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    Friday, July 31, 2009

    Sox 8/A's 5

    All any one could talk about was Papi testing positive in 2003. What really ground my gears though was a simple tweet from Ken Rosenthal. Look, I get it, the Fox Sports crew hate the Sox - I don't like it and it pisses me off when I have to listen to them but I sort of accept it as collateral damage while thanking my lucky stars I get to watch games with Don Orsillo and Jerry Remy (or, whomever is partnered with Orsillo while Remy's out on medical leave).


    Rosenthal asked: "Is any1 surprised anymore 2 learn a star player tested positive? Maybe Sox fans will pipe down about A-Rod. Every team had users."

    Here's the thing Ken - putting professionalism aside (something you do when you sell your soul to Fox), when "reporting" you need to lay off the fans and report FACTS. Guilty or not, you posted an opinion rather than reporting a fact and that act alone pisses me off. Even as an opinion columnist, I kept tried to keep that in check.

    Dice-K's mea culpa ... news. Sox stopping their slide... news. Speculation about Papi, until I read the reports, innuendo. Just like I didn't spit on Bonds or Clemens until the facts were clear, neither will I spit on Papi. In the meantime... if I give you a buck will you buy a clue or at least look up the definition of "reporter" in a reputable dictionary?

    Papi's 3 run homer so the Sox took the lead was the medicine the nation needed yesterday. In the mean time: up yours Fox Sports.

    ******

    MLB on Fox
    word about your Sox comments:
    unprofessional.

    Youk makes me happy
    what a way to get a hit
    double by the sun

    Here comes Big Papi
    such a long shadow now cast
    from a long time past

    Take that Rosenthal
    Papi still has it and we
    will ALWAYS love him

    Papelbon looks good
    but will this hit rattle him
    or a double play?

    Dustin Pedroia
    all I can do is yell: YES
    just what a great catch

    Hoist the ball high
    Ellsbury breaks the streak with
    another great catch




    Thursday, July 30, 2009

    Oakland: Kicks/Sox ass

    Look, there's no hiding the ugly truth, we just had 2 epic fails in a row. Papelbon blow a three run lead in the ninth? Inconceivable! I mean even the worst Sox hater must have been in shock over that. Penny give up 5 runs in the first? Inconceivable! Last night I was waiting for Andre the Giant to say, "I do not think that word means what you think it does...."


    It was putrid to say the least. I love my team, I am committed through good times and bad, for better or worse. I am used to such things over the years but it still hurts and I had nightmares all night about Brad Penny's pitching.

    Now the news about Ortiz... I guess those weren't unicorn tears in those eye drops. Are any of us really surprised?

    /rant on/ But Rosenthal's comments on MLB on Fox are unprofessional. I get it, the guys on Fox Sports are Yankees fans but dammit, you're journalists. Even back when I wrote for Yankeessuck.com, I didn't randomly bash the evil empire (although I took delight in their low points) I kept the homer-ism to a minimum. I hadn't realized how subdued I was until my son said to me, "Even though you hate the Yankees, you're are insanely fair in pointing out when they make a good play or do well." Because you know what Mr. Rosenthal, that's what JOURNALISTS do. Even in my opinion column days I tried to remember I was a journalist first and tempered my work from there.

    /end rant/

    At any rate... back to 17 syllables of poetry over the last couple of games:

    Rice's number retired
    with much pomp and circumstance
    you deserve it Jim

    Is there Eckersley
    bingo or dictionary?
    I have "Lollipop"

    Buchholz managed five
    the kid just doesn't have it.
    Maybe as a Cub?

    Don will never strain
    his oblique in the booth yes
    his tongue. Oblique, no.

    Sox get another
    seven to five Boston leads
    we need three more outs

    Papelbon blown save?!
    So much for Buchholz's win.
    Damn your arm Nick Green.

    *****

    I just can't take it
    even Eck can't ease my pain
    Terry make it stop

    Just what do you say?
    Don't sweat it Brad? Shake it off?
    Dude you sucked dead goats?

