Bagged
Game 64: June 15, 2006
Red Sox (36-28), 3
Twins (31-34), 5
L: Tim Wakefield (4-8)
W: Carlos Silva (3-8)
H: Juan Rincon (9)
S: Joe Nathan (8)
For the second time this season the Red Sox were swept by the opposition. Sure, it was by a team that has a losing record. Indeed, two of the games were tantalizingly within Boston’s ambit to win. And yes, the Yankees took over first place in the AL East as a result. But on the positive side, perhaps the Twins now have the momentum to make the AL Central more competitive and notch wins against the Tigers and White Sox.
Jason Kubel hit another home run, his third in as many games, this time in the second inning. Such power is quite the contrary to the Minnesotan approach at the plate described by David Ortiz in Tom Verducci’s Sports Illustrated feature story this week. The Twins seemed to have learned a hard lesson when they pigeon-holed Ortiz into a contact hitter’s role and are perhaps making amends by allowing Kubel to develop into a power hitter.
No one could be happier than Ortiz to leave the Metrodome. In the sixth he propelled a ball so high it seemed destined for the upper deck. Instead, the speakers attached the roof robbed the Red Sox designated hitter of a homer. Ortiz also jawed with home plate umpire Tim Timmons. But compared to losing his mother in 2002 in a car accident, where he missed saying goodbye to her by just eight minutes.
“I was there eight minutes after it happened, and she was dead already. That’s why I don’t worry about baseball. I don’t feel like I put any pressure on myself when I’m playing baseball. Not after that.”
The past is complete; it cannot be undone. Rather than dwell on it, you can look to the future. The future could already be taking the field on the field of Boston’s Class A affiliate. Today I’ll be attending the Lowell Spinners Media Day and interviewing a few of the 2006 draftees.
