Classin' It Up.

Jerry Remy just appeared on GBH's Greater Boston to plug the new restaurant--he promises that the food will be good. He talks about battling depression last season and about the importance of David Ortiz in any success the Sox might achieve this season. He also talks about trying to convince Daisuke Matsuzaka to listen to the front office.

It does look like he's got some of his lunch caught in his moustache.

I Was Not Sleeping.

Perhaps because I split a toenail and haven't run in more than a week and the ennui and general sluggishness that that entails overran my normal life, I haven't felt like writing anything. It's not that there wasn't anything to write about: the doubling of the Ramon Ramirezes (Ramirezi?) amused me greatly and I could have decorated this place with black bunting for Curtis Granderson and Mike Lowell. I, however, just didn't feel like it. But the say when you don't feel like writing, that's the time you should be writing (or something like that), so...

Jerry Remy put a plea up on his Facebook page that made me snicker (and it seemed like a good way to break the silence) copied verbatim:

Ok - it's panic time again, and it has nothing to do with the Red Sox. There's 2 weeks until Christmas and as usual, I have absolutely no idea what to get my wife. Last year I gave her a Wally and a scorecard. Even though I took the time to autograph them, she didn't appreciate it! So this year I am reaching out - is there anyone out there that has any ideas?

By the way ... did I mention that if possible, I would like to order it without leaving the house and have it arrive already wrapped?

Ha!

Social Calendar Update.

Next Tuesday night (November 17) there will be a benefit at the Boston Center for the Arts to raise money for lung cancer research. The event is called "Life Is a Cabaret" and is being sponsored by Upstage Lung Cancer. During the show, Jerry Remy will be presented with the First Annual Upstage Lung Cancer Fan award. And if you buy one of the top three tiers of tickets, you can attend the reception afterward--for which they are forcing him to stay.

How's That Curse I Cursed You With, Curse-ty?

I may have found the problem with tonight's game. It lay not with the pitching but rather with a pitcher and a broadcaster. And not the pitcher you're thinking of.

Before the game Jonathan Papelbon gave an interview in which he said:

(Re: the Yankees) "I think all of baseball is seeing how well their playing and hopefully we can stifle that while they're here."

and

(Re: Jerry Remy) "I'll tell you what: Remdawg's back. He might be that missing link.You know, he might get us on that roll that we need."

So there you have it. Blame it on Papelbon.

Oh, Happy Day.

Jerry Remy's friend John seems like he would not be a good candidate for a best friend and like he would be bad at Christmas (or whichever gift-giving holidays he participates in). He may be unable to keep a secret. For the past couple of days he has been hinting (via Twitter) that Remy's return was imminent. And while not a surprise (and even though I've grown hugely fond of Dennis Eckersley) the news of Remy's return is welcome. I don't know if I'll be able to make it past "Buenas Noches, Amigos", though.

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity-Jig.

Man, did I miss all of the good stuff. A little bit of offensive production (nicely done boyos). The premiere of Junichi Tazawa. A brawl. A rain delay--which seems like a strange thing to want to happen but during the last epic delay I came up with a fabulous idea directly related to a rain delay and I've been waiting to unleash it on the world since then. But most importantly the, albeit brief, return of Mr. Gerald Remy to the NESN booth. Instead I get to watch an extremely condescending interview with Heidi Watney.

Tip for Ms. Watney: Jerry Remy knows scads more about baseball than you do and he is not six-years-old. You don't have to patronize him. Thank you.

This Both Sucks and Blows.

The lag time between the time stamp on this post and when it's actually published is going to be impressive. I've been sitting here, writing and deleting, writing and deleting, trying to come up with something appropriate to say about Jerry Remy's bout with cancer.

My inner Pollyanna reads the press release and says one thing but my more practical side says "Yeah, but lung cancer." What's more, he doesn't need someone like me--with no actual information--spreading rumors about his prognosis.

Even though the man is entitled to his privacy, he feels like family (or at the very least a close friend) and so, even if it's just in this little space, I'll treat him as such and wish him the best of luck in beating this. A baseball world without Jerry wouldn't be nearly as entertaining.

Rally time, Jerry.

Suiting Up.

I've mentioned before that I hate Yankee games but tonight's just keeps getting better. There will not be a parade of people going through NESN's broadcast booth chatting with Don Orsillo. Tonight playing the part of Jerry Remy will be Mr. Dennis Eckersley. I may have to hope that it doesn't get rained out.

The Buck Martinez Experiment.

Look, NESN. I know it's not your fault; you didn't give him pneumonia. I hate to hear that Jerry Remy will not be doing tonight's or Saturday night's broadcast and I imagine that you do too. And while I realize that he is damn close to irreplaceable and consequently anyone you bring in will pale in comparison, let's try just a little bit harder to find a replacement than you did last night, shall we? Buck Martinez is not the answer. He never will be the answer. He talks too much and thinks that his audience is filled with imbeciles. Thanks for your time.

Sad News.

There will be baseball on my television set in a matter of a few short hours. Sadly, Jerry Remy will not be a part of that broadcast. He's not feeling well and won't be able to make it. Here's to hoping that he gets well by Sunday because part of the fun is not only seeing my boys again but also revisiting the rapport of Don and Jerry. They're like family.

Adventures with Jerry.

Jerry Remy is not the adventurous sort. He seems to be a bit of a homebody; only having seen the sights of Tokyo after being pulled by his ear. He won't leave his hotel room but he'll visit Worcester? (Kidding. I have nothing against Worcester.) Jerry Remy will be attending a meet-and-greet dinner at the St. George Orthodox Cathedral in Worcester on January 15. Tickets are $30.

Breaking News!

The returns from the battleground state of Connecticut are in and in a stunning turn of events, Red Sox fans outnumber Yankee fans in the state for the first time in, probably, forever.

The poll (conducted by Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT) found that fifty-eight percent of the people in the state claimed to be baseball fans and of those fans forty-one percent claimed the Red Sox as their team while only forty percent went for the Yankees (the rest were mainly Mets fans.)

So, are these new fans due to the afterglow of a World Series championship? I don't think so. My guess is that the increase in fans is directly due to the tireless campaigning and the spreading of the good word by our fearless leader, Jerry Remy. Congratulations President Remy on a job well done!



That said: I'm off to Block Island for the weekend. No tv. No internet. If I survive, I'll be back late Sunday night.

The Appeal of Sox Appeal?

I've got to say that there really isn't too much about the silly little thing that is appealing. Mostly, I'd just like to watch the ballgame please. Thanks. But the one thing, the one thing I find amusing about it is that Jerry Remy and Don Orsillo remind me of these two: