return of the walk-off

i want to say that was an unlikely pitchers' duel, but i have to tell you, i am a fantasy baseball pitching curse. every one of my fantasy picthers has faced his share of struggles this season. forced to make some adjustments, i let some pitchers go & picked up some new ones. one of the pitchers i released: Jon Lester. who proceeded to pitch eight innings of one-hit ball. sure he walked four, but he struck out six & gave up only that one hit in a no-decision outing, amd in fantasy land that translates to being worth positive points for a switch. bottom line is Lestah pitched a strong game -- not that i am complaining *too* much about the way this affects my fantasy baseball team, mind you, if dropping him translates to more wins for the Sox. Papelbon pitched the top of the ninth, giving up a hit but not a run, and was awarded the third out on a highlight reel grab by Pedroia. and with two outs in the home half, Papi walked, Manny singled, and Youk drove Papi in with the walk-off RBI single.

i feel like i just watched a Sox classic. part of me feels bad for Halladay getting a loss for a complete game that would have been quite the start in almost any other circumstances. it's hard, as a fan of the game, to see a start like that not result in a win. but my boys *needed* that win to halt the downward spiral they'd been trapped in over the last week.

just like that, the ship rights itself. the Rays & Yankees lost, Boston & Baltimore are tied for first place in the division, Lowell is back at the hot corner, and the Sox are pulling off ninth inning victories like it was the game plan all along. (if it's ok with you, i'm going to pretend not to know that Pedroia, JD & Jacoby are not feeling 100% for various reasons...)

anyone else remember the past week? yeah, me neither.

(photos from Yahoo! Sports)

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Sing Along: April 29, 2008

Looking at you,
Holding my breath,
For once in my life
I'm scared to death,
I'm taking a chance,
Letting you inside.
("First Time," Lifehouse)

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i'm not sure what hurts my brain more

the fact that Bill Belichick is wearing a suit & tie instead of a hoodie & track pants? or the fact that the shirt & tie are *pink*?

(Yahoo! Sports)

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inside out, backwards & upside down

that's what the last week has felt like in Red Sox Nation.

injuries. flu. general suckitude. good pitching, bad hitting (or conversely, good hitting, but pitching that gives up more runs than the offense can generate). ridiculous errors -- what the *heck* was that pick-off attempt by Beckett that resulted in the runner scoring from first base?! and a sweep in Tampa?? seriously, is *anything* more upside down than the Rays & Orioles leading the AL East?? that & Manny *successfully* stealing second base. ::rubs eyes:: i would be wondering what parallel universe i was trapped in if Lugo were not still making his requisite number of errors per week. (he's at seven, four weeks in, for anyone not keeping count.)

in all honesty, the only thing i can say after seeing them in person at Fenway Florida (seriously, i think there were fifteen Sox fans for every one fan in Rays gear) is man do the Sox look *tired*. the whole group of them. no excuses. dropping five straight is bordering on unacceptable. but three weeks without a day off? while battling a team-wide virus? yeah, i can understand a team that looks like it can barely pick up a bat, let alone swing it productively.

i'm not going to say it was fun to tolerate the (twenty-five) Rays fans gloating & waving their brooms, but as a gracious loser, i will let them have their moment to shine (though i am not about to forgive-and-forget the mocking of "Sweet Caroline" playing over the stadium audio system post-game). after all, their moments of victory are few & far between. ;-) lest you think i am being snide, this was the Rays first *ever* sweep of the Sox, and also the first time in club history that they are three games over .500 this late in a season. no kidding. those brooms will get stuck where the sun doesn't shine soon enough. mark my words.

so yeah, it was disappointing to go & not see them win my first ever time seeing The Commander start, especially when he Ks thirteen for a career high. but i feel for the boys. i hope they have a restful day off to recharge, shake off the flu & nagging aches, and generally just clear the last week from their collective minds. i will leave you to the off day with some favorite photos directly from my camera, and just because i feel the need to end on a positive note: Kevin Youkilis set a major league record for fielding perfection over the weekend when he handled his 1,701st errorless chance at first base. Youkilis broke the record of 1,700 straight errorless chances by former Sox 1B Stuffy McInnis from May 1921-June 1922. The errorless streak set by the Gold Glove-winning Youkilis is also the longest such streak of any defensive position in major league history. (courtesy of Yahoo! News)

Tek warming up before the game.


Beckett throwing his first K of the game.


Cap'n at the plate.


Manny just after stealing second base -- laughing. =)


Manny at bat.


Coco up to hit.

From http://picasaweb.google.com/dawnradke/SoxRaysApril272008

click link to view the entire album.

