Lester versus Joba. Francona versus Girardi. Beantown versus Gotham City. Friendly Fenway on a fine Friday. Fools would tell you that this series has little meaning because it is early in the season.
Game One of this series, which starts at 7:10 pm, is a pitching matchup of the Red Sox best young pitcher versus the Yankees best young pitcher. This is a matchup of a proven World Series winning Manager(who has great interpersonal skills) going against a second year Manager with alot to prove(who is highly intelligent but not very skilled with people). This a matchup between a city with a 100 year old stadium in a great part of town versus a city with a mint new stadium in the Bronx. These two teams could not be more different from the top down(I haven't even touched on the different ownership groups). The personification of these differences will be seen in the match up between Kevin Youkilis at the plate and Joba Chamberlain on the pitching mound.
Youkilis will be at the plate ready to take some pitches and ready to duck from a pitch or two as well. Joba will be on the mound ready to set a tone tonight for the season. We all know that he has attacked Kevin Youkilis in the past. The Yankees missed the playoffs last season for the first time since 1993 and undoubtedly they will be fighting tooth and nail with the Red Sox for a playoff spot this year. The matchup between Youkilis and Joba has to live up to expectations in order for the Yankees to prove to the Red Sox and Major League Baseball in general that they have the gumption to make the 2009 postseason.
Red Sox versus Yankees Game One 2009. The winner has the upper hand.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
2009 Masters Golf Tournament
Phil Mickelson shot a 30 on the first nine holes of the final round of the 2009 Masters Golf Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club to put him in contention to win the tournament. He shot a 37 on the last nine holes of the final round to take him out of contention. Both totals are AWESOME when observed with a box score mentality. For viewers of the tournament the first nine wholes WERE awesome. The second nine wholes represented the biggest choke in Phil Mickelson's career.
Yes, it was a bigger choke than the 2006 United States Open at Winged Foot. It was at Winged Foot in Mamaroneck, New York where Phil lost the United States Open by "duck-hooking" a drive into the concessions stands on the 72nd and final hole of the competition and ultimately ceeding the tournament to Geoff Ogilvey of Scottsdale, Arizona by way of Australia. It was bigger choke because of the number of opportunities that Phil did not capitalize on.
The 2009 Masters was Mickelson's biggest choke for one reason: PUTTING. Isn't Phil renowned for his putting? As viewers of the PGA tournament we are told each week that Phil has one of the best "short-games" on tour. However, when it counted most Phil could not take advantage of his greatest strength. He missed an Eagle putt and a Birdie putt over the last nine holes. He also used a nine-iron(after circling Tiger who used an eight-iron) on the twelfth hole where his shot landed in Rae's Creek. However, the missed putts had a greater negative impact on his scoring during this tournament.
So it appeared on Easter Sunday April 12, 2009 that "Lefty" built us up on the front nine only to let us down on the back nine. This years Masters Golf Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club was more about who did not win and why than who did win and why.
Yes, it was a bigger choke than the 2006 United States Open at Winged Foot. It was at Winged Foot in Mamaroneck, New York where Phil lost the United States Open by "duck-hooking" a drive into the concessions stands on the 72nd and final hole of the competition and ultimately ceeding the tournament to Geoff Ogilvey of Scottsdale, Arizona by way of Australia. It was bigger choke because of the number of opportunities that Phil did not capitalize on.
The 2009 Masters was Mickelson's biggest choke for one reason: PUTTING. Isn't Phil renowned for his putting? As viewers of the PGA tournament we are told each week that Phil has one of the best "short-games" on tour. However, when it counted most Phil could not take advantage of his greatest strength. He missed an Eagle putt and a Birdie putt over the last nine holes. He also used a nine-iron(after circling Tiger who used an eight-iron) on the twelfth hole where his shot landed in Rae's Creek. However, the missed putts had a greater negative impact on his scoring during this tournament.
So it appeared on Easter Sunday April 12, 2009 that "Lefty" built us up on the front nine only to let us down on the back nine. This years Masters Golf Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club was more about who did not win and why than who did win and why.
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