through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered . . .

So. Up against the Orioles tonight. I won't lie, this makes me nervous. The O's owned us last year. And they're currently at top of the division standings, with nine wins and five losses, with the Blue Jays right nearby at nine wins and six losses. Boston is just behind with eight wins and six losses. It would be nice if we could change that whole ownership thing tonight.

Plus, Wells is pitching tonight, which adds to the nerves a bit. 'Cos I don't know if you guys knew this, but I kind of love him and am pulling for him so hard to even his season record out to two-two.

Meanwhile, the Yankees happen to be tied with Tampa Bay for LAST at five-nine. I want the Yankees to lose so badly I can taste it, and I want the Devil Rays to win tonight, just so the Yanks can spend a little time in last place.

However. The Yankees are playing the Blue Jays tonight. And I'm kind of not so keen on the Jays hitting top of the division with ten wins. And the Devil Rays are playing the Texas Rangers, who are just behind us with seven wins, so they could potentially pull even.

So do I really hate the Yankees enough to briefly mess with the Red Sox's place in the standings? Well - yes. Yes, I really do. So I'm not really sure what my point was.

Baseball was a lot simpler when I didn't follow the standings so much. Or, you know, at all. But I'm sure it'll get easier when more games have been played and the gaps have widened a bit.

In other news, the Tigers are playing the Chicago White Sox. I am new to the Tigers love, but I am given to understand that we hate the White Sox lots. So: GRR! Go Tigers!

And the Astros are playing the Milwaukee Brewers. I would like to advance a possible new superstition: Last night, when I was IMing with hoedogg, I said, "I predict the Astros will lose by one run." And amazingly, they did not. They even won.

So:

I predict that the Astros will lose by one run.

There, I think I'm done. And the White Sox have already gotten three runs. Sigh.

Oh wait: Go Boomer!

Edit: Uh. If you can spot the glaring error in my logic, you get a cookie. And not the sympathy kind, but the good kind.

The bad news: The connection in my room appears to have gone kaflooey again. Maybe it'll be better by the time I get home, but I'm not banking on it.

The good news: I lucked into some good deals with Time Warner, and am getting set up for Internet and cable this Sunday. So not only will I finally have a secure connection, but I'll be able to watch my Red Sox, and I'm getting free installation, and I'm paying reduced prices for a year. (Plus most likely splitting the cable bill with roommates, since there'll be a set-up for the TV in the living room as well as mine.)

Hooray! So, unless I hit good luck with that random connection - which I doubt, because last time it went out it stayed out for a week - I'll see you guys Sunday. =D

Oh, yeah, and go Red Sox! 12-7 does not suck. It would be nice if it were 12-5, MANNY, but without your bat that'd be five runs we wouldn't have, so I'm not gonna complain. Also, I love you. So no complaining.

"I think David's the best hitter on the team, and I'm just passing by."

Awwww Manny. Love! He only drove in all six runs of the game, and yet. I think that quote's right up there with "I don't believe in curses, I think you make your own destination."

In celebration of the shut-out, and the fact that I found a picture I liked, I finally got around to making that Wells icon I've been whinging about needing for like a month now. This brings me up to my icon limit, and I have absolutely no idea what I'm going to do when I need a new one. How in hell I ever managed with just three spots is beyond me.

So I'm a happy little sports fan. All I need now is for my other teams to quit losing by one lousy run. Tigers? Astros? THIS MEANS YOU. A one-run loss, while better than getting flattened, is still just depressing.

Edit: And the Tigers have obligingly won their game today, 7-1. Heh, with four of those runs in the ninth inning. Would have liked to see the pitching from that closer. (Incidentally, since this post is concerned primarily with pitchers I love: Jeremy Bonderman. I mean, yeah, his two wins are against the Royals, but he's still off to a great start for the season. I'll be keeping an eye on him this year. Which just reminds me of how badly I want to be able to watch Tigers games. Sigh.)

GRAND SLAM ORTIZ. <3

And three previous runs in the inning. So, 7-0 Red Sox. Toto, I don't think we're playing the Yankees anymore.

Wells doing okay thus far. Certainly better than the Devil Rays' starter. Yeesh.

OH MY GOD I'M SO GLAD I WENT OUT TO WATCH THAT GAME.

OH MY GOD I CAN'T BELIEVE WE WON.

OH MY GOD SHEFFIELD IS A BITCH.

Wow. I picked this game to go out to see because it was Bronson's first start against the Yankees since Game Six. I didn't really think anything would happen, 'cos Bronson and (yes) the Princess both know better, but I knew that if it did, and I didn't go, I would never forgive myself. And if nothing else, I'd get to see Bronson pitch. So there was no downside.

Except, of course, for the part where the pitching matchup with Bronson versus Randy Johnson. And I love Bronson and all, but - yeah, no. Let's be realistic here. Not against Johnson. I went into it assuming we'd lose; I'd've been happy with a close game.

