October 05, 2003

Grumblings in Red Sox Nation

How is it possible to feel so miserable after a walkoff homer keeps the dream alive for another day? Let me count the ways.

The middle of the lineup has now left the entire population of Maine stranded on the bases. The A's intentionally walked Manny to get to Ortiz tonight; did it really matter? Neither one could hit off a tee so far.

The bullpen. Yikes. Timlin and Williamson were awesome tonight, but as soon as the starter leaves the game, the negative air pressure of 34,000 fans holding their breath actually affects runway patterns at Logan.

The bullpen, again. Sox "closer" B.K. Kim actually flipped off the fans after he was booed during pregame introductions. Hey, Kim, we're tough here. Get used to it. Or don't.

Managing. I was scratching my head so much at some of Grady Little's decisions this week that I was handed a coupon for a flea dip. When to use, or not use, pinch-hitters and pinch-runners and bunts and steals -- I may not be an expert, but I know management-by-Ouija-Board when I see it. I love Grady as a leader, but his game management is shaky.

That said, the Sox are one game away from heading back to California -- and the A's are one loss away from a six-hour flight home wearing a huge choke collar. Time, I suppose, will tell.

Comments

This little cyber world holds so many ironic turns. I am a newby on the Red Sox message board on theinsiders.com...I chose the nickname Etchabarren just because I like the sound of it and I didn't want some of the ultra fanatical Red Sox fans to know my name. WELL, anyways (I'm a devout Red Sox fan...not ultra fanatical...HUGE DIFFERENCE) my wife asked me the source of my insiders nickname and I did an AltaVista image search and the bunkosquad graphic of Andy's baseball card led me to your site. Red Sox fans everywhere...gotta love it.

Johnny Damon just hit a home run...enough of this chatter.

Posted by: etchebarren at October 5, 2003 02:15 PM

The Sox are hot, the bullpen has been fine for many many innings, (keep Kim on the bench) and DO's bat came to life at an opportune time.
Sometimes you just have to manufacture a run. Today's game was a lot tidier than last night.
Off to Oakland!!

Posted by: greeniegirl at October 5, 2003 08:10 PM

Hey, at least you made it through 'Tuck Rule, part 2,' as I believe Bobby Valentine called it. The umps made quite a mess of that one. Can't complain about getting another day of baseball, though.

Andy

Posted by: Andy at October 6, 2003 12:05 PM

Oakland has to be playing with 1 hand on their throats after this weekend, and the other hand dialing the phone to the Commissioner to complain about the 'tuck rule' equivalent that Andy references. On the other hand, they are playing the Red Sox who always find someway to lose and break the hearts of their fans. The only question is whether beating Oakland and then losing in humiliating fashion to the Yankees would be worse than losing Game 5. As always, this is playing right into NY hands. Either the Red Sox win, and they (a) can't pitch Pedro until game 3, (b) don't know who will be the starting pitcher in Game 1, and (c) come in as THE team in sports history that always does their best to help out their supposed "rival", the Yankees, or the A's win and (a) can't pitch Zito until game 3, (b) may not be able to pitch Hudson or Mulder at all.

Posted by: Vin at October 6, 2003 12:48 PM

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