A New and Different Feeling

When Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez came in for his relief appearance in tonights game, I told my cousin that either he would give up 5 earned runs or strike out the side. I was wrong, but sadly feeling the right sentiments. See I was one of the lucky El Duque owners in the beginning of the fantasy baseball season. The Duke can be a consistent innings eater, buthis arm s trength troubles ended his season early(just like it had with the Yankees. Shut down with a dead arm. That arm was well rested tonight.

His pitches tonight had tons of movement and control. The best example was obviously the Varitek AB in the 6th (so ridiculously lauded by Piazza) when on a 3-2 count he put a breaking ball right over the plate, daring Varitek to swing. The resulting pop out ended the chances of a sacrifice, and Johnny Damon quietly lost a few million on his next contract ending the inning.

You could tell that the game was over right then and there. This Red Sox team, as I have said before, was not even close to the team we saw achieve the impossible last year. This team just seemed to be going through the motions, more like the cold Yankee machine than the fun loving bunch of idiots.

Just to get this out there I will vent for one time this off season. Where the hell was the rest of the lineup outside of Papi and Manny? Bill Mueller was non-existent, Renteria might be the worst free agent signing since Bobby Bonilla went to the Mets, Varitek missed drawing a walk on a pitch at his eyelids, and Trot Nixon's lefty swing was once again exposed.

The 2004 Red Sox seemed as if they were carrying the entire world on their shoulders, but it was that pressure that seemed to galvanize them as a team. The 2005 team played as though there was nothing at stake, and in the end let's hope this sweep of the World Champion Boston Red Sox (had to write it one last time) is the fire they need to once again make Red Sox Nation proud.

- BL