Fired. Up.
I don't know why, but I feel like we're gonna get a big night -- maybe even a big series -- from Mr. Rodríguez.

(1) I wonder if Reggie's comments about Alex's PED use is going to be a distraction. Way to throw the team that you work for under the bus Reggie! I thought we had moved beyond the 70's.

He also intimates that Andy will be forgiven, because he is so "respected."

Reggie calls Alex a friend, but friends like that...?

I agree with Reggie, and I can't be surprised that he is not more magnanimous.

That is Reggie just being the "Straw."

[1] I was thinking the same thing, A-Rod mashes.

All signs point to the Yankees winning this series. And for that I am nervous.
Anyway, Go Yankees!

[2] That move by Reggie was pure Asshole. He was a good friend to the Boss, so I guess his position is secure. But to me, that's a firing offense. I mean... why in the world would he go out of his way to say that?

The crack about Andy was totally idiotic, especially as HGH is NOT a PED.

This whole finger pointing thing makes me sick.
I wonder how many Greenies Reggie ate in his time.

Nice start Derek.

79 in Beantown? More like 99 here in the midwest.

I'm liking this.

Bases juiced.
Nobody out.
WE'RE DOOMED!

Remember when we used to hate Josh Beckett?
Now RSN hates him instead.

Robbie chasing a bad pitch...

Has Beckett gained weight?

[12] Fried chicken and beer have a lot of calories. And golf doesn't burn a whole lot.

Great ab, Robbie!

Beckett's good. It ain't easy to walk Cano.

Wow, Beckett hasn't been good, but this is awful.

I kind of fell sor...

Nah.

Cure for RISP ailment: Fenway park, 2012.

Whoo-hoo, Teix! Eat it, Beckett.

Maybe we can pump Becketts ERA up a full run.

Very acceptable Mark.

Swish hit it pretty good too. Man.

More! I want more runs!

Hardest hit ball yet. At least it's an rbi.

We have to remind our LH batter's that this ain't YSIII.
That's a deep RF at Fenway.

Seriously, something must be wrong with Beckett. This is not even Bad Beckett.

Very nice irony by the Fenway Faithful!

Oh, god, even our plays are working. The Red Sox are surely cursed.

I want 8+ bullpen innings today, day before the twin bill. That would be perfect.

...Bobby V wondering how much One-Way flights to Japan are...

Another run.

Russell Martin can't buy a hit.

A 1,2,3 inning is highly suggested.

I have not been paying attention; the Red Sox pitching is really worse than the Yankees'?

Crap!

[32] Way, way worse. It's really terrible. Even Lester is mediocre this year.

Simone, the Yankees' pitching has been good! You really haven't been watching.

I hope Teixeira was taking notes on that opposite field hit by David Ortiz.

Is this going to be one of those games? Ugh!

Oof.

WTF is thas?

[36] I bet it's not. I bet Kuroda settles down. (Either that or... batto.)

[38] Good question. I've never heard of thas, personally. What does it smell like?

Yug.

Oh boy, here we go.

Everyone see this one? http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/06/sports/baseball/in-japan-yankees-hiroki-kuroda-was-molded-by-pain.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1&ref=sports

JESUS CHRIST!!!!!!!!!!!!
Are we even going to have the lead after this inning???

I wonder why Darnell McDonald isn't playing LF.

Fuck fenway.

Holy shit!

Wow.

Well, this is gonna be an interesting game.

Goddammit!

...Girardi wondering how much One-Way flights to Japan are...

I am glad my sister is arriving from Dallas in an hour. I can't take watching any more of this nonsense. Nice Job, Hiroki. For Fuck's Sake!

[43] Yeah. I hope things have changed now.

[43] Yep, Alex linked to it earlier.

[34] You were saying?

Good work, Eric.

[53] Heh.
But you do know that the Yankees have the 3rd best ERA in the AL, right?

Is Kuroda throwing like shit out of some misguided national sympathy for Dice K?

So, I guess this is going to be one of those high-scoring games?

Can't predict baseball.

[51][52] Ah, catching up on the Banter now. Thanks!
Definitely not like that anymore, though still way more intense than training in the US.

[55] Fair enough. I will view this atrocious outing as an outlier.

These games have become unwatchable. I really wish I had something else to do tonight so I could just read about it all later.

Good hustle Curtis.

[59] good to know.
pinball game.

[61] I love Sat morning games like this. They're so long I can get all the laundry, cleaning, bills, kitchen, etc done. Still catch the last 6 innings!

Damn, Robbie. Smoked it!

Oh, lord.
Let's go, Hiroki. Easy peasy. This team sucks. Seriously.

That NYT article brought Hiroki back to a dark place. Get it together!

ARGH.
Now this is starting to piss me off.
Make them earn it, for krisake.

tied up again.

Another Papi hit to the opposite field!

Mark? Watching?

Time to lower the blood pressure and head out. I'll look forward to catching the last 3 innings when I return around midnight. Fucking ortiz. God damn it!

Might have to start the evening drinking a little early. I'm thinking gin and tonic. Or mix up some sangria? Hm. Something with ice, though.

Hm, Beckett has found his groove. Good location.

[72] ahead of you. Though vodka tonic.

We had him on the ropes.

Uh. What the hell is going on here? Magical third inning?

[74] Okay, I'm armed. Gin, though. I thought about going with vodka after you said it, but I have this nice Sapphire gin.

[77] Your Sapphire Gin is no match for my Phillipino Mango juice.

Beckett is "deliberate". I think there's another word for that, Kay.

Aw jeez

[77] It's funny, I've lost my taste for gin. Rum too. Vodka, bourbon and scotch.

[78] Ooooooh. That does sound good. Mango juice reminds me of my childhood, actually.

Kalish is a not-quite-Jew, by the way. Father's side only.

Even I can't complain about that IBB.

sweet.

[82] do you accept conversions? Sister converted so their kids would be Jews.

[85] It's not up to me. :-)

Conversion is not really a Jewish thing, but if it's good enough for the rabbi it's good enough for me.

[86] true. There are those who don't accept it. Took a while before they got a rabbi to perform the wedding (pre-conversion)

Damn!

[86] Can I convert for the jokes?

I can't stand anything about Nick Punto.

Just missed it.

Beckett lucky to get out of that. He'll start next inning -- let's get rid of him then.

[89] I can get you the jokes for wholesale . . .

Oy, gevalt. Come on, Hiroki, let's go!

A Melky update!

[89] You know oldjewstellingjokes.com, right? Some of them are really good. (The joke-tellers more than the jokes, really.)

ok, i'm here...

let the conversions begin! [oy]

Yeah, we'll need four bullpen innings. Well, approximately! We could lose, in which case maybe only three; it could go to extras... scary to think about.

Oh, great pitch, beautiful K. Nice.

btw, what the fuck kinda game is this?

oh yeah, ny/bos. jeesh...

WTF? How was Gomez not out there?
Oh well, crappy pitch anyway. Ugh.

[95] Yeah! Reminds me of my childhood, all the old Jewish ladies sitting on lawn chairs in front of their buildings.

Losing to this Boston lineup..sigh..