I ended up buying tickets at noon and going to the game, sat about 10yards behind first base in the forth row, picked the seats specifically to see PK, knowing I'd be in full 90F sun facing west. When Matt came on I felt supremely confident he'd get out of the mess Hughes left, but the Byrd walk was the kiss of death.

 

Was great to see the two of them on the field together, but was crushing when McCann hit that ball. You don't see many fans with Sox gear, I saw only two others the whole time and to have the Sox guy give up the go ahead runs really hurt in person. Hope it doesn't carry over for him in the second half. He was bringing absolute gas, the guy just got good wood on it in the right situation, and it didn't help his team scoring only one run in 9 innings....

I ended up buying tickets at noon and going to the game, sat about 10yards behind first base in the forth row, picked the seats specifically to see PK, knowing I'd be in full 90F sun facing west. When Matt came on I felt supremely confident he'd get out of the mess Hughes left, but the Byrd walk was the kiss of death.

 

Was great to see the two of them on the field together, but was crushing when McCann hit that ball. You don't see many fans with Sox gear, I saw only two others the whole time and to have the Sox guy give up the go ahead runs really hurt in person. Hope it doesn't carry over for him in the second half. He was bringing absolute gas, the guy just got good wood on it in the right situation, and it didn't help his team scoring only one run in 9 innings....

 

 

As is often the case with relievers, especially closers, their failings are the most visible. But there were plenty of other failings on the AL side, including some stupid mental mistakes, that hurt equally as bad:

 

-- Elvis Andrus overrunning second base after Konerko's strike out and getting tagged out.

 

-- Joe Girardi not having a pinch runner available when Ortiz got on base in the ninth.

 

-- Torii Hunter made multiple mistakes: didn't charge a ball hard and misfired to third, allowing a runner to go first to third on him; and two pathetic at bats with men on base, including a strikeout against Wainwright in which he swung at a pitch that was a foot outside - Hunter was swinging for the fences trying to be the big hometown All Star Game hero, instead of patiently taking what the pitcher was giving him.

 

-- Adrian Beltre's pathetic "swing hard at anything" strike-out in the 9th.

 

It seemed like the AL didn't try hard, and was waiting for the 3-run homer that never came. Ozzie will whip the team into shape next year, when he's the manager.

 

 

As is often the case with relievers, especially closers, their failings are the most visible. But there were plenty of other failings on the AL side, including some stupid mental mistakes, that hurt equally as bad:

 

-- Elvis Andrus overrunning second base after Konerko's strike out and getting tagged out.

 

-- Joe Girardi not having a pinch runner available when Ortiz got on base in the ninth.

 

-- Torii Hunter made multiple mistakes: didn't charge a ball hard and misfired to third, allowing a runner to go first to third on him; and two pathetic at bats with men on base, including a strikeout against Wainwright in which he swung at a pitch that was a foot outside - Hunter was swinging for the fences trying to be the big hometown All Star Game hero, instead of patiently taking what the pitcher was giving him.

 

-- Adrian Beltre's pathetic "swing hard at anything" strike-out in the 9th.

 

It seemed like the AL didn't try hard, and was waiting for the 3-run homer that never came. Ozzie will whip the team into shape next year, when he's the manager.

 

excellent breakdown, especially the last part. Hunter was uncharacteristically fooled by way outside breaking balls after being up in the count, the crowd was going crazy for him both in the opening and during that at-bat, had to be tons of pressure at home to put something in play and it showed. if anyone paid attention there were also 8 pitchers throwing above 95, most pitches around 97-98, very tough day to hit

 

i sat next to a Cub fan couple, who looked like a typical cub fan couple, I think the guy had a "carry-all"...... they didn't say two words to me (in Sox gear of course), even after a few attempts at light hearted humor on our rivalry, when Byrd scored they acted like a couple schoolgirls