New Sully Baseball Video "These Are The Good Old Days"

In the latest Sully Baseball video, I wax nostalgic for the greatest era in baseball history.

When would that be? The 40s? The 50s? The 80s of my childhood?

Nope.

When you look back at the flawed decades of the past, baseball might be at a high point of quality RIGHT NOW!

Don't believe me?

Then check out the video.

And as always, you can check out the previous Sully Baseball videos by clicking HERE.

This video was shot around the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum (or whatever it is called now). As always, the video was directed and co-written by my wife Lisa Zambetti.

If you like the videos, pass them around.

Future date night at the Sullivan home... Moneyball

Seriously, it is the PERFECT date film for me.
I get to watch baseball... my wife gets to watch Brad Pitt.

What more could we want?

It's a good preview. It looks like The Social Network for baseball.

Now of course I thought the movie would go something like this:

Billy Beane drafts Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder and Barry Zito... has a bunch of guys on steroids in the lineup and wins the Division a few times but makes it out of the Division Series once.

But that's not as good of a story.

Movie looks good.
I'll buy some Milk Duds for my wife.

Discussing the baseball schedule with my wife over toast

(Sully and his wife are sitting at their table for breakfast. Sully’s wife is eating a piece of toast.)

SULLY’S WIFE:
How late did you stay up watching that game last night?

SULLY:
11:45. Remember it was 2:45 AM in Boston and raining when the game ended. And they are playing another game in just a few hours!

SULLY’S WIFE:
What do you mean they are playing another game? With who?

SULLY:
With the Angels.

SULLY’S WIFE:
I thought they just played the Angels.

SULLY:
They play 3 game series.

SULLY’S WIFE:
How is it in basketball?

SULLY:
Basketball you play one game. Then there’s usually an off day and they play another team.

SULLY’S WIFE:
Why can’t baseball do that?

SULLY:
But in baseball, sometimes they play 6 games a week. The travel costs alone would be prohibitive.

SULLY’S WIFE:
Why can’t they have a travel day in baseball?

SULLY:
They play 162 games! They’d have to start the season in January. That’s the schedule!

SULLY’S WIFE:
What do you mean? That doesn’t have to be the schedule. The other sports seem to get along just fine. And by the way, when I am done eating this piece of toast, I am done having this conversation.

SULLY:
I think the physical toll of a basketball game or hockey game is much greater. I mean in a football game, you can risk your career every play.

SULLY’S WIFE:
So basically you are saying baseball is such a lazy sport that they can play more games because they are out of shape idiots.

SULLY:
No. It’s not that they are out of shape idiots. Baseball is more cerebral.

SULLY’S WIFE:
What is this, chess? What do chess players do? How many travel days do THEY need?

SULLY:
You’re not being fair.

SULLY’S WIFE:
What about spelling bees? Do they need an extra travel day?

SULLY:
A pitcher can’t throw every day. His arm will snap off.

SULLY’S WIFE:
Doesn’t he only throw a few rounds before the next guy comes in?

SULLY:
Innings.

SULLY’S WIFE:
Whatever.

SULLY:
Ideally your starting pitcher will go 7 or 8 innings.

SULLY’S WIFE:
They should do it evenly. 3-3-3.

SULLY:
I’ve actually thought that’s what they should do.

SULLY’S WIFE:
See? I don’t even know what I am talking about and already I have a good idea.

SULLY:
I know everything about baseball and you’ve thought of it and you know…

SULLY’S WIFE:
Nothing.

SULLY:
Very little.

SULLY’S WIFE:
I know as little as I possibly can by choice.

SULLY:
Yet we’ve both thought of the same thing and that is if you have a bunch of pitchers who can only go 2 or 3 innings before they need help, why not have one pitcher throw the first 3, the next one throw the next 3 and a third one throw the last 3? You’d have to have like 40 pitchers on the roster. You are only allowed 25 players all together on your roster.

SULLY’S WIFE:
The more the merrier.

SULLY:
Back on topic.

SULLY’S WIFE:
Here’s my thing. The less I actually pay attention to what you are saying, the better I do.

SULLY:
That seems to be the case in life. You’re only half listening to me.

SULLY’S WIFE:
When I pay attention, things fall apart,

(Another bite of toast.)

SULLY’S WIFE:
How many games do they play in football?

SULLY:
It’s once a week. They play 16 games.

SULLY’S WIFE:
Perfect! That’s what baseball should do.

SULLY:
If they only play 16 games, it would be better for you because instead of me watching a baseball game a night, then I would only be watching it one night.

SULLY’S WIFE:
Right.

SULLY:
What you are not taking into account is this. If I am only watching one game, then I would be more intense. And that day of playing tends to be Sunday when we try to do things as a family. And all that week I’d be building up for the one game

SULLY’S WIFE:
But there would be less for you to talk about.

SULLY:
You have no idea how much people yap about that one football game a week. In baseball it is BOOM! Here’s a game. BOOM! Here’s another game. But in football, the talk on Monday is “Can’t wait for the Miami game.” Tuesday is “Get ready for the Miami game” and by Wednesday I’m thinking “Enough! Just play the Miami game!” but it is still 4 days away.

SULLY’S WIFE:
But it could be like The Good Wife. I look forward to watching it every week. But if it was on every night, it would be The Boring Wife. It’s perfect. Once a week on the DVR. And YOU can DVR the games. You don’t even have to watch the game live.

SULLY:
But if I am watching the game on DVR I’m missing the next game.

SULLY’S WIFE:
What next game?

SULLY:
The other game.

SULLY’S WIFE:
There’s another game?

SULLY:
The game that’s going on while I’m watching the game from the night before!

SULLY’S WIFE:
You only need to play one game a week!

SULLY:
Then you’d only need one pitcher.

SULLY’S WIFE:
Didn’t we establish you needed 3 pitchers now?

SULLY:
But if you are playing one game a week, you can just throw your best

pitcher out for every game.

SULLY’S WIFE:
So you are agreeing with me now.

