Screw the 4+ ERA against the Sox. Forget the 6+ ERA at Fenway. Instead, realize that Chien-Ming Wang is currently 3-0 with a 1.23 ERA on the season. Damn. Over the past two years, he's finished high in the Cy Young voting with 19 wins and a sub-4.00 ERA both times. Will this finally be his breakout season? Will 2008 be when he is crowned as an ace once and for all? 162 games is a long time, but I can hope, can't I?
While we're talking baseball, here's a question for you: is there an unwritten rule to not break up a no-hitter in late innings with a bunt? Coco's bunt, however cheap, was nice. But would he have done it if Wang didn't give up the homerun (or, even better, if Arod didn't botch the throw to first)? Which desire is stronger in the head of the batter: the one to witness history or the one to prevent being on the wrong side of that history? And if it's the latter, is a bunt acceptable in the situation?
My own answer to the last question is no. Breaking up a no-hitter or perfection with a bloop single or straightforward hit is one thing, but to do it on a bunt seems to be a little ignoble and weak to me. You should at least be trying for a hit if you want to stop history in its tracks; a little roller down the baseline will put you on the sport's official lame list.
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We have five IM games tomorrow, AND I expect to be up all night entertaining the prefrosh during their final day here. So I may get to bed abnormally early (1am?!) for that reason. Goodnight, folks.
