Wake up call
Doug Mirabelli didn’t directly answer the question as to whether this was his first time in a police car.
“It was my first time naked in a police car,” he said.
It was that kind of day for the newly re-acquired Red Sox catcher, who summed up his day in one word — “Wow”, following Boston’s 7-3 win over New York at Fenway Park. Arriving just minutes before game time at Logan Airport, Mirabelli changed into his Red Sox uniform while enjoying a police escort down Storrow Drive to the Fens.
“You can’t even imagine how much work went into getting here,” he said.
Mirabelli said he was nervous the entire flight from California that he wasn’t going to make it in time. He arrived at Fenway at 7 p.m., 12 minutes after disembarking his flight.
“He rolls out with all his gear on and jumps right in,” Wakefield said. “It’s the most unbelievable thing I’ve seen in my life.”
His affect on Wakefield was immediate. Not one passed ball on the night.
“He lets the ball so deep,” manager Terry Francona said. “It’s an art and he knows how to do it. He has a calming influence on the game.”
Wakefield wasn’t aware that Mirabelli was on his way back until the front office told him this morning. He said he was ecstatic to have his former batterymate back, but expressed regret about losing Josh Bard, who had major difficulties catching Wakefield’s knuckleball in his limited time with the club.
“He carried a lot,” Wakefield said. “I know how much work he put into it. I feel horrible for him. He gave it everything he had in the time he was here.
“There’s a comfort level there [with Mirabelli], but there was a comfort level with Josh too. I felt the same comfort level with him, that’s why I feel so bad. The missed balls that he had over our last five starts were not the cause of us losing.”
Mirabelli had heard the rumors over the past two days that Boston was interested in re-acquiring him, so he went to Padres GM Kevin Towers to see if he could accelerate such a deal. He and Bard now switch places, the latter getting a chance at a new start in San Diego.
“It’s such a tough situation he was in,” Mirabelli said. “I remember when I first started catching Wake, I didn’t ever think I was going to make it. You have to stay so relaxed behind the plate, and it’s so difficult to do that.”
“I don’t remember it being that windy here in the past. I’m surprised it went out. I didn’t think anyone could hit a ball like that out of the ballpark tonight.”
Ortiz’s three-run homer in the eighth put the finishing touches on Boston’s win over New York in the first meeting between the two clubs.
“That shows how strong this guy really is,” Wakefield said.
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