Somewhere around the bottom of the fifth inning on Wednesday, Red Sox baseball became fun again.
Maybe it was the sixth. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly. Those innings all ran together as Crochet brushed aside batter after batter from the same Baltimore lineup that scored eight runs against the Red Sox on Monday.
Crochet was good on opening day in Texas. Allowing two runs on five innings is solid. And compared to some of the starting pitching Red Sox fans have been subjected to in recent years, it was downright encouraging.
But Wednesday was a game changer for Crochet. Eight shutout innings with four hits and no walks in Boston’s 3-0 win is the sort of effort that will cause a run on No. 35 jerseys when Twins Souvenirs opens on Jersey Street before Friday’s Fenway Park opener.
That was a Roger Clemens, Josh Beckett, Pedro Martinez, Curt Schilling, Chris Sale (early) stat line.
Garrett Crochet is about to be a very big deal in Boston. This wasn’t a past-his-prime guy on a good night or some former ace with Dr. James Andrews’ initials tattooed on his elbow trying to rediscover surgically-repaired past glory.
This was a young guy. A big, strapping 6-foot-6 throwback horse of a lefty delivering reasons to be optimistic at 96 miles per hour all the way into the eighth inning.
After the trade, the concerns about him centered around lack of experience. He looked like an ace. Had stuff like an ace, but his track record of pitching like an ace was limited. And Wednesday doesn’t fully change that. Not yet anyway.
But he looked like a guy who starts All-Star games in July and Game 1s in October.
The fact that he did it, days after he signed a contract that guarantees he’s at least here for the next five years, only adds to the excitement.
Wait until it starts happening at Fenway Park. If Wednesday was a sign of things to come, fans will start counting off days on the calendar and buy tickets based on when he’s likely to pitch.
Crochet wasn’t the only thing that made the game fun on Wednesday, either. Rafael Devers replaced his pool noodle with a bat and hit the ball hard again.
Trevor Story broke out for three hits, including a home run. Kristian Campbell continues to back up all the preseason hype and Ceddanne Rafaela gliding around the bases remains one of the most underrated joys of Boston sports.
The Red Sox played a compelling game in 2 hours and 19 minutes. Somebody could have watched Aroldis Chapman finish off the ninth inning and still had time to see who got voted off “Survivor.”
Summer in New England is more fun when the Red Sox matter. Crochet looks ready to help make that happen.
Real Jeopardy! Clue
Sports clues from actual editions of America’s favorite quiz show. As always, mind the date:
CATEGORY: Finance Terms – $600 – Dec. 29, 2003
2-word phrase for the profits made from selling an asset like your house or your Alexander Ovechkin rookie card
— Answer below
The Bruins are missing the point
After the Bruins’ loss to the Capitals earlier this week, interim coach Joe Sacco explained that Fabian Lysell was a healthy scratch because it wasn’t a good matchup for him against a physical Washington team.
The Bruins aren’t going to make the playoffs. They’re hoping Lysell is part of their future. Doesn’t it make more sense to let Lysell experience playing against a team of that caliber?
Doesn’t that have more value than another game for Patrick Brown?
I know it’s been a long time since the Bruins have been in games this meaningless, but that’s where they are and the only way this month has any value is if they do things that help for the future.
Baseball shouldn’t be played in March
Why has the start of baseball season been moved to March? It’s bad enough that there are interleague games on Opening Day, but the start of the season should be in April.
The exception makes sense when there are game in Japan or somewhere else overseas to open the year.
Otherwise, the first Monday in April should be one of the best days on the sports calendar as both the first full day of the MLB slate and the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship game.
Who is dumber?
The NBA for making a huge case out of Ja Morant making finger pistol gestures? Or Morant, given his history with actual guns, for risking real discipline by continuing to do it?
The Top 5
Top 5 Sports Positions Ceddanne Rafaela would probably be amazing at
5 – Pitcher – His arm is both strong and accurate.
4 – Forward (ice hockey) — If he can’t skate, give him like three months to learn and he’ll be running the power play.
3 – Center midfielder — He could probably start for the Revs right now.
2 – Point guard — Feels like a guy who could handle and defend.
1 – Wide Receiver/defensive back — Athletically, he could have been Travis Hunter before Travis Hunter was Travis Hunter.
Today in Boston Sports History
April 4, 1967
Philadelphia 76er big man Wilt Chamberlain grabbed 41 rebounds in a 115-104 playoff win over Boston.
Real Jeopardy! Question:
What is capital gains?
- I was looking for an Ovechkin question that wasn’t painfully obvious.
Headline Crystal Ball:
Tuesday:
I considered Phi Slamma Jamma II or Phi Slamma All Over Again, but I went with this insteadFake Headline INC
Last week: Last week I had “Seventh Flagg over Texas. Cooper leads Duke to Final Four in San Antonio.” which was dead on.
Finally…
If you need me, I’ll be at Opening Day.
