Red Sox Opening Day Live Blog

6:00 - Ohayou - that's Japanese for "Good morning". It's 6:00 and I haven't brewed the coffee yet but I'm watching the game and will be jotting down some miscellaneous thoughts and observations as I go along.

6:17 - Dice-K takes the mound and instead of being excited for Opening Day I'm just feeling awake. I need the coffee. Oh - I didn't just get up to watch the game - I also had to get up early to make a move in one of my fantasy baseball leagues. I'm in a cash league with 8 guys and you have up to a 1/2 hour before the first game to set your line-up for the week. I decided to drop Freddie Sanchez at 2nd (even though he's one of my favorite players) because he's so injury prone. I had to decide between Kelly Johnson of the Braves and Mark Ellis of the A's as a replacement and of course I went with Kelly Johnson. I bring this up just as Mark Ellis drives one out of the park for a 1-0 A's lead.

6:30 - The A's make it 2-0 and Dice-K is having a hard time with his control. Anime fans still love him though.

6:35 - I just realize that Brandon Moss is starting for JD Drew. I still need my coffee (its brewing) but though it might wake me up I'm not sure it will restore the confidence I had yesterday about JD Drew playing 140 games this year.

6:58 - The A's leave them loaded but lead 2-0. I have my first cup of coffee (YAY! COFFEE!). Just for the heck of it I flipped from NESN to ESPN2 and saw that the game is on blackout. I'm amused by that.

7:15 - My first work email of the day has been crafted and sent.

7:22 - I've now added a Happi coat to the list of things I want. Dice-K seems possessed by the spirit of Matt Young.

7:44 - Just finished a bacon and cheese omelet my wife made for me. I love my wife. And I love bacon.

7:57 - Manny drives in 2 to tie the score. That takes Dice-K off the hook. I'm curious to see if he comes back in the game (at 95 pitches right now). Manny now has 1606 career RBI. That's just 3 behind Goose Goslin for 27th place on the all-time list. Goslin played in the 1920's and 30's. He never hit more than 18 HR and suddenly he hits 37 at age 28 and then 30 at age 30? I think Goslin was on the juice. Moss singles in Manny and the Red Sox take a 3-2 lead. Not only is Dice-K off the hook - he could get a win.

8:15 - Jack Hannahan hits a HR off Kyle Snyder which puts the A's up 4-3 and gives Dice-K a no-decision. I keep thinking Hannahan's name is Hanrahan which makes me think of the move Slap Shot. "Hey Hanrahan - Suzanne's a lesbian. A lesssssbiaaaan."

8:42 - Just thought I'd point out that Kyle Snyder is a former 1st round pick. He was taken with the 7th overall pick in the 1999 draft by the Royals. Josh Hamilton was the first pick and Josh Beckett was the second pick. The Red Sox took Rick Asadoorian with the 17th pick that year. Asadoorian was born in Worcester and started out as an outfielder but was switched to pitcher full-time last season for the AA Chattanooga Lookouts. The Lookouts? What an awful name for a minor league team. EXCELLENT catch by Jacoby Ellsbury!

8:56 - BRANDON MOSS!! Game tied at 4!! How do you say extra innings in Japanese? Huston Street = Heathcliff Slocumb.

9:27 - MANNY! Second big 2-run double of the game for Manny. He's now just 1 RBI behind Goose Goslin. Red Sox now lead 6-4 and the Red Sox are bout to face their third former teamate on the mound (Embree, Foulke and now Lenny DiNardo).

9:50 - Papelbon makes us sweat it out but the Red Sox win 6-5. The Red Sox are now on pace for a 162-0 season.