Hey everyone! I'm SO excited - my parents just surprised me w/ tickets to the Yankees/Red Sox game this weekend. It's my first game =]

I'm also pumped for today's game - boo Rays.

Wow! Congrats Jessi!! That's gonna be a hell of a series!

LET'S GO RED SOX!!!

Should be interesting set of games..... Boo to having to watch ION instead of NESN

Thanks Bethie =] ... so where is everyone tonight?? It's unusually quiet.

Make sure to wear lots of Red Sox stuff to Yankee Stadium this weekend.

Nothing can go wrong with that. :D

Just kidding... Don't say your a Red Sox fan unless there are other Sox fans around. Yankees fans are ruthless. Trust me. I've sat in the bleachers at a Yanks-Sox game there plus in other parts as well.

Oh and go early and try to do the monument tour. Fan or not of the Yankees, it's a pretty cool thing to see.

Haha Ian, I'm definitely wearing my hat but I'm not sure about my shirt yet...we will see. I might be ok though cause my dad's a Yankee fan.

yes you will be fine with your dad since he's a Yanks fan

Let's hope everyone is just running a little late??

I'm sure we will have a full thread for the next few days, cause everyone is waiting for the other shoe to drop so to speak.

Hey everyone!

Jessie, that's awesome! I'm going to my first regular season game tomorrow!

The Rays broadcast have not stopped saying this is the most important series in Rays entire history. Something about a series in June being the most important makes me laugh ;)

well...he started off his last start against the Rays by allowing a home run.

Damn!

YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME!

Yikes. That was NOT the way I wanted this to start.

Okay, rays spoke first.

Crap.

The cowbells are back :(

I guess I should pack some Advil for tomorrow

I forgot about the noisy Ray fans. Great.

Hi Y'all!

I'm not liking this first inning.

Nice catch, Mike!

I was at Lake Tahoe this weekend--awesome. Seeing Robert Plant on stage was absolutely amazing!

I bet the umps are ready for this series.

these announcers are extremely boring, we aren't even out of the first inning yet and I'm ready to throw something

i know fc. i wasn't either. I was fully expecting both teams to head out to the field and battle. Dance battle that is.

jules- I heard earlier today the umps would be told the entire history of the feud and that the umps would issue warnings before the start of the game

Jesus Christ. Fenway is loud in a good way. This is just obnoxious.

And the announcers aren't exactly helping.

Okay so the Rays broadcaster just said Manny is batting 1.000 against Youk and the traveling secretary - totally unnecessary

all the bandwagon fans at the Trop

Danielle, that makes sense.

What's up with Manny? When I read about his altercation with the traveling secretary I had to check to see if I was reading The Onion. That seems to be, as DO just said, uncharacteristic of him.

I thought noise-makers are generally banned at ballparks. Why are the hell are they giving them away?!

I can't even hear the announcers over the damn noise,

And I would like to throw a cowbell at Shields. His stuff is too solid tonight. Someone give him cramps or something.

Jessi, techincally the noisemakers are banned. But I doubt they care about them when the seats are actually filled!
9. Noise makers, air horns, laser pointers and any other irritating or distracting items are prohibited and will be confiscated.

Hey guys, looks like I'll be joining you in here tonight. My brother's having a Rock Band party (somebody shoot me now please!) so I'm up here with Gameday and not with NESN downstairs.

Ugh screw the Rays and their noisy ballpark.

And Masterson needs to pull it together.

i'd kick his ass Kara.

It doesn't help that the home plate ump had the smallest strike zone last year. And apparently his left side is even smaller.

Damn.

At least Tek managed a death stare leaving the plate.

Not fun so far.

I really am despising the 2008 Rays at 2003 Oakland A's levels....it's that bad.

Another 1 2 3 inning. This is not looking good.

They need to figure out where they packed their bats... preferably sooner rather then later

according to RemDawg we are playing tamper

Whoa. The Rays may NO HIT us.

winkwink

We're on base! Yes!

Oh look at that...we got a hit! =]

he he he

Go Pedey.

Aw, JD, that hurt.

The Rays announcers seem surprised the Rays fans could be making more noise than the Sox fans! haha

YAY MIKEY!!!

