Boston – Matt Holliday made a sellout crowd stop chattering its teeth and show its fillings. He crushed a Josh Beckett fastball into the Green Monster seats in the fourth inning Thursday night. It only served to prove David Ortiz’s point from a few hours earlier: Holliday needs to be in the All-Star Game’s home run derby.
“He’s so strong,” said Ortiz, who played against Holliday in last year’s All-Star Game. “I think he would be a good choice.”
For starters, Holliday has to make the game in San Francisco. It won’t be as a starter since he ranks eighth in voting among outfielders. But there’s a strong likelihood he will be selected as a reserve by National League manager Tony La Russa given his numbers – Holliday leads the league in batting and has destroyed the Cardinals throughout his career (.418 with nine home runs and 14 RBIs).
“If I am lucky enough to be chosen, I would do (the derby) if asked,” said Holliday, who has 11 home runs. “I am not sure I would change much. Obviously in San Francisco I would hit more balls to left-center.”
Ortiz has said he won’t participate in the home run derby. “The first round is OK, but when I have to stop and wait so long it just kills me,” Ortiz said.
Renewing acquaintances
Before a sellout crowd in one of the country’s largest media markets, the world became small for Aaron Cook and Kevin Youkilis on Tuesday. Cook faced Youkilis for the first time since the two were Cincinnati-area prep stars.
“In high school, I remember him hitting two home runs off me,” said Cook. “Luckily he was the only guy in their lineup I had to worry about.”
Cook and Youkilis were actually summer teammates for three seasons from the ages of 13 to 15 with the Cincinnati Knuckles.
“It’s always fun to see guys you played with,” Youkilis said.
Catch the drift
Cubs catcher Michael Barrett lost a fight with pitcher Carlos Zambrano last week, and now he’s losing his job – at least for a while. There’s growing speculation the Cubs will attempt to trade Barrett. But before connecting the dots of possible Rockies’ interest, know that Chicago’s not currently shopping Barrett and manager Clint Hurdle remains confident his catchers will provide more offense.
Footnotes
Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper was a visitor in the Fenway Park press box. … Curt Schilling’s blog entry on Brad Hawpe’s home run Wednesday: “I’ve given up more than my share of home runs, but not that many come as total shocks to me; this one was. Not because of the hitter or anything, but a home run wasn’t even in the deepest recesses of my subconscious right there.”
Said Holliday: “He wrote that?”
