Fenway West - The Boston Red Sox Western Home: 8/3/08 - 8/10/08

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Ian Kennedy or Hank Steinbrenner, Who's Smarter?

There may be someone associated with the Yankees that can give Hank a run for his money in the brains department, and his name is Ian Kennedy. After Friday's loss Kennedy had the following to say:

"The singles were ground balls, which isn't a big deal," Kennedy said Friday night. "I gave up a couple doubles, but I felt like I made some good pitches. I competed, which is all that really matters.
"I'm just not real upset about it," he later added. "I'm just going to move on. I've already done that."

Since he only "gave up a couple doubles" and "competed" and is judging his performance on T-Ball starndards, maybe Hank will take the whole team to Friendly's for a Fribble to celebrate a job well done.

Sox Take Advantage of Ozzie Being Grady

Boston and Chicago were locked at one apiece until the the 7th inning when Boone Logan gave up a singles to Ellsbury and Tek and then walked J.D. Drew. Ozzie came out to the mound but kept the left-handed pitcher in to face right handed hitting Pedroia. Dustin hit a single and drove in a run. Ozzie kept Logan in the game and Big Papi came up and proceeded to hit one off of the wall, clearing the bases. Guillen had finally seen enough but the damage was done. Dice-K pitched very well giving up just 1 run on 4 hits in 8 innings. Timlin came in for the 9th and gave up a 2-out gopher ball to Thome. On a side note, the White Sox lost pitcher Jose Contreras for the season after he ruptured a tendon during tonight's game.

Sox Win 6-2 BOX SCORE

Maybe Jim Rice Sould Be Batting Coach

On his blog ask14.com Jim Rice noticed a problem with Jacoby's swing and the adjustment he has made. Since that point Ellsbury has hit 2 homers in 2 games.

This is sweet!

Despite pounding out 11 hits today at LA or Anaheim, the Yankees were only able to score 4 runs, while limiting the Halos to 11 (eleven) runs. Giese gave up 3 hits and 1 run in 6 innings, but the NY bullpen (Veras, Ramirez, Robertson) then imploded: 2 IP, 8 H, 10 R, 9 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 3 HR.

While I'm enjoying seeing the hankees on the south side of a score like this, it only means the Angels are for real. Although they lost 2 out of 3 to the yanks last week at NY, they have pounded them twice in 2 days: 10-5 yesterday, and 11-4 today.

Beware the Angels come October.

Tonight's Lineup 8/9 in Chicago

J.D. Drew, RF

Dustin Pedroia, 2B

David Ortiz, DH

Kevin Youkilis, 1B

Mike Lowell, 3B

Jason Bay, LF

Jed Lowrie, SS

Jacoby Ellsbury, CF

Jason Varitek, C

Dice-K, SP

I Don't Care If Manny Goes To The Yanks

In the NY Post today they cited several of Manny's friends saying he wanted to play for the Yankees next season to "get back at the Red Sox." Get back for what? Paying you huge amounts of money, having great fan support and granting your trade wishes? Last week Manny said he wanted to retire with the Dodgers. If he wants to go play for the Yankees he can and join Damon, Boggs, and Clemens in the chase the money club. Of course this report only cites Manny's friends and not Manny himself and even if Manny said it we still don't know what he means. If the Yanks want to pay crazy amounts of money to deal with a Manny headache that would be fine by me. The New York media is going to be just as critical of him as the Boston media was and he will become a distraction for the team in a matter of weeks. You want him New York? You can have him.

Ozzie Being Ozzie

Could you imagine Ozzie managing in Boston? The media would have a field day because he would create a firestorm with every post-game press conference. Last week he was suspended by MLB for saying he had his pitcher purposely throw a bean ball. When he got back to the team he did not shy away from the microphone and immediately chimed in about the Manny situation with:

“I don’t know because I wasn’t there, but believe me, I never think Manny’s a quitter and he never will be,” Guillen said. “That’s the way he played the game, but they created their own monster. They created Manny. Manny was Manny, and now all of a sudden Manny’s not Manny.

