Saturday, August 19, 2006

Game 121: Dog Tired

Final Score:

Boston Red Sox 11, New York Yankees 14

Ladies and gentlemen, the longest nine inning game in major league history…and not for good reasons (is it ever for good reasons?). When nine Red Sox pitchers give up a combined 26 runs on 34 hits over two games; when neither starter pitches long enough to qualify for the win, which doesn’t even happen; when the bullpen does its best to put the games out of reach as fading veterans and inexperienced youth are not enough to hold back the tide of offense; when the game you’re supposed to win becomes the game you lose because somehow scoring 11 runs isn’t enough, I think you start to wonder a teeny, tiny bit if maybe this team isn’t meant to make to October this year. If last year’s playoff berth was an underserved honor, this year that honor is something you wouldn’t be worthy of thinking of. I knew at the start of the year that this team was a long shot that would only work if everything clicked; next year is the year I really expect to see things perform. But it’s so tough when you’re proven right…

More game tomorrow, about 12 hours from now. Beckett versus Johnson in the battle of the unreliable starters, as Robin called it a few hours ago. Dog tired, will probably go dream about baseball. Go Sox.