    Proof I'm a Sox fan?
    I'm still watching and praying.
    Mike, thank you for hope

    Son has a theory:
    if Penny throws bad tonight
    he won't be traded.

    Pumpkin time for me
    nightmares await me tonight
    Penny, you broke my heart.

    Tuesday, July 28, 2009

    Sox 8/A's 3

    Let us not discuss Schmoltz.


    Last night the A's rolled through and we regained our stride, giving us a reminder of why we are fans in spite of the darker days and deals. Theo's brewing up a magical brew of unicorn's tears, speculation, leather orbs and who knows what else. It should be unleashed around 4pm Friday afternoon and then we can settle in for the rest of the season.

    ******

    I leave Charlie's and
    the score was one to nothing
    now it's six nothing

    A eulogy for
    Oakland would be premature
    even if needed

    Okland's eulogy:
    they came to Boston and played
    as well as they could

    Saturday, July 25, 2009

    Sox 3/Orioles 1

    Last night was pretty prolific and someone wrote a response haiku as well... so keep the cards and letters coming fans. :) It was a good game that found me screaming at the TV when things happened like Tek's RBI single and the Markakis/Ellsbury shoot out (and what a play, even if Jacoby was out). There was Mike Lowell's catch in the press pit by Baltimore's dug out and then Papelbon letting the bases load up before getting the third out for the save. I'm lucky my nails are still in tact and it reminded me yet again why I don't go for manicures during baseball season unless something special's happening.


    Just another day in the life of a Sox fan.

    ***

    What is with the Sox
    they look defeated tonight
    perhaps trade rumors?

    Ellie029's response:
    No it's not the trade
    they have sucked for a long time
    home was meant to help.

    my response:
    Not a long time but
    more like midseason slump
    they'll pick up soon

    Mike Lowell on first
    with his George Clooney good looks
    oh the ribald thoughts!

    Penny gets stung hard
    he says he's OK but should
    I breath easily?

    Lowell makes the catch
    hugs the camera smiling
    then displays the ball

    Ellsbury is fast
    but Markakis is faster
    he's out at home plate

    What a ribald play!
    Speed versus power running
    we lost that battle

    Mr. Papelbon
    your job is to get three outs
    not build the drama

    Friday, July 24, 2009

    Texas Sweeps Sox

    It was just a depressing series... do I really need to recap?


    ****

    John Smoltz on the mound
    looking to take down Texas
    he'll need run support

    Millwood reaches out
    pulling Pedroia's ball from
    thin air for the out

    Tek slams the ball hard
    in comes Drew, here comes Lowell
    slightly askew.... OUT

    Once again the game
    goes quickly askew for us
    another bad night

    Another sad loss
    a disappointing result
    c'mon Sox wake up

    Sox are on the board
    with a solid Youk single
    here comes Big Papi!

    Papi tries a bunt?
    and sometimes it's better to
    be lucky than good


    Let's hope we turn it around now that we're home and facing Baltimore. *sigh*

    Sunday, July 19, 2009

    Sox/Jays

    Another busy weekend where baseball is secondary.  Friday was a date night for dinner and Harry Potter in the premium cinema.  Saturday we lost 6-2 and Sunday I had to work - which means sneaking in game day from the floor.


    For those of you who actually follow me on Twitter - the tags are as follow: #haiku #haikuchallenge (using the challenge word of the day in a haiku) and #redsox.  I have discovered there are #eck (Dennis Eckersley) #yankeessuck and other tags... those are less frequent but I am now tagging my tweets.

    In order from Friday:

    I have to wonder
    will Buchholz post a zero
    in the hit column

    ***

    The roof is open
    the crowd is settling in
    it's time for baseball

    What kind of heathen
    has no vowels in his name?
    the Blue Jays scare me

    A New York heathen
    tried to tell me the Yankees don't suck.
    they are wrong.

