So I went to Yankee Stadium. It was a beautiful, perfect day for baseball- the crowd was rowdy and ready to see some ball, but there was really no bile spewed (beforehand- after the game is a whole 'nother story). Everyone just seemed to be jazzed to be a part of that night's fireworks.

And then this happened. Josh lost control in the second inning. I thought he looked bad in that first inning against the White Sox- it felt like the train completely went off the rails tonight in the 2nd. He had the stuff- he was still pitching at 95mph+ with his 103rd pitch- he just had trouble with his control and spotting the pitches where he wanted them. And the Yanks took full advantage- to the tune of a career-worst THIRTEEN HITS against him. Logically speaking, despite the hitfest going on, Josh did manage to MOSTLY work his way out of jams- since the Yankees only mustered 4 runs on 14 total hits. It just didn't feel that way- that 2nd inning was brutal.

It also felt like the guys were off defensively as well. It seemed like all the balls hit by the Yanks just happened to fall short of our guys, or just happened to sneak past their outstretched gloves, or just happened to bounce around over their heads. And all of those can't just be bad luck. I just don't think the Sox defensive machine ever clicked- and the offense didn't help things with no hits through the 6th, when Papi finally popped that solo homer.

Even with all that, I'm so very glad to have been able to be a part of it all. Roger Clemens, perhaps my most favorite baseball player of all time, looked phenomenal- nowhere near his 45 years. I got to see my two favorites duel it out- I just wish the Good Guys could have pulled out the W. I'll upload all my pictures soon, but for now...

10 Random Thoughts

1. Doug Mirabelli took BP, and shagged balls. Notice also the second picture- this is how Curt Schilling stood for about 15 minutes. CURT: you are not on your Lay-Z boy at home in front of a football game. Please remove your hand from your pants.

2. Eric Gagne cut his hair. Yep, you read that right- the long crazy-ass Canadian curls are no more. He's high and tight now- and looks WAY better.

3. No Manny Ramirez in the lineup- but Manny did hang around the batting cage for a long while. He also shared several pieces of gum with David Ortiz- but no hugs were exchanged.

4. Jonathan Papelbon could not contain his excitement during BP. I saw him yawn BIG ol' yawns at least 5 times. Wake up, Papyboo!

5. Josh Beckett and Roger Clemens warmed up within a few yards of each other... for all of 30 seconds. Then Josh left the outfield and went to the pen, and Roger stayed out with the other Yanks. Josh and Roger did not speak or even acknowledge each other.

6. Josh looked off from the get-go. Roger was firing on all cylinders.

7. Alec Baldwin, Lorne Michaels, Penny Marshall & Paul McCartney were all sitting front row together behind home plate. Kevin Bacon was also at the game, but must've had a less plush seating arrangement- although they put him up on the Jumbotron 3 different times (including once while playing "Footloose" -- and Kevin obliged with a little dance in his seat).

8. After that horrific second inning, Josh walked up near home plate and waited to talk to the home plate ump before going in the dugout. He covered his mouth with his glove, but I'd bet the discussion centered on the ump's strike zone calls in that innning.

Josh walking back to dugout after talking to the home plate ump

9. Josh got several visits to the mound from Jason Varitek and Coach Farrell. One inning (I think it was the 6th), Coach came out and they had a whole infield meeting on the mound. After another pitch or two, Tek called time and started walking towards the mound again- and Josh gave Tek a visibly pissy look and rolled his eyes. I think by that point, he was in full ANGRY!JOSH! mode, and let his own irritation at himself slip and cause a flare at Tek. Other than that, and one time where he pointed at Lugo (after the ball Lugo threw to 1st didn't make it in time to get the out), there were no Josh emotions on display. He was stonefaced. I cannot vouch for the health of the watercoolers in the dugout, however.

Josh glaring at Tek

10. Professor Kyle Farnsworth still looks ridiculous- and the Yankee fans hate him. He got booed louder than the Red Sox. He got booed louder than Gagne in Fenway. Mariano Rivera, on the other hand? That guy frightens me. He came in to the sounds of "Enter Sandman"- and it was almost like you could see the Sox visibly wilt.

I do have one GIANT complaint about Yankee Stadium- and that is all the people that congregate there because it's a place to see and be seen. The four douchebags in front of me knew fuck all about baseball and just talked on their cellphones and/or took pictures of themselves with their cellphone cameras the entire game. The three idiots behind me conducted a "All About Baseball" class for one of their group who didn't even know about balls and strikes. I know everyone has to learn about the game at some point- but Jesus H. Christ does it HAVE to be during one of the biggest games of the year? Half of the game these people were up and down, in and out of their seats - I doubt very seriously any of them would know the final score of the ballgame, much less who the pitchers were.

MOST OF ALL: DO NOT STAND UP WHILE A PLAY IS UNDERWAY. But I suppose when you treat a baseball game like a friggin' social event instead of, you know, A BASEBALL GAME, it doesn't occur to you that some people might like to actually see what's going on on the field.