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Welcome to the Red Sox-Indians Game 3 Chat, Broham

October 15, 2007
 

 
When did the surfer/frat-boy slang term broham come into existence? I feel as if I may have heard it back in 1987 when I spent a summer in California, but I’m not sure. Anyway, I wonder if utility infielder Jack Brohamer would have been more well-known if the term had been around in his day. 

As it was, Brohamer came and went without leaving much of a trace. He played for a few years in Cleveland, his only departure from anonimity coming in his role as the unwitting Archduke Franz Ferdinand of the 10-Cent Beer Night riot (as mentioned previously on Cardboard Gods, Len Randle’s hard slide into Brohamer at second base in Texas led to a beaning of Randle, which led to a fight and the pelting of Indians players by Texas fans, which led to a night for the ages on the Rangers’ next trip to Cleveland). He went on to play two years for the White Sox, the most stunning legacy from that era the fact that in 1976 Brohamer was intentionally walked 9 times (the player who most often followed him in the lineup was named Bucky Dent), then played for the Boston Red Sox for a couple years before returning to Cleveland for one more brief and inconsequential go-round.

The closest he ever got to the playoffs was when he started at third base for the Red Sox in the 1978 one-game divisional play-in game against the Yankees. Brohamer had been having an excellent season as a part-time player for most of the year, his batting average over .300 as late as July 9, then after a slump climbing back to .270 by August 28, when the Red Sox held a 7½-game lead over the second-place Yankees. From that point on, however, Brohamer, forced into playing nearly every day by injuries to second baseman Jerry Remy and third baseman Butch Hobson, collected just 10 hits in 69 at bats for a sickly .145 batting average.

But nobody blames Jack Brohamer for the collapse. In some ways I’ve always aspired to this level of culpability in my life. I don’t want to be held responsible. I don’t want anyone cursing my name. Better to just stick to the sidelines, the shadows, and let someone else get the glory or take the fall. Better to just Brohamer it.

Meanwhile, I live vicariously through game-playing strangers, drawing as close as possible to them in my imagination in their times of triumph, and distancing them as much as possible from me with curses and even hatred when they stumble.

With that in mind, here are the lineups for today’s Game Three of the deadlocked American League Championship Series (7:10 ET, FOX), courtesy of Ameile Benjamin’s Boston Globe blog:

Red Sox
1. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
2. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Manny Ramirez, LF
5. Mike Lowell, 3B
6. J.D. Drew, RF
7. Jason Varitek, C
8. Coco Crisp, CF
9. Julio Lugo, SS

SP – Daisuke Matsuzaka

Indians
1. Grady Sizemore, CF
2. Asdrubal Cabrera, 2B
3. Travis Hafner, DH
4. Victor Martinez, C
5. Ryan Garko, 1B
6. Jhonny Peralta, SS
7. Kenny Lofton, LF
8. Trot Nixon, RF
9. Casey Blake, 3B

SP – Jake Westbrook

120 comments

  1. 1.  Nixons single trumps Franklins bomb.


  2. 2.  I guess Trot has had a pretty rough year this year up until that big hit on Saturday, the kind of year that seems to suggest it might be the end of the line. I’m glad if anybody had to do in the Red Sox the other night it was him. All my life I vowed that if the Red Sox ever won a world series the guys who did it would be golden to me forever, and I’m sticking to that vow (even with Johnny Damon, though I prefer not to think about the current job of that member of the ’04 team too much).


  3. 3.  Jack Brohamer was born in Maywood, California.

    Which I think is hard to do because I didn’t know there were any hospitals in that burg. The city is but 1.2 square miles.

    But Maywood does have a pro basketball team.

    http://abalive.com/teams/teampage.cgi?teamid=OC


  4. 4.  Well, we were calling people “brohammer” in Oxnard, California in the early 70’s, broham. But I don’t know where it started.


  5. 5.  4 : Thanks for that info, Jimi. As Peter Boyle’s character, Wizard, said of California during a rare calm reflective moment in Taxi Driver: “Well, they’re way ahead out there.”