SULLY:
Wait-

SULLY’S WIFE:
You see, I’ve turned the tables. By the end of this toast, you will be on my side

SULLY:
The great thing about the baseball-

SULLY’S WIFE:
I’m nibbling. I only have a few bites left.

SULLY:
In baseball you lose one game, the very next day you have another shot to win.

SULLY’S WIFE:
That cheapens it! That cheapens the whole thing. That’s what I am saying. I don’t need Juliana Marguiles on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I just need her Tuesday. Just try it. And if doesn’t work then we go back to your way. And we’re done.

(She eats the last bite.)

New Sully Baseball Video - "Defensive Indifference"

In the latest Sully Baseball video, I point out that the very concept of defensive indifference is nuts and should be taken out of baseball.

And as always, I'm right.

The video is shot and co produced by my amazing wife, Lisa Zambetti.

Enjoy.

MY WIFE DEFEATS A FISH!!!!

As I wrote before, my wife and my fish both predicted a Giants and Rangers World Series.

My wife knows a little more than my fish, and yesterday she proved it once and for all.

Wifey picked the Giants to win it.
Red the fish picked the Rangers.

And I've never seen my wife more proud than when she reigned supreme over a fish.

I can make fun of wifey half watching the games and my fish swimming around... but my picks sucked.

I bow to the superior baseball intellects.

It's FISH versus WIFE

My playoff predictions this year were off... As they always are. (So much for my Phillies/Tampa Bay rematch.)

I got the predictions of my two kids, my sister in law and a random coin toss. None of us got a Rangers/Giants match up.


Do you know who DID pick the Giants and the Rangers to win the pennant?

MY WIFE, LISA!

(She picked the Giants because inactive left hander Barry Zito does yoga and the Rangers because she likes Friday Night Lights.)

And do you know who else picked the Giants and the Rangers?

MY FISH, RED!

I held up pieces of paper with pictures of the team logos on either end of Red's tank. Which ever direction he swam to, I marked down as his pick.

Well guess what?
ALL OF THE FISH'S PICKS HAVE BEEN RIGHT!

But here's the rub:
My wife picked the Giants to win the World Series.

My fish picked the Rangers to win the World Series.

Lisa is already talking smack... threatening to eat sushi in front of Red if the Giants win.

So now in our household, it has come down to this. Who will reign supreme? Whose skills of prediction will win out.

Will it be my wife?
Or my fish?

I hope it is my wife.
Why?

Because first of all, I am rooting for the Giants.

And secondly, unlike Luca Brasi, I do NOT sleep with the fishes.

How did we do with our picks? (And how did the fish do?)

Before the playoffs began, I made my post season picks… and compared them to the picks of my wife Lisa, my sister in law Debbie, my sons Matty and Aidan, a coin toss and which direction my fish Red swam.

With the Division Series over, let’s see how we all did.

SULLY’S PICKS

PHILLIES over REDS
GIANTS over BRAVES
YANKEES over TWINS
RAYS over RANGERS

3 out of 4



SULLY’S WIFE LISA’S PICKS

REDS over PHILLIES
GIANTS over BRAVES
YANKEES over TWINS
RANGERS over RAYS

3 out of 4


SULLY’S SISTER IN LAW DEBBIE’S PICKS

PHILLIES over REDS
GIANTS over BRAVES
TWINS over YANKEES
RAYS over RANGERS

2 out of 4

SULLY’S 5 YEAR OLD SON AIDAN’S PICKS

REDS over PHILLIES
GIANTS over BRAVES
YANKEES over TWINS
RAYS over RANGERS

2 out of 4



SULLY’S 5 YEAR OLD SON MATTEO’S PICKS

PHILLIES over REDS
GIANTS over BRAVES
TWINS over YANKEES
RANGERS over TWINS

3 out of 4



COIN TOSS RESULTS

PHILLIES over REDS
GIANTS over BRAVES
TWINS over YANKEES
RANGERS over RAYS

3 out of 4

So no perfect ones… except for one…

SULLY’S FISH RED’S PICKS

PHILLIES over REDS
GIANTS over BRAVES
YANKEES over TWINS
RANGERS over RAYS

4 out of 4

That’s right folks… my FISH beat us all!
My FISH made all the right picks.

Do you know how humiliating it is to have your picks beaten by a fish?

To remind you, I held a logo for each team on either side of the tank… and which ever direction he went is where I recorded his pick.

He usually swam this way or that… but when I put the Rays and the Rangers logos up, he paused… then looked up at me and asked “Wait, how many starts is Cliff Lee getting?”

My wife is picking the Giants... her logic is sound

Every year I ask my loving and adoring wife for her picks in the playoffs. In 2006 she got every single playoff series correct (including each of the Cardinals upsets.)

The thing is that she doesn't follow baseball. Her logic isn't always sound (she picked the Cardinals over the Tigers because Tony LaRussa is involved in animal shelters and Jim Leyland smokes.) But who cares about the method if the results are good?

So today, the day after our 7th wedding anniversary, we made the 2010 picks official.

SULLY:
So honey, first we need the A. L. picks.

SULLY'S WIFE:
The Al? The Al who?

SULLY:
The American League picks.

SULLY'S WIFE:
Well I liked The Town, so I am going with the Red Sox.

SULLY:
That's great honey, but the Red Sox aren't in it.

SULLY'S WIFE:
OK so who is playing?

SULLY:
The Texas Rangers versus the Tampa Bay Rays.

SULLY'S WIFE:
Bay Rays? Is that like Fay Wray? What kind of name is that?

SULLY:
They are playing Texas.

SULLY'S WIFE:
I am all about Friday Night Lights. So I have to go with Texas.

SULLY:
OK... next is the Twins versus the Yankees.

SULLY'S WIFE:
Well I'm a mother of Twins. I'm leaning towards the Twins. Who are the managers?

SULLY:
Ron Gardenhire manages the Twins. He's a baseball lifer. And Joe Girardi manages the Yankees. He got braces because his daughter got braces and they are doing it together.

