Hypocrites

One thing that absolutely infuriates me hypocrisy. I have far more respect for someone who takes a position and stands by me even when it provides an unfavorable light to be shined on them. The past few weeks (and beyond) have been full of this kind of crap in one my favorite areas to comment on, the world of sports and the Bad Boys from Beantown, the Boston Red Sox. Normally the primary culprit is large headed (in every way) Mikey Kaye, the long time sycophant of the Evil Empire. I've basically become used to his nonsense, even though it still irks, especially when he is wearing his so called neutral hat on ESPN. Some typical Kaye comments of the past would revolve around Manny Ramirez and his admiration of his HR's (which also annoyed me, and I am a Sox fan, but the difference is that I acknowledge it and say publicly that it is hard for me to come down on A-Rod for doing the same thing... which he does!) - The more glaring example, and one that has reared it's ugly head, is the topic of beanballs. So last week, when Jose Veras is pitching in the 7th inning of a game the Yankees are losing 7-0, on their way to their 6th straight loss to the Red Sox, Veras plunks Jason Bay square in the back. Now Bay has been a notorious Yankee killer, so it seems odd that the ball would just happen to smack Bay. But, you didn't hear Red Sox Nation erupt, or Terry Francona cry, or Jason Bay make statements in the press. Nope, instead you saw the Sox win 2 more against the Yankees, extending the winning streak to 8-0 this season!

However, when Brad Penny hits Alex Rodriguez in the 1st inning(!) of the game Thursday, Girardi whined and cried. "

A baseball official told 1050 ESPN Radio in New York that the Yankees called the commissioner's office Friday to ask that Brad Penny be suspended for hitting Alex Rodriguez in the back during the first inning of Thursday night's Red Sox win.

"Penny's control was good," Girardi said. "I thought it was on purpose. That is all part of baseball."

But how about Veras? "You know, we hit Bay, and I know Jose did not hit him on purpose. I mean, Jose has struggled with his control. But things like that happen. You know, you expect something could happen in return." - so a threat from Joey G now. This guy is a punk, an avg player, a nutbag ultraconservative uptight douchebag with a sub .500 winning pct. in his last job and a failure to make the playoffs last year with the highest payroll in all baseball. Too bad Penny won't be here in Aug, would love to see him throw a ball at Girardi's face in the dugout!

Hmm, there must be a lot of examples for Joey G to point to, beanballs and purpose pitches, right?! Let's look at some of those pesky "facts"

Yankees pitchers have hit Red Sox players nine times this season. Rodriguez was the third Yankee to be plunked. After Rodriguez was hit, the teams were warned and there were no further incidents. -

Oh, so your team is hitting the Sox at a 3-1 ratio, but they are the culprits. How about Joba the Grunt, with his nearly killing Youk multiple times? Guess that doesn't matter.

Loved Penny's response - ""I don't give two [expletives] what Joe Girardi says," Penny told the Globe. "I'm coming inside. I don't care. Anybody can say that. We can say that about the time they hit our guys. I'm just trying to pitch inside. Maybe he should worry about managing and not trying to be the commissioner."

Now Joba is an interesting addition here, because he is the link to the other team crying, the Mets. Those who read the blog know that I blasted Johan Santanna for his crying session regarding Youk, and my wishes for a karmic visiting of justice on Johan, but how about Keith Hernandez in the booth, telling Paplebon to sit down? I guess Keith doesn't like that demonstrative approach.... except when K-Rod does it. It's just exuberance, then, huh Keith? it also appears that oft injured big mouthed yankee relieveer Brian Bruney doesn't like K-Rod's antics, as he said yesterday. - So, does that mean Bruney doesn't like Joba's antics everytime he takes the mound? -

Bottom line - Red Sox are a better team, a better organization, with better (and classier) baseball players, a devoted fan base (notice no boos for Big Papi yet, when those animals in the Bronx have already booed both Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter!! Idiots

Beast

Back from the Anniversary Weekend

The wife and I returned today from a couple of days away celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary,and I wanted to check in with the Red Sox. So since I last checked in they were 3-4 on the road trip, winning the last game in Toronto to salvage things a bit. Then a sweep of the ALCS leading Detroit Tigers, which included a terrific performance by Beckett, which is nice coming on the heels of Lester's great 12 K start. They returned home and have split 2 games with the Rangers, leaders of the Al West. With Mariano rivera's implosion yesterday for the evil empire (hee, hee ) the Red Sox lead the entire A.L. Best record, and Lester nearly threw a perfect game yesterday, so now you have 2 of the aces looking like we need. Remember, this is being done with Ortiz still hitting under .200 and our shortstop situation deplorable. Currently the 19 game stretch of really tough games stands as 7-5, with todays game and then 6 with the empire and the NL east leading Phillies.

