the one with the game that makes me wish i had one of those Neuralizer pens from Men in Black

photos from Yahoo Sports, The Boston Globe and The Boston Herald

1. it still makes me shake my head that the Red Sox had only 66 errors last year, best in Major League Baseball, yet not a single member of last year's team was awarded a Golden Glove. they were talking about it again last night. The Year of the Perfect Infield. poetry. we so don't have that playing out before us this year.

2. i tried to bite back a laugh at Jeter last night when he bobbled a hit in the second. i should have tried harder. it always comes back to haunt me...

3. Lugo cut off a throw Manny made in the bottom of the second. it ended up allowing a run to score for the Yankees. even *Manny* knew that throw shouldn't have been cut off.

4. the fickle knuckleball did not flutter for Timmy last night. as beautiful as that pitch is when it's on, when it isn't, things get ugly *fast*. we weren't even out of the second inning before i knew this game wouldn't end well.


5. thank heaven for small favors. last night's game was on ESPN, and we got Dave O'Brien & Rick Sutcliffe. no Joe Morgan! yay!

6. Youk doubled in the fourth to extend is hitting streak to fourteen games! there's nothing like a happy Youk. i saw this cartoon this morning though & it reminded me of how Youk acts when he doesn't do what he wants to accomplish.


7. Manny made a heck of a catch last night. i always wonder if he really has defensive talent but doesn't apply himself, or does he just get lucky every so often?


8. i thoroughly enjoyed watching Mike Lowell tag Slappy out at third on an attempted double steal.


9. Papi got an RBI double in the fifth, scoring Youk. even though it still freaks me out, this is the first (and possibly only) time i was happy to see The Big Man slide, since it ended up knocking the ball away from Jeter, allowing Papi to be safe at 2B. i love the way this photo makes it look like Jeter is looking into his empty glove with astonishment, while the ball lays on the ground in front of him. (but i'm not laughing!)


10. there was a really bad call on Youk. a ball was called a strike on a full count. it might have ultimately cost the Sox some runs. it was at least partially paid back in the fifth though, when a double play was turned on Posada. Posada was safe at first by a mile but was called out. let's just say that the officiating in this game left quite a bit to be desired.

11. i am really not that impressed with JC Romero yet. i have a vague twinge reminiscent of last season's bullpen when i see him warming. it carried over to Manny Delcarmen, who was brought up from Pawtucket for yesterday's game, but it was unwarranted, as Little Manny pitched a perfect seventh inning.

12. the one moment of the game when i smiled: Dougie calling himself safe at first as he crossed the bag. (and he was.)

13. eighth inning. bases loaded. two outs. down by four runs. Julio Lugo stepping up to the plate makes me pace just like i did last year when Rudy Seanez was on the mound.

14. lost the series opener to the stupid Yankees, 6-2.

15. Julian for the good guys. Moose for the bad guys. i am trying not to be worried, but i don't want to lose this series to the Evil Empire. let's hope that Julian does what he's been doing & rises to the challenge when he faces the good pitchers, even though he falters against what should be a more equal match up... lucky jersey on. let's play ball.