While I think Ozzie is an a-hole most of the time, he is entertaining because he has no filter and says what's on his mind no matter the consequence.

Friday, August 8, 2008

In case anyone is interested.....(yawn)

#99 for the LA Dodgers went 0-5 tonight and still hasn't cut his hair.

Pedroia's Blast Is Not Enough For Red Sox

Jon Lester and Mark Buehrle were locked in a pitcher's duel for the early innings but Chicago had a 1 run lead after 3. In the 5th the ChiSox were able to get to Lester a bit and added 2 more. The White Sox added one more in the 7th when Boston allowed a runner to score while they were involved in a rundown for the third out. The Red Sox entered the 8th down by 4 but Dustin Pedrioa hit a 3-run homer to put them back in it. Youk got on and Lowell looked like he was going to walk and bring up Bay with the tying run in scoring position but he swung at ball four and popped it up to the catcher. Chicago added another run with a homer in the bottom of the inning and Boston would need to get two against to tie against Jenks. Casey came to the plate with 2 outs and a runner on in the 9th but grounded out to end the game. The Red Sox offense was held to 5 hits by superb pitching by Chicago (aside from Dotel). Lester looked good for most of the game but was not the 'ace' we have seen lately.

Sox Lose 5-3 BOX SCORE

After You Watch the Sox, Root For Seattle So Guys Like This Go Away

The longer we go into the season with the Rays in the mix the worse it will become. Make it stop...please.

David Aardsma Activated

Relief pitcher David Aardsma has been activated from the DL and is with the team in Chicago. Yesterday the Red Sox optioned pitcher Chris Smith to the PawSox to make room for Aardsma's return.

Tonight's Lineup 8/8 on the South Side of Chicago

Coco gets the start over red hot Jacoby, Drew is still in the lead-off spot.

J.D. Drew, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Kevin Youkilis, 1B
Mike Lowell, 3B
Jason Bay, LF
Jed Lowrie, SS
Jason Varitek, C
Coco Crisp, CF Jon Lester, SP

Around the Horn

News you may have missed:

Derek Jeter is having the worst year of his career.

Starting in the 11th inning teams would get runners on first and second base to speed up Olympic Baseball.

Contrary to what Dan Shaughnessy reported yesterday, MLB is not investigating the Manny trade.

Giles Will Veto Trade and Stay in S.D.

Brian Giles has a no trade clause in his contract and according to ESPN will veto a trade to the Red Sox.

What Would the Sox Do With Giles?

Brian Giles is a good hitter but what could the Sox do with him? You can't play him ahead of Bay, Ellsbury, or Drew and the Sox have Coco to fill in the outfield. Buster Olney thinks it is just for insurance if Lowell stays hurt and Ortiz has more wrist issues. He is a nice bat to have on the bench for when rosters are expanded and could give some players a rest down the stretch to get ready for the post-season. The Sox have until the end of the day to finish a deal with San Diego and get Giles to agree to the trade.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Joe Torre: New Team, Still A Tool

No, this story does not have anything to do with Manny on the Dodgers or haircuts. The LA Times ran a story today about the possibility of the Yankees not making the playoffs this year. They interviewed Joe Torre about the topic and he told them: "It's going to be horrible if the Red Sox make it." Joe, for a while I almost felt sorry for you after the way you were dumped by the Yankees. I even found a slight bit of humor in your silly State Farm commercials, but those days are over, you go back to being Yankee scum and part of the Evil Empire. By the way, how does it feel to hold the record for grounding into the most DP's in one game?

Forbes Ranks Sox Fans the Second Most Loyal

Forbes compiled a list of the most loyal fans in baseball based on attendance and winning percentage. The Sox came in second behind Ranger fans. I don't know about that, but at least they got one thing right and put Yankee fans among the least loyal with:

"New Yorkers aren't used to losing, and they don't like it. This isn't to say Yankees fans are rowdy and passionate, but if the club loses, as it did in the early '90s, attendance drops. Back in 1991, it cost less to go to a Yankees game than to a game for the now-defunct Montreal Expos, and even so, only 23,009 people came to each Yankee home game. When they were winning in the early 2000s, attendance doubled."

