Sully Baseball Daily Podcast - June 19, 2013

A long car trip turned into a fantasy baseball discussion with my wife and an impromptu episode of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast.

Felix Doubront, Matt Dominguez, Brandon Belt and Matt Harvey all owned baseball on June 87, 2013.


To see the up to date tally of "Who Owns Baseball?," click HERE.
Subscribe on iTunes HERE.

Sully Baseball Daily Podcast - June 19, 2013

Sully Baseball Daily Podcast - June 9, 2013

My wife and I discussed double headers and extra innings games.  Somehow the TV show Friday Night Lights and the movie Grease 2 made it into the conversation.

It is the kind of exchange you can only hear on The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast.

Mike Trout, Kyle Blanks, John Danks and Kevin Slowey all owned baseball on June 8, 2013.

To see the up to date tally of "Who Owns Baseball?," click HERE.
Subscribe on iTunes HERE.

Sully Baseball Daily Podcast - June 9, 2013

Sully Baseball Daily Podcast - February 23, 2013

On today's podcast, I talk with my wife about Curt Schilling's sock and other absurdities. 

Subscribe to The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast on iTunes.

 Sully Baseball Daily Podcast - February 23, 2013

Sully Baseball Daily Podcast - January 6, 2013

On today's podcast, I sit in bed with my wife discussing the Hall of Fame, steroids and who I would vote for. My wife revealed that she thinks Sammy Sosa's corked bat was more objectionable than any steroid use. Listen in. Sully Baseball Daily Podcast - January 6, 2013

 

Cliff Lee could be Ryan Gosling's brother

I saw a picture of Ryan Gosling in some up coming film called Gangster Squad. I don't doubt that I will see it because my wife is, to put it mildly, a fan of Mr. Gosling.

Do you know who is also a big fan of Ryan Gosling? Every heterosexual woman I have ever met.

He's a reasonably handsome dude.

You know how some couples have the "Free Pass" list? The celebrity that one partner can hook up with guilt free if the situation ever came up.

Well Ryan Gosling is on my wife's "I am allowed to shoot my husband in the knee to spend a night with him" list.

When we did our casting the 2011 movie video, she tried to cast Gosling as Josh Hamilton even though he doesn't look like him.

HOWEVER, when I saw his pic for the new movie, it looked very familiar.

Then I realized where I saw that intense, bad ass stare.

He looks like Cliff Lee.

Not 100% like Cliff Lee. They aren't dead ringers.

But he could be Ryan Lee. He might be the more sensitive Lee brother who never was understood by his tougher more athletic brother.

Maybe if more women knew there was a Ryan Gosling type on the Phillies they would sky rocket in popularity.

And I for one would like to see Cliff Lee play Noah in The Notebook.




  

New Sully Baseball Video "These Are The Good Old Days"

In the latest Sully Baseball video, I wax nostalgic for the greatest era in baseball history.

When would that be? The 40s? The 50s? The 80s of my childhood?

Nope.

When you look back at the flawed decades of the past, baseball might be at a high point of quality RIGHT NOW!

Don't believe me?

Then check out the video.

And as always, you can check out the previous Sully Baseball videos by clicking HERE.

This video was shot around the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum (or whatever it is called now). As always, the video was directed and co-written by my wife Lisa.

If you like the videos, pass them around.

Future date night at the Sullivan home... Moneyball

Seriously, it is the PERFECT date film for me.
I get to watch baseball... my wife gets to watch Brad Pitt.

What more could we want?

It's a good preview. It looks like The Social Network for baseball.

Now of course I thought the movie would go something like this:

Billy Beane drafts Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder and Barry Zito... has a bunch of guys on steroids in the lineup and wins the Division a few times but makes it out of the Division Series once.

But that's not as good of a story.

Movie looks good.
I'll buy some Milk Duds for my wife.

Discussing the baseball schedule with my wife over toast

(Sully and his wife are sitting at their table for breakfast. Sully’s wife is eating a piece of toast.)

SULLY’S WIFE:
How late did you stay up watching that game last night?

SULLY:
11:45. Remember it was 2:45 AM in Boston and raining when the game ended. And they are playing another game in just a few hours!

SULLY’S WIFE:
What do you mean they are playing another game? With who?

SULLY:
With the Angels.

SULLY’S WIFE:
I thought they just played the Angels.

SULLY:
They play 3 game series.

SULLY’S WIFE:
How is it in basketball?

SULLY:
Basketball you play one game. Then there’s usually an off day and they play another team.

SULLY’S WIFE:
Why can’t baseball do that?

SULLY:
But in baseball, sometimes they play 6 games a week. The travel costs alone would be prohibitive.

SULLY’S WIFE:
Why can’t they have a travel day in baseball?

SULLY:
They play 162 games! They’d have to start the season in January. That’s the schedule!

