5/28/07 vs. Cleveland
May 29th, 2007 by Curt Schilling
First off two very important things to get out there.
Thank you to every man and woman serving in the Armed Forces of the United States. I thank God every day we live in a country founded on the principles and ethics that allow men and women like these people to live and WANT to serve here.
Second, Happy 10th Biirthday to my Daughter Gabby, and Happy 12th Birthday to my oldest son Gehrig!
(And a late edit. I mention Dave Jauss below when I should have said Todd Claus, one of our advance scouts! Sorry Clausie!)
Two teams coming off sweeps and playing well. We continue to get people doing the right things at the right times, from relievers to back up players to starters to the every day guys. Everyone outside of this clubhouse keeps waiting for ‘the other shoe to drop”, but if you can stay healthy with the mix of talent we have, it’s not something you think about. This clubhouse fits together as well as any team I’ve ever been on. No outrageous personalities but a bunch of guys that ‘get it’ and play the game right.
This market and this fan base won’t allow you to sit back, as if that’s possible in this game, but I was asked tonight in the post game how we would ‘handle’ this. You handle it the same way you handle every other day, you show up, put your work in and bust your ass for nine.
I’m a big Cliff Lee fan too. I think the trio of him, Westbrook and Sabathia can be as good or better than any young group in the game. C.C. has quietly made a name for himself and is one of the better power guys in the game.
Their lineup is what you’d expect from a typical
AL team that can hit. Power top to bottom and a bunch of grinders in the middle who can crush pitch counts on most nights.
Over the past 4 days I spent more time than usual with John Farrell working on things I know I am doing wrong and trying to fix. A few different times he’s made those comments that just ‘click’, and it works. I’ve always loved to talk pitching with coaches, you can never hear things too much, regardless of the topic. You might hear 500 ways to describe what it means to ‘hump up’ and the 501st one you hear might be the one that makes you understand it. Everything about the delivery and throwing pitches is like that for me.
Needless to say he said some things that clicked for me and we spoke at length about the two biggest items on my ‘to do’ list which were addressing the lack of command on the fastball and the fact that the split is not, and really has not been splitting for a very long time now.
Pre game meeting went well as Todd Claus (our scout who’d been following the Indians) was in town and I asked him to sit in and give me his thoughts on approaching this lineup.
Tek and I felt pretty good about the game plan. Warmups were so-so, didn’t feel good or bad but they kind of just happened. I could see the changes we’d worked on were happening, but not as consistently as I wanted them to.
First inning starts and it’s clear that the 1997 version of my split has decided to show up. We end up striking out the side, all on splits, but working all three to deep counts. The bottom line was that the pitch was acting like it’s supposed to, which is the goal. When that happens the command of the fastball is still a priority, but velocity becomes less of an issue.
Back story to the splitter. In 1998, middle of the season, I began to throw the split and at times it would sail wildly from right to left, like a huge cutter. It’s an unhittable pitch but impossible to actually try and throw it. It would happen from time to time but was never predictable and never controllable. I didn’t know why but a few times during the season it happened, and started to happen more frequently. The pitch also began to stop dropping as hard, instead it would float or just sort of softly descend into the strike zone. Throwing hard made that not such a bad thing because it would catch hitters off guard and freeze them when it happened with two strikes. I never knew why but around that same time I started to develop a natural cutter. I didn’t want the ball to cut, it just did. For someone that relies on the ball being in an exact spot when it crosses the plate this is not a good thing. The cutter came and went, as did the split.
Johnny Podres had been retired by this time. Early in spring training he was in camp with the Phillies in 1999 and I was throwing on the side. He was watching and almost immediately asked me ‘Why the hell is the catcher there?”. I was beginning to throw my bullpen with the catcher on the left side of home plate. Not a big deal but I stand on the right side of the rubber, always have, and early in my career he made a point that I start getting loose and throwing in a ‘straight line”, be it in the outfield or in the bullpen. That’s one reason you will always see me playing catch along the outfield cut of grass when I can and with someone that throws right handed. I want to hit the glove on the right side of the body and insure that my stride is straight and my release is as well. It’s also the reason I’d always started getting loose in the pen with the catcher on the right side of home plate. You only have so many throws per day, and from the first toss to the last, for me anyway, it’s always been a priority to be sure I was striding straight and releasing the ball on a straight path.
To make a long story longer, for some reason I had been starting bullpens for quite some time, with the catcher on the left side of home plate. In doing so I had fallen into a pattern of ‘cutting’ the ball to that side. Putting cutting spin on the ball by not keeping my fingers behind the baseball, and had developed a ‘cutter’ by doing so. What it also did was cause my hand to stray from the back of the baseball, about an inch or two, to the right side. This had a profound effect on the path and movement of my split as well.
I fixed the cutter problem but since 1997-98 have never felt that my split dropped as violently or as hard as it did then. While working on a few other things these past few days John said pretty much this very thing, without prompting from me. I thought about it for a few minutes and the talk turned to those years and the issues, and my thoughts about how I got here. In the end it turns out that something appearing so minor, 3-4” of hand positioning, was, in the end, the answer to ‘fixing’ it. At least for now.
Second inning starts with Victor Martinez grounding a first pitch curve ball to second.
Trot strolls to the box and I step back to listen. He gets what he deserves as the fans get loud and on their feet. Trot was an exceptional teammate and he and his wife Kathryn are two of the better people you’ll ever want to know. Deservedly awarded by the Jimmy Fund during the pre-game, it was great to see him get the ovation and them the recognition for being such great people and and great part of this city and team for his entire career.
My goal was to make sure this didn’t happen until the second inning, and to make sure I didn’t have to see him on base. We get to 1-1 and I throw the only change up I threw all night and left it way up in the zone. He whacks it to right for a single. A win and a tie, I’ll take it. I hope after Wednesday he stays healthy and has a phenomenal year, Lord knows if he doesn’t it won’t be from lack of effort.
Peralta is up next and we get a three pitch K on another split for the second out. David Dellucci comes up next. I played with “Looch” in
Arizona for three seasons and he’ll always be one of the funner and better teammates I’ve ever had. That being said he and I are never at a loss for words when it comes to getting on each other and our matchups are a major part of conversation whenever we are getting on each other. Much like Millar I sometimes pick it up a tad when he’s up, trying to make sure that I end up on top somehow. This AB would go to him as he hit a split I left up a bit to center for a single. First one I left up on the day. Trot gets to third and Garko comes up. I haven’t seen him other than the video I’ve had a chance to watch over the past four days and from all I’ve seen he’s legit. Nice approach, good eye and it looks like he’s got serious pop. He runs a long AB but ends up swinging and missing at a fastball in for the last out.
