Category Archives: Red Sox

I’m Not Going to Miss Lugo

I was at the game on Friday. The Red Sox lost.  I swear I’m the only one on the planet this year who has seen more Red Sox losses than wins in Fenway this year.

Late in the game, Lugo came up lame and staggered over first. I confess a little bit of me (ok, a lot of me) was hopeful: Is this the injury that will remove him from the scene? The answer turned out to be a resounding yes: 4-6 weeks on the disabled list.  I know I shouldn’t wish ill on him, and I don’t, really.  I just want him gone.  I hope he recovers quickly and well (on another team’s payroll, thanks).

Francona has stuck with several players through long, long slumps. Some of that loyalty has been rewarded when the player came around. I would have been a lot less patient. If you ask me, Lugo has exhausted his chances:

  • .268 batting average (following up last year’s .237)
  • 1 home run (!)
  • 22 RBIs
  • projected for fewest extra base hits of his career
  • .139 with runners in scoring position

Is there anyone you’d rather see less in a key situation? Don’t forget his atrocious fielding – tied for most errors in the AL – and you have someone I don’t want on the roster.

Addition by subtraction. Bring on Jed Lowrie.

Me and the Trophy

Shortly after I got back from Japan I got the flu; it was the sickest I’ve been in my adult memory. One of the casualties of that illness were the pictures – I never got around to organizing and posting them.

Check this one out. If I get enough feedback, maybe I’ll be inspired to put it all together. . .

the 2007 World Series Trophy (and me)

Masterson Looking Good

I had a great time at the game last night. Justin Masterson was fun to watch. Midway through the second inning as we were watching him just mow them down, my friend asked why Masterson was still down in AA with such good stuff. I answered that sometimes pitchers at that level have great stuff but are still uneven. On cue, Masterson fired the next pitch into the dirt in front of home plate. You can’t argue with the result.

And a comment on Jon Lester:  Beats cancer.  Wins World Series.  Throws no-hitter.  Tell me, wouldn’t you be tempted to retire on top?

Visualizing Manny’s Dingers

Josh, a colleague from work, pointed out this totally cool interactive display of Manny’s chase for 500 home runs.

A significant portion of my job is dredging pools of data for insights that we can use to change our business. After I dredge it, it’s equally important that I share it. It’s one of those no-brainer points: if I can’t tell other people what I know, my knowledge is useless. I find data visualization to be interesting and challenging.  How can I quickly and effectively show other people what I’ve learned from the data?

The Globe graphic is more advanced than anything I do – I never try for an interactive display. I admire it’s richness. The more time you spend with it, the more you learn from it.

Worst Rain Delay Ever

I went to the Sox-Yankees game this afternoon. At first I thought the game would be rained out, then I thought it would be wet, then the sun came out. Shows what I know. It was very humid – dank, really. The temperature was in the 50s, but the air was hazy and you could see your breath. It was odd.img_0650.jpg

Then a few raindrops fell in the 8th inning. With 7 outs until the end of the game, they decided to run from a rainshower. The tarp came out, and the game stopped. We spent the next hour wondering why the game wasn’t already over, staring at a damp-but-totally-playable field. I stood there and shouted for them to start the game, but no one was listening to me. Shocking, I know.

I’ve been to a lot of games and waited out a number of rain delays. This one was the worst. It shouldn’t have happened – they should have played. I was so annoyed I gave up and went home. I listened to the Red Sox wrap it up on the radio, still swearing at the stupid rain delay.

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Two

Sunday night I was excited and tense.  If I’m destined to have a stroke, it will happen during a Red Sox game.  When it was done, I was elated, delighted, ecstatic, and lots of other words.  I screamed at the street, high-fived my friends, and played Dropkick Murphy’s at a volume of 11.  I called and texted and emailed a few dozen people.

As I watched the postgame celebrations and interviews, I thought Sox Chairman Tom Werner nailed it: “2004 was for our parents and grandparents and everyone that suffered through eight decades.  This is for us and our children.”  And we can do it again.

Two.

Sox Fans Don’t Wave Socks

I’m back from game 6, and it was great. The fans were electric from pitch one. They jumped on Carmona’s troubles right away. I’ve never chanted “Faust-oooo” before, but it felt good. I’ll do it again. I didn’t pick J. D. Drew as the hero, but I’ll take it.

Game 7 tomorrow. I like the momentum, and I think we’ll get it done.

Memo for the two people I saw waving socks during the game: we’re smarter than that, thanks. Socks don’t make noise. Clap your hands. Leave the “terrible towels” to people who are dumb enough to think towels make noise.