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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.
]]>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.
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It's been over 24 hours. But how can you not like a kid that talks like this?
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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.
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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.
]]>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:
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Indeed.
]]>What a slugfest today. So much for defence. It's worrisome when the players seem to be hitting Beckett's sweet spots. Although Varitek's catching and throwing to the stolen base attempt was awesome.
Seems that while the team won, Ellsbury got caught in his offensive running, a couple times too many. Well, you can't be perfect. Sorry to miss the game. But I have a bit of comfort that Boston climbed their way back up to the top of the division. Now, if only they would play better on their away games...
I'm beat. Exhausted. I didn't even really do that much relative to physical activity.
]]>I find it hard to consider a double header two separate games. It's more like an 18-inning baseball game with a super long 10th inning stretch. It's almost midnight and they are still playing.. it's a wonder there aren't more signs of fatigue.
Heck, I'm too tired to tune in myself. Being out in the sun all day long coaching WeCanRow breast cancer survivors is easy work but a long long day.
No, 18 innings is a long long day, indeed.
]]>Here's the list I've come up with at this point. Any suggestions welcome:
- Continue the status quo of checking into Boston.com, Redsox.com, and occaisional game casts on espn.com
- Open a MLB.com subscription
- Get slingbox set up and tied to NESN back at my folks'
- Get Japanese cable
- Keep blogging
Ugh. Either way, it's going to take more work. Sometimes, to the point I have to ask if it's worth the hassle. I hope so. Because sometimes I feel like fans give so much more than they need to.
Yes, I'm still in a rotton mood about yesterday's game.
Brother was in Vegas earlier this week. I asked him to put in a bet for me. $20 on the odds that the Cubs with be the National League champions.
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