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Late Hits
Over the course of the season, Ed Walsh will be scouring the Web to bring the latest news, polls, and commentary about the Boston Red Sox to these pages.

Blog Index
April 12, 2006
Deja Vu all over again

I can't go the whole day without at least mentioning Bronson Arroyo's latest outing.

Yes, he did it again. In his first at-bat yesterday, against what is turning out to be a familiar foe, Arroyo hit another home run. The Cincinnati Enquirer has the story.

Again, it was against the Cubs. And again the pitcher was Glendon Rusch. But before all you Sox fans, lament - especially after witnessing Wily Mo Pena's debacle in right - let's consider.

What are the chances that a pitcher who has mostly pitched in the AL, would hit a home run off the same pitcher in two separate games on his first at-bat in each? Nil. It has never happened in the modern day era.

Dumb luck.

What was Rusch thinking? Did he forget what happened less than week before? Even Arroyo had to have been surprised.

Everyone including Reds' first baseman Adam Dunn is comparing Arroyo's stats to Pena's. Dunn does this even as his own teammate, Ken Griffey Jr., has only just equalled Arroyo's total.

Next thing you know people will start comparing him to Babe Ruth - once a pitcher, turned into a home run king.

Arroyo is going to get more chances. Pitchers will undoubtedly try to throw fireballs past him. I hope he does well. But given it's only his first two starts, I think it is a tad bit early for the comparisons. Besides, Glendon Rusch made three more mistakes before exiting the game; he's given up six in his first two starts.

Who's to say that Arroyo would have had the same results with Boston? He certainly wouldn't have hit any home runs.

Stranger to me that on the same day as Arroyo's repeat, Wily Mo Pena would have one of his own. Pena allowed a home run in and out of his glove for the second time in Fenway Park. Although, last time he did it, the Sox benefitted.

I guess history does repeat itself.

Posted by Ed Walsh at 01:52 PM

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Comments

"It was an honor to wear the Yankee pinstripes today"

Johnny Damn

Posted by Jimmay
April 12, 2006 02:24 PM

"to have our captain win the game like that today is a memory I will never forget..."

Johnny Damon

Posted by Fred
April 12, 2006 02:25 PM

"If Johnny Damon steps in against me in the ninth in Fenway and gives me that idiotic smile, I'll peg him in the ass."

-Jonathan Papelbon

Posted by Hat On Backwards
April 12, 2006 02:53 PM

"There's no way I can go play for the Yankees, but I know they are going to come after me hard," Damon said. "It's definitely not the most important thing to go out there for the top dollar, which the Yankees are going to offer me. It's not what I need."

Johnny Damon

Posted by Steve
April 12, 2006 02:55 PM

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