Aaaand we're back..

(Note: I wrote all of this, then started searching through my archives for a picture of Petey to post, and decided to look through pics for half an hour.. then tried to fit a bunch of random favorites in here. Enjoy my mad photography skillz.)

http://youcanfeelthesun.blogspot.com/

Since i moved, I've been posting on the blog linked above. It's just life stuff, but it has been baseball-heavy of course. I really dont think most people who check that blog care about my baseball fixation, so maybe i'll try to split my content matter between sites.

2010! Moving right along, isnt it? Unfortunately for Red Sox Nation, all is not well. The Red Sox have tried to keep steady focus on their season, to leave dwelling on their collective personal issue outside of work hours so to speak, but clearly their distraught hearts are affecting their play.
..distraught because they're missing a rambunctious and previously-very-present fan at Fenway of course.

Had I known that my leaving would have THIS kind of effect on the start of the season, believe me, I never would have moved away. To the Red Sox, I would like to say this: I'm hurting as much as (and probably more than) you guys.

Hurting, in part, because you guys have had some pretty pathetic moments already. Thankfully, as usual, Dustin Pedroia is keeping me- and all of you- afloat when it's gametime.

No matter how bad things are looking... flat offense, errors, disappointing pitching... Petey steps up to the plate and within a minute I'm on my feet and my hands are in the air- homerun! stand-up double! rbi! He's always doing something right.

I have no specific agenda in writing tonight. Not sure if i'm missing the PawSox or RedSox more... at least I can watch the Red Sox. At least the Red Sox will come out this way in a few months. I listen to Paw Sox broadcasts when I can... just wish i could be there now and then. If Fenway was home, McCoy was my best friend's house, you know? The place I wanted to be if I couldnt be at Fenway. I almost always went alone, but i had many friends and acquaintances there- players, people who worked there, other fans. It's strange for me to think that Sean Danielson and Jeff Natale are gone.

Jeff and Sean

Sean

Neither of these guys got their due allotment of playing time last year, so in a way I'm glad that they're free to move on to new opportunities (Sean's in the Reds organization now but Jeff is unsigned last i heard).. still, even beyond their contribution to the actual games played, they were fixtures at McCoy for various reasons.. they made auxiliary marks on Pawtucket. I miss Charlie Zink too- it just wasnt his year last year.

He got picked up by the Cardinals in the offseason but was eventually let go during Spring Training. Sad sad sad. Such are the Minors though.

Last year around the trade deadline, I remember having a panic attack at work. My coworker Bill, who shared a room in the office with me, can attest. I was a mess, repeating over and over in my head that the rumors about an impending trade involving Michael Bowden were just rumors until proven otherwise, checking twitter and google news every 30 seconds up until the deadline- and then a few minutes beyond, just to make sure that I knew what was happening if and when anything did. He was just too big a part of my Paw Sox (and subsequently, Red Sox) experience last year.

I've come a long way. I like the guy a lot and root for him loudly, and beyond that I do believe in his ability and his work ethic, but without any anxiety I can say that this may be the year that Boston gives him up. I'm not basing this off of his performace thus far- over two starts, he's gone 6.1 innings, with 3 very solid and 3.1 not so spotless- is reminiscent of last year, which was spectacular at times and pretty subpar at others. Again, it's pointless to make any conclusions after two starts, and so few innings thrown.. I'm just bringing you  up to speed a bit on his 2010 so far. In any case, there are prospects who should be stuck with through serious developmental challenges; anyone who knows me knows that I'm not a Buchholz fan, but his ceiling is high if/when he gets himself together. You hang on to a struggling ace, I'm all for that, I see the sense in that sort of investment. Bowden has never projected to be an ace (that's ok, we cant all be) and for a while now it looks like the Sox have lost hope/interest in grooming Bowdie to crack their rotation- he knows his role has changed and has publicly embraced it, which is a very smart move on his part- even if it could be looked upon as something of a demotion (but whether it is or isnt, a team player just wants to help his team win in the end).