Josh Barfield leads off the third and singles on another split that stays up. We get Grady to 1-2 and I throw a cutter that nicks him to put runners on first and second. Casey Blake runs another long AB and Tek makes a call I was not even thinking about but ends up almost getting us a triple play. I had about 5 options in my head after the previous pitch, settled on one or two when I was on the rubber, deciding to go with Teks call, and he puts down fastball in, which I was not thinking. We throw a two seamer in that gets a huge double play and ends up about a step short of a triple play as Dustin makes a phenomenal turn off of a great feed. Travis Hafner comes up, hits a first pitch backdoor slider to Youk at first to end the inning.
The fourth goes by quickly, which I need because the pitch count is rising way too fast. Martinez K’s looking on a fastball away, the second one in a row, to start the inning. Those two pitches right there cemented in my mind that we had corrected the problem that’s been lingering since spring training. Being able to put the ball on the corners on back to back pitches, while still reaching back for a little extra. Trot hits the first real miss on a fastball I’ve had on the day as the ball comes back over the middle and gets in on him a little bit. Peralta ends the inning by flying to right on a first pitch curve ball.
We run through a long inning but Cliff manages to limit the damage to two runs when it could have really gotten away at that point.
During the half inning I tell Youk to play back about 10-15 feet as the plan to Dellucci leading off is to throw a lot of hard stuff in. We execute the pitches and he whacks a liner that Youk easily catches. Garko pops to Tek, who makes a fantastic catch on a ball that was being pushed all over the place. Barfield chases a high fastball up and out to end the inning.
Manny extends the lead to three by absolutely crushing a pitch over the monster in left.
The sixth starts with Sizemore working another deep count and then swinging and missing at a fastball away for strike three. Blake hammers a ball right down the middle off the monster for a double in the next AB. We work Hafner to two strikes and end the AB by throwing what I think was our best split of the night for a swing and miss. I then hang a split in a bad spot to
Martinez and give the run right back as he singles to center. I was pretty much beside myself at this point and took a second to compose everything. These lineups allow zero time to not be focused and I felt, up to that point, like we had everything under control. Trot ends the inning by hitting a fastball away to center on the first pitch and I am not even glancing in Tito’s direction as I come off the field because I feel fine and want to stay in this game.
The seventh starts with Peralta hitting what I thought was a well located and executed pitch. Fastball in at the belt, a pitch he hasn’t swung at in our previous 10 or so AB’s. He is strong enough to get it to the outfield. “Looch” works a long AB and we end up getting the K when he swings and misses at a fastball away for the first out. Garko grounds to third on a split and Barfield check swings and ground out to end the inning.
I know I am done as I walk off and the fans do too. I can hear and feel the ovation and can tell you it never ever gets old.
Rick Reed had home plate tonight and he was pretty much spot on the entire night. I think he missed some both ways but never felt he gave me anything over the top nor took anything away, he was consistent the entire game.
The bullpen picks each other up and Paps gets some hearts pumping in the ninth but finishes the game by striking out Hafner in a huge situation.
Travis Hafner had a rough night but I hope like hell we aren’t around when he starts making teams pay. He and David are the two best power hitting left handers in this league by a wide margin. What separates them to me is that they both have an uncanny control of the strike zone to go with 50 HR power. Pretty good combo in a DH.
Curt,
I write after all of your starts and I wanted to say this was far the BEST start that I think you have had. The 10 K’s was awesome, when you needed it you reached back and gave that “extra”. Was impressed on your game plan and glad to see that the location and pitches were working.
One another note.. Youk is on a tear, I know all of New England is writting him in as an All-Star. Nice to see Manny and JD coming around and Dustin is getting better at each start.
Glad to see Josh is back tonight, looking forward to that.
Have a great few days off. Looking forward to the Yankes start!
Happy Birthday to both Gerhig and Gabby, they certainly looked happy at last night’s game, I’m sure your performance had something to do with it. I think this team is amazing this year, they seem to have all the right pieces to the puzzle, especially heart! I love watching everyone do whatever it takes to win. Also, to see the reaction of the fans to Trot’s return was incredible. Again, thanks for the time and insight you put into this blog…
Additional note, happy birthday to your children also.
As I said last blog, you were on the cusp of something. Nice game Schill, best split I have seen from you in a while. Happy birthday to Gabby and Gehrig also.
Paps was interesting to watch, he is showing maturity when he doesn’t nessecarily have it, but wills himself through.
And what can we say about Youkilis? All Star appearance I hope.
Great game Curt…I knew you’d figure it out!
Curt: You did ok…. But a young Kid caught a Varitek foul ball near the press box area…. I see FUTURE STAR. Do you think Yankfan22 will have anything to say about the game? Hey Yankfan 13.5
Curt, that was an OUTSTANDING outing last night, keep up the great work!
Happy birthday to Gabby and Gehrig
Awesome game, awesome pitching…
So nice to see Trot and the warm welcome he received.
Curt,
What I appreciate most about reading your thoughts on games is how you refer to “us” when talking about getting guys out on certain pitches. You include Tek in everything that you do out there. You didn’t throw the split, “we did”. That is an intelligent way to speak about what goes on. I wouldn’t guess that there are alot of pitchers willing to give their catcher so much credit. Fun reading…
Great write up today Curt. It was an awesome game! I got chills when Trot came up to bat… we miss him and know how hard he played the game here in Boston… Drew has yet to make that impact on us.. think you could give him some advice?
Schill….
I loved your performance last night! It was incredible! I felt like I was watching the 2004 ALCS all over again!
Thanks again!!! WE LOVE YOU!
Hey Curt,
The respect that you should to Trot is exactly what makes you one of those “we’ll never forget you” players. I think most people in this Nation give respest to past players like Trot who have put in max effort at all times. He was (and still is) my favorite player specifically because of that effort. Thank you for showing that respect, and for being the kind of player that we love here in Boston.
Good luck with the rest of the season!
… a life long red sox fan!
Great job of pitching - your splitter was spectacular, and location was spot on. Also, thanks for your respect for Trot. You could see how emotional he was, and the fans needed time to thank him for his years of service.
Well done Curt, it’s great to see a player put the work in when things aren’t going right and have such good results. Keep it going!
Trot Nixon is such a complete class act
It was fun to see your son get the foul ball, happy birthdays to your son and daughter
PS-have you ever rolled the ball to first a la Julian?
