Thoughts, lists and other compulsive bits about baseball from comedian filmmaker television producer/Red Sox fan Paul Francis Sullivan....
feel free to call him “Sully.”
I checked the scores before having dinner with my wife, kids, my parents and my cousins Josh and Julie tonight.
It was a family dinner night... not a night to be glued to the XM or the Yahoo Sports ticker, but I needed to know how my boys did before sitting down for the meal I helped cook.
Sox were losing 3-2 in the 8th inning. And no part of me was worried. I sat down for dinner thinking "We'll win it."
In years past seeing that score would make me shake my head and murmur something like "f---ing Lester. Can't you beat the Rangers?"
But now I am the product of seeing my team win 2 of the last 4 World Series. The gland that produced instant negativity is no longer as productive.
And lo and behold when I was clearing the table, I checked the scores again. Sox won.
I thought "I bet Manny hit one out." And he did.
I know it is early, but it is nice having this confidence in my team. It makes the need to check scores during family dinners less urgent.
... then you had better remember the catch Torii Hunter made to end the game last night.
Richie Sexson hit what was going to be his third homer of the game, this one giving the Mariners the lead with two outs in the 9th... and Hunter pulled it back and won the game for the Angels.
I know it isn't Red Sox-Yankees... but Angel/Mariner games this year will go a long way to determine the AL West.
Torii Hunter got into a minor car accident before the game... and went 3-4 with 3 runs batted in and a game saving catch.
If I were Mike Scoiscia I run my car into him before every game!
This is the 16th season since Sid Bream slid past Spanky LaVailliere's tag and crush the Pirates' dreams of the 1992 National League pennant.
If you were born that night you'd almost have your driver's license now. And if you factor in that your don't really follow baseball closely day to day until your turn 6 or 7, think about this:
You can be a 23 year old Pittsburgh Pirates fan and have NEVER seen your team play .500 ball!
Now as I wrote last year... there is no excuse for the 15 year slide. None. Not payroll, not market, not ownership.
If the Expos could have winning seasons in 2002 and 2003 even though they didn't even have an owner, then the Pirates could have snuck in an 82-80 season along the way.
So I have a question for you Pirates fans out there... How do you do it?
And let me say I've always liked the Pirates. My first World Series memories was watching Pops Stargell beating up the Orioles to the tune of Sister Sledge.
But that was a long time ago.
When I was a kid, the Red Sox went on a stretch where they didn't contend...
But they had exciting players like Lynn, Fisk, Rice and Evans. They had links to the past like Yaz and hope for the future like Boggs, Gedman and Clemens.
And eventually they won the 1986 AL Pennant.
What fond memories do young Pirate fans have? Forget We Are Fam-A-Lee... I'm sure young Pirate fans don't even remember Bonilla, Bonds, Van Slyke and Drabek!
Forget Dave the Cobra Parker and John Candelaria. The memories of pre hooker Denny Neagle are faint.
And be honest... do you grind your teeth knowing Marlins fans have won 2 World Series since Bream scored?
So seriously... Pirates fans 22 and younger... what are your memories? Who were your favorite players? What makes you a die hard Bucs fan?
Clearly I know you have great Steeler memories of the Super Bowl and the Penguins have a real shot at the cup... and even if they don't, you can build memories of Sidney Crosby.
But which Pirate poster did you have growing up? Jason Kendall? Kris Benson? Todd Ritchie?
Which games were your fondest baseball memories?
What I am saying is, if you are a Pirate fan who only knows the post Barry Bonds years... then you are as good and as loyal a fan as possible.
So write in... tell me your favorite memories of the post Bonds era... and tell me those of you who don't shiver at the name Francisco Cabrera why you love your team.
Manny hits two bombs, J. D. continues to hit and Beckett shows exactly what an ace is supposed to do.
Oh we lost a crappy game to the Yankees and had to wear out our bullpen? I'll just throw 8 solid innings and shut them down.
So we have a 3-2 lead in the season series with the Yankees... which is important. The Yankees won the season series 10-9 in 2005 and that's why they were the division champs that year even though they had the same record as the Red Sox.
Kudos to Kyle Farnsworth for brushing Manny back. Savor that moment, Kyle. It's the last time Yankee fans will cheer you.
