining youngsters...//

Sonomosox, I've found that youngsters are plenty tender and juicy enough without brining.

[buckner was framed]

lol, Bob. But do they stand up to sriracha?

[Harwich Rich]

...and your little dog too :D

[NYSoxfan]

re: young kids at Fenway -- just pick your opponent carefully. Sox vs Yankees? Wait till they are at least 13. Sox vs Royals? perfect. Disclaimer: no games in Philadelphia (any sport) should be attended by children of any age. I had to defend Trot Nixon's mother who was being assailed while Trotman batted as the Sox mauled the Phillies a few seasons back. Truly appalling fans down there. In the AL, only the Bronx or Oakland come close methinks.

[jfm]

Natalie,

Not sure where you are in Amsterdam but I was just there a little while ago. If you havent already make sure you spend an afternoon walking around the Jordaan district. That was easily my favorite area, with some of the best cafes and cool little areas.

Hope your enjoying being there.

JFM

[sonomasox]

what, you guys don't brine your kids? their bitterness becomes more palatable.

NYSoxfan - Haven't seen too many Sox games outside of Fenway & Oakland but the nice thing about Oakland is the safety in numbers. Playoff games excluded, RSN is about half the stadium.

[NolaSox]

re: kids at ball games. My 4 year old son has been to Comerica, Wrigley, Miller, Safeco, Shea, and Yankee Stadium (for a Sox game!) and I have to say it's hardest on me since I end up missing most of what is going on at the game. But giving him that exposure to baseball at a young age, is worth the sacrifice since his favorite thing to do in the evenings is hit wiffle balls with his dad. People around us didn't seem to mind too much. It helps if you have an aisle seat.

So I can't wait to take him and his sister to their first game at Fenway - and if one of them inadvertantly spills one of ya'll's overpriced beers, I'll get you a new one.

Nat, great Tek story.

[Steve in MD]

/Truly appalling fans down there./

Philly is about as close as it gets in the US to English Soccer, fanwise. I'm told that Eagles games are even worse.

Of course, Foxborough was pretty dicey back in the 80's as well.

[pinstripe thunder]

Natalie

Hopefully you're sampling dope and hookers in Amsterdam while they're still readily available. And art museums, too, although I don't think their status is endangered at the moment.

Thought the Jenna philosophy was no such thing as too TIGHT.

[Natalie]

Oh Rationalsoxfan, you are so correct, except it is always better to have too deep than nothing. You can always adjust the angle... :) Okay, too graphic, sorry. It's midnight here, post many glasses of white wine and no client visit until Weds, so I am wishing for, as PST sats, "drugs and hookers" without the drugs and pay for play thing :) Art museums may come way later.... I have been here 5x but never have seen the tulips or the Van Gogh. Or gotten laid. I suck. :(

[pinstripe thunder]

If you suck, all the more reason you should be getting laid over there. Plus, as I recall, you mentioned a few weeks ago that you were the proud owner of 40DD's (not that I would remember these things). I thought one of the perks of European business trips was the chance to do some of the stuff you'd never do at home. F*** the tulips and the Van Gogh -- go get laid, Nat. This is your bad conscience speaking (we all know that I know no other kind).

[Natalie]

PT- where did you get 40DD? I am 36DD, but aside from the number, you remember correctly. As for biz trips, if they weren't so packed with business I think I'd get out more. Thank god I bring a toy for the necessary end of night go-to-sleep thing. :) Nantucket this coming weekend, any Soxaholix gonna be out and about???

[pinstripe thunder]

Apparently I have a selective and enthusiastic memory. There are those who know me who would use a harsher word than selective. Enjoy the toy... guess Tek's thighs get a workout tonight. Are you still moving to London this summer?

[IkeG]

Boobs boobs boobs ... hey, Lester! Woot woot! ... where was I, oh yeah boobs boobs ...

[soxdownunder]

No no - any of you scamps at the game??

[Anonymous]

Congrats to J. Lester on the no-hitter.

Too bad it wasn't against the Yankees.

[pinstripe thunder]

Congratulations to Lester on the no-hitter and GLAD it wasn't against the Yankees. We have enough problems. Good to see the kid finally come all the way back.

[da kine]

Jonny Mo throws a no-no and I'm on vacation away from my MLB Season Pass and Tivo. Fucking hell.

[louclinton]

In re: Jon Lester.

Niiiiice

lc

[NYSoxfan]

Lestah!!! Goddam sweet Monday night. I shoulda been at Professor Thom's for this...

[Natalie]

Ah, man, I miss everything. So bummed not to have seen that game!!! But I better get used to it, I guess. Yep, PT, still heading across the pond for good in August...