Two predictions I nailed tonight (which I have no proof of, unless you want to ask the people who were in the room with me):

1. Celtics down a few points, fourth quarter. I say the Pistons are done, the Celts will take the lead and all the pressure will be on Detroit, who will never regain the lead once they lose it. It happened, and the Cs are going to the Fs. No more games at that bush league Detroit arena. It's funny, in the 80s, in Celts/Lakers games, I didn't care about either team, but I rooted for the Lakers, who were just more fun to me as a little kid. After decades of hating the Lakers, though, and having enjoyed watching the Celtics this year, I'm on the other side. Of course, I won't be one of those people who buys a world champs shirt if the Celts win and pretend like I've been a fan all along, but I'm definitely rooting for them.

2. Red Sox tied in top of the thirteenth, needing baserunners. Now, on any given play, I'll yell out "tough sun" or "miss it" in a desperate attempt to Noonan the opposing fielder. On Manny's grounder I said "high throw." Usually I'll do this when the throw is on its way to first. I watch very carefully, and if I see the ball going slightly high or low, I'll point it out. And usually the ball ends up pretty much on target. But on this play, I yelled it out before the guy fielded the ball. Then he fielded it, and threw over the first baseman's head. Nice. We go on to win. Those are the Orioles who usually show up against the Yanks! About time we saw those Os.

We're at Camden tomorrow, with a shot at seeing/catching Manny's 50th. I can't believe it. All I've wanted for so long is to just have a chance to witness it. And I sat through two long homestands, constantly worrying about whether I'd get to go should he be at 498 or 499, with a ten-game road trip (i.e. no chance at seeing it live) in between, and now seven more road games, all with Manny within a few of the magic number. And now I've got a shot. Amazing. Do it already, Manny!

I remember staying up till like 4 AM one night making this, thinking it was gonna be all over the 'net. Instead, little fanfare. That's how it goes in the blogging world. Sometimes you work hard on something and nobody notices. Other times you do a throw-away post about mascots and you have people e-mailing you to tell you you made ProJo or whatever. Anyway, I sure did impress myself with this one, ha, so here it is again. Enjoy. Again.


Also--interesting note: The Yanks' record is 26-27. Joe Torre's record so far as Dodgers manager is 26-27. Have you seen the commercials where he talks about how great LA is and wears his Dodgers hat all around and takes veiled shots at New York? That's awesome that he's shoving it in the Steinbrenners' collective face.

And finally--we just watched a Young Ones episode, and then I saw a commercial for the Bill Engvall Show. And I don't think I really need to say more than that.

For my girlfriend's birthday last November, my dad got her the gift of future betting. Knowing what a big Celtics fan she is, he bet on them to win the NBA championship, and if they win, she gets the dough. (Note: this was all done in a perfectly legal manner.) He was able to get great odds, so she stands to win 400 merlonis.

Now the Celts are a win away from going to The Finals. All along I've thought that if they get there, Kim is in great shape, because all she'd have to do is bet some money on the other team to be guaranteed to come away with some money. Think of it this way: As it stands now, if they win, she gets 400, if they don't, she gets nothing, but she doesn't lose anything. If she bets, say, a hundred bucks on the other team (assuming they make the finals), then she'd stand to win 300 if the Celts win, but in case they lose, she'd still get 100.

She has said from the beginning that she won't do it though. Why? Because of the key phrase "bet on the other team." She doesn't want to bet against her team. Especially if they're playing the Lakers. I try to explain to her that she's not betting on the other team, she's just betting less on her own team. As long as your bet on the other team is half the amount you stand to win or less, that still means you root for your own team. The way I see it, she can take, as soon as the Celts are in The Finals, any amount of money she wants up to 200 dollars, and put that much in her pocket. If her team wins, she gets even more. I don't think of that as "betting on the other team." If you were in the same situation with the Red Sox, only the amount was 2 million dollars, would you do Kim's 2 million or nothing method? Or would you guarantee yourself up to a million dollars regardless of the outcome? What if it were an ALCS against the Yanks? What would you do?