At the 54 game mark, 1/3 of the season, the team sat at 32-22. That's a pace for 96 wins, which at worst should get them in the playoffs. I still have visions of a return to the 2003/2004 ALCS battles of Evil Empire vs. Heroes from Boston.

Sox win Again

So the Nation is happy with another win today, after salvaging the Toronto series on Sunday. Dice K gets the win, a typical Dice-K outing; 5 innings, 6 hits, 1 earned run, 3 walks, 6 K's, 96 pitches, his first win of the season, and a lowered ERA to 7.17. Not terrible, not great, but a win. Great bullpen work, as usual, terrible at bats for Big Crappi, as usual, but now the team is 4-4 on the 10 game road trip, the beginning of the tough 19 game stretch. With the evil empire continuing to tear it up (17 out of 23 won) the Sox just need to continue holding down a playoff spot, and they need to make a move regarding Papi. Victor Martinez would look terrific in boston, with his great hitting, and versatility between 1st base and Catcher. With Tek only having one more year, Martinez would help the offense, provide versatility, and maybe even become the catcher of the future. Plus, the Nation has done well in the past with the last name Martinez: Pedro and Ramon ring a bell?

A Good Day for Red Sox Nation

Today the nation rejoices; Sox win, Yanks lose (on a walk off single, no less), and Jon Lester pitches a gem, finally. I last checked in on May 25 and I pointed out the brutal stretch of games coming up for the Red Sox. 19 games in all, and my hope was for them to still maintain at least the wild card before embarking on a 25 game soft stretch.

They split two on the road with Minnesota, and they were facing a sweep today on the road to Toronto. Then the real Jon Lester showed up, notching the following: 6 innings, 1 earned run, and 12 Ks. Sox win 8-2 and salvage something from the trip. Up next is 3 with Detroit on the road, and 7 games into this trip they are 3-4. They haven't won a series since the earlier sweep of Toronto and could really use 2 of 3 from the Tigers before heading home for series with the Rangers and the Evil Empire. The Empire, despite todays loss, are on fire, winning 16 of 22, so the race is on!!

On the down side, big Crappi continues to be awful, going 1 for 5 and is now hitting .185. I love what he's meant to the franchise, but enough is enough! Sit him down, indefinitely, and start looking for a bat and a SS. Get on it Theo, cause the Empire isn't going anywhere.

Famous Bird Steal, huge mistake by Isiah Thomas

Whenever I'm down, I just watch this... the absolute greatest sports moment I've ever seen in my life. Man, Larry Joe Bird, the Hick from French Lick!!!

Aaand Order is Restored for the nation

Relax, Red Sox Nation - despite a pitching ERA that is 19th in baseball, a continued need for a legitimate, quality shortstop, an injured primary starter, and Red Sox hero Big Papi now batting below the Mendoza line, despite the evil empire obliterating our salary potential and getting yet another prized free agent.... as i sit here looking at the standings on Memorial Day, the Red Sox sit atop the A.L. East - a quarter of the way through the season, without a pitch thrown yet by John Smoltz, and with Jonathen Papelbons blown save (!) - the Sox still are sitting playoff bound.

The second quarter starts off brutally, with a 10 game road trip (4 against Minn, a team that is 17-9 at home, while the Sox are 9-12 away from Fenway. That series is followed by 3 with Det, the current AL Central leaders, then 3 with Toronto, who trail the Sox by 1/2 game. ) This leads to a return home, and a match up with Texas, the best team inthe American league. After that the yankees come to town for 3, followed by a trip to Phil. , the NL east leaders, for 3 in their ballpark. This 19 game stretch is rough, although we will look later at the 25 game stretch after that, in which the best team they will play will be the Atlanta Braves. If they can get through these 19 games with a share of at least the wild card slot, things will be looking very sweet indeed.

Mets vs. Sox game 2

I generally root for the Mets, mostly due to my need to have a local rooting interest, and because they are the other NY team, the one that is not the evil empire. Anyway, last night was a game i figured would go to the Mets, with the pitching matchup pitting the best pitcher in the NL (Johan Santana) vs. dice-K's first game back after a lenghty Dl stint. Game played out about as expected, although I saw enough of Dice-K to be encouraged. Really, the story of the game was Johan's childish outburst towards kevin Youkoulis. Johan hits him (no biggie, no intent, not angry at this point). Now I imagine getting hit with a baseball at around 90 miles an hour hurts, and hitting your elbow and or hand probably hurts a lot!! So Youkoulis had the AUDACITY to look at Johan (pretty natural, when someone hurts you, even by mistake, it's slightly annoying) - Youk , walking to first, smiling, and rubbing the injured area, led Johan to get whiny. his quote "he's looking at me, I don't appreciate that." What is this, two boys on a schoolyard. Is it a prison? Johan was a little bitch, and maybe he was trying to fire himself up, but the reality is simple. He was a punk, a whiner, and I lost quite a bit of respect for him. Let's hope he blows out his arm, fucking douchebag!!