Meanwhile... on April 18th of last year the Red Sox took over first place for good. This year the Red Sox are in first place on their own a day earlier... 1/2 a game ahead of Baltimore.
I know it is early...but THE MAGIC NUMBER IS 146!!!!
Let me just say right off the bat... I love Mike Timlin. I've been a Mike Timlin fan since he was a Blue Jays and lived my childhood dream of being an unknown reliever coming out of the pen in extra innings to clinch the World Series.
I used to do that on my front lawn in Weston Massachusetts. Mike did that in Atlanta to close out the 1992 World Series.
He has 4 World Series rings (2 with Toronto and 2 with the Red Sox)
He pitched well in the 2003 playoffs and rotted in the bullpen while Grady fiddled and Pedro's arm died.
He was one of the pitchers who contributed to the 8 shutout relief innings in game 5 of the 2004 ALCS.
He's been a great Red Sox reliever and evidently a good guy.
This is his 18th big league season and he has played in the post season for 10 of his first 17 years.
But it looks like it is over. He got clubbed his first two games and tonight gave the Yankees breathing room where they could rest Mariano.
Yeah he got the win in Cleveland the other night, but when a 42 year old pitcher comes out of the gate with a 27.00 ERA in 4 appearances, it's time to look to Pawtucket.
They gave Kyle Snyder the boot and he's 12 years younger than Timlin.
Middle relief might be the Achilles heel of this team... and it's no time to be loyal.
Mike, I love you. I love all members of the 2004 squad. You lived out my specific childhood fantasy... but I think it is time to get him a gold watch and make him the pitching coach at Lowell.
Seriously... I know it was a Yankee win and in the end counts as much in the standings as a perfect game.
But did you see the bridge to Mariano? It was less stable than the bridge Indiana Jones cut in half!
Let me put it this way... when you are an elite team and you have a 7-1 lead against Tampa Bay, you should not be bringing in Mariano Rivera to record a 4 out save.
If Kyle Farnsworth (the living argument against reading radar guns), LaTroy Hawkins, Brian Bruney and the immortal Billy Traber are who you are bringing in before Mariano... you BETTER be scoring 8 runs a game!
I don't know why this is so hard to understand (heck there were people last year who thought Papelbon was being wasted in the bullpen!)
But the Yankees NEED to have that 8th inning stud and the 9th inning stud... especially with the young pitchers in the rotation.
Some people at my favorite Yankee blog say its wasteful to have Joba in the 8th because Mariano is signed for 3 more seasons and he'd be setting up those 3 years.
Yeah, what a tragedy it would be for the Yankees to have the 8th and 9th secure for 3 seasons.
They haven't had a bridge to Mariano since they broke up Nelson, Stanton and Mendoza... now they have a second stud in the pen and they want to move him to the rotation.
Meanwhile the pen is blowing leads to guys like Evan Longoria.
I mention that only because his name of course is almost the same as Eva Longoria and it gives me an excuse to put her picture on this blog.
The other day I put Jessica Alba's pic on a posting. Maybe I can get some more horny guy traffic to my site!
It's Jackie Robinson Day... the day we celebrate Jackie's courage, Branch Rickey's vision and the deliverance of baseball from racial bigotry and boring station to station baseball.
I for one think if everyone and anyone wants to wear #42 today they should... If a parent is at a game with their kid and the kid asks "Why is everyone wearing 42?" then that can only lead to a healthy and productive discussion.
Yahoo's Big League Stew doesn't exactly agree with me... and maybe they are right. Maybe we are celebrating Jackie TOO much. (Cue eye roll.)
You wanted the Yankees job and guess what comes with the territory? Every move you make gets ripped apart... like pitching to Manny in a big spot... or having Posada catch the 8th even though he has a worse throwing arm than Bob Dole.
Giradi's honeymoon was shorter than Victor Frankenstein's.*
And the more his young arms like Hughes and Kennedy have ERAs with area codes on them the louder the chatter will be.
And keep in mind, Steinbrenner has pulled a King Lear and divided his empire up between Hal and Hank Steinbrenner. If Hank continues to flex his new found muscle, he might fire Girardi and replace him with John Turturro.
Either way, you know Joe Torre is having a nice laugh and enjoying the sunshine of LA.
* I promise you this will be the most obscure Frankenstein reference I will make on this blog.
It's the former backup outfielder for the Red Sox who injured himself rounding the bases on a homer.