SULLY’S WIFE:
What do you mean? That doesn’t have to be the schedule. The other sports seem to get along just fine. And by the way, when I am done eating this piece of toast, I am done having this conversation.

SULLY:
I think the physical toll of a basketball game or hockey game is much greater. I mean in a football game, you can risk your career every play.

SULLY’S WIFE:
So basically you are saying baseball is such a lazy sport that they can play more games because they are out of shape idiots.

SULLY:
No. It’s not that they are out of shape idiots. Baseball is more cerebral.

SULLY’S WIFE:
What is this, chess? What do chess players do? How many travel days do THEY need?

SULLY:
You’re not being fair.

SULLY’S WIFE:
What about spelling bees? Do they need an extra travel day?

SULLY:
A pitcher can’t throw every day. His arm will snap off.

SULLY’S WIFE:
Doesn’t he only throw a few rounds before the next guy comes in?

SULLY:
Innings.

SULLY’S WIFE:
Whatever.

SULLY:
Ideally your starting pitcher will go 7 or 8 innings.

SULLY’S WIFE:
They should do it evenly. 3-3-3.

SULLY:
I’ve actually thought that’s what they should do.

SULLY’S WIFE:
See? I don’t even know what I am talking about and already I have a good idea.

SULLY:I know everything about baseball and you’ve thought of it and you know…

SULLY’S WIFE:
Nothing.

SULLY:
Very little.

SULLY’S WIFE:
I know as little as I possibly can by choice.

SULLY:
Yet we’ve both thought of the same thing and that is if you have a bunch of pitchers who can only go 2 or 3 innings before they need help, why not have one pitcher throw the first 3, the next one throw the next 3 and a third one throw the last 3? You’d have to have like 40 pitchers on the roster. You are only allowed 25 players all together on your roster.

SULLY’S WIFE:
The more the merrier.

SULLY:
Back on topic.

SULLY’S WIFE:
Here’s my thing. The less I actually pay attention to what you are saying, the better I do.

SULLY:
That seems to be the case in life. You’re only half listening to me.

SULLY’S WIFE:
When I pay attention, things fall apart,

(Another bite of toast.)

SULLY’S WIFE:
How many games do they play in football?

SULLY:
It’s once a week. They play 16 games.

SULLY’S WIFE:
Perfect! That’s what baseball should do.

SULLY:
If they only play 16 games, it would be better for you because instead of me watching a baseball game a night, then I would only be watching it one night.

SULLY’S WIFE:
Right.

SULLY:
What you are not taking into account is this. If I am only watching one game, then I would be more intense. And that day of playing tends to be Sunday when we try to do things as a family. And all that week I’d be building up for the one game

SULLY’S WIFE:
But there would be less for you to talk about.

SULLY:
You have no idea how much people yap about that one football game a week. In baseball it is BOOM! Here’s a game. BOOM! Here’s another game. But in football, the talk on Monday is “Can’t wait for the Miami game.” Tuesday is “Get ready for the Miami game” and by Wednesday I’m thinking “Enough! Just play the Miami game!” but it is still 4 days away.

SULLY’S WIFE:
But it could be like The Good Wife. I look forward to watching it every week. But if it was on every night, it would be The Boring Wife. It’s perfect. Once a week on the DVR. And YOU can DVR the games. You don’t even have to watch the game live.

SULLY:
But if I am watching the game on DVR I’m missing the next game.

SULLY’S WIFE:
What next game?

SULLY:
The other game.

SULLY’S WIFE:
There’s another game?

SULLY:
The game that’s going on while I’m watching the game from the night before!

SULLY’S WIFE:
You only need to play one game a week!

SULLY:
Then you’d only need one pitcher.

SULLY’S WIFE:
Didn’t we establish you needed 3 pitchers now?

SULLY:
But if you are playing one game a week, you can just throw your best

pitcher out for every game.

SULLY’S WIFE:
So you are agreeing with me now.

SULLY:
Wait-

SULLY’S WIFE:
You see, I’ve turned the tables. By the end of this toast, you will be on my side

SULLY:
The great thing about the baseball-

SULLY’S WIFE:
I’m nibbling. I only have a few bites left.

SULLY:
In baseball you lose one game, the very next day you have another shot to win.

SULLY’S WIFE:
That cheapens it! That cheapens the whole thing. That’s what I am saying. I don’t need Juliana Marguiles on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I just need her Tuesday. Just try it. And if doesn’t work then we go back to your way. And we’re done.

(She eats the last bite.)

New Sully Baseball Video - "Defensive Indifference"

In the latest Sully Baseball video, I point out that the very concept of defensive indifference is nuts and should be taken out of baseball.

And as always, I'm right.

The video is shot and co produced by my amazing wife, Lisa.

Enjoy.

