Dawn's Thursday Thirteen, Edition Twenty-Nine: Play ball!

Thirteen Things I Am Eagerly Awaiting Now That Baseball Season Is Only Three Days Away

1) Remy & Don. and coming back from a commercial break to hear them laughing so hard they can't speak to even tell us what's so funny. so the camera man pans over to the shot that started the whole thing & the gales of laughter grow.

2) we do not hear the word "wicked" used nearly enough outside the northeast area of the USA. as in "that slide-ah was wicked low."

3) Big Papi's first "shift this" walk-off homer of the season, that sails over the Green Monster & out into the night.

4) the mysterious absence of Rs in some words that turn up in other words. example: "the tiny battah at the plate is Dustin Pedroi-er." (for those of you who for some reason don't know the starting line up for Boston this year, and aren't fluent in Bostonian, his name is Dustin Pedroia.)

5) line drive to Mike Lowell, turns it to Kevin Youkilis, DOUBLE PLAY! poetry. looks effortless. baseball ballet.

6) the standing ovation that's coming for Trot Nixon.

7) the Papelbon "i sat 'em down & shut 'em up!" fist pump.

8) the awesome potential that is the Red Sox starting rotation. Schill, the ace, no more need be said. the Matsuzaka mystique. the fire that is Josh Beckett. reliable Wakey, who is going to pitch until he's 85. and even Julian Tavarez, if he can be the Julian of the complete game from the end of 2006, and not the Julian we saw coming out of the bullpen. and waiting in the wings, up-and-comers like the amazing i-can-beat-*anything* Jon Lester & Kason Gabbard, who put on a fine performance this Spring, even though no two people ever say his name alike. the possibilities seem endless.

9) the beauty that is watching Tek catch his pitchers. and hopefully regain his bat.

10) the latest Kevin Millar quotes.

11) sharing Red Sox baseball with RSN-West (aka Nichole & Daniel).

12) the way Youk plays ball. all heart & soul & expecting nothing short of perfection out of himself. the way he sacrifices body to make the play. the dirty uniform. that goofy stance at the plate. seeing the way he is totally invested in the game, in a way that is visible to the naked eye of the fan. it's guys who play like this that make the game so worth watching.

13) i've said it before, and i will say it again: fascinated, utterly entranced by the knuckleball. i can't help it. that pitch is just plain crazy.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants