We let it go when you groomed your facial hair like a weird topiary- because we certainly can't get on to you for that with Papi and Delcarmen and Youkilis running around the clubhouse. We didn't say anything about the proliferation of random necklaces you pile around your neck- even though one of them is most certainly made of hemp, and therefore just a half step up the lame ladder from a puka shell necklace. We even learned to embrace those silver sunglasses you sport, day and night, because we figured they must be like a security blanket for you (why else would you have them clipped to the front of your shirt for every single postgame press conference... which all take place after dark?).
But so help me god, Joshua Patrick- if this is some kind of SLAP BRACELET you are wearing now, even if the salesguy at Armani told you it was a "cuff bracelet" and "all the rage" and "super hip"... we are going to have to stage a fashion intervention.
Don't try and distract me with your broad chest and massive guns, Josh. Don't try to woo me with that "What Would Waylon Do?" shirt (you know I am a sucker for classic outlaw country, as all good Texans are). If that is indeed a slap bracelet, you have gone TOO FAR.
Rally-licious
So yesterday was RALLY MONDAY in Boston, and several Sox players turned out at the RALLY at City Hall Plaza to fire the crowd up. I call it RALLY MONDAY because it was an MLB-mandated event in certain of the cities of the playoff teams (we had one here in Chicago, they also had them in Cleveland, Philadelphia and, surprisingly, Denver- even though the Rocks had not yet clinched their playoff spot), and they called it RALLY MONDAY every place, so RALLY MONDAY it shall be.
Lameness of the MLB edicts aside, it looks like there was a bunch of fun to be had. Mike Timlin, Jacoby Ellsbury, Kyle Snyder, Javier Lopez and Clay Buchholz all were spiffed out in their finest button downs for the occasions (OK, Kyle is in a polo, but still), and of course Cinco Ocho made an appearance and did a little dance- clothed and sans Bud Light headwear unfortunately.
Victoria Welch (of The Bostonist) was on hand for the festivities and took some lovely photos which she has so kindly allowed me to post here -- so I've got a whole bunch of photos PLUS video of Javier, Clay, Jacoby, Mike & Jonathan fulfilling their PR duties and speaking to the crowd. (You can also read what Victoria wrote about her day.)
First up: Cinco Ocho riles up the "party people" of Boston, and promises that if the Sox win the World Series, he'll "dance all night long". I cannot imagine how he will improve on the AL East celebrations and the jig and dance show.
I'm headed out the door again to do some playoff traveling. I'm in Philly for the Wednesday and Thursday Phillies games, then I'll be in Boston for the Friday Sox game, and then back here to Chicago for the Saturday Cubs game. I'm taking my trust Mac along with me, so if I have the chance I'll definitely post from the road. I also promise to bring back plenty of photos from Fenway.
What are everyone's playoff plans? Anyone else going to be at Fenway for the Wednesday or Friday games? Anyone thinking about heading to L.A.?
Executing Pitches: The Josh Beckett Mantra
Gather round, boys and girls- it's time for Josh Beckett's favorite part of the week... the press conference! Lucky Josh-- since it's playoff time, he'll not only get to do the post-game press conference after Wednesday's Game 1, he also had the pleasure of doing a pre-game press conference today. And boy was he thrilled!
Just look at how excited he is to answer all the reporter's questions! He's so very enthusiastic. I love how he can barely contain his boredom at having to sit through all that- and when he deems a question too moronic to answer, his eyes practically roll out of their sockets, he makes a face like he just ate a lemon, and he gives a cursory two or three word answer. Awesome.
Best part isn't him talking about the ALDS or the Angels or Vlad Guerrero- or even when he talks about "executing pitches" for the 5 bajillionth time this season- it's when someone asks him to name some of the people he said helped him behind-the-scenes to get his 20 wins, and he responds with, "You know what, if I got into naming people, then I'd probably forget somebody and I'd feel like an asshole." Straight faced. Awesome.
Here's unedited video of the whole conference- hey look! the silver sunglasses! what a shocker!:
video courtesy of WBZ
I Am The Phillies' Black Cat
Even though I saw them play 8 times in spring training and 16 times during the regular season with no disastrous results (the team's winning percentage was close to .700 for the games I attended), after going to the Phils-Rocks games yesterday and today at the CBP in Philly, I have come to realization that I am apparently unlucky and/or toxic to the Phillies' postseason.
Either that, or the Phillies pitching sucks. One of the two.