Why doesn't MLB want my money?

This past Labor Day weekend my family took a weekend trip to the lovely city of San Diego... and while I was there I ran smack dab against a Major League Baseball rule that didn't make a lick of sense to me.

Bear with me.

We were staying in a hotel right across the street from PetCo Park, a stadium I hadn't seen yet. Now the Padres were playing the Rockies Friday night, Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon. Our Saturday and Sundays were packed and my wife and I were putting the boys to sleep around 8:30 that night.

When they were down, wifey saw how close we were to a big league game and I was starting to act like Gollum longing for the ring.

"Go watch the end of the game."

So off I went across the street. I knew it was late in the game, but I figure I'd get in. The Padres have had trouble drawing.

I went up to the Ticket window on Tony Gwynn Drive and asked the teenager working behind the counter "One please. Where do you have available?"

"Sorry. No tickets."

I was surprised. The Padres had sold out. Maybe the pennant race had finally caught on with San Diego fans.

"Wow," I said. "You guys sold out!"

"No sir. There are plenty of tickets."

Now you can see how there could be a disconnect here.

"OK, I would like to buy one of them" I said, not 100% sure why there was confusion.

"I can't sell you any tickets sir."

"Why not?"

"Major League Rules. No tickets sold after the 7th inning."

Now I understand no selling beer after the 7th inning because, well, people are probably smashed and they don't want them MORE smashed. But I had never been to a place of business where they were actually saying "Sorry... we won't let you be a paying customer."

I showed him my cash, maybe thinking he thought I was homeless or something.

"I have money and I want to spend it on your product."

"Sorry sir. I can not sell you a ticket."

Now I am no economics major, but I can tell you a surefire way to NOT make money is to turn away people who are saying "I want to spend my money on the product that you are having a hard time selling."

Buster's, the local ice cream shop and cafe in my town, is always selling day old bagels and Rice Krispy treats trying to squeeze and extra buck or two out of their product.

Not the Padres. They were saying "Sorry. We do not want your dough."

"What if I promise to buy a sundae in a plastic helmet?"

"Sorry sir. We have games on Saturday and Sunday."

"I'm seeing Shamu tomorrow. And besides, my kids are asleep, my wife is reading her book and there is a game on RIGHT NOW! THERE! BEHIND YOU!"

"Sorry sir."

It was surreal. It was reverse capitalism.

I walked up to one of the ushers who guard the gate to that great park just beyond center field.

I told him the story. He confirmed. "I am sorry. There is no selling of tickets after the 7th inning."

Hearing it again made it somehow make LESS sense.

Let's think of a not exactly outlandish scenario... Petco Park is located in the Gas Lamp Quarter where there are lots of bars and foot traffic. Let's say you didn't buy a ticket to the ballgame, but Mat Latos is throwing a no hitter and it is the 7th inning.

You find yourself at Rockin' Baha Lobster watching the game and you think "Oh man! He's throwing a no no! I should walk 2 blocks to the big ole half empty baseball stadium and be in the stands and cheer!"

Or you are at the Tipsy Crow and you see the Padres were down 8-1 but are coming back and rallying in the 7th inning.

And you think "Hey. Let me walk 5 blocks, buy a ticket and catch the end of the ballgame!"

Or you are AT the game, sitting in the empty upper deck, you get a text from a friend saying "Where R U?" You write back "At the Padres game."

Turns out they are a trolley stop away and they buy a ticket and join you in the 1/4 filled third deck.

None of those scenarios are crazy or out there.

And each of them throw some extra bucks into the Padres coffers.

And MLB has set up rules to prevent that.

I pleaded my case to the usher... whose gender, race and general description I will not divulge... and the usher nodded, reached into their pocket, gave me a ticket and said "Just go in."

So I got in for free.
The ticket was a $50 ticket. It cost me exactly gotch.

I was willing to spend $20. Instead I spent $0.

Lo and behold I went in and...


... the joint was damn near empty.

I already took the Padres fans to task for not supporting their team...

But man I found this rule to be peculiar.

I've never run a business before but I am sure that turning away customers isn't the way to do it.

I am sure if they an eager customer says "I want to pay $20" the correct bartering technique is NOT "I say $0."

The beautiful ballpark with character and charm is sitting 1/2 empty on a Friday night during a holiday weekend with the team in first place.

Shouldn't the goal be putting asses IN the seats?

Oh I am sure someone will write to me and explain why it is smart to turn customers away and why it hurts the business model.

But let me tell you... it won't be long before the Padres have to figure out what the hell to do about Adrian Gonzalez's contract.

And they'll be fretting that they can't afford to sign him.

They'd have at least an extra $20 to throw at him if it weren't for a silly MLB rule!

Last night I did the unthinkable... I went to bed without knowing the final score of a Red Sox game

When I left work after pulling a late night last night, I heard that John Lackey had a no hitter going into the 8th.

