 I spent more time cheering than taking pictures yesterday – but here’s one I got of Clay. |
Never have I been so happy to miss a BoSox game as I was on Sunday. So I’m not even going to talk about it (except to say that it’s nice to not have to “blame” Brad Penny. I hope he continues to pitch well for many reasons including the fact that it seems like he’s on tap to pitch the next time I go to Fenway!).
Spent Sunday in Pawtucket at the PawSox/Braves game and watched Clay Buchholz pitch 5.1 innings, striking out six and giving up only two hits. He also walked two and in those innings gave up no runs. The PawSox went on to help Clay get his first win, beating the Gwinnett Braves 1-0. More importantly, though, was Clay’s demeanor through the entire game. We saw a much calmer, more mature Buchholz. It was obvious from the first time he took the mound. Joe McDonald has a great write-up of how Clay’s mindset as a pitcher has changed (and matured). He (with help from a Paul McAnulty error) got himself into a little trouble in the fifth inning, loading the bases with two outs thanks to an error, a single and a walk. Last year’s Clay Buchholz would have let a run or three end up scoring; this year’s Clay Buchholz settled down and got Gwinnett’s Greg Blanco to ground out.
So Sunday, for me, was far from a disappointment. Sadly, the same can’t be said for Mark Kotsay. I didn’t realize he’d be playing. For whatever reasons, I thought he’d be in the lineup early this week, not the weekend. But, no, he was the lead-off man for Pawtucket on Sunday. Unfortunately, after his second at-bat of the game, he pulled up lame while running to first base.
Here’s where I digress for a minute. It was obvious to me that Kotsay did something to himself while running to first. He barely made it to the bag, bent over in pain and hobbled off the field. YET there were idiots behind me booing him and yelling at him to “run it out”, thinking he was just dogging it to first. If you aren’t going to pay attention to the game (and the reasons some of the players are in AAA and not in Boston, oh like because they’re REHABBING AN INJURY) you shouldn’t be allowed to yell stupid things at the park.
So Kotsay has a “mild calf strain”. I hope this is true. I hope it’s nothing more serious than that. You hate to see someone rehabbing an injury get RE-injured.
Did you know that today is “Star Wars Day”? I didn’t either until Twitter told me so. Makes sense now that yesterday was Star Wars Day at Pawtucket. Seeing Darth Vader throw out the ceremonial first pitch was interesting given that he was signing autographs, clapping for the youngster they had also throw out a pitch and posing for pictures with Jeff Corsaletti. Ooh, the Dark Lord of the Sith is scaaary!
Next up for the Sox is two games against the Yankees. Lester and Beckett against Hughes and Chamberlain. I think the Sox have a good shot at winning both of these games. I like our hitters chances against them. So it bothers me that I’m a little concerned that even if our hitters come to play, Lester and Beckett are going to make me want to smack them both.
I’m pleased that I decided to live blog on Wednesdays and will miss having to live blog a Yankees/Red Sox game coming off a 3 games to one losing series. I don’t think I’m up to that kind of pressure.
No headaches for me, fellas. Be nice.