Bad Juju For the Yankees

After last night's game a small statue of a baseball player was knocked off of Joe Girardi's desk causing the leg to break off. Sounds like more injuries are on the way for the evil empire.

Now We Have to Root For The Canadian Softball Team?

When you are looking for teams to root for in the upcoming Olympics you might want to consider the Canadian softball team who's pitcher is none other than Jason Bay's sister: Lauren Bay Regula.
Regula talked to MLB.com about her brother's experience in Boston, "He's great. He said the guys have been unbelievable to him there," she said. "Jason is a chameleon. He adapts to any surrounding. At first I was worried and I tried to protect him, but I know he's going to be just fine."

Not much Yankin' on the tube either

As posted previously, there's not much Sox on West Coast tube this month, so I decided to take a look to see how much air time our second favorite team is getting this month. That team being whomever the Yankees are playing and again we come up a little short:

Sat 9 Aug, NYY @ LAA on Fox @ 1:00 pm

Mon 1 Sept, NYY @ DET on TBS @ 10:00 am

Are the networks purposely avoiding the throwdown in the Bronx on the 26th, 27th, & 28th just to whet our appetities for the September finale at Fenway?

Is Freddy Garcia Coming to the Sox?

The Sox sent a scout to look at Freddy Garcia throwing in Miami on Tuesday. Garcia is finishing his rehab from season ending sugery last season and now will make a decision to sign with a team. The Sox might have some serious interest in him since Buchholz is still not pitching well and Colon was bad in his last rehab start. The competition will be stiff because the Rays, Yankees, Tigers, Mets, Dodgers, Astros, Brewers, Cubs, Rockies and Phillies are all interested in Garcia too. His agent told ESPN, "Freddy is working hard to come back as a starter," Greenberg said. "That's his goal -- to help a pennant-contending team get to October. There are a lot of factors that he'll take into consideration. But he'd like it to be with a winning team with a chance to help get another ring." - I guess that rules out the Yankees.

If You Can't Join Him, Beat Him

It was just a week ago that rumors were flying that the Red Sox were interested in acquiring reliever Ron Mahay from Kansas City. After last night's performance by Mahay against the Sox, I for one am breathing a sigh of relief (no pun intended).

Mahay came into the game and immediately started giving up hits. In his one inning of work he gave up four hits and three earned runs.

I know, it's only one appearance, but when you are disappointed that the Sox didn't make a move to get new guys in the pen, it's nice to see that Theo is proving you wrong. The Sox get a nice win.

Sox Claim Brian Giles Off Of Waivers

The Red Sox have claimed Padres outfielder Brian Giles off of waivers today. Many believe this is a move to stop him from being claimed by the Rays since the Sox do not need another outfielder at this time. Giles batted .296 with 6 HR and 37 RBI's for the Padres this season.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Ellsbury Is Suddenly On Fire As Sox Win Series On The Road

Jacoby Ellsbury had 2 hits and 2 stolen bases yesterday, tonight he stayed hot by going 3-4 including a 3-run homer. The Sox offense had 12 hits and repeated the beating of last night by putting up a snowman on the Royals. All 8 of the Sox runs were scored with 2 outs. Mike Lowell was the only Sox batter that did not get a hit (0-5). Wake pitched well and the pen was solid, even Paps came in for some work. (although he did give up 2 hits in the 9th) Off day tomorrow for Boston as they travel to the windy city for a weekend series on the South Side.

Sox Win 8-2 Again BOX SCORE

Best Western Sports Bars

We're looking for the the best sports bars in the West for watching the Sox, as well as all other baseball teams and pro sports, emphasis being on the Sox. Send in links to websites, and include as much info as you can about the bar (address, quality of food, choice of ales, number of tubes, Sox memorabilia collections on walls, etc.), and your review to leadfoot_betty@yahoo.com.