And then Johnson gave up THREE HOMERUNS, two of them being two-run homers. And the solo belonging to my Tek.

And, you know, Bronson loaded the bases and gave up like four runs in the fourth, but it wasn't his fault BECAUSE THAT WAS STRIKE THREE GODDAMMIT GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASS O MORON BEHIND HOME PLATE AND DO YOUR FUCKING JOB. *cough* Yeah. So that was dumb. (And then shortly after, Tito got his first ejection of the season, after giving us some of that sarcastic body language that amuses me so much. I love it when he yells at the umps.)

So the game is even for a while, five-five, and then it's the top of the eighth and really time to get moving, guys, if we don't all wanna be here til midnight. Rentería (incidentally responsible for one of the two-run homers, and also a couple great defensive plays, so I'm looking forward to not having to tell people to leave him alone and give him time anymore) knocks in a run. Which is awesome, but this is the Yankees we're playing, not the Devil Rays, so an insurance run or two would be nice.

So. Tek. Is up at the plate. And he hits the ball, and it runs way the hell past Sheff, and - stuff happens, and runs are scored, but the immediate attention is on Sheffield. Why? Because he reacted to a fan reaching for the ball (and thus getting within a foot of his sacred person) by trying to hit the guy. Of course, to be fair, he threw the ball where it needed to be first, so he does have his priorities.

So Sheff tries to hit the guy, pandemonium ensues, there are security people and umpires running around batshit, and meanwhile Tek has quietly provided a two-run triple.

For reasons I don't understand, Sheffield gets to stay in the game. And the Sox are suddenly ahead eight-five.

And then Foulke, having apparently decided that we have not all had our dose of baseball drama yet, gives Sheff a double, and loads the bases, and I don't want to talk about it because oh god my heart. He got the Princess out, though. (A-Rod got no hits last night, and one tonight, so that makes him, oh, one for the last nine or ten? Plus he loses at defense? This won't last, but it's fun. YOU SUCK PRINCESS.)

Then there's a foul hit, and guess who's there to make the dramatic catch that ended the game? Yeah. Tek. I nominate Varitek as hero of the game.

Then one of the bartenders immediately cued up "Tessie" and cranked it. It was awesome. =D

What a game. I can't believe we won.

Now it's going to take me till at least midnight to wind down, and I have to wake up at quarter past five tomorrow. But it's worth it. I am so glad I went to go see this game.

And I am so glad that I still have Internet access, because if I couldn't have poured all this out I think my head would have exploded.

WE OWN RIVERA. OWN OWN OWN. He is OURS.

Real nice of the Yankee fans to boo him too. Not too surprising, really, because booing their best, most loved players when said players have a bad time is exactly what they do. They did it to Jeter last year and now they've done it to Rivera. Just full of class, they are. Ew. (Obviously, there are certain exceptions. But they weren't at the game.)

And Timlin hit Jeter with a pitch. In the head. Whoops. Guess that's what those batting helmets are for.



Dear Rentería,

You have partially redeemed yourself. Quit it with the hitting into double plays and we'll talk.

Love (with reservations),

Cathryn



Dear Princess,

Hey, thanks for the error! That was pretty! So much for that home run, huh?

Hate,

Cathryn



Dear Rivera,

Sorry the bastards booed you. I would kind of like to give you a cookie. Do you like Oreos?

Condescendingly sympathetic,

Cathryn



Dear Jeter,

That'll teach you to make with the walk-off homers in tied games. Uh, I am glad you're okay, though. I promise I won't set you on fire now.

Much more cordial hate than A-Rod got,

Cathryn



Dear Wake,

So that's what good starting pitching looks like. Thanks for the reminder!

Much love,

Cathryn



Dear Tito,

Please be okay. Way to be proactive with that chest "stiffness." It would've sucked a lot if you'd ignored it and then had a heart attack. Sorry you completely missed the game.

Worried,

Cathryn


Okay, and that final score? From 2-0 Red Sox, to 2-2 for about six years, to 3-2 Yankees, to 7-3 Red Sox.

Because I'm at Mom's and I can, a quick post:

First, I'm glad I finally heard from you, hoedogg. I was starting to worry. Hope you enjoyed the eloquent message I left on your voice mail. =D

Second, I am going to make a bold prediction. I predict that once Wells settles down and gets into a groove, he will be awesome. He just needs some time. Admittedly, I'm biased toward my latest baseball boyfriend, but still. He's a good pitcher. He just needs to relax.

Third, to continue on the subject of pitching, too bad for the Yankees that Randy Johnson can't pitch every game. =P

Fourth, I watched the game on ESPN, and the commentators don't like the Red Sox any more than the FOX ones did, and the camera work is weird, and I miss NESN. I want Jerry and Don!

Fifth, I really kind of think I've actually had my fill of Red Sox/Yankees for the time being. I'd like to watch some other teams, too, please.