For a Red Sox fan...
.... his face looks rather horrifies. There must be dozens of pictures of his face all over the Internet now. lol.
what happened??
I leave and the team goes through a five game losing streak? Where's the Red Sox?
It's nice to come back to a game where Lester shows his stuff. A 9 inning shut-out. Good going, kid.
On other news.. I'm slowly settling into my new home in Thailand. Upon my first week here, I met a coworker who is a self-proclaimed Red Sox fan. He has the Bahstan accent so perhaps he really is fan enough to match me.
But my belongings are still en route, leaving me to live out of my suitcase for a while longer. *sigh* And we didn't have success setting up Slingbox before I left. We'll have to wait until my brother goes home to set it up. As soon as he does, Red Sox watching parties, it's totally on! At least on the weekends.
It's nice to come back to a game where Lester shows his stuff. A 9 inning shut-out. Good going, kid.
On other news.. I'm slowly settling into my new home in Thailand. Upon my first week here, I met a coworker who is a self-proclaimed Red Sox fan. He has the Bahstan accent so perhaps he really is fan enough to match me.
But my belongings are still en route, leaving me to live out of my suitcase for a while longer. *sigh* And we didn't have success setting up Slingbox before I left. We'll have to wait until my brother goes home to set it up. As soon as he does, Red Sox watching parties, it's totally on! At least on the weekends.
Celtics!
How can a Boston fan complain these days?
"Now another generation has stories to tell" Huh. Seems like I was stuck in the middle. Grew up to the last decades of the Red Sox drought. And through the Celtics' as well. So am I the "in-between" filler generation? Bother. Kids have it way too easy these days. "Back when I was a young'n... no one ever won...."
Asides: The notion that the NBA store had people posing with Celtics 2008 Champions t-shirts before the game started (first commercial after win clinched) didn't sit well with me.
ah haha
OK, I know pitchers are key to the games. I know pitchers invest a lot and teams therefore invest a lot in pitchers and into their arms to throw 100+ pitches at speeds faster than a majority of us will ever push out cars.
But, seriously, I have to chuckle when I see these two articles gracing the same front page:
- Colon put on DL for swinging too hard.
- Wang sidelined for running bases.
I mean, c'mon. These guys all had to learn to hit and run as kids to even make it up to the majors. It's basic range of motion and cardio. It's athleticism and being in shape. We're not asking them to hit Ortiz and Drew scopes. Just swing. If you miss, fine.
Oh dear.
But, seriously, I have to chuckle when I see these two articles gracing the same front page:
- Colon put on DL for swinging too hard.
- Wang sidelined for running bases.
I mean, c'mon. These guys all had to learn to hit and run as kids to even make it up to the majors. It's basic range of motion and cardio. It's athleticism and being in shape. We're not asking them to hit Ortiz and Drew scopes. Just swing. If you miss, fine.
Oh dear.
And the clock resets
Youkilis ends his errorless run as a first baseman today, setting the big league record at 238 games. The record is now a fixed number, not one that goes up on each passing game. It will take him over another year to be able to challenge his own record.
Must. Take. Deep. Breaths.
No, not Red Sox related. Although looking at the score was painful enough.
More as an update to my more sporadic posting as of late. Movers show up Monday. Plane tickets have been booked for two weeks after packing out.
Instead of methodically sorting my belongings, I've cramming my scheduling with social events to say farewell to my family and friends. No bright but I can't see to help myself. On top of that, I'm working through of a list of "Things I must do in DC before I leave". That includes a Nationals game against the Giants tonight.
So. I. A.m. P.a.n.i.c.k.y. R.i.g.h.t. N.o.w.
And the Red Sox isn't enough of a catharsis for me. Not by a long shot.
I am alive. I will resume posting. I just can't afford much time right now. So, enjoy the month of June.
More as an update to my more sporadic posting as of late. Movers show up Monday. Plane tickets have been booked for two weeks after packing out.
Instead of methodically sorting my belongings, I've cramming my scheduling with social events to say farewell to my family and friends. No bright but I can't see to help myself. On top of that, I'm working through of a list of "Things I must do in DC before I leave". That includes a Nationals game against the Giants tonight.
So. I. A.m. P.a.n.i.c.k.y. R.i.g.h.t. N.o.w.
And the Red Sox isn't enough of a catharsis for me. Not by a long shot.
I am alive. I will resume posting. I just can't afford much time right now. So, enjoy the month of June.
Welcome back, Colon
It took a bit of run support, but Colon got his first win since last June.
The biggest beneficiary in this venture is Colon himself.
The Red Sox signed him with hopes of bringing a CY Young pitcher back to his glory. Into a minor league contract. How much risk has the front office assumed? Not much, really. Worst case scenario, he's a bust. There are many minor leagues who spend most of their careers there. Colon would just go down as the man who once was. Best case, he recovers his health and resumes throwing heat. In that case, not only did the Sox gain a pitcher with proven record and experience, but they did so at a bargain price.
The team already had many strong pitchers. And a well-rounded group at that. Varying by age, style, and experience, the pitchers provide a powerful lineup backed by a powerful offense. They were already on a winning streak. They have secured their lead in the eastern division with confidence of maintaining that lead. What's one game to lose if the gamble on Colon didn't pay off?