We'll be compiling a list and posting it later this month.

Youk is Day To Day After Getting Beaned

The Sox dodged a bullet tonight when X-Rays showed no break, just a contusion on Youk's hand after he was hit by a pitch in the first inning. Youk could miss a few games but will not go on the DL.

Yanks Lose Pudge

The Yankees had to pinch hit for Ivan Rodriguez after he was hurt in a collision at the plate. He did hang on to the ball to end the inning but they had to pinch hit for him when he was due up second in the top of the inning. This is on the same day that the Skankees had to place Joba on the DL. Details on the injury will be posted when available.

Tonight's Lineup 8/6 at K.C.

Pedroia has a day off

Drew RF
Lowrie SS
Ortiz DH
Youkilis 1B
Lowell 3B
Bay LF
Ellsbury CF
Cash C
Cora 2B

Wakefield SP

KC Sportswriter Mistakes Interest in Sox for Interest in Royals

Carthage Press (Missouri) columnist Cody Thorn posted his column under the headline, "Are fans getting interested in the Royals?"

It only takes a second of reading his column to answer his question. No. Fans are staying interested in the Red Sox. The increased attendance in KC is based on a large number of Sox fans turning up in the heartland to cheer for the Sox.

Mr. Thorn, let me introduce you to Red Sox Nation. Thorn goes on to call Kauffman Stadium "Fenway West." Sorry, Mr. Thorn, that name's taken. "How about Fenway in the Heartland."

Mr. Thorn (pictured to the right) also has a long way to go to catch up with Youk in the beard growing arena.

For All You Animal Lovers Out There

PETA has a list of the most veggie friendly minor league ballparks and McCoy Stadium, home of the PawSox is #4 on the list. I have nothing against vegetarians but you can't go to a ball game without getting a hot dog...a real hot dog not a soy dog.

Things I Don't Care About

The Media is focused on some stories that really don't matter so here is a list of the 5 biggest stories that I don't care about and neither should the media.

1. Jason Giambi's Mustache

2. When Manny will cut his hair

3. Sox Appeal premieres

4. Schilling and Manny's run-in from 2005

5. The name of the Doctor Joba is going to see

Big Papi Welcomes Jason Bay to the Team

Do you think the atmosphere is more relaxed in the clubhouse now?

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

More Stats for the Number Freaks

Since August 1st:

Jason Bay

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI AVG
4--21-8-9--2--1--1--6--.429

Manny Ramirez

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI AVG
4-16-5-10-0--0--2--5--.625

We'll check back in with these two periodically.

Good News All Around As Sox Beat Up On K.C.

Ortiz looked good at the plate with no signs of a wrist injury, Jacoby found his swing and speed with 2 hits and 2 steals, the new guy had a 4 hit night, Beckett looked great (7 K's), and the pen only gave up one hit. Unfortunately the Rays also won so the Sox are still 3 games back but the Sox have a much more favorable schedule for the rest of the way. Oh, and the Yanks lost again. A-Rod grounded into a DP to end the game.

Sox Win 8-2 BOX SCORE

For Manny & The Sox: We Will Survive

I'm pretty sure Robert Hunter had no idea who Jason Bay or Manny Ramirez were, or that they would be involved in a big trade between the Sox, Bucs, and Dodgers when he wrote these lyrics some 28 years ago, but it's all right. Kind of suits them anyway.

"Touch of Grey"
Music by Jerry Garcia, Lyrics by Robert Hunter

Must be getting early
Clocks are running late
Paint by number morning sky
Looks so phony

Dawn is breaking everywhere
Light a candle, curse the glare
Draw the curtains I don't care
'cause it's all right

I will get by / I will get by
I will get by / I will survive

I see you've got your list out
Say your piece and get out
Yes I get the gist of it
but it's all right

Sorry that you feel that way
The only thing there is to say
Every silver lining's got a
Touch of grey

I will get by / I will get by
I will get by / I will survive

It's a lesson to me
The Ables and the Bakers and the C's
The ABC's we all must face
And try to keep a little grace

It's a lesson to me
The deltas and the east and the freeze
The ABC's we all think of
Try to give a little love.

