I always wondered how fans of the Royals and Devil Rays did it. The team was down and out; why bother watching the games?
Well, this season has been a reminder — not having followed the Sox closely between 1998 and 2003, this really is a throwback for me to the hideous early 1990s, when the Sox were out of it early and out of it often. You start rooting for your individual players to reach milestones, to lead the league in whatever categories they can. You watch the prospects and root for them. You think about next year, and — very important for sanity — you back away a little, gain some perspective and become a normal person again (the wife really enjoys my not checking scores via text message while we’re shopping or driving).
Of course, for the Red Sox, there is next year. Not so for the Royals (maybe for the D-Rays). That helps. Finding compelling reasons to watch every game, however — finding those storylines that make good game threads — that becomes a bit more difficult. There’s the joy of watching baseball. There’s the hope that this individual game will be a good game to watch. There’s always that.
And there’s Lenny DiNardo, fighting back from an injury, hoping to show that he is the Sox’ long-reliever/spot-starter of the future. I’m rooting for him (he is a lefty, and we sure could use one in the pen next year). Anyway, that’s all I got. Comment away!
News: Curt Schilling threw 80 pitches, says he’ll pitch Wednesday againt the Twins. … Francona “all but rules out” Manny Ramirez playing against New York. … Coco still nursing his sore finger.
Kevin Youkilis, LF
Mark Loretta, 1B
David Ortiz, DH
Wily Mo Pena, CF
Mike Lowell, 3B
Jason Varitek, C
Trot Nixon, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Alex Gonzalez, SS
Lenny DiNardo, P
Is there a rain delay?
I know what you mean Paul, about trying to find something positive to take from the games from here on out…its not easy…
Britton’s GameCast photo provides conclusive evidence that in his previous life, he was a bullfrog.
Stupid sacrifice bunt. Even if it works out, I think you should swing the bat with runners on 1st and 2nd and nobody out in the 9th inning of a tie game…as Youkilis strikes out for the 2nd out.
But…Loretta! Winning run across. Hope for the slamma from Papi, though.
Chen got so lucky on that pitch. Papi doesn’t miss that one very often.
Nope. 1-run lead for whoever to hold.
Yeah, there’s a surprise. Timlin leadoff double.
Mora at 3rd with 1 out after the flyout.
Kapler’s got some arm.
IBB Tejada. Correct.
Groundball, groundball, groundball.
At a fielder, at a fielder, at a fielder.
Good for the Sox. I’m being serious too.
Hooray! Now let’s see if the Sox can just keep the damned Yankees from clinching in their own stadium against the Sox. Woe is me. I’ll be there Sunday.
Holy cr@p, a come-from-behind, late-inning victory.
Time for the Sox to get some pride back vs. the Empire.