    The Blue Jays now lead
    Penny's not on the money
    I do wonder why

    My Red Sox buddy
    has runn off to her food dish
    fickle heathen cat

    They stopped reading
    Youk's lips when an "F" bomb flew
    learned from Eck's mistakes

    ****
    Anticipation 
    my break falls during the gae
    is it game time yet?

    Break schedule changed
    My anticipation for
    naught, no game for me

    Friday, July 17, 2009

    Sox 6/ Royals 0

    Last game before the all star break happened the same day we decided to go see Tall Ships hanging in Boston Harbor. That meant listening "old school" on an AM radio.


    Well, actually listening to WRKO's broadcast over the XM in the car because the signal kept acting up without the XM. It seemed perfect as it was a perfect ball game day as well. When we stopped for ice cream and there was no radio, I found the ice cream place had wireless so I could follow the game on my iPod Touch.


    ****

    Listening old school
    on an AM radio
    on a summer day

    This sunny Sunday
    all talk is the all star game.
    What about today?

    Game between tall ships
    boats and baseball, does it get
    much better than this?

    Bottom of seventh
    I wirelessly follow
    the synchronous play

    No visual game
    it was a radio day
    for this Beckett gem.

    Sunday, July 12, 2009

    Sox 15/Royals 9

    OK... I came to the party late tonight. I missed the early fireworks and Smoltz's part in his first win. The person who insisted that time was nature's way of keeping everything happening at once is a liar. But I started listening in the car as KC began to threaten in the sixth. They stuck a fork in Masterson because he was done and brought in DelCarmen. KC threatened some more and suddenly an 8 run lead to start the inning was reduced to the point of Joe Castiglione's voice saying through the static, "The tying run is at the plate..." Fortunately Oki took us out of the inning with a 3 run lead.


    Things went back and forth a little - KC threatened, Sox responded with a smattering of hits liberally dosed with a ton of good luck. In the end we won and the score suggests maybe we were tossing a pigskin around the field instead of swatting at leather - but a win's a win and it's always exciting to watch a kid just called up get his first hit - which has an RBI attached to it.

    If nothing else, let's hope the Royals learned one thing: stop walking players to get to the next guy. I doesn't work well with the Sox when they're running hot and last night they were scalding.

    For those of you following my twitter feed, you may have noticed some new tags. I've been told that there are some active haiku tags I should add so now I try to remember to add #haiku. The other one is #haikuchallenge. This is someone who declares what the "challenge" word of the day is. The other day it was "frisson." Last night it was "response."

    ****
    I'm out and about
    we have a humungous lead
    later, not so much

    The bull pen is fried
    Jason Bay's respons: a double
    bringing hope with it.

    Papi out at home
    the ball at first: overthrown
    Bay scores from second.

    Walking Kotsay? Dumb.
    Loading the bases? Really?
    Green's response: priceless.

    Ellsbury drives one
    he steals second just for fun
    now a walk to Tek.

    Bates sends a response.
    RBI single for now
    his first big league hit.

    The Sox bat around
    second time tonight but now
    the rain is falling.

    Saturday, July 11, 2009

    Sox 1/Royals 0

    The problem with working a closing shift on game night is... well, you don't get to watch the game. Sure you can sneak in some peaks at the score on Sportacular and other apps, but for the most part the game is as foreign as criciket when you're working a retail floor.


    I caught a bit on game day live during my break, but the animation is no substitute for the game.

    ***

    Sox on game day live
    is not the same as watching
    the game live at home

    Teahen is on first
    "Please," I pray in frantic breaths
    turn the double play

    XM in the car
    after coming out of work
    Sox win. I missed it.

    Friday, July 10, 2009

    KC 8/Sox 6

    What had the promise of a great beginning quickly soured as Brad Penny began to tire and Manny DelCarmen's nerves kicked in. The night was not a total loss as Papi hit a milestone 300th homerun. I fear that any haiku tonight will be few and far between as I traded shifts with someone so that I could attend the Great Fenway Park Writers Series luncheon. Bill Keller, the executive editor of the NYT, spoke about Nelson Mandela... not the newspaper industry. One of the highlights was Dick Flavin, the poet laureate of Red Sox Nation got up to literally sing the praises of Dominic DiMaggio.