It's the same guy who was in right field for the 9th inning of game 4 of the 2004 World Series and caught out #1.
It's the same guy who retired and was managing the Greenville Drive last season.
Well, somehow he is on the Milwaukee Brewers and has as many homers at this point in the season as David Ortiz, Prince Fielder, Manny Ramirez and Miguel Cabrera combined.
What are the chances of him being able to say that at any point in the season?
I would have given Gabe Kapler the same chance as Gabe Kaplan!
Good for Gabe... I'll always root for a member of the 2004 Red Sox. And he is one of a handful of Jewish players in the Majors.
Saturday's loss not withstanding, the Marlins are off to a solid start... and with both Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis hurting for the Tigers, MAN they look smart for making that trade!
While looking up Marlins fan sites for my last posting, I came across someone who had some good common sense.
His post on April 11th about what he believes owner Jeffrey Loiria's motives are, the current business of baseball and the realistic expectations of a low revenue team should be was one of the best and to the point pieces of analysis I could imagine on the subject.
In many ways that is the ultimate question for a fan. Just today I was telling my wife that I really wanted the Red Sox to keep the whole 2004 team together... even if it meant overpaying for Pedro Martinez, Johnny Damon, Orlando Cabrera and not dealing Dave Roberts.
And she responded by nodding politely while not looking up from her magazine.
And it turned out I was dead wrong. Letting them go gave the Sox the draft picks to get Ellsbury and Buccholz and the money to acquire Beckett, Lowell and Dice-K.
Instead of a 2004 reunion tour, we got another World Series parade.
And this profound question is one to ask each fanbase. Would you rather have stability or a legit chance to win a World Series every 5 to 7 years?
What I am saying is the Marlins should sign Henry Gomez and make him their spokesman.
So I am wondering about a few things and I'm hoping my Marlins compadres can help clear things up for me.
I think the Marlins are the strangest franchise in any professional sport. They are a poster child for small revenue woes. They play in a bad park with small crowds and let their big players go constantly.
And yet since their first season, they are the only team other than the Yankees and the Red Sox to win more than one World Series title.
But I wonder how those two titles have affected your fan base. Do you watch and rewatch those playoff and World Series games in your head? Do you close your eyes and see Edgar Renteria line that shot over Charles Nagy's head?
Do you have the clip of Pudge Rodriguez holding onto the ball to eliminate the Giants on your desktop?
Is there a picture of Alex Gonzalez's walk off shot against Jeff Weaver on your wall? Is Josh Beckett tagging out Jorge Posada to clinch 2003 your cell phone ring?
Do you chuckle when people mention poor Bartman?
I know that I have watched the games of 2004 more than I care to admit. And I also own the Sox post season wins on iTunes and rewatch the best parts.
Sometimes I actually stop and exhale and think to myself "I've seen the Red Sox win TWO World Series!"
Is it the same for you?
I've seen Yankee fans thump their chests winning during the Torre years. I've seen Oakland A's fans proud in 1989, but their celebration subdued by the earthquake.
I've seen Randy Pearlstein, my college buddy, go nuts when his beloved Blue Jays won back to back titles.
I've seen my cousin Dave loving life when the Mets won in 1986. (I don't recall who they played.)
But I also know those fans lived and died and cried with their team for a while. The Marlins were formed... stunk for 4 years and then suddenly won a World Series.
Was that too much too soon? Kind of like losing your virginity to Jessica Alba?
Then of course the team was dismantled so fast that 90% of them were on different teams during the victory parade... they stunk for 5 more seasons and won ANOTHER World Series.
Seriously, how do you guys relish those titles? Forget Billy Goats... Cub fans would sacrifice first born children for one of those. Same with Cleveland fans... and Giants fans.
You guys have experienced more World Series titles than the Phillies! And that's a fan base that needs one soon.
Someone e mail me and let me know.
Oh... you do know that you are going to win another World Series very soon, right?
The Defending World Champion Boston Red Sox played the Yankees again today on a nationally broadcast game.
No way I was going to miss it, right?
Well I didn't, but let's just say my enjoyment of the game was constantly being derailed by forces bigger than myself.
First of all today my wife and I took our boys to their friend's birthday party in Santa Cruz.
