More evidence that the Red Sox “own” the Angels mentally: K-Rod throwing four consecutive change-ups to J.D. Drew when: a) K-Rod’s fastball is devastating, and b) J.D. Drew has played irregularly over the last month, has a stiff back, and should, theoretically, not have his timing at 100%. When K-Rod is AFRAID to throw his fastball to J.D. Drew with the go-ahead run on second base, a Red Sox win is a foregone conclusion. It’s like hoisting a white flag.
Now, I wouldn’t be saying this if K-Rod had an off-speed pitch as baffling as, say, Trevor Hoffman’s change up. But his change up is simply above-average, and he pinned his team’s hopes on that pitch.
I find this as incomprehensible as Mike Scoscia not pinch hitting for Howie Kendrick in the bottom of the ninth with two outs. The guy is clearly psyched-out at the plate and has no chance of getting a big hit in this series. You can see it in his eyes. He doesn’t think he belongs here. He has watched several fastballs buzz down the center of the strike zone without swinging, and has waved his bat at pitches that aren’t close. Advantage: Boston.
Red Sox fans’ reaction to the fly ball hit by J.D. Drew that turned out to be a two-run homer on Friday night was the SAME as the crowd’s reaction to the fly ball hit by J.D. Drew that turned out to be a grand slam in last year’s postseason. Off the bat, it looked like a routine fly ball, and even as the outfielder went back, back, back, we still expected it to be caught. Then, suddenly, it was in the seats, and it took literally a full second to believe our eyes – on BOTH home runs. J.D. Drew is truly the king of the “shocker home run” — shocking because of their timing, and shocking because of the rocket launchers that seem to kick in when the baseballs reach the apex of their flight. They just keep going, going, going…. gone!
How valuable is Kevin Youkilis? He moved over to third base to take the spot vacated by the injured Mike Lowell and proceeded to make TWO stellar plays at third base — a barehanded, running, Mike Schmidt-type stab of a grounder followed by a rocket throw to first base, and a long-armed, reach-over-the-railing catch of a pop-up that was ticketed for the camera dugout to make the peunultimate out of the game.
It’s difficult to imagine how diehard Cubs fans feel today….. because it brings back a memory that I really don’t like to relive….
Crawdaddy Cove 