CLuke & I were scheduled to play the first half of our last series Wednesday night, I know the results are to be to the president by today, but that’s not going to happen. I was surprised to receive a call from CLuke on my cell, even more surprising, the call was from his home phone. Seems as though he was too sick to work, but okay enough to play some APBA, hmmm.
I called him back from my laptop, using SKYPE, from my Ramada Inn New Port Richey winter home, I’ll be here until mid-February, home for a couple of weeks, back down for Grapefruit League play, home for Playoff, World Series, & Draft Weekend, off to watch some Cactus League play, and then it should be warm enough for me to return north.
Game I: Josh Beckett was on his game against Jake Peavy & the Northside Hitmen. Peavy left after five, trailing 3-0, Jorge Julio provided no relief, walking in three unearned runs in the 8th. Beckett threw seven donuts, Boof Bonser added two more. Miguel Olivo, came into the game after Victor Martinez was injured sliding, batting cleanup, he hit two two-run bombs. 11-0 Good Guys!
Game II: Mark Buehrle was on a short leash as he was pitted against John Smoltz. Smoltz letup big flies to Grady Sizemore, Carlos Lee, Justin Morneau, & Alex Rodriguez, and John was behind 6-2 going into the bottom of seven. Buehrle left after five, with the lead, despite a two run missile off the bat of Manny Ramirez. Jose “AK-47” Valverde closed it down 1-2-3 in the 9th for the save. 7-4 Good Guys!
Game III: The Champions provided A.J. Burnett with a 5-0 lead before Burnett took the hill, two two-run blasts, one by ARod, the other by Justin Morneau. Manny being Manny cracked a first inning two-run homer of his own. Jimmy Rollins got those runs back, knocking one out, with one aboard in the 3rd, against Brad Penny. A 5th inning two-run home run off the bat of El Caballo made it 9-2. Three more Champ runs in the 8th off Julio put it away. A.J. cruised to the victory, shutting down the Hitmen the last eight innings. 12-2 Good Guys!
Part 2 – Chuck won 2 of the next three.
Good is a relative term and hey I was sick and even sicker after I heard all of the 66’s, 33’s and 11’s that you were rolling!!