Annoyance
| Game 117: August 12, 2007 ∙ 10 innings | |||
| Red Sox | 3 | H: Mike Timlin (5) H: Hideki Okajima (20) BS: Eric Gagne (2) L: Kyle Snyder (2-3) |
70-47, 1 game losing streak 24-11-4 series record |
 Orioles |
6 | W: Chad Bradford (1-4) | 54-62, 1 game winning streak 16-20-2 series record |
| Highlights: Hindsight made Terry Francona look terrible. He pulled Okajima in the eighth with one out, one on, and Miguel Tejada in the box. In an inappreciable sample size of two at bats against Okajima the shortstop has made an out and jacked a home run. Against right-handed batters have a .221 BA and .263 slugging; compare this to .225 BA and .188 slugging versus lefties. | |||
“The French can be annoying. Come to Greece. We’re nicer.”
— Crazy People
Eric Gagne is not actually French, but French Canadian is close enough. There are some, like the members of Parti Québécoise, who would like Quebec to be a separate country.
Gagne should lead a separatist movement that liberates him from the shackles of any semblance of responsibility in high-leverage bullpen situations.
Je me souviens, indeed. J’espère qu’il se souvienne à lancer. (Did I use the subjunctive correctly? I barely remember to use it correctly in English.)
With the margin between the Red Sox and the Yankees winnowed down to four games, the inevitable media onslaught begins. As I type this Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon just finished yelping about the AL East and distraught New Englanders.
“Despair” is not the word I’m resorting to, not yet. I’m not even to “worry.” Irked, flustered, peeved. In short, annoyed.
Vexed that whatever ineptitude propagated in Baltimore’s bullpen spread like a contagion into the Red Sox relief corps. Despite the two blown games in this series, however, Boston’s bullpen is still the best in the league in ERA.
David Ortiz is soldiering on despite the shoulder; he doubled in the second over Nick Markakis’s head (he’s Greek, so he’s nice). Ramirez wore out the same part of the field, lodging his ball under the padding in right for a two-run double.
But it was their old partner in crime Kevin Millar who would overpower them. With the aggressive eye black pattern he learned from fellow Red Sox castoff Trot Nixon, Millar deposited the fifth pitch he saw from Kyle Snyder into the left field seats with two men on for the walkoff win.
Hopefully this knocks the complacency of having had so sizable a lead for so long out of the Old Towne team. To be sure everyone says the right words about playing hard everyday no matter what the standings say, but when your nearest competition is trailing you by double digits it is easy to be content with one’s station.
If playing against Tampa Bay doesn’t rekindle their desire, “worry” may make an appearance here.