LOL @ rolling the ball. Don and Jerry were laughing at that on air.
I totally agree with you on Hafner. He is scary no matter who is on the mound.
Great game last night.
No matter what an anyone says you’re a class act. Stepping off the mound and letting Trot have his moment was probably the best thing you could have done for him.
I hope when Trot retires down the road that the Sox sign him and let him retire as a Red Sox.
Happy Birthday to your children as well. I am sure Gehrig told you all about catching the foul ball.
You mention that we live in a country founded on the principles and ethics that allow men and women like these people to live and WANT to serve here.
I think that is an important point about our armed services. I just got back from Israel, where men and women both HAVE TO serve in the army. Most of them hate it, but are proud to be fighting for their countries, and do not have a choice either way.
We live in a country that is not forced to sign up every 18 year old into the army, allowing people like yourself to not have a 3 year leave from baseball in the prime time that you are developing your strengths.
Curt,
Great game last night - I think it’s a theme with the Sox pitching staff that no one has gotten stuck in a rut this year, starter nor reliever. That’s credit to you as pitchers, and obviously to Farrell and the rest of the staff too.
By the way, you mentioned your advance scout - but I don’t think it’s Dave Jauss anymore: he’s the LA Dodgers bench coach, no? Or was he actually in town visiting and came to the clubhouse?
Keep up the good work, and good luck against the Rocket if you draw him next time around.
- S.F.
Kick-ass performance, Curt, but gotta tell you I was dissapointed to see that you didn’t even acknowledge Youk’s inside-the-park HR . . .
I’m gonna blow some sunshine up your can to avoid being censored.
Great game, Curt! Youre the best pitcher in baseball!
It is a pleasure to read your inside take on the game always, and the top notch games are so rewarding after having a few you “searched” more in. This was great- the RSN ship sails on with Josh returning. Thanks for a great effort. But please, no ball rolling!
Trot is our hero, always will be. Thanks for giving him his due here. I do hope he can rejoin his team after retirement in some way..
Awesome performance last night, Schill. Good to see you back. That split was nasty. Really heartwarming to see the ovations that Trot got and I loved his tip of the helmet to you.
Nice job, Curt! This team is rockin’!
That was a great win against an excellent team, I hope that the splitter stays with you the rest of the season, it was wicked last night.
I love this Red Sox team, Youk is quickly becoming a very dangerous hitter in all situations. And I love the way Lugo picks up RBIs with two outs.
Add in Pedroia, Manny and JD picking it up, all we need are some healthy hams on the big man and we’ll be in good shape.
I think Tito is using players well, and that should keep them healthy and rested.
Great job, Curt, thanks for the blog and congrats to your kids on their Bdays!
Great Memorial Day game for all concerned. I would have taken you out after Peralta got on in the seventh, which is why Tito is managing and I am sitting here reading your blog, I suppose.
Great game, and best of wishes to your little ones.
I thought you and Tek worked that lineup over pretty well, especially keeping Sizemore quiet. Good variety and excellent location of pitches. 10 Ks, dude . . . nice work.
The ovation for Trot was certainly due him, and wonderful to watch and hear. Are you sure that fat off-speed pitch wasn’t a little “welcome home” gift? You’re lucky he didn’t put it up near the Ted Williams seat.
You guys look like you’re both playing hard AND having fun, exemplified last night by Youk, with his inside-the-park scamper, and Pedroia swinging so hard he looks like he’s going to fall down.
Fun to watch, and worth the price of admission.
Great game last night Curt you looked awesome out there. Keep it up!
Curt,
Great game, it was nice to see you back in form. I also appreciated you giving Trot the time he needed to soak in that ovation, and I enjoyed seeing you get the ovation you deserved for a dominant game. Keep up the good work, on to game 2!!
-Lugh
Very nicely done, Curt. I knew you had it in you.
Question: We hear very little about John Farrell, probably because there’s been little to complain about so far. How much of the rotation and bullpen’s success can we attribute to him at this point? Believe me, I understand you have a really talented group of pitchers out there, and I’m not trying to take anything away from any of you — just trying to get some insight into how one evaluates the impact of a pitching coach on a team. Performance, durability, and bullpen management all seem to have come a long way from last season — how much is the change in the staff itself, and what parts can we attribute to Farrell’s influence? I’m beginning to think he’s a genius…
I’ll be in Fenway Sunday night for your start against the Yanks — go get ‘em!
The pop on that fastball said it all… Q & A question… How did you get such a boost in velocity from the yankees game? Was it just a difference in rader guns? It didn’t look to be so…
Great job Curt…
Great to hear you were able recapture your good stuff after a bad outing.
Thank you for allowing us to continue listening in…
Superb ballgame. Great to see Trot back, and even better to see our ace back! I was fortunate enough to be in attendance last night with my Dad. Same seats we had for game 2 of the 2004 WS, and it felt every bit like a vintage performance. 10Ks and no walks… the splitter, the 94 mph fastball, even the curve was totally effective every time you threw it. Whatever adjustments you made, keep doing it.
Thanks for the game write up too. Check it out… I see the game live, check out the replay on NESN when I get home, then read the starting pitcher’s game notes and hear his interview on EEI in the morning. Incredible stuff… and something this old school baseball fan could have never imagined growing up in the 60’s.
Go three-eight!
Curt:
Thought you pitched a whale of a game last night, and I was seated right behind the Sox dugout to really enjoy it. Thanks for the effort.
Comment: You’re looking leaner & meaner. Have you dropped some weight this season? If so, how does that impact your game?
Question: At one point when you were in a small jam, Mike Lowell walked over, whispered something to you, and then you coaxed the batter to ground out straight to Lowell. Without giving away the secret sauce, what *type* of adjustment might you make in a situation like that?
Happy to see Trot back, and I thought he was well-received by the fans. I thought he might get more of a Cabrera-like video tribute from ownership when he stepped to the plate, though. The Jimmy Fund video was great, but I would have liked to have seen some more of Trot’s baseball moments remembered.
Happy birthday to your kids! My daughter turned 16 last Friday, and I just don’t know where the last decade went.
best,
Tom
Curt,
Great game last night. It really looked like you were a lot more comfortable than you have been over your last few starts. However, the last couple weeks have reminded me of a commonly stated fact about pitchers - Good pitchers have great games with their great stuff. Great pitchers have good games when they don’t have their good stuff. Your repeated ability to gut through games has been very impressive.