    3 : Could it be possible that the term originated with Maywood’s native son?

    Also, on another subject, I let the practice of mentioning new comments on older posts slide a little of late because, well, that’s how I roll, but I did want to point out new comments from prodigal Cardboard God commenter Catfish326 on posts for Greg Minton, the 1977 Cubs, and the Rick Miller-hosted Angels-Red Sox Game 1 chat (that last comment an interesting point about the astounding defensive capabilities of the 1975 Red Sox outfield). Also, CMcFood continues his tracking of pictures of the Oakland Coliseum in a post on Bobby Bonds (located in the “Behold the Unsortable” sidebar).


  6. 6.  As I was just out for a walk to load up for food for the game, a bus stopped by me. It was Metro 260. Its destination was Cudahy.

    Cudahy is probably the only city in L.A. County that is worse than Maywood.


  7. 7.  Ahh, 4-5-3!


  8. 8.  Tim McCarver is trying to put stats into context.

    I better check the coffee I’m drinking to make sure it’s not dosed.


  9. 9.  Bottom of first: Wham, bam, arigato, ma’am.


  10. 10.  If the Sox are gonna win tonight, I hope Gagne gets the win or save. Just to keep him from being burned in effigy.


  11. 11.  Hilarious Dikembe Mutombo finger wave from Lofton to Manny…


  12. 12.  10 : I think they’ll be really reluctant to go to Gagne, but I’m rooting for him to come through whenever he does get a chance. For Drew, too.


  13. 13.  Yowsa, talk about a high wire act for Westbrook that inning.


  14. 14.  Was that fly ball to Lofton shallower than it looked on gameday? I’m assuming so…

    12 Yeah, but while Gagne would care what we think, Drew probably doesn’t. JD Drew, a.k.a. the “Shrug”


  15. 15.  The fly ball to Lofton was not very deep and he was coming in on the ball.

    Even Lofton’s pop gun would have had a good chance at getting Manny at the plate.


  16. 16.  15 : Yeah, that’s what made the finger wag so funny.

    They just showed some white dudes in the crowd in headresses and full “Indian” face paint. What’s the difference between that and a bunch of white dudes in blackface?


  17. 17.  It’s the October of Kenny!


  18. 18.  maybe cause we don’t see them that often or maybe cause we’re so use to the MLB uni’s but I’m digging the Japan Uni’s specially the white with black pin stripes Matzusaka was sporting (& NO it didn’t look NOTHING like the spankees uni)


  19. 19.  I find Braves fans’ “tomahawk chop” patently offensive enough, so I’m glad I didn’t see that.


  20. 20.  I kind of miss Kenny Lofton, he’s got a better arm then Pierre & apparently he also has more POP!!


  21. 21.  Joe Morgan just said that Kenny Lofton is a veteran and he knew that the Dice-K was throwing fast balls to get ahead in the count so he just jumped on the first pitch and bingo, a home run.


  22. 22.  Lugo did something that wasn’t horrible.

    Huh.


  23. 23.  He’s right, Lofton is a veteran. Everything else is Morgo-speak


  24. 24.  20 Well, yeah, but we’ve got Juan Pierre for four more years.

    So there’s that.


  25. 25.  24 Yeah, I bet Pierre is way better than Lofton in 2011.


  26. 26.  I don’t know if Lofton can make it 4 more years, but I’ll reiterate my early membership in the RLTPC (Rather Lofton Than Pierre Club).

    Red Sox fans have my permission to loathe Julio Lugo.


  27. 27.  24
    You just had to remind me.


  28. 28.  Royce Clayton: still employed.


  29. 29.  I heard Miller & Morgan broadcast the first inning on the way home from work, and couldn’t quite figure out what Miller’s “hula” remark was referring to, but now when I see Matsuzaka’s delivery, all i can think of is grass skirts and coconut-shell brassieres.


  30. 30.  28- As a mic stand.


