Friday, May 13, 2005
Catch Adrift
I found out today from Sox Therapy that knuckle-baller Charlie Zink has just been promoted to Pawtucket, leading us to the obvious: Kelly Shoppach needs to learn how to catch the knuckleball. This seems pretty key to me, in case Mirabelli a) gets hurt or b) gets traded.
Why can't Captain 'Tek catch the knuckleball? I'm sure people ask that all the time. A couple of passed balls in our recent glorious post-season might suggest to people that he can't, but I will respectfully disagree. The knuckleball is rather unpredictable and requires a different glove. I'm sure it takes some getting used to and quite a bit of practice to get really good at. 'Tek is probably pretty good at it, considering the amount of practice he gets.
I don't think that's the real reason 'Tek doesn't catch Wakefield. I think it's merely a very good excuse to give our Captain a breather every five days, and keep Dougie's bat warm. Which brings me to the most common sox fan pondering of 2005, If we ever have six healthy starters, who will be sent to the 'pen? (Let me just say that it's a very refreshing change from "Will this be the year?") One thing I can say for sure: It will not be Tim Wakefield. More than anyone else on the team, we need our captain, and I hear catching can be kind of hard on the knees. So, like I said, the "knuckleball factor" gives Jason much needed rest, and our back-up much needed plate appearances.
Does this mean Theo will trade Mirabelli? I admit, thinking this makes me a little sad. Apparently Doug's a real crack-up, and keeps the pitchers loose as well as 'Tek keeps them informed. And he signed at a very reasonable price just to stay in Boston, when perhaps he could have found a starting role somewhere else.
This is where I get all glad and sappy-happy that we have Theo, surely the greatest man to so far emerge from my generation. Theo is able to srtip all that emotion away to the bottom line, which no doubt includes a lot more information than we all can get our hands on. He will do the right thing, and only for the right price.
Why can't Captain 'Tek catch the knuckleball? I'm sure people ask that all the time. A couple of passed balls in our recent glorious post-season might suggest to people that he can't, but I will respectfully disagree. The knuckleball is rather unpredictable and requires a different glove. I'm sure it takes some getting used to and quite a bit of practice to get really good at. 'Tek is probably pretty good at it, considering the amount of practice he gets.
I don't think that's the real reason 'Tek doesn't catch Wakefield. I think it's merely a very good excuse to give our Captain a breather every five days, and keep Dougie's bat warm. Which brings me to the most common sox fan pondering of 2005, If we ever have six healthy starters, who will be sent to the 'pen? (Let me just say that it's a very refreshing change from "Will this be the year?") One thing I can say for sure: It will not be Tim Wakefield. More than anyone else on the team, we need our captain, and I hear catching can be kind of hard on the knees. So, like I said, the "knuckleball factor" gives Jason much needed rest, and our back-up much needed plate appearances.
Does this mean Theo will trade Mirabelli? I admit, thinking this makes me a little sad. Apparently Doug's a real crack-up, and keeps the pitchers loose as well as 'Tek keeps them informed. And he signed at a very reasonable price just to stay in Boston, when perhaps he could have found a starting role somewhere else.
This is where I get all glad and sappy-happy that we have Theo, surely the greatest man to so far emerge from my generation. Theo is able to srtip all that emotion away to the bottom line, which no doubt includes a lot more information than we all can get our hands on. He will do the right thing, and only for the right price.
# posted by Rebecca @ 9:26 PM 