SULLY'S WIFE:
Awwww. That's great. Braces trump Twins. Yankees win.

SULLY:
OK, you have Rangers vs. Yankees. To the National League. Phillies versus Reds.

SULLY'S WIFE:
Our fish is named Red.

SULLY:
Yes he is.

SULLY'S WIFE:
You've got to go with Red. Reds win.

SULLY:
OK, Giants versus Braves.

SULLY'S WIFE:
Got to go with Poppy's team. Giants.

SULLY:
Fair enough. So let's go to the next round. New York vs. Texas.

SULLY'S WIFE:
This is baseball right?

SULLY:
Yes, we are talking about baseball.

SULLY'S WIFE:
I guess if Friday Night Lights were baseball it would be Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday Night Lights... that's too many lights. Tell me something about them.

SULLY:
The Yankees are the defending Champs. The Rangers have never won anything.

SULLY'S WIFE:
The underdog! I like that. I am going for the Panthers.

SULLY:
The who?

SULLY'S WIFE:
The Dillon Panthers. They are from Texas. I am all about Texas now.

SULLY:
OK, San Francisco versus Cincinnati.

SULLY'S WIFE:
I thought we already did them.

SULLY:
This is the next round.

SULLY'S WIFE:
Oh jeez. Tell me about them.

SULLY:
You've got the City by the Bay versus the Queen City.

SULLY'S WIFE:
The WHAT?

SULLY:
The Queen City. Cincinnati.

SULLY'S WIFE:
If there is a Queen City, it is San Francisco. What else?

SULLY:
The Reds manager used to be the Giants manager.

SULLY'S WIFE:
Right. Dusty Springfield. He had his kid run on the field.

SULLY:
Yeah, during the World Series. The Giants have the long haired pot smoking pitcher, Lincecum. And the yoga hippie pitcher Barry Zito.

SULLY'S WIFE:
Yoga hippies! Got to go with Yoga Hippies! Giants win.

SULLY:
OK, that's a San Francisco vs. Texas World Series.

SULLY'S WIFE:
I'm not feeling it. I don't even care enough for it to be a Sophie's Choice. It's like choosing between canola oil and sunflower oil. Nothing is Olive Oil.

SULLY:
Just pick one.

SULLY'S WIFE:
You aren't giving me enough. Is there a big divorce or something?

SULLY:
That's the Dodgers.

SULLY'S WIFE:
Do they have mascots?

SULLY:
I think so.

SULLY'S WIFE:
Show me the mascots.

[Sully looks up the Rangers mascot... who is evidently named "Captain." He shows the picture of Captain to his wife. She looks it over.]




SULLY'S WIFE:
Is that a camel?

SULLY:
I'm not sure.

SULLY'S WIFE:
What the hell is it?

SULLY:
It could be a horse.

SULLY'S WIFE:
It looks like a camel. How about the Giants?

[Sully looks up the Giants mascot, a seal named Lou Seal. He shows the picture to his wife.]














SULLY'S WIFE:
Awww. You see that LOOKS like a seal! It doesn't look ANYTHING like a camel.

SULLY:
You are right.

SULLY'S WIFE:
I'm going with the Giants. I like Lou Seal.



So there you have it folks...
The San Francisco Giants will defeat the Texas Rangers in the World Series.
Why?

Because Friday Night Lights is a great show and the Giants mascot doesn't look like a camel.

And THAT is the best playoff preview analysis you will EVER hear!

Why doesn't MLB want my money?

This past Labor Day weekend my family took a weekend trip to the lovely city of San Diego... and while I was there I ran smack dab against a Major League Baseball rule that didn't make a lick of sense to me.

Bear with me.

We were staying in a hotel right across the street from PetCo Park, a stadium I hadn't seen yet. Now the Padres were playing the Rockies Friday night, Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon. Our Saturday and Sundays were packed and my wife and I were putting the boys to sleep around 8:30 that night.

When they were down, wifey saw how close we were to a big league game and I was starting to act like Gollum longing for the ring.

"Go watch the end of the game."

So off I went across the street. I knew it was late in the game, but I figure I'd get in. The Padres have had trouble drawing.

I went up to the Ticket window on Tony Gwynn Drive and asked the teenager working behind the counter "One please. Where do you have available?"

"Sorry. No tickets."

I was surprised. The Padres had sold out. Maybe the pennant race had finally caught on with San Diego fans.

"Wow," I said. "You guys sold out!"

"No sir. There are plenty of tickets."

Now you can see how there could be a disconnect here.

"OK, I would like to buy one of them" I said, not 100% sure why there was confusion.

"I can't sell you any tickets sir."

"Why not?"

"Major League Rules. No tickets sold after the 7th inning."

Now I understand no selling beer after the 7th inning because, well, people are probably smashed and they don't want them MORE smashed. But I had never been to a place of business where they were actually saying "Sorry... we won't let you be a paying customer."

I showed him my cash, maybe thinking he thought I was homeless or something.

"I have money and I want to spend it on your product."

"Sorry sir. I can not sell you a ticket."

Now I am no economics major, but I can tell you a surefire way to NOT make money is to turn away people who are saying "I want to spend my money on the product that you are having a hard time selling."

Buster's, the local ice cream shop and cafe in my town, is always selling day old bagels and Rice Krispy treats trying to squeeze and extra buck or two out of their product.

Not the Padres. They were saying "Sorry. We do not want your dough."

"What if I promise to buy a sundae in a plastic helmet?"

"Sorry sir. We have games on Saturday and Sunday."

"I'm seeing Shamu tomorrow. And besides, my kids are asleep, my wife is reading her book and there is a game on RIGHT NOW! THERE! BEHIND YOU!"

"Sorry sir."

It was surreal. It was reverse capitalism.

I walked up to one of the ushers who guard the gate to that great park just beyond center field.

I told him the story. He confirmed. "I am sorry. There is no selling of tickets after the 7th inning."