  31. 31.  29 : I think Dice-K needs the “hula.” He seems a lot iffier pitching from the stretch.


  32. 32.  Two more questions:

    Why do the white-glag-waving Indians fans keep trying to signal their surrender?

    How does Eric Wedge (or anyone) maintain that “I last shaved two days ago” look? Every time I see him he looks like he shaved two days ago.


  33. 33.  32 : That should have been “white-flag-waving.” Though now I wish there were something called a glag so I could wave it.


  34. 34.  32
    It’s Fox, so they send Hugh Laurie’s personal stylist to work on him.

    You’re risking a pitcher’s arm!


  35. 35.  Wow, that play was Steven Drew-like in its incompetence.


  36. 36.  J.D. Drew would make a nice Mic stand as well. [drum beat]


  37. 37.  When I went to Wrigley this year, I saw the Cubs get four straight hits and not score a run off of them.

    However, there was a fifth hit in the inning and it was a grand slam.

    http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN200706030.shtml


  38. 38.  Garko showing off his cat like reflexes.


  39. 39.  Something about Big Papi getting hit by that ball suggests that when he gets old he’s going to get old fast.

    On that note, Papi’s creaky knees and Schilling looking old and tired and Manny’s slightly down year and Varitek’s ever-quieter bat have me thinking this could be the Red Sox’ last good chance at a World Series for a while.


  40. 40.  39

    You guys have a few good young ball players I’m sure the BoSox will be o.k.


  41. 41.  So, I just used that commercial break to watch the full opening credits from Perfect Strangers (now running on Ion), which is practically a kitsch opera unto itself. Do any shows do the long form opening credits you see there, or are they all pretty much the quick cut, squished down type thing you see in a Scrubs or Will and Grace?

    What would Barney Miller have been without its opening tune?


  42. 42.  40 Yeah, some, and I like the young guys a lot, but if Manny and Papi fade at the same time they’ll be irreplacable (unless Gehrig and Ruth are brought back from the grave).


  43. 43.  Under the new CBA, the Yankees were guaranteed to the rights to any sepulchral figures.


  44. 44.  43 : But I thought there was a clause in that that gave the Red Sox the right to any temporarily deceased players currently residing at an Arizona cryogenics lab.


  45. 45.  The Tampa Bay Devil Rays are allowed to sign anyone they can find in a columbarium.


  46. 46.  I don’t know but Matzusaka just doesn’t impress me all that much, I mean yeah, when he’s right his a good # 2 but I don’t think he’s worth ALL that money, my 2 cents.


  47. 47.  Wow, 90 pitches already for Dice-K. Definitely not long for this one…


  48. 48.  (Bob – I’m guessing Mark won’t mind if you use your powers to rescue his latest post title.)


  49. 49.  48
    I don’t have that power. Ken can do it.


  50. 50.  I hate it when Dice-K gets to 0-2. He then starts trying to throw the perfect pitch. He must have led the league in 0-2 counts turning into walks.


  51. 51.  So if we asked Thierry Henry where he was yesterday, he wouldn’t know the answer?


  52. 52.  46 : He’s utterly hittable and has been since a little after midseason. Maybe next year he’ll be better acquainted to the 5-man rotation and the longer season, but my gut feeling is that what we see is what we’re gonna get–a half-decent 3rd or 4th starter (who’s going to start getting booed because he’s not a 1 or 2).


  53. 53.  51 probably not, since he was likely still in the Faroe Islands. Does anyone know where Torshavn is?


  54. 54.  52

    I was gonna say #3 starter but I thought you were gonna get offended so I stand pat on it. :o)


  55. 55.  53
    It’s right here:
    http://tinyurl.com/2nl75n


  56. 56.  55 Well that explains it. I knew I should’ve taken a right when I got to the middle of nowhere.


  57. 57.  Matsuzaka gave up six walks after getting an 0-2 count this year.


  58. 58.  Matzusaka’s arm also has a lot of miles on it, but like you said maybe he’ll put it all together next year, this is his 1st full season so maybe he can still do it.


