Monday Morning Baseball

Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN? Yeah, it was, but it didn’t finish until it was Monday Morning Baseball. Am I surprised? Not after the marathon the Yankees and Red Sox played on Friday, setting the record for the longest 9-inning game ever.

Anyhow, it’s time to start planning my wardrobe for this week – I see a lot of vertical stripes in my immediate future.

You see, the Yankees have battled back to take the lead from Boston four times in four games, during this series. They’ve won three of the four already – Sunday night’s game is in the top of the tenth as I write this, and yes, the Yankees are leading again – but from my point of view, I’m happy just to see the Yankees battle. I lived through the era where New York teams would get behind in a game and then just “give up”. At least that’s how it looked from the stands. Whenever I see my boys just continue to battle… well, I’m proud and simply thrilled.

They still have three outs to get to finish the game though. And this game’s not over. Not at all. The Sox have the ability to come from behind but they simply haven’t been able to do that over the last four games. Personally, I think they’ve relied on the late inning miracles too much, but it does seem to work a lot… just brings the question of “late theater” or “fluky hits”. At least to me,

TomorrowLater today, they play game five of the series.

I’ve written before about the Boston Massacre of 1978. I remember that happening, as I was but a wee lad. It’s not even my earliest memroy of baseball, but it was a vivid one just the same. Erasing a 14 game gap out of first and forcing a one game playoff? Taking four games in a row to cap the season? Was a wild run. Is this a replay of the original? Not so much in my book. I mean true, the same teams are involved but the Sox never had a massive lead in the standings this season. And the timing is off: sure the Yankees came back but it will only add to the growing gap in the AL East standings, rather than ending a season. Of course it doesn’t help much with the Wild Card either, considering that the Sox are currently third in that race as well.

So it’s time to get out some pinstripes. A no braining for the last three games, but the problem is the Yankees go on a road trip; they play the Mariner’s Tues-Thurs… and the M’s have lost their last 11 games. Sure, I usually let wounded dogs lie, but I’ve never hid my team affiliation. I still feel obligated to support my team, even if they are in my new backyard: that means another three jerseys this week.

Oops. Looks like I’ll be celebrating the last four games, as the Yankees just finished the game.

The tricky part to all of this will be on Friday: in spite of wearing pinstripes all week, I’ll be putting an M’s Star on my chest and hat for the second time this season. Scary, I know. Hypocritical? Not really…

Boston plays here Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and I would love for the M’s to sweep’m!


3 thoughts on “Monday Morning Baseball”

  1. I was going to post off of your last post and ask you what did you enjoy more this weekend, your new Mini Cooper or the Yankees kicking the Sox ass? (As I write this post I am currently listening to all of the Sox fans crying on WEEI and loving it).

  2. I can’t believe they’re surprised. :)

    I didn’t even wear the jersey today – figured I didn’t want to jinx it: after thinking about it last night, I decided I want *all* five games. :)

  3. Yes, all five games would be sweet. Especially beating the waiter at the Last Supper (I can’t take credit for this one; I heard it from a Sox fan on WEEI).


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