P.S. I dropped a letter off for you at 38 Studios about a month to a month and a half ago. (Back when it was still GMG - Are you replacing that sign?) I live less than a mile away from the office and pass it every day on my way to work.
I’m curious - does that “mail” ever get to you? I’m sure you have someone who filters through everything for you, and I know you’re super busy, but I’m curious to know if it ever meets your hands.
Thanks, and keep up the great work (on and off the field)!
Hey Curt, I’m a log time reader of your blog but a first time poster. I figured it was time I took a second to just say Thanks! You certainly don’t have to take the time to write for your fans, and you most certainly don’t have to take the time to answer their questions. Just know we appreciate it!!
I do have a couple quick questions for you, however. First, what’s your take on Julian? His first few outings were a little shaky (to say the least) but in his last couple starts he seems to be comming around quite nicely. Is this just the normal growth of a pitcher or, as I suspect (he just seems like a worker), does he work his butt off to get it right? Also, do you think him and Manny might be a little too close?
Second, what was going through your mind pitching to Trot tonight? Knowing how good of a guy he is, how much he is loved here in Boston by the fans and the Sox, and how much he contributed to your ‘04 ring, surely it had to be hard.. for me at least. Was there any internal struggle going on there? I know you’re going to say “no” because you try to keep your mind clear while you pitch, but surely there had to be a little. For me, I wouldn’t want to make the guy look like a total fool and go 0-3 or 4 in a city where he is loved beyond belief, but I also wouldn’t want the guy really batting me around. Was there any thought about this before or during the game?
PS - Great game last night! I knew it was only a matter of time before you came around.
Curt great game. Good to see things are starting to get back in line. Paps made me a little nervous there at the end, but there was never really a doubt that he would get the job done.
Nice job by Tek to restrain his smile after he fell over making the catch on that foul ball. Wouldn’t want to ruin the impression that he is all business, all the time there. Maybe he didn’t smile but I did.
Happy Birthday to your two children, Gehrig and Gabby. Being a Retired Army Medic, I also want to thank you for remembering all the people who serve this great country.
It was a great night and seeing Trot again was great for all of us in the Nation.
Congratulations on another Win and look forward to reading more as the year goes on.
Hooah!
Great game Curt! Great pitching and very classy to step off so that Trot could have his moment.
I am sure that for you speculating about career legacy issues is something that you do not focus on, given you have a long way to go and also that you try to stay focused on the moment, BUT you seem to have a great appreciation of baseball history and also are a real standup guy in terms of answering all questions, so here goes:
If you were to retire after this year (Please don’t) and you were to eventually be elected to the Hall of Fame (I read a quote where you said you didn’t think that would happen, but I think you have an excellent shot), how do you think you would go in — Philles, D-Backs or Red Sox? You are having an awesome career, and although you pitched for the Phillies the longest, will probably be most remembered for your role on the Red Sox (the championship and bloody sock). Obviously your time with the D-Backs is also very memorable — as is your time with the Phillies (which is the reason for the question). From your perspective, what do you think are the lasting images that to date define your career (even if you take the Hall of Fame discussion off the table) and which hat do you think they would put on your placque? (I know the Hall decides now, but even still…
I totally understand if you don’t want to answer this question, but I am really interested in hearing your thoughts.
Thanks again for being a great guy and hosting this web site. Also, thanks to you and your teammates for not resting on your accomplishments and continuing to build that lead. BTW, I am sure that people like CHB lump anyone who thanks you into the sycophant pile, but it only seems like common decency to show appreciation to someone like you who is going out of their way to interact with the fans. I am sure they would be happier if we were confrontational and obnoxious like many of them are, but hopefully most people were brought up to behave better than that.
Mark
Curt, your hard work to rebound in this game shows. This is what sets the average pitchers from the great ones apart. You couldn’t have picked a better time to do it than against the Tribe. I feel that this series will be a defining moment in the 07 campaign. This team has proven themselves this year and my gut is that we will see each other again in October. We are starting our three best pitchers and this couldn’t be a better time to send them a message. Go Sox!
Curt, I also want to add how impressed I was that you backed off the mound to give Trot his due. I don’t care what the BSers say about you being a bad teammate or about you running your mouth, that was a real class act. Thank you Curt.
Awesome game Curt ! What a class thing it was stepping off for Trot , he deserved everything he got last night.
This is my first time replying , and i just want to say i love your blog , it gives an insight into the game that you just cant get any where else.
thank you
rick goodney
colorado city tx
(originally from woosta and a life long sox fan)
Schilling - Thank you so much for making my 30th birthday a wonderful one - all I wanted was to watch the Great Curt Schilling pitch well. Happy Birthday to your children as well. I hadn’t been to Fenway in a while and wanted badly to see you and Paps pitch. Thank you for making it magical - I prayed for your every pitch and never left my seat. You showed great command. More importantly you showed great class during the Memorial Day tribute (I could see you in the pen) and waiting for Trot to get his recognition at the plate.
Thank you for being great #38!
Did I see the gun saying 95 MPH on one of those fastballs!?!
Hey there Curt. Amazing game…it certainly was a pleasure to watch, start to finish. I have a question for your next Q&A: What type of music do you listen to? I can’t decide if I think that you’re a country music guy, or a rock and roll guy. I’m going with good old fashioned rock. Anywho, I look forward to your next start, and I’m glad that I was able to catch you pitch live and in person at Fenway this year (for some reason I always end up seeing Beckett…three times already this year!) (oh, that’s not a bad thing, by the way, I love Beckett too.)
~Adam
Hey Curt:
Great to see ya make a comeback last night after your last two outings. Just watching you on NESN .. my wife and I could tell you had a very different “attitude” .. you seemed to have a lot more confidence last night !!! I hope that even if you ‘re having a game where everything is NOT working, no matter how frustrated you’re getting … that you maintain that “look” that you’re in control.. that you have the other team, the other batter “right where you want them” !!!! Cause when you start “looking” like your losing confidence … that when other start losing as well … and that gives the other team an advantage …….
Don’t take this as a critizism .. just a observation.
Also, What our your thoughts on the whole MLB/ DirectTV deal ? We’re in Houston.TX and had to switch to DirectTV ( from Dish) just so we could get NESN and the Sox … without getting into “expletives”, not only did DirectTV make out with the contract.. BUT how many of us had to incur extra fees and charges for breaking contracts with our other services just to switch to DirectTV … one of the biggest monoplies I have ever witnessed.. expect it’s not a monopoly because MLB is a private entity.