Still, they've got him starting for the Paw Sox because 1) it's easier to stick a trained starter into a relief situation than a bullpen guy into a starting role and 2) may as well exercise his stamina/endurance if he's going to be a middle reliever, an innings eater. And who knows? Any given pitching staff is stupidly volatile (stupidly, because they're here one minute and gone the next, freak injuries, psychological blocks... it's crazy how quickly we went from having what felt like 10 big league/ready, momentum-carrying starters last year to having 3 to count on, who were performing unpredictably at best). Bowdie might have a shot at the rotation again, I dont think anyone has said Absolutely Not to that idea. It will be an interesting first few months, because he's a different pitcher now in a lot of ways- changed form/mechanics, leaner, new fashion statement (no socks showing... what a shame; the PawSox look like sandlot kids next to Scranton-Wilkes Barre (Yankees AAA) where everyone wears their socks showing, so sharp (they play sharply too, another way in which SWB makes the PawSox look like neighborhood kids, hehe)).

In summation, I'm definitely pulling for this guy as much as I ever was- I hope this season finds him making great progress and exceeding expectations. If it comes to it, though, and we get something/someone we need (take your pick at this point..) in exchange for Bowden, I wont despair.
But as things stand right now, what say the Sox call him up to the big club in time for their series in Los Angeles vs the Angels?

I had such a good Dustin Pedroia dream last week.

It's detailed on my other blog.. maybe I'll paste it here soon. Forgive the dull descriptive word here, but I just felt so happy both during and after the dream, like I had had an unexpected visit from a good friend who I'd been missing.

What else... Chris Carter (traded from the PawSox to the Mets organization last year) ate the Paw Sox alive in one of their recent games. He was 4 for 4 with something like 30 homeruns and 77 stolen bases. Or something like that.

Well, he really did go 4 for 4. It was really impressive, but clearly i'm fading fast.. i should definitely be sleeping after the weekend I've had. I saw Scott Kazmir pitch for the Angels' A team, Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. He did well and pitched more than half the game (too lazy to go look at my scorebook). Oh, and just now as I was looking for a good pic of Petey to post, I came across a bunch of other pics that I decided I'd like to post too. They're all from one of the most memorable games I've ever been to- June 20 2008, the night of the Celtics parade. We played the Cardinals.. it rained something terrible before the game/during the Celtics parade inside Fenway, so much so that many typically-hearty New England folk left the park. I was a direct beneficiary of this, and had a couple VERY good seats behind the on deck circle (i think my ticket was actually for the bleachers, so it was quite a steal). Anyhow, in perusing that night's pictures, I decided that I should mention the following:

(With the Royals now.) He had a lot of fun with the Sox just recently.. and i JUST missed picking him up in fantasy. Argh. Someone got him off waivers right before I could.

Maybe going into a slide wasnt necessary, Jacoby. But everyone in RSN should be upset w Beltre (ok, that's a bit harsh); he had little to no business trying to catch that ball when you were running in on it. PLEASE heal quickly.

I like him, always have. But Wake and question marks go hand in hand these days.

One more time for tonight.. man this guy is awesome.

On my long drives to and from Laytonville this weekend, I listened to this Kings of Leon song quite a bit, as most of the lyrics remind me of Boston, the Sox, and everything that fits under that sentimental and beloved umbrella:

What a night for a dance, dont you know I'm a dancing machine
With the fire in my bones and the sweet taste of kerosene
I get lost in the night so high I don't wanna come down
To face the loss of the good thing that I had found

Woo hoo hoooo
Woo hoo hoooo

In the dark of the night I can hear you calling my name
With the hardest of hearts, I still feel full of pain
So I drink and I smoke and I ask you if youre ever around
Even though it was me who drove us right in the ground

See the time we shared it was precious to me
But all the while I was dreaming of revelry

Gonna run baby run like a stream down a mountainside
With the wind in my back I wont ever even bat an eye
Just know it was you all along that had a hold of my heart
But the demon in me was a best friend from the start

So the time we shared it was precious to me
All the while I was dreaming of revelry
Dreaming of revelry

And I told myself Boy, away you go 
It rained so hard it felt like snow
Everything came tumbling down on me
In the back of the woods, in the dark of the night
Paleness of the old moonlight
Everything just felt so incomplete

Dreaming of revelry

Hush Up.

