Around 7:45 last night, as a pot of spaghetti bubbled over on the stove and I rushed about the kitchen to get ready for the first pitch, Jay said “I really hope we see vintage Pedro tonight.” I agreed. I really, really wanted to see him stick it to the Yankees. An hour later, we were left feeling deflated.
Give the Yankees credit. Sure, they spent a lot of money on that team, but who came home with the World Series MVP? Hideki Matsui, who’s basically the Yankees version of Mike Lowell: a guy who’s not quite as great as he used to be, but still a capable veteran. The difference is Lowell went 2-for-10 in the playoffs with one RBI, while Matsui was truly a monster. When he crushed another homer off Martinez, we all knew things were headed in the wrong direction and fast. With five guys in their starting lineup between the ages of 33 and 37 and a mix of young superstars behind them, this was totally the Yankees’ year. Will they be as good next year? You have to wonder when age will finally catch up to guys like Jeter, Rivera, or Posada. I’d assume Matsui or Johnny Damon, or both will be out of the picture, but they will still be a formidable team. It will be interesting to see how the Red Sox approach this offseason. If I was GM, I’d resist the temptation to pay big money to guys in a weak free agent class. There’s still quite a bit of talent in the Boston lineup. But do you say Lowell and Ortiz (combined 45 homers and 174 RBI last year) are “finished” and make a mega-trade for Adrian Gonzalez or rely on a veteran lineup with what should be a high-quality starting staff and loaded bullpen? That’s why Theo gets the bucks…
…with baseball season now over, I’d like to officially announce the start of football season! Hey, I love football as much as the next guy, but it’s hard to get my attention on beautiful fall weekends, particularly when baseball is still going strong. Now that the forecast looks miserable, the leaves have blown from the Quincy trees, and the Yankees have gobbled up another world title, I’m ready to watch some football. Who’s with me?
And in regards to yesterday’s column: the “gimme” win in Minnesota turned out to be a 92-90 nailbiter; the undefeated Suns lost by 22 to the Magic and apparently, the Bruins offensive struggles can now directly be linked to David Krejci’s case of swine flu.
Sean is a Stonehill College and Tufts University grad who has honed his chops on New England radio for more than five years. He loves the game of basketball and still plays regularly; loves baseball just as much but couldn't hit worth a lick. The self-proclaimed "greatest wiffleball player of all-time," and a Cape Cod native, Sean also dabbles in music, writing and gardening.
Two truths and a lie:
1. Prefers NL baseball to AL baseball. 2. First car was a 1988 Ford Mustang. 3. Thinks Dikembe Mutombo is an NBA Hall-of-Famer.
Jay Hall (J-Ha)
This half of Team Fire it Up is also a Stonehill grad and a UMass grad. In his spare time, he enjoys fantasizing about DeLorean time machines and shaking Billy Wagner's hand. However, he would be truly star struck to meet his hero, Cam Neely. He also spends a significant amount of time checking Sean's ego at the door.
Two truths and a lie:
1. Beat Sean in a sanctioned wiffleball home run derby contest. 2. Spelled the word "medicine" correctly to win the 4th grade spelling bee. 3. Once recorded two assists in a high school hockey game, mind you he's a goalie.
Brian Brickley (The Brick)
Brian is a Boston College and Bentley University grad who has been a radio host for over five years. Though this is his first stab at hosting a sports radio program, his wife will vouch that he is a sports addict. A proud owner of a Karate purple belt, his brainchild "Inside the Octagon," is the first MMA segment on Boston sports radio.
Two truths and a lie:
1. Teamed with Ming to win the Bronze Medal at the 1994 Belmonte Middle School Science Fair. 2. Constantly listens to WEEI. 3. Prefers Fantasy Baseball to Fantasy Football.
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