and Batting 2nd.....

Beckett returns to the mound tonight in Fenway...with Tek behind the plate. Lugo is our lead-off man and Pedroia is batting 2nd!!! Did ya hear me??? Dustin Pedroia is batting 2nd in the line-up!!!! Why you say?? Well apparently back when many were thinking Tito had teetered off the see-saw keeping Dustin in and Cora out....he was patiently waiting for what the month of May brought...Dustin hit .415 for the month of May bringing his batting average to .333. There IS a reason the Sox signed him and that he was a second round selection in 2004. Ironic we picked him up in 2004 eh? And although size does matter to some....it just doesn't matter to the Red Sox.

So you thought this was gonna be all about Beckett...well I do like to surprise ya now and then.

Senor Lowell

That there is Da Man Mikey....Lowell...Senor Doubles....Hunk and Stud of the Red Sox...a man who is worshipped by many women and men. See GayRod could take some lessons from Mikey in how you "play" the game of baseball. If you're gonna be rough with the opposing team players....DO IT...in front of the entire field and fans so they KNOW what you're doing....do NOT try and sneak it by...that is just plain stupid....and then act innocent. Mikey did it right...get in the way and BAM! help your team out. I didn't get to see the game cos of freaking fox station telling Texas they would rather see the Stros and Cards....Don't they know there are MILLIONS of Sox transplants here in Texas...ok well maybe not millions...but A WHOLE LOT and there ARE Texans who would rather see the Sox play than the Stros DadGUMMIT.

Well now it's up to my boy Beckett tomorrow to take this series so we can continue the lead...not that losing it will take the lead away from us :)

I'm sure the drama will continue tomorrow....

****note as much as I don't like Minky...Wishing him well at the hospital-again thanks to our man Lowell-hope Minky is ok and not hurt bad.

Bush League or just Bad Example?

Ok so we lost....rather than focus on that I found all these pics off of Boston Globe of fans poking fun of PayRod. I have to say that Boston has some fairly creative and humorous fans. See the pic with the fans with the blonde wig masks? One guy bought 30 of them and brought them to the game to pass out to other fans sitting around him!!! I'm sure he didn't have to twist any arms either!!! The two guys wearing the wigs are a HOOT!!! The "Scarlet Letter" is Da BOMB!!! Love the literary reference...the poet that I am. BUT by FAR the most significant one is the little boy "threatening" ARod to play by the rules or else....cos ya gotta think about this one: Major League Players are setting examples for little league ball players across the Nation of how to play the game. Do you want your sons/daughters to pull some of his antics?? Slapping balls out of players hands, elbowing while sliding into home or trying to throw off the players on the field by yelling pretending to be one of them??? Bush League is what they've been saying aobut ARod...Not Me.

Alex Rodriguez is an embarrassment to Baseball, the MLB organization, and the Yankees. Even with all the SteroidGate going on....at least Giambi is finally admitting to what he did....when will ARod admit to his not playing fair?

Do I really Need to say ANYTHING???

**stolen off of DirtDogs**

I'm trying to find the words and sentences to say what I want to say but as they say a picture is worth a Thousand Words!!!!

Go Sox!!!!!!!!!!!

Breathe...its just one game Silly

Well I guess you can tell by Daiske's pic, it wasn't a good night. But we can't win 'em all....but we're still on top and the Yankees are still at the bottom. Things look good through the 4th with us ahead 2-0. Allowing 2 runs scored in the 5th to tie...but in the 6th, he got lit up with 4 more. In the 8th Lowell hit a 2 run homerun..but it wasn't enough as The Tribe scored 2 more in the top. But all is well in baseball land. No reason to panic...tomorrow is June...2 months of baseball gone and the Sox have had the best month of baseball ever it seems.

A day off for the boys while I head to Houston to watch Bronson pitch for the Reds against the Stros. Another Rivalry Weekend of games between the Spankees and Sox to begin on Friday. Positive Vibes to the boys!!

Beckett is BACK!!

You see that boy pitching? That BOY is a full fledge EAST TEXAS BOY where they grow pitchers like wildflowers. Beckett took the mound last night and took back his place in the rotation as if he wasn't even gone. Not pitching in a game for 15 days and returning like Pitching 7 innings and striking out 7 as well. His 8th Win for the season. And like any good Texas boy should do, he was humble as quoted in the Globe:

"If you can take anything good out of that seventh inning, it's that my finger didn't blow up on me," Beckett said. "The bullpen came in and did a great job. We scored enough runs."

But as anyone knows a Texan boy does NOT whine or moan about any blister or avulsion...he gets out there and just does his job.

