July 7, 2008
Sports Redux: How Many Red Sox All Stars Does It Take To Win A One-Run Game?
The Red Sox got some good news yesterday, then went out last night and created their own bad news. Let's start with the good stuff. We guess.
The All-Star rosters were announced yesterday, and the Sox will by far be the biggest clique in the locker room. David Ortiz (who won't play in the game, because he hasn't played since 2005, at least it seems that way), Manny Ramirez (maybe he'll swing the bat this time), Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis were voted in as starters by the fans, while Jonathan Papelbon, Jason Varitek and J.D. Drew were named by Terry Francona as reserves. Let's take a minute to salute Drew in particular; one year ago today, we were at the State House trying to review the laws regarding tarring and feathering, and now he's a well-deserved All-Star.
Unfortunately, it looks like these seven All-Stars may well be working to ensure home-field advantage for Tampa Bay in the World Series. The Sox are suddenly sinking out of sight, as TB ran off their seventh straight win, while the Sox blew a lead in the Bronx and ended up on the bad end of a 5-4, 10 inning loss.
And bad it was. Another Wakefield start wasted. Another sequence of unchecked aggression between Youk and Joba Chamberlain that, sadly, didn't end with Youk charging the mound and beating the BBQ sauce out of Joba (which, we suppose, makes it checked aggression). Another black mark on Manny's road trip, as he pinch-"hit" in the ninth with the go-ahead run on third and treated New York to his best Bob Bailey imitation. For more vitriol, go here.
The Twins are in town tonight. Being back at Fenway's got to help, right? Right?!?
Lots of people are calling yesterday's Wimbledon finals the "greatest tennis match ever". We didn't see it. But Rafael Nadal outlasted Roger Federer for five hours in a match that sent Bud Collins into breathless rhapsody. ("Bjorn I of the Swedish House of Borg"; really, Bud? Cut the pills in half, man.) Meanwhile, superstar sprinter Tyson Gay says he'll recover from his injury this weekend and make it to the Olympics, which should continue to the confuse the hell out of everyone who reads Christian news filter One News Now.
Photo by Kathy Willens/Associated Press.
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The contrast between the intense and great effort by Federer and Nadal and the complete lack of energy of any kind on Manny Ramirez' part in the same day was striking.
At Wimbledon it was a great shot by one guy followed by a great shot by the other guy. One minute you think one guy is going to win. Then you think the other guy can't lose. They played 4 1/2 hours and were still hustling on every point. It was THE best tennis match I have ever seen.
And Manny can't play baseball on a warm Sunday evening, when his team has David Ortiz out with injury and Jason Varitek out with Wakefield pitching and could use him, not even as a DH who doesn't have to run unless he hits the ball. Which of course he can't do if he never swings, as was the case in that pathetic at-bat (if you can call it that) when he stood watching three strikes without ever moving the bat!
What a contrast between two great athletes giving it their all in a great rivalry and one guy sitting for most of the game and then just watching three strikes go by in one at-bat in what is supposed to be another great rivalry.
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"...while Jonathan Papelbon, Jason Varitek and J.D. Drew were named by Terry Francona as reserves."
Wow, is it possible for anyone to get this correct? Terry Francona DID NOT select those players - They were selected by MLB Players!!!
Get your facts straight!
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You're right. I forgot they changed the rules so the manager didn't have complete control (the "Joe Torre picked Mike Stanton?!?" Rule). Oh, well, at least Tito has the discretion to make Mariano Rivera pitch 7 innings and blow his arm out for good. Hint hint.