Comments on: No, the Red Sox did not pound me in to an euphoric stupor (And: thoughts on the Yankees) http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/05/30/no-the-red-sox-did-not-pound-me-in-to-an-euphoric-stupor-and-thoughts-on-the-yankees/ Media, Baseball, Boston, the Red Sox, Music, Literature, and Mnookins Thu, 28 Aug 2008 01:19:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: The Feeding the Monster Blog — In which the author discusses Boston, the Red Sox, the media, and very occasionally popular music. » When it rains, it pours…diarrhea http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/05/30/no-the-red-sox-did-not-pound-me-in-to-an-euphoric-stupor-and-thoughts-on-the-yankees/#comment-50688 The Feeding the Monster Blog — In which the author discusses Boston, the Red Sox, the media, and very occasionally popular music. » When it rains, it pours…diarrhea Mon, 04 Jun 2007 02:30:51 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/05/30/no-the-red-sox-did-not-pound-me-in-to-an-euphoric-stupor-and-thoughts-on-the-yankees/#comment-50688 [...] Yup - I’m still trying to recover from my move, but I’m glad yesterday’s game at least showed that I didn’t jinx the Sox with this post. (I know: as I write this it’s 4-0 Yankees in the top of the fifth. But let’s not forget about yesterday.) [...] [...] Yup - I’m still trying to recover from my move, but I’m glad yesterday’s game at least showed that I didn’t jinx the Sox with this post. (I know: as I write this it’s 4-0 Yankees in the top of the fifth. But let’s not forget about yesterday.) [...]

]]> By: rog http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/05/30/no-the-red-sox-did-not-pound-me-in-to-an-euphoric-stupor-and-thoughts-on-the-yankees/#comment-49502 rog Sat, 02 Jun 2007 19:20:58 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/05/30/no-the-red-sox-did-not-pound-me-in-to-an-euphoric-stupor-and-thoughts-on-the-yankees/#comment-49502 Thanks for jinxing the team, Seth. Thanks for jinxing the team, Seth.

]]> By: HFXBOB http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/05/30/no-the-red-sox-did-not-pound-me-in-to-an-euphoric-stupor-and-thoughts-on-the-yankees/#comment-49222 HFXBOB Sat, 02 Jun 2007 12:04:19 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/05/30/no-the-red-sox-did-not-pound-me-in-to-an-euphoric-stupor-and-thoughts-on-the-yankees/#comment-49222 schiraldi, I understand why you're feeling a little nasty about Wakefield this morning. One thing is clear: his knuckler presents no puzzle whatsoever to the Yankees. And there's something else that's been haunting me about Wakefield. It's the theory that reader MSGiro put forth in response to the same May 11 'Jayson Stark' post. MSGiro has noticed that Wakefield seems to be lights out in Spring and Fall, but gets shelled in the Summer. MSGiro thinks that it may all be due to the effect of water vapor on the knuckler. The more humidity, the less it dances. Sure enough, last night the temperature was 82 degrees and it was obviously humid after a rain delay. So I checked back a bit through Wakefield's games this year and the first one where he really stunk was May 15 against the Tigers in Fenway. The temperature was 80 degrees. When you consider how the knuckler works, dipping and darting on air currents, doesn't this seem very possible? I like Tim Wakefield, but I don't like the idea of relying a pitcher who's at the mercy of the elements and whose worst games come against the Yankees. schiraldi, I understand why you’re feeling a little nasty about Wakefield this morning. One thing is clear: his knuckler presents no puzzle whatsoever to the Yankees. And there’s something else that’s been haunting me about Wakefield. It’s the theory that reader MSGiro put forth in response to the same May 11 ‘Jayson Stark’ post. MSGiro has noticed that Wakefield seems to be lights out in Spring and Fall, but gets shelled in the Summer. MSGiro thinks that it may all be due to the effect of water vapor on the knuckler. The more humidity, the less it dances. Sure enough, last night the temperature was 82 degrees and it was obviously humid after a rain delay. So I checked back a bit through Wakefield’s games this year and the first one where he really stunk was May 15 against the Tigers in Fenway. The temperature was 80 degrees. When you consider how the knuckler works, dipping and darting on air currents, doesn’t this seem very possible?

I like Tim Wakefield, but I don’t like the idea of relying a pitcher who’s at the mercy of the elements and whose worst games come against the Yankees.

]]> By: schiraldi http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/05/30/no-the-red-sox-did-not-pound-me-in-to-an-euphoric-stupor-and-thoughts-on-the-yankees/#comment-49095 schiraldi Sat, 02 Jun 2007 08:50:03 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/05/30/no-the-red-sox-did-not-pound-me-in-to-an-euphoric-stupor-and-thoughts-on-the-yankees/#comment-49095 Hey, what a surprise! It's early June and Wakefield's ERA is at 4.24, almost exactly his 4.28 career ERA. And he's 5-6, slightly worse than his fifteen year slightly better than .500 record. Yeah, Jayson Stark was totally wrong in not naming him one of his pitchers you'd pay to watch. Perhaps there's a reason he's 40 and never made an all-star team: He's not that good. Maybe Wakefield is the one who should 'suck it.' Hey, what a surprise! It’s early June and Wakefield’s ERA is at 4.24, almost exactly his 4.28 career ERA. And he’s 5-6, slightly worse than his fifteen year slightly better than .500 record. Yeah, Jayson Stark was totally wrong in not naming him one of his pitchers you’d pay to watch. Perhaps there’s a reason he’s 40 and never made an all-star team: He’s not that good. Maybe Wakefield is the one who should ’suck it.’

