Random thoughts a few hours after the game…
* So much for the $42 million bullpen. Just when I write that the Orioles are going to have a pitching advantage in the late innings of a 4-4 game, the bullpen disintegrates with Jon Leceister and Todd Williams! What was THAT mess? A few walks, a few hits and nine runs later, I’m getting on the subway in Boston after seeing a laugher that was really a pretty good ballgame for three hours.
* Aubrey Huff stinks with the glove! How many times are we gonna see him NOT be able to pick a ball outta the dirt at first base, before we just decide that he’s really a DH? I was sitting 50 feet from the bag in the eighth inning and I was heckling him. He deserves it!
* Didn’t "tour" the Orioles clubhouse after the game. Erik Bedard acts like an ass when he pitches well, so what’s it gonna be like in there when they get trounced in the final two innings of a game that they not only had a chance to win, but one when they ran Curt Schilling outta the game with a helluva rally in the 6th inning?
* I DID see Brian Roberts working his way through the crowd at Fenway Park about five minutes after the game ended. He was walking in his gym shorts and T-shirt through a virtual mob of Red Sox fans. (I think he was going over to the gym that sits above the Red Sox locker room!) He didn’t see me, and not ONE Red Sox fan recognized him or bugged him. Strange place, Fenway Park!
* I did sit through Curt Schilling’s post-game chat with the media. I figured he’d save it for his blog. I also got a chance to say a very brief hello.
* I’m in my hotel room tonight working on some business stuff, but just watching a few minutes of television here and you can see how ubiquitous the Red Sox are all over New England (I’m in Manchester, NH, for the record!). I saw Kevin Millar dancing and singing "Born In The USA" on some crazy outdoors show. It looked like it was taped from a few years ago when he played in Boston. I saw a Red Sox magazine show on NESN that featured Curt and Shonda Schilling at a community event on Monday night with their family. Shonda received the "Gilda Radner Award." I also saw Coco Crisp, Mike Timlin and Brendan Donnelly speaking to a school-full of elementary kids. Crisp, who I mentioned in a previous blog, really seemed like a decent guy!
* I can’t help but laugh at all of the publicity Jack Cust is getting today, after ripping a few dingers for the Oakland A’s. All I can think of is that poor bastard in the rundown against the Yankees! Good for him. He seemed like a really decent guy and I’m glad he’s finally getting a shot.
* I had a really good time today, doing a ballgame at Fenway Park with my wife’s family and friends. There’s really nothing like a day at the ballpark with people you like, taking in the great game of baseball.
It was so good, even Donny Osmond was having a good time!
Back to Baltimore tomorrow…