Lastly, my wife started The Red Sox Nation meetup group “Houston” http://redsox.meetup.com/125/
A whole bunch us drove up to Arlington this past weekend to be with the Sox. I hope you would to pass along our website to the guys on the team and would like for you to sign up as a member !!!!!!!!! We’d love to have ya …
cheers and see ya on the road// chowda !!!
chowda2stl@yahoo.com
one last thing to add .. a bunch of in the group were behind the dugout when you walked off the field Sunday afternoon .. please thank manny, Big Papi and Willy Mo for waving to us all when the walked into the dugout !!!!!!! The pics will be on the website. cheers /Chowda
I was fortunate enough to be at last night’s game eight rows behind the plate. It was thrilling to say the least to witness Trot’s return and one hell of a performance from you. (It was great to even hear your frustration after giving up that first run while you were backing up home plate.)
I’ve never seen the stadium so electric when Papelbon came out. Cameras flashing everywhere. The whole place lights up as he’s delivering his pitch. My only question is…do all those flashes bother a pitcher? Can they distract a player?
10 K’s! Way to bounce back after that last disappointing start. Your splitter was phenomenal last night. And Youk with the inside the parker, how cool was that? Not to mention your son my a nice play as well.
I just want to mention how proud I am of every one from the fans to the players to the managers etc. for showing Trot the respect he deserves. He is a class act and it was good to see him get a good reception at his homecoming. He’ll always be one of us no matter what.
Can’t wait to see Beckett come back tonight, keep up the good work Curt and congrats on an amazing game.
http://www.bostonsportsfans.net
Glad to see you back to your old form. Every fan knows we need your leadership to return to the World Series. And, Happy Birthday to your children. That’s something I can say we have in common — my daughter celebrated her 22nd birthday yesterday!
I caught a little of the game last night on MLB.tv, and it looks like you’re back where you have been in the past (ala ‘04).
It was nice how the fans showed love to Trot Nixon — that was cool.
Anyhow, one question for you — As you have gotten older, how do you prepare for each start physically? Myself, at 28, playing sports, I do things much more differently than at 21.
How do you get ready now compared to 10, 15 years ago?
Keep up the good work, Curt!
Anthony - the Oriole Post,
http://oriolepost.blogspot.com
Amazing start Curt. Glad to see you happy about your pitching again.
Hey Curt
I was at the ball game last night, out in RF Box 87…seats weren’t too bad…anyways, great start, great command, nice splitter tonight. Defense for both teams wasn’t bad either. I didn’t see Manny’s home run, because some guy was trying to start the wave and I was watching to see if the wave got around when everyone started cheering, I was wondering why they were cheering for the wave when I saw Manny trot around the bases….How bout Youk? Inside the parker, he was haulin’ some serious behind on that play. I think that’s the Sox mentality this year, give it 100% every night and you’ll win.
Sweet game. Youk’s In-the-park was awesome. He beat the throw by miles. Didn’t even have to slide.
Great to see Trot again.
You pitched great! 10 K’s. Phenomenal. Keep it up and we’ll lead the AL by 30 games come October.
Excellent pitching Curt, the splitter was really working … it is great to see you back to your true form … that was an impressive win against a hot hitting team. Hope the splitter shows up like that again against the Yanks …
Just wanted to give a big hello to that dominant splitter, Curt. As you mention, we haven’t seen the big guy in awhile. That was sick. Watching you pitch like that was almost as enjoyable as seeing Trot grinning as you stepped back on the mound. Last night was memorable, to say the very least. It was yet one more of those now-often moments when simply being a Sox fan is one of the greatest feelings on earth. Rock on.
Dear Curt,
Yesterday was an emotional day at Fenway, but also around the flag poles all across America. The idea came to me to put this out here. After that . . . ?
From the bulletin of Saint Mary’s Parish, Holliston, MA.:
“Timothy O’Connell made his First Communion on Saturday, May 5. He haas since been diagnosed w/ Leukemia, and is now at Childrens’ Hospital in Boston where he will remain for 6-8 months of chemotherapy and eventually a bone marrow transplant. Cards may be sent to Timmy at Children’s Hospital Boston, 6th Floor Oncology, 300 Longwood Ave., Boston, MA 02115.”
Curt,
This was my first visit to your website although I have heard about it for sometime. First let me say I am very impressed. It is very apparent that you actually write your own blog rather than having someone you pay do it for you. (A welcome change from other athletes). Second you have a new daily reader. I won’t say fan because I have always been a fan even when you were a Philly. I am a Mets fan so that is hard to admit.
Happy birthday to your kids. And beat the Yankees for us all this weekend.
Good luck the rest of the season.
See you in October.
GEESH YANKEES FANS ARE QUIET HERE TODAY
ANYWAYS CURT KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK YOU DO ON AND OFF THE FIELD
HAPPY B DAY TO YOUR KIDS AS WELL!!!
Hey Curt,
Great job yesterday. Just as fun to read today as it was to watch yesterday, love the bit of backstory on your pitches. I saw one of your boys catch that foul ball yesterday too, which was really funny and great. The catch lead my friend to say “I think they have enough foul balls already.” So true, but I am sure they loved getting one themselves! Happy Birthday to your daughter and son.
Keep up your honest approach. You lay it all out, and I appreciate the candor you use in analyzing yourself. It sets a good example for the rest of us!
Have a great week.
Curt,
Congrats, broseph. It was great to see you return to form. These are truly the salad days. Not to put the cart before the horse, but I’m feeling extremely optimistic about our chances in October. How does the chemistry in the clubhouse compare to the ‘idiots’ of ‘04?
Curt,
Great game, congrats.
driving up from FL on Thurs.
will be there on Sat. to see you guys beat up on the Yanks!!!!
Go Sox!
Curt, I cannot believe that I can’t watch the two hottest teams in the AL play. Although, I am obviously rooting for my tribe, I would love to be able to see any of this 3 game series.
WOW!!!
But would like to know why you throw so many NCP’s after you are 0-2 on hitters??
You are the man…you got something goin’ now!! all the best.
What a great game last night! It was great to see you back on top of your game. It was also great to see Trot Nixon, one of my all time favorite Red Sox!
Well done and Happy Birthday to all…
Now for a trip down memory lane… Ever remember posing for a poster prior to the 1993 season in Philly called the “Phillies Five Horses” wearing chaps?
My wife found a poster at a yard sale and it appears to be Mr. Shilling along with Tommy Greene, Danny Jackson, Terry Mulholland and I believe Ben Rivera. There is no identifying information on the poster, so it’s tough to be absolutely sure, but it looks like you. Will post a URL if possible.