]]> By: HFXBOB http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/05/30/no-the-red-sox-did-not-pound-me-in-to-an-euphoric-stupor-and-thoughts-on-the-yankees/#comment-48411 HFXBOB Fri, 01 Jun 2007 14:23:58 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/05/30/no-the-red-sox-did-not-pound-me-in-to-an-euphoric-stupor-and-thoughts-on-the-yankees/#comment-48411 I won't be surprised if the Yankees give us a hard time this weekend. No matter how badly they're going, when they play the Red Sox the intensity level is so high that they it can temporarily make them forget how much chaos they're in. But that aside when you look at how the two teams are made up right now it's clear that Theo has really been kicking Cashman's butt. And I hope that Theo has abandoned any thoughts, if he ever really had them, of going after a certain shortstop turned third baseman who might be opting out of his contract at the end of the year. In spite of the numbers that guy puts up, it becomes more and more obvious that there is SOMETHING REALLY WRONG with him. He might even be having a nervous breakdown or something like that. The circus in pinstripes in getting weirder by the day, and Roger isn't even there yet. I won’t be surprised if the Yankees give us a hard time this weekend. No matter how badly they’re going, when they play the Red Sox the intensity level is so high that they it can temporarily make them forget how much chaos they’re in. But that aside when you look at how the two teams are made up right now it’s clear that Theo has really been kicking Cashman’s butt. And I hope that Theo has abandoned any thoughts, if he ever really had them, of going after a certain shortstop turned third baseman who might be opting out of his contract at the end of the year. In spite of the numbers that guy puts up, it becomes more and more obvious that there is SOMETHING REALLY WRONG with him. He might even be having a nervous breakdown or something like that. The circus in pinstripes in getting weirder by the day, and Roger isn’t even there yet.

]]> By: rln2433 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/05/30/no-the-red-sox-did-not-pound-me-in-to-an-euphoric-stupor-and-thoughts-on-the-yankees/#comment-47894 rln2433 Fri, 01 Jun 2007 00:26:16 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/05/30/no-the-red-sox-did-not-pound-me-in-to-an-euphoric-stupor-and-thoughts-on-the-yankees/#comment-47894 djarm18: Yankees are not going to be beating up on the AL West. They just got swept at home by the Angels and didn't dominate Mariners either. Oakland's pitching gives them problems as well. By the time their staff is in place they will be into late July/early August. The Sox will have made adjustments to their roster with some trades or Lester being called up. The WC contenders will be active as well. Juice Boy is now on the DL with a significant foot injury... djarm18:

Yankees are not going to be beating up on the AL West. They just got swept at home by the Angels and didn’t dominate Mariners either. Oakland’s pitching gives them problems as well.

By the time their staff is in place they will be into late July/early August. The Sox will have made adjustments to their roster with some trades or Lester being called up. The WC contenders will be active as well.

Juice Boy is now on the DL with a significant foot injury…

]]> By: djarm18 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/05/30/no-the-red-sox-did-not-pound-me-in-to-an-euphoric-stupor-and-thoughts-on-the-yankees/#comment-47585 djarm18 Thu, 31 May 2007 14:00:08 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/05/30/no-the-red-sox-did-not-pound-me-in-to-an-euphoric-stupor-and-thoughts-on-the-yankees/#comment-47585 The Yanks win last night in Toronto was interesting. People will jump on A Rod for another "bush league" tactic but it happens all the time. The Yanks showed some life in that game. That said, the bullpen is garbage, Torre's game management and leadership during this period is suspect and the team has a host of distractions (Clemens, Giambi, Stray-Rod). Not pitching Clemens at Fenway seems like the organization doesn't have the courage of its convictions. Yes, the Yanks will get to beat up on the American League West and the Sox may start losing a few. But that's what a 14 game lead allows for, right? I've said it before, this team has a swagger and confidence similar to the Sox ballclub in August of '04 and throughout that storied fall run. I am looking forward to them maintaining this intensity and winning play. The Yanks win last night in Toronto was interesting. People will jump on A Rod for another “bush league” tactic but it happens all the time. The Yanks showed some life in that game.

That said, the bullpen is garbage, Torre’s game management and leadership during this period is suspect and the team has a host of distractions (Clemens, Giambi, Stray-Rod). Not pitching Clemens at Fenway seems like the organization doesn’t have the courage of its convictions.

Yes, the Yanks will get to beat up on the American League West and the Sox may start losing a few. But that’s what a 14 game lead allows for, right?

I’ve said it before, this team has a swagger and confidence similar to the Sox ballclub in August of ‘04 and throughout that storied fall run. I am looking forward to them maintaining this intensity and winning play.

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