Saturday, June 12, 2010

Game 64: Nava Hagila!

When Red Sox fortunes looked bleak, with emergency starter Scott Atchison stepping in for an injured Dice K, rookie outfielder Daniel Nava slammed his first major league pitch into the bullpen for a grand slam, leading to a rout of Joe Blanton and the Phillies in Boston, 10-2.

I Know It's Saturday, but...

Here's my Wednesday Wickedness, which you can find here-10 questions, derived or created by statements from a famous person, this time one of the Patron Saints of Cool, Francis Albert Sinatra.


1. How often do you drink alcohol?


Never. And I'm not fudging or equivocating, either. I literally cannot remember the last drop of alcohol I tasted. Just don't care for it, never have, never will.



2. Have you ever gloated or wanted to gloat over success?



One of the pluses of being a failure is that you don't have to worry about gloating.



3. What do you enjoy most about your life?


Doing this.


4. Do you ever overthink?



Constantly.



5. Tell us about your best friend.


Hands down, in the clubhouse with a 10 shot lead, my wife. That isn't fair-it's an unfair burden to put that on your spouse-but it is undeniable.



6. How important is intelligence when picking (or having picked) a s.o?




Critical. The fact that she is smokin' hot is just a side benefit.




7. What is the closest situation that you've had to dealing with an enemy?




I tend to shy away from conflict. I can't think of a time where I did anything but run away from an enemy.




8. What's your favorite color?


Red. Always has been.




9. Are you ever a clown?




When around small children. I will do nearly anything, including risking bodily injury, to make a small child laugh.




10. Have you ever tried getting even?



I'm not sure that I have.

100 Words: Those People

Another week, another 100 Word Challenge. It's located here, and if you don't get it by now, I don't know what else I can say to explain it. My entry is entitled "Those People".








I felt it before I heard it, and I heard it before I saw it. Lisa suddenly had a crowd of women around her desk, with flushed voices and high, excited laughter. I picked up my phone to feign work. Three years ago, it was weddings, friends and colleagues forcing you into pastel dresses and shoes. Now it's an epidemic of babies-swollen bellied women who talk of nothing but hormones and heaving, then later feedings and diapers. Was I less of a woman to not want any of this? To sit here is impolite, to join them unbearable. I stood.

Games 62 and 63: Gradually, and Then Suddenly

On Thursday night in Cleveland, Boston scored two runs in the ninth on a homer from Yo Adrian to take a 7-6 lead. However, t'were not to end well, as the Bard of Avon composed some inharmonious prose, allowing a two run single to Russell Branyan in the bottom half to give Cleveland an 8-7 win.

On Friday night in Boston, prospective AARP member Jamie Moyer was given a frightful beating, as the Red Sox rang him up for 6 doubles, 2 singles, a walk,and a homer in the first and second innings on the way to a 12-2 shellacking. Moyer finished the game with the improbable pitching line 1+ 9 9 9 1 1.

And you thought you had a bad day.

Friday, June 11, 2010

Graduation Postgame

It is finished. I am now the parent of a high schooler. (*sob*)


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Sing A Song of Graduation




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Time for the graduation pregame warmups. My son, about to participate in his 8th grade graduation.


Thursday, June 10, 2010

Scu-Scu-Scutaro



(h/t deadspin.com)

Game 61: PRONK SMASH!

Old friend Bat Masterson dazzled the Red Sox, tossing a two hit shutout at Progressive Field in Cleveland. Adding insult to injury, Travis Hafner clouted a long, long grand slam off of Joe Nelson to slam the door shut on an 11-0 loss.

Boston is 35-26, and 5 full games out of first, and in third place.

Wednesday, June 09, 2010

Game 60: Name Your Own Price

Behind RBIs from Youk, Papi, and Bad Bill Hall, and 7 strong innings from Timmeh, the Red Sox beat the Clevelands last night at Progressive Field, 3-2. Flo was not available for comment. The Red Sox are now 35-25, firmly in third place but only 4 games back.

Tuesday, June 08, 2010

The Song Remains The Same

Dan Carlin had a great "Common Sense" show about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict here, and Scott Adams, while writing about something else, manages to neatly describe it here.

It's deeply depressing, but interesting to think about-you're forced to conclude, about the Israeli commando raid, that 1) Israel has a right to be very suspicious about anything being shipped to Gaza, and 2) Gazeans, for whatever else you may think about them, probably want to eat a meal now and then, and perhaps even drink some water. Both sides think they are right, and both sides, to some degree, are right.

It's like two fans arguing about sports-I say my team is better because of x, and you say yours is better because of y. We can both be right, and we're never going to solve anything.

It's a thorny dilemma.

So many other problems in modern life-the budget, the war, health care, financial regulation-have become so complex, with so many factors cancelling out other factors, and effects leading to causes leading to other effects, that, on their face, they seem insoluble.

I'm so glad I have voices like Dan Carlin to remind me that life, pretty much, is impossible.

***

I failed to note the passing of UCLA basketball coach John Wooden. While I don't have any deep personal feelings about Mr. Wooden, he influenced quite a few very intelligent men, like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton, which leads me to believe he is probably just as important as everyone says.

Shameless Self Promotion, Part MCMLXVIII

This is something I'm kind of proud of. Indieink.org is a great little site, and it's worth your time.

Game 59: Is It Me?

The enigmatic Dice K tossed a 8 inning, 112 pitch masterpiece, and combined with RBIs from Papi, Youk, JD, and Bad Bill Hall, it all added up to a 4-1 win last night over the Clevelands.

If you can figure this guy out, you're a better man (or woman) than I. You're almost certainly a better woman than I, either way.

Sunday, June 06, 2010

Sunday 160: Regret

It's Sunday, which means it's time for the aptly named Sunday 160. See here for the ruleses.
Mine is called "Regret".








I was not ready. I said, “Tell me.”
She said, “Don't be mad.” I said OK.
She told me, then ran to the bathroom.
She's not the only one who felt like vomiting.

Games 56, 57, and 58: Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the fly

On Friday night, the Red Sox tore up the joint in Charm City, blanking the Orioles, 11-0. Cowboy Clay The Guitar Man turned in a 101 pitch gem to get the win.

On Saturday, the Red Sox bats stayed quiet until erupting for 1 in the 7th, 1 in the 8th and 6 in the ninth to power an 8-2 win. Our Man Youk had his second homer in two days.

Today, the Red Sox scored a run in the ninth to tie the O's 3-3, but the Okey Doke gave it up in the 11th, sending Boston to a 4-3 loss.

The Red Sox are 33-25, still tied with Toronto for 3rd place, 4 1/2 games behind.

Next up, they travel to the Mistake by The Lake to play the Clevelands.