On the plus side, I do have two Phightin Phils rally towels, a sunburn from the ungodly hot sun beating down for two days straight, my scorecard from today's game (where I made increasingly angry side notations in the margins as the game wore on) and a 3/4 empty bottle of Jameson. And a Yankees loss. A Yankees loss always makes things better.
Unfortunately, she can't write right now because she's dead from the awesomeness of tonight's playoff game in Boston. I think she got lost in the beer-drenched, screaming and hollering, hugging with random strangers melee in Fenway after Manny hit a walk-off three-run homer (!!!!) to beat the Angels. All eyewitness reports are that no one made it out of the Park sober tonight, we have to assume she was one of the casualties.
We did receive a random cryptic text message that said:
SQUEEEEPAPYBOOMANNYOMGOMGOMG
I think that means she at least died happy. Very, very happy.
[more tomorrow when I'm sobered up and calmed down a bit- but HOLY COW WHAT A GAME- worth the price of admission for sure]
One For The Ages
Every baseball fan has a special part of their memory bank set aside to remember all their gameday experiences- the places you go, the people you meet, the teams you see duke it out, the great plays you witness on the field. The thrilling victories, the horrendous defeats- it's all part of your history with the game. It's like having your own personal baseball scrapbook- one that's usually opened to the first brand new page for you by a loved one (in my case, my dad) who gives you the gift of love for the game. You add page after page over the years, and build up a hefty tome full of fuzzy memories.
But on occasion, when you're very lucky, you have a chance to be a part of a game experience that is so special, you don't just file it away in your memory bank- it's as though every at-bat, every out, every catch, every pitch is tattooed in sharp relief on that corner of your soul reserved for baseball.
Last night was one of those occasions.
I was fortunate enough to see a lot of great baseball this year, but last night at Fenway, as one of the lucky 37,706 to be a part of that walk-off win... I was able to be a part of something amazing. I was there for the Mother's Day Miracle back in May, and that perhaps is the only other game this year I can possibly compare it to-- except that this was the PLAYOFFS. And that adds a special additional shine to the victory- the need is more urgent, the victory is sweeter.
There were a lot of "moments" last night: J.D. Drew punching out a double to drive in two runs at just the right moment. The Manny pop-up that caused a collective sharp intake of breath from the crowd, "that's got to be an out, it has to be an out, oh wait, thanks for catching that ball kid" that turned into him drawing a walk. Papelbon (who had the Faithful on their feet from the moment the first notes of "Wild Thing" played on the PA) and the defense rallying to shut down the Angels in the eighth after Mike Lowell's error could have derailed the mojo (that Figgins freeze-out was particularly masterful).
But the ninth inning rally was poetry. Lugo's leadoff single was like a shot of adrenaline to a Fenway crowd that was already bouncing on their feet in anticipation. Pedroia's sacrifice grounder to move Lugo around turned the dial up just a touch further. Youkilis's K would normally have been the pinprick that deflated the balloon... but that second out lighting up red on the Green Monster scoreboard just seemed to stoke the fire even more. And when Napoli held out his glove to signal the intentional walk for Papi, that building tension exploded into a giant cascade of boos- which then transformed into a rousing and Park-uniting cheer of "MAN-NY! MAN-NY! MAN-NY!"... all before Papi ever stepped out of the batter's box to trot towards first. Everyone knew we were on the precipice of something big, and watching Manny amble towards home plate, he seemed to be the only person who wasn't affected by the big-ness of it all.
And the homerun. My god, the homerun. From the crack of the ball off the bat, it seemed every single person in attendance immediately knew that it was long gone. You've seen the pictures- Manny and the team in the dugout and the stands behind them full of fans, all with our arms raised together. If I can be sappy (even moreso than I've been already), watching it unfold before me was like connecting with the ball and Manny and the team and every single Sox fan there together as we simultaneously realized that victory had been snatched away for Boston. The opening notes of "Dirty Water" blared out of the PA speakers before the ball had ever finished its flight over the Monster. And that tension that had exploded a few moments before in frustration at K-Rod pitching out to Papi then imploded into mass hysteria-- on the field AND in the stands. When Papelbon vaulted over the dugout fence to rush towards Manny as he trotted to first, I thought for sure Papelbon would rip Manny's limbs off in a giant mauling of joy. And in the stands, everyone was bear-hugging and high-fiving random strangers around them, who had all suddenly become compatriots in a once-in-a-lifetime memory.