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the importance of photographs

as i capture photo after photo, i often ask myself if they serve their only purpose as they bring me joy, if their only worth will be realized for as long as i travel in this world. tonight, as i sifted through piles of old family photos that my Gram made sure were placed in my care, i was reminded that this "fear" is not indeed fact. these photos are portals to both the past and the future. they connect us, across time, across space, across lifetimes.

as i flip slowly from one image to the next, i feel. i feel that heavy weight, on my chest and behind my eyes, of missing those who i can no longer reach out and hug. but that weight is tempered by seeing with my own eyes the places that my loved ones went, the people they saw, the experiences they had & wished to remember as they walked this earth, and then i also feel that warmth of their love as easily as if they sat by my side, telling me the stories within the photographs that i treasure. more than that, i have this precious gift. i am seeing places and times that i never could have without these pieces of paper in my hands. and even if i could have seen them, even if i follow the paths they took, i would not be able to see through their eyes like i can when i soak in this story book of their lives.

not only can i travel back in time, but i travel forward as well. i wonder if i will one day have that kind of love for my own, this love that they documented with decades' worth of cameras over almost a century. i wonder if my own memories will one day be viewed with this same silent awe by my own grandchildren. i wonder...and i allow myself to dream -- a luxury i rarely grant myself -- even as i am remembering and reliving moments gone by. i catch glimpses of laughter to be shared, love that will encircle me, memories made with friends & family, a future that makes me catch my breath just for a moment with a joyful anticipation i wasn't sure i was still able to feel.

i see these people, too long already removed from my current world, and i can hear their voices. i can recall in a heartbeat memories that might otherwise drift from my mind without notice. i am transported back to my Gram's dining room, to Christmas mornings, to the backyard i grew up in, to once in a lifetime events, and to every day simplicities that have more value than i ever could have believed possible.

it's too easy to disconnect from our personal histories. to wander our own paths, forgetting where we came from without visual reminders to bring us home in thought if not in body. to live in the now so much that we miss how we fit into the big picture, the moments that took place in the lives of those we cherish when we couldn't be present, in lifetimes that were lived long before we had even arrived. and yet, staring into these scenes and images, i am able to move both backward & forward, simultaneously, while sitting absolutely still.

time will roll forward. the days and months and years that i sit here wondering, perchance dreaming, about will become reality one by one, unfolding into my present, and slipping behind me like pages turned in a book. and if i have learned anything from my trip down memory lane, i will continue to tote around my camera, capturing scenes not unlike those in the piles on my coffee table, yet completely unique as only i will see them.

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pain & loathing

did someone taint the Crystal Light or something? because this getting ridiculous. Thursday, we get a strong outing by the kid from AA, but the bullpen blows up like an old landmine. Friday, we lose in extra innings. last night, Clay pitches eight solid innings -- a one-hit wonder up until the eighth -- and it's as if we've forgotten how to score runs. don't even get me started on how angry just hearing the names Akinori Iwamura or Carl Crawford makes me or how close i am to finding an actual use for Lugo that may or may not include using him to beat Duh-Wayne and Joe Migraine into pulp the next time i am forced to listen to their inane yammering.

and then there's this:
hoped to see Lowell play? DL rehab assignment in Pawtucket.
hoped to see Casey play? making his own DL appearance with a strained hip flexor.
and now we are also considering Papi to be day-to-day because he banged his newly repaired knee when he train-wrecked his way to being called out at first Friday night, diving into the bag?? reason #412 why we should not ever EVER see anything like this from the Big Man again. men that large defy the physics of being able to slide, dive or otherwise throw their bodies onto the ground.

(Yahoo! Sports--no it's not from Friday, but i couldn't find one of those, and anyway, it makes the point: look at the lack of grace & the expression on his face.)

sorry. four consecutive losses make me cranky.

so today we hope & pray that Commander Kickass can stop the bleeding; that Manny remembers this is a contract year; that Tek dosn't look quite so grey & sickly (although the pallor might actually just be the God-awful lighting in the Trop); that the bats (or lack thereof) and/or the bullpen don't undo whatever good might be taking place from the mound; that any Rays fan that attended yesterday's game won't be at today's with those freaking cow bells; and that some way, some how, i won't witness a sweep, live, at the hands of the Tampa Bay Sunbeams.

by the way, seeing as how Sox fans are genetically pre-programmed to fall prey to belief in things like curses, i think i've discovered a new one: Lugo. the Rays unloaded him on us (while *pretending* to make a big stink but secretly rejoicing) and have quietly gone about picking up players we've allowed to wander aimlessly away -- Carlos Pena, Eric Hinske, Brendan Donnelly -- and somehow this seems to keep biting us on the the rear, as these players excel. the jig is up, Tampa. give us back our guys & put this ever-loving Human Void back where he belongs. and someone needs to keep an eye on our team before any others wander over into Joe Maddon's evil clutches, hypnotized by his glasses' mind-control capabilities, the mind-numbing grey-green lighting of the Tropicana Dome, and the antics of Raymond the Big Blue Unidentifiable Nightmare.

go Sox? please?

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summing it up

let me recap last night's Sox game for you:

Duh-Wayne & Joe Migraine make my ears bleed. seriously, if i had to hear them whine for even one more minute about how the Rays are never on the good end of a bad call when they play the Sox or Yankees, i was going to get in my car & head to the Trop two days early. and it wasn't going to be to watch the game.

