May 9, 2006 – Live Blog 4

The liveblogging got highlighted on the front page of MLBlogs, so I guess it’s a good thing I got home in time, eh?  🙂

Check out the Yankees side of liveblogging here!

Trot Nixon isn’t in the lineup tonight…Dustan Mohr is.  Dustan is in center and Wily Mo Pena is in right.  This doesn’t make me happy.  Not at all.  Then again, I got caught in a 48 degree downpour and I’m a little cranky right now.

For those new to my live blog…I try to actually talk about what is going on in the game, but sometimes my mind wanders.  Forewarned is forearmed…or something like that.

I’ll save as I go depending on what is going on.  I’ll definitely save between innings.  And I don’t arrange the blog so the newest entry is at the top…you need to scroll down to read it.

Lucky for all of you, Bronson isn’t pitching tonight so you won’t have to read me going on about him.  Unless, of course, Wily Mo stinks tonight.  I don’t think there are any other games I’ll be switching around to so my focus should be solely on the game.  Yeah, right.  🙂

6:56 – Dennis Eckersley and Tom Caron on NESN were just talking about that SI poll where the MLB players chose Derek Jeter as the most over-rated player.  They both think it’s just jealousy.  I have to agree.  And that’s the nicest thing I’ll probably say about a Yankees player tonight…so enjoy it.

Seriously…is THIS a guy you want to bug by brushing him back?  Somehow, I don’t think so.

7:00 – Did you all know that the last time Josh Beckett was in Yankee Stadium was when he and the Marlins won the World Series there?  I know information like that is hard to come by since these teams don’t get much coverage.  So, you’re welcome for the information.  (Honestly, how many times are we going to hear this?  I’m watching NESN and I feel like I’m watching ESPN.)

7:06 – It’s a good thing this game didn’t get rained out.  It would have been the second game versus the Yankees that Beckett was supposed to pitch that it rained on.  I’m not sure Beckett could take it without beating the crap out of the schedule makers.  Or God.  I’m pretty sure Beckett thinks he could take God.

7:09 – Hey, Jorge is catching for RJ.  That’s interesting.

7:10 – I’m still cold from being out in the rain…it’s going to be tough to type as fast as I’m used to…I like the chanting the fans do "Der-ek Je-ter"…it’s cute.  Not a word you often associate with Yankees fans.

7:13 – Youk walks.  He often does.

7:14 – And a double play.  Egads that was ugly.

7:15 – Many boos for Big Papi.  Jealousy is such an ugly thing.

7:16 – Guess Randy didn’t listen to Mike Vaccaro.  What’s that an intentional, unintentional walk?

7:21 – I guess everyone didn’t get the memo that they were supposed to do some super cheer for Johnny to stick it to the Red Sox fans.

7:22 – Lots of cheers for Johnny striking out.  Guess Jere was right!

7:26 – Oh yeah, Jeter is WAY over-rated. (Edited out the harsh language)

7:28 – Is this the freaking longest half an inning EVER?  Sheez!

7:29 – And Jason HGHiambi hits a two-run homer.

7:32 – Josh Beckett is this year’s Derek Lowe…if he could pretend there was no first inning, he’d be okay.  Can’t they just lie to him?  "Dude, don’t you remember?  The game started a half hour ago, this is the SECOND inning.  No, really it is!".

7:34 – 2-0 after one.  S’gonna be a long night, eh?

7:37 – The Spanish language feed just came through on NESN.  I don’t speak Spanish, but they didn’t sound happy.

7:38 – Less than a four minute inning.  The he11?

7:39 – Please tell me who thought the Jimmy Fallon/Parker Posey Pepsi commercial was a good idea?  WHO pitched that idea?

7:40 – Apparently people in New Jersey don’t want us to vote for car insurance reform.  I don’t have a car, this doesn’t really concern me.  Put the game back on please.

7:42 – Robinson Cano wears those ‘hamburger helper’ gloves like ARod.  Hey, the Phillies are beating the Mets 3-0.  And Mike Lowell makes another nice play.

7:43 – Hey they’re chanting for Bernie because he wasn’t on the field.  I guess the bleacher creatures are all right…you know, aside from that YMCA stuff…

7:44 – Beautiful pitch, have a seat Bernie.

7:47 – Holy cow.  Dustan Mohr just got a hit.  I have nothing.  NOTHING.

7:52 – Randy Johnson just walked the terribly dangerous Alex Gonzalez.

7:54 – Yet again, I start this without eating.  I’m starving.  Okay, I’m not starving, but I could use some peanut butter.  Whoa, nice catch Matsui!

7:55 – Mark Loretta…why does he bat 2nd?  I mean, I like him and all…but he’s  no number 2 batter.  Well, at least it wasn’t a double play.  Let’s see, will RJ walk Papi again?

7:56 – Is that a shift?  It doesn’t look like a shift.  Okay, Papi, you and Bernie can yell at the umpire after the game.

7:58 – RJ just blew a snot rocket.  My mother is just about to vomit (family night since it’s a Yanks game!)