Regardless of this particular possible bet--doesn't it seem like she should be able to parlay this into a huge score? I have to rack my brain... I mean, for her to win, the Celts don't need to cover any spreads, they just have to go all the way. So you could put 200 on the Lakers in game 7, if they're the underdog, and if they cover but lose, you'd win both bets.

Come on. The Mariners? Mike Lowell takes a hack after the pitcher's thrown five straight balls? Lugo does his usual bunt at a pitch in his eyes and expect it to go where he wants it to routine? Wake only made one mistake, though, and we'll win that game more often than we lose it. Nice job by Birdy Bedard. 1 to freakin' nothing. If I get to see Manny going for 500 in person, what do I do? Do I go out to left field and try to catch it? Do I shoot still shots? Do I videotape him go around the bases? Hmmmm...

On March 11th, I gave a list of all the MLB teams' slogans. I never thought to update that post, until now. Go back and see some of the newer slogans I've added to the list.

Also, if you're planning on doing a Cincy trip next month for Sox-Reds and you couldn't get tix, the Reds are having a drawing--enter by tomorrow noon.

Wakefield/Bedard, 10:10 PM.

We have a new Kwiz Champion. Ryan M held on to take first place with 35.5 points. It went right down to the last kwiz, but after 27 questions, Ryan is your winner. Congratulations.

Second place also went down to the wire, with two-time defending champ AJM capping off an amazing comeback, ending up with 30.9 points. He passed pweezil, who played this season valiantly, ending up with 29.45 points.

Matty got fourth, and my cousin Kara rounded out the top five. Nick Smith continued his amazing streak of finishing in dead last, with 0.0 points. The full standings is at the Kwiz Page as always. Twenty-three people scored at least a tenth of a point this year, a record number. Thanks to everyone who took a shot this year. It was definitely the most fun and exciting Kwiz Season to date!

Now let's talk serious here. Ryan, I hold in my hands four cello packs of unopened 1982 Topps baseball cards. Two have Gedman showing on either the front or the back, so I'm keeping those. Your choice is between: The pack with the Fernando Valenzuela "1981 Highlights" card, honoring his 8 shutouts as a rookie, on the front, and the Expos team card on the back. OR The pack with the Pete Rose highlight card, honoring his setting of the NL career hit record, on the front, and Dave Lopes' card on the back. Each pack seems to be in pretty perfect condition, in its original shrink-wrap showing the 49 cent price. So it's your call. Don't eat the gum, though! You will also receive a signed copy of my upcoming book, "Dirty Water: A Red Sox Mystery." You'll get that in the summer at some point. You will also get some signed "artwork" I have used on this blog, and a scorecard made and filled out by me from one of the games I announced.

AJM, as second prize winner you will the book, too, and some artwork as described above.

And we'll have another winner soon, as Manny is one dong away from 500! Last night, after he hit 499, we actually had our first chance to see 500. Dan Lowe was the contestant. Since nobody picked tonight's game, and since tomorrow's an off day, Dan will still be the closest if Manny goes yard tonight. If not, we go in to the four game series in Baltimore, with the following contestants: Friday--Drew, Saturday--alclem, Sunday--Kim (not my girlfriend Kim), Monday--Matty. Of course, there was a controversy with Kim and Matty's dates. We'll cross that bridge should it be built. Also, I'm going to one of the Balty games so amazingly, after all this time and having gone through two long road trips with Manny very close to 500, I still have a shot at seeing this thing live. Here's the full contestant list.

If the Bostons of the American League are to re-create their world championship performance of the prior campaign, their batsmen will have to cannonade at a higher rate in games away from Fenway Park. On this night, only the Amazing Man Ramirez, idol of the Boston enthusiasts, would meet with the dong gods, clouting the 499th of his all-time count.

The Nauticals stole away with this contest at its culmination, as a grounded ball eked past Lowell at the third square, fracturing the deadlock. Our Red Sox walked away with 3 to the Seattles' 4.

Batista's right-handed shoots puzzled many of the gray-clad Boston swingers. And Ichiro was a nagging pain in the side of the Bostons, pilfering a base once and beating Matsuzaka's toss to third on a bunt play, crossing the home plate twice. "Dice" took his leave from center-stage early for reasons unknown, and the sub-staff showed steady nerves for the remainder of the meet.