Julio.Freaking.Lugo. seventh error on the season. yet another key situation in which we groan while watching an inning-ending double play. nuff said.

Sean Casey may be on his way to the DL with a right hip flexor strain. that would leave us only four guys to play four infield spots (and i say "four guys" loosely, since i am counting Lugo on that list). dear Lord, please let us make it through the next two games with an intact infield, because i do truly believe Lugo would pick *now* to get hurt when we have no more players available. i suppose we could always shift Lowrie to SS, shuttle Youk *back* across the diamond to third, and insert Papi at first...

::long sigh::
i hope it goes better tonight.

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if they don't stop with the implosion, the bullpen may be forced to walk the plank

how about some random thoughts from yesterday's game? (no? too bad. that's all i've got.)

1:36pm - Justin Masterson's first pitch was a strike. also? he wears his socks properly. =)

(Boston Globe)

2:22pm - wow! nice sliding catch by Ellsbury for the 3rd out. he & Coco came screaming at each other toward the ball. that's a scary thought. kinda like two meteors hurtling at each other. i cringed just waiting for the collision.

2:34pm - sinkerball pitch, ground ball to Lowrie, toss across to Youk. repeat. repeat. repeat. he's recorded 6 of 11 outs that way so far.

2:43pm - RBI ground rule double for Coco, Youk home! and then Coco steals 3B. Remy: "guess that hamstring's feeling all right."

2:55pm - could just be beginner's luck but Masterson is pitching better than what we see from Lestah most starts.

3:08pm - Matsuzaka is staying in Boston for the Tampa trip so he can keep his germies to himself. i think they should bring him & have him cough in Kazmir's glove.

3:11pm - nice. they show action in the pen (Lopez & MDC) and Lopez is caught on mic hacking away. enough with the sickies!!

3:24pm - DUDE. standing O for Masterson. ends the 6th with a K. fantastic first start, Kid!

3:30pm - Coco just stole 3B for the 2nd time today. he is either making a bid to play more or get traded. (more likely the former, since Kielty just had hand surgery that will keep him out four to six weeks.)

3:34pm - Lopez in. hope he doesn't blow Masterson's potential W.

3:47pm - walk & a single to start the 7th. ::gives Javier A Look:: MDC coming in. i sure hope he's healthy enough for this...

3:51pm - Timlin & Aardsmer warming now. even though someone was talking loudly by me & i couldn't hear Don, i can tell by their socks. ;-)

3:54pm - 6 pitches & MDC has yet to throw a single strike. have i mentioned they're loaded? and no outs?

3:57pm - ARG! still loaded, no one out & a run scored. Tito gives him the hook. Jeemer coming into a sticky situation.

4:01pm - Jeemer gives up a single. game tied at 3. still loaded. still no outs.

4:04pm - single scores 2 more & Matthews takes 2B on a bobble by Coco. 2 in scoring position with no outs. 5-3 Angels.

4:07pm - IBB for Vlad & we're loaded again. i know it's to set up a double play but can this be a good plan given what's happened so far this inning?

4:09pm - Youk just crashed into the rolled tarp with both knees & his left shoulder trying to catch a foul ball. he went down for a bit but stays in.

4:13pm - finally. back to back Ks for Jeemer. two down. one more to go before the nightmare 7th can end.

4:16pm - 30+ pitches for Okajima & the 7th finally ends. 5-3 Angels.

(left work here so i didn't see the end of the game.)

suffice to say, no comeback from the 7th inning from hell, even with a two-run homer from Papi in the 9th. no mark in the win column for Masterson even though he had a *great* debut. hopefully we'll right the ship tonight with Wake who happens to be 9-1 at The Trop. i will be saying a silent prayer that he doesn't end up hurt like he has the last couple of outings on the unforgiving artificial surface...

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blocked

did you ever feel like you really have something to say but it won't crystallize into actual words, and it blocks the outlet for anything else with its stubborn refusal to be expressed?

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dropping like flies

so let me get some things straight:
**Tek is sick & not catching for the fifth straight day, only one start of which belonged to Wakefield. we have no back up catcher with Tek too sick to play, and both of our emergency catchers (Cora & Lowell) are unavailable. we do have a volunteer from Pedroia to catch though. i question if he would be able to reach the top of the strike zone in a squatting catcher's stance though. maybe he could just stand. ;-) one thing i do know though: he wouldn't be afraid to block home plate from a runner charging from third.
**Beckett & Matsuzaka were both scratched from their starts, also down with the flu, forcing David Pauley to come up last minute for a spot start, Jon Lester to pitch on three days' rest after a 106-pitch outing in his last start, and now AA Portland's Justin Masterson gets the rubber match this afternoon against an undefeated Joe Saunders because Lester pitched last night.
**MDC is also on the sickbed, and i am very suspicious that all this started with Jeemer's stiff neck that caused him to miss games since the Cleveland series with a "stiff neck" eerily similar to Beckett's, only just returning earlier this week.
**add to that Coco being hurt & just showing up in the line up today, and Youk straining his back, plus Lowell & Cora on the DL...