I've wanted to post- I really have- but my computer gets VERY overheated everytime I use it. My room is already hot enough. This sounds funny, but resting my hands and wrists on my laptop overheats ME.. just not very comfortable. Right now is no different but I just took a shower and am cool for the time being.

So much happens day to day that it's impossible to cover the past week+ that I havent written. Naturally, a few things stand out... Bowden had another go with the Red Sox; our office move got postponed (we, the employees, were told 7 days before we were all actually planning to move); Zink threw lots of strikes today; I helped cook/prepare a meal for the Lowell Spinners; Dustin Richardson got called up to Pawtucket from Portland; Junichi Tazawa established himself as THE MAN; Josh Reddick decided that he only likes to hit well in AA; I started packing up my room as i am vacating the premises for about 4 months; I started listening to Five Iron Frenzy and Relient K again with renewed fervor.

Alright, alright. I know that Bowden did pretty badly on Friday night. My story for the night goes something like this: Wakefield was slotted to pitch in Pawtucket that night, so naturally I was headed down after an early end to the work day (having to do with the crazy postponement of the move date)... it's around 3:30 or 4, and I'm about 5 minutes up I-95 from the spot that 95 splits off and heads towards Providence, when my phone buzzes that I have a text message from Twitter. I check it out only to find that it's something that the PawSox had posted: ****ROSTER MOVE**** Bowden promoted to Boston...... that was enough for me. I dont think I read one more word of that message. I blinked a few times, thought about how it really was going to be a shame to miss out on seeing Wake so close up, that I would really enjoy watching him from the bullpen before the game, that I'd have great pics of the occasion... and quickly (safely) crossed 3 lanes of traffic to pull off at the Westwood exit and turn around, heading north this time back towards Boston. I tried to find tickets, but it became more and more clear that the best deal I was going to get would be around $70. Uh, no thanks... if I dont find a deal I usually dont go, but I always find deals. It's not like it was the kid's debut- probably would have splurged then. Still, being home and not at McCoy meant that I could watch the game on TV. Even better, I thought to myself, would be to go out and enjoy the game away from home. (SO HOT HERE.) I spent much of the game at Tavern in the Square, where I had a light dinner and a beer and a bunch of big-screen TVs everywhere... the coolest part of it all was that right in front of me both the Sox/Yankees game and the Peabody MA/San Antonio TX Little League World Series game were being broadcast.. the TVs were side by side. Couldnt have been better. Those kids are really fun to watch. It was interesting watching how they handled the game emotionally- obviously none of them are physically developed at age 12.
Anyhow, as we all know, Penny was terrible. By the time Bowden came in in the 5th, things were already looking very very bad. Then Mikey proceeded to throw 63 pitches over the next 2 innings, throwing for strikes about half the time and ultimately allowing 7 runs. He was absolutely mauled. There were three different people at the Tavern who asked me at different points during those 63 pitches something to the effect of, "Who's this new pitcher? Why dont they take him out, because he's doing really badly..." And anyone who knows me would have been proud at how patiently and briefly and uninstigatorially (i believe i just created a word) I explained to all three strangers who Michael Bowden is. I didnt try to fight any of them. I didnt sing his praises (although I did promote him). Just figures that people decided to ask me about him and always added a tagline about how horribly he was faring. You know, I was hopeful the entire time. Not once did I think to myself, shoot, he's really done it now. I mean his 2nd pitch was jacked into the stands by Matsui. (Michael was not pleased with this. Anyone watching NESN got a silent glimpse into his thoughts at that moment in time. Lets just say that even "F***" is in its own way sentimental and not harsh when it comes from him while he's out there. When he shows that sort of emotion from the hill it's genuine and it also even simply means that he's feeling that affected and frustrated by whatever is going on.. he usually keeps it together pretty well. When he yells out there, I feel for him.) All along, I was waiting for something to click and for him to get his rhythm and command and go. Never really happened. He knew it, and now all short-sighted Red Sox fans who dont recall how he's served the Red Sox in the other two games he pitched in will forever remember how badly he sucked. What a tough place for development, especially when the expectations and plans that the organization has for you get distorted by the general media. Oh, by the way, he doesnt even turn 23 till September.

