Continuing yesterday’s throwdown, here’s more stuff you probably could have done without.
Best Red Sox catcher ever: Fisk or Tek?
Denton: First of all, Tek should win a Nobel Prize for the glove facial he gave A-Rod.
Red: Agreed, but Fisk wasn’t exactly our goodwill ambassador to New York. Some of those brawls with Thurman Munson were like those barroom fights in cowboy movies where the two guys just roll right out the door and down the street, beating the crap out of each other. I could totally see one of those late ‘70s tussles starting at home plate and ending on the dance floor at Narcissus in Kenmore.
Denton: I’ve gotta go with Tek on this one. Fisk probably swung a better bat, but Tek is the man when it comes to making pitchers better.
Red: If it comes down to the battle of the highlights, you’ve got the smell the glove incident versus game six of the 1975 World Series. The latter is one of the most famous images in the history of the game.
Denton: But if the argument is better catcher, I’ll give the edge to Tek.
Red: I can’t decide. So I guess by default I pick Damon Berryhill.
Most heartbreaking moment: Buckner’s error or Boone’s home run?
Red: Buckner’s error left me an emotional wreck, but I was devastated after 2003. Like, pull the shades, get under the covers and don’t get out of bed for weeks devastated. The fact that I was in New Jersey when it all went down didn’t help matters.
Denton: Buckner’s error, hands down. I had a glass of champagne in hand, waiting to toast the victory. It was the last out of the World Series! Boone’s home run sucked out loud, but you could almost feel it coming.
Red: Maybe, but this was the Yankees, so it practically was the World Series in my mind. Papi’s home run off Wells just a few innings earlier had me convinced they were gonna do it. A couple hours later, I was shaving my ass and squatting in a tub of whiskey to dull the pain.
Denton: On the bright side, the Boone home run is sorta what started the magic that is Surviving Grady!
Red: As if people needed another reason to hate Aaron Boone.
Derek Lowe was one of the most underrated Red Sox pitchers ever!
Red: When I think “Derek Lowe”, I tend to fixate on the stuff that drove me nuts about him. How quickly he could be thrown off his game, the lack of focus. But pound for pound, the guy gave may have given us more highlight tape than any pitcher not named Clemens or Pedro.
Denton: The dude also had a 4.5 ERA in 2003 and a 5.5 ERA in 2004
Red: The no hitter, the strike out to end the 2003 ALDS. Not to mention the fact that he won the deciding games in the 2004 ALDS, ALCS and World Series. But does he get the love?
Denton: And for being such a whiney little bitch, he was close to making the cut for yesterday’s “biggest douchebag” question.
Red: Hell, I used to call him “The Incredible Sulk,” but now I’m getting all emotional just thinking about him. The guy made Miguel Tejada cry, for chrissakes. He shouldn’t have to pay for another beer as long as he lives.
Millar’s “the walk” doesn’t get as much credit as Dave Roberts’ “the steal”, even though it was every bit as important in the grand scheme of things.
Red: If Millar doesn’t get that walk, Dave Roberts doesn’t steal that base, the Red Sox lose the 2004 ALCS. Give El Bencho his props!
Denton: True, Millar set the table with the walk. But go back and look at the steal again. Please. Everyone in the free world knew Roberts was gonna try to swipe second, and he did it anyway.
Red: And everyone in the free world – or at least everyone in my house – thought Millar was gonna strike out. But he didn’t. That was the turning point. How Millar laid off some of those pitches is beyond me. It was one of the most important at bats of the season, and certainly his career.
Denton: Remember this scene from Billy Jack:
Billy Jack: I’m gonna take this right foot, and I’m gonna whop you on that side of your face… [points to Posner’s right cheek]…and you wanna know something? There’s not a damn thing you’re gonna be able to do about it.
Mr. Posner: Really?
Billy Jack: Really. [kicks Posner’s right cheek, sending him to the ground]
That was Dave Roberts in game four.
Dick Pole: Coolest Red Sox player name ever.
Red: You can’t top Dick. You can only hope to.
Denton: Actually, I have it as a toss-up between Coco Crisp and Oil Can Boyd.
Red: Then you’re insane. Dick Pole. The guy’s name is Dick Pole. Dick motherf@#king Pole. That means his entire life, he was able to go up to people, extend his right hand, and say, “Hi, I’m Dick Pole.” That’s the greatest opening line in the history of opening lines.
Denton: I’m leaning toward The Can just because he was one of my favorite players from the ’86 team. He was one of those fiery, scrappy little guys that had a hint of lunacy about him. Kind of like Pedro… minus a lot of talent.
Red: Dick Pole. Anything else is just crazy.
Who’s better: Rocket or Pedro?
Denton: Given recent events that you may have heard about in the media, I’ve gotta give Pedro the nod. I loved Roger, and was one of the few that defended his last couple of seasons in Boston, but Pedro was fierce. Pedro was fearless. He owned the inside of the plate and god help you if you lean into his space.
Red: On paper, Clemens has more accolades: the Cy Youngs, the strikeouts, Debbie.
Denton: But did Roger ever send anyone tumbling down the mound, a la Zimmer? Did Roger ever get charged by a hit batter, punched in the face, and then proceed to sit the next 24 batters down and finish with a one-hit, 13 strikeout night? Did Roger ever come out of the pen in the post season and pitch six perfect innings? None of the above.
Red: I’d almost like to build a time machine to somehow see vintage Pedro pitch against vintage Roger. Like a nine inning match to the death.
Denton: You do that.
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Thanks to everyone for the e-mails and comments on yesterday’s Throwdown. Especially to those who pointed out that I’d incorrectly identified the subject of Pink Floyd’s “Careful With That Axe, Eugene” as “Nigel.” Clearly, I had XTC on the brain.