Sure, there have been bigger comebacks. There have been more miraculous endings. There have been more important games. But I'll be damned if it felt that way last night- walking out of the stands and into the cool air of a beautiful Boston night, it felt like we had just won it all.
A Conversation: Beckett, Schilling and Random Angels Fans
Josh Beckett and Curt Schilling weren't around to witness the craziness on Friday night in Fenway-- they'd flown ahead to Anaheim to avoid as much of the travel fatigue as possible. Curt talked a little on Saturday about watching the Manny homerun with Josh in Anaheim, and that got me thinking...
Scene: Hotel in Anaheim. Josh Beckett and Curt Schilling tumble out of a cab and burst through the front doors of the hotel.
Curt: Attention employees: we require the use of a television broadcasting the American League game this evening between the Red Sox and the Angels- obtain it for us immediately!
Josh: Where the fuck is the bar, hoss?
Bewildered concierge points to the hotel bar.
Curt: Move out of my way, young Beckett- I've got seniority.
Josh: points to his "I'm #1" shirt, then points to Curt's "I'm #3" shirt.
Curt: Curses! Foiled again!
(runs after Josh into the bar, which is full of random Angels fans watching the game)
Curt: This is extremely important: what is the score of the game?!?! And bring me a glass of your finest Merlot!!!
Josh: has already slammed five jagerbombs, and is spitting dip juice into the empty shot glasses
(Manny hits the homerun on the TV screen)
Josh: FUCK YEAH! FUCK YEAH! TAKE THAT, BITCHES! (runs around the bar doing devil horns and hollering in the Angels fans' faces)
Curt: Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! (does Manny airplane arms, running around behind Josh)
Curt: All right, young Texan- let us make a friendly wager. I believe I can equal your shutout feat from Wednesday when I take to the mound today, and I am willing to place a bet to that effect in the amount of.... five American dollars.
Josh: Five bucks? Are you shitting me?
Curt: I am deadly serious. Five dollars- that is how serious I am. I do not wager large sums of money like that without careful consideration.
Josh: Dude, let's make the bet for five thousand bucks, and I might consider it. Hell, fuck that noise- I will bet you five thousand bucks, two cases of Bud Light, a fifth of bourbon, a new set of muddin' tires for my truck and two strippers.
Curt: Only if you don't tell Shonda.
(cut to lockerroom celebrations post-game)
Josh: FUCK YEAH! WOOOOOOOO!
Curt: We've led this team to the ALCS, Joshua. You celebrate all you want!
Josh: No, old man- I'm celebrating the fat five grand you owe me. NUMBER ONE! IN YOUR FACE!
Curt: (pours champagne on Josh's head with maniacal grin as he contemplates how he's going to explain the charge for "Cheetah's Strip Club" on his Visa bill)
Manny's A Card-Carrying Member
NDRaPRSFftEMRSoML (Normally Discerning, Rational and Pragmatic Red Sox Fans for the Emotionally Motivated Re-Signing of Mike Lowell)
A prime example could be seen outside the manager's office, where Manny Ramirez was talking to the media. Upon finishing the rare interview session, Ramirez walked away and then doubled back, yelling, "Sign Mike Lowell!"
While it's going to be difficult to ever top that wonderful nonsense, the Red Sox managed to put together another fine champagne and beer drenched party in the visitor's lockerroom down in Anaheim after yesterday's sweep of the Angels. There were no jockstraps or Bud Light hats this time, but there were lots and lots of buckets. The bucket hat is apparently the new Bud Light hat.
I gathered together all kinds of video of the celebrations and lockerroom interviews (courtesy of NESN, TBS, WBZ and MLB) for your enjoyment. Note the repeated updates on the state of undress of Papelbon, and Josh Beckett's concern over all the beer being wasted. And the best part of the video is often what's going on in the background.
Globe staff photo by Jim Davis Doesn't this picture just about sum it all up?
NESN coverage- Part One
- Josh Beckett at the beginning of the video spraying Dougie Fresh (I believe) with champagne, and then shaking with gleeful giggles like a four year old
- Mike Lowell bounding (literally) over to grab champagne
- Jonathan Papelbon very very violently spraying champagne in a questionably suggestive manner
- Curt Schilling comes in after his press conference and gets pounced on by 5 or 6 guys
- Tito Francona interview
- Farrell and Okajima fistbump
- Mike Lowell interview
- Theo Epstein interview, chugging beer in between questions. He also keeps looking over his left shoulder nervously- probably because Papelbon is standing there to his left, so he's either waiting for a champagne ambush or he's ready to step in if Papelbon starts to injure himself with a kegstand
- Julio Lugo interview - which is interrupted at the very end by a Manny drive-by, dumping a bucket full of ice water on him
- quote of the clip: "Good news [...] Jonathan Papelbon is fully clothed, so I think Red Sox Nation is happy to see that."
