For years now I've read the liberal media (not sure what that moniker has to do with ANYTHING sports related - but I love saying it) reciting the mantra that goes something like this: "hitting wins games, but pitching wins championships." IF the mantra held true, then my beloved Red Sox would be mopped up the New York yankees in this weekend's series but then go on to win in the playoffs. Doesn't sound like much fun to me and my Fenway Parkers.
Truth be told, I see very few pitchers holding down an offensive lineup from the Bronx that is among the best in history - mark my words, this team will set some records. And contrary to the aforementioned mantra, recent history would suggest that "hitting wins almost every game, and pitching (unless absolutely dominant) comes in a close second." But then again, that doesn't quite have the wise ring to it that the first one did now does it? Essentially, whoever gets hot at the plate destroys the other team and the only pitching stories are ones of ballooning ERAs and "how in the world did THAT pitcher win?" kinda of stuff. Throw in a few late-game heroes (hitters) against pitchers whose names we almost never remember... and there you have it. In a short note of qualification, I want you to notice that I did say only in "recent history." Certainly over time, the melodic first mantra of sports will by-and-large ring true.
How can you bet AGAINST a trio of pitchers in Schilling (downright NASTY his past two starts), Beckett (3-0 with an ERA of 1.50), and Dice-K Matsuzaka (almost as dominant but with all of 5 total runs offense to back him up in three starts)? Good thing I don't bet... even I might take a piece of that action. Unfortunately the ever-living pessimis, er, realist in me reminds me that our "aces" have not had particularly excellent outings versus our foes from the inner city. And how long would we have to lick our wounds if they all got smoked? Let's hope we don't find the answer to that question any time soon.
So on to this weekend - I've wasted most of my time here telling you stuff that you no doubt already know or at least have yelled at the TV or muttered under your breath more than once a week during recent baseball seasons. How about the stuff you haven't heard much about... our lineup, the yanks pitching oddities, and the ticket outlook.
The Red Sox lineup - in recent years the most potent in baseball. If you think I'm biased, you're right - but I don't lie and I won't exaggerate. We're talking about a team that a few years ago broke, er, smashed the 1927 yankees team's season mark for slugging percentage. Ouch.
However, this as been a year of question marks for the Fenway faithful as they watch as one well-known Hall of Famer put it, an offense that has "sputtered at times this year." Sputtered? How about imploded? Yes Boston leads the AL East with a 9-5 record and recently completed a rain-shortened 3 games sweep of the LA Angels... but check out that stats for the two primary yankee killers of late, David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez: both batting under .200 until Papi went on a tear versus the Angels and in Toronto and until Manny's last AB versus the Blue Jays in which he tied the game with his FIRST bomb of the season (it took him 50 ABs). And these guys were a combined .405 with 13 HRs and 37 RBI last year against the yanks. Let's just hope their bats stay out of hibernation for a while...
The yankee pitching staff - a long-term strength for this ball club but has scuttled in recent years amidst poor GM work and constant injuries. BUT - they've still won the division in those weak years thanks to that All-Star lineup. This year they've got the arms, but only off-season acquiree Andy Pettite (sound familiar?) will qualify as an "ace" caliber arm this weekend when they face the BoSox this weekend. Hmmm... this sounds a LOT like what those anxious fans in Cleveland were thinking when they sent Jake Westbrook and Jeremy Sowers in versus the yanks in the house that Ruth built. What happened? Two no-name starting pitchers named Darrell Rasner and Chase Wright hold the vaunted Indians to 4 earned runs total in their time on the mound and the bronx bombers absolutely demolished the Tribe. Look out Boston aces. I love you but I hope you're ready.
The toughest ticket in sports - unless you're playing in the Bronx. Get ready to shell out the dough folks! I paid an average of $315 per ticket to see a couple of Sox/yanks tilts in Fenway last year... and I was WAY up in the grandstand. I just looked online and there are some seats going for over $3000 EACH - it's April people!!
But then after reading this whole she-bang (if you were wise enough to do so), you might as well throw it ALL out the window and just sit back and watch the war. These teams NEVER follow the script when they play, their fans almost never apologize for rubbing it in when they win, and they never cease to amaze us with their innate ability to turn conventional wisdom on its ear. You gotta love April baseball - its for psychos!!
1 comment:
Let the games begin!!!
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