Beckett is Back !!

**Now who the heck is this pitcher the Yankees have coming in?? **

I LIVE FOR THIS!!!!

Now I wrote a poem shortly after Youk came up for the first time....it was inspired by his Homerun he hit...however after last nights Inside the Park HomeRun...I feel compelled to post it again. YOUK...You Da Man!

The Rookie

Stepping into the box
But not on the plate,
The boy searches for a way
Back home.
A five-tool player waiting
to enter the Big Show
for more than a cup of joe.
Walking, running, stealing, hoping
For another’s mistake
to help him along the way.
Facing the green wall, then
into the eyes of old-timers
anxious to hold on to their glory.
Ducks on a pond
crouched like tigers
waiting for an opportunity to
come home.
Surrounded by men watching
His moves, his stance, his swing.
Feeling boxed in, he looks
for a way out.
In a park where thousands sit
and nine men play against one,
shines a diamond
to where his future may go.
Out of the bullpen and onto
The mound, a Fireman
faces the boy.
Arms cocked, bat
swaying
in the
air, changeup
or a slider?
a step and wood
connects with leather,
a crack deafening to
the masked men’s ears.
Watching the rookie’s future
sail over the Closer, the dirt, the bags,
But not the Monster.
Inside the park grand slam.
Bringing in his first steaks,
to The Show.

Get Well Soon Ted

A short blog this morning wishing my good friend and blogger, Red Sox Dad aka Ted, to GET WELL!!!! I hope he got to see Trot's return and all the hoopla on NESN at least....i know he dvr'd it!!

A post on tonight's game later....

PigPen returns

This is the picture I like to think of about Trot....he was talking to the crowd at the World Series parade and ya see that video cam in his hand?? I like to think that back at home during the off-season after that World Series win...Trot, his wife and kids watched this video and me, TEX, was on it...screaming and yelling "We love YOU SOX!!" Watching the boys that day "float" by on those Duckboats with their videocams capturing all the excitment and FANS....made me realize: THEY did NOT want to forget this moment either! It was a dream come true for many of them who had fought the long hard fight as a Red Sox player just to get to this moment. Trot had been with us for many years....and had adopted Boston as his 2nd home. He loved us....ok so I'm not really a Bostonian but he LOVED the passion of the Sox fans...and I AM ONE OF THOSE!!!

Today we will watch Trot take his "old place" but will be wearing No. 33....I find it ironic that he will be wearing the "other Dirt Dog" of the Red Sox's number. As much as I love Trot...I hope for our Win today to continue our journey to October.

Trot, we will always love you.....always a special place in our hearts for you....but I love the Red Sox so much more.....I'll smile when I see you and root for you to strike out.

Sweet Sweep!!!

Do YOU know HOW important this sweep was???? Texas has seemed to have our number every year...we just couldn't get a sweep. AND we needed all the wins to stay FAR ahead of the Evil Empire...so with their losses...it's making me smile alot. I was at Friday's DELAYED start game....but had to sell my Saturday and Sunday game tickets as I had to attend a wedding of a close friend's daughter's (Congrats Brittany and Carey!) Every year I go to Arlington I meet so many Sox fans...and Friday wasn't different. It's so cool to meet transplants and New Englanders who traveled to be at the game. I was alittle sad not to be at all the games...however...with my San Diego, Boston and Baltimore trips planned...and 8 games .... I guess I should be happy.

Tomorrow the boys return home to Fenway....and Trot will be there. I know Cyn will be there screaming her heart out along with some other SGers. I wish I could write more but I am SO dadgum tired my brain is just mush....the late game Friday night and the wedding reception....I need sleep....and ALOT of it.

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet Caroline Bahbahbah..Good Times Never SEEMED so good...SO GOOD SO GOOD SO GOOD!!

There's No Crying in Baseball...

It won't help Coco....all the begging and pleading....we just need to suck it up and get on the plane and ya head to Texas. Quit yer bitching and Cowboy Up cos you're coming to the Lone Star State where the Rangers are loved by many Texans (just not this one). I have one request of you boys....could someone PLEASE pack the bats that produce Runs??? Cos those bats ya had tonight just wasn't working for me. You let my lil brother down on his birthday!!! And SOMEBODY'S GOTTA PAY!!!! If that's the Rangers...so BE IT.

Good News is Coco hit his 1st HomeRun of the Season...off a Spanking Yankee IN Yankee Stadium at that!! Hot Coco taste GOOD!!

I was gonna post something off topic and ignore the entire night of despair...BUT that pic of Coco in the Boston Globe was too priceless to post.

