« Varitek: Hernandez's performance "electric"
Main
Projo SoxTalk with Art Martone: Felix's upstaging of Dice-K »
April 12, 2007
Still basked in the glow of a great individual performance . . .
TIP YOUR HAT: Now, that was pitching. (projo.com) The fact that it was Felix Hernandez, and not Daisuke Matsuzaka, shouldn't prevent us from appreciating it. For his part, Matsuzaka pitched well, but he'd have had to have been perfect. (projo.com)
(Interesting sidenote: We all saw the flash bulbs popping when Matsuzaka delivered his pitch to Ichiro and didn't think a thing of it. But Dice-K said ''it wasn’t easy to throw with all the flash bulbs going off,'' and Terry Francona added: "It’s got to be hard to hit like that.")
The Mariners were certainly happy with the win, and new Boston villain Jose Guillen, for one, delighted in rubbing it in (Seattle Post-Intelligencer). For the most part, though, the M's were suitably impressed with Dice-K (ibid). The Mariners were certainly aware of the no-hit bid, but it was impressive Hernandez kept his focus after J.D. Drew singled in the eighth. (Seattle Times) For what it's worth, Matsuzaka did win his personal battle with Ichiro. (Post-Intelligencer)
The hype surrounding last night was unfathomable -- it was April 11, the eighth game of the season -- but, somehow, it lived up to its billing. Just because the dominant guy wore the wrong uniform didn't make it any less worthy.
ONCE MORE, WITH FEELING: Bill Nye The Science Guy weighs in on the gyroball. (msn.com)
HOLD YOUR HORSES: Seth Mnookin wants to wait a bit before signing off on the notion that Josh Beckett is on the road to stardom. (sethmnook.com/blog) As he points out, "Beckett’s moments of brilliance have come against less than prodigious lineups."
JACKIE: The Twins' Torii Hunter is among those who think the growing number of players who will wear No. 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson on Sunday is "killing the meaning" of the gesture (USA Today). But one contemporary player who understands Robinson's impact on the game is the Padres' Chris Young (espn.com).
ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST: Mike Mussina has joined the Yankees' list of walking wounded (New York Daily News) It could be worse; they could still have Jaret Wright (Washington Post).
GET YOUR CHECKBOOKS OUT: But the Yanks, and all other big-league teams, could find a more-than-able replacement on the market next winter. (si.com)
CAN'T GET ENOUGH 1967? There's a blog that will take you through that great pennant race, day by day. (www.1967alpennant.com)
THE NUMBERS GUY: Lou Piniella, sabermetrician. (Chicago Sun Times)
OF LOCAL INTEREST: Rocco Baldelli is back in the leadoff spot for the Devil Rays (Tampa Tribune) . . . But for how long? There are whispers he could be headed to Houston for Brad Lidge (St. Petersburg Times) . . . Byung-Hyun Kim said he's gotten over his anger about being sent back to the bullpen, but would welcome a trade (Denver Post). They're trying, B.K., they're trying . . . Jorge de la Rosa was once a Sox farmhand. He's now on the Royals, and Joe Posnanski's not happy about it (soulofbaseball.blogspot.com) . . . In that same post, Joe also goes over the all-time defensive teams for each A.L. East franchise. No real quibble with his Sox choices, except that I'd take George Scott at first base -- I know his defensive metrics aren't much, but it flies in the face of what we saw back when he was in his physical prime in the 1960s -- and, if we're looking at single seasons rather than careers, Alex Gonzalez at shortstop. If not, Rick Burleson is the pick.
IT'S NOT BASEBALL, BUT . . . If Imus is indeed fired, would WFAN replace him with either Mike, the Mad Dog, or both? (New York Daily News)
-- ART MARTONE
Posted by Art Martone 
at 7:16 AM | Permalink