The Wildman Lugo didn't last much longer than "Dice," as the third base official ordered him off the diamond right from his shortstop position, on account of arguing. Master Francona protected his man, and was extricated from the proceedings as well, causing Mills to head up the reins until the finish.

The two teams meet in the series-decider Wednesday.

This reporter, while broadcasting the above-described ball game, followed the happenings in Baltimore on a personalized home-version of the device described here. The Greater New Yorks jumped ahead with a four-run frame. The Baltimores matched them. Then it was repeated all over again, the Orioles again erasing another four-tally deficit. Nine over-the-wall blasts were witnessed by the often wet spectators. After a delay while foul weather glided past, the contest was resumed. In extra frames, the New Yorks filled the sacks before a man was retired. Rodriguez again proved his salary far exceeds his true worth, hitting one that caused the lead and second-lead runner to be put down, one of the worst fates a wood-wielder can hope for in that role. Matsui seemed to rescue his mates, knocking in the go-ahead after all, but in the bottom half, with third-shifter Rivera spent, the Yankee squad allowed the tyer and the winner. After 11 innings, it was the Baltimores 10, the New Yorks but 9, the latter plummeting below the former back into the familiar basement.

I'll be announcing tonight's game. Click here after 10 to listen.

The people in charge at Fenway are always trying to come up with appropriate music to play. I remember reading early in life about how John Kiley played the Hallelujah chorus after Fisk finally ended Game Six after four hours. And recently, we'd have fun trying to figure out how the song played right before the game related to the visiting team. They also do the usual ballpark thing of playing songs that fit in with pitching changes/mound conferences, and picking songs that relate directly to a player's name. They also have to be sure to be at the ready to play each home player's self-selected at bat music. (Have you noticed Jacoby's been going with "Cherub Rock"? Cool.)

Anyway, here's something new they're doing. I noticed this at the last two games I've been to--both day games. In the four or five I'd been to this year before last Sunday, they weren't doing this. So it's either "the new thing" or the "day game thing." Around the time vistors' batting practice is endng, they start in with the organ music. At Sunday's game against the Brewers, the song that started playing was the Mr. Belvedere theme. I realized why immediately: Bob Uecker is an announcer for the Brewers, and of course, starred on Belvedere. After finishing this song, the organist went into a series of other TV themes, mainly 80s ones.

That Thursday, I went to another day game, against the Royals, and this time, they started the organ music with the "Hill Street Blues" song. Hmmm...okay, I see, Royals, with their blue jerseys. After that, again, they continued playing other TV themes. I did think maybe because a lot of kids go to day games, they do it for them. But then again, what do today's ten-year olds know about Mr. Belvedere and Hill Street Blues?

So if you go to a game this year (again, I'm assuming this is just a day game thing), listen for that first organ song and see if that TV theme relates to the visitors.

The above video is what I shot during Belvy and HSB. In the first clip, Uecker is in the booth, though it's impossible to see him without a zoom (like in the pic I took that day shown below). And in the second, I shot some Royals in their Hill Street Blue uniforms. You may have to play the thing a few times for your brain to grasp the song--since they start right in the middle of the tunes. Also note again that these videos are crystal clear--until you put them on GooTube. Theirrrr mistake.


I think I might announce tonight's late game. Check back here before the game for details.

The Boston representatives of the junior circuit found the Pacific northwest the perfect place to extricate themselves from the logjam they so mired in. King County, Washington, was originally named after the vice president under New Hampshire's own Franklin Pierce. Tonight, Seattle's own King would too play second fiddle to the New England men.

Hurler Hernandez was worthy of the praise he received from the Memorial Day gathering in the form of holler and hand-clap. But it was the Boston road warriors who sung the tune of Let's Go, Red Sox, and ultimately saw the royal righty relent. The batsmen of the Rosy-hued Podiatric Underclothesmen were slow afoot for six frames, save for "Big Papi," who cleared the far fence in fourth, though his trot came without accompaniment. In number six, Varitek was burglarized, as the camouflage-clad catcher clocked one high and deep and fit to cause chaos. But Ichiro made good on his promise to the Far West Faithful and fetched it, front-to-the-fence, before falling to the floor.