Ted...Hope your birthday was Fantastic!!! Did Matt buy you lunch?? What'd you get for your birthday?? Do your kids know that you're an adult? :)

Happy Birthday Jules

Julian Tavarez...not someone I was totally thrilled with when we got him. I just recalled his tantrum in a dugout punching out a phone. I mean WHO hits a phone?? So of course we come up with all our nicknames for him: Norm, Psycho, Batshit, but after it's all said and done....Taz has allowed us to see another side of him and we like it. I don't recall when it was...but sometime between March 2nd and last week....I fell in love with his smile, his jokes and I started thinking of how he sort of reminded me of Kevin Millar....the jokester of the team. Oh and he got another win tonight for us!!

The game started off with a bang with Manny getting No. 477 putting us on the board with a 3 run lead in the 1st before Taz even took the mound. Sounded like a good plan to me....all we asked for before this game started was someone to pack the Runs and bring them to the field.

We're still ahead of the Yankees and in 1st place.

**A shout-out to my good friend and blogger Ted of the Red Sox Dad blog...he'll be turning an old 37 on Wednesday....someone get him a cane and rocker! :)

It's Just One Game..

Yes I know who that is....but when I saw this pic it made me stop and realize....although we fans HATE the Yankees...many of the players of both these teams are friends. We forget that it's a career for them....and they're just working to make a living. I hated losing to the Yankees tonight....one reason cos Wakefield still got no Run Support...and the other ..well its the MF Yankees!!

One of my newest favs is pitching tomorrow....Taz...Norm, Psycho....but it's all in an affectionate tone we call him those last two. Taz has grown on our hearts and sleeves. I really hope he wins the game...for us and for HIM. It was an UGLY game and on top of it, I had a choice of either listening to the YES or ESPN announcers instead of Remy and Don. At least when our games are stinking up the field....we can ALWAYS depend on Remy to liven the show up with his antics and then Don...well Don's laughing at Remy can get quite hilarious and catching.

Tomorrow's another day...and we're still in 1st place and 9.5 games up from the Yankees. Runs i say we NEED RUNS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nuff Said....

**picture courtesy of Dirt Dog website

What I would GIVE to have that job yesterday putting up those numbers on the Green Monster!!! Monday: Wakefield against Mussina; Tuesday: Tavarez against Wang; Wednesday: Schilling against Pettitte. Tonight we need Run Support MORE THAN EVAH!!!

Just sending PV's and Rally Hoots to my Sox while in The Big Apple...take a BITE out of IT Boys!!!!!

The Real Heroes

While our boys played the Braves and took 2 out of 3 series...several wives of the players were out biking to raise money for a special cause: ALS Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's disease," is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.

Pictured in the photo above is Ashley Papelbon, Shonda Schilling, and Kelly Pedroia...Dawn Timlin also rode. They rode in the Positive Spin for ALS in Wayland, Ma., one of many events that Timlin and Schilling, players and wives, participate in. Shonda and Curt donate so much time and energy in raising money and awareness for this horrible disease. Shonda recruited Dawn right after Curt was signed on by the Sox...and this year she recruited two of the younger and newer players' wives, Papelbon and Pedroia.

I knew very little about this disease 3 years ago...but after my first trip to Spring Training and attending a charity event, Springing For a Cure, that raised monies for ALS...that changed. Curt has appeared at each dinner...whether it was for the entire dinner or just a few minutes. For those who didn't know, Mike Timlin's mother was taken by this disease.

My adopted lil brother in North Carolina thinks that I am SO obsessed with Tek's asset....SO although I know my beloved ThighMaster Tek played awesome today...and the boys took the game back...the real Heroes today were these wives...out peddling their hearts out to raise monies for those less fortunate than themselves.

It's All Relevant

Today was a good day. With the game rained out last night, our boys played a Doubleheader with the Braves. We won the 1st game 13-3....but then someone threw our bats in the Charles for the second game. I mean Josh is on the DL and all...Hansack came up to pitch and then by some fluke he got hit in the head by a flying ball into the dugout?? sSHEEEEEEEEEEESHHHHHH!!! Anyway...I just wanted to focus on Today's game and these pics really just made me smile. I hope they make you smile too....and forget about tonights game. Yankees are back 10 games....and we're in 1st Place STILL

Red Sox fans we have a New Dirt Dog

I know there was a doubleheader today...but for some reason I just find this photo making me smile.....this 2007 team has similar characteristics of the 2004 team, perhaps better.