And a special note: Over The Monster's Randy Booth is a finalist for a scholarship for college bloggers. If you enjoy his work over at OTM like I do, head on over and vote for him- there's no registration required, and the winner is determined purely by the public vote. Let's get Sox Nation behind one of our own.
An Examination of the Playoff Beard
The noble playoff beard- bringer of luck, annoyer of wives, confounder of barbers. Originated by the rough men of the NHL, its reach has spread across all arenas of sport- to the NFL, the NBA and, yes, MLB. The tenants are simple: stop shaving the moment the playoffs begin, and don't shave again until your run in the playoffs are over. But not all playoff beards are created equal- they're like (hairy) snowflakes, every one is different. Let's take a look at some Sox specimens.
The Classic
Full and thick- this type has the distinct possibility of reaching mountain man levels by November.
The Fuzz
Specialty of the younger gentleman, this type sometimes doesn't cover the entire beard region.
The Canadian Special
Since the hockey boys invented it, it's only fitting that a Canadian has a special twist on the concept.
The Topiary
Even those who already have interesting facial hair choices can extend or modify their arrangements to commemorate the playoffs.
The Negative
Addition by subtraction- this type of playoff beard isn't a beard so much as it is shaving away what used to be there.
The Deceptor
Don't be fooled, this isn't really a playoff beard at all- but just someone who hasn't had time to shave.
Dustin Pedroia on Baseball Tonight
Dustin Pedroia was a surprise call-in guest during Baseball Tonight last night, and he talked with the team about the playoffs, his rough patch earlier in the year and what his experience has been like this year with the Red Sox.
video courtesy of ESPN
Blogponents: Cleveland Indians
In which I highlight noteworthy blogs for you to gather reconnaissance on the Red Sox upcoming opponent. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
The DiaTribe: premier Indians blog with insightful analysis and timely news updates
Pronk Needs You: hilarious place to get the scoop on the Tribe... Hafner would be proud
Let's Go Tribe: SBN site that's updated daily with all the latest news & happenings
Tribe Fan In Yankeeland: they may be done with Yankeeland for the year, but this remains a great read
Give Us This Day Our Daily Press Conference
It's that time again: the pre-game press conferences with Josh (and Tito and Tek) were today at Fenway. ESPN is intent on reporting that Josh was "angry" when he spoke, but they clearly have never seen a Josh press conference before. He was just annoyed and bored- you know, his normal self.
Josh talked about C.C., his experiences with Tito Francona as a manager, the 1-0 game he pitched against the Indians in July (watch his reaction to that question- you can tell he goes blank at first, like "What friggin' one-nothin' game are you talkin' about?", and then... "oh. that's a dumb question."), if he ever thinks about what he would do pitching to Papi and Manny, if he agrees with Tito's description of him as an 'emotional' guy (he makes the reporter repeat that question, nice stall tactic Josh), channeling his emotions, the Indians lineup, the benefit of playoff experience, and throwing a postseason shutout.
He's also surprisingly candid about his anxiety on gameday- and admits that he's nervous the whole day on his scheduled starts (I'm surprised he owned up to that)... but that the nervousness fades the moment he throws his first pitch.
Never fear, all the standard Josh-isms are present: the blank stoneface, the faces at stupid questions, the eyerolling, the deadpan responses, and everyone's favorite "executing pitches". But there's something new in this press conference... see if you can spot it.
video courtesy of RedSox.com
Quotes of the day:
On whether the matchup with Sabathis adds motivation:
"Our hitters gotta worry about C.C. Sabathia, not me."
On Tito referring to him as an 'emotional' guy:
"I'm not into self-proclaimed nicknames or anything like that. So, if he says that, I guess I agree with it. He's my manager, he tells me what to think."
On the benefit of playoff experience of the pitching staff:
"I didn't have any [playoff experience] in '03 and I did pretty good."
On whether this Indians team is the same team they faced before:
"Not in October. Everybody's locked in this time of year. Ain't nobody out there just flailing away."
