a little of this, a little of that

i've only seen bits & pieces of games since the boys have travelled westward.

SUNDAY
1. the Seattle announcers are so bad, the put me to sleep. literally. afternoon nap right there on the couch.

2. i am still amazed how the chants & cheers for the Sox are louder than for the home team.

3. pre-nap: Sox had based loaded in the first & second again. and still only came away with two runs. i am so beyond over the way we strand runners on base & squander serious scoring opportunities. Sox up 2-0, and somehow it still felt less like a Sox win than a Mariners loss, mid way through the game.

4. during nap: apparently i miss potshots being taken at Coco by a moose on an ATV and a pitcher aiming at his ankles. it's because they fear the cornrows. ;-) Air Coco was all smiles anyway, what with beating Ichiro SUZUKI (take that! i used his last name!) at his own game, slapping two doubles.

5. post-nap: seems the Sox woke up with me! somehow they managed to start scoring runs, winning 9-2, and taking the series. Safeco slump no more!

6. did i dream that Papi stole a base...?

MONDAY
1. i suffered several heart attacks & a stroke when i saw Youk go down, after being hit in the head by a pick-off attempt! tough as nails, he shook free of the cobwebs & stayed in the game to hit 2-run homer. unfortunately the only two runs the Sox would score, it turns out.

2. JFL made an appearance in the first inning. could he ever just glove a ball like we pay him to do?

3. the Sox were 3-for-3 on steals before i went to bed in the middle of the sixth. too bad they didn't really amount to much. have i mentioned i am tired of all the stranding of runners?

4. i have to say... rookie umpires who feel the need to puff up & prove something really tick me off. if you can't call the game like a professional, maybe you need to not be umpiring in the bigs. the umpires are supposed to operate like a team. the rookie ump at home tried to be the big man, all by himself. problem is, he *stunk*. let's start with Manny being called out on strikes in the third inning (i think it was) -- replay showed that Manny indeed did check his swing. Rookie called him out without ever conferring with the first base ump. then when Manny voiced his displeasure, Rookie ejected him. apparently he doesn't think players should have the right to argue with him. then in the sixth, he called Mike Lowell out on a foul tip. problem is, the ball bounced off the ground into the catcher's mitt. did he check with the third base ump? of *course* he didn't. i guess there was another bad call later in the sixth -- a foul ball called fair -- but i was in bed. what is it with all the need to for guys to show their testosterone? =P

5. i really felt bad for Brandon Moss being thrust unceremoniously into the game with Manny's getting tossed. he never seemed to gain his composure. that's ok, kid. we understand.

6. i wish i knew what Schill was thinking, trying to bare hand a line drive -- with his pitching hand, no less! ::smacks forehead:: -- on his first day back from the DL. started pitching a shutout game, and then clearly did something to his index finger, because he immediately started giving up hits, and subsequently, runs. a veteran like him really ought to know better. oh well. he paid the price -- his loss broke his undefeated record in Anaheim.

7. someone talk to me about the Yankees surge when they actually start playing some teams with a better than .500 record.

8. do you think WMP feels stupid that the Sox put him on the block, he cleared trade waivers, and there was not one bite? we can't even *give* him away, i guess.

pleaseohplease let Wakey win tonight... as of post time the Yankees are up 4-0 against Toronto, and are looming at six games behind us. they are like a piece of gum you step in that you can seem to shake free of your shoe, even when you drag it in the grass, scuff it through sand, and scrape it against the curb. they just hang on in the treads of your sole and drag all manner of trash & debris along with them.