Every game it seems another player pops up a Hero. Taz was awesome today pitching....and Hinske GOOD GOD BOY!! I think that was the BEST catch I've ever seen. ... and THEN the Freaking HOMERUN!!!! When we lost Trot, I thought now WHO am I gonna yell "Dirt Dog" to?? I mean which one really epitomized that term??? I mean all of them play hard...but Tonight...Eric displayed a Trotesque catch that I think the original Dirt Dog would have been proud of.

Tomorrow night my Texas boy Beckett is on DL so Hansack is brought up for the start. PV's and Rally Hoots for him. Hopefully I can find a great pic of the catch so I can put that up here as well.

and I just thought I'd leave ya with this
Boston 27 12 .692
New York 18 21 .462 WHICH interprets to 9 games BACK!!!

Rain's in Boston...but Sun is Shining in Texas

So the game is cancelled and we're left to watch some other team play ::long sigh::

So I just returned from my business trip to San Angelo and had my camera with me, convincing my coworker to let me stop a few times to take pictures of the scenery...I thought I'd share a photo of the wildflowers in my wonderful state of TEXAS!

Bluebonnets are in the foreground with tons of other wildflowers surrounding them. It's such a gorgeous sight during the Spring here in Texas...all around the Hill Country. Texas gets such a bad rap but what people don't understand is there is a diverse terrain in my state. I took about 40 some odd pictures of this sight...and then we stopped at this small bridge...which was fairly dangerous as I sat on the very small stoop by the guardrail while passing cars/trucks/18-wheelers went by...I know I know....but the river was awesome!! We even saw some zebras and took some pics of them. After finally almost to Austin...my coworker commented to me "You seemed to really be enjoying yourself while you were taking those pictures". I smiled...I do love taking in the beauty around...and enjoying seeing the final results. It may be raining in Boston....but the Sun is SHINING in TEXAS with Wildflowers abounding.

Her Legacy: Unconditional Love

Today's post is to honor my Mom. My mother didn't achieve any business success. She didn't receive any college degree, heck she didn't even finish high school. She isn't a CEO, CPA, or LPC. She doesn't have any records in the Guinness Book or made President. But you see I learned a long time ago that all those things doesn't matter because the most important thing in a kid's life was having Unconditional Love from their parents. So today I am honoring my mother's legacy of which she is leaving while she is still living.....Her Legacy of Unconditional Love.

My mother gave me freedom to be me....she didn't stop me from laughing and smiling and cutting up. If nothing else, she encouraged my humor because my mom had the most infectious laugh. She didn't giggle...she LAUGHED and LOUD!!!! When most parents frowned upon droves of kids having sleep-overs...my mom encouraged them. She was the LIFE of my parties. When I was older, several of my friends commented to me that they were always so excited when I had a sleepover cos my Mom made the party so much fun. My Mom taught me that laughter was the best medicine when things weren't going well. Laughter could get you through even the darkest times and make the best times seem even better.

My Mom gave me love....unconditional love. No matter what choices her children or grandchildren have made...she is there to love, not judge. She taught me that you love your child NO MATTER NO MATTER. She didn't teach me this by telling me....she taught me this By Example. I think if you asked my son if I am leaving that same legacy to him...his answer would be "Hell Yah". Each year I search and search for the perfect card for Mother's Day....I want it to say what I feel...not just the hokey stuff. My Mom called this afternoon after receiving her card....and said to me, "So how long did you look for THIS card??" She knows me so well :)

I leave you with this short poem...for those who 'think' they know me...find out they don't know me at all until they read my poetry. Two things well four things in my life are who I am: My son, My parents, baseball and poetry....IN that order.

Unconditional Love

A mother’s love
holds your pain
Embracing you
wrapping around
Your heart
Soaking up all
The hurt and dirt
From your soul
So that when you
Grow up you
find Yourself.

**ps sending unconditional love to my son, josh

Changes

They happen
We can accept them
Or ignore them.
It isn’t relevant if
You’re ready,
They happen.
You can recognize
Them, embrace them,
Make them yours,
Own them
Or you can discount them
Then be tossed aside.
You can be prepared
Ready to take
A stance,
Or you can defy them.
Changes will come
They will happen
You can choose
To disregard them,
Stick your head in the
Sand.
Pretend they’re not here.
But she’ll rise up
And make herself known
She’ll kick the chair
Our from under you.
She’ll pluck the cherry
From your sundae
She’ll drink your last beer
And wake you up
From a deep laden sleep.
But make no mistake,
Change will come
Change will happen
To you or with you.

**No reason for this post...just a random thought and one of my most recent poems.