From Up Here, Things Look Mighty Fine

(photo from Boston.com)

Yep, the view from the top is a good one. And none of us know how long it'll last so it's best to drink it all in now. Because we've been here before. Salad days and good times, only to realize that the center can't hold. So soak it up, take it in, and let the good times roll.

Two games, two wins, one walk-off, one rainout, one segment of Red Sox Nation doing us proud by booing the shit out of Brett Myers.

Friday's game was good fun with Beckett tossing a no-hitter through five. Offensively, things were out of control. And when things are out of control, y'all know that means hijinks of the Remy and Orsillo variety. And that means good times for everyone. Even the Yankees fan I watched the game with admitted that he'd rather watch Sox/Yankees games on NESN than on YES because Remy and Don-O are so much more entertaining (and one would guess, less likely to make you try home root canals) then the chuckleheads at YES.

Apparently, Manny woke up feeling, as Amy would say, "hitterish" on Friday, belting two Monster shots from the clean-up spot. Evidently, number four was the "Home Run Slot" as Gabe Kapler joined in on the fun and his hit first Red Sox homer of the season. And then gave a curtain call. Only in Boston do fans stand and cheer for a relatively meaningless home run by a backup outfielder and demand a curtain call. But you know that no one appreciates that more than Kapler. It's just good to see the guy back.

And speaking of Kapler, what I wouldn't give to see him locked in a steel cage match with Brett Myers, arrested late Thursday night on Boylston Street for domestic assault. Real men don't hit women. They just don't. Kapler has been one of the most outspoken athletes against domestic violence in recent years. My guess is that he did not take kindly to the Phillies and Major Leauge Baseball turning the other cheek to Myers' actions and allowing him to start on Saturday. What kind of message does that send? "Oh, well, yeah, that was kind of a bad situation but he's our ace and we need to win this game so we're just gonna ignore it and go with him anyway and pretend that nothing ever happened." No. Unacceptable. Some things are bigger than a baseball game. And this is coming from me. So kudos to the Fenway Faithful who let him have it on Saturday every time he poked his head out of the dugout. And kudos to the Red Sox hitters for taking it out with their bats. Though credited with a no-decision, Myers didn't get a win and however small, that matters.

Okay, honestly, I'm going to create a Macro for "David Ortiz walk-off," because I'm developing carpal tunnel from typing it repeatedly. Not that I'm complaining. The Rick, who has seen many, many baseball games in his time had this to say: "That guy is freakin' unbelievable. I've never seen anything like it. It's almost like the place was silent because everyone just stood there with their mouths hanging open thinking no way he could do it again."

But he did. That's the thing with David Ortiz. You don't want to say you expect it, because that's just a short pinstripe away from taking it for granted, but if anyone in baseball can justify the hype, it's David Ortiz. The man just delivers. I've said it before and I'll say it again, man am I glad he's on our side.

Oh, and there's that little matter of the bullpen being stellar combined with the fact that we saw nary a trace of anyone named "Seanez" or "Tavarez." Coincidence? I think not. Or, as Amy put it: "The Boston.com poll about who people trust more out of Delcarmen and Hansen vs. Seanez and Tavarez is like asking you if you want gold or a punch in the head."

So two games, two wins. Yesterday's game rescheduled for today at 1pm which does not, I'm guessing, make ticketholders with, you know, jobs, very happy. But that's what Gameday or Gamecast or, if you're really enterprising, MLBTV is for. Let's keep up the good feelings for Tim Wakefield and carry over with that run scoring stuff. He seemed to like that. And we all know we want Timmy happy.

Go Sox!