    Of course the occasion could not go unnoted. :)

    Fenway Writers lunch
    Dick Flavin sings praises of
    Dom DiMaggio

    Last night I also took part in the Haiku challenge of using the word frisson in a haiku. I am proud to say I did so ... twice.

    Pedroia runs home
    and the Red Sox take the lead
    add to it Papi!

    Papi lifts it up
    it sours through the early night
    300 - so good!

    Brad Penny seems spent
    tonight his timing is off
    will he blow the lead?

    Pig Papi's homer
    met reaction of frisson
    from Fenway faithful

    Slip a high fast ball?
    Oh no, not past Pedroia
    he's too good for that.

    Earlier frisson
    has melted into ennue
    Fenway is quiet

    Thursday, July 9, 2009

    Sox 5/A's 4

    The A's left town defeated but not without a fight. They never gave up and people need to give them credit for that. They put on the shift, robbed us of hits and never let things get away from them.


    A friend called during the evening, so I ended up watching the game with while explaining some of what was happening. It's tough when you're not a baseball fan and just trying to understand. I get it.

    In the end, we took the series, which we needed, and are now facing KC - one of those teams that you sort of wish could return to their glory days. I'm hoping for a good set of games against them and reporting back to Greg & Suzy, who are true blue Royals fans.

    I love you guys dearly but I still want to smoke the Royals like a turkey. I can't help it, I'm a sox girl. 'Nuf Ced. ;)

    ******

    Wakefield's knuckle ball
    dips, slides and wiggles around
    confusing batters.

    Eck's commentary
    is always quite amusing
    tonight's is as well.


    Wednesday, July 8, 2009

    Sox 5/A's 2

    After another day of funky weather in Boston, the game got rolling with Beckett throwing another good one. It didn't look good to start when, in the first inning, the A's planted one in the monsters to lead temporarily. We got it back with a Jason Bay home run and then a series of good runs and plays - it was a good game. And I so enjoy a good one.


    ****

    Already the A's
    take an early lead tonight
    Sox go in order

    Tied by Jason Bay
    home run to the monsters
    no cheese slips past him.

    The Sox take the lead
    with Papi's mighty double
    and follow up hits

    Sox are on top still
    A's brough in Breslow to pitch
    Hey Sox: More runs please!!

    Tuesday, July 7, 2009

    A's 6/Sox 0

    It was a picture perfect day - summer had finally come to Boston with Nomar #5's return. The excitement was palatable and the standing ovation spoke volumes. But in the end, it was not Boston's night at all. I walked out of the room to flip laundry and cook dinner only to come back in and see us trailing. Not a good situation at all.


    Pedroia was a late scratch as he was ordered by Francona to stay by his very pregnant wife's side. The alien clone that had taken Lugo's place seems to have returned to the mother ship and in the end it was just a sad evening to be a sox fan because, in the end, Oakland smoked us bad! Today's papers were all about how Nomah is hoping to return to Boston to finish his career as member of the Red Sox. I would like that. After all, what choice do we have? Julio Lugo?

    ***

    Nomah number five
    is back home in Boston
    I hope he strikes out

    Standing ovation
    for Nomar at Fenway now
    still he grounded out

    I just went away
    to flip laundry and cook food
    so what happened Sox?!!!

    Monday, July 6, 2009

    Seattle takes 2 out of 3

    The games were Seattle 7/Boston 6 (Friday night); Seattle 3/Boston 2 (Saturday) and Boston 8/Seattle 4 for the weekend series.


