Keys to Surviving the Offseason
What? You're not reading Jose Melendez's KEYS TO THE GAME (capitalization his)? Well, you should be -- it's only the best damn sports blog on earth. Being a Red Sox fan helps, but it's Jose's style that keeps you coming back. (Note: Jose Melendez was a particularly forgettable Bosox pitcher from the early 90s. The blogger's real name is Daniel Kobayashi, as best as anyone can tell.) A couple recent examples example of Jose nailing a partisan sports topic while making any fan chuckle:
ON THE YANKEES' ALLEGED CLASS: Whenever anyone uses the word classy to describe the Yankees, Jose has the same reaction as when Donald Trump uses the word "classy." "Oh, you must think classy means grotesquely expensive, horribly tacky and an affront to decent people everywhere."
ON THE SOX'S UPCOMING VISIT TO THE WHITE HOUSE: [Former Sox utility outfielder Gabe Kapler]'s probably more interested in an opportunity to see Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s famed bouffant hair up close than to meet President Bush. (Note: Koizumi’s hair has been a subject of much discussion in Japan and around the world. In Jose’s opinion it looks like he got a 20 dollar bill at some point, saw the portrait of Andrew Jackson and said “That’s what a leader should look like!!!”)
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Posted on February 26, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Sox Nostalgia Sets In
With most eyes glued to the latest offseason trade news (Wells, Clement, Miller), Robot House reminds Boston Red Sox fans that it's far too early to stop wallowing in the wonder of the 2004 season. Click HERE for this insightful recap of some of the best moments and details of the ride to our first World Series in 86 years, for example:
The first thing the Sox would do when a game was over would be to untuck their shirts. Someone would catch the last out, and by the time they cut to someone else on the team, the shirt-tails would be out. It was totally like people getting out of the office for the day, who didn’t want to have to stay dressed up.
Posted on December 23, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Who's your Papi
Diehard Boston Red Sox fans absolutely should not miss this terrific Quicktime movie by Brian Fox.
UPDATE: Those eager to cash in on full-length DVDs (Major League Baseball, et al.) dropped the hammer on Brian Fox, so the link is dead. Shame on them -- this was hardly going to cut into their sales.
Posted on November 18, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Sox gloats from all over
For fans who just can't get enough, a passel of links to mainstream and blog coverage of the Red Sox's incredible journey to breaking the Curse of the Bambino...
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Posted on October 28, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Foulke Yeah
Like every diehard Red Sox fan, the 'Union' is stumbling around today in joyful disbelief at the Sox's four-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals.
The victory is made even sweeter having gone through the hated Yankees to get here -- not to mention a lifetime of misery starting (for this fan) at age 6 in October 1975. Our Carlton "Pudge" Fisk away jersey was in full effect during Game 7 of the ALCS in Yankee Stadium and Game 4 of the Series in Busch Stadium.
ESPN "sports guy" Bill Simmons has had the cleverest, most detailed and most resonant commentaries on the BoSox's astonishing postseason. Read 'em all here. Some choice items from Simmons after the jump.
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Posted on October 28, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Startling Sox stat
ESPN sportswriter Buster Olney offers up this incredible statistic about the 2004 World Series, which Boston now leads 3-0 over St. Louis:
The Cardinals have thrown 511 pitches in this series and the Red Sox have swung and missed only 25 times, with 87 foul balls.
That said, no true Boston fan is celebrating yet. Anyone who even suggests the BoSox could sweep is plainly trying to jinx the team.
That massive, booming sound you hear is the cumulative sonic impact of millions of Beantowners knocking on wood.
Posted on October 27, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
ALCS wrap-up: Quotable quotes
The 'Union' has collected some of the pithier reactions and observations about the American League Championship Series between the Red Sox and Yankees.
The best quote so far, however, was on a talk radio show: "A-Rod was clearly out. The umpires' rulebook clearly states that it is illegal to knock the ball out of an opposing player's glove with your purse."
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Posted on October 21, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Yankee fans read it--and weep
We have no excuse. They beat our asses, that's it. It's frustrating."
--Yankee third baseman Alex Rodriguez, quoted in the Daily News
The Columbia-Union is proud, nay delighted, to present images of the front and back sides of the Thursday, October 21st, 2004 editions of the New York Post and New York Daily News, reporting on the result of Game 7 of the American League Championship Series (ALCS) between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees:
On to Fenway for Game 1 on Saturday of the World Series.
Posted on October 21, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Theeeeeeee Red Sox win
David Ortiz is MVP. Damon breaks his slump with a grand slam and another 2-run shot. Lowe is as brilliant as he ever was in 2002. (By the way, why was he lifted for Pedro? Just because Boston won is no reason for Red Sox Nation to stop second-guessing the manager!)