  59. 59.  I’ve been to a Faroe Islands World Cup qualifier.

    It was in Belgium.


  60. 60.  Joe Morgan just gave the old if Big Papi hits a home run the rally is over speech.

    And I thought only Steve Lyons thought that way but I guess they played the game so who am I to refute it.


  61. 61.  I don’t know why but I was looking at Franklin Stubbs #’s just for the hell of it, MAN! he sucked! I can’t believe good ‘ol Tommy let him stick around for as long as he did. I don’t even remember what position he played, I remember him playing 1st base at times & I think LF, I guess it shouldn’t surprised me but it does.


  62. 62.  61 You will find that based on current understandings of OPS and the like, that many beloved players were just average at best.

    In otherwords, they were a lot of Juan Pierres back in the 1970s.


  63. 63.  61 also, it’s not like there were a lot of options, unless you want to throw Mike Davis out there every day.


  64. 64.  The way this is going, it better be a barnburner at Coors Field tonight. They might not hit 230 pitches total in this game.


  65. 65.  Bobby Richardson is considered a Yankees hero.

    He had a lifetime OPS+ of 77.

    In 1961, Richardson batted leadoff most of the year. He had an OBP of .295.

    The Yankees still won 109 games.


  66. 66.  62 I guess Hall of Fame Lou Brock being the Cadillac of that kind of pre-OPS-knowledge jalopy.


  67. 67.  66
    Nor did anyone seem to care that Lou Brock fielded like Lonnie Smith.


  68. 68.  I can’t believe I’m talking about Lou Brock while my team sputters toward a pivotal loss. I’m enraged and nervous. Where’s the other Red Sox fan who shows up here from time to time, Spudrph?!?


  69. 69.  This game — not over.


  70. 70.  The Yankees had figured out Westbrook by this point.


  71. 71.  These lifeless Bopsox need a speech from the Strother Martin character in Slapshot:

    “Every scout in the [majors] is out there tonight, with contracts in their pockets, and they’re looking for talent. For winners. OOOOOOOOOH. All my years of publicity. All the fashion shows and radiothons for nothing… They come here tonight… to scout the [Red Sox]… the toughest team in the [American] League. Not this. Buncha… pussies.”


  72. 72.  These lifeless Bosox need a speech from the Strother Martin character in Slapshot:

    “Every scout in the [majors] is out there tonight, with contracts in their pockets, and they’re looking for talent. For winners. OOOOOOOOOH. All my years of publicity. All the fashion shows and radiothons for nothing… They come here tonight… to scout the [Red Sox]… the toughest team in the [American] League. Not this. Buncha… pussies.”


  73. 73.  Matt Cain gave up 11 BBs after an 0-2 count.


  74. 74.  Come on, Captain! Go to the opposite field, for the love of Mike. Stop trying to yank it out.


  75. 75.  Never mind.


  76. 76.  Well, goodglove?


  77. 77.  (just imagine 76 up above 75)


  78. 78.  Reverse psychology.


  79. 79.  LOL.


  80. 80.  Coco Crisp has that L.A. look about him on his gameday pic, that I can’t quite pin point though.


  81. 81.  65 It helps when you had 115 home runs from two outfielders.


  82. 82.  Perhaps Coco Crisp has an L.A. look to him because he’s from L.A.


  83. 83.  Next year, Jake Westwood begins his 3 year extension deal with the Indians for 11 million a year.


  84. 84.  I will be edgy and dislike the AT&T commericals because Wes Anderson directed them.


  85. 85.  Tonight I will pray that Francona benches Coco for Ellsbury. He cannot hit.


  86. 86.  83
    Jake Westwood

    You spend too much time on the UCLA campus.


  87. 87.  86 No, too much time on UCLA websites.


  88. 88.  If I could have one baseball tv related wish, it would be that announcers could not make a big show of their insight that pitchers need to throw strikes, and getting strike 1 is real good.