I know the rent is in arrears
The dog has not been fed in years
It's even worse than it appears
but it's all right.

Cows giving kerosene
Kid can't read at seventeen
The words he knows are all obscene
but it's all right

I will get by / I will get by
I will get by / I will survive

The shoe is on the hand it fits
There's really nothing much to it
Whistle through your teeth and spit
cause it's all right.

Oh well a Touch Of Grey
Kind of suits you anyway.
That was all I had to say
It's all right.

I will get by / I will get by
I will get by / I will survive

We will get by / We will get by
We will get by / We will survive

Buchholz Can Rest Easy, Colon Gets Shelled in Rehab Outing

If you are thinking that Buchholz's days with the Sox are numbered and he will be replaced by Bartolo Colon in the near future you might want to think again. In his first rehab start since getting injured swinging a bat (the gut got moving too fast) el Gordo did not get through an inning. The Sox had planned for him to pitch two innings tonight for the PawSox in Scranton but he had to be pulled after two-thirds of an inning for giving up four hits, three runs, and a walk. He threw 32 pitches, 18 for strikes and had one K. The Sox are taking the slow road for Colon's recovery so this wil not be much of a setback but it might make Masterson a little happier.

'Tek's Recent Activity at the Plate

Everyone is complaining about Jason Varitek's slump since May 25th. I decided to take a look at his recent activity and found that in 8 games since July 27th (not including tonight's game) he has 6 hits in 21 AB's for a .286 average over that time span.

So there.

Statistics

Baseball is a game of statistics. Just about every nuance of the game is being recorded somewhere.

I found this page that compares Salary v. Performance of MLB teams. As of August 4th, the Angels, Rays, and Twins were getting the most bangs for their bucks, while the teams (wanna take a guess?) that were pissing away their money were led by who else? The Yankees. Runners up at the trough include Mets, Dodgers, and Tigers.

Tonight's Lineup 8/5 at Kansas City

You can breathe easy now, Ortiz is in the lineup and so is Lowell

1. J.D. Drew, RF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
5. Mike Lowell, 3B
6. Jason Bay, LF
7. Jed Lowrie, SS
8. Jason Varitek, C
9. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF

Josh Beckett, SP

Sox Fan Sues Yankees

A Red Sox fan has sued the Yankees because he was attacked at Yankee Stadium while attending a game last August. It will be interesting to see what comes out of the lawsuit and if it forces the Yankees and other teams (like Oakland) to have better security at their games for fans that just want to cheer for the opossing team. At a Red Sox/Oakland game I was at this year a fan kept yelling F-Boston as fans were walking out. He was standing next to a security guard who was just laughing. If teams start to become more financially liable for bad fan behavior we may see a crackdown at some parks.

Theo Talks About the Manny Trade, Ortiz, and the Sox Season

Sox GM Theo Epstein was on WEEI today click here to listen to the interview:

Theo Thinks Big Papi Will Be O.K.

Theo Epstein told WEEI that Ortiz did not mention any problem to Tito or the organization and right now they have no cause for concern. The Sox will find out more later today but Theo did not think it was a big deal at this point.

Sox and Yanks Wait For News On Key Players

It is strange that on the same day both teams involved in a pennant chase would be waiting to here about the injury to a key player on their team. For the Sox it is Ortiz; without his bat (and Manny's) Boston will be in big trouble. For the Yankees it is Joba; New York has no way of replacing him in the rotation should it be a serious injury. Last night Joba left the game with a shoulder injury that could force the Yanks to shut him down. The injuries to Ortiz and Joba could be minor or they could be disastrous. We know what Tampa fans are rooting for. The pennant chase could be decided in a couple of doctor's offices today.

Potentially Devistating News For Sox

David Ortiz may have re-injured his wrist. More from the Herald:

Ortiz revealed after the game he felt a click in his left wrist early in the at-bat against Soria, choosing his words carefully in describing the sensation. “My last at-bat, it kind of pulled back a little bit,” Ortiz said of his wrist. “You feel that click and you get a little concerned about it.

