Ten Years Later: "All-Star Day Daydreaming"

cryptonaut-in-exile: All-Star Day Daydreaming

I'd like nothing more than for Blake and Amelia's first big league game to be at Fenway one summer between 2011 and 2013 ... that first site of a ballpark in the sunshine after coming out of a dark tunnel, while holding their dad's hand -- that's a feeling I can't wait to give them.

Haven't done one of these Ten Years Later posts in a while, so flipped back to July, 2008 and it turns out I only posted once that month and it was about baseball and fatherhood, two things still very much on my mind. The latter all the time, the former reaching a fever pitch here at the All Star break with the Sox looking like they're going to battle the Yankees down to wire, with both built to make deep playoff runs this year.

We didn't make it to Fenway with the kids until this summer, about six years behind schedule, but it was worth the wait. We saw a terrific game -- the Sox won 6-0 behind homers by J.D. Martinez and Bogaerts -- and had the added bonus of being able to go with my brother's family.

This may be the last photo taken where I'm still taller than my son :P

The kids got to go with their aunt, uncle, and cousins to their first game at Fenway.

Baseball-wise, it's been a heck of a summer. The Red Sox are raking and have a 4.5 game lead at the All Star break. Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez have been electric, and I've seen more grand slams this year than I can remember seeing in a while. Mookie and Bogaerts in the week leading up to the break, no less. I always have an excuse why I'm behind on my Doctor Who blogging and my reading; for a while it's been the fact I run pretty much everyday, and that's a big chunk of my free time, but we've also got the MLB season pass so I only miss the Sox games when they play Baltimore and Washington due to the ludicrous blackout situation here in North Carolina, a state without a big league team.

Speaking of the DW blogging, I've got a bunch of skeleton posts for classic and new series stories in my drafts folder that'll get another pass and get published eventually, but it's likely the next to go live will be a reaction post when the new series starts up in the fall.

Forget The Monster Seats, This Is The Real Upgrading of Fenway

Boston Red Sox Fan Reports A Racial Slur, And A Lifetime Ban Results | WUNC

Image via WUNC.org

Maybe Nate Silver's 538 Should Stick to Sports and Lay Off Political Predictions For a While

The Complete History Of MLB | FiveThirtyEight

45 Pedro Numbers

Pedro Martinez's Otherworldy Greatness Explained In 45 Cool Numbers | NESN

Pedro, Jim Ed, Pudge, & Yaz with their retired numbers in background.
Credit: Jim Davis / Boston Globe 

I don't normally post such an extensive quote (though I trimmed a few numbers) from a linked article, but NESN's website is such a hot mess of video, content blocking ads, & noise, I can't recommend you crash your browser with it in good conscience. So, thanks for the post NESN, your content rocks. Much love. Respect. Maybe though, and this is the guy with the blog full of GIFs and gadgets in the sidebar talking, tone it down a little on the web media.