I admit, I perked up. I had a good 30 minute drive home and I thought "Could I hear yet ANOTHER Red Sox no hitter?" Since 2001, we've had Hideo Nomo, Derek Lowe, Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester all throwing no nos.

Why not Lackey?

Then I started thinking "Wait a second! With Beckett and Buchholz both coming back from the DL and Dice K throwing well and Lackey on the verge of a no no... maybe THIS could be the rallying point for the Red Sox!"

He coughed up a hit with 2 outs and 2 strikes in the 8th. And with the Sox up by 5 in the 9th, I was thinking while driving in the car "Have Lackey finish the game. He's had an up and down year and finishing a complete game shutdown could boost his confidence with the Sox. Plus with Beckett coming off the DL, who knows how many relievers you will need? So have a rested and ready bullpen."

When I heard DelCarmen was in the game, I swear I yelled at my XM Radio NO! NO!

When the 6-1 lead turned into a 6-3 lead before you could say "teeth grinder" I knew we were in trouble. By the time I got home, it was a 6-4 lead, and Papelbon, who no doubt was taking a nap when the game was 6-1, was thrown into the game.

I heard the Mariners tie the game. And I turned off the XM.
I didn't check the sports ticker.

There was no way I was going to either

a) Watch them lose in the bottom of the 9th

or

b) sit through extra innings.

Wifey and I watched an episode of Mad Men and went to bed.

You understand I NEVER do that. I NEVER go to bed without knowing how the Red Sox game ended. It's easy on the West Coast because many times the games start around 4PM out there. But I always like to check to see how my boys did... even when they are out of it... before I call it a night.

Not this night.
Even if they won, I felt like they lost.
A team that has playoff aspirations doesn't let a team like the Mariners score 5 runs in the bottom of the 9th.

Evidently the Red Sox won. Instead of having a rested bullpen, they have a pen that had to throw 5 innings.

I saw that they won and didn't feel elation. I just felt like they didn't lose.

BUT it is worth it to update the tally.

DODGED A BULLET GAMES - 29

April 4 - 9-7 win against Yankees (On Opening Night, the Red Sox overcome a 5-1 Yankee lead with a game tying HR by Pedroia and a go ahead passed ball.)
April 10 - 8-3 win against Kansas City (Beckett out pitches Zack Greinke and nearly gets decapitated by a line drive.)
April 14 - 6-3 win in Minnesota. (Okajima gets Morneau to pop up with the bases loaded in the 7th and Papelbon wiggled out of a 9th inning jam.)
April 20 - 7-6 win against Texas. (Darnell McDonald introduces himself to Boston with an 8th inning game tying homer and a walk off hit in the 9th.)
April 21 - 8-7 win against Texas. (The Red Sox were down 4-0 early only to win it on Youk's 2 out 11th inning double.)
April 23 - 4-3 win against Baltimore. (The Sox blow a 3-0 lead but win it on Adrian Beltre's bases loaded walk.)

April 24 - 7-6 win against Baltimore. (The Red Sox score 6 in the 7th and hold off a late Baltimore comeback attempt.)
April 26 - 13-12 win at Toronto. (The Sox blow an early 5-0 lead but hang on for dear life in a slugfest.)
April 27 - 2-1 win at Toronto. (Buchholz holds the Jays down for 8 but it takes a bases loaded walk in the 8th to go ahead.)
April 28 - 2-0 win at Toronto. (Daniel Bard wiggles out of trouble in the 8th to help Lester shut down the Blue Jays and finish the sweep.)
May 4 - 5-1 win against the Angels. (Juan Rivera misplays Jeremy Hermedia's 2 out flyball into a 3 run game winning double)
May 5 - 3-1 win against the Angels. (Papi and Beltre homer and the Sox hang on despite squandering many potential rallies.)
May 6 - 11-6 win against the Angels. (Dice-K puts the Red Sox in a 4-0 hole before they even bat. The Sox bats respond.)
May 10 - 7-6 win against the Blue Jays. (Sox blow an early 2-0 lead, take advantage of some errors and hang on.)
May 18 - 7-5 win in New York. (Sox climb back from a 5-1 hole. A day after hitting a walk off homer, Marcus Thames drops a fly ball to start the winning rally for the Sox.)
May 25 - 2-0 win in Tampa. (Big Papi supplies all the offense as Papelbon wiggles out of a 9th inning jam.)
May 29 - 1-0 win against Kansas City. (Zack Greinke holds the Sox to one run, but they make it stick)

June 1 - 9-4 win against Oakland. (Lackey puts the Sox in a 4-0 hole but Victor Martinez goes 5-5 and the Sox score 9 runs late.)
June 2 - 6-4 win against Oakland. (Dice-K puts the Sox in a 3-0 hole before they come to bat, but come back thanks to Papi's homer.)