Ok, missy. Enough of all that. It's over. Last night I went to a Spinners game with 100 peppermint brownies in tow. A few months ago I had heard that the "Spinners Fan Club" provides home-cooked meals for both teams and the Spinners staff every Saturday that they play at home. It took this long, but finally I was able to get myself involved. The "Fan Club" consists of middle-aged and older folks. No one my age. Interesting dynamic actually. Anyhow, there were about 10 or so of us yesterday providing for 80 people (and then some, quite possibly). I had such a blast. I didnt talk to a single player, interestingly enough. That's because I was chatting with the other fan clubbers. They are quite the little family there... it reminded me of how the Church should feel. Everyone I talked to emphasized how they do what they do for the players and not for themselves (ie not so that they can get up close to the players), because a lot of the guys make next to nothing and cant afford or dont bother to eat well. Overwhelming to think about... people providing for other people just because. I'm around coworkers most of the day every day, and a lot of my coworkers very steadfastly believe that their life, their money, their time is theirs and theirs alone. People blink at me when I talk about volunteer work, or giving money to certain causes that I STRONGLY believe in (the same way I blink at them when I listen to them talk about living life selfishly). They just dont get it. So it was incredible to meet a group of strangers who took to me immediately, who all got along so well, who were all giving of themselves. That's love, plain and simple. I cant wait until next Saturday, which is unfortunately the last Saturday home game of the Spinners' season.

Today I went to McCoy. I dont like to do this, but nonetheless I keep counting down the days that remain as part of this super long homestand (11 games), and it stems from the anxiety of not making it to as many of the 11 games as I "feel that I should".. it's all psychological because I never had a plan for how many I'd be attending this homestand. I've only been to two I think, and something inside clearly feels like I'm wasting all of these home games. Definitely a few in my future this week. Today was lovely. I woke up, rolled out of bed, got a few things together, painted my toenails blue, and headed down the highway. General Admission was all there was when I got there, which was around 11:40am. I climbed the steps and hustled to the railing where the view opens up onto the outfield... beautiful day, sunny, hot, but with some clouds in the sky as well. These old-time teams were playing an exhibition game, and the Paw Sox pitchers were throwing in the outfield. (Almost) the first thing I noticed was that Dustin Richardson was out there in a Paw Sox uniform... I hadnt heard anything about this promotion but it must have happened sometime this weekend, as I would later see on the scoreboard when he came in for a few innings that he had pitched 1 game for Pawtucket prior to this one. About 5 minutes after I arrived, Bowden threw a side session in the pen, and then Richardson practiced switching his grips smoothly in his glove. I like listening to them talk with the pitching coach. I like the pitching coach (Rich Sauveur) period.. he's always friendly to me. Side sessions are never something I plan to watch, because I've never paid enough attention to when they happen (although Sundays seem to be a good bet, for starters), but they're definitely a bonus to watch. The view on either end - behind pitcher or catcher - is so unique.
Paw Sox took yet another loss. Their only win in the last 14 or 15 games was led by a shining performance from Tim Wakefield.. sad huh? Billy Traber pitched well enough, but then again, not well enough apparently. The most interesting thing that happened was Charlie Zink assuming a relief role. I had to look out across the field to the pen about 3 times before i really believed it. But he threw strikes, he struck a couple guys out over 2.1 innings. One earned run. He hit a batter with his first pitch :) that was a funny moment....


