Monday, April 18, 2005

Winning Never Gets Old (W 3-1) Season 7-5)

The quality start mantra came true again, as the Sox moved to 7 quality starts in 12 outings with a 6-1 record during those games. This time it was Contract Year Tim Wakefield coming through, abetted by a Renteria homer (Fenway does affect your power).

Did the World Championship season dull your interest in the Sox? Didn´t think so. Why else would you be here?

I ask myself which is better, the nuclear attack of sustained offense or the synchronization of a thousand merciless woodpeckers drumming enemy lumber? The answer of course is both.

In O´Nan´s and King´s Faithful, they recite the tale of woe of our sister team, the Hanshin Tigers, the misery loves company tale of playing second fiddle to the Japanese Evil Empire, the Yomiuri Giants. Sure enough, last night I meet a couple from Japan, who are baseball fans, of the Yomiuri Giants and Matsui in particular. They speak little English but understand the Tigers-Red Sox connection. Baseball is universal.

Winning never gets old, anymore than crack addicts tire of the high it brings them. Do you care about the Patriots less because they´ve escaped the woodpecker or have less interest in the Celtics now that they can compete on a regular basis with more youth and athleticism?

Stat-Head section. Yankee opening season payroll, 205 million dollars, no wonder George isn´t happy. The Sox have climbed up to 4th in runs scored and second in OPS as the ´Moneyball´approach starts to yield dividends. The Rangers lead the league in homers, but the Sox only trail by three (Weaveresque pitching and three-run homers a proven methodology). The Sox are 5th in wins, 10th in WHIP, 7th in ERA, 8th in K/BB ratio and 7th in K/9 innings. The team with the statistical anomaly now is Seattle with the low K/9 and K/BB ratios but second lowest ERA in the AL.

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