Watching the game at home tonight, so I thought I'd liveblog while I watch.
Let me say right off the top that even though I don't have that "sure thing" feeling about the Sox this year - I can see a three game sweep against the Yankees. Follow me here:
Game 1 - David Wells against Wang - advantage Wells. As I said earlier today, he's been 7-1 with a 3.00 ERA at Fenway this year. Wang not so much.
Game 2 - Tim Wakefield against Randy Johnson - the last time they matched up, they both pitched gems. Wakefield has been the Ace of the team in September and the Red Sox offense at Fenway will be the difference. Red Sox win game 2.
Game 3 - Schilling vs. Mussina - now it gets interesting. If the Yankees lose the first two games then all the Sunday papers will be talking about choking and how they lost last year's ALCS after being up 3-0. Choke, choke, choke!! That's all you'll hear or read on Sunday if the Sox win the first two games.
Can you imagine Steinbrenner's reaction if the Yankees lose three straight after what happened last year? That will put too much pressure on the boys from the Bronx and it will be glorious to watch if you're a Sox fan.
7:25 - Yankees take a 1-0 lead in the top of the 1st. No biggie. Wells will settle down.
7:35 You know David Ortiz should win the MVP not just because he always gets big RBI hits like the one that just tied the game at 1-1 but also because he has a much better nickname. I mean "Big Papi" vs. "A-Rod"? Come on - not even close!
7:45 Very nice catch by Manny. He doesn't get enough props for his play in the field. Sure he can zone out at times but he plays the wall as good as Jim Rice ever did and better than Ted Williams.
Just want to say that I've seen posts about Bill Simmons almost everywhere I visited today. I like Simmons and I accept he's got an ego that won't fit on a 747. That's part of what makes him what he is - and that is wildly popular. I see him as sort of this century's Damon Runyon speaking in the vernacular of pop culture and Boston sports much like Runyon used the vernacular of Broadway guys and dolls to create his own unique niche. (I think I may even write a whole column on this comparison later this week.)
7:55 - Jason Varitek hits his 22nd HR of the year to make it 2-1 Red Sox. I've been worried about Varitek's bat lately. In September he's hit just .169 with just a .195 slugging percentage.
8:00 - Just cracked my first beer of the night - a Wachusett Country Ale. Just for the heck of it - let me throw one of my Top 5's in the middle here:
Top 5 - Best Tasting Draft Beers
1. Yuengling
2. Karl Strauss
3. Wachusett
4. Fat Tire
5. Sam Adams
8:12 - Let me let David Pinto explain what happened to end the third:
Damon's an Idiot8:18 - Jut asking but why can't Damon be given an error for that baserunning blunder? Just askin. Also just as an FYI David Wells hasn't walked more than 2 batters in a game all year and his strikeout high this year is seven (Wells has 4 so far this game).
Damon once again was on second for Ortiz, but this time David bounces back to the pitcher. Wang looks Johnny back to second, then throws out Ortiz. Damon, for some reason, decides to head for third and is put out in a run down. Why he tried that:
With two out.
With Manny coming up.
After he retreated to second.
Is beyond me.
8:55 - I haven't blogged anything in a while because frankly not much has happened and honestly I've been more interested in my Wachusett Country Ales than in blogging (Chris now starts to sing George Thorogood's I Drink Alone...)
9:07 Wang walks in a run to make it 3-1. If this was a little league game I'd be in the stands yelling, "pitcher's blowing up! Pitcher's blowing up!" And "You suck Wang!" (Just kidding there.) Bad play by the human growth hormone and the Red Sox lead is now 4-1. Older-dude hits a sacrifice fly and the Red Sox take a 5-1 lead. Yeah baby!
9:22 Derek Jeter hits a 2-run HR to narrow the gap to 5-3 Red Sox. If you asked most Red Sox fans what Yankees they are afraid of seeing at bat in a big situation - I bet many more would say Jeter, Sheffield or Matsui before they got to A-Rod (and on cue A-Rod strikes out).
OK my laptop battery ran out and I just wanted to sweat out the end of the game so blogging came to an end. One down - two to go.
One final thought: Before every at bat on Saturday, David Ortiz should yell out to Randy Johnson "Are you not entertained!" Or "AM I NOT MERCIFUL!" just to fuck with his head.
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