Rebounding With Authority

Every game against the O’s counts. Sure, the Yankees are always the big guns, the rivals we want to take down, the target the Red Sox are aiming for. Even as early as May. But now we face these pesky Orioles once again, with those same Orioles in first place in the AL East. They’re not the same team that mulled around fourth place in the division, lacked any iota of pitching and tended to play inconsistently all year, almost costing Lee Mazzilli his job. These new and improved Orioles are playing with confidence and heart. They want to overcome the big boys and win this thing. The Red Sox better watch out.

After we fell four games back last night, I was a little panicky. While the Yankees would probably be feeding on the Artists Formely Known As The Kansas City Royals, the Red Sox had the first place O’s at home in a huge, national television series. This was one of the biggest May series in a long time at Fenway. Last night was disappointing, but winning tonight was great, especially with the Yanks currently down to the RoyAAAls. The difference between being three games back and five games back is not only big in the standings, but psychologically it makes you feel a hell of a lot better about yourself. Not that the Red Sox need that, of course.

We know these things for sure- John Olerud is making a good impression in his first week with the BoSox, while Millar is struggling, reeling, and playing with his stance. And we all know who’s better defensively. We also know Wade Miller may end up being the steal of the off season, a guy nobody really took a chance on after battling arm injuries, that wound up in Theo’s hands with a warm hello. He came back sooner than we thought, and delivered tonight with a nice performance. That seventh inning was surely fun.

We know Edgar Renteria is hot. We know Damon will be okay after his collision with the wall, thank god. And hell, we sure know Jay Payton has a rifle in center. Tomorrow is the biggest game of the season- let’s go out and kick some Oriole bootay.