It All Seems So Long Ago.

Just a historical note:

Twenty-nine years ago, on this day, a twenty-four year old Roger Clemens struck out twenty Seattle Mariners.

We're a Group of Non-Entities.

So the pitching is going to be a problem after all. Isn't it? It was just a poor job all around but you'd like for your starters to not be so terrible. Being just okay-ish would be fantastic.

As to the offense: With this pitching staff, scoring three runs and then resting on your laurels just isn't going to cut it. So David? I love you but no more of that nonsense, okay?

I seem to recall that Happy beat the O's on Patriots' Day a few years back. Let's hope for a repeat of that performance instead of his more recent attempts at pitching. Splitsville, here we come. Hopefully.

High Flying Wings on My Shoes.

( Source: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images North America)

YaBettsBelieve.

Truthfully, when he took off for third I didn't believe. I thought for sure that he was going to be out and it would be not so good. But the kid is something else and really, really fun to watch.

Up to His Old Tricks Again.

Boo.

Night and Day.

 

( Source: Elsa/Getty Images North America)

So maybe I'm a little punch drunk at the moment but that was fun.

It's one of the things that is great about this game: No sissy ties. No artificial endings. Somebody loses, somebody wins and you just keep slogging through until that's accomplished. It's philosophically wonderful.

Also, good night.

Buy Her a Box at the Opera.

In a surprising turn of events, the Red Sox have signed Rick Porcello to a four-year, $82.5 million dollar extension.

It seems high-ish but hopefully, he'll be worth it. The real problem is that he chose to make his announcement on Derek Jeter's stupid website and I was forced to go over there. It was a nice little piece, though.

Don't Fence Me In.

( Source: Drew Hallowell/Getty Images North America)

That, gentlemen, was a lot of fun.

Clay looked good. Granted he was pitching to the Phillies but he looked good. If he could truly be that guy then they might actually have something going on. A healthy Dustin Pedroia is a joy. And Mookie Betts? What can you say about that kid? His bat is so fast. May this game be a sign of things to come.

 

Another Op'nin, Another Show.

I guess that it's a Cole Porter kind of year. So, while recently we may not have had all that much to say around here, it's probably a good thing that he was so prolific. (I don't really know what all that means but there's a perfect song/blog title and then there's a perfect song/blog title and in the end, who am I to argue?)

It really is like summer stock; same players, different plot everyday. I think that there are those in this game who don't understand that (people like David Price or Chris Archer--people who bang the nonsensical respect-the-game drum) this is theatre. It's camp. A bit of frivolity. There are heros and villains and, hopefully, the triumph of good over evil.

[Aside: Speaking of drums: I'd bet that the idiot with the drum in Cleveland can often be heard ranting about respecting the game.]

And say what you will about this team (I'd have a hard time disagreeing with the idea that their pitching isn't going to be able to do it.) but they should be fun. And fun is what a baseball team should be--who wants to sit around and watch boring theatre beside pretentious nincompoops and Yankee fans?

So let's start the show.

Break a leg boys.