so basically, the team is either sick or injured, save for a few players, who i now fear are just a matter of time away from their own inflictions. except for Lugo, who will continue to torture me by remaining healthy as a horse. (yes, i know, hot hitting streak right now. in his case, i root for the uniform but i still don't like its contents.)

provided he's healthy, it looks like i will still be seeing Beckett pitch on Sunday. looking forward to that! and also to possibly seeing Sean Casey play, since Lowell won't be activated until after the off day when the Sox meet the Jays in Boston on Tuesday.

in a nutshell: thank God for being 15-8 or i would be afraid we'd be well on our way to hell in a handbasket.

i think i need to offer up a prayer for Justin Masterson... and lots-o-offense...

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Friday's Feast: April 21, 2008

Feast One Hundred & Eighty Three

Appetizer
Name a color you find soothing.
blue in soft or deep shades

Soup
Using 20 or less words, describe your first driving experience.
probably the most tense, nerve-wracking & intimidating experience of my life.

Salad
What material is your favorite item of clothing made out of?
LOL! polyester. but before you call the fashion police on me, it's a baseball jersey!!

Main Course
Who is a great singer or musician who, if they were to come to your town for a concert, you would spend the night outside waiting for tickets to see?
i would not spend the night waiting outside for tickets even to see the Red Sox, if that tells you anything.

Dessert
What is the most frequent letter of the alphabet in your whole name (first, middle, maiden, last, etc.)?
N - appears 3 times.

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if Mega says it...

...it must be true, right?

seriously, i have no clue why you people continue to come back here, but i love that you do!

and speaking of blogs, i have a new one for my recipes for those of you interested in such things. i really started it as a resource for myself to have all the recipes that i've tried & liked available to me in one place (and the label feature allows me to organize them easily), but since some of you often ask what i'm cooking for dinner, i thought i would make it public & share. it's only in its infancy stages, but i suspect it will grow quickly! =)

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my RSN card has been revoked

::sheepishly:: i dozed off during the Sox game yesterday. the Sox were down 5-2. i was just going to close my eyes for a minute & listen to the game. all of a sudden i am opening my eyes to see Sean Casey drawing a walk & that bases were loaded. i thought "oh this is nice. maybe they can mount a comeback. being down by two runs is by no means insurmountable." and then i heard Don going insane that the Sox had taken the lead.

ummm... huh??

i had missed *three* runs scoring to tie the game??
::hangs head::
at least i saw the go-ahead run score...

as long as i have been ex-communicated, i might as well admit that, while i want the Sox to win for the sweep, if we *have* to take a loss today, then i hope it's because Kason Gabbard has an awesome game. i always liked him...

in other news, A-Rod has an owie. the Big Hurt was released by the Jays (and somewhere Tim Wakefield exhales in relief). and rumor has it that when i attend the Sox game this coming Sunday, not only will i be seeing a Josh Beckett start, but there is a chance Mike Lowell will be back in the line up. can i get a woohoo on all that?

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i think it's still orbiting the earth

you know, the ball Manny launched into the atmosphere to bring the Sox from behind to win yet again.

what else can i say? it's good to be a Sox fan.

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i love this team

i so called that Big Papi grand slam. i swear. you can look back in my Twitter archives & see it for yourself. one can only hope that this sets Papi back on track. it must be some kind of relief for him.

what is this player catching the ball at SS? they actually *do* that? i had no idea. fascinating... and he can hit too?? (single, double, sac fly rbi)

RBI wallball double for Tek. triple for Ellsbury. Casey running like he was being chased by Satan. two-run jack for Pedroia. all in one inning.

i love it when Remy & Don are unintelligible because they are laughing so hard. it can only mean good things.

random thought: if Remy can say Jeemer & Aardsmer & Pedroier, why does Snyder come out Snydah? yes, i know the mechanics of "Boston English" and the phenomenon of Displaced R Symdrome -- which i *love* by the way -- but this clearly proves that he *could* SnydER if he says JeemER. oh never mind. this is what happens in games the Sox won in the fifth inning. ;-)

Sean Casey slides with about as much grace as Papi or Manny but i maintain: i <3 Sean Casey.

on a horribly called third strike on Lowrie in the bottom of the 8th, the poor kid just stood there stunned. he made his way back to the dugout to be greeted by Papi, who was doing a "stunned Jed Lowrie" impression. that grand slam did wonders. Big Papi is back & the proper order of the universe is restored.