That's more like it!

Miikeyyyyyy!!!!! Thank you.

Thank you Mikey!!

Hey all -- sorry for the lateness. Grocery shopping time. Gotta get settled in with my PJs and cheese and crackers and beer (dinner to follow, LOL). GO SOX!

ecl, in my world, cheese+crackers+beer=dinner.

Heyy everyone! =)

Jessi, i dont know if your still here but congrats on the tickets!! i'm trying to get some nice loge seat tickets at the moment, but no luck =( the prices on ebay are absolutely REDICULOUS.

Jessi, i dont know if your still here but congrats on the tickets!! i'm trying to get some nice loge seat tickets at the moment, but no luck =( the prices on ebay are absolutely REDICULOUS.

DAMMIT
DAMMIT

SHEEEIIIIT

fc, even better, the beer is Sam Adams Ale...this is the first time I've bought a six-pack of beer since I don't know when. Y'all are ruining me, I tell ya! :-O

Sorry, radio delay. AW SHIT. MFSOB.

Thanks Lindsay!

I hate the rays.

Someone please wake up our bats!!!

fc, corrupting people up and down the east coast since 2008.

ecl, my thoughts exactly.

Come on Mossy!!!

Only since 2008, fc? I would think you'd have been at this awhile.

Awww, Mossy...

True, ecl, but I've been strictly local.
I'm just now expanding my operation via the internet.

WRKO just made an unintentional funny...called Lugo an "ex-Ray," emphasis on the first syllable. I didn't realize the little guy was radiographic.

Just opened a fresh round of brie...a new box of cracked pepper water crackers, and am about to open that Sam Adams. Life would be just about perfect if only our guys could produce some runs...

Please make it stop.

I think It's the cowbells. We haven't won a game at the trop this year.

They can take their cowbells and shove 'em.

UGHHHHH

Not cool.

Jessi, I agree. Please make it stop. WTF is going on?

Okay get out of this inning so our bats can put some damage to the Rays

:(

I've decided that indoor stadiums suck. They're unnatural ... just like the Rays leading the AL East.

Me thinks I need a drink

Remy's right. Some good bunts from Ells, with his speed, would pay off.

Throwing a Sam Adams down the big hill at ya, Bethie!

DREWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

DRRRRREEEEEWWWWWWW!!!!

DREWWW

J.D. ups his HR count for the month of June! YEAH BOY!

Thanks Faith! I might need another one in a little bit! :)

Drew & black-eyed Youk in the same frame: a study in contrast.

God, I really hate those fucking cowbells.

Annoying.

Thank you Drew!

Well Bethie, it's a brand-new six-pack and I can only handle one...so feel free! :)

I think we're gonna need more beer. :)

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!
(I just said that. Out loud. In 2-part harmony.)

I do not like this umpire.

THANK YOU JACOBY

Thank god.

fc, overtone speaking? (if that doesn't make sense, don't worry about it -- has to do with a singing technique)...

ha ha fc.

Career high 105 pitches for Masterson. I'm thinking he's done for the night.

Bethie, ya got a favorite beer down there?

I was wondering if anyone would call me on soloing in 2-part harmony .

As long as it doesn't start with bud I'm in. :)

I wish they sold Octoberfest all year long, cause that's my favorite. But, I make due with others.

MIKEY!

I only hope the Rays bullpen sucks ass tonight.

That would be lovely.

"Will that put Youkilis into another whiny session?" Fuck you announcer. You and your sucky ass team.

Wonder if Beckett is handing Youk a bat right now and showing him how to abuse a bench.

Youk needs no lessons on damaging things in anger.

...which I find strangely appealing. ;)

fc, soloing in harmony is called "overtone singing." Interesting stuff. I only know about it because I was a voice major about a million years ago.

Bethie, funny, I used to drink Bud during my slumming days. I tend to go for nicer stuff these days on the rare occasions that I actually drink. My, how I've evolved. :)

Awww, Tek...

Okay Lugie, be a hero, please...

ecl - like the Tuva throat singers, right?
None o' that going on here. Just hyperbole.

