What a game, what a travesty, what a night, what a knucklehead, what a finish. That about sums up last night and the final game for a month of the emotionally taxing April series with the Yankees.
I would first like to say to everyone and anyone who sits or has sat in the front row at Fenway Park: IF THE BALL IS NOT FOUL SIT DOWN AND DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT TRYING TO GRAB IT. There is nothing more humiliating as a Boston sports fan than watching the supposed intelligent Boston fans trying to interfere with a ball in play. If it is foul, then by all means lean over the barrier and try to scoop it up, I could care less and when you fall on your head it is extremely amusing. But for these yahoos to attempt to interfere with the ball or the fielder when it is in play? That is bush league to put it politely.
Also, would someone tell Gary Sheffield that as I learned playing waffle-ball in the front yard, you pull the ball out of the mouth of the dog first, then you throw the ball in to the fielder, and then you chase off the offending dog. That applies to yahoos trying to get the ball, hit you in the face, or knock your hat off.
Second, overlooked by all accounts of the game was a very good job by Bronson Arroyo on the mound. Yes, he lost a bit of composure after the ridiculous non-strike call on ball four to Gary Sheffield (everything was about Sheffield yesterday!), but I was very impressed how he bounced back and retired the next five batters in a row. Kudos to Terry Francona as well for sticking with Arroyo after that one bad inning. Many managers are so quick with the hook that the pitchers never learn to deal with adversity. For Bronson to have a total meltdown inning and then come back and respond by retiring the next five batters is a great sign for his future development as a front-line pitcher.
Finally, a great job at the end of the game by Keith Foulke. No doubt lacking his signature sharpness and control, Foulke gutted out the last two innings to pick up a well-earned victory. More kudos to Terry Francona (even though he was ejected at this point, I am sure he had made the decision) for pitching Foulke the final two innings. First, Foulke needed the work. Without steady, consistent work Foulke, as evidenced by last night, needs to pitch a lot to be effective. In addition, Foulke showed why he is one of the elite closers in the game, not just by keeping the Yankees off the scoreboard, but also by working out of situations with runners on base. Even without his best stuff, Foulke did what needed to be done to get the win.
* * *
THE NEW JERSEY GENERALS WILL RIDE AGAIN:
Nice catch by Doug Flutie on a foul line drive in the Sox-Yankees game. Someone sign this guy to a contact. Patriots, Red Sox, who cares. He is an athlete!
* * *
EARLY BIRDS:
Amid all the complaints about the Sox and Yankees playing in April as being too early, I say hogwash. Start the season off with a bang. I say get the competitive juices flowing early in the season. Really, who would rather watch the Sox play the Kansas City Royals instead of the Yankees? It is good for baseball in general (national television and media picking up the Sox and Yankees games), it is good for Sox as it assures a sell-out at the only time of the season they have to worry about the games being 99% capacity (those cold spring evenings), and they have to play nineteen times anyway, why not spread the games out over the course of the season?
* * *
THE BIG EUNICH:
The Randy Johnson honeymoon in New York is officially over. Two sub-par performances in a row? Giving up three home runs to the dreaded Sox? I would go on, but I am trying to turn my attention away from the Yankees and towards the spunky Devil Rays who roll into town this weekend. As Mark McGwire said, I am not here to talk about the past.
* * *
WHERE WAS MY DASHING HERO?
I was extremely disappointed this morning. I was crossing Newbury Street on my way to work and A-Rod did not jump out and grab me and save my life. What, he only saves Yankees fans?
* * *
OH NO, MORE T.O.
Terrell Owens, one season after signing a seven year, forty-nine million dollar contract has the audacity to claim he is severely underpaid, signed the contract under duress, and now that he has leverage wants a new deal done. Wow, some people just do not get it. Philadelphia made it to the Super Bowl without Owens while he was injured, and could have lost the game without him. Obviously, ala Ty Law a few years ago, his new agent is trying to get him a new contract because the agent understands he gets nothing from having Owens as a client without a new deal. What will be interesting will to see if Owens is stupid enough to hold out this summer. I hope that Andy Reid is smart enough to ignore T.O. and let him come crawling back with his tail between his legs once he loses a game check or two.