Hearing it again made it somehow make LESS sense.

Let's think of a not exactly outlandish scenario... Petco Park is located in the Gas Lamp Quarter where there are lots of bars and foot traffic. Let's say you didn't buy a ticket to the ballgame, but Mat Latos is throwing a no hitter and it is the 7th inning.

You find yourself at Rockin' Baha Lobster watching the game and you think "Oh man! He's throwing a no no! I should walk 2 blocks to the big ole half empty baseball stadium and be in the stands and cheer!"

Or you are at the Tipsy Crow and you see the Padres were down 8-1 but are coming back and rallying in the 7th inning.

And you think "Hey. Let me walk 5 blocks, buy a ticket and catch the end of the ballgame!"

Or you are AT the game, sitting in the empty upper deck, you get a text from a friend saying "Where R U?" You write back "At the Padres game."

Turns out they are a trolley stop away and they buy a ticket and join you in the 1/4 filled third deck.

None of those scenarios are crazy or out there.

And each of them throw some extra bucks into the Padres coffers.

And MLB has set up rules to prevent that.

I pleaded my case to the usher... whose gender, race and general description I will not divulge... and the usher nodded, reached into their pocket, gave me a ticket and said "Just go in."

So I got in for free.
The ticket was a $50 ticket. It cost me exactly gotch.

I was willing to spend $20. Instead I spent $0.

Lo and behold I went in and...


... the joint was damn near empty.

I already took the Padres fans to task for not supporting their team...

But man I found this rule to be peculiar.

I've never run a business before but I am sure that turning away customers isn't the way to do it.

I am sure if they an eager customer says "I want to pay $20" the correct bartering technique is NOT "I say $0."

The beautiful ballpark with character and charm is sitting 1/2 empty on a Friday night during a holiday weekend with the team in first place.

Shouldn't the goal be putting asses IN the seats?

Oh I am sure someone will write to me and explain why it is smart to turn customers away and why it hurts the business model.

But let me tell you... it won't be long before the Padres have to figure out what the hell to do about Adrian Gonzalez's contract.

And they'll be fretting that they can't afford to sign him.

They'd have at least an extra $20 to throw at him if it weren't for a silly MLB rule!

Why doesn't MLB want my money?

This past Labor Day weekend my family took a weekend trip to the lovely city of San Diego... and while I was there I ran smack dab against a Major League Baseball rule that didn't make a lick of sense to me.

Bear with me.

We were staying in a hotel right across the street from PetCo Park, a stadium I hadn't seen yet. Now the Padres were playing the Rockies Friday night, Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon. Our Saturday and Sundays were packed and my wife and I were putting the boys to sleep around 8:30 that night.

When they were down, wifey saw how close we were to a big league game and I was starting to act like Gollum longing for the ring.

"Go watch the end of the game."

So off I went across the street. I knew it was late in the game, but I figure I'd get in. The Padres have had trouble drawing.

I went up to the Ticket window on Tony Gwynn Drive and asked the teenager working behind the counter "One please. Where do you have available?"

"Sorry. No tickets."

I was surprised. The Padres had sold out. Maybe the pennant race had finally caught on with San Diego fans.

"Wow," I said. "You guys sold out!"

"No sir. There are plenty of tickets."

Now you can see how there could be a disconnect here.

"OK, I would like to buy one of them" I said, not 100% sure why there was confusion.

"I can't sell you any tickets sir."

"Why not?"

"Major League Rules. No tickets sold after the 7th inning."

Now I understand no selling beer after the 7th inning because, well, people are probably smashed and they don't want them MORE smashed. But I had never been to a place of business where they were actually saying "Sorry... we won't let you be a paying customer."

I showed him my cash, maybe thinking he thought I was homeless or something.

"I have money and I want to spend it on your product."

"Sorry sir. I can not sell you a ticket."

Now I am no economics major, but I can tell you a surefire way to NOT make money is to turn away people who are saying "I want to spend my money on the product that you are having a hard time selling."

Buster's, the local ice cream shop and cafe in my town, is always selling day old bagels and Rice Krispy treats trying to squeeze and extra buck or two out of their product.

Not the Padres. They were saying "Sorry. We do not want your dough."

"What if I promise to buy a sundae in a plastic helmet?"

"Sorry sir. We have games on Saturday and Sunday."

"I'm seeing Shamu tomorrow. And besides, my kids are asleep, my wife is reading her book and there is a game on RIGHT NOW! THERE! BEHIND YOU!"

"Sorry sir."

It was surreal. It was reverse capitalism.

I walked up to one of the ushers who guard the gate to that great park just beyond center field.

I told him the story. He confirmed. "I am sorry. There is no selling of tickets after the 7th inning."

Hearing it again made it somehow make LESS sense.

Let's think of a not exactly outlandish scenario... Petco Park is located in the Gas Lamp Quarter where there are lots of bars and foot traffic. Let's say you didn't buy a ticket to the ballgame, but Mat Latos is throwing a no hitter and it is the 7th inning.

You find yourself at Rockin' Baha Lobster watching the game and you think "Oh man! He's throwing a no no! I should walk 2 blocks to the big ole half empty baseball stadium and be in the stands and cheer!"

Or you are at the Tipsy Crow and you see the Padres were down 8-1 but are coming back and rallying in the 7th inning.

And you think "Hey. Let me walk 5 blocks, buy a ticket and catch the end of the ballgame!"

Or you are AT the game, sitting in the empty upper deck, you get a text from a friend saying "Where R U?" You write back "At the Padres game."

Turns out they are a trolley stop away and they buy a ticket and join you in the 1/4 filled third deck.

None of those scenarios are crazy or out there.

And each of them throw some extra bucks into the Padres coffers.

And MLB has set up rules to prevent that.

I pleaded my case to the usher... whose gender, race and general description I will not divulge... and the usher nodded, reached into their pocket, gave me a ticket and said "Just go in."

So I got in for free.
The ticket was a $50 ticket. It cost me exactly gotch.

