“Man, this movie is so good I wish it would have never ended.”
That’s what Jonathan Papelbon thinks of Yankees-Red Sox games. If it’s cold out, “bundle up and drink beer” he added.
I’m sure when Papelbon watches Avatar he’s staring at the screen the same intense way he does when he looks in for the catcher’s sign.
Before continuing, you’ll want to head over to Craig Calcaterra’s analysis of Papelbon’s analogy. If you’re too lazy, at least read why he thinks the games are too long:
Mound meetings, equipment adjustments, extra bullpen throws and long stares into the catcher before each pitch, often by closers like Papelbon and Mariano Rivera who only throw one damn pitch most of the time anyway.
The last part is so true! Well, kind of. Both throw mainly one pitch, but deciding — and nailing — the location of each pitch is what makes them so good. On the other hand, there definitely is some added time for intimidation and suspense purposes.
Honestly, I couldn’t care less how long these games last. In fact, I wouldn’t mind them going even longer! It is the greatest rivalry in sports, and I’m sure there meetings are the most watched games of the regular season.
I feel like the longer the games the go, the more I get into them. The fact that the Yankees can blow out the Red Sox 20-11 on Friday and then lose 14-1 on Saturday is amazing. And those same teams went 14 innings without scoring a single run earlier that month.
As John Sterling would say, “you can never predict baseball.” It’s especially true for Yankees-Red Sox games. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
But I agree with She-Fan that the rivalry shouldn’t kick off the season. That’s just too soon to play three of the best games of the year.
