The Gray Pages

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Today in Rick Sutcliffe

Bottom 8th: Boston
- C. Bean relieved R. Villone
- J. Varitek walked
- M. Lowell doubled to deep left, J. Varitek to third
- W. Harris hit sacrifice fly to deep center, J. Varitek scored
- A. Cora singled to center, M. Lowell scored
- K. Youkilis grounded into double play second to first, A. Cora out at second


Deep fly ball to centerfield, runners on second (Mike Lowell) and third (Jason Varitek). Varitek tags up, scores the run. Rick Sutcliffe gives Mike Lowell credit for, I don't know, being a gentleman and NOT tagging up to third in a (now) 8-1 game. Because that's not what baseball is about, and believe me, the Yankees would remember that. Good for Mike Lowell, says Rick Sutcliffe. (I guess we wouldn't want any bad blood between these teams or something.)

My question is this: should Lowell have stopped at third on Alex Cora's single? And is he a bad guy for trying to score? Has he lost his Rick Sutcliffe All Gentleman Team (which is like the All-Madden Team, only consisting entirely of the 2001 American League All-Star Team and coached by Derek Jeter's dad) by trying to score? And is he aware that 10 minutes later, he agreed with the other guy in the booth that no lead is safe against the Yankees?

Note to the other guy (Dave Remsen?): Jimmie Foxx's number has not been retired by the Red Sox. Foxx didn't retire as a Red Sox, so he's not eligible. Yes, this is a stupid-ass rule. And it's also stupid that the Red Sox only retire the numbers of players who have been elected to the Hall of Fame. Dwight Evans's number and Dom DiMaggio's number and Johnny Pesky's number should be up there. (Off the top of my head.) Screw Cooperstown: it's a Red Sox honor. The Celtics get this right, retiring numbers like crazy.

9: Ted Williams
4: Joe Cronin
1: Bobby Doerr
8: Yaz (I was at the game when the retired it)
27: Fisk
42: Jackie Robinson

More nominees, active and retired: Jim Rice, Bruce Hurst, Tony Conigliaro, Babe Ruth, Jim Lonborg, Mo Vaughn, Nomar Garciaparra, Harry Hooper, Wade Boggs, Roger Clemens, Tim Wakefield, Dick Raditz, Smokey Joe Wood, Jimmie Foxx.

2 Comments:

  • Given Fisk & Jackie Robinson's numbers and the 2004 series have rendered the old 9-4-18 spookiness moot, it is time to give up on the HoF requirement.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10:55 AM  

  • 9-4-18 has no meaning.

    there was no baseball played that day.

    meaningless.

    By Blogger allan, at 10:41 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home