Misery Loves Company: Two Guys Watch Baseball

Game 57 - Red Sox
Petey's Got a Fast Car

Red Sox 1, San Diego Padres 0
Record: 34-23

This is getting so very old. And by this, I mean my repeated and uncanny ability to be spectacularly wrong (or at least ill-timed) in my predictions, assertions, and lamentations. Less than 1 week ago, I posted the following brilliant assessment of Pedro Martinez:

Pedro is struggling to overcome one of the worst haircuts in modern fashion (picture late-80s A.C. Green combined with Eriq Lasalle in 'Coming to America' topped off with a dollop of Carrot Top, only less attractive), in addition to the least effective stuff he's ever displayed. 11 hits in 5 innings against Cali helped bring his ERA to a pedestrian 4.40. And Petey ain't pedestrian.

I'll stand by the haircut stuff, but the reports of Pedro's demise may have been a bit premature. Last night's line for P. Martinez (W, 6-3): 8 IP, 2H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 1HBP, 8K, 115 pitches. And he was bringing 93-94 mph heat to the plate, up 3 or 4 mph from most of his previous work this season. 3 mph may not seem like much, but for a pitcher that lives on changing speeds, it makes the difference between 5 innings of 11-hit baseball, and 8 innings of dazzling work.

One game is just that, so we'll hold off on reserving space at Fanueil Hall for the Pedro's Back $1 Beer Night/Gabe Kapler Barmitzvah, but last night was a glorious treat for the Fenway faithful.

In other Sox news, the following conversation was overheard in Terry Francona's office before last night's game (with sincere apologies to Josh Beckett's ancestors):

FRANCONA:
You must be happy too, deep down, if you only knew it.
EPSTEIN:
Happy about what?
FRANCONA:
To have the shortstop back with me again.
EPSTEIN:
Would you say so?
FRANCONA:
Say you are, even if it's not true.
EPSTEIN:
What am I to say?
FRANCONA:
Say, I am happy.
EPSTEIN:
I am happy.
FRANCONA:
So am I.
EPSTEIN:
So am I.
FRANCONA:
We are happy.
EPSTEIN:
We are happy. (Silence.) What do we do now, now that we are happy?
FRANCONA:
Wait for Nomar. (Epstein groans. Silence.) Things have changed here since yesterday.
EPSTEIN:
And if he doesn't come?
FRANCONA:
(after a moment of bewilderment). We'll see when the time comes. (Pause.) I was saying that things have changed here since yesterday.

We'll see when the time comes, indeed.