Red Sox

Is Angels pitching really that good?

MLB sure has a sense of humor putting an ump named Bucknor at first base for a Red Sox game, those scamps.

Beth acknowledges the comedy of errors that was the Sox bullpen and offense, but adds:

... Generally, I believe that you don't win or lose games solely because of officiating.

But if you're an Angels fan who's believed certain conspiracy theories alleging that the league advanced the Red Sox via the umpires last year, I really wonder what you're thinking right now.

Reports coming in from all over that Comcast is in major fail mode. Will they manage to restore service before 9:47 p.m.?

UPDATE: Looks like they managed to avoide frenzied hordes of Sox fans with torches and pitchforks.

But if he did, he might write something like this.

Mass. Most Wanted is an online clearinghouse for unsolved crimes in Massachusetts. If you do a search on "Bank Robberies," you'll quickly notice that local robbers who have a preference choose Sox caps. Here are examples from the past couple of years (see if you can spot the two Yankees fans and the one Pats backer):

Plans to sue author who says it did, the Herald reports.

The Crimson reports the Sox co-owner is co-teaching a course at Harvard Law with Alan Dershowitz this semester. One of the classes took place during Tuesday night's game in Lucchino's box at Fenway:

... "It was a great opportunity to see the real world applications of what we're learning in law school," said Zucker, a "diehard" Sox fan. ...

Also click the link to see why the Dersh considers himself the Kevin Youkilis of Harvard law (and no, it's not because they both light the menorah).

Peter Ajemian says it all comes down to pitching, and the Angels pitchers are simply healthier and more consistent.

Joy of Sox gets the scoop on the two Toronto fans who normally go to Blue Jays games and mimic the home plate umpire and who thought it would be fun to do the same thing at Fenway.

... There are 7 billion people on the planet. Do you know how many of them travel to another city to fake umpire a game? You're looking at 'em. ...

Denton wishes Tim Wakefield well, after what may have been his last start for the Red Sox:

... In his 15 seasons with the Sox, Wake has compiled 175 wins, 1,867 strikeouts and 22 saves. He has done whatever was asked of him: starting on short rest, coming out of the bullpen and even closing. Off the field, Wake has been even better. He has been a tireless contributor to the Jimmy Fund, stayed completely scandal-free and just been an all-around nice guy. ...

Break out the Bigelow Green Tea: The Rangers lost 5-2 early this morning, which means the Red Sox are in the playoffs. They'll play the Angels in the ALDS.

Time to go into that happy place ...

Hard to come to any other conclusion after reading this story about some Red Sox fan who teaches fourth grade in some town in upstate New York.

Like other Sox fans, Beth watched in horror as Jon Lester crumpled to the mound last night:

... The attachment to Jon Lester is deeper and more personal than for many other players among Sox fans, a feeling embodied perfectly by the way Tito gently touched his head, then shoulders, once Lester was on his feet again, as if he were his own child.

I had tears in my eyes watching Lester roll around next to the mound and grimace in agony, clutching his knee. Nobody wants to see that with any player--but with Lester, our homegrown boy, our survivor, seeing him in that kind of pain was especially cruel. ...

Red, meanwhile, considers the Captain:

... One thing that both sides agree on, however, is that Jason Varitek should be used only in emergency situations from here on out. Aliens taking over the world and holding Victor Martinez in the mothership? Well, call Fisk and Bob Montgomery. If they're not available, then let Tek catch. End of story. ...

2004.

The Ottumwa (Iowa) Courier reports a judge took pity on a man in the stir for a short sentence and agreed to give him a leave to see the Red Sox play in Kansas City tonight.

"These ball games are among the few pleasures the defendant has in life. He had been looking forward eagerly to attending this game with his family," King said.

Question: If the Sox play the way they have the past two nights, could he argue for early release because of cruel and unusual punishment?

Assuming Ben Affleck doesn't blow it up first, of course. After last night's amazing game (my favorite part: The look on Sciosa's face after that blown strike call in the ninth inning), Soxaholix tallies up all the elements that would make for a good Brown novel, including:

... And, of course, let us not forget Brown's favorite stock antagonist - the vaguely foreign narcissist with an awesomely sculpted body and bizarre sexual fetish that eventually leads to his downfall.

Ah, Mr. A-Rod, your reputation precedes you.

And can we keep him?

Carlos Ortez-Somarriba vs. Duane Somers, Motel in the Sky, Inc, Totonno's of Yonkers, LLC, Jane Doe, John Doe and Patrick Grizzle

On Oct. 4, 2007, Carlos Ortez, a millworker from Quincy, was in Yonkers, NY on a work project. That night, he and a co-worker went down to a bar in the Ramada where they were staying to watch the Sox play the Angels in the playoffs. A pair of locals in the bar began to harass them, at one point impugning Ortez's Boston loyalties. Ortez says he complained to the barkeepers, who did nothing. When the two workers left, the locals jumped them and, Ortez charges, beat him so severely he still suffers permanent pain and faces additional facial reconstructive surgery.

One of the locals was found guilty of attacking Ortez. The suit seeks damages against the hotel, the bar and the bartenders for failing to prevent or stop the attack.

Ortez's complaint.

Red admonishes:

... I don't want opposing teams thinking that when the going gets tough, we put the kettle on. I want them imagining our boys drinking whiskey from a boot and mainlining lion's blood, all under the watchful eye of their clearly inebriated manager. ...

Watching him try to hobble to first at one point and then, even worse, trying to walk from one end of the dugout to the other to get to the clubhouse was just really painful. I can only imagine what it felt like for him!

Seems a Sox/Yankees game originally scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sept. 27 was moved to 8 p.m. so ESPN could show it, but then was moved back to 1 p.m. again because that evening happens to be the start of Yom Kippur. The un-move came after a New York congressman complained to Bud Selig. Bonus: No Joe Morgan. But looks like ESPN will still be broadcasting the game.

Maybe they can start running Kevin Fennessy's commercial on NESN, like right between the Osiris Institute and Vargas and Vargas commercials (or in place of any Bob's commercial):

Here's another one.

Ed. so true, so true, so true note: After a win over the White Sox last week, we were on the platform at Kenmore waiting for a trolley when a bunch of 20somethings started chanting "Yankees suck!"

And so was Byrd, for that matter. But you know who else was outstanding in his first relief appearance? Dan Tobin reminds us.