We drove from our home in the Silicon Valley over the hills to Santa Cruz... listening on my trusted XM radio to the Brewers/Mets game, wishing the Defending World Champions were playing earlier.
At the birthday party there were plenty of 3 year old boys and girls (including my twins) which means there was screaming, laughing, running around, fighting over toys and a giant blow up jumping tent.
To my utter salvation, there were also enough dads who were interested in the game to put it on the flat screen TV. So I was able to watch my kids and the game at the same time.
Of course one of my boys and a little girl wandered off and I had to keep them in view... so I did the fatherly thing of following them and then catching them turning on a bathroom sink and trying to splash each other.
I dragged them both out and looked at the TV in time to see I had missed a home run by Manny Ramirez.
We left the party and started driving up the hills separating Santa Cruz from the SF Bay Area. The Yankees had taken the lead but the Defending World Champion Boston Red Sox were rallying. Second and third with 2 outs and Manny at the plate.
And my satellite reception started going in and out. I kept trying to adjust my antenna but my wife reminded me that we were driving on a windy mountain road and I should pay attention to driving.
The reception came back. I had missed Manny's 2 run double.
We arrived at my in law's house where my mother in law was preparing a feast. She is sympathetic to my Red Sox obsession and told me to sit in the living room and finish watching the game.
The drama is reaching a fever pitch as the Defending World Champs cling to a 4-3 lead but the Yankees have 2 on, 2 outs in the 8th... Papelbon on the mound and A-Rod at the plate.
And then the rains came. And a 2 hour plus rain delay.
I of course didn't know it was going to last 2 plus hours and I couldn't bring myself to completely leave the living room.
It... might... come... back... on.
So I sat through Jeannie Zelasko, a NASCAR pre game show and the end of the Rockies/D'Backs blow out.
All the while ducking my head into the kitchen to ask how I could help.
Finally, after a delay roughly as long as the movie Amadeus, the game was back on.
Joe Buck openly wondered about Papelbon's effectiveness with the delay and whether or not he should be used... and then he struck out A-Rod on three pitches.
On to the ninth... 1 run game... the two rivals facing off... Papelbon strikes out Giambi and then Posada.
Despite missing the two big Sox offensive plays and having the gaping delay, I am now into the game big time.
And I could tell my mother in law was almost done cooking... And my kids were awake from their naps... I needed this game over because pretty soon I would HAVE to help!
Papelbon gets the count full on Robinson Cano with Matsui getting ready to pinch hit. The biggest pitch of the year coming up...
And FOX cuts away. They go to lap one of the Subway Jared Is No Longer Fat 500 NASCAR race.
There are 499 more laps of these hillbillies driving their car and they are pushing the potential last pitch of a Red Sox/Yankees game off the air.
I am informed the game is on FX. I start flipping looking for FX but I can't find it.
I hop onto the internet and click the Yahoo Sports Game Tracker. It's still 3-2 on Cano.
I'm staring at the ticker waiting to see it change. And I see that little Mac pinwheel spinning.
The computer is freezing up. I force quit out and click on it again.
Now the game is listed as a Final Score... Sox 4-3.
So I followed the whole game using three pieces of technology and STILL missed the Ramirez homer, Ramirez double and the end of the game.
Oh well... my boys won and the dinner was terrific. Dice K tomorrow
Wang was kicking butt and the Red Sox couldn't get a hit in a relatively close game. And instead of taking Wang out in the 8th for Joba and the 9th for Mariano... Girardi did a very strange thing:
He let Wang pitch the whole game. My GOD! Have you ever heard of such a thing? A complete game? Has that ever happened before?
Why not match up lefty against lefty while the guy is throwing a 1 hitter? What a maverick that Girardi is.
Everyone (including myself) is obsessing over the Red Sox and Yankees. But I want to hear from some die hard Tampa Bay fans!
Come on! You've been a team for 10 seasons now. All three of the other expansion teams from the 1990s have been in a World Series and you guys are looking for a 71 win season.
I know there are some out there. I know Pat and Christin love their Rays! I know the folks at Rays Anatomy have Rays fever! The Rays Index folks are selling Yuck the Fankees shirts. Looks like Red Sox Nation doesn't have a monopoly on Yankee hating.
Write in or make comments, Rays fans! You are 4-5 and playing the Orioles tonight. A win will make you 5-5... and seeing that the Defending World Champion Red Sox and the Yankees are both 5-5 and playing each other, a win will mean your Rays will be ahead of either the Yankees or the Defending World Champion Red Sox in the middle of April!