June 8 - 3-2 win at Cleveland. (With Papelbon unavailable, Okajima, Ramirez and Bard hang on to make a winner out of Wakefield.)

June 19 - 5-4 win against the Dodgers. (Sox make 4 errors, blow a late lead and let Manny homer, but they win it in the bottom of the 9th on a Pedroia single.)
June 20 - 2-0 win against the Dodgers. (Dodgers blow an early bases loaded scoring opportunity and allow Buchholz to settle down for the win.)

June 24 - 13-11 win in Colorado. (The bullpen lets up 9 runs in 5 innings, but Pedroia homers 3 times including with 2 outs in the 10th to win a wild and stupid game.)
June 26 - 4-2 win in San Francisco. (An injury running the bases takes Buchholz out in the second, but the bullpen and Mike Cameron's bat and glove win the game.)
July 2 - 3-2 win against the Orioles. (Wakefield gets the win and J.D. Drew homers twice, but it is Nava's 2 out 8th inning bloop that landed between three fielders that breaks the tie.)

July 11 - 3-2 win in Toronto. (Jesse Litch took a no hitter into the 6th but back to back homers by McDonald and Big Papi win the game.)
July 17 - 3-2 win against Texas. (Youk ties the game in the 9th off of Cliff Lee and wins it in the 11th with a sacrifuce fly)
July 19 - 2-1 win at Oakland. (Beltre homers and Dice-K holds on to the win.)
July 22 - 8-6 win at Seattle. (Lackey lost a no hit bid in the 8th and the Mariners scored 5 in the 9th to tie before the Sox won in 13)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 29

April 6 - 6-4 loss against the Yankees. (Scutaro's error leads to the winning run.)
April 7 - 3-1 loss against the Yankees. (Sox leave the winning run on in the 9th only to lose on Granderson's 10th inning homer)
April 9 - 4-3 loss in Kansas City. (Bard coughs up the lead, denying Wakefield a win.)
April 17 - 3-1 loss to Tampa Bay. (The Sox can't score with the bases loaded and nobody out in the 11th... lost it in the 12th.)
April 17 - 6-5 loss to Tampa Bay. (The Red Sox comeback falls a run short, leaving two on in the 8th)
April 25 - 7-6 loss to Baltimore. (The Sox blow a 4-1 lead, leave the winning run on second in the 9th, let up 3 in the 10th and could only score 2 in the bottom of the 10th)
April 30 - 5-4 loss in Baltimore. (Tejada ties the game with a 2 out 8th inning homer and wins it with a bloop in the 10th)
May 1 - 12-9 loss in Baltimore. (Dice-K and Wakes get pounded, wasting 2 homers from Ortiz and an early 4-1 lead.)
May 2 - 3-2 loss in Baltimore. (Varitek is thrown at home trying to score with 2 outs in the 8th. Sox get swept in the 10th.
May 12 - 3-2 loss against the Blue Jays. (The Sox rally in the 9th comes up a run short and Kevin Gregg gets an ugly save.)
May 15 - 7-6 loss in Detroit. (The Sox blow a 6-1 lead and lose it on a 2 out bases loaded walk in the 12th.)
May 17 - 11-9 loss in New York. (The Sox come all the way back from a 5-0 first inning hole to take a 9-7 lead in the 9th... but Papelbon lets up a 2 run game tying shot to A-Rod and a 2 run walk off shot to Marcus Thames.)
May 21 - 5-1 loss in Philadelphia. (Big Papi's bid for a game tying 9th inning grand slam is caught at the warning track.)
May 27 - 4-3 loss to Kansas City. (Dice-K walks the go ahead run in and lets another score on a wild pitch as the Royals no name bullpen shut down the Hot Sox.)
May 28 - 12-5 loss to Kansas City. (Sox blow a 3-0 first inning lead to be blown out in Fenway.)
June 3 - 9-8 loss to Oakland. (Sox lose a slugfest where two Boston runners are thrown out at home.)

June 6 - 4-3 loss in Baltimore. (Sox rally to tie the game in the 9th only to lose it on a small ball rally in the 11th.)
June 10 - 8-7 loss in Cleveland. (Sox blow an early 5-0 lead and then after rallying in the 9th to take the lead coughed it up with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th)
June 13 - 5-3 loss to Philadelphia. (Sox 9th inning rally comes up short)
June 22 - 2-1 loss in Colorado. (The Sox waste a solid Lester start and twice leave the bases loaded.)
June 23 - 8-6 loss in Colorado. (The Sox batter Ubaldo Jimenez around but Papelbon lets up 2 homers in the 9th to lose it.)
June 25 - 5-4 loss in San Francisco. (The Sox strand 11 runners in the last 4 innings wasting a solid Wakefield performance.)
July 5 - 6-5 loss in Tampa Bay. (Sox spoil a 5-1 lead and 2 homers by Eric Patterson when Dice-K and the bullpen couldn't hold down the Rays.)
July 6 - 3-2 loss in Tampa Bay. (Sox bats go dead and Kevin Youkilis goes down to injury.)
July 7 - 6-4 loss in Tampa Bay. (Matt Garza comes out of the pen, shuts down a late rally as the Rays sweep the Sox.)
July 10 - 9-5 loss in Toronto. (The Sox give Lackey an early 5-3 lead that he couldn't hold.)
July 18 - 4-2 loss to the Rangers. (Lester loses a rare game at home that included a Rangers steal of home.)