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SPF: April 18, 2008

Kristine says:
Friday April 18th: HERO.
Who’s your hero? What is symbolic of a hero? What does Hero mean to you? What does it look like?



i couldn't take my photo for "hero" myself. i had to scan one in that i already had.

i don't know exactly how i would define 'hero' but i know heroes give of themselves, at a cost, for the benefit of others. and i know that we look up to heroes for those sacrifices. and i know that heroes are often so much more than we even see or realize or acknowledge, because we can't, because they don't broadcast it, because they do without expecting accolades.

that photo says 'hero' in many ways to me. some less obvious than others. i mean that young man there put on a uniform for his country & served his Uncle Sam. and to this day won't talk about much of it. based on the few stories i have heard, and what history i have read, i can't say as though i blame him. that young man in a uniform is a hero for his country.

that young man also grew up to be my father. a single father of two. in a time when fathers were not often the ones awarded custody of small children. a father who sacrificed so much -- and probably so much more than i will ever know -- for his kids.

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Moose-hunting season

random thoughts while viewing yesterday's game:

...it's just not cool to hit Speedy McEllsbury. he's going to help himself to a second base now just because he can.

(Yahoo! Sports)

...Manny say buh-bye.

...just say no to YES. i don't recall these guys be *this* insufferable last year.

...DUDE. stop hitting Speedy. ha!! this time he will take *two* bases to make you pay. wanna hit him a third time?

(Yahoo! Sports)

...Manny say buh-bye. (again.) (this time for two runs.) (still not tired of watching him knock balls out of the park.) (are we going to keep up this pattern all night? hit Ellsbury followed by a steal & then Manny homers, each time for additional bases/RBI?)

...these YES guys are unreal. "obviously Julio Lugo is not the same kind of hitter Manny Ramirez is." ya *think*??

...2007 Tek with two on-two out: swinging K. 2008 Tek with two on-two out: RBI single. long live the Cap'n.

...is it wrong that i take immense pleasure in Beckett K-ing Benedict Damon?

...::snort:: Casey has bedhead in the dugout. or possibly the wild hair you see on a Little Leaguer, standing up like Alfalfa. i ♥ Sean Casey.

...am i surprised that Lugo hit a single & then got picked off trying to steal second? no. no i am not. JFL. the Human Void.

...Julio Lugo in a Yankees uniform... what? a girl has a right to her fantasies. ;-)

...after the game on YES: "The Joba Chamberlain Story," complete with dramatic piano solo background music. ::chokes back laughter::

...joy, thy name is Kyle Farnsworth loosening in the Yankee pen. i didn't realize the EE would wave the white flag down 7-3 in the top of the seventh. (ok we didn't score off him. no big deal. it was clearly a fluke.)

...wha?? since when does Cheerio Mouth switch pitching personalities with Farnsworth?

...how 'bout that? Sox win. see ya back in Boston to take on the Rangers.

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sometimes all you can do is laugh

the only thing worth remembering about last night's game is Sean Casey stumbling as he led off second base, crawling back to the bag on his hands & knees, and calling himself safe. then sitting on second base, laughing.

and of course i can't find a photo of it *anywhere*.

have i mentioned that i really like Sean Casey?

(and also, enough broken infielders. why can't it be the *one* i wish would take an extended DL vacation??)

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Cap'n Clutch

you know what i am loving about this year's version of Sox? the ability to come from behind & win. because last year, that seemed to be a problem. that & i have noticed an even further progression toward playing more small ball & relying less on the long ball. it's exciting. the only thing that seems to be lacking, at the moment, is reliability from the pen. even Papi is finding his bat again. only one hit last night but instead of maddening double plays & striking out, he's giving that ball a ride. another month & some warmer night air and those hits will be outta here.

last year, i would have been sad when Tek was called in to pinch hit in the late innings of a Wakefield start. sad because he would have made an out. sad because it is not in my genetic composition to actually be angry with the Captain.

(Yahoo! Sports)
but this year? bring Tek off the bench in a tie game, bottom of the ninth? kiss that ball goodbye, baby. which, by the way, was his third home run of the season. =) (stop. don't even talk to me about "contract year" -- the C on his shirt & what he does behind that plate should ensure him a job in Boston. period.)

JFL didn't disappoint. and by that, i mean that he did exactly what i expect him to: things like hit into a double play with bases loaded in a tie game. that's fine with me though, because ya know what? Jed Lowrie picked up 3 RBI in his major league debut. a few more appearances of that nature and we'll really be off in the right direction. with Alex Cora heading to the DL, hopefully there will be a few more opportunities for Lowrie to shine.

Sox arrive in the Bronx for a two-game series starting tonight. poor Clay draws Wang again. that just doesn't seem fair... so here's to a couple mistakes from Wang, an equally strong outing as the last one for Clay, bats that stay alive, and Lowrie being Ellsbury Version 2008. Lowrie for SS! Clay for the win!

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of princes and princesses and other sweet delights

when Heather was in Florida, one of the things we did was dinner with Cinderella (the one at the Grand Floridian, not the one in the Castle). the food was good (an all you can eat buffet) but the highlight was... photo ops, of course!








and dessert. ;-)

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you know you're a Sox fan when...