Last year I made it clear that the Red Sox/Yankees rivalry is just better than the other baseball rivalries and everyone else just has to deal with it.
I stand by that.
And tomorrow the Yankees go to Fenway to play the Red Sox. I'm sorry, let me correct myself... Tomorrow the Yankees go to Fenway to play the Defending World Champion Boston Red Sox. That's better.
And yeah, neither team is off to a blazing start at 5-5... but please. If the Orioles win the Division I will buy you a house.
And by "you" I mean anyone currently reading this blog.
When the rivalry reached its breaking point between 2003-2005.
With the rivalry already rich in history, tradition and venom, think about the chapters added just 5 years ago that are already legendary:
- Pedro throwing Zimmer to the ground - Grady leaving Pedro in too long - Aaron Boone extending the curse another year - The race to get A-Rod - Jeter flying into the stands in that wonderful extra inning game - The Varitek/A-Rod brawl game ending with Bill Meuller's walk off against Mariano - Pedro declaring the Yankees to be his daddy - The Yankees winning 19-8 in Fenway to take a 3-0 lead - 3 outs from a sweep, Roberts steals and scores on Meuller's hit... Papi's walk off in extras - 6 outs from elimination, Sox rally back and Papi wins it again in 14 - Schilling's bloody sock - A-Rod slaps the ball from Arroyo's glove - Johnny Damon's grand slam blows open the clinching game in the Bronx - The Red Sox get their rings in front of the visiting Yankees - Yankees and Red Sox finish 2005 tied... but the Yankees are the Division Champs because of the 10-9 head to head record - Johnny Damon defects to the Yankees in the off season.
Hey Cubs and Cardinals fans... list that many memorable moments of your rivalry!
For us, that's only going back to the start of the Iraq war.
Now I know the rest of baseball hates us (yes Red Sox fans... people hate us now) because our teams tend to gobble up all the big players.
They have a point and I have another list.
Here are players added to the Yankees starting in 2003: Hideki Matsui Alex Rodriguez Gary Sheffield Tom Gordon Kevin Brown Javier Vasquez Randy Johnson Carl Pavano Jaret Wright Johnny Damon Bobby Abreu
And that's not including Roger Clemens and Andy Pettite, who left and came back for big bucks.
But Red Sox fans shouldn't get smug about the Yankees free spending.
The faces added to the Sox starting in 2003: David Ortiz Kevin Millar Bill Meuller Curt Schilling Keith Foulke Edgar Renteria Matt Clement David Wells Josh Beckett Mike Lowell Daisuke Matsusaka Hideki Okajima J. D. Drew Julio Lugo
And of course this doesn't include big buck free agents Manny Ramirez (signed before 2001) and Johnny Damon (signed before 2002)
So yeah, both teams are guilty as charged of stockpiling other people's stars. Granted not all of the moves worked, but they have enough dough to absorb the Kevin Browns and Matt Clements of the world.
I have no sympathy for Red Sox fans who whine about the Yankee spending. We're an Evil Empire too. It's what we wanted... revel in it!
Well guess what? Just when you thought the rivalry couldn't get better/more annoying... behold the new direction of the Yankees and the Defending World Champion Boston Red Sox:
We're growing our own stars now! No more mercenaries! I loved the 2004 team more than any baseball team in my life... but let's face it, they were mercenaries.
Now a home grown Red Sox team is slowly rising led by Kevin Youkilis, a product of the farm system, and the Captain Jason Varitek, who was drafted by Seattle but has spent his entire big league career in Boston.
And the Yankees have their stable veterans, Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera.
And those veterans are looking over a batch of young talent that should bring about debates for the next generation.
Who is better? Dustin Pedroia or Robinson Cano? Jacoby Ellsbury or Melky Cabrera? Jonathan Papelbon or Joba Chamberlain? Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester or Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy?
Shortstop Jed Lowrie is on the World Champion Boston Red Sox roster going into this weekend and Yankee outfielder Austin Jackson won't be far behind.
The debates can even seep into players from the Orient... Which ace is better? Daisuke Matsusaka or Ching Mein Wang? And who will win when Francona brings in Hideki Okajima to face Hideki Matsui.
