It’s not so much that LB’s been too busy to keep up with Sombrero watch, it’s more that Golden Sombrero’s are a rare occurrence. And that my friends, is why we must recognize each one. There was a special Sombrero in Boston on Monday night. Rocco Baldelli whiffed four times, leaving four men on base, as the Rays got shut out by the Red Sox 3-0. Baldelli thrice took the gas pipe against Jon Lester, twice swinging and once looking, and punched out his final AB against Jonathan Papelbon. What makes this sombrero so interesting is that Jon Lester continues to spit in my face, pitching gem after gem for the Red Sox. Apparently he heard me chide him for his no-hitter, calling it a fluke. I guess at 14-5, the joke’s on me. On the other side of the coin, even though he had a poor offensive night, it’s still nice to see Rocco Baldelli back in the lineup for the Rays. He busted onto the scene as a youngster a few years ago and showed plenty of promise. It’s really good to see him back, and I’m not just talking about sentiment here; Baldelli’s swinging a strong stick and has had some clutch hits since coming off the disabled list.
Chase Headley on the other hand, has less of which to be proud. The Padres’ rookie punched out three times against the aging Greg Maddux, and once against left-hander, Joe Bobblehead Beimel. To give you an idea of how lost Headley was compared to the other hitters in the lineup, Maddux had four strikeouts on the night. Three were Headley. Chase has a bright future, though hitting in Petco Park is a tough proposition. He’ll have plenty of better days. As for Maddux, he hasn’t exactly given the Dodgers what they had hoped for when he was acquired.
