With the lilac tall ...

Your omniscient author in absentia:
Well, seems life isn't done throwing a few breaking pitches at us … Over the weekend my wife's grandmother passed away, so I'll be out of town Monday – Wednesday to travel to the funeral.

I'll see you back here Thursday morning.

 

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Comments

[Rob in CT]

Sincerest condolences to you, your wife, and all her family, h.b. Our thoughts are with you all.

Rob

[scott12xu]

R.I.P. George Carlin

And also keep my 1-year-old nephew in your prayers. He suffered a stroke this past weekend and has partial movement on his right side. Thankfully there's no hole in his heart or brain damage but the big guns at Children's Hospital in Boston will be looking at him today to find out why this happened. And he had just gone to his first Red Sox game on June 12th too.

What a lousy way to start the week.

[soxdownunder]

Like Rob said, Mrs HB.

Scott, that is unbearably awful.

[Isaac]

Let's just say life sucks sometimes. Our prayers are with you both.

[louclinton]

what they said.

[Bob]

All my prayers to H.B. and everyone else here having difficulties.

Keep the faith.

[Kaz]

It sounds like she must have lived a good full life, h.b. My condolences to your loss.

[Ryan with a capital "R"]

I was excited about reading what the characters had to say about yesterday's great game. But, that really is just fluff in comparison. My condolences, hb. And good thoughts for scott's nephew, too.

[yazbread]

Sorry to hear the bad news all around. The extremes - a grandparent passes away after (hopefully) living a full life and a 1-year old suffers a stroke - make a statement about the randomness of life.

As for yesterday's game - the appropriate headline might have been 'the Coco giveth, and the Coco taketh away'. Rick Ankiel let the team off the hook.

[louclinton]

In other news...

Made my second trip this year to Fenway on Sunday.

Ok, I got my money's worth.

I saw everything except a virgin birth, and if I had been more patient, I might have been able to tick that one off as well.

1. 40 minute rain delay to start things out.

2. Jon Lester pitching lights out except for a moment when it was pouring rain and he seemed to come a bit unhinged.

3. Joel Pinero (no, really) pitching like S. Koufax.

4. Multiple squanders by the Red Sox in the 9th, 10th,11th and 12th innings, featuring K. Youkillis swinging like a girl.

5. Paps gacking up a line shot over Crisp's head, or in back of it, or at least some where where Mr. C. had not chance of catching up the ball. This after frying the first two batters of the inning before the last notes of "Shipping Up To Boston" had faded.

6. Walkoff by Youk in the 13th.

7. The fat, dying guy who sits near me still hasn't died.

8. Some of the more obnoxious fans ever, including drunks heckling the two Cardinal's fans in the crowd, and some boho who was just trying to slip off the pants of an older cougar for most of the game and giving the playbyplay as he did it. "It's your birthday" he kept yelling, "And you are getting something good!".

In all, the entire Fenway experience.

[Natalie]

"If all the world is a stage, where is the audience sitting?"

Take care, hb and fam. Scott, your nephew is in my prayers, such as they are.

"I have as much authority as the Pope, I just don't have as many people who believe it."

[Steve in MD]

Scott & h.b., you are in our prayers.

Last night me and wife went to a Aberdeen Ironbirds (O's affiliate) game (single A ball) against the Brooklyn Cyclones (yanks affiliate). We had great seats - second row behind the visitors dugout - closer to homeplate than the 3rd baseman. Huge, athletic guy sitting in front of my wife. The Cyclones pitcher is bringing it at 94 mph. As a lefty comes to the plate my wife tells him she's glad he is sitting there to protect her from foul balls. He says "hey, I'm wearing camoflage (he is), the ball will never see me!" The words were not out of his mouth for more than a second when a sreaming foul comes off the bat headed for either his head or my throat. I'm diving down to the left and he is diving down to the right, and I figure I'm taking this off the shoulder or rib cage, when he inexplicably throws up his arm and the ball catches him square in the side wrist. Ouch! He claims he had no thought of catching the ball, and was just trying to get his arm in front of his face. Anyway he saved me a big bruise at best. We got the ball from the nearby fan that had grabbed it, and gave it to him as the EMT's took him away for X-Rays. Lesson - don't tempt fate - she can be a bitch!

[sonomasox]

Best wishes to all for a quick healing emotionally and physically.

On a happy note - my 20 month pushed aside all shirts this morning for his Sox shirt. His mother asked if he knew Papi's name was on the shirt - he replied: "Papi HIT the ball!" while acting out his swing.

I'm predicting a big second half for Senor Ortiz.

[Rob in CT]

I'm predicting a big second half for Senor Ortiz.

From your lips to God's ear, Sonoma!

Scott, so very sorry to hear about your young nephew. Our thoughts and prayers are extended to him and your entire family.

Uh, maybe this will seem a bit queer, but I called the prayer line at our local church. Given some past events in my life, I've sort of come to believe in the power of prayerful communication with God, and figured it couldn't hurt, right? Maybe you'll find some comfort in the knowledge that the good people at St. Bridget's are all remembering you in their prayers.

[Kaz]

In a bit of good news: Happy Birthday to me.

[Bob]

Happy birthday, Kaz.

Your comments don't look a day over 29.

[Natalie]

Happy birthday, Kaz! Wishing you a fantastic year, full of health, wealth, happiness, love and, of course, another Sox WS victory!

[yazbread]

So Youk gets dinged below the eye last night. Gets taken out of the game and sent off for an MRI. Give me a break. In Philly they just say 'Cut me Mick'.

[Natalie]

But, yb, did you SEE that thing? They had the camera on him right after it happened and, as you watched, his eye went through the gruesome process of swelling shut- in just the two minutes they were debating whether to leave him in! Looked gnarly to me, I had visions of Bryce Florie floating through my brain (obviously not THAT bad, but still). Glad to find out he is okay...

