Sox win 5-2 behind Beckett. Yanks up by 9 as I write, so it looks like we'll still be one game up. (Not that I'm giving up on a possible choke job by those guys....)

Stuff: Youk's been pretty unlucky lately, hitting deep flies that are caught, etc.

Eck continues to entertain, with his moss and cheese and hair and salad. Sean Casey was fun, too, this past weekend with his own lingo. I predicted Casey would work for the Sox in some way! Granted, this was a fill-in job, but I can still take credit. Oh, and Eck, if you're gonna bring up the loud cheer we gave Mariano Rivera in '05, make sure you let the fans know we were being facetious. He's a respectable dude, and one day, in his last Fenway game, we may cheer him for real, but that time in '05 had nothing to do with that, and everything to do with the fact that he blows so many games against us. I was there. (And I worried then this would become confusing over time, and my deepest, darkest fears may be coming true!)

Speaking of my fine prediction skills, why haven't I been bragging about the silent death of Wild Thing as (one of) Pap's songs. I've written about the evolution of his entrance, but as Wild Thing disappeared, I forgot to give an "I told you so" about the fact that Wild Thing, while a good song, just isn't right for a closer's entrance. Sure enough, he phased in a perfect one, which is now the only one. Nice job, whoever's in charge of that.

Remember when John Henry said how maybe the Sox and Yanks would "collaborate" on something in the "future"? Do you think he could have meant the high school all-star game between Yanks and Sox prospects at Fenway? (Or whatever it is. It's something like that, and I think they want to make it an annual event, going back and forth between the two teams' parks. For more info, Google!) (Actually, I just tried looking, and I can't find anything about it now...)

When Ellsbury runs, he reminds me of Superman running faster than the train. I look at his legs and think, "that's so fake...."

I listened to the FAN today, and there was much complaining by Yankee people about umpiring. They're acting like they're the first team to ever be screwed by the "the ball beat him" call by an ump. And because of it, rules must be changed, heads must roll! Baseball just isn't right unless the Yankees get all the advantages.

Remember the Extra Bases reporter who made a horrible first impression on me by spelling Willie Mays' name wrong? Tonight, he said,

"Green is starting to look like the best defensive Sox shortstop since Cabrera..."

Unbelievable! Alex Gonzalez was probably the best, most natural defensive infielder I've ever seen play for the Red Sox. And I'm not alone in thinking that. So there's definitely no question he's the best defensive shortstop covering the seasons 2005 to 2009. Green's doing a fine job in the field and has a great arm, but he's not even close to Alex Gonzalez.

I wasn't gonna post during this game, but I had to bring that one up. This "Mayes" guy knows how to sit in a chair and find wacky YouTube videos (I prefer to get off my ass and make my own, but that's just me), but he sure doesn't know shit about baseball.

Anyway, Sox up 4-2 in the sixth, Yanks up 3-1 early.

Finally, you can see my bleacherific view of Nomar's introduction. I fully blame YouTube for being down right at the point I needed it. I was ready to post this thing 15 hours ago. (I also added it to the other post--that other site I tried to use to get the video up was still "processing" it 15 hours later. Terrible job, Revver.)

A memorable night at Fenway, despite the chimpy game. Kim and I, both of whom have always loved Nomar, got there just as the A's started BP, and went right down near their dugout. Got lots of pics. Nomar was so nervous he was swinging and missing in batting practice, before finally launching some out of the park, as people cheered him on. Then he started signing, and fans in their Nomar shirts (I wore mine, but I actually wear it a lot) and with their welcoming signs flocked to him. He was off to our right at first, then went out past third base, and finally came back right in front of us. It was fun stuff.

Out in the bleachers, I filmed his intro during the starting lineups, and among the cheers, the old guy behind me let out a half-hearted boo. The guy proceeded to not even cheer for any of the Red Sox. A curmudgeonly type. Needless to say I used all the dirty looks I've saved up that I wanted to give cell phone drivers but couldn't because they don't see them because, of course, they're not paying attention to what's around them. On this guy.

Then it was kind of weird how things set up. The first ended with Nomar on deck, so we knew he'd get his ovation to start the second, which would be cool. But then the scoreboard beat us to it after the top of the first, with a message welcoming him back, and a live shot of him in the dugout. It was a big cheer, but we knew we'd be giving the "real" cheer a few minutes later. And we did, and it was great. And I watched the replay just now here, and not only does the Modern Lovers' "Roadrunner" get in the clip, as it was being played between innings, but right behind Nomar in the second row is a Minor Threat shirt! Sweet! He's behind and to the right of the Jack Daniels shirt guy. Anyway, our one booing friend and his three wives just sat as everyone else around them stood and cheered.

