Halladay flattens PawSox

Today’s Sox line-up looked more like the Pawtucket Red Sox starting 9 than Boston’s normal starting line-up. All the regular position starters except for Papi and Gonzie had the day off to rest, as the Sox have qualified for the playoffs. Halladay had a no hitter going through the fifth when Joey Gathright singled. It took Halladay all of 100 pitches to dispense the Sox, allowing three piddly hits, walking two, and striking out six in his shutout performance. His opponent on the mound for the Sox was the elder statesman Tim Wakefield, who did not fare so well. In his shortest outing of the season, Wake gave up 7 hits and 5 runs.

Auditions were being held for the postseason bullpen roster: Cabrera, Richardson, Delcarmen, Jones, Okajima, and Brown. Wait a minute- Brown? Brown who? Catcher Dusty Brown was the third position player to be used as a relief pitcher this season by the Sox, Nick Green and Jonathan Van Every preceding him, setting a record in the process. Brown actually made it through the 9th inning allowing only 2 hits and 1 run, which was better than Francisco Cabrera and Manny Delcarmen. Cabrera gave up 3 runs in his 1 inning, Delcarmen gave up 3 hits and 2 runs. Yes, another disaster for MDC, but will it spell doom for Manny’s playoff spot? And what of Wake’s poor showing in his last game of the regular season as well? These are questions that won’t be answered until the last playoff spot has been determined (Twins or Tigers) and New York decides which playoff schedule they prefer.

The glowing embers of tonight’s Roadhouse burning down include Richardson and Jones who each pitched scoreless innings, and Joey Gathright. Gathright went 2 for 4 and made a diving catch that would make Coco Crisp and Jacoby Ellsbury proud.

PawSox Lose 0-12 BOX SCORE

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The cork is stuck!

Somebody go find a corkscrew that works so we can open the champagne! Is somebody from da Bronx slippin’ some SUCK into the Sox’s Gatorade or what?

Buchholz gave up 5 home runs, and 8 runs, 4 of them in the 1st inning. Tonight’s bullpen conga line consisted of Ramirez, Saito, Wagner, and Papelbon were mostly effective in slowing down the runaway train that Buchholz unleashed- 4 IP, and only 1 run. Y’see, the BJ’s took off to an 8-2 lead by the time the bottom of the 8th inning arrived when the Sox mounted a 5 run attack which brought them to within 1 run of tying, hence Papelbon’s appearance in the top of the 9th inning. The Sox had men on 1st and 2nd, 2 outs, with Youk at the plate. You can’t write a better script. Unfortunately the author of this drama must have been Canadian. Youk looked at a called 3rd strike.



Sox Lose 7-8 BOX SCORE

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Blue Jays	4	1	1	0	1	0	1	0	0	8	11	0
Red Sox	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	5	0	7	14	1

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OK, Beckett is scaring me now, but Sox still win

This is his 3rd $#!+ start in a row! He’s looking like last year’s model that went 12-10, with a 4.03 ERA, not the robo-hurler who was mowing down the AL for most of the 2009 campaign. Is he hiding an injury? Is he tipping his pitches? What? Anyone? Bueller? Beckett’s line tonight: 5 innings, 5 hits (2 were round-trippers), 5 runs, 5 earned runs, 5 walks; all this despite striking out 9 Jays. He was saved however, by Jason Bay’s 29th HR of the season, which tied up the game by the end of the 5th inning. Casey Kotchman pinch hit for A-Gonz in the 8th inning, grounded out, but drove in the game winning run. Tonight’s bullpen crew of Saito, Bard, Okajima, and Papelbon throttled the Jays for the remainder of the game.

Sox Win 6-5 BOX SCORE

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Big League Brain Fart by Toronto's Cecil

Jason Bay advanced from 1st to 3rd last night in the top of the 4th inning on rookie Brett Cecil's big league brain fart. The score was tied at 1-1 with Bay, who had drawn a walk to lead off the inning, standing on 1st base. After missing wide with a ball, Toronto catcher Rod Barajas weakly threw the ball back to Cecil who missed the catch, walked towards the SS to retrieve the ball, looked at it very quickly, and threw it into the Blue Jays dugout without calling for a time out. The ball was still live, Bay advanced to 2nd base and was eventually awarded 3rd base on the throwing error. Cecil had his arms up in the air as if to say 'What did I do?', as it took the umpires an extra moment or two to realize that he hadn't called for the time out. Bay turned out to be the winning run when two batters later, Mike Lowell singled to bring him in to score.