July 20 - 5-4 loss in Oakland. (The Sox go up 4-0 after 2 but don't score again and lose it in the 10th)
July 21 - 6-4 loss in Oakland. (Buchholz can't hold on to an early lead as the Sox lose the series.)


Back to break even and may that is appropriate.
The team won... and technically it means the same in the standings as a no hitter. It just doesn't feel like it.

It feels like they barely snuck by a team that has already called it quits for the year.

Beckett tonight... buckle up.

See you Monday, readers...

I am taking the weekend off and going away with the wife.

I will be typing a TON of stuff over the All Star Break, but have a good weekend, friends.

Why didn't I listen to my instincts?

When Dice-K put the Sox in a 5-0 hole, there was a twisted part of me that was relieved.

I thought "Well, at least there is no reason to watch this monstrosity!"

I talked to my former boss, Daniel, about an upcoming TV gig of mine. He's a big Sox fan and he asked me "You watching the game? Papi just hit one out."

I replied "Someday they will lower me into the ground in a box and I don't want to spend my time on Earth watching the Sox get blown out in the Bronx."

Driving home, I didn't listen to the game on XM.
Pulling into my driveway, curiosity got the better of me. I checked the score. OF COURSE it was a 1 run game.

So now I am hooked. My mother in law and I are watching the game on my couch and I see Youk and Victor each launch homers to give the Sox the lead.

I do a little dance and think "Wow... this is the biggest Dodged bullet of them all."

And then the 9th... the second the Gardner double went into left field, I thought "Either A-Rod or Teixeira is tying this game with a homer."

And lo and behold he did.

When Marcus Thames hit the walk off shot, let's face it... it was merciful. The Sox were losing this game... might as well lose it in 9.

When the game was over, I went up stairs where my wife was reading to my kids. I hopped onto the bed and started reading. The game didn't even sting...

I knew it was over from the beginning.

I should have listened to my instincts.

Tally time

DODGED A BULLET GAMES - 14

April 4 - 9-7 win against Yankees (On Opening Night, the Red Sox overcome a 5-1 Yankee lead with a game tying HR by Pedroia and a go ahead passed ball.)
April 10 - 8-3 win against Kansas City (Beckett out pitches Zack Greinke and nearly gets decapitated by a line drive.)
April 14 - 6-3 win in Minnesota. (Okajima gets Morneau to pop up with the bases loaded in the 7th and Papelbon wiggled out of a 9th inning jam.)
April 20 - 7-6 win against Texas. (Darnell McDonald introduces himself to Boston with an 8th inning game tying homer and a walk off hit in the 9th.)
April 21 - 8-7 win against Texas. (The Red Sox were down 4-0 early only to win it on Youk's 2 out 11th inning double.)
April 23 - 4-3 win against Baltimore. (The Sox blow a 3-0 lead but win it on Adrian Beltre's bases loaded walk.)

April 24 - 7-6 win against Baltimore. (The Red Sox score 6 in the 7th and hold off a late Baltimore comeback attempt.)
April 26 - 13-12 win at Toronto. (The Sox blow an early 5-0 lead but hang on for dear life in a slugfest.)
April 27 - 2-1 win at Toronto. (Buchholz holds the Jays down for 8 but it takes a bases loaded walk in the 8th to go ahead.)
April 28 - 2-0 win at Toronto. (Daniel Bard wiggles out of trouble in the 8th to help Lester shut down the Blue Jays and finish the sweep.)
May 4 - 5-1 win against the Angels. (Juan Rivera misplays Jeremy Hermedia's 2 out flyball into a 3 run game winning double)
May 5 - 3-1 win against the Angels. (Papi and Beltre homer and the Sox hang on despite squandering many potential rallies.)
May 6 - 11-6 win against the Angels. (Dice-K puts the Red Sox in a 4-0 hole before they even bat. The Sox bats respond.)
May 10 - 7-6 win against the Blue Jays. (Sox blow an early 2-0 lead, take advantage of some errors and hang on.)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 12