Sure both teams will still have their imported stars. Hell, both teams MVP candidates (David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez) were swiped from other teams.
But the prospect of both teams building the next great rivalry teams from the ground up and using their dough to keep them together is so great that I don't care if it pisses the rest of baseball off.
One big difference from the rivalry now and the teams of the past: No matter how great the Red Sox players were, Yankee fans always had the simple retort of "No Ring."
Williams vs DiMaggio and Mantle? Williams was good... no ring. Rice, Yaz, Lynn and Evans vs. Reggie, Piniella, Rivers and Chambliss? Sox were more talented... no rings. Fisk vs. Munson? Munson career was cut short and he still had the rings! Clemens and Boggs? They needed to go to the Yankees to get their rings.
Cue the 1918 chant.
Now? Well Papelbon, Lester, Buccholz, Ellsbury, Pedroia, Matsusaka and Okajima all got theirs. Youkilis and Varitek got their second rings.
And the Yankees haven't won a playoff series since Dave Roberts stole second.
The Rivalry has a new dynamic in the 21st century (with the Red Sox leading 2-1 in titles).
It's going to be good. Deal with it, rest of baseball.
Yeah I know it is early April, but each win against contending teams you get now is one you won't need later.
Last year the Red Sox and Indians finished tied, but the Red Sox got the home field advantage in the ALCS because they won the season series. Would the Sox have come back from 3-1 if games 6 and 7 were in Cleveland? We'll never find out.
In 2005, the Red Sox and Yankees finished tied... but the Yankees won the season series 10-9 and were crowned Division Champ. One more win and the Red Sox would have opened the post season at home versus the Angels, a team they pulverize. Instead they started on the road against the eventual World Champion White Sox. Would they have advanced to the ALCS? Again, we'll never find out.
I for one don't think the Tigers are a 1-7 team. So the more games won against contenders the better.
Oh yeah, winning going into the Yankee series can't hurt either.
So yeah, it's only April 10... but WHAT A BIG WIN FOR MY BOYS
This could be quite a year for me sports wise... You may have heard but I am a big Red Sox fan. And in case you took last year off, let me inform you that the Red Sox won the 2007 World Series.
Having one of your teams, especially the team you live and die with, win the whole pile of beans should be enough to quench your sports fan's thirst.
But I am a greedy man, and I have a legit shot at the pro team Grand Slam for titles.
I follow the New York Giants in football, which you may have heard won the Super Bowl.
In basketball I have remained a loyal Celtics fan... and they have the best record in the NBA going into the playoffs
And in hockey I have followed the San Jose Sharks from their first year in the Cow Palace. And they are a potential Stanley Cup winner.
There is a legit chance that all four teams will be the defending champs at the same time.
And let me say in my defense! I am no bandwagon fan...
My love for the Red Sox is unquestioned... and here is a picture of my brother and I at Chain O'Lakes Park in Winter Haven for Spring Training, 1980.
I already knew all of the players.
Here I am proudly wearing my Celtics hat in Palo Alto in 1987. I stayed true to the Celtics even when they stunk, the Knicks were good and I was living in New York.
Riding the Zamboni at the HP Pavillion with my 1992 Sharks jersey. Despite having my best friend Ritch Duncan trying to make me a Bruins fan, I stayed loyal to the teal.
OK, I admit, the Giants might take some convincing.
I didn't care that much about the NFL growing up. Sure I rooted for the Pats when they were in that Super Bowl with the Bears, but I never was passionate.
When I moved to New York and was spending time with my cousin Dave, he converted me to the Giants.
And despite the rise of the Patriots (who are owned by the father of my junior high school friend) I stayed loyal to the Giants.
And man it paid off.
Here I am at Candlestick Park in 1991 celebrating the Giants defeating the 49ers for the NFC Title.
So it's time to be greedy! I want all four!
(But between you and me, I'd trade the Super Bowl, NBA Title and Stanley Cup for another World Series. This isn't Sully Football, Sully Hockey or Sully Basketball for Christsake!)
The Yankees and Royals are wrapping up a series today and it is just another series. Man, when I was a kid Yankees and Royals were legitimate rivals.
I'll say it, maybe bigger than Red Sox/Yankees during that time. Oh the Red Sox and Yankees fought it out for the Division... but the Royals and the Yankees met 4 times in the ALCS.