7:59 – So much for defense, eh Slappy?  Nice running, Papi.  Error number 3 on the season for ARod.

7:59 part 2 – What the he11 was THAT?????????? 

8:00 – Posada should tell Torre that HE doesn’t want to catch Johnson.  That would be funny.  By the way, it is now 2-2 thanks to an error by ARod and a wild pitch by RJ.  Good times, good times.

8:01 – Manny!  Papi!!!!!!  Papi scored from second!!!!! There is screaming, literal screaming in this house right now.

8:02 – My mother about Randy, "That’s what he gets for the snot rocket…someone else has to pitch on that mound, you know!".  I so love my family.  You all would too.  You would SO know exactly where I come from if you met them.

8:03 – Are you keeping score?  It’s 3-2.

8:04 – I still can’t believe Papi scored from second.  I can’t freaking believe it.  Also, a double from Mike Lowell would be nice right now.

8:06 – Joe Kerrigan is the bullpen coach for the Yankees.  He hated Tim Wakefield for whatever reasons when he was here…so I have no love for him.

Middle of the third.  I already  have stomach pains.

8:10 – Yankees and Red Sox fans have a few things in common.  One being how quiet they get when their team is suddenly losing.

8:11 – Johnny is up again…I don’t hear many cheers.  Everyone’s email must have been down today.

8:13 – Jeter is hitting .402.  Over-rated.  Totally.  I would like to smack him, though, every time he leans over the plate after a swing.

8:15 – Barehanding, Mike Lowell!!!!!!!!!!

8:18 – How long do you think it would take the Papa Gino’s guy to get here?

8:19 – Come on Dustan, don’t get all c0cky because you got a hit off of him last time.

8:21 – You should have had that one, Randy.  This umpire stinks.

8:23 – Mohr and Gonzalez = RJ’s daddies.

8:26 – Wild pitch.  Jorge Posada is laughing behind that mask.  I know he is.

8:27 – Holy cow, Mark Loretta!!!!!  Two-run single!!!!  5-2.

8:28 – And those classy Yankees fans are booing Randy Johnson thanks to a Big Papi double.  RJ is a great pitcher having a bad night.  Those people should be ashamed.  Unless, of course, they’re Red Sox fans…in which case, you go folks!  Although, Red Sox fans would be cheering, wouldn’t they?  So it was Yankees fans raining boos down on him.  For shame.  Seriously.  You all give us grief for booing someone no longer on our team, and you boo one of your aces?  Please.

8:32 – Have I mentioned that the Red Sox ran Randy Johnson from the game?  I haven’t?  Let me correct that right now.

8:34 – So when Torre took RJ out did RJ yell "I TOLD you I didn’t want Posada catching me!"?

8:35 – This game is intense…I haven’t had time to pretty up this entry.  I’ll probably add links and photos when I’m done.

8:36 – Manny has a full count.  I sense a walk coming.

8:37 – Or I sense a lot of balls fouled off.  Yeah, that’s what I meant.

8:38 – I can’t believe I’m writing this….I feel sorry for Melky Cabrera.  I do.  Poor kid.  Hope the fans aren’t too hard on him.  Who am I kidding?  They’ll probably pants him after the game.

8:39 – By the way, what should have been the third out turned into a man on second who knocked in two more runs. 

Middle of 4 – the score is 7-2.  In case, you know, that kind of thing interests you.

8:43 – Gotta love the shift.

8:44 – Josh Beckett has some Amish-type facial hair going on.  Not that there is anything wrong with the Amish, I’m sure they’re very nice people.  Their menfolk just wear their facial hair a bit oddly.  No offense to them.  Oh, heck, Amish-folk aren’t going to be reading a Red Sox internet blog so why am I kissing up to them?

8:46 – We just watched Kaz Matsui in the Mets game.  He has a very similar swing to Hideki Matsui.  The Yankees’ Matsui just contributed the last out to Beckett’s 1-2-3 inning.

8:49 – God hates Slappy tonight.  Karma, baby.  It’s called Karma.  Have another error, won’t you?

8:52 – Trot Nixon is in the game.  And I’m very happy.

8:54 – I have a frozen chicken pot pie sitting next to me.  It will probably thaw out before I get a chance to stick it in the microwave.  Just so you all know I’m  not going to go hungry.  I know these things concern you.  Oh yeah, and Trot walked.  Two on, one out.

8:57 – Oh my word.  That’s the best I have….I have no other words.  AGon hit a three-run homerun!  He creamed that ball.  Holy…wow.

8:58 – Melky gets a mock cheer for using two hands to catch Kevin Youkilis’ fly ball.  Jerry Remy says "Welcome back to the stadium, Melky".

8:59 – Mark Loretta gets a hit right up the middle and NESN decides to use this moment to show Trot Nixon’s in the park homerun from last year, caused, in part, by Melky Cabrera’s poor fielding.  I was at the game.  I felt bad for Melky…but not as much as I felt good for Trot!