It was the eighth when the flood gates opened. Now in a one-all stalemate, the Mayor of Red Sox City started with a quarter dong. Lugo attempted to give his out away at no charge, in exchange for Casey obtaining second. But the Compasses declined the offer, putting Casey out to pasture, and allowing Lugo to take his place at the initial sack. Young Ellsbury achieved Lugo's goal to cause advancement, though with two outs, the desired effect is all but lost. That is, unless your chaser chases the man home regardless. Sophomore Pedroia did so with a wall-hopping twi-bagger. King Felix now faced the "Big Papi," but did so without challenge. A free four was given. The Seamen supporters shielded their eyes, as the Amazing Manny stood in. A taught rope to the off-field that looked for a moment as if it might be the 499th round-tripper of the Great Career snarfed the wall, plating Pedroia, and putting Big Papi on third, as Ramirez held with one. The King remained on the mountain, but couldn't retire Lowell, whose grounder put the inning's third tally on the board. Following a slow roller by Drew that rendered all glovemen helpless, Captain Varitek was accidentally allowed four wild ones, demanding another Boston man to cross the threshhold.

Finally, the scoring was full up. 5-1 felt like 50-1 for the Bostons. After new meat Colon threw in 7 fruitful frames, Okaji and the "Wild Thing" locked up. The latter's own mis-toss caused a brief scare, but when the 27th Marine Corps-man went down, Boston was five, and Seattle just three. The Red Sox' streak of 14 encounters with hosts as victors came to a close, and were the Bostons and their "rooters" ever thankful.

ON THE BOARD--.

First Place Tampa Bay 7, Texans 3. Balt'more 6, NY (a) 1. Canadians 7, Kan. cities 2..

Former Red Sox pitcher Geremis (then known as Jeremi) Gonzalez was struck by lightning and killed in Venezuela last night. Horrible. You'll find a couple of pictures I took of him in 2005 in this post, including the one below:

The Red Sox have played in 14 consecutive games in which the home team has won. I don't know if this is a team record. It's hard to find streaks like this, because finding general winning- and losing-streaks doesn't help, since extended ones would most likely cover home and away games. (Unless it's 1906, when the Red Sox lost 20 games in a row--because 19 of those were played consecutively at home. So that has to be their longest streak playing in games in which the road team won.) And if you look up home- or road-only streaks, they would have to go along with a corresponding streak, and we'd know about that--for example, if the Red Sox were in the midst of both a ten-game home winning streak and a ten game home losing streak, it would be news.

I probably would've remembered a similar stretch to this since I started this blog, so if there's been a longer one, it was before then, and probably way before, as I don't remember anything like this in my lifetime, either. But I could be wrong.

Even more amazing is the fact that this streak overlapped the Celtics identical one, which lasted 16 games, starting with their last regular season game, and finishing a few nights ago.

A certain player, who once was a member of five different MLB teams within six months, has a specific connection to the "shot heard 'round the world." (The baseball one.) What's the connection?

The Yanks are full of shit. No, I'm not talking about Girardi's fake anger leading to the Yankees sweeping the Mariners (thanks to today's error- and Arthur Rhodes-fest), which I'm sure had everything to do with "team unity" and nothing to do with the fact that Seattle is baseball's worst team...

I'm talking about the David Ortiz contest. I saw a banner ad for some "Call Your Shot" contest the other day, and I entered it. The ads were all over the place, on all the MLB team sites. Basically, at the Home Run Derby, one lucky winner picks a spot and if Papi hits a dong there, the person wins a vehicle. But then the Yankees said, Whoa, we can't have a rival player, you know, doin' stuff in our stadium.

