Sports Writing

Apologies, I hadn’t realised the archives and commenting functions on this site had stopped working with my new domain name, but that should be fixed now. Here’s a comment I’ve received via e-mail:

Well, first game after the Big Trade, and at least Mientkiewicz went 2-4: could you imagine the howls if he’d gone hitless, or worse, made a defensive gaffe? Must be weird for him, suddenly having to play against his old teammates. The 5-4 loss was pretty run of the mill: standard way that the Sox have been losing this year, although Derek Lowe is now starting to look consistent if middling. I feel like now we can expect 7 innings, 4 runs from Lowe outings, which isn’t great but is a damn sight better than some of the dreck he’d served this season.

So it really is true. Nomar for Cabrera and Mientkiewicz. And we lost Matt Murton. All I can say is, there must be something behind the scenes - his ankle injury being worse than thought, that sort of thing. Otherwise even 2 months of Nomar would’ve been good, given that we would get a free agent after that. No more Nomar. That’s weird.

Argh! The new version of the story says it’s just Cabrera and Mientkiewicz for Nomar. That’s a bad, bad trade, unless Nomar’s injury is worse than previously thought. Especially once you consider that the Sox lose the sandwich pick from Nomar’s free agency.

Yup, looks confirmed. We get Clement, Cabrera, and Mister Mxyzptlk, I mean, Doug Mientkiewicz. Twins get Lowe. Cubs get Nomar. Expos get Alex Gonzalez and prospects. I still don’t understand why the Twins agreed to this 4-way. And for that mattter, the Cubs in effect got just Nomar for Clement, Cabrera, Alex Gonzalez, and prospects. Right now I’d say the Sox won the trade, but I’ll miss Nomar and Lowe. Time to change the pic on this page.

Wow. The rumour coming through is a doozy: the Sox get Matt Clement, Orlando Cabrera, and Doug Mientkiewicz. The Twins get Derek Lowe. The Cubs get Nomar. The Expos get Alex Gonzalez and prospects. If that’s true, there’s two quick questions: does Mientkiewicz at 1st mean Millar will take Trot’s place in RF? Why would the Twins want a groundball pitcher like Lowe?

Still looks like nothing happened. But then the Cubs game was going on, so they didn’t necessarily want to announce it then. Ah well. To keep everyone entertained, here’s Anna Benson’s webpage. And here’s a classic Anna quote:

Rumours spinning around and around, the loudest being Nomar/Lowe for Clement/Cabrera. I think that’s a bum deal, but if the Cubs threw in Angel Guzman that’d be awesome. Sox seem to hold the cards in dealing here, because we’re not too badly off standing pat. 15 minutes to go.

Some days it all comes together so easy. The Rascals’ “Groovin’” tinkling in the background, Bronson Arroyo cruising as he’s been lately inclined to do, and for once the Sox give him support. It’s days like these, you know the Twins will roll over, you know the Sox will get some people stealing and you know you’ll see something like Kapler’s throw from RF to get Mourneau out. Easy, easy, easy. Only blemish was Ricky Groundintodoubleplayez’s awkwardness at the plate, but hey, I can live with that from a #9 hitter. For those obsessed with Bellhorn’s tendency to strike out… hey wouldn’t you rather see that than a DP?

Trade deadline time! The Mets look like they’re denuding their farm system for Kris Benson and Victor Zambrano, who’s not even the best pitcher named Zambrano in the majors. And I can’t believe the Dodgers gave up Mota (I know Gagne’s great, but Mota made the perfect setup guy) and Paul Lo Duca, who fulfils the Jason Varitek “heart and soul” role for them, for Hee Seop Choi - who I think is great, even if the Marlins think he’s a ‘rally-killer’ - and Brad Penny. Me, I think the Sox are going to go all “Stand” Pat Gillick and not do much at the deadline. And I don’t know whether that’s a good or bad thing.

Some Sox fans have started Soxtease, full of shirts proclaiming the wearer’s desire to, um, be friendly with the Sox team. “Foulke me, Keith”. “I’d do porn with Mark Bellhorn”. That sort of thing. In that spirit, I’ve come up with my own original slogans:

Another day, another weirdly-worded Joe Morgan column: I have to believe that part of Texas’ success this season has been the addition of Soriano and his winning attitude. Soriano’s do-what-it-takes-to-win approach, which was bred in the winning tradition of the New York Yankees, has helped the Rangers

If the rumours prove correct, I’m just looking forward to the first bad start RJ has. Great headline possibilities: “TORRE FORCED TO YANK JOHNSON”.

There’s an interview with Michael Lewis on Athletics Nation. Good stuff. Makes you wonder what tools the As have for evaluating defense. Clearly if one strategy is not giving up outs through offense, a counter is creating outs for the other team through defense. And since Moneyball was about finding market imperfections to maximise the value of your dollar and the high-OBP market is already tapped out (hello, Sox, LA, & Toronto) the next logical step seems to be defense, which is rated very unsystematically at present, UZR notwithstanding..

It may be sacrilege to make fun of Curt, but it’s funny. So here goes: Big Girl Diaries, courtesy of “buzzardluck” over at Boston Sports Media Watch.

I’m taking a rain check on blogging today. Hey, there was no game. Quick thoughts: good time for a rain delay, gave the bullpen a rest, plus Wakefield’s knuckler wasn’t dancing and Rodrigo Lopez tends to smoke the Sox. True, we were getting some back but that seemed more the result of Lopez pitching in the rain than any signs of finally learning how to hit RoLo.

Okay, good win today. Except for one glaring question: Why Wasn’t Pedro Taken Out?? Don’t give me any of the “he said he was fine” stuff. It was raining, he was above 100 pitches, and he clearly wasn’t dealing at that point. I’m not sure Francona knows the deal here - look, if you take Pedro out in the 7th, and Terry Adams blows it (as he did today, but 1/3 of an inning later than he should have), people will understand. They really will.

Everyone at SoSH gets sentimental over the news that Jason Giambi might have contracted a fatal virus. Here’s echoing the comments and wishing Giambi well - perhaps it’s time for him to rest and recover (and collect his paycheck from Steinbrenner). Get well in November, see you in Spring Training!

Here’s the report on yesterday’s great 9-6 win, filtered through the Shizzolator: Millar went 10-fo’-13 in da series wit four homers ’n eight RBIs after hitting six homers wit 24 RBIs in 87 games n’ shit. Tha dude attributed that a change in tha dude’s stance tha dude made in Wednesday’s crib game against Baltimore that allowed tha dude’s ass pull da ball better.

Finally got a chance to watch the game. Funny that Damon’s Pesky Pole homer came just after the ESPN crew (Miller and Sutcliffe) was talking about how the Sox don’t bunt and using that as an excuse to praise Derek Jeter. Urgh. Though there was slight redemption with the “who needs the sacrifice bunt when you have a leadoff man who can hit home runs?” comment. Best thing about the Hall of Fame inductions is that Joe Morgan heads to Cooperstown and we don’t have to hear him call the game. (Congrats to the Eck!)