interleague play (aka Bizarro baseball)

a weekend series on interleague play. i am still undecided on how i feel about interleague matchups. i think the NL teams get the advantage regardless of whether the teams play by NL or AL rules. but it's kind of exciting to see some different teams--even if Francona's strategy & player substitutions & batting order shuffling makes my brain kind of tired. =P

some things you don't often get to see:

Matt Clement at bat. he looks so goofy standing at the plate, all arms & legs. he really comes off as so awkward & uncomfortable with a bat in his hand. but then he got that hit (pictured above)--i think he was so stunned that he connected, that it took him a couple of seconds to respond...and then once he started running, he was 2/3 of the way into right field before he could get the brakes working. LOL! thanks to a wild throw by Rollins, Matt was awarded 2nd base. And a Big Papi homer brought him home. you know he got some bragging rights scoring a run too! =)

nothing tops Josh Beckett though--getting on base & scoring the first run for himself when the Sox offense couldn't get their bats moving. and then as if he wasn't going to rib them for that, he gets up to the plate & sends one yard! you know this won't be the last time he mentions this game in the dugout this year. ;-)

there were, of course, the requisite home runs by Ortiz, Lowell & Youk. tek knocked one out too--i am still holding out hope that he will find his groove yet this season. but in Bizarro Ball, there was an homer by A-Gon, yet none by Manny. and Wily Mo has suddenly rocketed to second on the team in batting average, behind only Mike Lowell. i know this means i need to start giving him his due...i'm just afraid that as soon as i do, we'll be back to "Wily Mo being Wily Mo". he doesm't seem to have shaken his need to come up to the plate swinging for long balls instead of just making a hit & getting on base.

the one thing that hasn't changed:

i want to feel bad for DiNardo. i do. but for crying out loud. we were on our way to a sweep in Philly! and then he takes the hill & the game is over before it even starts. *sigh* which leads Francona to put any old idiot on the mound in a motion of surrender. this makes me crazy. we need another starter. and i am skeptical to believe that that starter should be Wells--we shall see...

at least the Mets managed to hang on & win 2-of-3 against The Evil Empire. especially after their closer botched Pedro's fine 7-inning closeout of the Yankees on Saturday afternoon. let's hope the Yankees have had the wind taken out of their sails. (as opposed to this loss getting them fired up!)

for those who understand:
*pace*
*pace*
*pace*