This could just be a minor irritation or could mean that Ortiz will need surgery and miss the remainder of the season. Without Ortiz the Sox would have little chance of winning the A.L. East. I will post an update on the injury when it becomes available.

Monday, August 4, 2008

At Least They Didn't Lose By A Walk-Off Slam

This takes a little sting off of the Sox loss tonight.

Sox Come Up Short in K.C.

The Red Sox could not survive another shaky outing by Clay Buchholz in K.C. tonight. Boston scored two in the first but then had no answer for Meche. They were able to get something started in the 8th but Tek lost a long battle with Mahay to end the inning. In the 9th the Sox had 2 on with one out when Big Papi came to the plate. He grounded out but moved the tying run into scoring position. K.C. chose to walk Youk to load the bases and bring up Jason Bay. A botched play on the left side of the infield put the Sox within one and Casey at the bat. He did not strike out like in the famous story but he did get out on a line drive to right. Boston had their chances late but could not come up with the big hit. The run that Buchholz let in by hitting a batter with bases juiced now hurts even more.

Sox Lose 4-3 BOX SCORE

Tonight's Lineup 8/4 @ K.C.

J.D. Drew is leading off!!! Mike Lowell is out to rest the hip but Bay still does not get the clean-up spot. Game time temp in K.C. will be in the upper 90's.

1. J.D. Drew, RF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Kevin Youkilis, 3B
5. Jason Bay, LF
6. Sean Casey, 1B
7. Jed Lowrie, SS
8. Jason Varitek, C
9. Coco Crisp, CF

Clay Buchholz, SP

Another Day, Another 500 Manny Stories

For those of you that can't get enough Manny news, here's the latest:

SI tells how the Manny trade went down.

Extra Bases has more on the Boras phone call.

Red Sox.com has the Manny mailbag.

Joy of Sox rips WEEI and fans for the "Manny Who" signs

The LA Times has an article on the Torre/Manny haircut issue.

ESPN's Mike and Mike question if Manny's actions in Boston hurt his chances for the Hall.

For those of you that have moved on, I will be posting the lineup for tonight's game at K.C. shortly.

Clay Tries To Get The Mojo Back

The Sox hit the road after the three game sweep of Oakland and head to K.C. We are now almost a year removed from his no-hitter last season; nobody is expecting a repeat of that but we are expecting some significant improvement in his pitching. He has not won a game since May 2 and is 2-6 with a 5.94 ERA this year. With Bartolo beginning his rehab, he may not have many more starts to show improvement or he could join Masterson in the pen or even return to the PawSox. The Manny news may have taken some of the pressure off of Sox pitchers but the spotlight is ready to return. Buchholz is facing the Royals for the first time, the team that was involved in a brawl yesterday. I believe he has a few more starts to prove himself, so even if he implodes today he will still be in the rotation for at least one more start. What he needs is a great start to secure himself a place in the rotation for the remainder of the season. The Royals might be just the type of team that Buchholz needs to get in the grove and prove that he and the Sox can win on the road.

Manny's 16 Tickets

Someone got those 16 tickets!

From the Los Angeles Times:

THE DODGERS sent someone to the left-field pavilion on Saturday night to retrieve the first Dodgers home run hit by Ramirez so he might have a memento. A youngster agreed to surrender it in exchange for a ball autographed by Ramirez and 16 tickets to a Dodgers game. The Dodgers complied -- the coincidence amazing. Ramirez made national news recently when he pushed the Red Sox's traveling secretary to the ground after a dispute involving tickets he wanted for his family. Ramirez had asked for 16 tickets.

Do you think that kid knew what he was doing?

Why Jason Bay Will Thrive at Boston

It's his destiny.

From redsox.com:

A couple of things he may not have had time to pack came from his childhood in British Columbia, Canada, where his father, Dave Bay, was a huge Red Sox fan.