How sweet it is. Great lead-in to ESPN's coverage by Jim Caple:
In hindsight, perhaps it was a mistake for the Yankees to raise a "Mission Accomplished" banner above their dugout after Game 3.
And if Houston wins, that sets up a Massachusetts-Texas matchup for the World Series, further echoing the national race between Kerry and Bush.
All hail the conquering heros.
Posted on October 21, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Red Sock
Proof positive of the gutsiness of Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling: Not only did he shut down the Yankees despite an injured ankle, which received sutures before the game, he even was bleeding through his hose during the game.
Meanwhile, those trash-talking (and thrash-tossing) New York fans who have defended the sportsmanship of the Yankees now need to explain this childish slap play by Alex Rodriguez. When he tried to illegally smack the ball out of Bronson Arroyo's glove, A-Rod acted like a bratty Little Leaguer.
Even worse, Rodriguez then compounded his sin by pouting and shouting after the umps' decision. Did he think no one was watching the game? Memo to A-Rod: Fox has this newfangled invention called "instant replay." As the New York Post quoted first base ump Randy Marsh:
"He cannot intentionally wave, slap at the man and try to knock the ball out of his glove." Marsh's explanation is backed up in Section 6.1 of the umpire's manual and section 2.00 of the rule book. Rodriguez said the umpires told him that he "could have run him over, like a catcher, but I can't go out of my way." But A-Rod didn't understand that. "If the line belongs to me, and he's coming to my stomach, I felt I could do what I can do as long as I don't go out of my way," A-Rod said before noting that he hadn't seen the tape. Fact is, A-Rod still didn't understand the explanation.
When even the hometown newspaper says you're wrong, A-Rod, you are dead wrong.
Update: ESPN has a pretty entertaining poll HEREwith fan predictions of how Game 7 will end.
Posted on October 20, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Evil Empire, indeed
Take the ESPN poll about the ALCS: Click HERE.
With the Boston Red Sox having nearly equalized the ALCS against all odds, New York Yankee booster have proposed a truly slimy tactic to rescue the flagging Bronx Bombers.
According to ESPN Radio this morning, the Yankees are allegedly planning to bunt, over and over again, in an effort to make the hobbled Curt Schilling field balls on wet grass, and cover first.
With Schilling's ankle already tenuous at best (he'll be wearing a special sneaker-boot designed to keep his tendon from snapping against bone), this is a devious plan worthy of Snidely Whiplash, Darth Vader, or name your favorite villain.
Evil empire, indeed.
When you are relying on your opponent to get hurt, you must be getting desperate.
Does this idea make New York fans proud? (It's more worthy of Ed Hillel, the "objective Yankee fan" in the stands near the right field pole in Yankee Stadium, who lied through his teeth on national television by claiming Todd Walker's home run was foul -- despite replays showing the exact opposite.)
Just because the Spankees have been rocked and shocked for two games by the resurgent Ortiz, Foulke & Co. is no excuse to promote injuries.
It's just unsportsmanlike, from a team which is always claiming it has more "class" than others.
The 'Union' responds: Jeters never prosper. Let's go Red Sox.
Posted on October 19, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The agony of defeat
Bill Simmons has by far the best play-by-play of the Red Sox's excruciating Game 1 loss to the Yankees -- in which the team managed to discover new and creative ways to give their Boston fans heart attacks.
Lines like this from Simmons make reliving the horror a bit more bearable:
Following a two-out single from Ortiz, McCarver mentions how this inning could give the Boston offense something to build on, then promotes "Brandon Arroyo against Pedro Martinez in Game 2 tomorrow night." Wow. Poor Buck has to issue the rare double correction. Now you know what it would be like if my Mom was a baseball analyst.
Or:
Grossest moment of the game so far: A closeup of Posada right as he's violently blowing booger spray out of his left nostril. It's My Big Fat Booger Billionaire, only on Fox!
Meanwhile: Schilling's ankle needs surgery, and his likelihood of pitching in Game 5 is about 20% at best. Maybe that's a good thing. An unscheduled start from Derek Lowe might get him fired up enough to prove he should have been on the roster.
Posted on October 13, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Sweet Sox Revenge
While the rest of the Nation speculates nervously about whether the Boston Red Sox will finally beat the New York Yankees in this year's ALCS -- and one diehard vows not to shave until it's over -- the 'Union' is contemplating a far more entertaining question: how they'll win it.
First things first: The Sox will win in 5, because that's the final game in Fenway -- and, realistically, we've got to spot the Yanks one game to give them a sense of false hope.