...you hearing booing in Cleveland & mistake it for YOOOOOUK-ing. LOL!

i will admit when i saw how Lester was pitching, i mostly tuned out of this game. i knew the Sox were losing. i knew he was following a not-so-great last outing with one that was even less impressive. i do recall seeing an Oscar-worthy performance by Youk at one point. i seriously bought it until the replay showed the ball didn't even touch his hand. he sure put on a convincing show, hopping around there though. doesn't he know he's giving Sox fans heart failure? we're already down an infielder & the thought of having no third baseman is not all that pleasant. i am glad you earned a base, Youk, but you scared me, young man!! =P

seeing Manny hit a two-run blast to break a tie game & Papelbon coming in for a 1-2-3 ninth never gets old.

think the Indians are sick of Boston comebacks yet?

oh yeah. Papi? hit. 2-for-5. thanks for digging up that jersey, Steindevil Spawn! ;-)

backtracking just a bit. how did i miss this happening during Friday's game??


(photos from Yahoo! Sports)
apparently Manny decided to take a break during an eighth inning pitching change! LOL!

and speaking of Manny & backtracking, it appears as though once upon a time, our pajama-clad left fielder not only wore a uniform that fit, but also wore his socks correctly!! (that's Manny on the right, took me a minute too.)

(Boston Globe)

all that matters, though, is that a happy Manny is a productive Manny.

(Boston Globe)
may he be happy & productive tonight when Wakefield takes the hill. let Manny swing for the stars & let the knuckleball dance, making professional hitters look like... well, like *I* would at the plate. amen.

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Sing Along: April 15, 2008

I struggle sometimes to find the words
Always sure until I doubt
Walk a line until it blurs
Build the walls too high to climb out
("Better As a Memory," Kenny Chesney)

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reverse curse

amazed that i managed to not blog an entire Sox-Yankees series? ;-)

let me summarize:

Wang had one of those games on Friday where all you can do is collect your loss & give the man his due. that was one heck of a game pitched. Clay actually didn't pitch as poorly as i thought he might, and could have even potentially come away with a win if he hadn't been up against the complete game performance he pitched against.

Saturday brought a rust-free Beckett. and rain. and a grand total of five-and-a-half hours of Joe Buck making my ears bleed by the time all was said & done. it was like the Yankees were the only team on the field. a dribbler for the EE was worth fifteen minutes of gushing & swooning. a wall ball by Pedroia was barely acknowledged. it was all worth it though, when Buck's inane drooling about how Papelbon was going to face ARod with two on, with all the eyebrow-wiggling implication that Slappy was going to show Cheerio Mouth the way things are. 150 minutes worth of "back to you, Joe" leading to all but blatant predicition that Ol' Blue Lips was going to damage the Sox. and ninety seconds after play resumed, Papelbon Kd a foolish looking ARod to end the world's longest eighth inning. Sox evened the series.

Sunday was a sloppy performance by Matsuzaka but the bats were alive & all over Phil Hughes like midges on Joba, and the Sox took the series in the rubber match.

a couple of random thoughts:

1. i am thinking Giambi's two home runs off Timlin in two appearances may make Greasy a marked man. and that giant square head of his is no small target for Mike Timlin's crossbow.

2. much as i miss Mike Lowell, i am eating up this opportunity to see what Sean Casey brings to the team. if possible, i like him even more now.

3. seems there was a Sox fan construction worker who planted a Papi jersey in the concrete of the visitor's dugout (or was it clubhouse?) area of the new Yankee Stadium. the pinstriped front office poo-poo'd the idea of it effectively being a curse, with exasperated eye rolls, but i see they didn't waste any time in digging up the jersey either. i am hoping maybe they did us a favor. maybe it was actually adversely affecting Papi, as he seems to be waist-deep in an uncharacteristic inability to hit the ball? now that his jersey is freed from it's concrete confines, we'll see what he does tonight.
(photo from Yahoo! Sports)

4. speaking of tonight. we will also see if Lestah is going to Jekyll & Hyde us through 2008 (alternating good starts with forgettable ones) or if he's going to start confirming my fears that he's not the prospect Theo & company claim him to be.

here's hoping for tonight resulting in a three-game win streak for the Sox!

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Friday Fill-in: April 11, 2008

Friday Fill-in #67

1. I love springtime in Florida almost as much as i love Autumn in New England! (are you all sick of hearing me say that yet? lol)
2. yogurt & a granola bar, a bowl of Special K Red Berries, or some fresh fruit are foods I love to eat for breakfast.
3. It seems I'm always searching for the right thing to say.
4. stretching out in bed & laying in the dark silence is a great way to end the day.
5. I think I have way better friends than i possibly deserve but i am immeasurably thankful for them!
6. calmness is what I've been craving lately.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching the Sox win, tomorrow my plans include hoping the Sox win and Sunday, I want to watch the Sox beat the Yankees! (you're not noticing a theme here or anything are you?)

