In keeping with recent trends on this site, pretty much all of my predictions for this game were wrong. Robert Kip Wells (yes, Kip is really his middle name) looked terrible, it was not a low scoring game (for the Sox at least), Embree pitched two innings, and the Pirates' defense was not at all "nifty". I will never use the word "nifty" again, I promise.
That said, the Sox won handily, with another terrific start by Matt Clement, who matched season highs in strikeouts and pitches thrown. Embree was used correctly, and pitched two scoreless innings. Thee players hit triples (Mueller, Ortiz, and Wilson). While 2/3 of the Sox's starting outfield was out hurt, the depth of the bench shone through, with Millar in left (yikes), Olerud at 1st (0 for 3 with a BB and a nif-- nice defensive play), and Payton in center (2 for 3 with a BB and a 2-run blast onto Landsdowne). Jay chose a nice time to get hot, as it raises the important question about whether the Sox really want to trade him.
Jerry Remy almost died from laughing too hard at some really bad pirate jokes. These are much better.
Next up -- out west to play the resurgent Cleveland Indians, who have won 9 in a row, putting them only 1 game back of Minnesota, and 0.5 games behind Boston in the Wild Card race. Speaking of which, right now each AL division has at least one team within 1 game of first in the WC race. And Chicago can play under .500 from here on out and still finish with 92 wins...
Well, nice to see the Sox on a bit of a roll - definitely taking advantage of the schedule. Of course when I was looking at the schedule two weeks ago, I did not expect CLE to be on a 9 game streak. Ugh.
ReplyDeleteNow that I am back from the UK, I hope they can continue it. A few thoughts - Embree yesterday (along with Halama) was indeed a strange call. Either Tito was thinking the time off (an hopefully some pointers from Wallace) was a help. OR he could have been sending a subtle message to Theo that if these are the players you are going to give me, this is what will happen. OR it could have been like using CLA - things have been very rosy and maybe there was the thought that it could continue again.
Big Papi with the three bagger. that was fun to watch. I wish I was at the park today. There is nothing like seeing a triple in person. No TV replay can do it justice. Only being at the park can you capture the excitement that goes with seeing a triple - except of course the very rare inside the park HR. It is that great 12-15 seconds of anticipation - the player is hitting second and the fielder is coming up with (or about to) the ball and you think for that split second - "he can do." Great anticipation and I can think of nothing else like it. Well, at least at the ballpark.
Thing is, Ortiz trotted most of the way to 1st, assuming he had a HR. Watching what happened next, as Remy said, "was worth the price of admission."
ReplyDeleteI've actually only seen 1 triple live. Nomar, of course.
I also dig the questionable fly ball tailing away from an all out player like Nixon, Edmonds, Hunter, etc...You know the guy is going to lay out for it, but will he get it???
ReplyDeleteI used to love the throw home to get a runner, but between Kim and Sveum I've lost the taste...
Agreed about the plays at the plate. For most teams it's really exciting, but with the red sox 3rd base coaching, it's usually terrifying.
ReplyDeleteWhat I want to see is someone like Trot or Edgar hit an inside-the-park grand slam. Now that would be neato.
I saw Willie Randolph steal home once when I was a kid. That was pretty cool, but more shocking than anything else. I agree that the triple has that level of anticipation. Same goes with the play at the plate. While on offense I hate to see it for the Sox, but when on Defense I really think that few catchers block the plate quite like Tek!
ReplyDeleteWith the triple it is exactly the anticipation and the suddeness with which it comes. When the ball is hit, you are usually excited beacuse you know it is well hit. And then it all depends where it bounces and how the player fields it. The just as that is happening, the batter is heading toward second and in that split second you think maybe. Maybe becomes yes and then it is all happening.
ReplyDeleteOf course the Sox have never really had a burner - an Ichiro, Crawford, Pierre type - so maybe I just don't ever think about triples.
The play at the plate, at least you often have an idea that it might be coming. Man on second, you think base hit will/can score the runner. But know one thinks while the batter is up "hey maybe Damon will hit a triple."