And you had a pair of to-the-limit 5 game series... One ending with a walk off Chris Chambliss shot Another ending with the Yankees rallying 3 outs from elimination
You had fights, you had Brett homering off of Gossage and years later you had the pinetar game.
And now? People mention the Royals in the same breath as the Devil Rays, someone named John Bale is starting for the Royals and there is no buzz.
One thing is cool: One of the two teams is in first place... and it isn't the Yankees.
Well, the Royals series will end tonight and all eyes will be on Red Sox/Yankees series.
But who knows? If the Royals keep pitching like this they could dust off those old clips.
Jon Keller of WBZ - TV in Boston (pictured) wrote a jaw droppingly repugnant piece about Bill Buckner today that shouldn't be left unanswered.
Evidently WBZ was trying to have a debate about whether or not Red Sox fans should forgive Bill Buckner.
Now I'm not saying that if you disagree with me, you are unquestionably wrong. If you disagree with me on a topic and use logic, facts and a clear head then we can have a healthy disagreement.
But that has nothing to do with what this simian wrote.
Well guess what, Bonzo? You committed an unpardonable journalism sin! You wrote something without checking the facts. You put your name to an article on a topic that you have not even a basic knowledge of.
Before you blast a player and endorse not forgiving a man who has wrongly been through too much, why not spend... oh I don't know... 2 minutes and check the facts.
Yes, I was rooting for the team that night... my brother dialing the phone as reenacted in Curse of the Bambino... and my heart was shattered seeing them lose.
But you say they were a team of destiny until the ball rolled to Buckner?
If Buckner had picked up the ball and stepped on first are you under the impression that the Red Sox would have won the World Series?
Really, you f---ing ape?
Did you remember that the game was tied on a wild pitch? Oh, you forgot about that while dragging your knuckles on the ground?
I guess that would take up 10 minutes of your valuable time jumping up and down in the cage flinging turds.
You are the type of moronic Red Sox fan that makes me ashamed of our so called Nation. Loud mouthed, arrogant and with no knowledge of the subject of baseball.
And God help WBZ, which used to be a quality station, if this is the level of writing and reporting they now employ.
I watched the ring ceremony on NESN's Website... and it was great seeing all the Sox getting their rings and knowing that no matter what happens in their career, they are champs.
And then there is Royce Clayton. Seriously? Royce Clayton.
The guy played 8 games for the Sox. He started one. And he didn't play his first game until September 6th.
Yeah it was great to see Bobby Orr, Bill Russell, John Havilcek, Jo Jo White and everyone else.
Yeah it makes me smile to see Johnny Pesky with another ring... Or old friends like Dwight Evans show up.
But we've seen that already.
But revealing Bill Buckner, and having his walk all the way from the monster... to an ovation worthy of Paul Revere... and playing the music from Glory no less...
It was perfect. And seeing Buckner, who doesn't look that different from that night in 1986, crying on the mound.
Yeah, I cried. I'm man enough to admit it.
And I hope once and for all this puts the whole Buckner thing to sleep. Christsake, we've won TWO World Series since then.
But also I've always used someone trying to taunt me with "Buckner" as a litmus test for someone's baseball intelligence.
If they yelled "Schraldi" I knew they did their homework.
I will see the Red Sox get World Series rings and raise a World Championship banner.
I remember in 2005 (while my kids were barely a month old) that it was the last piece of the magical 2004 season and now it was back to work.
I remember also thinking "I may never see this again." They brought back so many former Red Sox back then (as well as Celtics and Pats and Bruins) and the roar for Dave Roberts and Johnny Pesky was deafening.
They were playing the Yankees, which gave us petty Red Sox fans some added venom. Of course I had to see it taped! YES network decided not to air the ring ceremony. I believe they showed the Yankeeography for Ken Phelps.
Give out the rings again... and let's do it again next year
Seriously... Royals, Orioles, White Sox, Marlins and Cardinals fans should clip out the standings and laminate them because this is the only time they will be in first or second place.
Do you really think the Tigers are going to be this bad? Do you really think the Red Sox are going to have a losing season? Do you really think the Giants suck this badly?
OK, maybe the Giants. But the other teams will even out. Reeeeeeelax!
I checked the scores before having dinner with my wife, kids, my parents and my cousins Josh and Julie tonight.