Be careful, Josh- your Texan is showing.
But the best part is when a reporter starts to ask him a question about the Tribe, and he gets as far into the question as, "When you look at that Indians lineup..." when Josh interrupts him with a stone-faced:
"This oughta be good."
And you hear the reporters trying to muffle their laughs, and several of them can't hold it in and let a few guffaws out. And then there is an actual break in Josh's armor, and he grins. GRINS! A tiny grin, to be sure- but still!
This is not a doctored photo.
A Tale Of Three Papelbons
Coming soon, to a bookshelf near you- Papelbon, to the third power!
The brothers Papelbon (Jonathan, and his twin younger brothers Jeremy and Joshua) are the subject of a new children's book, Pitching With The Papelbons- which follows the three Papelbons back when they were all on the same little league team together. The book was written by the VP of Communications for the Lowell Spinners (the Sox single-A ballclub) and his wife, and the official description reads:
"Follow young Jonathan, Joshua and Jeremy Papelbon, three very talented pitchers who learn a great lesson as they embrace success!"
Any guesses as to what that "great lesson" might be? Something involving scrabble? Or maybe how to irish jig? Blueprints to build your own Bud Light helmet?
All kidding aside, this is a fabulous way to get some money to a great cause. A portion of the proceeds from the book go to the C2 Mission, to benefit children and families affected by cerebral palsy and cystic fibrosis... and you get the added bonus of a cute kids book with baby Papelbons on the cover. It's a win-win!
You can pre-order the book HERE- it's just $14.95, and is due to hit the streets after November 5th.
You can see the full slate of opinions here- but these were my thoughts:
1. One of the big things we all have been hearing this week is that the Indians have an advantage because of Fausto Carmona and C.C. Sabathia. Last time I checked, though, the Red Sox beat Sabathia in a nail-biter once already this year and won five out of seven against the Tribe. How does Beckett-Schilling vs. Sabathia-Carmona play out for the two teams?
I don't think there's any doubt that the pitching, and more specifically the starting pitching, will be THE key to this series. And I don't think the regular season games (either the overall record edge to the Sox or the particular results of any one game) are going to have much bearing on this postseason matchup. These are two teams who are zoned in, and firing on all cylinders, and are not necessarily playing the same ball they were in July (or earlier).
Beckett-Sabathia is the sexy matchup, the one getting all the headlines- and those two Cy Young candidates battling it out is definitely going to be worth the billing. With Kielty starting and bringing his 1.030 OPS against lefty CC to the table, his addition to the potent Sox lineup could mean the difference against a tough Tribe batting order (including Travis Hafner who has absolutely killed against Beckett). But the game 2 matchup between veteran Schilling, with his postseason experience and amazing control, against the filthy nasty Carmona (who is even more deadly than C.C., in my opinion) is going to be just as thrilling. If the first matchup is a near dead-heat in stats, the second is more a contest of wills: Schill's mental edge and spotting accuracy versus the youth and that crazy powerful sinker of Carmona.
I know the team has been hard at work getting ready for their marquee matchup against the Tribe tonight, so I wanted to put together a little (virtual) something to help them get through the series. Of course, I'm not just going to create a boring old gift basket with smelly cheese or crappy chocolate or lame bath salts... I'm putting together something very special with our guys in mind.
Anyone have anything they want to add?
Make It Stop
Seriously- end the Gagne Experiment now, and for good.
Easy scapegoat, I know. Javy Lopez and even Jon Lester struggled, as did Gagne. Poor bullpen management following on the heels of a starter given the hook in the 5th did the Sox in tonight. Curt fully owned up in his postgame press conference to his role in the loss -- when you can't get five (!) innings out of your starter, and you force your bullpen to cover 6+ innings of ballgame, you're rarely going to be happy with the results. Schilling took the blame all on his shoulders.
There were some beautiful moments, the back-to-back homers and the spectacular Coco diving catch in particular, and some beautiful pitching - Okajima and Papelbon were stunning.
No one predicted this series would be done in 4, so really, we're just back to a best-of-5 faceoff (albeit with Cleveland now having homefield advantage). Our guys now should have no fear of Sabathia or Carmona, and Cleveland has shown their weakness for hitting the off-speed pitch (which Dice-K and Wake, not to mention Beckett, are more than capable of delivering). Tito was thoroughly unfazed in his postgame press conference, which is exactly what you want to see- mindful of the loss, respectful of the game Cleveland played, but still focused on winning and with the right mindset to carry that out.