I was willing to spend $20. Instead I spent $0.

Lo and behold I went in and...


... the joint was damn near empty.

I already took the Padres fans to task for not supporting their team...

But man I found this rule to be peculiar.

I've never run a business before but I am sure that turning away customers isn't the way to do it.

I am sure if they an eager customer says "I want to pay $20" the correct bartering technique is NOT "I say $0."

The beautiful ballpark with character and charm is sitting 1/2 empty on a Friday night during a holiday weekend with the team in first place.

Shouldn't the goal be putting asses IN the seats?

Oh I am sure someone will write to me and explain why it is smart to turn customers away and why it hurts the business model.

But let me tell you... it won't be long before the Padres have to figure out what the hell to do about Adrian Gonzalez's contract.

And they'll be fretting that they can't afford to sign him.

They'd have at least an extra $20 to throw at him if it weren't for a silly MLB rule!

My wife and I will inevitably have this exchange today

At one point today I will say "The Red Sox and the Yankees are starting soon."

To which my wife will say "I thought they played yesterday."

And I will say "They did. And they are playing again today."

And she will ask "Why are they playing again?"

And I will answer "Because they play 3 games series with each other."

And she will shake her head and say "They should just play one game. It's too confusing."

This exchange has happened every single time the Red Sox and Yankees have played during our nearly 7 years of marriage.

And we'll have the same conversation TOMORROW when the Sox and Yankees play again.

You would think she would have detected a pattern by now.

(Actually it is a FOUR game series this time... I have a feeling Monday will spark an even more confusion.)

My wife and I will inevitably have this exchange today

At one point today I will say "The Red Sox and the Yankees are starting soon."

To which my wife will say "I thought they played yesterday."

And I will say "They did. And they are playing again today."

And she will ask "Why are they playing again?"

And I will answer "Because they play 3 games series with each other."

And she will shake her head and say "They should just play one game. It's too confusing."

This exchange has happened every single time the Red Sox and Yankees have played during our nearly 7 years of marriage.

And we'll have the same conversation TOMORROW when the Sox and Yankees play again.

You would think she would have detected a pattern by now.

(Actually it is a FOUR game series this time... I have a feeling Monday will spark an even more confusion.)

Last night I did the unthinkable... I went to bed without knowing the final score of a Red Sox game

When I left work after pulling a late night last night, I heard that John Lackey had a no hitter going into the 8th.

I admit, I perked up. I had a good 30 minute drive home and I thought "Could I hear yet ANOTHER Red Sox no hitter?" Since 2001, we've had Hideo Nomo, Derek Lowe, Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester all throwing no nos.

Why not Lackey?

Then I started thinking "Wait a second! With Beckett and Buchholz both coming back from the DL and Dice K throwing well and Lackey on the verge of a no no... maybe THIS could be the rallying point for the Red Sox!"

He coughed up a hit with 2 outs and 2 strikes in the 8th. And with the Sox up by 5 in the 9th, I was thinking while driving in the car "Have Lackey finish the game. He's had an up and down year and finishing a complete game shutdown could boost his confidence with the Sox. Plus with Beckett coming off the DL, who knows how many relievers you will need? So have a rested and ready bullpen."

When I heard DelCarmen was in the game, I swear I yelled at my XM Radio NO! NO!

When the 6-1 lead turned into a 6-3 lead before you could say "teeth grinder" I knew we were in trouble. By the time I got home, it was a 6-4 lead, and Papelbon, who no doubt was taking a nap when the game was 6-1, was thrown into the game.

I heard the Mariners tie the game. And I turned off the XM.
I didn't check the sports ticker.

There was no way I was going to either

a) Watch them lose in the bottom of the 9th

or

b) sit through extra innings.

Wifey and I watched an episode of Mad Men and went to bed.

You understand I NEVER do that. I NEVER go to bed without knowing how the Red Sox game ended. It's easy on the West Coast because many times the games start around 4PM out there. But I always like to check to see how my boys did... even when they are out of it... before I call it a night.

Not this night.
Even if they won, I felt like they lost.
A team that has playoff aspirations doesn't let a team like the Mariners score 5 runs in the bottom of the 9th.

Evidently the Red Sox won. Instead of having a rested bullpen, they have a pen that had to throw 5 innings.

I saw that they won and didn't feel elation. I just felt like they didn't lose.

BUT it is worth it to update the tally.

DODGED A BULLET GAMES - 29

April 4 - 9-7 win against Yankees (On Opening Night, the Red Sox overcome a 5-1 Yankee lead with a game tying HR by Pedroia and a go ahead passed ball.)
April 10 - 8-3 win against Kansas City (Beckett out pitches Zack Greinke and nearly gets decapitated by a line drive.)
April 14 - 6-3 win in Minnesota. (Okajima gets Morneau to pop up with the bases loaded in the 7th and Papelbon wiggled out of a 9th inning jam.)
April 20 - 7-6 win against Texas. (Darnell McDonald introduces himself to Boston with an 8th inning game tying homer and a walk off hit in the 9th.)
April 21 - 8-7 win against Texas. (The Red Sox were down 4-0 early only to win it on Youk's 2 out 11th inning double.)
April 23 - 4-3 win against Baltimore. (The Sox blow a 3-0 lead but win it on Adrian Beltre's bases loaded walk.)