Colon, on the other hand, had everything to gain in this. He could save his career. He could make it back to major leagues as a starting pitcher. He could rebuild his value and bargaining position for the next contract. He, very simply put, could become another great.
So the gambled paid off. And Colon picks up his first win as a Red Sox player. He looked strong. Fortunately, he also had the run support from the offense.
Nicely done, Red Sox.
The biggest beneficiary in this venture is Colon himself.
The Red Sox signed him with hopes of bringing a CY Young pitcher back to his glory. Into a minor league contract. How much risk has the front office assumed? Not much, really. Worst case scenario, he's a bust. There are many minor leagues who spend most of their careers there. Colon would just go down as the man who once was. Best case, he recovers his health and resumes throwing heat. In that case, not only did the Sox gain a pitcher with proven record and experience, but they did so at a bargain price.
The team already had many strong pitchers. And a well-rounded group at that. Varying by age, style, and experience, the pitchers provide a powerful lineup backed by a powerful offense. They were already on a winning streak. They have secured their lead in the eastern division with confidence of maintaining that lead. What's one game to lose if the gamble on Colon didn't pay off?
Colon, on the other hand, had everything to gain in this. He could save his career. He could make it back to major leagues as a starting pitcher. He could rebuild his value and bargaining position for the next contract. He, very simply put, could become another great.
So the gambled paid off. And Colon picks up his first win as a Red Sox player. He looked strong. Fortunately, he also had the run support from the offense.
Nicely done, Red Sox.
Featuring: another future pitcher
I am wholy impressed by how the Red Sox had picked out some superb young players. And how those players are being to show their raw talent.
Sure, we've got Dice-K with his 7-0 streak. We've got Beckett who is still considered one of the strongest pitchers in major league. But the starts this week are the new kids. The guys who broadcasters still call "the next generation of pitchers" as if they haven't been considered full pitchers yet.
Masterson is one of the newest examples. I remember watching him at Fort Myers during spring training. He didn't really do well down there. But time and warming up into the minors have treated him well. He gave the Red Sox two impressive starts, rendering his first to a no-decision which was not his fault.
What awes me about Masterson is his sheer physical pressence. Even in a sport of big guys, at 6'6" he is on the taller end. It's not the height though. As a rower I am constantly surrounded by guys that tall and sometimes a few even taller. But with gangly limbs like that, the kid is only going to get stronger. I would hate to be on the otherside of his pitch.
Indeed, the Sox has invested in the next generation of players. But I bet even some of them are surprised by how quickly the investments are paying off.
-----------------------------
It's been over 24 hours. But how can you not like a kid that talks like this?
This is more like it:
 |
 |
STATS | | | SCHEDULE | | | NEWS | | | ROSTER | | | BALLPARK | | | FAN FORUM | | | COMMUNITY | | | FANTASY |  |
 |
|
 |
LESTER THROWS NO-HITTER AT FENWAY
There was never a question about Jon Lester's poise or his promising arsenal of pitches. It's just that he never put it all together quite like Monday night, when he thrilled the Fenway Park faithful -- not to mention his teammates -- by throwing a no-hitter against the Kansas City Royals.
The Boston lefty was magnificent, walking just two batters while leading the Red Sox to a 7-0 victory over the Royals.
Instead of tiring, Lester only got stronger as the night wore on. Over the final five innings, it seemed the Royals were struggling just to make solid contact.
Not only was this Lester's first no-hitter, but it was also his first complete game.
And it was the second no-hitter in as many seasons for the Sox. Clay Buchholz, a product of the Red Sox's farm system just like Lester, did the honors last Sept. 1 against the Orioles.
The Red Sox have had four no-hitters in the 21st century. Hideo Nomo threw one at Baltimore in 2001 and Derek Lowe no-hit the Tampa Bay Rays in '02. Of those four no-hitters, only Nomo's took place away from Fenway Park.
------------------------------------------------------
Also, been selling my furniture off craigslist and got a buyer tonight. He saw my Red Sox hat thrown aside on a chair and inquired about the game. I responded with a casual "yes, we won, 7-0" then realised he still held his head in a slant as if waiting for more. I added "and it was a no-hitter" and was rewarded a nod and my $30 for the purchase.
Move over, Buchholz
Time for RedSox.com and Boston.com to update their sites from those features of the Sept 1 no-hitter to include today's amazing feat. Lester. What a kid.
May 19, 2008. Another date to remember.
After last year's game, Buchholz turned into Red Sox Nation's sweetheart, having many fans root hard for his being brought onto the starting line-up.
But, Lester had always held a soft spot in my heart. As a cancer survivor, he demonstrated poise, perseverence, and amazing strength to defeat the disease and come back to professional baseball. His clinching the final World Series game last year was so fitting. What is so goose-bump inducing is that he will only continue maturing and getting better.
The front office is definitely seeing payoff in their investments in the younger players.
Probably the biggest star by the long run would be Varitek. The team owes him much for leading two young pitchers into exciting milestones. This brings his record of caught no-nos to an impressive 4.
What amused me is the rather neutral and bland post-game email Red Sox sent out:
 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
----------------------------------------------------------
Indeed.