16: Pedro’s age when he signed his first contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1988.
20: Pedro’s age when he made his major league debut.
41.9: The percentage of starts Pedro completed (13 of 31) in 1997.
37.5: The percentage of batters Pedro struck out in 1999, tops among pitchers with at least 100 innings pitched. Randy Johnson ranked second at 33.7 percent. Tim Hudson ranked third at 22.8 percent.
82.8: The percentage of Pedro’s starts the Red Sox won (24 of 29) in 1999.
79.3: The percentage of starts (46 of 58) between 1999 and 2000 in which he allowed two earned runs or fewer.
2: The number of MVP ballots Pedro was left off entirely in 1999, paving the way for Ivan Rodriguez’s robbery.
5: The number of times Pedro led the majors in ERA, more than any other pitcher in MLB history. He won the MLB ERA crown in 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2003.
2.74: Pedro’s ERA in 96 career games (95 starts) at Fenway.
7: The number of times Pedro finished in the top four in Cy Young voting. As mentioned, it includes three first-place finishes (1997, 1999, 2000).
3.35: The difference between Pedro’s ERA (1.74) and the average ERA for an American League starter (5.09) in 2000. 1968: The last time an AL starter posted an ERA better than Pedro’s 1.74 mark in 2000. It was none other than Luis Tiant, who led the AL with a 1.60 ERA.
0.74: Pedro’s WHIP in 2000, the best single-season mark in MLB history.
756.53: Pedro’s peak performance score on June 6, 2000, according to Bill James’ Pitcher Wave Patterns. It made Pedro the highest-rated pitcher of all time.
190: Pedro’s ERA+ with the Red Sox, meaning his ERA was 90 percent better than league average. [I don't know what this number represents, but it is Bill James' and it rates Pedro the highest of all time, so ...]
46: The number of starts with the Red Sox in which Pedro allowed three hits or fewer. 
26.3: The percentage of starts with the Red Sox in which Pedro allowed zero earned runs (53 of 201). 
3.59: The difference between Pedro’s strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.45) and the league average strikeout-to-walk ratio (1.86) during his time with the Red Sox. 
.760: Pedro’s winning percentage (117-37) with the Red Sox, tops in MLB during that span. 
64.6: Pedro’s average game score during his time with the Red Sox. It was the best mark among pitchers with at least 100 appearances, just ahead of fellow 2015 Hall inductee Randy Johnson’s 64.5 mark. 
53.8: Pedro’s WAR (wins above replacement) during his seven seasons with the Red Sox. Only Randy Johnson (54.2) had a better mark in that same stretch. Curt Schilling (47.5) and Mike Mussina (35.5) ranked third and fourth, respectively. 
313: Pedro’s single-season career-high for strikeouts (1999), a Red Sox franchise record. 
1.12: The number of strikeouts Pedro averaged per inning in his career. He’s the only pitcher in MLB history with at least 3,000 strikeouts (3,154) in fewer than 3,000 innings pitched (2,827 1/3). 
108: The number of times Pedro struck out 10 or more in a game. He trails only Nolan Ryan (215), Randy Johnson (212) and Roger Clemens (110) in total double-digit strikeout games since 1914. 
50.7: The percentage of career starts (207 of 409) in which he walked one or zero batters. 
.250: The combined career average (56-for-224) against Pedro for the 12 current Hall of Famers the right-hander faced. Frank Thomas and Barry Larkin are the only two players currently enshrined in Cooperstown to homer off Pedro. They each went deep once. 
35: The number of times Pedro struck out Jorge Posada in 86 career regular-season plate appearances. As you might recall, Pedro doesn’t like Posada very much. 
.687: Pedro’s winning percentage, which ranks second in MLB history among starters with at least 250 decisions. Whitey Ford (.690) ranks first. 
51.84: Pedro’s Win Probability Added (WPA), which is the fifth-best mark since 1974. 
141: The number of batters Pedro plunked in his career. He drilled a career-high 16 in 2004. 
3: The number of times Pedro was ejected in his career, according to BeyondTheBoxScore.com. 
43: The number of hits Pedro had in 518 career plate appearances. He had six doubles and two triples, and the rest were singles. He batted .099 in his career with 190 strikeouts and a .134 on-base percentage. So there was one thing he couldn’t do? Give the guy a break. 
19: The number of catchers lucky enough to catch Pedro during his 18-year career. Jason Varitek caught Pedro more than any other, totaling 168 games and 1,113 1/3 regular-season innings. Darrin Fletcher (92 games, 624 2/3 innings) ranks second. 
1: The number of times Pedro faced the Red Sox. He allowed eight runs (six earned) on seven hits over three innings in a start against Boston while with the New York Mets on June 28, 2006, at Fenway Park. Alex Gonzalez went deep for the Red Sox against Pedro in a 10-2 win that evening. 
37: The only other number Pedro wore in his major league career (with the Montreal Expos in 1994-95) 
1983: The last time a Dominican-born player (Juan Marichal) was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Pedro and Marichal are the only two Dominican-born players to be inducted so far. 
49: The number of writers who didn’t vote Pedro into the Hall of Fame. [Also, the minimum number of writers who have no business being in the sports writing trade.] 

Video: Red Sox retire Pedro's No. 45 | MLB.com

Video: Red Sox retire Pedro's No. 45 | MLB.com


Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr, Joe Cronin, Carl Yastrzemski, Johnny Pesky, Carlton Fisk, Jim Rice, Jackie Robinson, and, as of yesterday, Pedro Martinez.

Watching Pedro go into Cooperstown was amazing, but this ceremony was every bit as emotional. The Hall of Fame is the greatest honor, but there are only nine numbers on the right field wall at Fenway, and I don't imagine we'll see another go up until after Big Papi goes into the Hall.

New ☆ Tweet from @CSNNE

Pedro rocks crowd with genuine, heartfelt HOF speech, as only he could – @Sean_McAdam http://t.co/ZFGQLC4lWO http://pic.twitter.com/zqHZia7ZDy

— CSNNE.com (@CSNNE) July 26, 2015

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New ☆ Tweet from @RedSox

.@45PedroMartinez knows how to make an entrance! #PedroHOF http://pic.twitter.com/W04mcF0uBO

— Boston Red Sox (@RedSox) July 26, 2015

Blogged with IFTTT

Pedro: Magic on the mound

Magic on the mound

GIF via the Boston Globe

The Globe's got a feature today that puts some of Pedro's achievements in graphic form.

It's also a good time to refresh our memories of this gem:

Pedro Martinez humbled to have No. 45 retired

Pedro Martinez humbled to have No. 45 retired | MLB.com: 

Pedro identifies player he would have had woken up, so he could drill him in the ass.

"To actually have a number retired in one of the teams in the big leagues, your number retired forever, so your number is going to be there on an everyday basis and on a yearly basis, it's a great honor," Martinez said. "I'm extremely humbled and extremely proud to have my number retired."