Bring on Monday, bring on Cleveland at the Jake, bring it on.
Waking From The Nightmare
Since there's no ALCS baseball being played today to soothe us, let's distract ourselves with shiny happy pretty things, shall we? Let's start with this:
Josh Beckett + football = two great tastes that taste great together
Next up: Manny being Manny... back in his days of wearing a uniform that actually fit him. Some cute little video snippets of Manny in his Cleveland days. Manny in an afro wig? Awesome.
video courtesy of FOX
And speaking of Manny, how about this cute photo? Isn't he soft and snuggly, giving Cleveland's Jhonny Peralta a hug? What you don't see is that he's totally using the hug as cover to plant a bug in Jhonny's clothes, so that the Sox can spy on the Indians. Or so the guys can listen in and learn the best places to go out and party in Cleveland. Manny: THE HUGGING ASSASSIN.
AP photo
LOTS more shiny happy pretty things after the jump...
I'm hitting the road again, this time for Cleveland (my first time to the Jake!) to go to the Sox-Indians games tonight and tomorrow. I am simultaneously thrilled and terrified. It's going to be a wild ride, and I can't wait.
I'm going to try to post from the wilds of Ohio, but I'll leave you with these things, just in case.
First up, the neatest idea for a video I've seen in a while: the Boston Globe set up a still camera to take time-lapse photos of the pitcher's mound throughout Game 1 of the ALCS, and then they turned those photos into a video. With "Black Betty" as the soundtrack. Seriously cool.
video courtesy of Boston Globe
And because y'all asked for it:
You can buy them at the Center Field Store -- and they're all at cost, I'm not making any money on them. If anyone has ideas for other shirts you want to see, shoot me an email.
Worth A Thousand Words
Worst. Ballpark. Experience. Ever.
For a small taste of the "atmosphere" at the Jake last night, go see what one of my fellow Ladies... wrote (credit to TSW for the picture, too). We'll write up more later about what happened, if we make it out of this city alive.
Cleveland fans: making Yankee fans look classy and rational.
Without a doubt, my Baseball Boyfriend of the Day goes to Jon Lester- who valiantly battled through the Indians lineup and managed to be the one bright spot in an otherwise fairly dark sky.
I wish I could say that the back-to-back-to-back homers gave me hope that we were turning it around, that we would come from behind and take the W-- but that would be a lie. Because as special as it was to see a feat like that in person, the circumstances didn't really allow those of us Sox fans there to enjoy it. And any slim, teeny, miniscule sliver of hope that burgeoned was quickly extinguished as the next 3 batters retired in order... and then was completely stomped out when we couldn't score in the next inning, either.
Sitting through that fifth inning was brutal. Like a good little soldier, I kept scoring the game throughout the whole debacle- and few things are more painful to a baseball fan than having to move over to the next column to continue scoring the inning, because the other team has batted around (and then some). That Youkilis juggling act was right in front of me, and Dustin Pedroia had the same look of horror on his face that I did as we both watched him bobble and drop that ball. The diving missed catch by Coco was heartbreaking. And the E5- oh, lord, the E5- that earned a loud and raucous round of "YOUK!" cheers from the crowd... the ones in Indians garb.
When JD Drew's batting average is better than Mike Lowell and Dustin Pedroia, things are not right with the world.
Going into Monday's game, it was as though we were back to square one in a best-of-5 series. Now we're down to a three game stand, but it's do or die. All or nothing. We absolutely must sweep our opponent, or it's the end of the line.
Lucky for us, we happen to have an ace up our sleeve.
We have plenty of time to worry about game 6 and game 7 later.
Happy, Happy Birthday Dougie
Wake's binky turns 37 years young today, and you know what would make an EXCELLENT birthday gift? I can think of one thing in particular- something that Josh and the rest of the team could giftwrap for Dougie Fresh later this evening... and I'm not talking about chicken parm.
A Conversation: Manny & Beckett
Manny: (in Manny-speak, that special language of Manny's own invention that only Papi, Lugo and L'Monstro can understand) Hah, hah, man- you are not gonna believe the stunt I pulled today.
Josh: [ stares off into the distance, slowly chews ]
Manny: Remember when I grandstanded during my homerun last night just to give those Cleveland folks something to chew on? That really brought the haters out. That was hilarious. But this is funnier, I swear.