9:01 – This time, I don’t like the shift so much.  Sox 10/Yanks 2.  I’m heating me up a pot pie.

9:05 – We’re leading by 8 runs and I still get annoyed at what seems to me to be Trot being positioned incorrectly.

9:06 – Cano just got the first Yankees hit since the first inning.  Bernie is up.  I like Bernie, but I want him to go down…and quickly.  Like that.  Thanks, Bernie.  You’re a people-pleaser.

9:08 – Melky gets a hit and knocks in Cano.  I should be more upset by this than I am.  We’ll give him his first major league RBI if it will make the Yankees fans leave him alone.  Nice hitting, Melky.  10-3 with one on and two outs in the bottom of the fifth.  Dig me, I’m Ned Martin.

9:10 – Demon just struck out looking.  Mr. Burns says exxxxcellent.

9:12 – Watching Mets/Phillies.  It’s 3-2 in the 8th…I’d bet anything that the Mets are going to take the lead, Wagner will come in and then the Phillies will KILL Wagner in the ninth.  That would be sweet.

9:13 – Even sweeter is Manny’s homerun.  11-3.  Now Melky’s rbi is meaningless…except, of course, to Melky.  Again, good for him.

9:16 – Mike Lowell = Mr. Doubles, baby!

9:20 – Short pause whilst I eat a late dinner.

9:23 – Have a seat Captain Intangibles.

9:26 -Mr Rod hit into a double play.  Nice.

9:27 – Tom Gordon gave up two runs to tie the Phillies/Mets game.  I’m telling you, Wagner comes in, Phillies win…seriously.

9:32 – Mark Loretta just got his third hit of the night.  Two on, one out and first base is occupied.  Going to have to pitch to him.

9:34 – Horrible call.  Ortiz out on strikes.  Ah well.  Manny Willie Harris is up.

9:35 – I missed the final out because I was re-watching that strike-out call on Papi.  Terrible call.

9:37 – Tina Cervasio needs to do her roots.  She isn’t as horrible as I originally thought, but I still would rather have Eric Frede.  NESN needs to spring for a colorist for her.

9:41 – "Hot shot" off of Beckett…he waves off the trainers and they come out anyway.  He’s such a badass huh?  😉

9:42 – Bernie Williams strikes out, again, to end the inning.  Man, Beckett looks good tonight.

9:45 – Bernie Williams got himself thrown out of the game.  He threw his helmet at the umpire.  What the heck is THAT?  How UNLIKE Bernie Williams is that?  Yeesh.  Guess the pressure of losing to the Sox is pretty intense.

9:48 – Fellas, even when you’re losing by 8 points, SOMEONE needs to cover first base.  Jerry Remy just said, "I think it’s virtually impossible to play a Red Sox/Yankees game in under 3 hours…".

9:50 – Left handed pitcher hit left-handed batter.  I’m pretty sure that wasn’t in the game plan.

9:56 – Why the heck is Keith Foulke in there?

9:57 – Melky is having a much better game than ARod.  I’m just mentioning it.

9:58 – Foulke hits Crosby.  Bubba has to suffer for Trot’s pain, I guess.

10:00 – Does that Jeter leaning thing bother anyone but me?  If Foulke was going to hit someone…

10:01 – Wily Moooooooooooooooooooooooooo!  Have a seat C.I.  Amazing catch, Wily.  Great job!

10:02 – We are approaching the three hour mark.

10:04 – In case you were wondering, the score is still 11-3.

10:09 – Phillies won, but they didn’t beat Wagner.  They beat Aaron Heilman.  Rather, he beat himself by giving up a triple, hitting a batter, walking a batter and then making a throwing error.  Good work, Aaron.

10:11 – JT Snow and Willie Harris both get hits with one out.  Apparently the boys aren’t done yet.  Wouldn’t it be funny if Willie stole second base?  I bet Torre’s head would explode.

10:13 – 12-3.  2,6,3 put out to first and an RBI.  This game has been…interesting.

10:14 – I’d love to see Mike Lowell hit another double.

10:15 – Thank you, Mike.  🙂  13-3.

10:17 – This makes me happy.  I know it is just piling on, but I’m happy.  Wily Mo has another hit.  Lowell on third, Trot up and 2 out.

10:19 – Pile it on, boys!  14-3.  I don’t believe in saving runs.  Doesn’t work.  Pile it the heck on!

10:19b – Don Orsillo says "I can’t remember the last time I saw Yankee Stadium this empty" and Jerry Remy replied, "Mid January".  I can’t believe how empty it is.  All the Sox fans moved up to the ‘good’ seats!

10:23 – 14-3 middle of the ninth.

10:25 – Rudy is in the game.  I don’t even feel safe with the lead we have.  Well, at least he got the first out.  And the second…this is nice.

10:28 – I hear Liza singing….good work, men!

This was fun…definitely helps me work on my attention issues.  🙂

Have a great night, folks!

(Oh, and by the way…who’s in first place, now?)