Lugo can't hit in the clutch...

fc, I had to Google that. Yes, like the Tuva throat singers. I can do it just a little tiny bit (thanks to an exercise we did during choir practice in college), but I don't know how to do it correctly. I blow my throat out very quickly when I try.

C'mon...battle baby battle...(hoping I'm not making a fool of myself due to radio delay)...

Awww, dammit, Julio...

Why couldn't we have left the "we leave base runners stranded" habit in Houston??? Geez.

For some reason, I get the impression that the majority of the new Ray fans do not understand anything about baseball.

Sigh

B-E-E-R

I dunno Jessi, but maybe that guys sign about the Rays being a "real first place team" might be a good clue

Hi people,

anyone notice that anytime there are men on base that Tek comes up to the plate?

[ Jessi ] says:
on June 30, 2008 9:10 PM

Lugo can't hit in the clutch...

Who said Lugo could hit....at all? haha

Adam, that's just a function of the hitting in the lineup ahead of Tek.

I can't stop laughing at Smith's hat.

Haha Adam - ok next time it will read:
"Lugo can't hit the ball to save his life (or catch it)..."

ps I'm a huge Lugo-hater

umm I'm not sure you understood my point. Anytime there seems to be a rally, Varitek comes up and either K's or grounds into a DP

I don't feel well.

And no hating on our own.
I'm full of opinions about Lugo, but "hater"??? Sorry, not cool.

why not just make your point instead of asking a question that was barely understandable at best.

I can't hate Lugo.

But I can hate his errors.

(tosses another beer down the mountain and across the Piedmont to Bethie...)

Thanks Faith.

Bases are loaded??? Think it's time to move on to J-A-C-K.

Aw, ecl, when I read "tosses another beer down" I was ready to be so proud.

Sorry, but I honestly cannot stand him. If he could just play good offense or defense ..

Like Tek, he's not htiting the ball well, but what he does behind the plate is amazing.

(make that two beers for Bethie...)

And thank you, fc...I agree, hating on Lugo is not cool. I get aggravated wth him, sure...but will never, ever hate him. But you already knew that.

BEAN GOMES iN THe FACe

lopez?
i might be a tad early but we need to get delcarmen in there.
or oki, but you know he will give up the granny

fc, I very well could make it two tonight. We'll see. I do have to get up in the morning, though, and am no longer used to drinking.

Poor Bethie...I don't have any hard liquor in the house.

I just cussed at my 'puter...

Oh, but I do Faith. Jack and Jose are always on hand in case I need some company. :)

I just punched myself in the thigh. And said bad words.

LOL Bethie! I used to keep Jack around the house too. I forget who else...I think I was too fried at the time to remember anymore.

Ok one run out of bases loaded isn't too bad.

So we hang here during games - what about a support group for after games?

fc, you'll probably be amazed to know that back in the day I abso-freakin-lutely loved corn liquor AKA moonshine. Especially if peaches were embalmed in it. Straight outta the Carolina hills. Egads...so good.

A virtual after-hours bar, fc!

Does this support group involve 12 steps???

Okay, JD...

aww dammit.

We admitted that we were powerless over our addiction to the Red Sox...

This sucks ass.

Totally.

I may be drunk the entire Sox/Rays series. Oops. :)

Bethie, you ever had shine?

I can tell this half a beer is going to my head. I'm sitting here laughing out loud because I can't believe I'm posting about moonshine on a gameday thread.

Oh yes ma'am. My cousin makes homemade peach brandy. Woah. If you take one sip of that and your insides don't scramble, then you must be radioactive or something.

But after a few shots, eh.....who cares. :)

I prefer the clear, pure power of vodka, myself.

Well, we have to talk about something. Cause our bats aren't exactly giving us anything at the moment.

Hey gross. You suck.

The End.

need 3 runs from manny, lowell and youk, but if they get on base and dont score, mossy tek and lugo wont do anything

If we were fans of any other team, would DO & Remy be as annoying as the Rays announcers are to us?

fc, you haven't had pure until you've had NC peach brandy. Bethie knows what she's talking about! My first "peach" was from up in Wilkes County, where the old NASCAR drivers got their start outrunning the laaaawwww!

I don't know Erica.,

If DO and Remy had cowbells, then YES. :)

Yay for DPs!!!