  89. 89.  This guys delivery looks sped up.


  90. 90.  Question: Does Bud Selig’s authority to act “in the best interest of the game” allow him to take steps to prevent a Cleveland-Colorado World Series?


  91. 91.  90
    The only downside of a Cleveland-Colorado World Series is that there would be numerous mentions of my archenemy: John Elway.


  92. 92.  Josh-“Archduke Franz Ferdinand”? Brilliant. Fucking BRILLIANT.

    Is Pedroia ever going to get another hit?

    How did we go from the third most runs in the league to Papi, Bad Man, and the seven dwarfs?

    I don’t want the baseball season to be over yet.


  93. 93.  91
    Marty ball, Dan Reeves, Bill Bellichek, Ernest Byner, “The Drive.”


  94. 94.  We gotta hold ’em and then get a run in the 8th plus enough runners to get the good hitters up against Borowski in the 9th.


  95. 95.  94 Aren’t those the guys who are going to get you the run in the 8th?


  96. 96.  Does Budweiser really need to advertise? I don’t drink, so I don’t know, but I would think that anybody who drinks beer at all is aware that there is an American beer known as Budweiser? Like Lewis Black says, we get it.


  97. 97.  It’s Youkilis, Ortiz, and Ramirez due up.


  98. 98.  96
    They need to advertise or people will forget about them and the market share won’t grow.

    If the number of Budweiser drinkers remains constant, the company would go out of business.

    In about 100 years.


  99. 99.  In about 100 years.

    LOL!


  100. 100.  93 Hey, what’s wrong with Marty ball?


  101. 101.  If they don’t advertise, how are 16-year-olds supposed to know what to drink?


  102. 102.  “Um, I’ll give you $40 bucks if you get me a case of whatever you’re getting.”


  103. 103.  95 : Yeah, the plan is put some guys on, get a run, and get the lineup down to at least 7 or 8, then all you gotta do is get a guy or two on and Ortiz comes up–I don’t have all the details down, I just want somebody besides a threesome of Tek, Crisp, and Lugo against Borowski.


  104. 104.  I guess once every blue moon Youkilis hits the ball the other way, man, he seems like a dead pull hitter to me.


  105. 105.  102 Sam, that brings back memories. But when I was doing that, a case of Budweiser was $6.


  106. 106.  Well, I first typed $20, but I was afraid people would make fun of me.


  107. 107.  Ortiz smoked that one right at Franklin Gutierrez.


  108. 108.  Hey, Josh. Brohamer has a brother named Tom who is an expert handicapper. Even has a book published about horseracing.


  109. 109.  I am the luckiest man on earth. In the last 10 minutes, I have won an Irish Sweepstakes, UK Lottery, and a Powerball.

    That’s what my email says.

    It wouldn’t lie to me.


  110. 110.  So much for the plan.

    108 : Interesting…


  111. 111.  109

    I’m sure you just delete them right out of your life right Bob, man, I hate that!.


  112. 112.  But I thought I was a winner! Dang it.

    Time to go picture-in-picture for a while.


  113. 113.  J.D. Drew’s sabby OBP would be nice hear for BoSox fans I imagine.


  114. 114.  Do you mean savvy (like sharp, smart)?


  115. 115.  Before the playoffs started, I had no idea what Mark Shapiro looked like.

    He’s got red hair. Go figure!


  116. 116.  You can tell that on picture in picture?


  117. 117.  Wow, those Indians fans are pretty happy.


  118. 118.  I don’t care how many times the announcers say it, I’m not pronouncing Shapiro, shuh-PIE-roe.


  119. 119.  118 “You say Shuh-PEER-roe, I say Shuh-PIE-roe ……”


  120. Fantastic baseball name……hopes were high with buddy bell topps rookie of the year at 3b and the hammer topps rookie of the year at 2b.
    To back in time and make slight change, could they both have formed an AllStar infield for the tribe for decade? Ed Crosby would have made fun understudy to bell and brohamer



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