Disgruntled
Game 96: July 22, 2005
Red Sox (53-43), 4
White Sox (63-32), 8
L: Tim Wakefield (8-9)
W: Jon Garland (15-4)
The Wizards of Ozzie racked up their 63rd win last night and are now leading the AL Central by 11 games. How is this even possible? Based on these rankings, it’s clear they rely on pitching and defense:
- 25th in batting average (.260)
- 21st in strikeouts (584)
- 30th in hits (830)
- 26th in on-base percentage (.321)
- 2nd in earned run average (3.62)
- 29th in earned runs against (346)
- 14th in strikeouts against (598)
- 4th in fielding percentage (.986)
- 28th in errors (52)
- 9th in double plays (97)
Garland reprised his role as the young ingenue traipsing through the magical White Sox season with enchanted cleats that have somehow reduced his ERA from 4.89 in 2004 to 3.19 during this season so far. His line of 6.2 innings pitched, 7 hits, 2 earned runs, 3 walks, 5 strikeouts, and 1 home run, clearly demonstrates some sort of supernatural intervention. Someone click his heels together and send him back to Charlotte.
An old friend from 2002, Dustin Hermanson, pitched in the 9th and gave up 2 earned runs. You probably barely remember him since he only pitched 22 innings with the Red Sox with an ERA of 7.77. Hermanson went down with a groin injury on April 3, 2002 in the 2nd inning of a game that officially didn’t happen. He gave up a 2-run home run to the new guy in the office, Adam Stern, with that other new hire Tony Graffanino on base. Perhaps Hermanson could ask to borrow Garland’s mystical cleats.
Manny Ramirez now leads the league in assists with 12. The Red Sox Gold Glove candidate threw out Paul Konerko at home to end the 4th inning. Joey Cora apparently got some tips from Dale Sveum before the game.
Jerry Remy had a joke for Dan Roche this time around: What do you call a fish with no eyes? Fsh.
Feh. I haven’t seen anything from this team to make me think they are the best in the American League, no matter what their record says. Ken “Hawk” Harrelson, former Red Sox player and current broadcaster for the White Sox, was on WEEI and trumpeted the South Side team’s greatness from the mountain tops. Time to knock him off that mountain.
Comments
Au contraire. I vividly remember his one and only start toward the end of August of 2002. He pitched a pretty good game despite the wet conditions. I even went and found the box score for your enjoyment. He even had a little web gem in that game, stabbing a liner right back at him with his glove behind his back for the out.
And so ends "Reminiscing on Inconsequential Red Sox Games with NU50".
NU50 ∙ 24 July 2005 ∙ 12:41 AM
Touché. Wait until you see my Dante Bichette, Darren Lewis, and Midre Cummings tribute pages. They're faaan-tastic.
Empyreal ∙ 24 July 2005 ∙ 3:05 AM
uring that 02 season, I remember suggesting to a friend of mine tht Hermanson might make a good closer. I was laughed at. Who's laughing now?
Probably neither of us, but hey.
Andrew ∙ 24 July 2005 ∙ 10:09 AM