I've got Sox tickets for Wednesday vs the White Sox, Friday vs Toronto, and Sunday vs Toronto. I'm taking my grandma to her first game at Fenway that Sunday!! She watches all the games on TV, very much a fan. We have loge seats in line with the vistors' on-deck circle, 5th row. PERFECT. It will surely be a night to remember.


UGHHHHH! It's so hot, it's so hot it's so hot. too hot to straighten my hair, no matter the consequences tomorrow morning. bedtime.

Futures At Fenway

Yippie! We won last night. Winning feels good every now and again. But backing things up a bit to this past weekend..

Futures was spectacular.

(almost an incredible picture huh? oh well. next year :) )
I was telling a friend last night that minor league ball is something i like studying and analyzing, but Red Sox baseball is what i get intense about. (he was questioning whether i was becoming more of a minor league fan than major league fan.) The Sea Dogs brought in a win, and Jason Place learned what it's like to jack one onto the Monster.

(taken at New Stars For Young Stars event, January 2009)

He must've felt cool after that. Having come face to face with a lot of Sea Dogs players in the past, I think of them as a very young team with a sort of cocky 19-20 year-old air. I know they're most of them 23-25 but that's how they've come off in my very limited experience. Still, the Sea Dogs will always be my home team and I enjoy each of the rare chances to watch their games that I am afforded these days. Jason Place, for the record, was a friendly, easy-going, smiley guy the one time I met him.
My friend Joe's parents are hosting one of the Bowie players but I dont think I got to see him that day. Someday, my family will DEFINITELY host a minor league ballplayer.

Between games there was a nice little reunion as a wave of Paw Sox players crashed into the Sea Dogs, who were evacuating the dugout. Iggy Suarez got the "I Get Around" award, as he was by far the most frequent hugger in the melee. They all mingled for a good 15 minutes. I stole away from my dugout view seating and headed off towards the bullpen as soon as I spotted number 16 and number 15 trekking, heads down, toward the bullpen in right field. We had been speculating about who would be starting- in advance, Tazawa was scheduled to go, but after his call-up, Gonzalez had the start... neither Kelly nor I knew whether the rumor that Gonzalez had been called up last-minute was true, and therefore the chosen starter for the home team was a mystery until that moment where pitcher and catcher were seen walking side-by-side with purpose toward the outfield.

Charlie Zink! (ok, funny enough, but "#15 and #16 (Pedroia and Zink)" are featured in this pic... though when I used that phrase above, i was referring to #15 Dusty Brown who catches #16Zink's knuckleball)

(taken at Spring Training in Fort Myers 2009)


(taken with my phone, July Paw Sox game at McCoy)

I become more and more enamored with the knuckleball every time I see it in action. What a cool pitch. Why dont more pitchers become adequate at throwing it? ...would be a nice surprise to send to batters a few times each game, keep 'em on their toes. Have I mentioned that here before? .. if I have, sorry for the repeat. Clearly, the sentiment still holds. Cha'lie didnt have his best game.. there was a bit of implosion in the 4th and the 6th before he came out.. but I was satisfied. Paw Sox pitchers are tough to gauge because they lack the support of a team that is going to stand strong behind them. The guys certainly dont hit, and tend to look very minor league-ish in the field at times as well. (Let it be known that they just turned 4 double plays in yesterday's game, however- only one of them being on a ground out!) I hate to sound like I'm down on them- I dont mind paying to watch them play, that's obvious. There have been some really bright spots this season, but there have been large lingering clouds too. Anyhow. Paw Sox lost to the Tides, but not before Sean Danielson was put in the game! Spike went 1-1 with a walk and a run!

(taken at McCoy; one of Youk's rehab games, 5.18.09)


(taken at McCoy; one of Youk's rehab games, 5.18.09)

Sean Danielson has this energy about him. Man I wish they'd play that guy. As everyone knows, it's TOUGH to come off the bench and perform as up to par. The first step to him playing more is being taken off the "infinity DL", which happened a short time ago. With guys getting called up rapid-fire these days, I imagine he'll be active for the last month of the season. What a hand he was dealt this season, definitely a shame. He was a great 1st base coach, but he should have been so much more.


[Josh Beckett kicked the tar out of the Tigers tonight... we won 8-2, and Beckett got his 14th win of the season. Bay went 3-3 with 2 walks, 2 doubles, and another homerun (2 runs, 2 rbi). Lowell went deep as well.]
[simultaneously, Adam Mills did not fare so well in his Paw Sox debut: 2 IP, 57 pitches/41 for strikes, 9 hits,5 earned runs, 1 BB, ERA.......... 22.50]

(taken during Spring Training in Fort Myers, Feb 2009)

AH! Michael Bowden did his thing vs the Charlotte Knights, going 5 innings, 88 pitches (59 for strikes) with no runs and only 3 hits given up. Yes, 3 bb, and only 4 k (both numbers lean towards the sub-par for him as he is known as more of a command guy)... but it led the Paw Sox to a victory, and a shutout at that. I cant speak to much more than his line stats as I wasnt watching it play out.

(taken at Spring Training in Fort Myers 2009)

Relieving to have another solid outing from him and I hope he is comfortable and ready once he gets the call... if not in August then certainly in Sept. If he makes it in the bigs, I will be rooting for him like I root for Petey and Bay.
I actually havent been to a Red Sox game since directly before the All Star Break. Yeah, can you believe it? I think I'm saving up for some nice seats once September hits and things start getting crazy, and all the minor leaguers come to Boston. That's going to be spectacular. It's been hard though, especially this series... I've had a pressing urge every day this week to hit the game after work and have been prowling craigslist. In the end though, I've talked myself out of it each and every time. AGH! Completely torn.. would definitely have gone if not for Futures this past weekend, when I got to hang out at Fenway all day of course. Oh well. Good things are coming, and soon.

(Spring Training 2009)

Rollercoaster.

Some pics from Bowden's start back on July 19th..





His latest start on Friday night 7/25 was great. I was chatting with a friend for the last few innings but MB's 7 innings got charted. 2 ER, 4 hits, NO WALKS, 5 K. Pitch counts per inning: 15, 8, 7, 15, 11, 13, 14. 83 thrown over 7 innings. VERY impressive.

The JUICE improved to 5-0 on the season as of yesterday morning. 5 wins was our goal for 2009 in total. we were so terrible last year, and the thing is, nothing has changed. we have three new people taking the places of 3 players from last year. that's it. new management. it's remarkable. we come out on top every game by 10+ runs. i did just fine... the field was larger than regulation size so one particular at-bat could have been more, as I made as solid contact as i've made all season and drove it on a line to the 2nd baseman. the infield was so much bigger to begin with. i got a hit, and i did well in left field, assisted in a double play even :) not commonly done from way out there.

Charlie Zink.. walked about a batter per inning on sunday, but in the end only gave up a few hits (didnt score it... he went 6 innings, and i think it was only 2 hits through 5 innings, with 2 more in the 6th). We won, he got the win, it was pretty nice. They were making contact off him but not productively. Made sure I was there early to see him warm up (arrived well before that though, in time to catch a few side sessions featuring Gonzalez, Bowden, and Johnson.. that was an unexpected surprise) and was just as fascinated watching him pitch up close as I had been a couple weeks earlier. What a sweet pitch, the knuckleball. I've mused with friends here and there over the idea of pitchers learning the knuckler, not as a primary pitch, but as something to pull out a few times each game, to really just mess around with batters. They wouldnt have to be really strong knuckleballers, they'd just have to be able to command it (as much as you can command it) one pitch at a time, a handful each game. I wonder why pitchers dont. Maybe it's just that tough to throw correctly.

...here it is, nearly 48 hours after i started this post. Finally, it's hot out, the sun is shining. While i was walking outside during lunch, I actually thought to myself...