Great game last night, the replay of Trot’s first AB had you grinning almost to say “damn, people are gonna think I left that change up, up there for him to hit.” We know you didn’t and we are glad you stayed away from that pitch the rest of the night.
Ten K’s against a team like this year’s Indians is a damn good outing. I’m looking forward to seeing if you build on it.
I almost could see the reasoning behind Juilan’s rolling the ball to Youk. The comebacker got to him so fast that he had to wait for Youk to get to the bag. Instead of trotting towards first however, he (stupidly) rolled the ball to get there when Youk did. It wasn’t a “showing someone up” play, until he did it while he was winning the game and holding them scoreless.
Here’s hoping Big Papi is feeling better, Youk has caught his breath, Manny has sunk into his groove, and Drew feeds off of what Lowell is showing him to do at the Fens.
Hey Curt -
I was at the game last night and you looked great. Definitely a pitcher’s duel game, at for a little while.
Good stuff last night, even though the bats took some time to come alive. This year’s team definitely feels “special”. It was fun to see Trot on the field again, and seemingly healthy. He came up big many a time when we needed him to, and it felt good to show him a little love.
Happy Birthday to your kids!
Nothing beats being a Dad, huh?
Curt, congrats on another strong game. Your spliter was really working early. That 1st inning set the tone for the whole game.
What do you think is wrong with Paplebon as of late. He’s given up more hits lately and earned runs. I know some closers struggle when they come in in non-save situations. I’ve seen it alot with the Mets Billy Wagner
and I personally consider a 3 run lead a little less of a save situation. Those are the instences Paps has entered in during some struggles and I wonder if thats what you feel is atrubuted to his struggles. Jon hasn’t ben horrible lately, He’s been great compared to Rivara(3saves 3losses HA) but hasn’t dominated as of late.
Curt,
Happy Birthday to your children. I was very happy to see you get back on the horse and beat Cleveland. This is my first time reading your blog after a game, and I must say that I think you do a wonderful job. Looking forward to the Yankees game!
Great job Curt! Proverbs 3:5
I’m involved with a Christian radio station in RI and was wondering if you’d be interested in doing an interview?
Mark
Thank you for your effort last night…! I was watching the game on NESN and it looked like Gehrig ended up with a pop foul ball off Tek’s bat!
Youk’s inside-the-parker was great! So who is faster: Youk or Dustin? And was it me or did Trot hesitate slightly when he was retrieving the ball in center as Youk was rounding the bases?
Great splitter last night. I had pretty good seats for once and was able to pick out your individual pitches, it seemed like you had a great cutter and split, then the velocity showed up as the game went on.
All around great start. Keep it up for the Stankees, you owe them one.
Curt,
First off, what did the kids get for their birthday? Second, you looked good, and this is the type of effort that will take this team deep into October.
And I would like to commend you for your appreciation for our folks who serve their country. It is because of people like this that allow Americans to do what they do. Whether it be pitching for a baseball team, or writing in a blog to complain about the same pitcher, we have those freedoms because Americans from all over the country readily volunteer to serve.
I send this as I am in my 11th year of serving our nation as a civilian (9 years active Army service prior to that) overseas.
Keep up the blog and the pitching…….
VJ in Okinawa
What???? No mention of Youk’s in the park homer!
That was a great moment. Funny as hell when he came back to the dugout & took a rest on the bench. Almost as good as his 1st major league homerun.
I love the chemistry on this team. Always seems like you guys are having fun.
When Trot got up to base I stood up and applauded (as I watched from my living room). I bet every other Sox fan did the same. That guy is a class act.
Curt, if - God forbid - you ever get traded to the Indians, I will do the same for you….although I hope that you would throw us a bone and lob every pitch right down the middle of the plate and give up 15 runs in the first inning. Deal?
Happy Birthday Kiddos!
Awesome game. I was at Youk’s very first big league game, and at that moment I knew he was special. Not Kidding. I always wanted to see him become a regular everyday player. He’s on a huge tear and I hope he continues the course!
Ya’ll are playing great baseball all around. Way to win!
Erika
Curt,
Congratulations!! What an awesome game - at least as much fun as our all- day holiday cookout, out by the pool. What a joy to head home in time to watch, ala MLBInsider, my Red Sox, and especially #38 on the mound. I never doubted you would come back hard, and I love your honesty and humility about your struggles and effort. Watching you last night was awesome. I yelled at every pitcher out of the bullpen, during the “nervous moments” — “DO NOT lose this for Schill!!”
I also appreciate the respect you showed Trot and the appreciation you have for other hard-working ball players.
I just wanted to say thanks for making my day. Last day of school tomorrow in Duval County, Florida, and I am wearing my Schill shirt!!!
MA
Brother Curt,
You had a Herculian effort in this game!!! Outstanding!!! The Indians have one of the best hitting teams going and they just didn’t get the runs needed for a win. I have to admit the ninth inning was stressful and the thought of you not getting a W again entered my mind. Paps did what he needed to do and I was relieved. It made for an exciting finish for what seemed like a good win.
Keep up the refresher training on your pitches and I totally agree with you on our troops and what they are doing. There is no more honorable job than what our volunteer men and women are doing in Iraq and Afghanastan. There is a worldwide war of terrorism and the US is nearly fighting it alone. If we back off we will see it in our streets for sure. God bless you and your family.
Bosocker (USN Retired)
Great win.
“It ain’t over ’til it’s over” really rang true last night.
Youk’s inside-the-park home run and subsequent exchange with speedy gonzalez, aka Pedroia, was fun to watch.
Has anyone ever mentioned to you that during the NESN post-game interviews we can’t hear the questions from the media before you give your answers? You would think that in 2007 they would be on top of that. I believe that ideally there would be a few microphones set up or a couple of people walking around with microphones so we could clearly hear the questions before the player’s answers. I’d even like to know who’s asking the questions. The current format makes for terrible post-game press conferences. Thank you.
Hey Schill,
Great game today. You pitched great. Great command of the split I think that was excellent and the reason you fanned ten… awesome job! It was a great game since we got so much to watch: Trot’s return (Still love him), Youk’s Inside the parker (That was awesome), Manny’s blast (Manny being Manny), and your outstanding pitching. Awesome and well deserved win. On one last note, happy b-day to both your kids, Gehrig and Gabbie, and hopefully we can keep cruisin.
