Empyreal Environs

Game 56: June 5, 2005
The Former ESPN Company Softball Team (32-24), 3
Red Sox (31-25), 6
L: Jake Woods (1-1)
W: Mike Myers (3-1)
H: Mike Timlin (13)
S: Keith Foulke (13)

The baseball portion of the day started well because the weather could finally accommodate my need for Baseball Nut ice cream from Baskin-Robbins. For the April and May games I attended, my favorite B-R flavor was either not available or it was too cold. Baseball, ice cream, a day that required sunscreen--what more could I ask for? Maybe a few friends to enjoy the day with?

Asked and granted. It was Royal Rooters outing day at Fenway Park. When you meet people virtually before you meet them in person, it can be confusing. You have to remember not only faces, but also handles, and then associate those with real names. We all spoke the intergalactic language of baseball, however.

Unsurprisingly but disappointingly, there were boos for the cast members of the Fab Five who threw out the first pitch. After they pitched, there were the inevitable frat boy cackles and taunts about them throwing like girls (not from any Rooters). Jai Rodriguez also sang the national anthem and did a passable job; he did lose his key along the way. Gwen Knapp of the San Francisco Chronicle explores the impact of the Red Sox players appearing on this show in this editorial.

With lefty Jarrod Washburn starting, Johnny Damon and Trot Nixon didn’t start. This led to one of my least favorite lineup configurations: Mark Bellhorn leading off. Reminds me of when Jeremy Giambi was announced as the leadoff hitter for the Oakland A’s in 2002. I think Bellhorn has hit first twice this year, and both times I’ve been at the game and witnessed the same quizzical looks and responses from those around me. He ended up striking out twice and getting an RBI on a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded and no out in the 7th inning, giving the Red Sox the lead.

Bellhorn’s at bat was proceeded by Jay Payton, who stayed in the game despite Mike Scioscia swapping Woods for righty Joel Peralta. This year, Rooter beatlesfab4fan’s binky is Payton, and fellow posters BostonSox37 and TimlinIn8th had one of many great debates, this one on the wisdom of leaving Payton in, the former against it and the latter for. I called a ground ball single up the middle to gerky, who somehow heard me even though he’s nearly 2 feet taller than me. (Thanks for providing some shade on this 83 degree day in the bleachers!) Payton ended up singling to left to load the bases for Bellhorn, so I was a shade off.

BostonSox37 would later prevail, however, when he got the correct answer to the trivia question, “Which Red Sox player has won the most Gold Glove awards?” My guess was Fred Lynn and TimlinIn8th’s was Wade Boggs. Dwight Evans with 8 was the correct answer, Lynn had 4, and Boggs won 2, but with the Yankees, so that doesn’t count. Yankees get Gold Gloves for just having a pulse.

I should just have copy and paste verbiage for David Ortiz providing the timely hit. It’s getting pleasantly redundant. With 2 out in the 7th, he drives in 2 runs with a double. And Keith Foulke going 1-2-3 again is something we want to get tired of, so let’s see more of that.

The only thing (and there’s always something lacking for Boston fans, isn’t there?) is Manny Ramirez continuing to struggle, something gerky noted. Not only is he not productive, he isn’t making loud outs but is rather striking out, looking overmatched while doing so. We need some applesauce, stat.