The hero's journey: the road of trials.

Al:
As Cafardo writes in today's Globe, "There are more than 20 teams in baseball who would love to be in the Red Sox’ position right now."

 

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Mike:
But the Red Sox are not your typical team.

 

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Al:
And we are not your typical fans.

 

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Doug:
So we expect to win every year?

If this is wrong, then I don't want to be right.

 

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Al:
Seriously. I nevah want to return to the days when our primary modus operandi was thinking of the ways couldn't win, when focusing on all the reasons why we can win is such a bettah state of mind.

 

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Mike:
From where I'm standing, though, the reason we cannot win and the reason we will win have fused into the singularity.

 

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Doug:
Beckett.

 

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Al:
Beckett.

 

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Mike:
Beckett, indeed.

 

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Comments

[da kine]

I'd love to be in the fucking Stankees' position. How the frig did they get so many games up? Do they ever fucking lose? I want to find someone who looks like Jeter and punch them in their Lyla Garrety-banging face.

[da kine]

I feel better now.

[h.b.]

Regular season record doesn't mean much when the playoffs start up (cf., 2008 Angels, 2007 Rockies, 2004 Yankees).

And with a Beckett being Beckett of say '07, we beat everybody in any matchup.

[Colin]

All I ever have to remember is that the first World Series won in 86 years was from a WC spot in the playoffs. The East doesn't mean much to me even if the Yanks are frustrating.

I can only pray Detroit or whoever the AL Central winner is has the luck to take them down.

[Bob]

To find a form that accommodates the mess, that is the task of the artist now.

-Beckett (Samuel, but still.)

[LarryE]

And while we certainly need Beckett to be the Beckett of earlier in the season, if we are to get far in the playoffs, we also need Papi to start approximating a reasonable facsimile of '04-'07 Papi. A 2 for 21 road trip doesn't instill much confidence as we head down the stretch. Hopefully, Friendly Fenway will spark the offense again
(10 rund in the last four games).

[louclinton]

The creepy strip echoes my thoughts from the weekend, which found me in..drumroll please.

Pittsburgh.

Oh, what a rich effulgent life I lead.

So, naturally, I went to PNC Park, which by the way, is a fucking beautiful ball park, which, by the way, puts Larry's Fenway Vomitorium to shame. But enough of my digestive habits.

Highlights of the game: J Lugo leading off and getting on base. He played both 2nd and short (not at the same time), and has lost the " I see dead people look" that his visage conveyed in Boston. Brandon Moss hit in the five-hole for the Buccos, after Lastings Milledge. The Bucs have a guy named Andrew McCutcheon whom I have already penciled in as a late season acquisition for the RS in 2011, once his arbitration eligibility attaches. Aside from the goofy white-guy usher, who started telling me about his "health problems" about 15 seconds after he showed me my very fine club level seats, which cost less than my shitty GS seats at The House That Beer Built, it was a fine day. I saw a unicorn for the second Sunday in a row, namely, a walkoff win from the Buccczzz.

Also J Smotlz was sighted, looked relaxed. He showed up late, which means the play was slow at Oakmont on Sunday morning.

NL ball is decidedly poor, but quick-- a 6-5 game in under 3 hrs. Pujhols (sp?) looks like a men among boys in that collection.

Bring on the O'zzz

lc

[Bob]

//...has lost the " I see dead people look" that his visage conveyed in Boston.//

L.C., my friend Reeed always called Renteria "Grandma-ria."

When I asked him why, he said, "because he has the eyes of a very old woman."

This town can change people. Well, ballplayers, anyway.

[h.b.]

Shameless plug -- NEW T-SHIRT DESIGNS including,

Teal Dress

and

Size matters.

[NolaSox]

Woohoo! Nat's dress immortalized in 100% preshrunk cotton.

[Rob in CT]

OMFG! "Keeping it Teal" Beautiful, H.B., just... just... beautiful.

I sure wish I looked better in spaghetti straps, because that's just too cool for words. :-)

Natalie - we need a posted picture of you in one of these tees, preferably taken in the dog park. STAT! (Yeah, I remember...)

[jar in chicago]

H.B.,
Those shirts couldn't have come out a better time. I have been out of sorts after being at the game on Friday. I pay for a major league game and a AAA game breaks out. Tito takes 7 starters out in the 5th. Of course A-Gon stays in. WTF. I'm suprised no one is complaining about the weekend. Rented sunset with a new "T" is all I need.

[steveo]

Beckett v Yankees 2009 5.34 era

[Scott]

I still in shock that BB flushed the 2009 season down the drain on Sunday.

When does Beckett get shut down for a couple starts?

[yazbread]

I posted pictures from Saturday's game yesterday. But since readership took a holiday, I am reposting. Have to say that I enjoyed the Cell more than my Fenway visit this year. Roomy seats, wide concourse, and the CTA does a great job of taking the crowd away in a timely fashion. The only downside of the Cell is that they blare incessant noise between the innings. Quite annoying - you can't manage a conversation. Papi looked pathetic. I think he is done after this year. Wake had a noticeable limp but other than the first inning, he pitched a good game. Someone at SOSH gooched the Sox by suggesting that Chicago had run up the white flag on the season. I wish.

[ettubloge]

A-Fraud in October. CC in post-season. Burnett and Joba suck. Good pitching and pressure affect everyone. Will Sawx get to hit against Smoltzie. He'll remember why he must always reamin an NLer.

[vermonter]

Louclinton-nice post.

da kine-The more the Skanks win in the regular season, the more pressure that they will need to endure in October. A-rod in post-season has turtled worse than Tie Domi at the end of his career.

[Bob]

Nice pics, yazbread.

From the close-ups and angles, I'd guess your real name is Varitek.

(Great seats.)

[Kaz]

Speaking of size and the Yankees, as long as they keep building a hitter's team in the Little League field that they call a ballpark, they're going to remain on top of the Sox in offense.

They currently have about 120 more hits than us, even though we lead them in 2B and 3B with 170 less ABs. 40 of their 120 hit lead are HRs, so the other 80 are singles (and they have a much better ground ball to fly ball ratio). So, slap a few guys on and slam them home. Evidently it wins ballgames. Everybody says pitching wins ballgames, but even the shittiest pitchers can win when they've got a 5-10 run lead (right, AJ Burnett?) from a HR/game ratio around 1.5...

That's 119 HR in 67 games (1.77) at the new HR Derby field versus 97 in 72 games (1.35) while on the road. For comparison, we have 89/66 at home and 87/71 away. According to USAToday, the stickball field that Ruth built is averaging 3.11 HR/game there. Also in the article, it points out that Nick Swisher has been helping the team's average look more reasonable by hitting 19 of his 22 HR on the road. That is compared to pretty much everyone else on the team (except Matsui) who are all hitting about 2/3rds of their dingers at home vs away! It's just sick. Their pace may have slowed a bit, but they were on an early pace to hit more HR in a season at Yankee Stadium than at mile-high Coors Field!! Just awful. I hope MLB slaps them with a non-grandfathered rule change.

[Natalie]

I promise the second I get my Keeping it Teal t-shirt I will take a photo and post for one and all to see (no dog parks, but I can take it with the dog in my garden, if that works ;). Cannot wait! Must suss out shipping to London situation...

[Natalie]

Go CafePress! Very easy and cheap shipment to London. My Keeping It Teal jersey tee has been ordered. Thanks, hb. I cannot wait.

[Bob]

That reminds me: where the hell is the classic Soxaholix tee I ordered about two weeks ago?

I blame, uh, Kaz this time.

[Sean L.]

I don't want be a bummer here, but hasn't Doc Halladay already proven in principal that we can't win with a singularity?

[buckner was framed]

I blame, uh, Kaz this time

LOL, you're learning, Bob... what's your take on the Seymour situation, btw?

[Bob]

Buck, I guess my take is this: he was gone at the end of this year anyway. And he's not quite the player he used to be, so getting a #1 pick in two years is very nice.