April 6 - 6-4 loss against the Yankees. (Scutaro's error leads to the winning run.)
April 7 - 3-1 loss against the Yankees. (Sox leave the winning run on in the 9th only to lose on Granderson's 10th inning homer)
April 9 - 4-3 loss in Kansas City. (Bard coughs up the lead, denying Wakefield a win.)
April 17 - 3-1 loss to Tampa Bay. (The Sox can't score with the bases loaded and nobody out in the 11th... lost it in the 12th.)
April 17 - 6-5 loss to Tampa Bay. (The Red Sox comeback falls a run short, leaving two on in the 8th)
April 25 - 7-6 loss to Baltimore. (The Sox blow a 4-1 lead, leave the winning run on second in the 9th, let up 3 in the 10th and could only score 2 in the bottom of the 10th)
April 30 - 5-4 loss in Baltimore. (Tejada ties the game with a 2 out 8th inning homer and wins it with a bloop in the 10th)
May 1 - 12-9 loss in Baltimore. (Dice-K and Wakes get pounded, wasting 2 homers from Ortiz and an early 4-1 lead.)
May 2 - 3-2 loss in Baltimore. (Varitek is thrown at home trying to score with 2 outs in the 8th. Sox get swept in the 10th.
May 12 - 3-2 loss against the Blue Jays. (The Sox rally in the 9th comes up a run short and Kevin Gregg gets an ugly save.)
May 15 - 7-6 loss in Detroit. (The Sox blow a 6-1 lead and lose it on a 2 out bases loaded walk in the 12th.)
May 17 - 11-9 loss in New York. (The Sox come all the way back from a 5-0 first inning hole to take a 9-7 lead in the 9th... but Papelbon lets up a 2 run game tying shot to A-Rod and a 2 run walk off shot to Marcus Thames.)

+2

It might be pointless to keep these up... but I will anyway

Making Macaroons while the baseball world is turned upside down

Last night was one of those "race to ESPN and get an update" nights that I love in the off season.

Actually these days I race to the MLB Network and have my web browser open.

But last night was a little different. My wife was making macaroons for our kid's teachers... and she was tired... and needed her husband to take over and cook them.

Fine. Wifey went upstairs and a dutiful husband went to dolloping coconut mixed with apricots onto a baking tray... all the while trying to making sense of the upheaval that was happening in the world of baseball.

THE RED SOX SIGN JOHN LACKEY FOR 5 YEARS AND MIKE CAMERON FOR 2 YEARS

Now I have been wrong about Red Sox moves before.

Remember I loved the Eric Gagne trade when it first happened.

But I love both of these moves. The Red Sox made their rotation stronger with a "Don't F--- With Me" stud. Granted I don't think he is a true #1 ace... but with Lester and Beckett still hanging around he doesn't have to be.

Any rotation that starts with Lester, Beckett and Lackey is going to win a lot of 3 game series.

This takes some pressure off of Dice-K for his comeback.... takes some pressure off of Theo should Beckett want to skedaddle after 2010!

AND they improved the pitching without sacrificing Clay Buchholz, Daniel Bard, Michael Bowden, Ryan Westmoreland, Casey Kelly, Ryan Kalish, Josh Reddick, Lars Anderson, Junichi Tazawa nor Jose Inglesias.

And also guess what?
He's not going to the Yankees!

Meanwhile Mike Cameron is a nice player. So is Jeremy Hermedia. Together they will probably hit a little and field a little. There is no need to over pay for a Jason Bay or a Matt Holliday.

Besides, next year there will be no Ortiz, Varitek, Lowell nor Beckett on the books. There are some big fish available... best not have Bay locked up for his declining years!

(Also Bay leaving town means they get the picks lost from the Lackey signing.)

All in all a good night for Red Sox fans.


THE PHILLIES FINALLY LAND ROY HALLADAY... BUT WHO GOT WHAT? AND DID THE PHILLIES PAY TOO MUCH?

First let me get my petty Red Sox fan perspective out of the way first... I am so relieved that Halladay is completely out of the AL.

He is not a Blue Jays, he is not a Yankee, he is not an Angel... all which bodes well for the Red Sox new revamped rotation.

OK, on to the trade.
I THOUGHT I understood what the Phillies were up to.

I THOUGHT the Phillies were basically saying "Hey! We don't know how much longer we have the whole Howard/Rollins/Utley team together... so let's try to get Halladay in here, have the best team in the NL... have the best chance at three straight pennants in Philadelphia since the days of Connie Mack... and go into the World Series with Halladay and Lee going 1-2."

Then I heard Lee was involved in the trade.

Hmmm, I thought. Well I guess the Phillies figured they didn't want to part with some of their prospects like Kyle Drabek or Michael Taylor.

Then I heard they were sent in the trade too.

But they get some minor leaguers back from Seattle.

What in the name of Pete Incaviglia is going on in Philadelphia?

