Comma

And so it was that in the eighth inning, with two outs, with the bases loaded, with David Ortiz at the plate, with Kyle Farnsworth on the mound, that Papi swung and missed stared at a third-strike slider to end the rally and, as it turned out, any hope of a Sox comeback. I'm sure as a result the Yankees allowed Kyle Farnsworth some extra time to clean the crap out of his drawers in the clubhouse before he was expected back in the dugout.

I mean...Papi at the plate, Sox down by two, bases loaded...Papi at the plate...no grand slam? Not even a two-run double?

I suppose it's best not to take him for granted, but how often does that happen? On the other hand, how often does that happen?

It should also be noted that Manny seemed off in that universe of his own, that universe where pitches float as big as beachballs toward him at the plate and where he runs the bases as best he can given that hallucinations of circus animals are crossing his path (hence the run through the stop sign for, at that moment, the go-ahead run). That universe that makes you wish you could see through Manny's eyes, like looking through one of those little prismed telescopes that give you fly-eye vision.

Wouldn't it be something if we could get Manny in that universe and Papi locked in and biting the heads off any relief pitcher that dares face him at the same time this season?

In the long run, I'm hoping this becomes a "comma" series, the kind that appears in the books as "The Red Sox took a series from a very good Phillies team before dropping one to the Yankees at home COMMA..." and then on to something more important, in retrospect.

Comments

[tom yf]

Ortiz didn't swing at that Farnsworth slider, he was frozen. Four K's in one night? I think Manny ate all of Papi's Lucky Charms before the series.

And for the record, I think you should be able to stand there and admire your own dingers for as long as you want, as long as you don't point at the pitcher and laugh and say "that's what I'm gonna do to your mom!". If I hit a ball 1000 feet off Scott Proctor, I would have pulled a lawn chair out to home plate to watch that shit.

[beth]

thank you for the correction, tom, and for that lawn-chair image.

another over-the-top alternative would be, as sarah put it, taking out a cell phone to snap a picture of the pitcher's face. that would be going too far. but funny.

[Sammy]

Pitchers have become Wussies. Can you imagine anyone having the balls to pull that bush-league horseshit of watching your homerun for 5 seconds off of, say,a Bob Gibson? Proctor should have at least done to Manny what Mariano Rivera finally did. Not drill him. Not throw behind his head to prove anything or start a brawl. Just some honest chin music to move him back and look what happened? A soft fly to center because he couldn't safely hang over the plate. That's baseball. I love our guys but one day Manny is going to get a teamate drilled in the noggin with that posing BS. However, that lawnchair image is pretty funny Tom. And if Terrell Owens was a baseball player I'm sure he'd be way ahead of us all with the photo taking. Have a great Holiday!

[Cathryn]

I am annoyed. I much prefer when Farnsworth gives up grand slams to my teams at crucial moments. Ah, well, I guess this one wasn't crucial enough. I have every confidence that he will help us out later in the season, after he, Villone, Proctor, and Rivera have pitched 327189413 innings apiece.

[Sammy]

I'm convinced now that it's not the head to head series between the Sox and the Skanks that determines the division winner or even who is better. Every year the 19 game series ends up 10-9 or possibly 11-8, but that's a stretch. This year, no surprise 4-3 so far. The games are so entertaining and maddening true, but in the end it's what is done against the rest of the league that determines position in the standings. So don't feel guilty kicking ass on the Royals or whoever it is. BTW, I re-read my earlier post and Beth & Tom, I sounded a little harsh or like I was a Yankee fan bashing Manny - sorry, must have been the Baba Ganoush at lunch talking. I just meant that as darling as Manny being Manny is to us, one day it can come back big time. Later

[tom yf]

I love baba ganoush, and agree that pitchers need to take control of ABs like Mo did in the ninth and like Schilling tried to do in Spring Training when he almost killed that one kid.

[David Welch]

There is a strike zone. That strike zone does not change in width (height maybe, yes: remember Ricky H?) no matter who is at bat and HOW much he hangs over the plate. Therefore, I believe that all this talk about taking control of at bats or reclaiming the plate is somewhat overdone.

And I say somewhat in the literal sense, because I also get the point. However, the only reason the hitters are leaning in is because the PITCHERS have become so comfy painting the outside corner. It seems as simple as the pitcher perhaps focusing more on getting the batter on the down and in pitch.

As for the lingering at the plate, it's showboating. It's a bad habit to teach up-and-comers. And, if Manny EVER gets one of the Sox players beaned for that, the beaner should have a chance to taste some of 'Tek's mitt before the end of the game! Because that's just bullshit. Go ahead and teach MANNY a lesson, but please, forget about taking it out on someone else . . .