Monday, September 08, 2008

Playoff Atmosphere

Ka-ching! The Red Sox established the MLB record for consecutive sellouts tonight, with the Sox leading 3-0 in the eighth inning. Jon Lester re-established himself as the co-ace of the starting staff with 7 2/3 innings of shutout baseball punctuated by 9 strikeouts. When the Rays threatened in the eighth with a pair of runners in scoring position, Jonathan Papelbon came in to blow away Rocco Baldelli (authoring a Golden Sombrero with four strikeouts) with 97 mph heat.

Who would have thought in April that a September series with Tampa would have so much meaning? My (nameless) Yankee fan friend finds this season 'boring'. Who would've thunk it?

The Red Sox have an astonishing impact on everyday conversation in the hospital. We're still debating the Mannygate departure. A nurse called me over to show me her notebook, with an 8 1/2 by 11 inch color photo of Mike Lowell. Another nurse, (I'll call her Melissa) waxed apologetic over 'Wake's' disaster Saturday. "Quality time with your hospital family."

The hospital has sponsored raffles for various Red Sox tickets, and trinkets, as well as a silent and open auction for sports merchandise. Yes, I picked up a framed print of 'The Greatest Comeback Ever'. For charity, you know.

Is there anything I don't like about Fenway? Well, all the signage behind home plate annoys me, but we never complain about the free agents they sign with that dough. The Amica "pitch zone' still looks just a tad small to me. I still like the straight down the barrel view behind the pitcher that eliminates the parallax that altered the 'true' strike zone.

The Sox have just begun a minimarathon of games with Tampa and Toronto, first at Fenway and then on the road. Playing good baseball in September causes carryover into October? I don't know, but at least it 'feels' better.

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