Good news for one
Miller and one
Millar. (
Mueller's okay, too. And
Myers recorded the last two outs
last night.)
Wade Miller bounced back quite nicely from that nightmarish two-inning start, turning in his best performance yet (seven innings, five hits, one earned run). In Sox Blog's humble opinion, something about his mechanics still seems strained and awkward, but he said post-game that it was
the best he's felt since he made his debut earlier this month. We'll take it. Best of all, he did it against the hot-hitting Orioles, the team we need to beat if we're to take our rightful place at the top of the East.
Daniel Cabrera was perfect through four and a third, but we figured him out in the fifth. The big hits came from Mark Bellhorn, John Olerud, Edgar Renteria, and David Ortiz -- but not from Kevin Millar, who again went 0 for 4, his start overshadowed once again by Olerud's entry into the game after Johnny Damon
gashed his eye open.
But not to worry!
Dan Shaughnessy says Tito's gonna stand by his man.
It doesn't matter if John Olerud goes 10 for 10 in a doubleheader. It doesn't matter if Olerud reminds us of George Scott and Vic Power around the bag. It doesn't matter if Millar goes 0 for 4 while Olerud comes into the game and cracks a double to break a Red Sox scoring drought. It doesn't matter if Olerud somehow gets Doug Mientkiewicz to give The Ball back.
Millar is Francona's first baseman.
Of course, this being a Shaughnessy column, that's all said with forked tongue planted firmly in cheek. But, really, why should Millar play? Facts is facts, and Olerud has
made a big impression so far in his short time here. And Millar, quite understandably, is sweating it. And he doesn't seem to quite know how to act. One the one hand, he takes
not-so-subtle digs at his former teammate ("I wasn't going to sit behind Doug Mientkiewicz, but I would sit behind John Olerud"). On the other, he seems desperate to point out his positives,
pleading for patience with his paltry numbers.
I've been here day one, I've given everything I got to my teammates, my clubhouse, this city, the media, this team. That's one thing you guys can't say. I'm here everyday. Sometimes the results aren't what I want, or what the fans want but it's not lack of effort. From day one, I've given you everything I have, and I'm still going to do that.
It's sad watching a guy trying desperately to to protect a plum job from another guy he knows is better than him (at least at the moment). The job is his to lose, obviously, but he's coming perilously close to doing just that. The simple solution, of course, is to play better. Closed-stance? Open-stance? Whatever. But Kevin Millar has to start hitting consistently. It's what first basemen do. (At least Eric Wilbur
comes to his defense. Sort of.)
Johnny Damon sure showed that wall who's boss last night. Thank the maker he's okay. But those stitches -- on his
eyelid!!! -- are painful to look at.
Basegirl thinks he should take a cue from his new teammate and wear a helmet on the field. (Don't hold your breath.) Johnny says he's ready to play, but it's probably wise to give his knee a night or two off, especially since Jay Payton is hitting well these days (five for 14 in the last six games).
Meanwhile, the Yankees have lost three straight: two to us, of course, and one last night to
a team with a .275 winning percentage. Heh heh.
Finally, Sox Blog goes multi-media! Click
here to hear Phoenix cleaning guy Pat D pontificate on al things Red Sox on
WFNX's the Swasey Show. He's on the air every Monday morning at 7:10.