Is this a lateral move?

They start with a Cy Young caliber ace leading a questionable rotation and have some good prospects.

They finish with a Cy Young caliber ace leading a questionable rotation and have some new prospects.


Yes, I know that Halladay is now locked up to a long term contract and Lee’s deal was done at the end of the year… but this wasn’t about avoiding a negotiation.

This was about putting together an uber team.
This was about putting a team together to play in that third straight series and possibly have this Phillies squad become the most loved team in Philadelphia Sports History.

And wouldn’t it have made more sense to drag this out? The Mets and Twins dragged out the Johan Santana trade until the Mets basically got a bargain. And no offense to Halladay, but Santana is a better pitcher.

And now, they made their big deal and seem to be in the same place.

Notice I didn’t write “they made their big move.” The Phillies haven’t moved anywhere.

Oh the Mariners have… they trade three minor leaguers and got a second ace. That’s what the Phillies should have done.

Even one season of Halladay/Lee would have been worth it.

Meanwhile the trade is so complicated and involves so many parts that I had to make sure that I wasn’t involved some how.

Now Oakland is involved according to Buster Olney, who has no reason to lie.

Brett Wallace, the prize in the Matt Holliday deal, will be shipped off to Toronto. In the end the Jays snagged a top pitching prospect, one of the top hitting prospects in the game and a solid minor league catcher. A potentially great haul, and no doubt better than two draft picks.

HEY J. P. RICCIARDI! If you could have pulled that off last summer, you’d still have a job!

THE LUNATICS WERE OUT ON WFAN!


While baking the macaroons, I listened to WFAN streaming on my computer. I was the biggest WFAN addict in New York and man it was great listening to the always brilliant Steve Somers calm down Met fans looking to jump off the edge.

“Why didn’t WE get Cliff Lee?”
“Why didn’t WE sign John Lackey?”

The Shmoozer was his usual smooth and borderline condescending self, especially when dealing with the callers who kept saying “The Mets Have No Heart!”

Somers would counter “What is more likely is they have no TALENT!”

The handful of Yankee callers complaining about Hideki Matsui leaving cracked me up.

“We’ve GOT to keep Matsui!”
Somers would ask “WHERE WOULD HE PLAY?”

Of course there is nowhere. He’s gone and wouldn’t be the first World Series hero to find a new address the next year. (John Wetteland anyone?)

If there is a more insane gathering of irrational sports fans than late night on WFAN, then I can not imagine it. And no better keeper of the insane flame than Somers.


That’s a lot to digest… and so are these macaroons which KICK BUTT

ENOUGH WITH THE CHAMPAGNE CELEBRATIONS

The Dodgers swept the Cardinals away (so much for my post season World Series winner pick) and the celebration on the field today was subdued.

This Dodgers team has larger fish to fry.

But when they went into the locker room, they had a champagne celebration.

And before the game ended Dick Stockton was talking on TBS about how the Dodgers transported cases of champagne from Pittsburgh to San Diego to Los Angeles in anticipation of their division clinching.

So we haven't even started the NLCS and the Dodgers have already had TWO champagne celebrations.

It didn't always happen like that. I remember when the Indians beat the Red Sox to clinch the 1995 Division Series (the first time the opening round was permanently put in place) and there was no wild locker room celebration.

I remember some hands shaking and I have a vague memory of Orel Hershiser walking over to a buffet. They didn't have champagne. Best case scenario had some Kelly's Roast Beef sandwiches on the table.

That is insane. The champagne celebrations should be reserved only for the World Series celebration.

And the staff at Sully Baseball suggest these alternatives for the other celebrations.


WIN THE DIVISION OR WILD CARD... PIZZA PARTY!

It is quite an accomplishment to make it to the post season... you deserve some pie.

And not some chain store pizza. I am talking a mom and pop pizza place, preferably cooked in a brick oven.

(Wild card teams can't get a topping. Only cheese pizza. You've got to reward the division winners.)


WIN THE FIRST ROUND DIVISION SERIES... EVERYONE IN THE TEAM GETS TO JUMP IN A JUMP HOUSE*

Remember to take your cleats off when you get in... and then BOUNCE AWAY!

Come on, admit it. You'd LOVE to see Manny Ramirez and his hair bouncing up and down in the inflatable castle!

*Was suggested by my adoring wife.



WIN THE PENNANT AND EARN A SPOT IN THE WORLD SERIES...SILLY STRING FIGHT!

Come on! The champagne isn't there for drinking. It's there to make a mess!

And what better way to make a mess than with some silly string?

And how cool would it be to see a celebrating player just hose down Jeanne Zelasko with a can of silly string?

Pretty cool I'd say.

Then when the World Series comes, out comes the bubbly.

The World Series should have more class... like Pedro bringing out a dwarf while wearing goggles.