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Friday Fiver: April 11, 2008

in regard to my previous post, let's just say that i feel better now, thanks to some sincere & thoughtful words from someone whose thoughts & opinions i respect. you know who you are. =) and so i am going to shake it & move along.



Singing mighty protest songs

1. When were you born?
in the Autumn ;-)

2. What's your favorite photograph?
oh man... i could *never* pick just one. you people seriously have *no* idea how many photos i actually have. and maybe it's better we keep it that way. ;-)

3. What's the longest distance you've run?
i am not a fan of the running. i have done my fair share, but not for very long distances by any means. at least not since i was a kid.

4. What is familiar?
Boston accents. settling into the hug of someone you love. laughing with friends. hymns i've sung in church for as far back as i can remember.

5. What do you count on?
the sun coming up. Heaven. my friends.

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apology

apparently i have come across as very negative & snippy this week, according to a rather shocking & upsetting email i received.

if anyone has been offended by my negative attitude, i apologize. one of my best friends, a 27-year-old mother of three, had an MRI done earlier in the week because she was feeling numbness in her arms from her fingers to her elbows & they were afraid it was MS. it turns out there is some sort of mass under her skull where her brain & spinal cord meet, and they do not know what it is.

needless to say, my mood has been distracted at best & downright cranky at worst. so, if i have offended anyone, i apologize. if you feel so inclined, please keep her in your thoughts and/or prayers. and in the mean time, perhaps i should just be quiet until i have something more positive to say.

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SPF: April 11, 2008

Kristine says:
Friday April 11th: BAD.
Everything is bad right now. BAD BAD BAD. Show me your bad.

perfect topic for me. because bad? this week was bad. the whole thing was pure evil. birthed straight from the depths of hell. for me. for people i care about it. just... bad. thank *God* it's Friday.

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bagged

ok so like forever ago, April tagged me. i had some friends visiting in the area (photos of that coming soon!) & haven't been around much lately, but i've been meaning to get to this. i was going to wait til i got home today, but the way *that's* been going, putting it off seemed like not so much the best idea if i was ever going to get this done. so i whipped out my camera right here at my desk & decided to risk everyone here thinking i am crazy. (i know at least one of you has a comment right at the tip of your tongue. you just keep your opinions to yourself. =P yes, *you*.)

the whole idea is that you share a peek into your purse. first, i should state that my lack of interest in shoes also spills over into purses. second, i don't exactly carry a purse. i prefer to use a bag because half the time i carry stuff that wouldn't fit in a purse anyway.

ok, here is the bag. i think it's pretty cute. the palm trees make me smile. they are embroidered. and have i mentioned cute?


let's see what we have in here, shall we? (i promise to spare you the tampons, but really? i *am* a woman, so their existence shouldn't be that much of a shock.) kinda hard to see in there. i know! let's make a bigger scene by pulling it all out!


we have some Advil LiquiCaps, a supply of Band-aids, some little alcohol pads for keeping the glasses clean (*hate* smudges on my glasses!), Purell, a Shout wipe (can i just tell you how many times i have been a hero for having one of these handy?), Kleenex, Soft Lips (vanilla of course!) and some oil-absorbing sheets which may be one of my favorite beauty inventions *evah*...


...and here we have a photo CD that i need to return to Heather (oops forgot to do that Monday night at dinner), these little Post-It flags (that come in so freaking handy!), a very special set of keys and in that baggie is my emergency "i feel a cold coming on" survival kit consisting of Halls Defense Vitamin C drops & some Cold-Eeze zinc lozenges -- because unless you launch an immediate strike at the first hint of a symptom, this method of germ warfare just does not work as well. (not sick now, just like to be prepared in the event that i need it.)


then there is the ever-present daily planner, a pen, my wallet, sunglasses (tucked safely in their case), my driver's license (which was floating around inside my bag unattended for some reason but is now safely tucked back into its spot in my wallet), my keys, my cell phone & two lists.


and finally, today the bag is housing my camera bag, which needed to come to work with me so that i could use it for something you will find here tomorrow. ;-)


as per usual, i am not tagging anyone to play, but by all means, play along if you want to & let me know that you have so i can come snoop through *your* stuff. =P

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it's not the loss that worries me

i think there were a few too many walks (and runs) given up by Lestah; may have to change his nickname to Jekyll & Hyde if he keeps up this habit of alternating good & bad games.

dear Lestah:

(click it to enlarge for easier viewing. go ahead, i'll wait.)
and also:


there was a botched double play when Lugo bobbled a ball, and later hit into a double play eliminating the two runners on with the Sox down two runs, then getting picked off himself, responsible for all three outs in the home half of the fourth. this negates anything good he may or may not have actually accomplished during other parts of this game. which is still my point: he does good things (occasionally) & then immediately finds ways to *undo* them.

i know Youk took a hit in, what appeared to be, his chest, but thankfully he was able to stay in the game. he also managed to recover, snag the ball & tag the base for the out before allowing himself to react to the pain. the man is hardcore. perhaps he gets his power from the Face Beast, something like Samson's hair? (sorry, folks, but you need to know your Bible stories to get that reference.)


confirmed that David Aardsmer (as introduced by Remy) wears his socks properly.

it looks as though hitting in Fenway agrees with Sean Casey.