- Aashish
P.S. Have you ever rolled the ball to first? Haha… (nice question ilovebigpapi).
Wow, now thats the Schilling we all know here in Boston. That did remind me of the 2004 ALCS against the Yankees. Please keep up the time and effort to fix the problems you have Schill, we really saw that effort last night and it would be awesome to revenge the Yankees win on Monday. How is Ortiz doing, he isn’t in the lineup again, is it his decision to be safe or Terry’s. Great to have the confident starter Josh back. Lester is coming along and so is Clemens. I hope we see him start sooner than later to see him suffer against the Red Sox. Not suffer, but be humiliated. Let’s go RED SOX of 2007.
Cape Sox fan. Its been great watching the 35 - 15 Red Sox team who will go all the way. Long season ahead still, but a 13.5 game lead is a lot even for the dreaded Yankees. Who knows, keep this winning going guys.
Great job last night Curt, we all knew that you would bounce back and bring that championship form!! Thanks for backing off the mound and letting all of us in the crowd pay our heartfelt feelings for the Ultimate “Dirt Dog” Trot Nixon last night, it shows not only your respect for the game, but also the true class you bring to the organization. Keep up the good work….I can’t wait for October/November!!!!
Off topic: This memorial day weekend the fight against ALS lost another warrior.
http://www.alswarriorpoet.com/
Just something else to remember. Keep up the fight Curt.
I enjoy reading your thoughts and break downs of the game and strategies. To here these things from your point of view, when growing up idolizing guys like Roger and Canseco, only to realize what type of men they really are as I get older and have a more clear understanding of the business of sports, really helps me appreciate the candor and connection you offer your fans.
Last night brought me back to the playoffs in 04′. It looked like you were un-hittable and dominant above all else. Youk looks like an ALL STAR and Manny is turning it on.
Happy b-day to your kids and keep up your support of our great country!
Happy Birthday to your kids. They’re both on the same day? Cool.
I knew you’d post that one.
OK…Who’s faster; Youkilis or Pedroia?
Let’s settle this once and for all. Let’s start a sponser sheet and everyone donate like $5 and pick their winner. Next off day they have a 60 yard dash with all the money going to the Red Sox Foundation. Winner gets bragging rights. Loser makes and wears a T-shirt saying they lost to the other.
Should be great fun.
Nice to see things straightening out for ya Curt….nice game!!
You did a great job, Curt. You’re back full throttle.
Happy Birthday to both of your kids. Nice that you mentioned them! Hope they both had great parties.
Curt, Were you aquainted with Jon Blais “ALSWarriorPoet” who surcummed to ALS on Sunday?
Curt,
That last start was maybe the best I’ve seen you pitch since the 2004 ALCS. Those 10 K’s were awesome. I really enjoy watching you pitch. You’re a great pitcher and, in my opinion, a no-doubt hall of famer. You really had your control and velocity last night. Please, keep it up (especially against the Yankees)
-BoSox12
Curt-
I don’t know if you were familiar with him or ever met him but we’ve lost another great one to ALS. On Sunday, Jon “Blazeman” Blais passed away. He was the one who completed the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon while suffering from ALS. I just thought you might like to know, in case you were familiar with his story.
http://www.alswarriorpoet.com/
Thanks.
Yay, 12 games up!
Awesome job last night Curt! It was great to see you kickin ass out there…you made Cleveland’s offense look mediocre at best!
Awesome game last night Curt! It was great to see you back in good form & a terrific win! It was great to see Trot welcomed back to Fenway so warmly by the fans.
It was truly great to see Beckett come out so strong tonight! This season has just been truly amazing & I am enjoying every minute of excitement you guys are giving us!
Hey Curt
So was it weird pitching against trot the other night? I am sure you are use to it, but trot seems to bring a lot to a team then just stats. I feel as though you can see that in how the fans reacted the past 2 nights. I just wanted to ask you that and if you think there is any chance that trot could be coming back to the Red Sox? I think most of the fans miss him, I know we have JD drew, but do you see any near trades, come the trade deadline? Oh by the way great game the other night, good come back, keep it going. I like seeing the sox have the best record in baseball, and seeing the Yanks tide with Tbay… haha Tbay. Alright its way past my bed time.
bringbackdaubach… I miss him too but i know thats a far fetched dream
Magic number is 98 over the Yankees…lol
hey there. I was wondering if the name Givler rings a bell to you, Curt. He’s my stepdad. I knew he knew you from ASL, but I never knew how well until this past weekend. He used to game every other Tuesday with you?
My boyfriend and I will be at two games at Fenway this summer… we’re coming to July 1st and 2nd Rangers games. I was wondering if you might be able to say hello? I wanted to bring my stepdad’s ASL for ALS shirt and surprise him by having you sign it.
Lastly as a side note, I wanted to thank you for the balls you sent us for the scholarship fundraiser. I was in the show Damn Yankees and my friend, our choreographer, was in a fatal car/train accident. They renamed the scholarship the theatre offers after her and to raise money for it we raffled off memorobilia. I know you donate to charity quite a bit and I wanted to let you know about the little ones, too.
Thanks for all your hard work. Your talent and dedication never cease to amaze me. Keep on pitchin!
-ashley
Schill -
Props to you and best wishes to the kids….I have a great picture of you and the kids from the 04 season, I’ll have to send it to you. Thanks again for the blog and keeping Sox nation in touch with the game from a whole new perspective. We are a very lucky fan base to have what we have in Boston.
My wife has lupus and I have a question, do any of the players on the team support Lupus research for their “cause” or charity? If so I would like to contact them about aiding in promotions and maybe even organizing or planning events to help raise money. She is currently a high-risk pregnancy with our first child and due in September. I own a marketing / promotion company and would love to aid anywhere I can.
Pedroia is kicking it in, and I am so glad the team stuck with him. I am so psyched for both him and Youk, who I would say is a step faster! Anyways thanks again for the blog and I can’t wait for our next game at the Fens.
Can’t wait to see what we can get from this coming weekend - 2 of 3 would be the best….well other than a sweep but I am trying to be a bit of a realist!
By the way tell Little Mike R. in the dugout his wedding DJ said hello….Go SOX!