Josh: [ spits tobacco juice, wrinkles up nose and squints ]
Manny: So I thought to myself, "Self, you haven't really said anything lately to work ESPN and everyone else up into a tizzy. Your showboating around the bases trick is getting old. You need to really give people a nice meaty quote. You know, something they can spin to their own advantage- because you just know that 95% of the media will spin it in the most negative way possible. You are Manny, after all." And you know what I did next?
Josh: [ crosses arms, makes a sour face ]
Manny: This! And those suckers totally took the bait! Now everyone can pull out the old tired "Manny being Manny" routine, and ESPN and their flunkies can take my words out of context, picking and choosing which part of the interview they'll show, and use them to work everyone up into a frenzy. How awesome is that? I mean, everyone outside New England was just waiting to hate on me anyway after my airplaning in game 2 of the ALDS- but they couldn't very well do that since I'd hit a walkoff homer. I thought gesturing to the Cleveland crowd last night would do it, but only Yankee and Indians fans really seemed to care. This should really do it, don't you think? I'll be damned if T.O. is gonna corner the market on lockerroom hilarity.
Josh: Just gotta execute pitches. Throw fucking strikes.
Manny: Huh?
Josh: Oh, hey, Ramirez. Didn't see you there. I was just practicing all my different press conference techniques. It may be an off-day, but that doesn't mean I'm not out here fine-tuning my skills, man. Hey- pretend to be a reporter and ask me to compare the '07 Sox to the '03 Marlins. I've only heard that one 547 fucking times this offseason- I need to come up with a new facial expression that tells them I am both bored with their bullshit and pissed off at their existence at the same time.
Manny: Que?
Josh: Dude- you know I never learned Spanish in high school, man - I cut too many classes 'cause I was out cow-tipping.
Dustin Pedroia Has All The Answers
So you'd like to ask Dustin Pedroia about the Red Sox needing a "spark"? Or about his postseason batting average? He's got some answers for you. I LOVE THIS GUY.
video courtesy of Baseball Tonight & ESPN
An ALCS Gift Basket, Part Dos
So last Friday, I put together a little (virtual) something for the guys right before Game 1. Considering the results of games 2, 3 & 4, I thought maybe it was time to revisit the gift basket idea. Only this time, I've added your suggestions to the mix. If this works, I'm not afraid to post a gift basket before each game... so comment if you've got any suggestions for other items we can add.
Storming The Hill
It's almost go time. And I can think of no guy I'd rather have lead the charge than this guy.
His stuff is nasty dirty, and when he lays a beautiful curve down over the plate it's like catching a quick glimpse of nirvana. He's not hampered by memories of the past, but he is locked in to what took him to the endgame before. He's the guy who is stone-faced and lethal on the field, and a chatterbox of a teammate in the dugout. He takes little credit for his own successes, and is the first to jump over the dugout fence to celebrate the success of one of his teammates or to step up and take up for fellow pitcher who he feels is getting the short stick. He busts his ass, going above and beyond (witness that he was one of just SIX players who showed up to the optional workout on Sunday, after getting in after 5am that morning) and is not satisfied so long as there is one pitch he could have thrown better, one out he could have gotten sooner, one batter he could have sat down quicker. He's unflappable in the face of pressure, and he's unfailing in his desire to win. Hell, not just win but SHUT THOSE OTHER MOFOS DOWN. He's the kid phenom who morphed into a World Series MVP and then grew up to be a man of resolve and the ace of a team.
He's brash and cocky and dominating and committed and fierce and competitive and firey and otherworldly talented and aces ... and thank the heavens, he is ours.
Here's a couple of videos for firing up the blood, Josh-style.
videos courtesy of NESN
And just because I never tire of seeing Josh in a cowboy hat with a big shiny belt buckle:
"Kind of the motto in the clubhouse right now is, 'It's better to die on your feet than live on your knees.'" --Josh Beckett
This team is not going to go down without a fight. Or, at least a benches-clearing altercation that doesn't actually involve any punching but does involve a small-ish 40 year-old man trying to act like he's going to rumble with a guy 13 years his junior who towers over him and outweighs him by at least 35 pounds. (note I said "act like" - because if Kenny wanted to fight Josh, he had all the time and room in the world to do so. Instead, he strided towards Josh and then slowed up just enough to make sure someone stepped in between them first.)