As far as the clinching moment, BoSox fans will settle for nothing less than one (or more) of the following:
* A routine ground ball rolls through A-Rod's legs.
* Bernie Williams pops out to third baseman Bill Mueller.
* Orlando Cabrera bloops a shallow fly ball over the Green Monster.
* Relieving in a long extra-innings gamee, Tim Wakefield strikes out Derek Jeter for the win.
* Jason Varitek scores by smashing into Jorge Posada, knocking the ball free of his mitt.
* Manny Ramirez or David Ortiz hits a towering walk-off home run into the Citgo sign.
* In an offensive slugfest for the ages, Boston beats New York 19 to 18.
Other suggestions? Use the comments.
Update: Best blog line heard so far on the postseason: "What's the price of a World Series? ONE SCHILLING!"
Posted on October 11, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Putting the wild back in 'wildcard'
Baseball Musings analyzes the relative strengths and weaknesses of the Sox and Angels playoff matchup (giving the edge to Anaheim), but its analysis may be a little too narrow to accurately predict the outcome.
The big, uh, wildcard factor here is that the Boston Red Sox have been a Jekyll-and-Hyde club in 2004. Depending what night you picked during the season, one of two distinctly different teams might show up. It's not that the lineups varied so much, but more the wildly divergent results.
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Posted on October 4, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Keep False Hope Alive
The Red Sox could still win the A.L. East division title. Really, they could. It's not bloody likely, but it is possible. Here's how.
First of all, keep in mind that since the Sox won 11 out of 19 games against the Yankees this year, in the event of a tie Boston wins the division and the Yankees are the wildcard.
So, with Boston having 7 games to play and New York 6, here are the won-loss combinations that would give the BoSox a tying record with the Bombers, and therefore the division title:
Boston 7-0 | New York 3-3
Teams tied at 100-62, Sox take division
Boston 6-1 | New York 2-4
Teams tied at 99-63, Sox take division
Boston 5-2 | New York 1-5
Teams tied at 98-64, Sox take division
Boston 4-3 | New York 0-6
Teams tied at 97-65, Sox take division
Yeah, it's not going to happen, especially since Boston has 4 games against the mysteriously difficult Orioles. Then again, the Yankees have three against Minnesota, who can be tough, and New York's got a ton of pitching woes right no. But if the Yankees win 4 of 6, there's no way for Boston to win even if the Sox go undefeated for the rest of the year.
We wouldn't be Sox fans if we weren't hoping against hope for a miracle, setting ourselves up for heartache again. Probably it would be smarter to concede once the wildcard is a lock, and focus on getting the team in shape for the playoffs.
But that would require management that thinks with its head, not its foolish heart.
Update: The Sox clinched at least a wildcard berth tonight with a 7-3 win over Tampa Bay.
Posted on September 27, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Grady Little Redux
This is all the 'Union' has to say about Terry Francona's role in the Red Sox's absurd loss to the Yankees on Friday, September 23rd:
Posted on September 25, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Doing the Red Sox math
Do the Boston Red Sox have a chance of coming back to win the A.L. East? The team's recent hot streak, coupled with a Yankee nose dive, have revived hope in an almost cruel manner. The 'Union' does the math to assess the Dirt Dogs' actual odds...
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Posted on September 6, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Clueless Times scribe bashes BoSox
Does the New York Times' Charles McGrath know anything about baseball's biggest rivalry? Reading his sneering article about the Red Sox in today's Times Magazine, the answer appears to be: No.
McGrath writes, for instance, that "It's mainly in the years since 1990... that the Sox have settled into their heartbreaking habit of near-misses..." Come again?
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Posted on August 22, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Nine Days in September
The Red Sox's season now may come down to nine games in September -- well, make that 9 games between August 31st and September 8th.
That's when Boston plays three consecutive three-game series against the top three teams in the American League West -- the very teams with a shot of beating the Sox out for a Wildcard berth in the playoffs.
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Posted on August 19, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Let's go Red Sox
This is the year.
This is the year.
This is the year.
This is the year.
THIS IS THE YEAR!
Yes, despite its current home base 16 miles west of the Massachusetts border, the 'Union' has its roots in the Berkshires -- and remains a Red Sox diehard. The Sox season starts tonight (04-04-04) against the Orioles in Baltimore, with Pedro on the hill...
In rooting for them over the course of four decades, never before can this fan recall the BoSox beginning the season with what is arguably the best pitching in their league, and maybe even in the majors -- not to mention virtually every member of its record-slugging 2003 lineup returning to pound the Yankees' weaker rotation...
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Posted on April 4, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