Brian & Sarah Sparhawk
briansparhawk@hotmail.com
Mr. Schilling that was a perfect ballgame on a perfect night and was a perfect tribute to all those fans from New England who have served our country and paid the ultimate sacrifice. It was perfect for me cause I was fortunately there living a dream once in a lifetime oppurtunity sitting right on the corner of the Red Sox dugout. I write to you not only to congratulate the ballclub on a good W, but also to bring to your attention what dawned on me as I was sitting that close to the field watching you compete. I am a member of the UMass Amherst Republican Club (sounds like an oxymoron i know), and our budget has recently been disproportionately cut. We are an active group of about 10 average hard working students who want to send a conservative message to our classmates. During that game i thought to ask you if you’d have any interest in helping us maybe after your season or know anybody who we could contact for fall semester that would be interested. A response would be greatly appreciated. Group website: http://www.umassgop.org, my contact: Joe- jsaracco@student.umass.edu
Curt,
You are keeping my fantasy team alive and reading this is like a little slice of heaven. Getting to read your thoughts on pitching, breaking down the hitters and situations. It’s awesome. You’re a pretty good writer too, let loose a little more and don’t worry about the Bonds flap. Tell it like it is man!
I was at Game 2 in 04 and whether the sock was legit or not, you pitched your ass off.
OUTSTANDING!!!!!! Looking forward to your start with yankees. Happy birthday to the kids.
ren·ais·sance
n.
A rebirth or revival.
Welcome back Curtis,
Great outing, and I’m happy to see you finally got the kinks out. Just an FYI though, Spring Training really ends well before Memorial Day. What the hell were you doing during March- just trying to deflate the spare tire instead of working on the command and fine tuning the split? I must telll you that after the full fledged fist in the sphincter f*cking fiasco in the Bronx last week I had to watched on Tuesday with a vomit bag just in case. It reminded me of when I watched my fellow actor buddy Vince Vaughn do Be Cool and then do Wedding Crashers in ‘05.
-Danny being Danny
I find it amazing that just a few “tweaks” in a pitchers delivery can either make for a very long night on the mound, or make a pitcher look effortless, which seemed to be the case. Game of inches indeed.
Nothing more to note that the team is picking up p those that aren’t seeing the ball as well as others, and we get runs from those that see the ball as a watermelon, fat and juicy. I, personally am having a great time watching this team gel as the season progresses and look forward to the whole team playing… hmm.. poetic baseball. It’s just a pleasure to watch as a fan.
Thank you
Dominant performance Monday night. Then Beckett follows you with the same type game. It’s awesome to watch this pitching staff work. Enjoy reading your comments and thoughts. Happy Birthday to your kids. And thank you for your thoughts on America’s veterans as I am proudly one of them.
Hey, I’m just a kid that always tries his hardest in pitching. I play for a very good travel team that just might get into national rankings. I have always wanted to be like you! You are an amazing sportsman and you have very good leadership.
Happy Birthday to your kids, Curt! Where would we be without you as the ace of our staff, and where would we be without your refreshingly honest assessments?
These are heady days for Sox fans, but we all realize that it is a long season.
But it is hard not to get over-excited! Keep it up, Curt!
Now that was the Curt we know & love. Look for you to continue the same against the Yanks
Hey Curt, I got a quick question for you, whose name is on your POW/MIA bracelet?
Thanks alot and GO SOX!!
Curt,
This could be nothing because the dugout isn’t shown before every pitch but in the 8th inning of the 5/29 game I thought Tito gave the pitch location away.
Blake had worked the count full against Donnelly. The TV showed Tito climb down from his bench into the dugout. I immediately thought he was doing this because the pitch was going to be outside and he was weary of a foul ball. The pitch was outside and Blake pulled it into left field on a line drive.
Again this could be nothing. Tito may disappear on every full count or he could have been checking something in the dugout. But I thought I would point it out so if it was a tell it could be corrected or used to your advantage.
Thanks for taking advantage of your God given talent for my entertainment. I hope you get an extention on your contract.
Hey Curt. I had the pleasure of being at this game up in the 12 dollar upper bleacher seats, but I’m happy to say we ran out of newspapers with the big K’s on the back to hang up on the wall. Great performance, it truly is amazing what you and the rest of the guys are doing right now. 36-15 with Josh’s excellent performance and Youk still raking, with no end in sight.
Anyway I have a question for you. When I’m at the game, someone inevitably starts the wave every single time. And I absolutely hate it. Especially when they do it with our guy pitching and our guys on the field. Not only does it distract the fans from what’s going on on the field, but it seems to be like it would be sort of a distraction for the fielders and especially the pitcher if he has to make a pitch and sees a wall of people standing up and sitting down. So my question: do you or other pitchers that you know of get pissed off or distracted by the wave going on in the 7th inning of a tight game when you’re trying to get it done?
Keep up the good play and good blogging, now that Youkilis has a blog too, this season has been pretty amazing for the fans so far.
amazing year….the yankees really do suck…14.5 up on them…i hope the clemens signing is a total waste of 26 million
Hello, Curt.
Hey is this -
http://kevinyoukilis.mlblogs.com/kevinyoukilis/
*really* Youk’s blog or is it a ghostwriter.
And speaking of Youk, who’s faster, you or him?
Is Youk’s inside the park homer the first for a teamate in a game that you have pitched? I was hoping to hear a comment on it. All I can say is that as of this post we’re 21 games over .500, the Yanks have 21 wins all season! Yeah Baby!
Way to bounce back. Very impressive.
Happy birthday to your kids!
Best wishes and happy birthdays to the kids
i read its ur kids bday.Happy Bday to them.
Chck out my blog if u want to know what went down at the Michael Jackson auction, or the American Idol Finale, or other stuff like that.Well, my versions of what went down.
http://thedailycolumns.wordpress.com
I guess my question from before about Mientkiewicz also applies to A-Rod shouting behind a fielder
Everybody LISTEN UP. When Barry Bonds plays in Boston, everyone should hold a newspaper in front of their face every time he bats.
Let’s do this
Curt –
Dominant start Monday! Wow. (Even the highlight reel on “Baseball Tonight” was fun to watch.) Best of luck to you and the rest of the team against the Yankees this weekend.
God bless,
Nollie
Curt, It was a very nice outing for you against Cleveland. Happy Birthdays to your children also. I am wondering if you think Tavarez has solidified himself as the 5th starter (I think he has been great) or is that Lesters spot when he is ready?
I forgot to add this in my last comment. After watching Youk run the bases I think you are faster…
Did you hear those Globies going at blogs this morning on WTKKK?
Boy, they are so jealous that someone other than the Globe and its puppet master the Times has an outlet for distributing thoughts.
Shank and Bike Marnicle think we are all blogging in black socks and sneakers from our parents’ basements. I, for one, wear my black socks with sandals this