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Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Opening Day

*Picture from the Boston Globe*

Now THAT'S what you call Opening Day: lights out pitching from your starter, thunder from the bats, and a near "incident" in the 8th inning with the score at the time 14-1.

First: Josh Beckett. If you read here, you'll know I've been a BIG fan of his since 2003 and was beyond thrilled when the team traded for him and signed him to an extension. All of a sudden at $10 million per year, he seems like a bargain. His line read as follows: 7IP, 2H, 1R, 1ER, 0BB, and 8K's.

That is about as dominating as you can be without throwing a no no. His fastball was on, changeup was working, and the breaking stuff looked as good as anytime since he's been in Boston. Yeah, he'll have his nights where he'll get knocked around some. But today should prove to the naysayers that when he's on, he's as good as they come.

Hopefully, all the folks who were wringing their hands over the lack of hitting the first week of the season will now all take a collective breath: this team is gonna score runs. In bunches. Today showed that from top to bottom, they can rake. Bunch of doubles, walks, and JD hit his first HR at Fenway. The fact that Jeff Weaver was the starting pitcher didn't hurt, but he was only in for the first 7 runs: they scored 7 more after he left.

Finally, leading off the 8th, Brendan Donnelly strikes out Jose Guillen. Guillen glares, Donnelly "checks himself", and all of a sudden the benches empty and the two of them have to be restrained from whacking each other. Apparently, this goes back to when they both played for the Angels, and Guillen felt like his pitchers weren't protecting the hitters, in particular him. Then, in 2005 when Guillen was playing for the Nationals, Donnelly was suspended for 8 games for having pine tar in his glove. The fact it was discovered while he was pitching against Guillen's Nationals at the time, I guess, was not lost on Donnelly. Very next batter, Donnelly plunks Kenji Johjima on the leg, promptly earning himself an ejection.

I love baseball: in no other sport are grudges held longer, with receipts sometimes taking years to deliver. Should be interesting the next 2 games and when they meet later in Anehiem.

Tomorrow night: the Fenway debut of Daisuke Matsuzaka. If you can be near a TV at 7:00 EST, you need to check this out: Matsuzaka vs. Felix Hernandez, a 21 year old flamethrower who struck out 12 A's in his debut.

Is it wrong to be this jacked up on April the 10th?

47 comments:

KAYLEE said...

I have decided I am only going to say positive things about Josh from Now on!I finally get to see dice-k pitch tomorrow:-)

Tex said...

If you could have heard me at work today...watching gameday and following along at SG....I got NO WORK DONE!!! and kept yipping and yelping about the scores

KAYLEE said...

YA sound like me at work on the weekends when there are day games TEX!

Tex said...

I cant do that all the time kaylee...but it was Opening Day...and I should have just taken the day off

Ted D said...

Man, ya'll were up late last night.

I'm off to work, but I'll be back later today.

Daisuke vs. King Felix: I can't wait.

VTek said...

With the score that they had, that 8th inning fracus was like a bonus lol.

Stacy said...

Glad the boys got a big win at home.

Great pitching, great hitting, the benches cleared...what more could you have asked for?

Ted D said...

Carol, always good to see a "fracas". Love that word!

1 hour until gametime: can't wait.

Tell Baby D hi!

chicklets said...

Thank you for the comments on our new hair color. That is what all the kids at the supermarket yell at us when we walk in!!

Ted, i dont understand why you dont think we are real people. You could have shook our hand on Sunday. Or held the door open for us on Monday.

You remind us of our favorite character on our show. You may be too young, its called Mayberry. And Tex, its not Otis. And its not Andy. Ted, do you know who you remind us of?!

And we dont think the plant guy sounds like two very mature southern belles.

Christine E. said...

Of COURSE its not wrong to be jacked up 7 games in--we are Red Sox Fans...LOL

3 minutes and counting

Lets hope its as fun as yesterday

Enjoy the game..:-)

Go Sox!

Tree Newt said...

Okay, Who are the blue hairs?!!! I'm really perplexed now! This is getting close to being "Who Killed JFK" now. Ted, they might not know you, because they obviously think you leave the house to go shopping. HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Beckett was nails. I hope Kaylee will remember her promise to only say positive things about our boy. Cy Young in his future, no doubt.

Ted D said...

Myrtle and Mabel,

I know you know me now: Mayberry? Of course you mean the Andy Griffith Show, who, if anyone knows me, is one of my favorite shows.

And I'm gussing you mean Barney Fife: only the greatest character ever on TV.

Hi Christine: ignore the senior's. They really should be in bed by now. And I plan on enjoying every minute of it.

First inning: Matsuzaka gives up a ground ball single, nothing more.

Ted D said...

Mattie,

Got to be someone who knows me to give the Andy reference.