Other stuff from tonight: Several players have changed their at bat music very recently. Jacoby is now "Gangsta's Paradise" (though Kim suggested it could be "Amish Paradise" since you don't hear the lyrics), Youk is Alice in Chains' "Man in the Box," and Nick Green is "Stayin' Alive."

Janet Marie Smith walked by us randomly. I yelled her name and said "nice job."

We had to answer the "why are you guys booing Kevin Youkilis" question from the people next to us and later the people behind us. Overall, between those two groups, the shriveled dick guy who booed Nomar and his harem of witches, and the couple in front of us, we were in a "no reaction section." That's right, these people wouldn't clap for anything. It was like they were watching a movie. We got shut out on a couple of lousy hits, so the fairly uninspired crowd (other than for Nomar) was to be expected, but some people just treat it like a movie. They just sit and stare, emotionless. Until Sweet Caroline. And we were surrounded by the ten people in the park who act like this. So the night got chimpier as it went on, but we got to see our old pal Nomar, and it turned out the Yanks almost won but still lost, so an okay night all things cons'd.

Oh, one more thing. Tonight's trivia question on the scoreboard was, "Carlton Fisk won Game 6 of the 1975 World Series with a 12th inning homer. But who hit the game-tying home run in the 9th inning?"

My answer was, "Bernie Carbo. AND IT WAS THE EIGHTH INNING." Can you believe they'd mess that up? At Fenway Park?

Yanks down 7-1 late, let's hope the Jays can hold on. I've got my Nomar shirt on and I'm off to Fenway--please enjoy this video of Amazing Larry biting his claws.

Thinking of how great it would be to hear 18 straight minutes of commercials, unfunny and/or neanderthal callers, and rampant sexism and homophobia, I flipped on 103.7 FM, and sure enough, there was the talk of "what will happen?" tonight when Nomar is introduced. Now the one guy, who I've never had a problem with, Mike Mutnansky, was like me. However, Joe Haggerty was the co-host and he felt Nomar should be booed for that whole thing at the end of his time with the team. What Haggerty did was cement my feelings on Boston media people in general. This is what he said, noting that he was in the clubhouse with the '04 team:

(and I paraphrase), "Nomar said he couldn't take the pressure of the media in this town--said he felt like he was playing three games every night."

And? So you're admitting that YOU media types put all this crazy pressure on guys. And when they admit they can't handle it, you're gonna rip on them? This is what we mean when we say the media "ran a guy out of town." And this is why I hate the media for the most part. We're the fans, we're the ones who care about the team and its players. The media just wants to sell shit. They're not afraid to come right out and say that if the team goes through turmoil, it's "good for the show/paper/etc." So it makes perfect sense that a media robot would want to boo Nomar, because Nomar didn't give them what they wanted.

But he gave US what WE wanted. For many years. Even if Nomar blatantly quit on the team, asked out, whatever, for whatever reason, even IF that were true, I just don't see many of the 99 percent of Sox fans who considered Nomar their favorite or one of their favorite players for eight years holding a grudge over it, to the point where they'd miss their chance to cheer him.

AJM commented and said this one wasn't as clear cut. I think this one is very clear cut, but I will admit this: the one player's return that won't be clear cut at all is Manny. I was supporting him full-on, while many people had totally gone the other way...and then he was found to be cheating. I can't support that. But does that mean I'll boo him? No, but he made me not care so much about trying to out-cheer the booers if and when he does return to Fenway.

But as for Nomar, it's a no brainer. And I'd say EEI set this up so that they could turn this non-debate into a debate for ratings purposes if Haggerty didn't sound so sure of himself.