[Kaz]

No kidding, Natalie. It was the first time I wished I hadn't gotten HD. Man that thing looked really uncomfortable.

[Jason O.]

As Burgess Meredith once said after Rocky's nose was broken:

"Ahh, it's an improvement."

All kidding aside, a question for the assembled:

Is there any truth to the rumor that a DiMaggio/Williams one-for-one was discussed?

If so, the non-trade was in Boston's favor, but one wonders what DiMaggio's power #'s would have looked like in that little league ballpark of yours.

[Jason O.]

And Williams in Yankee Stadium?

"Sheeeeeeit."

-MD State Sen. Clay Davis (D)

[COD]

Anybody else seen this? The Baseball Project is a rock band featuring Peter Buck (of REM) and others who are big baseball fans. They did an entire album of songs about baseball, including a tune titled Ted Fucking Williams.

I didn't hear anything that rivaled Centerfield as a baseball song, but it all is quite catchy.

[Rob in CT]

Happy Birthday, Kaz!

("...and manyyy morrrrrrre!")

May the grass in your yard grow as green as the Monstah.

[Bob]

//It was the first time I wished I hadn't gotten HD.//

Yeah, after seeing that gargoyle eye, it was the first time I wished I hadn't gotten LSD.

[soxdownunder]

//Is there any truth to the rumor that a DiMaggio/Williams one-for-one was discussed?//
JO, by remarkable coincidence, I only just read about this trade in a book called http://www.amazon.com/Shut-Out-Howard-Bryant/dp/0807009792 "> Shut Out: A Story of Race and Baseball in Boston.

The book suggested that Yawkey, while drunk, canvassed the idea to a Yankee official but withdrew the suggestion when he sobered up the next day. Whether it is true of course, dunno. The book was recommended here (by hb) a year or so ago but took an eternity to arrive down under from Amazon. It is an excellent read and scathing of the 'Sox (and Yankees) attitude to integration. Not to kind to the Boston Irish for that matter.

[NYSoxfan]

I hear you Sonomasox... my screensaver is a handshake between Big Papi & Kevin Garnett on his first visit to Fenway after signing with the Celtics. I sure miss that big lug batting 3rd in the lineup. Methinks the lineup misses him too. Mind you the Sox were unlucky last night, but I would have loved to see Papi in there sitting on one of those 85-mph breaking balls that Haren was chucking. Manny was unlucky not to drive in the tying and maybe winning runs on that screamer, but as we all know, it is sometimes better to be lucky than good. That said, I sure hope we rip these Diamondheads the next 2 games, the thought of the Big Eunuch coming back to Fenway just gives me dyspepsia...

[Steve in MD]

J.O. & SDU, I can't find my copy right now to confirm it, but I think the trade was also mentioned in the book "Teamates" by Halberstrom about Dom Dimaggio, Ted and Johnny Pesky.

In other news, the Sox have now sent Youk off to an eye specialist because it was still watering when he showed up today - this is not good news. With two first baseman down (Papi and Youk) and one suspended (Casey) we are in a world of trouble if Moss gets injured.

Final thought, what do you folks think of Lugo plus a prospect/rookie (Moss?) for JD's little brother?

[sonomasox]

I'd rather see a trade like that for a rising or proven catcher. Love him (not in the Natalie way) but Tek maybe our bullpen coach in the next year or two.

[Natalie]

Well, now, sonomasox, last night will teach you not to malign the wonder that is 'Tek and his thighs. ;)

[soxdownunder]

You'all may have seen this but, if you haven't, check out this http://youtube.com/watch?v=ps2Swv8dhu4 "> amazing ball girl catch.

Now try doing that with a beer keg strapped to your back!

[Natalie]

SDU, that's fantastic! My favorite part? The absolutely STUNNED look on the left fielder's face when she just nonchalantly tosses him the ball. You go girl.

[Natalie]

Aw, I am such a sucker. My brother informs me that it is a fake- a Gatorade ad and she used cables. I am so gullible! Seriously, next you'll be telling me that Barry Bond's epic home run production was positively affected by PEDs or something...

[Bob]

Yeah, it's a Gatorade viral ad that's been making the ad circles for some time. Evidently, they used wires and pulleys and such to create the effect.

[Devine]

The clincher is her making it to the left field wall from her seat in about 2.5 seconds...

...but it's still fun.

And hope, faith, and sympathy to all those who need it.

[Steve in MD]

I wonder if Saltalamachia can catch the knuckler? Texas in 9 games out and he's only sharing time at catcher.

[Natalie]

Oooh, Saltalamacchia. He could also fill any hotness void left by a Tek departure. I approve. :)

[Kaz]

I was a big fan of getting Salty at the trade deadline last year, Steve, but it seems that Texas hasn't needed what we have and catchers like him are few and far between so it's a costly purchase.

[yazbread]

I was thining if BallGirl can hit, we trade Coco even up.

[sonomasox]

Nat - I'm thinking the Cap'n made a trip to the Soxaholix space yesterday before the game. And a little tough love from the left coast got him inspired...

That ballgirl made the rounds in the office yesterday - odd timing - great add.

When are we going see Bob's sriacha add?

[Bob]

Sriracha...it'll Assault-cha.

(Sorry. I need a vacation.)

[Kaz]

Haha, yaz, triple double from CoCo tonight. I think he took some OFFENSE to your suggestion. :)

[AZSoxfan]

It's easy to criticize interleague play when you live somewhere near Fenway and can go to a game now and then. But when you live in more distant climes, like Arizona, having the team here for 3 games last year was incomparable.

Glad you're back online and I hope you don't have to face any more "curveballs".