Yesterday's Red Sox loss to the Nats was another mark of shame for the franchise. First they sold Babe Ruth. Then Pesky held the ball. Then Pumpsie Green. Then Bucky Dent and Bill Buckner. Then Grady Little. Now: Jordan Zimmermann and the Washington Nationals.
When history is written years from now, oh, how they'll look back at this as a turning point -- how a two-bit franchise basically on pace to set the post-WWII loss mark shut down the mighty BoSox, sending them crashing to defeat.
They'll point to mighty Jordan Zimmermann as the David, slinging fastball after fastball past the once-mighty Goliath. And 26 years from now, when Mr. Zimmermann is being inducted to Cooperstown, he'll reminisce about this, one of the finest pitching performances in his career.
"Oh," he'll say during his speech, "it was Rookie versus All Star -- a classic matchup. But on this day, the All Star performance came from me, Jordan Zimmermann." ('Cause, like Rickey, Jordan's going to start speaking in the third person.)
He flat-out out-pitched John Smoltz. Oh, yes, he did. Yes, he did.
The army of out-spent Nats fought valiantly, repelling Smoltz's pellets and fighting them off into the green spaces between outfielders. Four runs in the first. Another in the third. And when Smoltz's reserves came in, Wee Willie Harris put the capper on with a two-run bomb.
The Nationals won last night's battle. Good sometimes triumphs over evil. And all is right with the world. (At least 'til the Nats roll over for the O's tonight.)
Chris Needham used to write Capitol Punishment. He'll be glad to have the stadium return to its 1/4-full natural state.