*Wild Thing just came on. PAPELBON flashed into my mind*


...I actually thought to myself that I was glad I was working today and out of the sun. Sounds crazy? Ever since I read about Kelli Pedroia's story a year or so ago, I have had very little desire to sit out in the sun. Dont get me wrong... I love playing outside. I love walking around Boston in the sun. I love sitting out on the lawn before a Paw Sox game, I love going to the beach though I never do anymore. But as I get "older" (almost 24, wow dee dow) I think more and more about the long-term reality of the body i'm living in. I have one semi-significant sunspot on my back and I really dont care to acquire any more. I'm also terrible at taking the time to put on sunscreen, so if I'm in the sun for more than 30 minutes I am burnt. It's just not good for me. Thankfully I've found good ways to be out and enjoying the warmth... more often than not I'm under an overhang at Fenway or McCoy, and even if I'm not I'm generally at evening games. Working through the day helps too for the same reason- when I get out, I can play soccer or wiffleball as the sun is fading.
When I was learning about audio engineering in college it changed the way I treat my ears. When I hurt my back in high school pole vaulting, it changed things too (it's never been the same... regardless of phys training sessions, etc, I think my back is always going to be slightly damaged goods from here on out). I'm really hoping I can continue to be smart about the sun/my skin.

This is a crazy tangent I just went off on.

Another day is passing by, and we still have some of the guys I've been most fearful that we'll lose. Watched another Bowden interview... he's got great composure, very well spoken- granted, everyone asks him the same things so he should have his answers down pat!


..speaking of whom, Twitter just informed me that the Red Sox made an offer of Buchholz, Bowden, and Westmoreland for Halladay. my heart is racing. i am not happy, and i dont understand this trade. i dont know how much you know about Ryan Westmoreland but he is just as much of a prospective-powerhouse as Buckaroo and Bowden have been considered over the past year+. i havent felt this unhappy and suddenly preoccupied in ages.

i need to go work. i can bury myself in research/searches. i try to tell myself that there's no way the jays will take 1 unproven major leaguer and 2 guys who are not major league ready for the best of the best, but i have no idea what's going to happen.

Let's have a look, shall we?

First thought as I sit down to watch the remainder of the Sox/Jays game: I dont care what anyone says, those old school powder-blue Jays uniforms are sweet. They remind me of my childhood. My favorite player, Jimmy Key, wore one. Not ugly. Definitely great.

It's gotta be the 6th inning (commercial break).. been watching on espn gamecast, and prior to that I had been at Kings in Back Bay watching coworkers bowl or in transit from there to home. We're up 4-1 thanks to a YOUKAH 2-run shot and a David Ortiz double. Petey has scored twice tonight so far. Bay has struck out twice. Yadda yadda... you can look at the box score and like I said, it's the bottom of the 6th so there's more to come.

I've been all over the place. All Star Break.. did some TV watching for much but not all of both the hr derby and the all star game. Wednesday, I trekked out to Lowell to catch the Spinners game with Victor. Thanks to some serious line-cutting, we each secured ourselves a Pedroia bobblehead. What! He's the one who cheated... I just joined him once I got there :) Spinners won and it was a gorgeous night. Scored the game and learned some more major pitches. Before, I could tell you about 2-seam and 4-seam fastballs, sliders, curveballs, knuckleballs, and changeups. Added splitter, cutter, think that's it.

Charlie Zink is of great interest to me since I last saw him start. I was so impressed watching him warm up. Cant wait to catch his next home start. Tonight he had another tough outing- 4 earned runs, 7 walks, 4 HBP, 0 K.. all over 4.2 innings. What changed between last year and now? He was named IL Pitcher of the Year in 2008. "..was named International League Pitcher of the Year after going 14-6and ranking second the International League and all of Triple-A with a 2.84 ERA in 28 starts at Pawtucket." (taken from http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=P&sid=t533&t=p_pbp&pid=468402) This year, so far, he's 4-9 with an ERA of 5.14. I liked Charlie Zink last year but I was noooowhere near as involved in the happenings of minor league baseball as I am at present. Would have liked to see Zink as king of MiLB.

