Saturday, April 21, 2007

Ramblings from my excedrine filled head from last night and a couple links...

*I'm pissed no one hit a Yankee last night after Pettitte hit Youk...Curt had the perfect opportunity to hit Mr. April and instead gave up a GD HR.

*My favorite chants from the night...the "Yankees Suck" chant after we took the lead...the loudest of the night. The "You're no Jeter" to A-Rod before lined softly to second, and "Ok-a-jima" when he was closing it out.

*Caught the highlights at Copperfields after...Coco didn't have a chance to get A-Rod's HR, A+ for effort though...Also, Matsuzaka's face was PRICELESS after Okajima got the last out.

*Katelyn and I had quite possibly the most annoying / stupidest man on Earth behind us.

*My favorite text from last night, "It's official Mariano Rivera is my favorite Red Sox" from KP.

*Good to see the Captain get the bat going (ours not theirs, obviously). (10 too!).

*I hate the hit and run with nobody out. Because if something gets screwed up...a la J.D. getting gunned out right before Tek's HR it sucks. Of course, Lowell hits a double and Drew scores I'm not making this argument (but, hindsight is always 20 / 20).

*I got some goosebumps during the Red Auerbach thing and Bob Cousy throwing out the first pitch. Seeing all those championship banners never cease to amaze me.

*Reasons I hate headline writers..."Crisp was man with a plan: Clutch hit makes up for missed catch". No way anyone short of Yao Ming could have made that catch, and even then I'm not sure.

*Gordon has a good game report, as always.

*I started reading Shaugnessy's article today...just to see what it said, and surprisingly, I liked it, I thought it was a good effort, then, I got to this...

There were ghosts of Yankees past rattling around the yard in the first eight innings. Schilling, who needs an editor more than he needs a pitching coach, coughed up a couple of gopher balls to Rodriguez (12 homers and 30 RBIs already, folks) and Boston hitters weren't able to do much with Pettitte, who last started a game against the Red Sox during the (gulp) 2003 American League Championship Series.

Seriously Dan? Are you 8 freaking years old? First of all, he doesn't need either. And secondly, could you please find more ways to interject yourself and your petty grudge match into more stories. You write a good lead, start off great, and then I don't even finish the article. I can't imagine that was your intention.

*I'm posting all of the Okajima interview, because it's pretty great.

April 21, 2007
Okajima interview
By Boston.com Staff

Red Sox reliever Hideki Okajima, who picked up his first save of the season with Jonathan Papelbon unavailable Friday night against the Yankees, was interviewed by NHK television of Japan after the game. The following is an excerpt from the interview, transcribed by Masahiro Suzuki and translated by Globe staffer Daigo Fujiwara:

Q: Your thoughts (Yankees-Red Sox)?
A: It's like we just won the pennant.

Did you know you were going to pitch today?
No, I didn't. But was ready.

When were you told to get ready?
After we came back on top. (7th run scored)

First batter was Jeter, what did you think?
Good hitter. Not a hitter that you want to face, but I pitched with my feeling.

First two pitches, you look like you were nervous?
I was trying to pitch quicker, maybe. I figured I had to try something.

Then you went back to your regular focused face?
(Laughs) Is that so?

Then you faced red-hot A-Rod. What were you thinking?
I was thinking, I can't let him hit a home run.

You got him out.
Yes, I was lucky.

Lucky?
I was helped by his mistake.

Did you think you can get a save for the team this early in the season?
No, I did not. I did not expect it.

Are you happy to be able to pitch well against Yankees in Fenway Park?
Yes. But this is only the beginning. I thank fans for the support and the loud cheering.

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