Monday, April 16, 2007

Ramblings and Patriots Day


Work has been incredibly busy over the last week and it’s probably not going to change too much but there’s been a lot of stuff going on so I have to say something about it all. With that said I give to you another installment of the ramblings

Can’t start off with anything but Red Sox talk…the Sox are 6-4 after the first two weeks of the season and we’ve already seen some stuff that makes me worrisome and a bunch of stuff that has me pumped for a monster 2007 season. Except the weather is hideous right now so who knows when the Sox will actually play again. Patriots Day, a.k.a. the coolest unique game in all of sports has already been pushed back at least two hours if not more…lame.

On to the Sox, first and foremost is the starting pitching, I one-hundred percent believe that you can never have enough starting pitching but I think that the Red Sox are in a pretty good position. At the very least they are in better shape then any other AL East team right now.

I’ve heard talk about Schilling not being an ace anymore which at times I’ll admit I agree with he’s not the pitcher he was in 2004 or before then. He’s going to have his nights and he’s going to have shitty nights, like opening day for example, but he’s still a guy you have confidence in when he trots out to the mound every fifth day.

Josh Beckett is the ace of the staff in my opinion. Forget about 2006 he is poised to have a big time year. He’s looked great in his two starts. He had some killer stuff in KC and just steamrolled the Mariners in the home opener. I don’t know if he’s going to take home the Cy Young award but I did predict a batting title for Youk so call me a homer I guess. Regardless I feel like he’s poised to have a good year and it seems like he always takes the mound with something to prove. Plus he is insanely intense, like Papelbon.

Then there is Dice-k, granted he had his Fenway opener crashed by King Felix but he’s been pretty solid in his first two outings. The guy isn’t going to go 30-0 but hopefully more often then not he will end up on the winning end of games where he is only giving up a couple of runs. So far, so good with Dice-k though, his stuff has looked pretty good and one this to remember is that the weather has not been friendly and he’s a guy that pitched most of his games in a dome. If the weather ever warms up here in New England or the US for that matter I think he’ll be even better since he’ll be more comfortable. No one wants to do anything when its cold and your body react differently. Sounds dumb but seriously keep it in mind.

Wake is pretty much the same as he has been over the last few years. You have to win when he pitches well or it will come back to bite you. Wake’s knuckle ball is bizarre and sometimes it works great other times guys get it or it’s not doing what he wants it to and he gets rocked. In my opinion, he’s still going to get 10-12 wins but the Red Sox have to win on nights when he’s only giving up 2-3 runs because there are going to be nights when he gets shelled and gives up 6 or 7. I know it’s early but the other night in Texas, games like that really can’t happen.

What can you say about Julian Tavarez? I don’t really I know I just hope he can hold down the fort and not totally fuck everything up until Lester is ready to come back. I’ve said it before the addition of Lester midway through the season could be like adding a pitcher at the trading deadline so hopefully Tavarez can get the job done. I think he’s proven that he can be effective but he’s going to need run support like any pitcher, if he can keep his ERA between 4-and-5, he’ll be fine the Sox have enough pop in their lineup that they should be able to put up at least that night in and night out.

Couple more Red Sox notes before we get into the rest of my semi-coherent ramblings…

I never realized that how we take the Red Sox broadcast teams for granted. Being from Boston I’m a bit of a homer for homer announcers, everyone loved Johnny Most, even if he sounded like he was gargling hot asphalt, and most people like Tommy Heinsohn. Jerry Remy is a bit of a homer especially when it comes to Wally the Green Monster. My point is that Jerry and Don are very, very good in the booth. I’ve always disliked Tim McCarver and Joe Buck and I only hear Joe Morgan and John Miller once in a while but they suck.

I’ve always maintained how much I like Jerry and Don but I am just realizing that I’ve always taken the Sox radio team for granted. Joe Castiglione and Jerry Trupiano were a great team, they had great chemistry and really knew the Sox and their fans. Trup’s “WAAAY BAAACCK” was deceiving but overall they gave you all that you could want from the radio. When it was first announced that he wasn’t going to be doing the broadcasts anymore I wasn’t real happy since I catch a lot of games on the radio during the summer.

INANE BANTER ALERT - Cheruiyot takes the marathon, he didn’t fall at the finish line this time but the camera bike just absolutely dumped right behind him and no one seems to care.

The first week of the season I listen to chunks of games on the radio in the car and guess what. Dave O’Brien is awesome. I was skeptical after hearing he’d replace Trup, since he does a lot of soccer, but the guy is great, I love listening to him and even though it will take some time for him and Joe Castiglione to develop chemistry he’s a great replacement. As for Glenn Geffner, I’ve got nothing against the guy, he does an ok job but O’Brien is an everyday player in the majors, I think Glenn is still playing triple A right now. I’m not one to talk since I’m rocking the college wooden bat league and maybe it’s a bit of an unfair comparison but still when I hear Geffner instead of O’Brien it’s a little bit of a let down.

The Celtics clinched the second worst record in the NBA. They’ll still probably get the fifth pick. I don’t want to talk about this right now, but if they don’t get the first or second pick I think they have to try and trade for a veteran like Garnett or something the Celtics don’t need another young guy that has great potential. I guess maybe you could go with one of the NBA ready guys from Florida like Corey Brewer but I don’t want Joakim Noah I want Oden or Durant. At some point someone has to be held accountable for this miserable state of the Celtics. I blame whoever came up with those “God is a Celtics Fan” commercials from a couple years ago…prick.

I think I might start throwing up some stuff about TV now that I work five (or seven) days a week I’ve started to watch more TV at night with more regularity. Obviously 24 and Prison Break but I’ve added some others and why not write about it. For example Entourage is excellent and I’m not sure how but South Park continues to get funnier with each episode. I’m thinking regular weekly TV columns might be in order. (Stay tuned for a why 24 has not jumped the shark…its coming, seriously)

Just wanted to touch on Jackie Robinson Day real quick

People really have Dice-k fever here, after missing one game due to miserable weather everyone is already counting out days to see if Dice-k will miss a scheduled start with the Yankees. Also every time someone Japanese was on camera during the marathon coverage Bob Lobel felt it necessary to mention Dice-k. For example we had this tidbit from Bob when the wheelchair leader, who was Japanese, was rolling (literally) through Cleveland Circle.

“Boston really is turning Japanese…and if Dice-k is watching from the clubhouse I’m sure he’s very proud.” Maybe I should have watched the marathon on versus.

The Red Sox game finally started at 12ish and NESN is really pushing this Sox Appeal dating show, relax NESN I’m going to watch it just make sure I know when it starts and I’ll be watching. How could you not watch this? It’s going to be the highest of high comedy, like NEXT but with kids that had thick Boston accents and chicks that swear every fourth word and call every Yankee player a faggot on air, I’m pumped for this, but you already knew that. By the way casting starts this week at participating Bob’s Stores…there is one is Middleton…giddy…yup.

The Substitute 4 is on TV right now…they made four of those movies…seriously people. Oh wait; I’ve definitely seen this before…wow I may need to reevaluate my TV habits. Okay time for the Patriots Day game.


INANE BANTER ALERT - Patriots Day is celebrated to observe the ride of Paul Revere and the battles of Lexington and Concord.

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