Friday, October 26, 2007

(khbproductions)

So, yeah, I found myself getting a little wistful last night.

Is this end of the road for our very own blogging blowhard, our computer geek gamesman, our Questec-bashing quote machine?

It may well be. And as annoying as he can be sometimes, I’m gonna miss Curt Schilling.

Not just because he makes for great press. Not just for that time he verbally bitch-slapped me on a SoSH spring-training game thread after I wrote that he was getting knocked around. Because he pitches great games (usually) when we need him to. Because he makes Yankees fans shut up. Because he came here to help us win a World Series and he did so in the first year — and might be doing so again.

After what he’s done so far this October, he’s probably going to the Hall of Fame.

Should we maybe keep him around for one more year before he does?

Some people think so. Including me.

(That way, he won’t have to relocate and our state economy can reap the benefits once 38 Studios finally gets off the ground.)

At the very least, it’s good to know that some guys will still be around next year, whatever ends up happening this month.

Like Terry Francona, whose bullpen management was impeccable last night, and who by now has established his bona fides as the best playoff manager in a long, long time.

Like the shadow warrior, Hideki Okajima, whose astonishingly dominant two-and-a-third innings made it look so easy.

Like Jonathan Papelbon, who is delightfully insane.

And like Jacoby Ellsbury, who bought us all a taco last night. And who could perhaps give some base-running advice to Matt Holliday.

(Unfortunately for our speedy center fielder, “Tacoby Bellsbury” seems like just the kind of nickname that might stick.)

And speaking of food...

And here’s a great column by Dan Wetzel about comparing his days as a Fenway concessionaire with the current culinary offerings.

These days, Fenway Park has an executive chef, Ron Abell.

An executive chef? At Fenway? When I "cooked" here at my under-the-third-base concession stand, our pretzel warmer didn't even spin. You had to rotate by hand the previously frozen pretzels to get close to a 100 watt light bulb.

Nowadays...

There are the salads. And the clam chowder. And the chicken meals. And coffee stands serving fancy drinks. (Back when I worked here they'd punish concession workers by waiting for a blistering hot July afternoon, handing them a tray of black coffee and saying, "go work the bleachers." Two areas of the park – the Monster seats and high above right field – actually have waitress service.

And up in the EMC Club, executive chef Abell and his staff serve up items such as Maine Peekytoe Crabcake with Pickled Radish and Mache, Grilled Wild King Salmon, Celery Root, Morels, Fine Herbs and Spring Pea Cannelloni, Calabro Ricotta, Lemon, Fava.

Things look to get even fancier next year.

Fenway sure has come a long way. Got an e-mail today from my friend Sean, who’d recently dug out his ticket stub from ALDS Game 3 back in 1995. (Tim Wakefield took the loss that night. And Manny batted seventh and played right field for the Indians.)

Sean’s seats on the 3rd base line, under the roof. “Face value = $25. I'm almost positive I didn't pay more than $40. That’s basically getting on the T, walking over to Lansdowne, and paying the scalper in cash.”

Tix for Game Six (assuming one is played) in that same general area are selling on StubHub for $2,223.00 each.

10/26/2007 1:09:28 PM by Mike Miliard | Comments [0] |  
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