Another thing to remember is that we on the Internet fall into a trap of thinking this virtual world is the real world. If enough people take the time to express an opinion online, it starts to look like that's the way the world sees an issue, when in reality, this is just the voices of the very few who follow something at obsession levels. In the real world, people take their kids to the game, cheer the home team, and move on with their lives. While we were all dissecting what Nomar's body language in the dugout meant (and still remembering it five years later), most folks were changing diapers or mowing the lawn. And this may sound like I'm saying the stupid masses are correct just because there are more of them, but, I have to say, in the last few years I've done less following of the team through media sources, and it's way more enjoyable. I'm obviously as obsessed with the Red Sox as ever, but I do it just by watching the games and forming my own opinions. When I read about the team, I prefer to read other fan blogs. It still disappoints me that so many Sox fans discover the Internet side of following the team through the horrible Dirt Dogs, which I can proudly say I haven't visited in years.

Monday night, one of the most beloved Red Sox of all time returns to Fenway Park. Nomar Garciaparra will be welcomed "home" with extended ovations, some of which I'll be a art of.

How easy was that fact to say? I thought maybe this one would finally be the one where everyone just says that, knowing it's the truth. Nope. Dave O'Brien's the culprit this time. Recently he brought up the topic by saying, "I'll be verrry interested to see the reception he gets." Fortunately Joe was next to him and gave the clear impression that it would be a positive one. But again, what is it that makes people not think beloved Red Sox will be treated with anything but open arms? As long as they didn't commit any huge sins--the main one being "playing for the fucking Yankees"--what reason would we have to do anything but cheer?

I go back to my old Dunbar analogy, but I'll change it up a little: Imagine you haven't seen your grandma in five years because she's been off in a third world country helping poor children. When she then says she's back and will be attending your holiday dinner, do you "wonder" how she'll be "received"? Of course not. She's your goddamn grandma. The only reason she wouldn't be welcomed with love is if she started schtupping the old man across the street from her--the one who's Ponzi scheme destroyed your family's fortune--and missing your holiday dinners to cook a huge meal for that other family and knit sweaters and bake cookies for them instead of you.

Nomar never baked cookies for the rival family. Neither did Dave Roberts, Gabe Kapler, Derek Lowe, Trot Nixon, Pedro Martinez, etc. It's very simple.

4:32: Sox win 8-4. Tomorrow the last place Athletics come to town. What does that mean? Bad news for the Athletics.

4:05: Papi singles in the tying run on a 3-0 pitch, and then the Ms try to return the gift we gave them yesterday by walking in the go-ahead run. Then Kotsay with a two-run bingle. 7-4 us in the seventh. Yanks up 10-8 in the sixth.

3:43: Jays quickly give it all back at the Little League Field, 9-8 Yanks in the fifth. Sox trail 4-3 at stretch time. We have three dongs, but they're all solo cups.

Awesome update, 2:55: Joba had a 4-0 lead, but quickly gave up EIGHT RUNS! Seven came with two outs. I'm pretty sure this guy's entire career consists of the fact that he has a "cool name" at this point. 8-4 Toronto. We trail 4-2 now.

Update, 1:51: Dustin and Papi go deep in the first, 2-0 us. Yanks have scored their daily "runs due to other teams' mistakes" and also lead 2-0 early. And...WAKEFIELD's AN ALL-STAR! Beckett and Pap also in, and Youk is a reserve.

Update, 1:23: All-star position players announced. Pedroia and Bay in! That fucklehead Teixeira with his stupid face gets the nod at first over Youk.

Above, fireworks out my window last night.

We try to solve the Mariners again today--their pitcher has a 1.83 WHIP in four starts. Ours is Lester. I vote win.

Below, the 7 balls I've gotten so far in '09. (Six are pictured, one lives with some woman I don't know.) I started with 6 lifetime balls, and have more than doubled my total in half a season, with a few more games before the All-Star break. Of course, I'm still waiting for that first-ever in-game ball.

If you're a reliever and you enter a tie game in the ninth and you walk the first man, you should be sent to a dungeon below the clubhouse. That would stop the walks. And you'd NEVER see THREE walks in the inning, as Saito just did. Why don't you just walk off the field and forfeit the game? Boooooooooo! Unacceptable.

When my niece Amanda was little more than a baby back in the late 90s, my mom would throw a ball to her and if she missed it, my mom would say "missed!" Then while Amanda was watching what was probably her first fireworks show, any time there'd be a dud of a firework that didn't pop or whatever, Amanda would say "missed!" Apparently she thought this was a word for any type of error.

The Red Sox missed tonight. Eleven inning losses are tough, but our team has shown it can come back from the frustrating games. I predict a massive win for the 4th.

