Tuesday, July 08, 2003
IT'S THE LITTLE SHIT
When it's Sox vs. Y*nkees, Pedro vs. Mussina, little mistakes can and will cost you the game. Pedro is 2-2 vs. Mussina and vice verse, and they're still 2-2 against each other. I think the next God vs Moose match will be a whoppah!
As promised, here is the list of small shit that cost the Red Sox the game.
1. The lineup: David Ortiz was 0 for 17 vs. Mussina coming into the game. Going out of the game, he is 0 for 20. He also was struck out by Mussina for the 13th time! Grady Little's logic: "I think he's due." I think Grady is due for a pink slip and a slap to the face. And why is Damon leading off? With Nixon a lefty, then two switch hitters in Mueller and Varitek, then Damon and then Walker, the Y*nkees could concievably use a situational lefty for 5 batters. I'd rather see Kapler over Ortiz or at least switch Ortiz and Nixon in the lineup. Having an 0 for 17 guy behind Manny isn't exactly protection. This would have been my lineup:
1. 2B-Walker-L
2. 3B-Mueller-S
3. SS-Garciaparra-R
4. LF-Ramirez-R
5. RF-Nixon-L
6. 1B-Millar-R
7. C-Varitek-S
8. DH-Kapler-R
9. CF-Damon-L
2. Todd Walker's defense, more importantly his positioning: Isn't it ironic that for the first time since he joined the scum, the Red Sox didn't put on the massive shift that they usually put on. If they did, Giambi's RBI basehit is fielded by Walker and more than likely he is thrown out at first. That changes the whole complexction of the game.
In the bottom of the 9th with 1 out, NESN showed the Red Sox drawn in infield and outfield. I looked at Walker and said to myself, "shouldn't he be a step or two to his right?" What happens? A ground ball to his right eats him up and he can't make what would have been an easy throw to home to eliminate Matsui. Inches from victory.
3. Varitek's foul ball: Perhaps the best struck ball of the game. The only problem was that it was too well struck. He pulled it foul. If it stays fair, it is a 2 run HR that puts us up 3-1. Unfortunately, Varitek struck the ball a fraction of a second too soon. Pulling a Homerun ball just barely foul is like ejaculating prematurely. You feel great for a little bit until you realise you went too early. If you had just held it back for a bit longer, you would've scored.
4. Ed Montague: He umpired a great game except for one pitch, in my opinion. 2-2 to Giambi and Pedro throws a pitch that's been called a stirke all day long. It's called ball 3. Then Giambi hits an RBI basehit to tie the game.
All and all, one of the best games of baseball ever pitched. The offenses were held silent. If not for lackluster defense from Curtis Pride and twice from Todd Walker, and if the pitchers of the 21st century could throw 200 pitches, this could have gone down as one of the greatest pitching duels of all time.
Post #54
End of Line*
* that's a Tron reference. That and The Terminator are the predecessors of The Matrix in terms of self aware computers and machines taking over the world, et cetera.
When it's Sox vs. Y*nkees, Pedro vs. Mussina, little mistakes can and will cost you the game. Pedro is 2-2 vs. Mussina and vice verse, and they're still 2-2 against each other. I think the next God vs Moose match will be a whoppah!
As promised, here is the list of small shit that cost the Red Sox the game.
1. The lineup: David Ortiz was 0 for 17 vs. Mussina coming into the game. Going out of the game, he is 0 for 20. He also was struck out by Mussina for the 13th time! Grady Little's logic: "I think he's due." I think Grady is due for a pink slip and a slap to the face. And why is Damon leading off? With Nixon a lefty, then two switch hitters in Mueller and Varitek, then Damon and then Walker, the Y*nkees could concievably use a situational lefty for 5 batters. I'd rather see Kapler over Ortiz or at least switch Ortiz and Nixon in the lineup. Having an 0 for 17 guy behind Manny isn't exactly protection. This would have been my lineup:
1. 2B-Walker-L
2. 3B-Mueller-S
3. SS-Garciaparra-R
4. LF-Ramirez-R
5. RF-Nixon-L
6. 1B-Millar-R
7. C-Varitek-S
8. DH-Kapler-R
9. CF-Damon-L
2. Todd Walker's defense, more importantly his positioning: Isn't it ironic that for the first time since he joined the scum, the Red Sox didn't put on the massive shift that they usually put on. If they did, Giambi's RBI basehit is fielded by Walker and more than likely he is thrown out at first. That changes the whole complexction of the game.
In the bottom of the 9th with 1 out, NESN showed the Red Sox drawn in infield and outfield. I looked at Walker and said to myself, "shouldn't he be a step or two to his right?" What happens? A ground ball to his right eats him up and he can't make what would have been an easy throw to home to eliminate Matsui. Inches from victory.
3. Varitek's foul ball: Perhaps the best struck ball of the game. The only problem was that it was too well struck. He pulled it foul. If it stays fair, it is a 2 run HR that puts us up 3-1. Unfortunately, Varitek struck the ball a fraction of a second too soon. Pulling a Homerun ball just barely foul is like ejaculating prematurely. You feel great for a little bit until you realise you went too early. If you had just held it back for a bit longer, you would've scored.
4. Ed Montague: He umpired a great game except for one pitch, in my opinion. 2-2 to Giambi and Pedro throws a pitch that's been called a stirke all day long. It's called ball 3. Then Giambi hits an RBI basehit to tie the game.
All and all, one of the best games of baseball ever pitched. The offenses were held silent. If not for lackluster defense from Curtis Pride and twice from Todd Walker, and if the pitchers of the 21st century could throw 200 pitches, this could have gone down as one of the greatest pitching duels of all time.
Post #54
End of Line*
* that's a Tron reference. That and The Terminator are the predecessors of The Matrix in terms of self aware computers and machines taking over the world, et cetera.
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