Enough of that (for now- video of the whole thing in the next post), let's get back to this guy:
It was nice of Josh to allow the Indians to come out and play on his field tonight, because make no mistake, that was HIS field. The sign over the entrance may have said "Jacobs Field", but inside it was nothing but "Beckett's Property". He also generously gave the Indians and their fans one inning's worth of hope, and one run to cling to. But that's it. Otherwise, all he had for them were strikeouts (ELEVEN- plenty to go around) and nasty pitches. Oh, and attitude- no Beckett victory would be complete without that. David Ortiz said it best when he told reporters, "He is the best pitcher I've ever seen in the playoffs -- ever."
He didn't miss many pitches tonight. I noticed one in the bottom of the eighth against Travis Hafner, as Josh was closing in on the end of his time on the mound. On a 1-0 count, after shaking off Varitek twice, Beckett nodded and Tek set up low and away. The pitch that followed was low and in- so far inside, Hafner had to hop backwards to avoid getting pegged in the shins. Josh stepped forward to grab the ball thrown back to him by Tek, and as he turned to walk back, his eyes rolled skyward in disgust at himself. Back on the mound as he started to turn around to set up again, he also delivered a short little cussfest at himself for the poor execution. As fun as it is to watch Josh's beautiful pitching, it's just as entertaining to watch him when he misses- not only because it's a rare occurrence, but also because his reaction to a poor pitch is precisely why he delivers so few of them.
And the bats were on fire as well- except Coco Crisp, who went 0-for-5 on the night (which is probably why Tito Francona finally appears to be caving on his hardline stance against altering the lineup... and is now making noises like we'll see Jacoby Ellsbury in the starting lineup tomorrow). From the beginning of the game, on offense and defense, there was just a whole different feel than in the previous games. I'm sure credit for part of that goes to Josh- knowing he was going to start sure made me feel more confident about our chances, and I'm guessing his teammates felt the same way.
Now it's back to Fenway. Where, as Manny Ramirez puts it, "the magic is."
You Mess With The Bull...
Josh will be more than happy to show you the horns, Kenny Lofton.
photo credit: David Richard
I love the look in Josh's eye there. Kenny may be wild, but Josh would squash him like a bug- and he's giving Kenny a look like he can't decide whether to punch him in the face or point and laugh at his stupidity.
First up, the video of the whole incident, from start to finish.
video courtesy of FOX
The homeplate ump was mic'ed up for the game, and here's video showing what he said when he stepped in between Kenny and Josh:
video courtesy of FOX
This wasn't the first time Josh has gotten into it with Kenny for his bat-flipping antics at the plate. Here's video of their confrontation back in 2005 when Josh played for the Marlins and Kenny played for the Phillies. Eck compares Josh's no-bullshit attitude on the mound to that of Nolan Ryan (my hero!), who also refused to put up with showboaters back in his day.
"Yeah... [Josh, Nolan,] Roger Clemens... they're all from Texas."
"It's this Texas thing!"
video courtesy of NESN
They Woke The Sleeping Giant
As for the publicity stunt by the Indians PR department of using an ex-girlfriend of Josh's to sing the anthem-- it spectacularly backfired in their faces. Josh downplayed the whole thing in his postgame press conference, but Jonathan Papelbon was a little more candid about the incident in his postgame lockerroom interview for WBZ- even acknowledging that the guys had discussed the situation between them:
"I think they made a mistake in waking a sleeping giant over here in this clubhouse... You know, I don't know if they have a bad PR department over there or if they just couldn't find anybody else to sing the national anthem. I mean it's kind of ironic that we're [in the city with the] Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame, and somebody like Danielle Peck sings the national anthem. I figure you could get somebody better than that."
"You just don't do those kinds of things. You wake a sleeping giant? There's gonna be some consequences and repercussions, that's for sure."
video courtesy WBZ
Speaking of Josh's postgame press conference, here's video of the whole thing- including the F-bomb that went out live on NESN. You would think they would have learned their lesson by now, and never ever put Josh on live, but apparently not. Also: WHY IS IT SUCH EARTH-SHATTERING NEWS THAT JOSH CUSSED ON-AIR? I've seen all kinds of people posting the video of Josh, and getting all in a tizzy about him dropping the Fbomb, like it's some new thing or something. Stop the presses-- Josh cussed on live TV! Folks: he does this all the time, it ain't nothing new. And this isn't even the worst cuss-fest he's had on live TV this year! Oh, and this is hopefully better quality than what's circulating, too - it's not a video of me filming the TV screen or anything.