April 24 - 7-6 win against Baltimore. (The Red Sox score 6 in the 7th and hold off a late Baltimore comeback attempt.)
April 26 - 13-12 win at Toronto. (The Sox blow an early 5-0 lead but hang on for dear life in a slugfest.)
April 27 - 2-1 win at Toronto. (Buchholz holds the Jays down for 8 but it takes a bases loaded walk in the 8th to go ahead.)
April 28 - 2-0 win at Toronto. (Daniel Bard wiggles out of trouble in the 8th to help Lester shut down the Blue Jays and finish the sweep.)
May 4 - 5-1 win against the Angels. (Juan Rivera misplays Jeremy Hermedia's 2 out flyball into a 3 run game winning double)
May 5 - 3-1 win against the Angels. (Papi and Beltre homer and the Sox hang on despite squandering many potential rallies.)
May 6 - 11-6 win against the Angels. (Dice-K puts the Red Sox in a 4-0 hole before they even bat. The Sox bats respond.)
May 10 - 7-6 win against the Blue Jays. (Sox blow an early 2-0 lead, take advantage of some errors and hang on.)
May 18 - 7-5 win in New York. (Sox climb back from a 5-1 hole. A day after hitting a walk off homer, Marcus Thames drops a fly ball to start the winning rally for the Sox.)
May 25 - 2-0 win in Tampa. (Big Papi supplies all the offense as Papelbon wiggles out of a 9th inning jam.)
May 29 - 1-0 win against Kansas City. (Zack Greinke holds the Sox to one run, but they make it stick)

June 1 - 9-4 win against Oakland. (Lackey puts the Sox in a 4-0 hole but Victor Martinez goes 5-5 and the Sox score 9 runs late.)
June 2 - 6-4 win against Oakland. (Dice-K puts the Sox in a 3-0 hole before they come to bat, but come back thanks to Papi's homer.)

June 8 - 3-2 win at Cleveland. (With Papelbon unavailable, Okajima, Ramirez and Bard hang on to make a winner out of Wakefield.)

June 19 - 5-4 win against the Dodgers. (Sox make 4 errors, blow a late lead and let Manny homer, but they win it in the bottom of the 9th on a Pedroia single.)
June 20 - 2-0 win against the Dodgers. (Dodgers blow an early bases loaded scoring opportunity and allow Buchholz to settle down for the win.)

June 24 - 13-11 win in Colorado. (The bullpen lets up 9 runs in 5 innings, but Pedroia homers 3 times including with 2 outs in the 10th to win a wild and stupid game.)
June 26 - 4-2 win in San Francisco. (An injury running the bases takes Buchholz out in the second, but the bullpen and Mike Cameron's bat and glove win the game.)
July 2 - 3-2 win against the Orioles. (Wakefield gets the win and J.D. Drew homers twice, but it is Nava's 2 out 8th inning bloop that landed between three fielders that breaks the tie.)

July 11 - 3-2 win in Toronto. (Jesse Litch took a no hitter into the 6th but back to back homers by McDonald and Big Papi win the game.)
July 17 - 3-2 win against Texas. (Youk ties the game in the 9th off of Cliff Lee and wins it in the 11th with a sacrifuce fly)
July 19 - 2-1 win at Oakland. (Beltre homers and Dice-K holds on to the win.)
July 22 - 8-6 win at Seattle. (Lackey lost a no hit bid in the 8th and the Mariners scored 5 in the 9th to tie before the Sox won in 13)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 29

April 6 - 6-4 loss against the Yankees. (Scutaro's error leads to the winning run.)
April 7 - 3-1 loss against the Yankees. (Sox leave the winning run on in the 9th only to lose on Granderson's 10th inning homer)
April 9 - 4-3 loss in Kansas City. (Bard coughs up the lead, denying Wakefield a win.)
April 17 - 3-1 loss to Tampa Bay. (The Sox can't score with the bases loaded and nobody out in the 11th... lost it in the 12th.)
April 17 - 6-5 loss to Tampa Bay. (The Red Sox comeback falls a run short, leaving two on in the 8th)
April 25 - 7-6 loss to Baltimore. (The Sox blow a 4-1 lead, leave the winning run on second in the 9th, let up 3 in the 10th and could only score 2 in the bottom of the 10th)
April 30 - 5-4 loss in Baltimore. (Tejada ties the game with a 2 out 8th inning homer and wins it with a bloop in the 10th)
May 1 - 12-9 loss in Baltimore. (Dice-K and Wakes get pounded, wasting 2 homers from Ortiz and an early 4-1 lead.)
May 2 - 3-2 loss in Baltimore. (Varitek is thrown at home trying to score with 2 outs in the 8th. Sox get swept in the 10th.
May 12 - 3-2 loss against the Blue Jays. (The Sox rally in the 9th comes up a run short and Kevin Gregg gets an ugly save.)
May 15 - 7-6 loss in Detroit. (The Sox blow a 6-1 lead and lose it on a 2 out bases loaded walk in the 12th.)
May 17 - 11-9 loss in New York. (The Sox come all the way back from a 5-0 first inning hole to take a 9-7 lead in the 9th... but Papelbon lets up a 2 run game tying shot to A-Rod and a 2 run walk off shot to Marcus Thames.)
May 21 - 5-1 loss in Philadelphia. (Big Papi's bid for a game tying 9th inning grand slam is caught at the warning track.)
May 27 - 4-3 loss to Kansas City. (Dice-K walks the go ahead run in and lets another score on a wild pitch as the Royals no name bullpen shut down the Hot Sox.)
May 28 - 12-5 loss to Kansas City. (Sox blow a 3-0 first inning lead to be blown out in Fenway.)
June 3 - 9-8 loss to Oakland. (Sox lose a slugfest where two Boston runners are thrown out at home.)

June 6 - 4-3 loss in Baltimore. (Sox rally to tie the game in the 9th only to lose it on a small ball rally in the 11th.)
June 10 - 8-7 loss in Cleveland. (Sox blow an early 5-0 lead and then after rallying in the 9th to take the lead coughed it up with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th)
June 13 - 5-3 loss to Philadelphia. (Sox 9th inning rally comes up short)
June 22 - 2-1 loss in Colorado. (The Sox waste a solid Lester start and twice leave the bases loaded.)
June 23 - 8-6 loss in Colorado. (The Sox batter Ubaldo Jimenez around but Papelbon lets up 2 homers in the 9th to lose it.)
June 25 - 5-4 loss in San Francisco. (The Sox strand 11 runners in the last 4 innings wasting a solid Wakefield performance.)
July 5 - 6-5 loss in Tampa Bay. (Sox spoil a 5-1 lead and 2 homers by Eric Patterson when Dice-K and the bullpen couldn't hold down the Rays.)
July 6 - 3-2 loss in Tampa Bay. (Sox bats go dead and Kevin Youkilis goes down to injury.)
July 7 - 6-4 loss in Tampa Bay. (Matt Garza comes out of the pen, shuts down a late rally as the Rays sweep the Sox.)
July 10 - 9-5 loss in Toronto. (The Sox give Lackey an early 5-3 lead that he couldn't hold.)
July 18 - 4-2 loss to the Rangers. (Lester loses a rare game at home that included a Rangers steal of home.)