Sox go 1/2/3 in the bottom of the first.

KAYLEE said...

TREE SQUIRREL I will remember that.

KAYLEE said...

who hit the homerun? for seattle? i wasnt paying attention!

KAYLEE said...

I got one question though why did the chicklets show up tonight but scott hasnt?and scott did last night but the chicklets didnt?

Ted D said...

Now you are catching on Kaylee.

And it wasn't a home run: it was a sacrafice fly that Manny missed by inches on throwing him out.

KAYLEE said...

Okay Whatever I just wanted to know hoe they scored:-)Oh my god dice-k is killing me in that dugout!

KAYLEE said...

I have been thinking its scott all along I just am afraid to say anything I alreay get picked on enough by him:-)

KAYLEE said...

this game is not a good one at least JD just broke up FELIX HERNANDEZ's no hitter:-)

Ted D said...

Ugh.

Tip your cap to Hernandez: filthy, filthy stuff. At least, as Kaylee said, the no hitter was broken up by Drew.

Hopefully, the weather will hold and they get the game in.

KAYLEE said...

Yeah hopefully the weather does hold up seattle already has to make up 4 games they dont need 5 to make up:-) and its only april!

Sonya@Beyond the Screen Door said...

Scott has been at church unlike you heathens! Confucius say man who stand on toilet high on pot. Ted are you standing on the toilet? you need some new blues clues.

KAYLEE said...

TRY AND CONVICE US ALL YOU WANT SCOTT BUT WHAT WE BWLIEVE IS WHAT WE BELIEVE:-)

Ted D said...

Bub,

The grammatical errors? Mis-spelled words? Them blue hairs have you written all over them. Plus, the time frame fits: if it's not you, it's someone close.

::puts Columbo coat on to investigate::

Ted D said...

Yeah: what Kaylee said. :)

KAYLEE said...

Glad we agree on that TED!

chicklets said...

We may have to pick a different team. These Redcoats never win.

Sonya@Beyond the Screen Door said...

HElls bells look who showed up!

KAYLEE said...

There is more evidence there to work with:-)

::RUNS for the RITALIN::

Ted D said...

FTD man, you ain't fooling nobody anymore: I have a blog you can go ransack though. Let me know if you are interested: you would rock this person's world.

Sonya@Beyond the Screen Door said...

Ok ted pull out your ouji board.

Ted D said...

BTW, Mildred: they are 4-4. Which means they have won 4 times.

They play 162 games dear: if you win 95 you have had an EXCELLENT year.

Scott, give it up: you are busted.

chicklets said...

Hells bells and ouji boards?! Us Luthern's don't talk like that!

KAYLEE said...

//Us Luthern's don't talk like that!//

WAIT THEY are the same religion as me....Thats scary I think I am running now!

Sonya@Beyond the Screen Door said...

You are all wet junior, you need to find out who you have been messing with.

Ted D said...

Scotty,

Would you STOP! You are killing me.

chicklets said...

This will be my last post of the evening. I am keeping Mildred awake with my typing. And this 24 hour girdle is killing me!!!

Ted, maybe we will see you tomorrow. Be watching for us.

Sleep tight.

Ted D said...

Night Scott... I mean Chicklets.

Sonya@Beyond the Screen Door said...

You my friend are delusional, oh you already know that. you my friend are dazed and confused oh you already know that! You my Friend will be up all night working that peach pit of yours like a hamster in a cage. BUt it is not me saith the Raven nevermore!!

Ted D said...

Denial is a river in Egypt Bub.

Keep on keeping on if it makes you feel better!

KAYLEE said...

scott they sure act you not saying youre 75 but.....

KAYLEE said...

//You my friend are delusional, oh you already know that. you my friend are dazed and confused oh you already know that! You my Friend will be up all night working that peach pit of yours like a hamster in a cage. BUt it is not me saith the Raven nevermore!! //

YOU SURE YOU ARENT DESCRIBING YOURSELF SCOTT?!

Sonya@Beyond the Screen Door said...

I believe that was Sheryl Crow and its " IF it makes you happy . Your mind is whirling. Take every third letter of the alphabet , take out the vowels put them in order according to the first letter of every chinese new year symbol for the last 10 yrs and you might get the name of who is heckling you or you might get the name of the antichrist who knows Just give me a brake. ITS NOT ME DEAR NO NO NO IT ain't me your looking for!

Sonya@Beyond the Screen Door said...

Kaylee its kinda late for school children to be up isn't it!

Ted D said...

Bub, this tree business has turned you goofy: are you sure you are OK?

C'mon now: the charade is over. Admit it and we leave you alone!

KAYLEE said...

//Kaylee its kinda late for school children to be up isn't it! //

DONT HAVE TO BE THERE TIL 10:30 tomorrow:D