Corey did not exactly make a compelling bid to not be the one sent down when Timlin gets activated, hopefully this evening after the game. of the three likely candidates (Corey, Aardsma, Lopez), it's his performances that are alarming me the most. right now.

it's not really baseball season until Julian plunks a batter to load the bases. to his credit, he didn't give up a run.

the Tigers finally pulled off a win. it was bound to happen eventually. kinda wish they had waited til they got to Chicago & gotten it against the Other Sox, but that's just the way it goes.

however, all i can think about is my Lowell is broken. listed as day-to-day with a sprained left thumb after he rolled over his gloved hand making a diving play on the first batter of the game.
::whimper::

(all photos courtesy of the Boston Herald)

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it finally feels like it's really baseball season

i only watched one of the three games in Toronto this past weekend. from everything i have read, i pretty much caught the gist of the series in one game. a couple of quick thoughts before we move on to bigger & better (and more current) things:

1. Lugo continued his bid to be named Most Useless SS in Major League Baseball. he managed to rack up *three* errors in one game. yeah yeah, i *know* Mike Lowell did the same thing last season but BUT!! Mike Lowell is also a Gold Glove infielder, something JFL most certainly is *not*, so when it happened to reliable Number 25, we were all stunned. i am thinking not so much with the stunned when Lugo did it Sunday. it was just another slap-yourself-in-the-forehead moment in his lackluster presence on the Sox. i have come to the conclusion that JFL has good games like other people have bad ones: every once in a while he has a game where he is out of character.

2. Frank Thomas at the plate with bases loaded makes me feel ill.

3. getting swept in Toronto stinks. being outscored 23-9 in three games stinks. three-week road trips stink. but better now than in August.

two other random thoughts:

1. i am going to miss Kyle Snyder. i don't think DFA-ing him was the way to go. i can think of several other relievers who might have taken a trip down to AAA instead of just releasing Snyder. in my opinion, you can never have too many pitchers, and he's come through for us on more than one occasion.

2. on the topic of never having too many pitchers, Bartolo Colon takes a seat with a strained right oblique. that didn't take long, now did it.

but none of that matters right now. ya know why? because yesterday was the home opener. and the Sox brought bats. and the pitchers brought Ks (11!!). and JD Drew proves he was the correct recipient of the 2008 Julian Tavarez Second Chance Award, what with his hits in all five games, two home runs in Japan, and yesterday's stellar catch covering Coco when he lost the ball in the sunny sky and patiently waiting out a bases-loaded at-bat to walk Youk in for a run.

yes, i know, Papi is suffering a silent bat. but just like the sputtering that took place in Toronto, the season is young. things will slowly settle into place. i am of the notion that a little home-sweet-home and the reminder of some World Series sparkle for the hand will awaken the slumbering beast. my only true complaint of the day is whatever that is going on on MDC's chin. =P

(Boston Globe)

as Johnny Pesky said to start yesterday's home opener: play ball!

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overload

i have email to catch up on.

i have two blog makeovers to work on.

i have my own blogging to do, including a Sox post, photos from this weekend and several memes & tags i've wanted to get to.

my Google Reader is growing by the minute. (i swear you people blog more when i don't have time to actually sit down & read, but when i am bored silly, you're all suspiciously quiet.)

i have a to do list that keeps multiplying.

i think my brain might explode.

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Friday Fill-in: April 4, 2008

Friday Fill-in #66

1. Tonight I saw into the future? lol! i haven't seen anything yet tonight because it's still today!
2. when the Red Sox win a game, it makes me wanna dance!
3. Splitting a few appetizers between friends is my idea of the perfect dinner.
4. pretty much any one of my bloggy buddies is someone I'd like to get to know better.
5. The smell of orange blossoms reminds me so much of springtime!
6. we talked about it and that made it all better.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to dinner with Cinderella and my god daughter (and her mommy, daddy & baby brother), tomorrow my plans include Epcot, lunch in Germany & some Magic Kingdom (probably all in the rain but at least that should mean lighter crowds) and Sunday, I want to watch the Sox game that i will have recorded after i get back home from watching my friend Michelle's daughter perform at Magic Kingdom!

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SPF: April 4, 2008

Kristine says:
Friday April 4th: TRIANGLE.
What kind of triangle do you all have goin’ on? *wiggling eyebrows*

i thought... a triangle??? i was thisclose to taking poetic license & coming up with a photo at an angle, calling my interpretation "try angle"...

and then i found this:

i wonder if anyone will know what/where this is..?
;-)

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