First of all, it's the All-Star Game. No, it's not even the All-Star Game (a game in which Red Sox and Yankee players will be on the SAME TEAM), it's the freaking Home Run Derby. But that's really not the point. If they didn't want to allow this contest to happen, they should've said something in the first place. According to the article, the Yanks didn't find out about the contest until Thursday night! I'm just some guy and I knew about--and entered!--the damn thing before then. And you're telling me the Yankees' organization was completely unaware of it at the time? I went to the contest page and looked at the rules, and the entry period started May 12th! So would I be pissed if MLB was holding a Yankee-centric contest at Fenway Park? Maybe--but I'd be more pissed at my own team for somehow not noticing until a week after people started entering it. But I don't think that's what happened. I think the Yanks were told about some stupid contest at the derby that will take a minute or two, one of a million events happening in the several-day long celebration based around a game where Terry Francona will be managing the home team at Yankee Stadium, and said, Fine, do what you gotta do. Then they felt the pressure from their Red Sox-obsessed fans--and the people in their organization who are too worried about silly curses--and played dumb. "We didn't know about any contest!"

If they somehow cancel this thing, well, first of all, I'll sue! I'm entered in the contest already! Second of all, if I were Tito, I'd say, "Okay, well, I don't think it would be a good idea to let Joe Girardi be on my coaching staff for the All-Star Game--or play any Yankees in the game. Conflict of interest. Changed my mind. Sorry."

This is just another chapter in the Yanks' full of shit, always have their way, win even when they lose history. I'm surprised they're not having a special thing where if a non-Yankee hits a home run in the game, a Yankee player comes out and circles the bases. You know, to respect the history and tradition of the game, and give the fans what they want to see.

I missed the games today because we were house-hunting. Talk about "being an adult," wow. We did hear Manny's hit on the radio in the car, but soon Jacoby was hitting into a double play to end it, and we are officially the new "Celtics of the last few weeks until a few days ago," winning all home games, losing all road games. We're in Seattle Monday through Thursday. Late games, I love it. (I'm a night hawk/owl so I'm not being sarcastic like your average baseball fan would be in this situation.) I'll probably announce one of these, and tomorrow I should be right back to the old-timey wrap-ups. Our upcoming contestants in the Manny contest: Monday--Jay. Tuesday--Dan Lowe. And since nobody has Wednesday, and then Thursday's an off day, Dan Lowe would still win if Manny gets 500 on Wednesday. The contest draaaaags on...

The Americans of this city were ousted in the far west's Alameda county for yet another time Saturday. Ex-Boston draftee Duchscherer, since flipped for old BoSox moonlight mask-man Mirabelli, hitched his wagon to a brilliant star. The tall drink undid Boston's lackadaisical lineup, permitting but two men to travel the basepaths freely. Only "Big Papi" Ortiz hit safely for his base. Backstop and ceremonial corps chairman Varitek took the hard option to first base, his person catching a pitch rather than his rod. It was a painful night in the crouch as well for the captain, whose neck met with a piece of Oakland wood on a cut which launched a foul high one that Beantown's BB-shooter Beckett caught in the receiver's absence.

The Bostons saw a new tosser in the game's final frame, as Street rode the Athletic Elephant in from the sidelines, where he'd been honing his craft in wait. The front-running Sox did no finer versus the door-closer, and soon found themselves on the south side of a 3-0 tally. The travelling band of Red rooters who crowded the California aisles lingered, fingers crossed, for a locomotive that never surfaced on the horizon.

Ace of Boston darters and Texas national Beckett was close to the form he was known for in his World Championship years of '03 and '07, punching out nine Pachyderms in a seven inning stint. But the Sweeneys--brothers in name only--each clanged the trolley bell, primary-bag tender Mike doubling and crossing home, and outfield roamer Ryan performing a solo with his long dong. The former struck again off eighth inning sub, local hero Delcarmen, with a point-plating bingle that capped all scoring.

The Bostons try to avoid a straight flush by the Oak-landers in daylight tomorrow, hoping for more comfortable conditions in the Bay region, while eastern boob tube gazers will be afforded an early night's slumber. Lester, off his regicide last outing, will trade spherical file transfers with A's man Kentucky Kid Blanton.

Score Board:

NY's 12, Seattles 6. Tampabays 11, Charm Citys 4. Toronto's 6, KC's --. Nat'l Basketball Ass'n: Boston Celtics 94, Detroits 80 (Bos. leads 2,1)