Baseball is the greatest game of all

Seriously, I can’t understand an argument for another sport that can be so emotionally draining and rewarding as baseball.

Think about it… the Red Sox had their most brutal loss of the season last night. I couldn’t even write about it.

Eddie Pepitone was merciless on me. I couldn’t even watch the highlight shows.

If it were football, I’d have to wait a week for the next game. The loss would literally ruin my week.

If it were basketball or hockey, my team would play again in a day or two, but it would be against a different opponent.

In baseball there is a chance for INSTANT REDEMPTION.

Less than 17 hours after shaking my head in disgust at the 11-10 bed wetting from last night, I was jumping up and down thrilled at a come from behind 4 in the 9th and 1 in the 11th victory.

I mean the Red Sox were down 5-1 and looked dead from the neck up. I was about to start a blog post saying the only good thing about this game was it was over before 1 PM Pacific Time and I didn’t have to think about them anymore.

Even after Youk’s 2 run shot, I thought the Sox were dead. They had 2 outs, nobody on and George Sherrill looking damn good. I almost stopped watching.

And the play that no box score will EVER show is ball four to Varitek. He checked his swing (or did he) they appealed to first. If the ump said “SWING”, the game was over and the Orioles would have taken 2 of 3.

He said “No swing” and the next hitter, Rocco Baldelli tied it.

It was a game where Julio Lugo was one of the heroes saving Jason Bay’s and Josh Beckett’s butt.

That is a very strange sentence to write.

But baseball remains the greatest because of that.

If you told me in the 9th, Sox down 5-1, that I would be singing the praises of Julio Lugo, I would ask you how you traveled through time.
The Sox took 2 out of 3… it was an odd 2 out of 3, but that’s still 2 out of 3.
Let’s update the board

DODGED A BULLET GAMES - 10

April 17 - 10-8 win against Orioles. (Overcame 7-0 deficit.)

April 24 - 5-4 win against Yankees. (Bay homers off of Rivera in 9th to tie it.)

April 25 - 16-11 win against Yankees. (Overcame 6-0 deficit.)

April 29 - 6-5 win at Cleveland. (Overcame 5-0 deficit.)

May 12 - 4-3 win at Anaheim. (Down 3-1 in the 8th.)
June 11 - 4-3 win against Yankees. (Down 3-1 in the 8th. Rallied against Sabathia.)

June 12 - 5-2 win at Philadelphia. (Overcame Ryan Howard's 9th inning shot to win in 13)

June 21 - 6-5 win against Atlanta. (The wind turns Nick Green's fly ball into a walk off shot)

June 27 - 1-0 win at Atlanta. (Masterson and Papelbon wiggle out of late jams.)
July 1 - 6-5 win at Baltimore. (Sox score 4 in the 9th and Lugo wins in in the 11th)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 9

April 14 - 6-5 loss at Oakland. (Sox blow early 3-0 lead. Lose in 12)

April 28 - 9-8 loss at Cleveland. (Sox blow early 5-1 lead. Lopez drops 3rd out.)
May 14 - 5-4 loss at Anaheim. (Ortiz goes 0-7 stranding 12 runners.)
May 15 - 5-4 loss at Seattle. (Red Sox blow their second 4-0 lead in three days.)

May 17 - 3-2 loss at Seattle. (Red Sox strand two in the 9th. Lose in the bottom of the 9th.)

May 23 - 3-2 loss to the Mets. (Papelbon lets up a 2 out 2 run homer in the 9th to Omir Santos)

June 18 - 2-1 loss to the Marlins. (Rain washes out a tight game after 5+ innings.)

June 28 - 2-1 loss to the Braves. (Tying run on base in the 9th. Solid Penny outing wasted)
June 30 - 11-10 loss at Baltimore. (The Red Sox blow a late 10-1 to the lowly Orioles.)

Back up to +1.

A day off and then back for for the Mariners