Better Late than Nevah

When the family went to the Metrodome to see the Red Sox play the Twins on this past Memorial Day, we arrived plenty early to watch batting practice.



We carefully watched Big Papi swing the bat. The guy was in the slump of slumps. I don't think he was hitting sub-.200 yet, but he was on his way.


Although Papi didn't play that particular game, he rocked some shots in batting practice. A number of balls landed in the upper deck of right centerfield. Let me say that the Metrodome is nothing if not cavernous. The place was built for football, and they don't even sell tickets for the that area because its too far away. Those were bombs. I understand it was just batting practice, but clearly he still had power.


In the next game, he played, and sent two balls 405 feet. Unfortunately, they were both to the same spot - the 408 foot part of centerfield. Either ball was 10 degrees one way or another, they were his first home run of the year.

I knew from that point that there was at least hope for Papi this season. Others probably knew it too. Throughout the stuggles fans both home and away were very un-Bostonian - they cheered him every at-bat. Very classy.

It probably hasn't gone unnoticed, but Papi is looking better. Yes, he is still batting .210, or something like that, but in the last 14 games (beginning shortly after the series in Minnesota), he is batting .326 with 9 runs, 4 HRs, 10 RBIs, and a .431 on-base percentage. I'll take that!


P.S., here is a picture from our seats during warm-ups at the first game. No, the camera did not use a zoom, those guys were right in front of us. I could have spit on Justin Morneau - not that I would.