Boom Boom Beckett

My heart going boom boom boom, Son, he said, Grab your things, I’ve come to take you home.  -Peter Gabriel

Public Service Announcement:  OK, here we go!  What’s crack-a-lacking sports fans?  Now that’s what I’m talking about!  A statement win.  The Red Sox mean business.  Big Business.  Growed folks business.  Playoff baseball business. 

The Greek God of Walks started things off.  Youky.  Youky getting spooky.  Youky getting kooky.  M-m-m-m-m-m Mookie.  Like Mookie, Youkilis started the fire.  Tell me now baby is he good to you?  Can he do to you the things that I do?  I can take you higher.  I’m on fire.  Youkilis is on fire.  Big time bomb.  Big time bomb over the big Green Monster.  Big time bomb over the big Green Monster followed up by a big time double. 

Then those two words.  Those two beautiful words.  Those two wonderful words.  The two most delicious words in the English language.  Papi’s up!  Gone!  See you later.  See you later alligator.  In a while crocodile.  When I move, you move.  Just like that.  Just like that, it’s three zip. 

A Manny walk and Mike Lowell single later, it’s four zip.  Just like that.  That’s all it took.  Just one look.  That’s all it took, hah.  Just one look.  That’s all it took because the best pitcher in all of baseball was on the hill.  On the hill with skills to pay the bills.  While Youk, Manny and Big Papi were starting fires, Boom Boom Beckett was putting them out. 

Filthy.  Nasty.  Disgusting.  Nauseating.  Repugnant.  Repulsive.  Revolting.  All of it.  The Angels could only muster a paltry four singles in nine innings off Boston ace Josh Beckett.  How’s that Hanley Ramirez for Boom Boom and Lowell trade looking now?  Yes, Hanley will be a very good shortstop for a very long time.  But I’ll take a ring any day.  Boom Boom Beckett is just the guy get that ring. 

You saw it.  You saw Beckett simply stifle the halos.  Stifle yourself, Edith!  He didn’t let them breathe.  Didn’t let them breathe for one minute.  Strike after strike.  Out after out.  Batter after batter.  It was something to behold.  After Chone Figgins’ leadoff single in the first, Boom Boom retired nineteen consecutive Angels.  Nineteen!  Oh my!  No halos shining tonight.  Those nineteen batters matched the third-longest string of batters retired in postseason history.  Yowza!  

Boom Boom Beckett threw 98-mph fastballs  Boom Boom Beckett threw 76-mph curves.  And that changeup.  That change-up.  Mercy mercy me.  Boom Boom threw first-pitch strikes to 25 of 31 hitters.  He threw seventeen in a row from the second through seventh innings.  He struck out eight.  He walked none.  Of his 108 pitches, 83 were strikes.  How about that? 

How about this?  Only one Angels runner reached third; two reached second.  That my friends, is what an ace looks like.  Maybe, as often it goes.  Your baby may tire of his rose.  So baby, this rule I propose.  Always have an ace in the hole.  This ace in the hole just stepped it a notch.  He’s been known to that in the post season.  Don’t believe me?  Just ask the Yankees.  Today the Angels.  Tomorow the world!  The World Series that is.  Swimming pools.  Movie stars.  Y’all come back now, y’hear?  Roll Sox, roll!

Public Acknowledgements:  Los Angeles Times, Do the Right Thing, Bruce Springsteen, Bill Haley & the Comets, Ludacris, Linda Ronstadt, Beastie Boys, Dick Enberg, Mel Allen, Marvin Gaye, Ella Fitzgerald and the Beverly Hillbillies

Peace out homies.  Six Two and Even!

Need More? Boston Red Sox, Josh Beckett, MLB