July 20 - 5-4 loss in Oakland. (The Sox go up 4-0 after 2 but don't score again and lose it in the 10th)
July 21 - 6-4 loss in Oakland. (Buchholz can't hold on to an early lead as the Sox lose the series.)


Back to break even and may that is appropriate.
The team won... and technically it means the same in the standings as a no hitter. It just doesn't feel like it.

It feels like they barely snuck by a team that has already called it quits for the year.

Beckett tonight... buckle up.

Last night I did the unthinkable... I went to bed without knowing the final score of a Red Sox game

When I left work after pulling a late night last night, I heard that John Lackey had a no hitter going into the 8th.

I admit, I perked up. I had a good 30 minute drive home and I thought "Could I hear yet ANOTHER Red Sox no hitter?" Since 2001, we've had Hideo Nomo, Derek Lowe, Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester all throwing no nos.

Why not Lackey?

Then I started thinking "Wait a second! With Beckett and Buchholz both coming back from the DL and Dice K throwing well and Lackey on the verge of a no no... maybe THIS could be the rallying point for the Red Sox!"

He coughed up a hit with 2 outs and 2 strikes in the 8th. And with the Sox up by 5 in the 9th, I was thinking while driving in the car "Have Lackey finish the game. He's had an up and down year and finishing a complete game shutdown could boost his confidence with the Sox. Plus with Beckett coming off the DL, who knows how many relievers you will need? So have a rested and ready bullpen."

When I heard DelCarmen was in the game, I swear I yelled at my XM Radio NO! NO!

When the 6-1 lead turned into a 6-3 lead before you could say "teeth grinder" I knew we were in trouble. By the time I got home, it was a 6-4 lead, and Papelbon, who no doubt was taking a nap when the game was 6-1, was thrown into the game.

I heard the Mariners tie the game. And I turned off the XM.
I didn't check the sports ticker.

There was no way I was going to either

a) Watch them lose in the bottom of the 9th

or

b) sit through extra innings.

Wifey and I watched an episode of Mad Men and went to bed.

You understand I NEVER do that. I NEVER go to bed without knowing how the Red Sox game ended. It's easy on the West Coast because many times the games start around 4PM out there. But I always like to check to see how my boys did... even when they are out of it... before I call it a night.

Not this night.
Even if they won, I felt like they lost.
A team that has playoff aspirations doesn't let a team like the Mariners score 5 runs in the bottom of the 9th.

Evidently the Red Sox won. Instead of having a rested bullpen, they have a pen that had to throw 5 innings.

I saw that they won and didn't feel elation. I just felt like they didn't lose.

BUT it is worth it to update the tally.

DODGED A BULLET GAMES - 29

April 4 - 9-7 win against Yankees (On Opening Night, the Red Sox overcome a 5-1 Yankee lead with a game tying HR by Pedroia and a go ahead passed ball.)
April 10 - 8-3 win against Kansas City (Beckett out pitches Zack Greinke and nearly gets decapitated by a line drive.)
April 14 - 6-3 win in Minnesota. (Okajima gets Morneau to pop up with the bases loaded in the 7th and Papelbon wiggled out of a 9th inning jam.)
April 20 - 7-6 win against Texas. (Darnell McDonald introduces himself to Boston with an 8th inning game tying homer and a walk off hit in the 9th.)
April 21 - 8-7 win against Texas. (The Red Sox were down 4-0 early only to win it on Youk's 2 out 11th inning double.)
April 23 - 4-3 win against Baltimore. (The Sox blow a 3-0 lead but win it on Adrian Beltre's bases loaded walk.)

April 24 - 7-6 win against Baltimore. (The Red Sox score 6 in the 7th and hold off a late Baltimore comeback attempt.)
April 26 - 13-12 win at Toronto. (The Sox blow an early 5-0 lead but hang on for dear life in a slugfest.)
April 27 - 2-1 win at Toronto. (Buchholz holds the Jays down for 8 but it takes a bases loaded walk in the 8th to go ahead.)
April 28 - 2-0 win at Toronto. (Daniel Bard wiggles out of trouble in the 8th to help Lester shut down the Blue Jays and finish the sweep.)
May 4 - 5-1 win against the Angels. (Juan Rivera misplays Jeremy Hermedia's 2 out flyball into a 3 run game winning double)
May 5 - 3-1 win against the Angels. (Papi and Beltre homer and the Sox hang on despite squandering many potential rallies.)
May 6 - 11-6 win against the Angels. (Dice-K puts the Red Sox in a 4-0 hole before they even bat. The Sox bats respond.)
May 10 - 7-6 win against the Blue Jays. (Sox blow an early 2-0 lead, take advantage of some errors and hang on.)
May 18 - 7-5 win in New York. (Sox climb back from a 5-1 hole. A day after hitting a walk off homer, Marcus Thames drops a fly ball to start the winning rally for the Sox.)
May 25 - 2-0 win in Tampa. (Big Papi supplies all the offense as Papelbon wiggles out of a 9th inning jam.)
May 29 - 1-0 win against Kansas City. (Zack Greinke holds the Sox to one run, but they make it stick)

June 1 - 9-4 win against Oakland. (Lackey puts the Sox in a 4-0 hole but Victor Martinez goes 5-5 and the Sox score 9 runs late.)
June 2 - 6-4 win against Oakland. (Dice-K puts the Sox in a 3-0 hole before they come to bat, but come back thanks to Papi's homer.)

