(Boston, May 31, 1999) After sweeping the Indians at the Jake, Nomar, Pedro and their Merry Men return to Fenway in first place, 1 1/2 games up on the surging Yankees, whose 5-game win streak came to an end today at the bats of Jim Thome (grand slamma) and the Indians.
More May Madness Here!
(Boston, June 5, 1999) In the first interleague meeting of '99, nine years to the day after brother Ramon struck out 18 Braves, the maestro Pedro Martinez struck out 16 and brought his league-leading numbers to 11-1, 1.91, 133 Ks, 18 BBs. 16 marks a career best - he had two 15 K games last month. He's taking this team where no one thought they would be, and doing it in brilliant style. Barring injury, he will surely start the 1999 All-Star Game in Fenway Park. (Fess up - you thought it would be Roger...)
How the heck did this happen?
Uno... Welp, the easy two-word answer is Pedro Martinez. The Indians and the Yankees are the two teams in the AL that are more games over .500 than Pedro. Statistically the best pitching in the league, manager Jimy Williams has called upon many to fill the void of injury. RHP Brian Rose, before a sorry performance yesterday, has been superb. With Gordon's injury, knuckleballer Tim Wakefield has risen to the occasion saving 8 games in fine style. This cannot be taken lightly. Many potentially fine teams (the Mariners and the Cardinals come to mind) have fallen into mediocrity due to the lack of an adequate closer.
Dos... Jimy Williams... Maybe it's time to give this good-ol' boy some credit. (Lord knows I'm not ready to give Duquette a whole hell of a lot!) Jimy never plays out anything through the media: anything that is said to a player is behind closed doors. In yesterday's lame performance, there were several blatant mental lapses. Even when cornered, Jimy would not name names. In the city of Boston, with it's bloodthirsty press corps, this has to be a plus for the players. And Williams has proven to be his own man, not a puppet for GM Dan Duquette. But perhaps his greatest skill is keeping everyone involved. Everyone on this roster knows he is going to be called upon to contribute.
How the heck do these dudes score?
Tres... Been asking myself the same question for nigh on 3 years. Mo Vaughn was obviously a factor before '99. And as all of us have seen - Nomar Garciaparra (.366, 14, 57) is the best thing that has happened to the Red Sox since... well, probably Ted Williams. Nomar is a ballplayer's ballplayer. Not much can added to what has been said - this man has THE GIFT. Arguments will continue, but if Nomar played another position, he would simply be the best player in baseball. And fans in other cities think the same of Gonzalez, Bonds, Griffey, A-Rod, and Jeter... Your call...
However, Nomar is not the end-all of the Sox attack. 2B Jose Offerman (.294, 49 runs) has sparked the offense from the start, and LF Troy O'Leary (.310, 17, 57) has been a force. Mike Stanley (.278, 9, 39) perhaps the spiritual leader since Mo's departure, has done the job as 1B/DH. But (maybe) the key is the emergence of C Jason Varitek (.254, 9, 31) and 1B Brian Daubauch (.309, 9, 31).
(Boston, July 9, 1999) GAME #1: After dropping 3 of 4 to Wade Boggs, Jose Canseco, and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, they are now 4 games behind the Yankees. The Devil Rays have had their number all year, and the continued absence of Valentin and Nomar give this lineup the look of a AAA team. The Townies now trudge into Atlanta to take on The Artist Formerly Known As the Boston Braves. And this years' Braves are playing good ball of late despite many injuries (the latest being John Smoltz) and are now 20 over .500.
Got the game on the tube (and the Mets-Yanks on the RealPlayer radio) and a pint of Ipswich Ale in me hand - I'm deja-viewing all over the place! An unexpected plus of this arrangement is not having to listen to the whiny spoiled brat in the Delta Airline commercial they play incessantly here. I think I now understand why Jon-Benet Ramsey had to die... Did I say that? Sorry... back to the games... Piazza just took Clemens deep for a 5-2 lead. A 3-run shot.
The Sox looked horrible in the early going, blowing 3 double-play balls and spotting the Braves a 3-0 lead. But homers by Veras, Stanley, and Buford have them ahead 5-3 in the 7th. Wilton Veras (pictured above), a 21-year-old Dominican (they sure know how to grow ballplayers down there!) was brought to the Show direct from AA Trenton and looks skillful to these eyes. After some nerves in his first couple of games, he is showing some defensive prowess at the hot corner and some power. He's got a gun, as the saying goes, and he might stick. Don't know if he's quite ready to take Valentin's job, but the way he's swinging the bat gives him some real value to the Punch 'n Judy Red Sox.
Saberhagen leaves the game in the 7th with a 5-4 lead, and pitched gallantly as usual. Don't know what he'll be charged with, but he again proved himself worthy. It must also be mentioned that the hype about Andruw Jones is (in my mind) justified. He's made several outstanding plays tonight, one of which was truly topshelf - a back-to-the-plate jumping grab into the centerfield wall. Effortlessly... I love listening to baseball on the radio, but words cannot quite paint the picture of a defensive gem like this. Without having seen a whole lot of either, I'd put him right there with Griffey: peerless. SS Walt Weiss just made a highlight film play as well - it's not hard to see why the Braves are the NL's best. They hit, they pitch, and they field.
The knuckleball of closer Tim Wakefield is to much for the Braves. Sox win the opener 5-4. Saberhagen gets the win and is now 6-2 with a 2.31 ERA. Minutes later the Mets put away the Yanks 5-2, Piazza's 3-run 'tater the difference. Gotta love it: old friends (Sox and Mets) helping each other out in the standings!