That said, who knows where any of us will be in two years? And even a "not-quite-as-good-he-used-to-be" Seymour could have helped the Pats THIS year.

In Bill I trust. I guess.

[Kaz]

Seymour = good riddance. Psych. Honestly, though, we've moved into more of a 4-3 and he's less important in that set and easier to replace.

In the meantime, the NFL is likely to go to a rookie cap era (like the NBA) with the next CBA, which means that first-round Oakland 2011 draft pick (likely a #1-#5 pick) is a mother lode. It's going to be worth way more than I think people are giving it credit for. I trust BB to get us through this year without Seymour for a crack at a super-cheap superstar in 2011. Hell, look how far we went last year with Matt "Clipboard" Cassell last year instead of Brady. Was Seymour really such a huge part of our wins last year that we can't live without him now?

[louclinton]

I missed the announcement of the end of the baseball season. How did we get into week 11 NFL talk?

[Bob]

Just a bit of jibber-jabber about a big trade, L.C.

The Sox are still tops in my mind through a certain fall month that rhymes with Pull Over. Sort of.

[Bob]

Speaking of baseball, WTF with Brad Penny?

Is the National League that bad, or are our pitching coaches that bad?

[louclinton]

Ok, Richard seymour, bla bla bla

4-3 defens jibber jabber

3-4 denfense old and in the way.

Brady

Chung

Warren, etc.

riveting

[buckner was framed]

OK, just to make lc even more surly-

I have 2 tickets to Bruins opening night, great seats, October 1 vs some guy named Ovechkin. I'm out of town that week. Face value to anyone who wants 'em.

[louclinton]

I have two tickets for Dania jai alai's "Salute Our Fallen Heroes" extravaganza at 7 pm on 9/11/09.

and you don't

[buckner was framed]

ahh, but I'll be watching the simulcast

[yazbread]

If you get me Patxi's autograph, I'll be eternally grateful.

[Bob]

Come on, Ho-Ho, you can do better.

"In seven years, it'll overtake baseball."

[Bob]

Oh, BTW, I have my two tix to tomorrow evening's game -v- the Orioles available (don't ask; it involves writing copy for wound management).

Face value, my bleacher seats in 39.

First response gets 'em. And gets to buy me a beer when you pick them up (lunch or right after work; either would be fine).

[louclinton]

Thanks for picking up the MadMen reference, you creeps

[louclinton]

btw, is that little kid who plays Jon Hamm's daughter the most annoying person on the face of the earth since ARod?

[Bob]

No, L.C., that would be this frightening creature:

Disturbing Spoiled Child Beauty Pageant Contestant

[soxdownunder]

Great pics, Yaz - looks like they were taken from about row 8 with a big fat zoom to compensate for ... never mind.

Love the shameless teal.

I had tickets to http://picasaweb.google.com.au/soxdownunder/PiesEmbarrassedBySainters# "> Collingwood's shameful effort on Sunday - face value to anyone who can turn the clock back and refund my air fare and hotel bill.

[Bob]

I was wondering why my hat had tears running down it, SDU.

[Thompson13x]

Hey Buckner, If you still have the tkts for the 1st I am interested. Let me know how to get a hold of you and find out the face on 'em or what the deal is!

[Thompson13x]

I'm in the Metro West (Marlborough)area but am not afraid to make the drive to most all points in the Nation, being a displaced RSN Texas original!

Though I thought I'd never have to ask this, when ARE the wheels on the Rangers feel good wagon going to come off? Here we are nearly 9 wks removed from the All Star weekend and they are still in the hunt for not only the wild card but may have a legit shot at winning the AL West? A friend said recently that if they knew all it would take was my relocation to Mass to spur the Strangers into winning I shoulda left years ago!!!

[Ray in MD]

Did AAA pay extra for the billboard in left tonight? All four homers have given them some extra exposure.

[louclinton]

4 words:

The Immortal Bob McCrory

[Kaz]

So, that stuff I was saying about us being down in HRs to the Yankees...

Yeah, it all still holds, but goddamn did the O's try to help us level that statistic tonight or what?