    Some highlights of the games included Sean Casey in the booth with Don Orsillo trying his hand at broadcast journalism. (Sean, you need some minor league gigs to learn how to loosen up the way Eck naturally does.) One of the problems was Casey falling into the old stalwart of bizarre statistical analysis of games in June on Fridays after a month of rainfall when the wind is blowing in a particular direction for someone who bats 6th in the order type of statistical gymnastics. When you have do those sorts of things, you're trying too hard.

    Jason Bay became a US citizen, which lead to overlong discussions about whether or not US born citizens could pass the citizenship test (I got a 90% when I took it online... it would have been 100% but I second guessed myself on Woodrow Wilson). There was a lot of talk of Remy's possible return "sooner than you think" (thank heavens, even if I will miss Eck's talk of salad, cheese, fingers in sockets and such) and lots of celebrities paraded in and out of the booth.

    Saturday was disappointing. One rule in baseball is a constant: one bad pitch can ruin your day (if you're the pitcher) or make it (if you're the hitter). Saito learned what it was like to have a bad day.

    Sunday, after a weekend of celebrating the fourth, I just didn't have it in me to follow the games via haiku. I am back tonight though (after I make some linguini and clam sauce for dinner). So here is the round up of Friday and Saturday's observations:

    Friday Mariners 7/Sox 6

    Baseball announcers
    are funny about their stats
    Friday games in June?

    Bay officially
    is a US citizen
    it's Canada's loss

    We're in extra frames
    praying for another win
    will Ortiz walk off?

    Saturday Mariners 3/Sox 2

    Fourth of July game
    played during the afternoon
    the way it should be.

    I said to the cat
    Tek needs a monster home run
    he must have heard me.

    NO! The game is tied
    I worry around now:
    can we pull it out?

    Aardsma makes quick work
    one tow three, down in order
    yet another loss.


    Saturday, July 4, 2009

    Sox 6/Orioles 5

    Well, I'm a little behind (damn off day) but we finished up in Baltimore by pulling a, well, Baltimore. We came from a 5 run deficit to win it by in the 11th by, of all people, Julio Lugo! I wonder, was it to make him more attractive for a trade or trying desperately to keep from being traded? Either way, at least he earned his check the other day.


    I prefer the theory that Lugo was kidnapped by aliens and replaced by a clone. I mean, how can you not love a good clone conspiracy theory? Really.

    Now this was a day game and NESN rebroadcasted at 7pm. Many people were unaware it was a day game. I chose to treat it like it was live only because I missed the game (I was working) and I figure after a long day, who doesn't like to kick back and watch the game?

    ****
    Tough night for Beckett
    the O's lead and we can't score
    perhaps we'll come back.

    Beckett finds his stride
    now some run support will help
    maybe we can win

    Mighty Youkilis
    he drives one deep to right field
    could we be spoilers?

    Hey! Bases loaded
    look who's up, it's a home run
    hitter so back up!

    Ellsubry is fast.
    The alien Lugo clone
    drives Jacoby home.


    Wednesday, July 1, 2009

    Orioles 11/Sox 10

    What a frustrating game. We went to a rain delay with a nine run lead only to lose in the ninth. What a difference a couple of innings can make. But the next time my husband says, "They've got enough of a lead, let's watch..." I'm going to remind him of what every real fan knows: it's the Red Sox, it's never over until it's over.


    Smoltz didn't get to finish and the rain delay came 3 outs too early, otherwise they might have called it for the Sox and sent everyone home instead of waiting it out. But, in the end, it was Baltimore's night to come from behind and shine.

    ****

    Loading the bases
    hoping Papi is off
    seven on Boston

    A brush back for Tek
    did it or did it not hit?
    Off to take first base.

    Here comes the rain now
    a delay in Baltimore
    will Smoltz finish it?

    Players on the field
    three quick outs to start the 5th
    if the rain holds out.

    Oops there are three outs
    to an inning, not just two
    back on the field boys

    It's a one run game
    how the hell did that happen?
    Stupid freakin' O's

    Five in the seventh
    Five more in the eighth inning
    Baltimore did it.