Good thing the West Coast guy got Dugout Digest duties tonight, huh?
All my other TOC associates would have been deeply sleep-deprived this morning if they stayed up to watch the end the Red Sox-Rays game last night… that is if they didn’t fall asleep due to sheer boredom before the game finally came to its merciful end. If they did, it was their loss.
I actually wouldn’t have blamed anyone for nodding off during the first eight innings of last night’s maration. Seeing just three hits and one baserunner reaching second base before the ninthe inning? Yeah, not exactly exciting stuff and watching Josh Beckett and Jeff Niemann pitch their butts off is only enteraining for so long.
But once the ninth inning rolled around, the fun really began because the game suddenly shifted into sudden death mode. All the great catches, blown run-scoring opportunities and great catches sure made for great drama in all the extra innings, but it was all that added “could this finally be the first and deciding run” drama that made it so great.
It is for this same reason that I basically only watch the NHL during the playoffs, because then the start playing overtime until someone finally scores. Even the regulation periods beforehand were awful, the game suddenly becomes intensely interesting because the stakes instantly become so high. That’s what makes baseball so great, because we don’t have to wait for the post-season for an extra-inning gem like this one to pop up. It can happen on any night and capture the attention of any fan, even if they have no vested interest in a Boston-Tampa game, much like myself. Heck, I was so into the game that I almost forgot to get irate with Terry Francona for “saving” Jonathan Papelbon until a save situation came up. Almost.
Also last night: Phil Hughes finally won his first game of the season… The Rangers extended their winning streak to 11… and finally, Jim Thome edges closer to 600 homers with his 596th last night.
What to watch tonight: I’m going to go ahead and suggest you don’t watch the Red Sox against the Orioles or the Rays hosting the Yankees, if only because those teams are probably going to be trying to nap in the dugout by the fourth inning. Full schedule with probable pitchers here.