Erica, I don't think so. I think they're pretty balanced. For example: Remy was going on about how he didn't understand why Coco's suspension was reduced.

Ok just checking that I wasn't completely biased

just extremely spoiled

9th inning rally...

@#$&%*@@#&$*%$!!#$%!^&

baseball hurts

Thank you Mikey. Now let's not let that go to waste.

Mikey Doubles!

YOUK!!!!

THERE IS A GOD

HA HA

mossy homer?

that was amazing!

I'll drink to that!

Come on, Tek. We need you right now.

A catwalk? I'm a big confused as to the config of the field...but hell, I'll take it!

well that was fucking strange but I'll take it

after all the chances hes had this game you would think he would step up

Pinch hitter...good move.

omg! and the closer is hurt! this game is amazing! i hope he cant pitch!

pinch hit lugo

yes!!! get him out of the game!!! woo hoo!!!

Now he's cussing at his manager.

he is faking it
doesn't want to get the loss

Lindsay you'd rather have him stay in the game since you've been hitting him well this inning.

Lugo's batting after all? Yikes.

That's a smart move by maddon. He's telling him look it's a long season. no reason to make things worse. we need ya down the line troy.

something along those lines.

Ian, maybe Lindsay's a mole.

True Ian.

If you guys don't hear from me again will someone call emergency services?

it looked like he was saying "thats enough, shut up now troy"

lol fc. just being the voice of reason.

will do fc

ok i'm scared...

straight steal of home

(mother's day, mother's day, mother's day)

NOOOOOOOOOO........

Julio Lugo: rally killer

MOTHER F MOTHER F MOTHER F

He tried, though, Kara, he really did. Dammit...this sucks.

by far one of the stranger ends to a game we will see

yay Lugo.

At least we tried. Better luck tomorrow.

Well shit.

Impressive surge in the 9th though. Again, I'll drink to that.

Now, memo to the Red Sox....

BRING THE BATS TOMORROW. Not just in the 9th.

Please and Thank you!

Bethie has gone through an entire six-pack all by herself, I reckon...bless her heart. ;-O

Been fun tonight guys.

I'll stock up the liquor cabinet and fridge for tomorrow, just in case we need it. :)

That sucked but the rally, such as it was, was awesome.
So thanks Ian, but no need to alert the authorities.

I'll be here on time tomorrow and will hope that that's the good luck charm.

Off to watch YouTubes of overtone singing.

it's ok....Varitek got an RBI! And Lugo worked the count full

LOL...don't bless my heart, Faith. Bless the hearts of the people that have to put up with my ass at work tomorrow. :)

Yeah, it was a good try, fc...

(humming in harmony w/myself). LOL...where's that after-game support group?

Question- do any of you know what the red sox consider obstructed view? For example, if a ticket is not marked obstructed view, does that mean you will have a full view of the entire field? Or do they just consider it no obstructed as long as you can see homeplate? Basically i'm looking at some infield grandstand seats, and they are 15th row not marked obstructed view...Thanks to anyone that can help. =P

HA! That's right Bethie...it does translate as "sucks to be them," doesn't it?

Yeah, where does this support group meet?

And will there be food there??

Obstructed view means you will be sitting behind a column that blocks some area of the field. Totally correctible (is that a word?) with neck stretching and other minor bodily contortions.

Oh, you asked about NOT obstructed view? Then, what I said, NOT. And I don't understand the question.

What do the red sox consider as obstructed view? If only homeplate is obstructed? Or for example, if part of left field is blocked by a pole, would that also considered obstructed view?

obstructed view seats at Fenway aren't all that bad at all. It's like fc said, you're not able to see one part of the field. i've sat there before and didn't miss a thing.

row 15 on the infield grandstand with the seats at the beginning and ends of the row are usually the ones with obstructed view. the rest in that row are fine.

Alright thanks. =)

so if there is an infield grandstand ticket thats is NOT marked obstructed view, i will definately a view of the entire field? Or is there still a chance that part of the field (infield or outfield) may still be blocked by a beam?

Plus, you're near beer, and used beer repository.

if it's marked not obstructed view, then you will have a clear view of the field unless there's a 500 lb man in front of you.