Misery Loves Company: Two Guys Watch Baseball

Game 50 - Red Sox

Red Sox 8, Yankees 4
Record: 31-19

See, what I meant was, that, um, you know, Clemens would, like, lose his mind and the Sox would paste him. Yeah, that's the ticket - double secret reverse mojo applied by yours truly. This was awesome, just awesome. The Sox let Clemens put pressure on himself, knowing (or at least believing) that he would be wound so tight that he couldn't see straight. They took pitches, worked the count, hit his mistakes hard, and played terrific, terrific team baseball. And they were right about Rajah. He was yelling at the umpire by the third inning, frothing and spitting when things started going south. It was the 1988 ALDS all over again. This may well have been my favorite game of the season. Every player in the lineup contributed, and Clemens was a "disaster", according to Jerry Remy.

My initial feelings of negativity began to turn around even before the game started. Clemens walked out to the mound to start the game wearing a new glove with a special "Rocket Man - Roger Clemens 300 Wins" patch on his glove. The Greeks have a word for this unmitigated gall, and Clemens' hubris was spectacular in its brazen disregard for, well, not being a dick. Only a true asshole would wear something like that before actually winning his 300th game, and only a classless organization would let a player do such a thing. The baseball gods spoke loudly and clearly today, and if Clemens isn't careful, they'll let the Tigers pound his arrogant ass on Sunday.

One highly disappointing and bitter moment from this game will stay with me for a long time. Clemens had invited some of his former Sox teammates to the game to share his moment. The cameras panned to the suite where they sat, and Marty Barrett was wearing full-on Yankee regalia. Marty Barrett, possibly my favorite all-time Sox player. Marty Barrett, the scrappy little second baseman after whom I pattern my own softball game. Marty Barrett, the traitorous Clemens sycophant. I'm physically ill thinking about it. Is it too late to cancel my sponsorship over at Baseball-Reference.com?