Friday, April 29, 2011

Ichiro's Speeches Helping AL Win - Vote Ichiro for the All Star Game


The AL All-Star team has won every game (except last year's) Ichiro has played in since 2001, when Ichiro joined the team. Coincidence? I don't think so. 

The tradition began in 2001 when Ichiro made his first All-Star appearance. Many people thought Ichiro could barely speak English or couldn't at all. He proved them wrong. Ichiro has been making a speech to the All-Star team every year which seems effective and I see why. As you know, the best of the Bigs are chosen every year to represent their league in front of tons of fans. This can be tense and stressful for the players but Ichiro loosens them up with his speech. 

After the manager talks to the team, Ichiro, the little 5 foot 9, 190 pound man filled with enough energy to fuel a rocket, bursts out of the locker room and in English continues to bash the National League All-Stars with all slang he knows. Most players don't remember exactly what he is saying because they are laughing too hard.

   Morneau:
            
           “If you’ve never seen it, it’s definitely something pretty funny,” Morneau said. “It’s hard to explain, the effect it has on everyone. It’s such a tense environment. Everyone’s a little nervous for the game, and then he comes out. He doesn’t say a whole lot the whole time he’s in there, and all of a sudden, the manager gets done with his speech, and he pops off.”

Here is my best guess of his speech:
           
           "Bleep... bleep bleeep bleep... bleeeeeeeeep bleepin.... National.... bleeeep bleeepin... All- bleeeep Stars bleep bleep National - bleep bleep ...!"

When asked how much it helped them win, Ichiro said:

           “I’ve got to say over 90 percent,” he said. 

After Tejada moved from the American League to the National league this season, he said    
             
           “I hope Fukudome does it this year,” Tejada said.   

Fukudome's response:
             
           “I have no plans for that,” Fukudome said.      

Ichiro talks to many first basemen (2279 hits) but his speeches still find a way to surprise them.


Feel free to comment!

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Game 23/162, Red Sox Take a Hard Loss


Red Sox 4, Orioles 5


Red Sox - 000 000 04x - 0 0 0 
Orioles  - 000 310 01x - 0 0 0 


Today Becket pitched a good game to the 5th. After the dropped fly ball to shallow right-center, Becket gave up two homers and it unraveled from there. Beckett gave up 4 runs in 7 IP. Then Wakefield pitched a scoreless inning.


The Red Sox couldn't put anything together all night long. In the 8th, the Red Sox new they had to get something started. First, the Speedy Elf single to lead off the inning. Then Pedroia walked and Adrian Gonzalez hit a single which scored the Speedy Elf. Then Then Koji Uehara was called in to pitch and immediately gave up a three run homer to Youk, tiing the score, 4 to 4. 


Then in the bottom of the eight, Daniel Bard block the plate on a passed ball to get an out but Guerrero single so it didn't matter. The Orioles took the lead 5-4. 


In the bottom of the ninth, the Red Sox couldn't get anything started and loss.


Sunday, April 24, 2011

Game 18/162, Dice-K Pitches Well Again

Red Sox 5, Angels 0

Red Sox - 011 021 000 - 5 11 0
Angels   - 000 000 000 - 0  2  0

Last night, Dice-K pitched well again. He went 8 innings giving up only 1 hit on the liner off his head. After his torrid start, the Monster of the Heisei Era (see the glossary tab) has had two great pitching performances. In his last two starts, he has gone 7+ innings pitched and allowed 1 hit  in his last two starts. He is only the third Red Sox pitcher to do this. The other two were Howard Ehmke and Pedro Martinez. (joyofsox.blogspot.com)

The Red Sox have also hit well, with Youkilis hitting a homer and Crawford getting out of his recent slump with two hits, one being a double. Also another big change is the Ellsbury has recently been put into the lineup as the lead-off hitter. Yesterday, he got two hits and stole second after each one. Lets see if this continues. 

Interesting facts: the Red Sox starting pitching rotation has had a 1.01 in the last eight games, the Red Sox are 7-1 in their last eight games, the Red Sox are now tied for third place and will be in second place if they win tonight and the Rays lose, the Red Sox are only 3.5 games behind the Yankees.

Notable Players: Dice-K, 8 IP 9 Ks and 1 hit allowed
Kevin Youkilis, 1 for 5 hit a homer and 2 RBIs
Jacoby Ellsbury, 2 for 5 with 2 hits, 2 SB and 2 runs
Carl Crawford, 2 for 5 with a double and a run
Not even gonna mention Lowrie's stats, take a guess