"For whatever reason, my dad was a diehard Red Sox fan," Bay said. "I had a onesie when I was however old, and it was a Red Sox onesie and I still have it. I grew up my entire life with two big posters -- one of Jim Rice and the other of Carl Yastrzemski with the 'New England -- I Love You' saying under it. They are still in my parents' basement."

Injury Update

David Aardsma- He played in a game in Pawtucket yesterday, getting 3 quick outs on 14 pitches. Look for him to rejoin the big club by the end of the week.

Bartolo Colon- He will pitch in his first rehab game with the PawSox on Tuesday for 2 innings and continue to build up arm strength. The Sox are taking his rehab very slow to make sure he is ready. Look for a late August return.

Julio Lugo- He jogged in the outfield for the second straight day and is ahead of schedule for return. He was originally thought to be coming back in late August but could now be just over a week away. With Lowrie playing so well at short it will be a tough move for Tito to bring the much maligned Lugo back.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Jerry Remy on Manny

Jerry Remy put in his 2 cents on Manny in a blog post on Sawxheads, here are a few highlights:

Over the years their have been several episodes where he acted, or said things, that were hard to explain. So we learned to explain it away as "Manny being Manny." The lasts few weeks however can only be described as "Manny being maniacal." As the saying goes, it always takes two to tango. However, a large share of the negative atmosphere that has been swirling around the team lately falls on Manny’s shoulders....The Red Sox will now be able to clear the air and move on, Terry Francona will sleep much better I am sure, and Jason Bay should be welcomed with open arms. I honestly wish Manny the best in the future and I hope he finds the peace he says he is looking for.

I totally agree with Jerry on the Manny situation. It is hard to know exactly what went on because we don't get to talk with the players or management but I have not seen anyone affiliated with the Sox in any way (players, executives, print media) take Manny's side in any of this. I think the situation was unfortunate for Manny since he has given Sox fans so much over the years. I also think it is unfortunate for how it has divided Red Sox Nation into the Manny lovers vs. the Manny haters with a great deal of us stuck somewhere in the middle.

This does not mean that Manny does not have anyone who thinks he was treated unfairly, he does. Over at Joy of Sox they think Remy and Orsillo were spewing propaganda for Sox ownership when they discussed Manny the other night. Nomar also has Manny's back in today's LA Times, saying: "We never left. They traded us. We didn't leave."

Meanwhile, at the Yankees old timers game

David Wells had this to say about the new Yankee Stadium:

"I don't think the old ghosts are going to follow them across the street. I don't think the Yankees are going to be as good. The new building is nice, but it's not the same."

Interview With Sox Prospect Lars Anderson

NECN has a great interview with Sox prospect Lars Anderson who was recently promoted to Portland. Lars could be the power hitter of the Sox in the future. Check out his profile at SoxProspects.com.

Is the Elephant Out of the Room? Looks Like It!

The Sox have now won 3 straight games, finishing a sweep of the A's today, winning 5-2 behind Dice-K's 6 IP, 4 hit, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K performance. The bullpen did their job, Lowrie (2/3, 1 run, 2 RBI's) and Bay (2/4, 2 runs) continue to excel, as well as Youk who also had 2 hits.

Papi drew 2 walks, 1 of which was intentional. With Mike Lowell hurting and in a bit of a slump, will Bay move up in the line up? I don't think it will happen yet, but I'm sure Tito is aware of this possibility. Papi may have been hurt the most by Manny's departure as it looked he was missing a little bit of spring in his jog to 1st, but he did steal a base today.

Now that the room has been cleared of distractions, the Sox look like they are back on track. They now leave for KC for a 3 game tune up before heading into a real 4 game test in Chicago.

Sox win 5-2: BOX SCORE

Today's Lineup 8/3 vs. the A's

Pedroia, 2B
Youkilis, 1B
Ortiz, DH
Lowell, 3B
Bay, LF
Lowrie, SS
Varitek, C
Crisp, CF
Ellsbury, RF

Matsuzaka, sp

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