Concerning the O Face and Fisticuffs
Orlando Cabrera was the hero last night, sending Johnny Damon home from first with a hit that bounced off the wall with a resounding 'gong.' A very nice surprise, for me anyway; I was just hoping he didn't hit into a double play and end the inning. I also have to admit I held my breath when Damon rounded third and headed for home plate, which I come to think of as a kind of Devil's Triangle in Fenway, were potential runs vanish. But the throw was off and the Sox won a close one. I guess good things - Cabrera's hit, Damon being safe, and the Sox win - come in threes, just like bad things.
David Ortiz caused a keffufle when he objected to getting hit on the hand by a Ted Lilly pitch. The whole spectacle had me alternating between worry - (please please please do not earn another suspension Papi!) and scorn (if you're going to fight, then fight. Otherwise take your base).
The whole idea of 'fights' in baseball is pretty damn silly. And I put 'fights' in quotation marks deliberately, as there's far more posturing than fighting. Football players don pads, transforming their giant selves into armored juggernaut, and hurl their bodies towards one another at tremendous speeds, with occasional calamitous results. Hockey players zip about the ice, also at great speed, weapons in hand and shedding teeth like last year's fashions.
Baseball players, or at least some of them, demonstrate their toughness through a seemingly pre-determined ritual of jawing with the opponent while being willingly held back.* Last night was a perfect example - Ortiz creates a big fuss acting like he might go to the mound, people run out to hold him back, Ortiz - having demonstrated his badness, allows himself to be calmed down. It's ridiculous - does anyone doubt that if if Big D wanted to get to Lilly, that anyone could stop him? The entire display is a charade and it annoys me. I respect the players who simply take their base when they're hit, without all the posturing. Enough I say. No one watches baseball to see tough guy antics from individual players; we want to see the game. I want to see toughness exhibited in things like hard slides and body-risking catches. Getting the last out when you're out of gas is tough; yelling from behind the manager ain't.
*Jason Varitek is exempt from this, since when he decides to fight he just gets right down to fighting. I suspect Trot is the same way.
David Ortiz caused a keffufle when he objected to getting hit on the hand by a Ted Lilly pitch. The whole spectacle had me alternating between worry - (please please please do not earn another suspension Papi!) and scorn (if you're going to fight, then fight. Otherwise take your base).
The whole idea of 'fights' in baseball is pretty damn silly. And I put 'fights' in quotation marks deliberately, as there's far more posturing than fighting. Football players don pads, transforming their giant selves into armored juggernaut, and hurl their bodies towards one another at tremendous speeds, with occasional calamitous results. Hockey players zip about the ice, also at great speed, weapons in hand and shedding teeth like last year's fashions.
Baseball players, or at least some of them, demonstrate their toughness through a seemingly pre-determined ritual of jawing with the opponent while being willingly held back.* Last night was a perfect example - Ortiz creates a big fuss acting like he might go to the mound, people run out to hold him back, Ortiz - having demonstrated his badness, allows himself to be calmed down. It's ridiculous - does anyone doubt that if if Big D wanted to get to Lilly, that anyone could stop him? The entire display is a charade and it annoys me. I respect the players who simply take their base when they're hit, without all the posturing. Enough I say. No one watches baseball to see tough guy antics from individual players; we want to see the game. I want to see toughness exhibited in things like hard slides and body-risking catches. Getting the last out when you're out of gas is tough; yelling from behind the manager ain't.
*Jason Varitek is exempt from this, since when he decides to fight he just gets right down to fighting. I suspect Trot is the same way.
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