* * *
I would first like to say to everyone and anyone who sits or has sat in the front row at Fenway Park: IF THE BALL IS NOT FOUL SIT DOWN AND DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT TRYING TO GRAB IT. There is nothing more humiliating as a Boston sports fan than watching the supposed intelligent Boston fans trying to interfere with a ball in play. If it is foul, then by all means lean over the barrier and try to scoop it up, I could care less and when you fall on your head it is extremely amusing. But for these yahoos to attempt to interfere with the ball or the fielder when it is in play? That is bush league to put it politely.
Also, would someone tell Gary Sheffield that as I learned playing waffle-ball in the front yard, you pull the ball out of the mouth of the dog first, then you throw the ball in to the fielder, and then you chase off the offending dog. That applies to yahoos trying to get the ball, hit you in the face, or knock your hat off.
Second, overlooked by all accounts of the game was a very good job by Bronson Arroyo on the mound. Yes, he lost a bit of composure after the ridiculous non-strike call on ball four to Gary Sheffield (everything was about Sheffield yesterday!), but I was very impressed how he bounced back and retired the next five batters in a row. Kudos to Terry Francona as well for sticking with Arroyo after that one bad inning. Many managers are so quick with the hook that the pitchers never learn to deal with adversity. For Bronson to have a total meltdown inning and then come back and respond by retiring the next five batters is a great sign for his future development as a front-line pitcher.
Finally, a great job at the end of the game by Keith Foulke. No doubt lacking his signature sharpness and control, Foulke gutted out the last two innings to pick up a well-earned victory. More kudos to Terry Francona (even though he was ejected at this point, I am sure he had made the decision) for pitching Foulke the final two innings. First, Foulke needed the work. Without steady, consistent work Foulke, as evidenced by last night, needs to pitch a lot to be effective. In addition, Foulke showed why he is one of the elite closers in the game, not just by keeping the Yankees off the scoreboard, but also by working out of situations with runners on base. Even without his best stuff, Foulke did what needed to be done to get the win.
* * *
THE NEW JERSEY GENERALS WILL RIDE AGAIN:
Nice catch by Doug Flutie on a foul line drive in the Sox-Yankees game. Someone sign this guy to a contact. Patriots, Red Sox, who cares. He is an athlete!
* * *
EARLY BIRDS:
Amid all the complaints about the Sox and Yankees playing in April as being too early, I say hogwash. Start the season off with a bang. I say get the competitive juices flowing early in the season. Really, who would rather watch the Sox play the Kansas City Royals instead of the Yankees? It is good for baseball in general (national television and media picking up the Sox and Yankees games), it is good for Sox as it assures a sell-out at the only time of the season they have to worry about the games being 99% capacity (those cold spring evenings), and they have to play nineteen times anyway, why not spread the games out over the course of the season?
* * *
THE BIG EUNICH:
The Randy Johnson honeymoon in New York is officially over. Two sub-par performances in a row? Giving up three home runs to the dreaded Sox? I would go on, but I am trying to turn my attention away from the Yankees and towards the spunky Devil Rays who roll into town this weekend. As Mark McGwire said, I am not here to talk about the past.
* * *
WHERE WAS MY DASHING HERO?
I was extremely disappointed this morning. I was crossing Newbury Street on my way to work and A-Rod did not jump out and grab me and save my life. What, he only saves Yankees fans?
* * *
OH NO, MORE T.O.
Terrell Owens, one season after signing a seven year, forty-nine million dollar contract has the audacity to claim he is severely underpaid, signed the contract under duress, and now that he has leverage wants a new deal done. Wow, some people just do not get it. Philadelphia made it to the Super Bowl without Owens while he was injured, and could have lost the game without him. Obviously, ala Ty Law a few years ago, his new agent is trying to get him a new contract because the agent understands he gets nothing from having Owens as a client without a new deal. What will be interesting will to see if Owens is stupid enough to hold out this summer. I hope that Andy Reid is smart enough to ignore T.O. and let him come crawling back with his tail between his legs once he loses a game check or two.
* * *
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