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Yankees: Beware

This is not the same Sox team you swept earlier this month in your house. You're playing in Fenway against a team that has resumed it's winning ways prior to the All Star Game. The Sox just swept the Toronto Blue Jays, always a good team, just in the wrong division. The Sox beat Toronto tonight by a score of 8-1 behind the pitching of Jon Lester and 2 HR's from J.D. Drew. Lester went 8 innings, allowing 3 H's and 1 R while striking out 5. Drew went 4/4, and Martinez added another HR.

The Sox are 6.5 GB the Yankees. Penny and Tazawa are the next 2 pitchers up for Boston. Let's hope they turn in a pair of good performances and the bats stay hot. This series ends on Sunday with Beckett up against Sabathia. Beckett will be looking to rebound after a rare poor performance in his last outing. Sabathia beat Buchholz in a pitcher's duel the last time he faced the Sox.

Sox Win 8-1 BOX SCORE

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Buchholz would have none of that

Buchholz would have none of that 'pitching like an ace and losing' crap anymore. In his last 2 starts Buchholz was finally looking like the prospect as he has been touted: 13 IP, 4 H's, 3 ER's, 6 K's, total for the 2 games. Unfortunately he was bested in those pitcher's duels by Justin Verlander of the Tigers and CC Sabathia of the Yankees.

Tonight was no different, except that the Sox bats were alive and there was no bullpen implosion, either. Buchholz can probably see that 'Entering RI, The Ocean State' sign disappearing fast in his rear view mirror. (The perps only got to 2 of his rims before being nabbed, and not the rear view mirrors.) He turned in another great game tonight: 6 IP, 6 H's, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K's, lowering his ERA to below 4.00, and got run support this time. The Sox tagged Toronto ace Halladay for 5 runs by the time the 5th inning had ended. Ortiz, Bay, and Martinez all had HR's for the Sox, who banged out 10 H's total.

Sox Win 6-1 BOX SCORE

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Roy Halladay: Looking for a New Home?

So, the trade rumors have been all a flutter in the last couple days with the announcement that the Toronto Blue Jays are open to trading their ace Roy Halladay.

Which of course brings up the topic of who will get him? The Blue Jays GM said he would be open to a trade to another AL East rival...mainly the Red Sox or Yankees.

Halladay has said he likes it in Toronto and would like to stay, but he also said that at this point in his career...he has a desire to win. Wow...what a backhanded way of saying that your current ballclub has no ability to bring you to the post season. Of course, we know Doc's comments are true, I was just surprised to hear him say it.

Jon Heyman on the twitter just said that Halladay is "shy" but that he would likely accept a trade to New York, Boston or the Phillies.

So, it begs the question....if Doc is traded, where would he most likely end up?

It is stated that the Jays are looking for a high quality short stop and some other considerations. I mean, we are talking about Roy Halladay here. Well, since the Red Sox are looking for a high quality short stop as well, I don't think we have what they are looking for. I doubt they would consider trading Doc for Lugo, eh? Now...the possibility of Nick Green and some baby pitchers...that's a possibility....not a good possibility, but still a possibility.

Of course we want Doc Halladay. No one could say they would not want that pitching machine on their staff. However, the question is do we NEED him? Is he worth what we would have to give up? My answer is no. Doc is unquestionable an ace. He is someone who leads ballclubs. We already have two dueling aces in Josh Beckett and Jon Lester. We also have an abundance of pitching. We have Beckett, Lester, Wake, Penny, Smoltz....and Buchholz and Bowden just sitting around twiddling their thumbs in AAA. We have Dice-K continuing his version of spring training in July. Oh...and we also have the enigma that is Justin Masterson who can start games, long relief and even close games. So, our need for pitching is not really there, but it's hard to not want in on something that includes the name Roy Halladay.

My heart sinks when my brain tells me where I think he will end up if in fact he does get traded. That's right folks...the Yankees. Sighs. With Wang going on the DL and the Yanks not having all these other pitchers lying around waiting for the chance to pitch, they would be in the market for a quality starting pitcher. If the Yankees are in the market for a pitcher and Roy Halladay is on the trade market...how does that not look like something that would happen? The question is if the Yankees have enough or what the Blue Jays want. One, we know the Yankees are much more willing than the Red Sox to trade prospects. And two, even if they don't have what the Blue Jays want, they might get into a 3 way trade with another team to get the deal done. The Yankees will always sign away the promise of tomorrow for the victories of today.

Let me just say two things about these Doc Halladay rumors:

1) I hope that he either stays with the Blue Jays or gets traded to the Phillies. Both of those I can accept. If he gets sent to the Bronx, the depression that will follow will be out of control.