Mr. Martinez is very much about respect and being respected. This weekend in Cooperstown, and next week in Boston, he will be paid the highest honors his sport and his team can bestow upon him.

The man has earned it. No doubt. Especially after he was denied a high honor during his career. The 1999 MVP? Yes, that too. But I meant how, had he not gone to a New York team after leaving the Red Sox, my son's middle name would've been Pedro. I feel a little bit sad about how let my disgust for the Mets influence my decision. But, it's not like Pedro would've ever known even if I had, so I won't go to the grave haunted by my failure as an MVP voter like a couple of sports writers who completely failed their duty.

New ☆ Tweet from @davidortiz

Honored 2 be in the @RedSox #FranchiseFour w/ these legend @45PedroMartinez ted williams and yaz! Thx #RedSoxNation!! http://pic.twitter.com/lxFmgqCUOo

— David Ortiz (@davidortiz) July 15, 2015

Blogged with IFTTT

Finally, a switch pitcher!

Missed seeing Pat Venditte's Major League debut against the Red Sox live to my chagrin. It's something I'd hoped to see since I was kid, and wondered if I ever would: a pitcher in the majors who could pitch with either hand.



A lefty myself, I can also throw right-handed, but not as well. I bat and swing a golf club lefty, but write, play tennis, and eat right-handed. I can write left-handed but, weirdly, find it easier to write right-to-left, mirror image style, than proper left-to-write when I do. Table tennis I have no preference, am equally bad from both sides, though.

I wouldn't say I'm ambidextrous -- I can kick a point after left-footed, but fell, twisting my ankle in the process, when I tried right-footed, and I can't write left-handed going left-to-right without getting some of the letter backwards. I self-identify as a lefty because I consider throwing a baseball the skill that defines one's handedness. But, it's actually more like nothing comes easy for me from either side. For example, my handwriting is terrible, all but illegible even to myself unless I really concentrate on it. Although, I draw tolerably well right-handed.

I wonder sometimes if it's related to the dyslexia my dad and youngest brother struggle with and my son's apraxia. In any event, Pat Venditte's achievement is remarkable.

I'm no fan of the A's, but I'll wish Venditte well whenever he's not facing the Red Sox.

And, yes, umpires needed new rules to deal with him.

Red Sox host James Taylor in effort to reach out to young fans.

James Taylor premieres new Red Sox song at Fenway Park - Names - The Boston Globe:

The tune tells the tale of several generations of Red Sox fans, and muses on the Curse of the Bambino, the Yankees rivalry, and the historic 2004 World Series win, which inspired the song. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, who is a longtime Sox fan, held a press conference prior to the game, playing the video and discussing the song’s origins.

Remember the Chris Rock segment on how baseball is screwing itself by its constant outreach to aging, white dudes? Apparently the Red Sox don't.

Look, I get that James Taylor is popular with guys in my demographic (and older). I don't get why ... but I acknowledge it's a fact and sure, by all means, when that's a big part of your current base, make them feel at home. Me, I was all for bringing in the Dropkick Murphys and playing "Tessie" as much as possible. (I still am. And do.)

Boston must also have some hip hop performers they could be partnering with to make sure it's not only Big Papi we ever hear rap? Speaking of, where's Moufy at these days? Isn't Guru from Boston? Has Edo G got any prodigies?  I don't know, maybe there's a dearth of talent in Boston -- historically not the most nurturing city for young black performers, I suppose. But kids in Boston must like music from somewhere? Is it that the biggest stars regionally are based out of New York and we can't have Mets or Yankees caps showing up to see music at Fenway, or worn by the performers? What about Michael Christmas?

Opening Day

The game was a wild ride that ended on a bad note but it was still a great day at Fenway. Allie and I rode up to Ruggles with the promise of a shuttle being there to take us to the park. It never materialised so we walked ... turned out it wasn't far anyways so things worked out perfect. For a minute there I was fearing one of my get-lost-in-the-immediate-vicinity-of-where-I-need-to-be episodes. We were among the first fans in the park. It was a little cool, but the sun came out right before game time and got the first standing O of the day. The opening ceremonies were fun. The Patriots through out the first pitch, there was an F-16 flyover, and Steven Tyler cheesed up the anthem. When Pedro got rocked early, I assured Allie there was nothing to worry about ... our bats would get those runs back, and they did, and then some, but Grady foolishly decided not to stick with the awesome talent and cat-like agility of El Guapo off the mound. Urbina gave it up in the ninth. It was my first home opener at Fenway and, despite the loss, it was everything I'd hoped for. A fight broke out in the bleachers a row behind us in the adjacent section. Saw one guy taken out in a stretcher and another tripped right next to me and cracked his dome on chair in front of me, leaving blood on the steps. A pretty girl fell on me (during the fight melee) causing me to fall on Allie. Gotta love the bleachers.

There Is Only One El Guapo

Darn it. I thought someone had put together a tribute to svelte Bosox hurler Rich Garces: The Official El Guapo Website. No such luck. Just some band.