Sports Writing

I won’t cover all that I’ve caught up on in my absence (although Coco hitting 2 home runs yesterday made me do a double-take). But King Kaufman has a nice interview with musicologist Jerry Silverman on baseball songs pre-1922 (date chosen for copyright reasons). From a Sox-centric point of view, I must say I’m disappointed “Tessie” doesn’t get mentioned in the interview, although I’d venture it’s in the book. While I’m not too hot on the Dropkick Murphys version of the song, I thought it was really interesting to re-do a 1900s song (MP3 link) in the 2000s, and of course the tune always reminds of 2004.

Am back in Singapore, nursing a post-flight cold. And fever. Which makes me confused as to whether I should starve or feed myself. But I must say, the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone Park were beautiful. Even if I was shut off from baseball news for a while.

Man - all the superstitions in me come out in force for a no-hit bid. And while ’twas not to be, glad to see Schilling’s comfortable recovery. Command is Schill’s bread and butter (he’s got to be up there in terms of K/BB ratios of all time), and it’s good to see it back. And it was a great way to end a very frustrating series, even if the offense is still asleep.

I think Angel Pagan is the coolest name in baseball right now. Well, until Lance Broadway makes it into the majors, and that’s no certainty with his AAA stats.

Mike Lowell does more with half the balls of most men - nice homer, breaking up the DP, and getting in the runs, plus a nice dig at the Yankees on the Cano knock (“My take is it’s kind of ironic, because that’s what they taught us in the minor leagues, and I was with the Yankees in the minor leagues”). But I do feel bad for Mientkiewicz - while clearly just one of those things, it was brutal just watching the play.

That was scary to watch near the end. Papelbon and Okajima might be human after all. I’m not sure I like that that much. But whoo, that inside-the-parker by Youks - kick save, and a beauty! What’s the record for most consecutive multi-hit games? Apparently it’s Hornsby with 13, back in 1923. That, plus some schadenfreude at the expense of the Yankees, who’ve dropped into last place. (Who, I should note, still have a decent run differential, and should be actually playing much better than they are right now.)

Surviving Grady is right about the sheer cult fascination of watching a Tavarez start. Rolling the ball to first - utter brilliance. I can see why he and Manny are such buds - they both very much come out of left field. (Manny literally.)

This, by the way, is an awesome Pedro quote, and shows why I still love the guy even though he’s now a Met: The 35-year-old right-hander said he’s tossing balls 230 feet and said his comeback compared favorably with the return of another New York pitcher, Roger Clemens, who is in the minor leagues and expects to soon rejoin the Yankees.

I always like the Sox scoring 7 - they seem to have scored 7 runs in a lot of their victories over the Yankees this season. Omens and all that.

I didn’t realise Americans don’t have toe socks, until the NY Times article talked about Dice-K and Okajima introducing toe socks to their teammates. Don’t fashion developments travel worldwide? Anyone want me to pop into my local department store and send them Stateside?

If this is true, Dan Shaughnessy really does seem to have a persecution complex.

A truly bizarre game. Schilling was terrible (7 doubles, 1 HR, 4 walks or so - what’s that translate to in OPS against?) - and still made a quality start. Hinske looked lost at the start and found himself after getting his face bashed in. Wily Mo Pena walked about as much as he walked all of last season.

What a great game by Dice-K - complete game for the 7-1 win, 124 pitches (following his high school championship heroics, I take it that he’s a freak of nature with a rubber arm… fingers crossed), no walks. Very nice.

Back from the US, and sadly am now deprived on late-night Baseball Tonight and other such glories. Okajima’s reliability has become so ho-hum that this Globe article on his brilliance thus far is somewhat unremarkable. But at least Francona seems aware of the possibility of overuse, which alleviates one of my biggest worries:

So Roger Clemens joins the Yankees, again. $28m pro-rated - talk about desperation. Although my sense is that it’s better to pay $6-10m (or so) extra for a $18m pitcher, than to pay $6-10m extra for a $4-5m pitcher (*cough* Carl Pavano *cough*).

That bottom of the 4th / top of the 5th stretch was gruelling to watch, on both sides - Dice-K suddenly losing control, Pettitte doing even worse. A long, long slog. But boy, was it a fun result. (Rivera with a 12.15 ERA?) I know Lugo will get all the attention with 3 hits and 3 RBIs, but did I ever mention I love pre-All Star Break Mike Lowell?

You know, the Skydome was the first ballpark I’d ever been to. Visited in 1993, in the good years for Toronto fans. So I have a soft spot of sorts for the Jays.

Wow, back-to-back-to-back-to-back homers. Only the 5th time it’s been done in baseball history (and kudos to Baseball Almanac for getting the info in so soon). And thus did the Sox Chase Wright. One moment I glance at the screen hoping for something to happen, and finally I decide to go to the bathroom, and bam, 4 homers in 10 pitches. Next time I hope for a rally you’ll find me in the loo.

Wow, for the first two innings I was worried about Josh Beckett… but looks like he’s back in business. I have to say, despite Okajima’s work yesterday, I’m still scared of seeing A-Rod on deck these days. Good thing Papelbon got the save as he did.

Now that’s a come from behind win. And nice to see Cora and Crisp becoming useful.