Breaking news (updated)
Apr 12th, 2007 by Rob Bradford
It’s raining at Fenway Park (sorry to let you down). Actually (as you know by now) it was raining enough to save all tickets for May 3.
Ran into one of Manny Ramirez’s agents, Gene Mato, and he was relaying a couple of items: 1. He hasn’t seen Manny this happy playing in Boston in a long time; 2. Ramirez couldn’t say enough about how nasty Felix Hernandez was last night.
Also bumped into Red Sox employee extraordinaire Megan Kaiser (who turns 30 today), Fenway Park’s music coordinator. She answered a question that went unanswered this spring: What is Daisuke Matsuzaka’s introduction music. Yesterday we found out: Juelz Santana’s “The Second Coming.” And if you think it is just a random selection, check out some of the lyrics:
If you drop, get up and try it again.(uh huh)
If you fall, get up and try it again.(uh huh)
If you drop, get up and try it again
We tired of being runners up.
We coming up. Yup.
We ready for whatever you put in front of us. (Whatever)
Blood, sweat, tears, (yeah)
We dripped all three just to get here.(here)
No longer will I wake up and my dreams just vanished.(nope)
Itâ??s staring right at me, I must take advantage.
Hard work pays off, you get what you put in.
So why stop now?
Gotta keep pushing. (Keep pushing)
We in a fight to the finish,
So why not fight ’till you finished?
Dig it?
Iâ??m my own author, hereâ??s my story.
My lifeâ??s been full of pain,
Now whereâ??s my glory?(ahh)
So glorious.
Victorious.
We take what we want we born warriors.
So glorious.
Victorious.
We take what we want we born warriors.
If you fall, get up and try it again.(uh huh)
If you drop, get up and try it again.(uh huh)
If you fall, get up and try it again.(uh huh)
If you drop, get up and try it again.
A member of the Red Sox had an interesting observation regarding J.D. Drew’s hit last night (Boston’s only of the game). Drew’s single came on Felix Hernandez’s first pitch of the eighth inning and went right back up the middle, just out of the reach of second baseman Jose Lopez. The Sox observer noticed that Lopez was positioned about two steps more to the left than he had during Drew’s previous at-bat, which had resulted in a nice back-hand stab on a grounder for an out. As the observer pointed out, if Lopez had stationed himself in the same place at the previous at-bat, Hernandez would have kept his no-hitter. The fact that Drew hit the ball perhaps before Lopez could truly get properly aligned might have factored in.
While the Red Sox came away losers last night, Eric Hinske was the big winner in the Bradford on Baseball fashion analysis. He left the park last night wearing a light blue t-shirt with just the old “Pat Patriot” on the front. Talk about integrating yourself into a sports community’s psyche.
Talked to Jonathan Papelbon about the subject we broached on the blog the other day. He said people have commented on that last five feet of his fastball since college (usually on four-seamers). He credits God-given ability to go with the propensity to finish off his release. He did admit that he did have some trepidation regarding the trademark life on his fastball when he truly resumed throwing this offseason, but was reassured when it made an appearance just before spring training.
We’ve referenced bullpen coach Gary Tuck’s influence on the catchers. Well, another example came just moments ago when Tuck was standing alongside Jason Varitek as the backstop practiced his throwing to bullpen catcher Manny Martinez in a close-to-freezing downpour.
Will be back later because, let’s face it, there is going to be a lot of waiting around today.
Also, thanks to all the kind comments regarding my impending job move. I’ll talk about it more in the near future, but until then let’s keep it Rheal (French Canadian style) by talking baseball.
11 reader comments to “Breaking news (updated)”
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1Anonymous said:
Rob,
Do the Red Sox not like Hansack? He was nails in spring training, impressive last fall, and has two 10k, 5-inning games in AAA. he seems like more worthy of a shot than Tavarez if Julien lays another egg. Or is he trade bait?
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283F said:
Rob — Excellent stuff, as usual. I saw on the SportsCenter clips that Hernandez and Matsuzaka were hitting the mid to upper 90s on the radar guns. (Hernandez at 99 MPH in his 2nd start of the year???)
Do you think both were throwing that hard or did ESPN borrow Fox’s radar guns for the game?
NH Mort-
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3manny mota said:
Great stuff today, Rob. If NBC’s Thursday nights were once ‘Must See TV’ you blog is quickly becoming a ‘Must Bookmark Site’. Doesn’t roll off the tongue quite the same but you get the idea.
Really enjoyed today’s notes, especially the info on Lopez’ field positioning, Paps’ fastball and Manny’s mood. Keep up these nuggets at the Herald where they will be happy to have gotten you.
Good luck staying dry today too…I can’t imagine they’ll get this game in today given how late it was before the rain came into the area. I feel bad for all the fans in attendance waiting…and waiting.
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4cavman said:
job change????
I must have missed something. I’ve enjoyed the blog, and am truly disappointed when you have to skip a day (or 2).
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5bones said:
I am the president of the Devern Hansack fan club. Its about time they use this guy. I know Tito loves his vets, but its about winning, right? Give Tavares one more start and if he stinks out the joint, call DH.
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6Anonymous said:
Peter Gammons is President, Vice President, CEO, COO, CFO and Treasurer of the Devern Hansack Fan Club. Last year, he held the same positions with the Edgar Martinez Fab Club.
For the most part, I’m pleading ignorance on him, since I’ve seen very little of him, but there’s probably ample reason he’s a 29-year old journeyman. You know, Morgan Burkhardt was pretty formidable in the minor/independent leagues once too.
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7Michael said:
Actually Anonymous, if I recall correctly, he was just signed last year from a Nicaraguan League. One of our FO dudes (Shipley?) saw him at a tournament in the Netherlands or Holland (are they the same place? I don’t know!) and said he was worth taking a flier on.
Turns out they may have lightning in a bottle, but nobody knows for sure yet. Rather than cut a dude down for being 29 and in AAA, fact check a bit, and realize a.) he’s not a journeyman, and b.) he JUST got his break. Y’know?
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8Anonymous said:
I’ve been intrigued by Hansack since his call-up last year. he piched well, even though some folks said Sept was garbage time. And 20ks in 10 innings at AAA (so far) is nothing to sneeze at. Aside from being a 4th or 5th starter, he actually looks like a great set-up type who would do well in the 7th or 8th inning - slippery breaking stuff, a decent heater and what appears to be a bulldog mentality. Perfect for one time through the order
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9Rich Gallup said:
As much as I’d like to think it’s a coincidence, Daisuke’s intro music is the same song used in Nike’s ad campaign with Paul Pierce and crew walking down an airfield and playing ball in a hangar…
love the site Rob!
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10Anonymous said:
michael, I was wrong to say that about Hansack. I’m just sick of reading every article Gammons writes that has his name in it. But you caught me - I was talking out of the wrong opening. My bad.
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11Anonymous said:
Rob, Congrats on the new position at the Herald. Nice pickup on the Juelz song too.