2) Every time someone mentions trading Clay Buchholz, even when it involves Doc Halladay...I have a full and complete tantrum. So, STOP IT! My tanturms are not pretty people.

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What a Difference a Week Makes

When the Blue Jays entered Fenway last week the series was billed as the playoffs in May. The Jays were in first place and there was talk that they might do what the Rays did last year. Jays fans were feeling very confident as seen from the interview I did with the Toronto Sports and the City blog:

FW: How confident are you that the Blue Jays will be in the playoff hunt in August?

S&TC: August? I'm thinking October. The Blue Jays are winning the pennant.

The Blue Jays have now lost 9 in a row and the confidence is gone:

Amazing. In the space of one road trip, skittish Jays fans have gone from puffing out their chests with pride and planning an October parade route down Yonge Street, to demanding a dismantling of the roster, looking over their shoulders with fear and trepidation at the Orioles.

Wake is starting tonight against Cassey Janssen in Toronto. This series could let the Jays back in the hunt or send them on their way to a fire sale before the trade deadline.

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A View From the North

Fenway West interviewed the Toronto blog "Sports and the City" to get their take on the Blue Jays and the A.L. East this season.

FW: How confident are you that the Blue Jays will be in the playoff hunt in August?

S&TC: August? I'm thinking October. The Blue Jays are winning the pennant.

FW: What is the biggest need for the Jays?

S&TC: Healthy pitchers: Ricky Romero, Casey Janssen, and Jesse Litsch are all battling back from injury. Shaun Marcum could be ready to pitch in August. Also, increased production from three and four hitters Alex Rios and Vernon Wells. The best offense in the American League has yet to receive much from two of their most important and historically productive hitters. Be afraid. Be very afraid.


FW: Do you foresee them making any big moves before the deadline?

S&TC: I don't. The return of healthy arms, one by one, will be the equivalent of big moves before the deadline, especially Marcum in August, if he's ready to go.

FW: How much does Toronto miss A.J. Burnett?

S&TC: Who's A.J. Burnett?

FW: Who has been the Jays MVP so far? Why?

S&TC: The Jays are the best team in the AL East thanks to three co-MVPs: Aaron Hill, Roy Halladay, and Marco Scutaro. Hill can rake, and will prove to be better than Dustin Pedroia. Doc is, well, Doc; the best pitcher in baseball. Scutaro is getting on base like nobody's business, and has been flawless in the field.

FW: What do Jays fans think of Kevin Millar?

S&TC: We have embraced him. "Cowboy Up!"

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Blue Jays in 1st Place? Not For Long!!!

Boston's bats were all on fire as the Sox pummeled the 1st place Jays 8-3 tonight. Five (5), count 'em 5 balls were sent out of the yard, including 2 by 'Tek (Who says he's all washed up?!), solo shots by Lowell and Bay, and the most important one of the night- Big Papi's.

The Sox plated 6 men in the 5th inning. Every starter had at least 1 hit, and 7 of 9 starters scored a run. This was Youk's first game back from the DL, and he picked up right where he left before missing 15 days- 3/5 with 1 run scored, raising his BA to .404. Bay, Lowell, and 'Tek each had 2 hits.

The big news of the night is that Papi finally got that monkey off his back, and sent the elephant in the room with it. Papi went 2 for 5, the home run in the 5th, a double, and 2 RBI's.

Brad Penny turned in a good start going 6.2 innings, scattering 9 hits, while allowing only 2 runs. He struck out 2 and issued only 1 BB. MDC, Oki, and Saito pitched 1.2 innings of scoreless relief. In there too, was Bard who pitched 2/3 inning, allowing 3 hits and 1 run.

SOX WIN 8-3 BOX SCORE

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Blue Jays	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	0	3	14	0
Red Sox	0	0	2	0	6	0	0	0	0	8	15	0

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Breaking News: Papi Homers!

David "Big Papi" Ortiz has finally hit his first home run of the year against Brett Cecil of the Toronto Blue Jays in the 6th inning of the game underway right now at Fenway Park.

The Sox are in the middle of taking the Jays out behind the woodshed right now. Besides Papi's homer, 'Tek has 2 homers today so far, Lowell has one, Baldelli has a triple.....



Update after the game! Sox lead 8-0 in the 6th!

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Killing 2 Birds with One Stone

I kept waiting for this video to be funnier but then I realized it was made by a Blue Jays fan. A-Rod is the target but I think Jays fans come out looking like bigger losers in this one:

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Johnny Damon Strikes Out, 3 Umps Call It

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