Game 131: Ego & Superego

Final Score:

Boston Red Sox 7, Tampa Bay Devil Rays 6

Introducing Robin, long time friend, long time commenter, now a writing force to be reckoned with as the second voice of this blog. We’re going to experiment with a few different posting formats, but the result will be better and more coverage overall. For this post, Robin’s words are in italics; here’s his introduction in his own words:

If Eric is the coffee, I am the lap you spill it in. If he is a bright day, I am a drunken night. He's water, I'm a flaming shot. Born and raised a Masshole, I now one of the many Sox fans living behind enemy lines on the New York front. I find sports to be the greatest source of both triumph and suffering... and nothing is funnier than those two things.

Enjoy.

---

It must be rough to be Tampa Bay, score 6 runs 3 nights in a row, take the early lead two of those nights and see your game taken apart by the monstrous offensive power the Red Sox are able to muster.

The only thing that blew more than the starting pitching of this game, was the wind out over the monster.

Although Wakefield gave up three home runs for five runs in his eight innings of work, he, like Schilling the night before was able to hold the line after an early rough start until the offense could get everything back, retiring his last 16 batters and striking out 4 in a row.

Seriously, Wakefield needs to keep that knuckle ball LOW or it ends up on the Mass Pike. His pitch selection is 1) Knuckle 2) Curve 3) Hanging Curve 4) “Fastball” 5) Meatball.

Powered by home runs by Mirabelli, Ortiz and two by Millar (yes, you read that right – I think the man’s starting to find his swing again – maybe it’s the new haircut), the Sox made it 5 – 5 and then, with Millar’s second home run, 7 – 5.

Apparently the Peroxide leeched into his brain, damaging the area that made him pop out in foul territory whenever there are men on base. I hope he and Schilling used the same bottle so he can get his ERA somewhere below his waist size. Also, rivers ran red with blood, locusts filled the air, fire fell from the sky and Mirabelli stole his second base of the year last night. Worth noting.

Mike Timlin came on in the ninth, gave up a double then ground out three outs, allowing a single run to score.

Timlin is the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of this bullpen. Sometimes he’s lights out, sometimes I want to crap in my hand just so I have something to throw at the TV.

In his post-game press conference, Millar invoked the gods of 2003 (but, thankfully, with the manager of 2004) with his Cowboy Up hat and desire to “get this city rockin' and rollin' and forget about the first five months of the season.” If that’s what it takes for more home runs (hell, even more production), I’m all for it – they can even bring back the Rally Karaoke video.

Are you kidding me? Bleached blonde men singing karaoke? When did the Red Sox clubhouse turn into the Manhole?

Going off of yesterday’s theme of Keith Foulke going low-intensity (He threw like crap) during his rehab assignment, Foulke told the press that he hopes his return to the majors and the resultant pressure to perform will increase his abilities back to where they should be. I’m not sure if I’m gratified that Foulke is being so candid, or terrified that we’re pinning our post-season hopes on a guy who needs external pressure sources to get his game going. I guess some people are wired that way; at least his sliders looked like they were supposed to.

Oh I’m sure! I am SURE that seeing him pick away at the corners of the plate with a 90mph fastball will make me go insane.

The Wells aftermath: after his meeting yesterday, Wells apologized to Bud Selig for his comments earlier this week, saying that he misunderstood the steroids policy and that there isn’t a big conspiracy in the MLB offices to get him or allow steroids users to play after they’ve tested positive. Of course, none of us know what happened behind those closed doors, so it’s likely that the truth is somewhere in the middle.

What happened was probably similar to the Russian Roulette scene from Deer Hunter. A loaded pistol is the only thing I can think of to make him do a total 180 like he did. Stick to guns Boomer and find us the truth! Where are the test results? Who’s on the juice? Is Michelle Damon that hot in real life? Get us the answers!

Meanwhile, the Sox aren’t sure who they’re going to pitch tomorrow – Lenny DiNardo’s name is floating around as a possible option.

DiNardo? That’s great. Its not like these games are important or anything.

Tonight, the Sox go for the sweep, with Arroyo against Doug Waechter. August is over now, Bronson – time to take the first step in improving the worst Boston month ERA since May, 2003. GO SOX!!!

Get the brooms! Guns and Corn is due for a good outing and Doug “Weight” Waechter has the “I’m gonna get shelled” look about him. Let’s do it…GO SOX!!!

tags: baseball | red sox | david wells | keith foulke | tim wakefield | kevin millar