June 8 - 3-2 win at Cleveland. (With Papelbon unavailable, Okajima, Ramirez and Bard hang on to make a winner out of Wakefield.)

June 19 - 5-4 win against the Dodgers. (Sox make 4 errors, blow a late lead and let Manny homer, but they win it in the bottom of the 9th on a Pedroia single.)
June 20 - 2-0 win against the Dodgers. (Dodgers blow an early bases loaded scoring opportunity and allow Buchholz to settle down for the win.)

June 24 - 13-11 win in Colorado. (The bullpen lets up 9 runs in 5 innings, but Pedroia homers 3 times including with 2 outs in the 10th to win a wild and stupid game.)
June 26 - 4-2 win in San Francisco. (An injury running the bases takes Buchholz out in the second, but the bullpen and Mike Cameron's bat and glove win the game.)
July 2 - 3-2 win against the Orioles. (Wakefield gets the win and J.D. Drew homers twice, but it is Nava's 2 out 8th inning bloop that landed between three fielders that breaks the tie.)

July 11 - 3-2 win in Toronto. (Jesse Litch took a no hitter into the 6th but back to back homers by McDonald and Big Papi win the game.)
July 17 - 3-2 win against Texas. (Youk ties the game in the 9th off of Cliff Lee and wins it in the 11th with a sacrifuce fly)
July 19 - 2-1 win at Oakland. (Beltre homers and Dice-K holds on to the win.)
July 22 - 8-6 win at Seattle. (Lackey lost a no hit bid in the 8th and the Mariners scored 5 in the 9th to tie before the Sox won in 13)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 29

April 6 - 6-4 loss against the Yankees. (Scutaro's error leads to the winning run.)
April 7 - 3-1 loss against the Yankees. (Sox leave the winning run on in the 9th only to lose on Granderson's 10th inning homer)
April 9 - 4-3 loss in Kansas City. (Bard coughs up the lead, denying Wakefield a win.)
April 17 - 3-1 loss to Tampa Bay. (The Sox can't score with the bases loaded and nobody out in the 11th... lost it in the 12th.)
April 17 - 6-5 loss to Tampa Bay. (The Red Sox comeback falls a run short, leaving two on in the 8th)
April 25 - 7-6 loss to Baltimore. (The Sox blow a 4-1 lead, leave the winning run on second in the 9th, let up 3 in the 10th and could only score 2 in the bottom of the 10th)
April 30 - 5-4 loss in Baltimore. (Tejada ties the game with a 2 out 8th inning homer and wins it with a bloop in the 10th)
May 1 - 12-9 loss in Baltimore. (Dice-K and Wakes get pounded, wasting 2 homers from Ortiz and an early 4-1 lead.)
May 2 - 3-2 loss in Baltimore. (Varitek is thrown at home trying to score with 2 outs in the 8th. Sox get swept in the 10th.
May 12 - 3-2 loss against the Blue Jays. (The Sox rally in the 9th comes up a run short and Kevin Gregg gets an ugly save.)
May 15 - 7-6 loss in Detroit. (The Sox blow a 6-1 lead and lose it on a 2 out bases loaded walk in the 12th.)
May 17 - 11-9 loss in New York. (The Sox come all the way back from a 5-0 first inning hole to take a 9-7 lead in the 9th... but Papelbon lets up a 2 run game tying shot to A-Rod and a 2 run walk off shot to Marcus Thames.)
May 21 - 5-1 loss in Philadelphia. (Big Papi's bid for a game tying 9th inning grand slam is caught at the warning track.)
May 27 - 4-3 loss to Kansas City. (Dice-K walks the go ahead run in and lets another score on a wild pitch as the Royals no name bullpen shut down the Hot Sox.)
May 28 - 12-5 loss to Kansas City. (Sox blow a 3-0 first inning lead to be blown out in Fenway.)
June 3 - 9-8 loss to Oakland. (Sox lose a slugfest where two Boston runners are thrown out at home.)

June 6 - 4-3 loss in Baltimore. (Sox rally to tie the game in the 9th only to lose it on a small ball rally in the 11th.)
June 10 - 8-7 loss in Cleveland. (Sox blow an early 5-0 lead and then after rallying in the 9th to take the lead coughed it up with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th)
June 13 - 5-3 loss to Philadelphia. (Sox 9th inning rally comes up short)
June 22 - 2-1 loss in Colorado. (The Sox waste a solid Lester start and twice leave the bases loaded.)
June 23 - 8-6 loss in Colorado. (The Sox batter Ubaldo Jimenez around but Papelbon lets up 2 homers in the 9th to lose it.)
June 25 - 5-4 loss in San Francisco. (The Sox strand 11 runners in the last 4 innings wasting a solid Wakefield performance.)
July 5 - 6-5 loss in Tampa Bay. (Sox spoil a 5-1 lead and 2 homers by Eric Patterson when Dice-K and the bullpen couldn't hold down the Rays.)
July 6 - 3-2 loss in Tampa Bay. (Sox bats go dead and Kevin Youkilis goes down to injury.)
July 7 - 6-4 loss in Tampa Bay. (Matt Garza comes out of the pen, shuts down a late rally as the Rays sweep the Sox.)
July 10 - 9-5 loss in Toronto. (The Sox give Lackey an early 5-3 lead that he couldn't hold.)
July 18 - 4-2 loss to the Rangers. (Lester loses a rare game at home that included a Rangers steal of home.)

July 20 - 5-4 loss in Oakland. (The Sox go up 4-0 after 2 but don't score again and lose it in the 10th)
July 21 - 6-4 loss in Oakland. (Buchholz can't hold on to an early lead as the Sox lose the series.)


Back to break even and may that is appropriate.
The team won... and technically it means the same in the standings as a no hitter. It just doesn't feel like it.

It feels like they barely snuck by a team that has already called it quits for the year.

Beckett tonight... buckle up.