Daniel Bard just chewed those Jays up and spit 'em out. Man. When he's on, he's ON. Blows it right by batters.
Speaking of strikeouts, Bay just struck out a third time. sigh.

Right, excuse this entry. Basically just keeping my fingers busy while checking email, talking with housemates, and watchin the Sox.

Okie dyed his hair.
Michael Bowden did an interview for weei. http://audio.weei.com/m/25342574/pawtucket-pitcher-michael-bowden.htm


WHAT? I went for the entire post without even mentioning that Buchholz pitched for the big club tonight?? 6 innings, 1 earned run, 3BB, 3K over 5.2 innings. 103 pitches, 66 for strikes.

that's not quite right...

I just had a dream that I was standing behind Michael Bowden in a park watching him practice his knuckleball, sort of like I was watching Charlie Zink a few days ago. Except MB doesnt have that pitch in his repertoire. But it was cool how my brain picked some stuff up from watching Charlie, because I distinctly remember MB standing on the makeshift rubber a certain way (ooh! come to think of it, he was a lefty in my dream... he's a righty in real life) and i could see him grip the ball, just the way CZ was doing it.

Cha'lie Zink.

June 19th game vs the braves... i saw a marriage proposal flash up on the big screen in center field, and all of a sudden a man who is literally 2 feet to my right (i'm on the aisle, grandstands) and 3 steps down drops to his knee in front of his girlfriend! that was a crazy moment.

Just recalled that and had to jot it down. The Paw Sox offense showed signs of life (they had scored 3 runs in the last 31 innings prior to tonight's game, or something crazy-ish like that) and it even appeared as if they were staging some sort of come back throughout the game- they fell behind early- but it wasnt enough. I hung out by the bullpen before the game and watched Charlie Zink warming up, because I was curious to see what his knuckleball looks like up close. What a sweet pitch. I was mesmerized even though I could tell that it wasnt 100%. Quite a few pitches actually had some spin on them but the ones that he nailed, well, I just had to see it again and again. [[I probably looked pretty silly- a 23 year old female sitting by the chain link fence, surrounded by boys 5-12 years of age i'm guessing (most of them in boy scout uniforms- it was boy scout sleep over night). That's how it is for me a lot of the time though... I have learned not to let not fitting in stop me from doing things. What woman (of my age.. of any age..) goes to baseball games alone (and not just major league but minor league, all around new england), and who among them enjoys SCORING these games for the mere sake of.. scoring the game? I guess stopping to think about it makes me self-conscious.]] Anyhow. Suffice it to say that I learned a little bit from watching Charlie and now that I have a better sense of how to grip the ball I want to try again :) I had always gripped it with all 4 fingernails and sort of heaved it almost shotput like (well, not that drastic obviously, but it felt a little like that)... just trying to get the spin off of it... we'll see how my new knowledge helps.

The Red Sox had an interesting night themselves, a bit of a rollercoaster. Aaron Bates got his first major league hit (I've been a little out of it lately.. i dont know that I even mentioned here that he got bumped up to Boston). Smoltzy did it up. We were ahead 9-1 at one point, the Royals closed the gap by the 7th inning to 9-7, and then we broke it open again in the 7th when a few KC pitchers loaded the bases several times (a couple times on purpose! boy did that backfire, and i was positively gleeful listening to the game in my car heading back up I-95 from Pawtucket. One thing I've learned- if the bases are gonna be juiced, opposing teams should never intentionally walk a guy to get to Tek.. it always backfires, whether we're talking errors, more walks, or grand slams). But you know, we pulled out the win. Tek got another homerun (slowed up a bit on this front, but still on his way to 30!!! i swear it. now or never).

In other news, today was BEAUTIFUL once again. Although now it's raining. This concerns me, because I wonder if it will stop again (last time it started, it lasted for 4 weeks).

WHY am I still awake? Poor decision!