By a quirk of the schedule, the Yankees actually played three games between tonight's Red Sox game and the previous one. With their cheapo win today (do they have any other kind?) they're two back. As they used to say in 2006, and also last week, "no worries." Actually, I've got a weird story about that, too. The first person I knew that used that phrase consistently was a woman who spoke with an Irish accent. So any time I hear or even think that phrase, my brain hears it in an Irish accent. Same with Aaron Carter. The first time I heard his name was when I worked in the music department of a bookstore, also in the late 90s. A little girl with an Irish accent asked if we had his single, so ever since I've thought the guy was an Irish singer (not like he's ever brought up--I believe he was one of the Backstreet Boys or NSYNC or 98 Degrees--man, what a golden age of music that was!), while also hearing the name Aaron or Carter in an Irish accent even when it's said in regulation American Joe language. Weird how the brain works. Then again, it's late. But not too late to watch a couple Twilight Zones before bed....

Aardsma closes it out for the Ms, and the Yanks lose 8-4. CC gave up six runs on 10 hits in 5.2. So we're 3 up heading into the weekend. The King vs. the Knuckler Friday night.

Did you hear that thunder this morning? It could have been the loudest I've heard since that game at Camden Yards when Bellhorn and Nomar got scared to death and I thought the scoreboard was falling down behind me. This morning sounded like what I think a shotgun blast to the ear would sound like. It just seems to rain without end. I like rain, but I also like variety, so get your head outta your ass, Mother Nature.

I'll be on Comcast SportsNet's "The Baseball Show" this Saturday at...oh wait, that's not me, that's every other Red Sox blogger. Oh well.

Mighty Quinn (who actually has been on that show) reminded me of the July 4th Twilight Zone marathon on Sci-Fi. For some reason, I never think of this one--just the New Year's one. This summer I've come prepared with a little help from a friend. Thanks, Quinn!

Hey, Nomar returns to Fenway Monday night. Be there! Also, his brother Michael is still in the minors. It would be cool if he could finally see the bigs. He got a game-winning hit tonight for Huntsville....

89-63. That's the Red Sox all-time record on July 4th. I finally finished a piece I've been working on for Baseball Digest about the team's history on Independence Day. Read it here. Weird how we used to play strictly the A's or Senators in the annual Indie Day doubleheader.

New schedule-advertising travesty. Remember how last year they put ads for various movie/video game release dates on all the MLB skeds? And how the Indiana Jones movie was white on every one, confusing the home/away factor, until they finally changed it after I complained? Well now they've got an ad for some cartoon movie, and again, it's the same color on each team's schedule. Granted, you can just look at the "@" or "vs." to see if it's a home game or not, or just check the next/previous day for obvious clues, but I'm just saying, it's horrible how advertising takes precedence over the game info, which is what these schedules are for. Maybe the key at the bottom should show a colored square for "home," a white square for "away," and a wacky cartoon guy on a light blue background for "figure it out yourself, fan who we see as a dollar sign, but it doesn't matter where the game is anyway, you'll be at the movies!"

See the O's schedule and ours (we're playing each other that night) as examples.

Amazing! Remember that Twilight Zone where the guy flips a coin that lands on its edge, and from that point on he can read people's minds? Until that coin falls over, and then everything goes back to normal?

It's as if someone flipped the awesome switch to shitty last night in the middle of the game, and for no apparent reason switched it back during today's game.

After being shut down for eight innings by some guy I've never heard of, the Red Sox score 4 in the ninth to tie it at 5. The tying hit (Roccoooo!) coming with two outs.

Then in the 11th, Ellsbury doubles, gets to third on a fly ball in which Markakis really could have thrown him out, and scores on a single by...freakin' Lugo! And Pap gets three outs, and all is right with the world again. The bullpen, so horrid last night, retire the last 20-something batters today. Holy shit. A nine-run comeback by them last night, a four-run comeback in one inning by us today. Whew....

The Canada Day Miracle! Just like the MDM, the O's take a guy out late in the game, and the whole game changes. My lord.

Yanks play two games before we play our next one, so we'll be 2, 3, or 4 up going into the weekend series at Fenway with the Ms.

A few nights ago I dreamed I was the only survivor of a plane that crashed into water. Then yesterday I read about it happening for real.

Last night I dreamed the left and right field upper decks of Yankee Stadium were on fire as a game went on. It was the old Stadium, but still, watch out for that.

Red Sox-O's, 1:35 PM.