Fenway West - The Boston Red Sox Western Home

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Dustin & Derek Sittin' in a Tree....

These guys at the WBC are having just way too much fun! And it looks like Dustin Pedroia is getting the best of Mr. Jeter. First off, Jeter has quite an interesting array of infield teammates around him: Youk & Pedroia to his left on the diamond, and to his right at 3rd base, he has David Wright of the Mets.

Anthony McCaron of the NY Times reports that Pedroia ripped a Jeter deodorant ad out of a magazine and taped it to his locker in Toronto at the WBC. In the ad, the Yankee captain is depicted keeping cool despite being in a hostile environment- outside [of] Fenway.

"That was pretty funny," Jeter said, laughing. "He's pretty fun to be around....It's all in good fun and I enjoy it."

Chipper Jones added:

"They go at it constantly. It's fun when Yankees and Red Sox go at each other, because you know they're going to hate each other in a month."

On top of that, Pedroia, who is now blogging for WEEI, (thanks to Bottom Line Rob for pointing that out to me), says Jeter can't do push ups. During batting practice, some team USA players played a game. According to Pedroia:

So this is how the game went during Monday’s workout: Each of us taking batting practice can’t hit a ball foul or it will cost five push-ups. Then if we hit a ball we think is going out you have to call it, but if it doesn’t go out then that will cost you five push-ups. I end up hitting a couple of line-drives that hit the top of the fence that I thought were gone. So I did my push-ups … real push-ups. Derek Jeter? Well, he didn’t really go down all the way. I’m not a trainer or anything, but those weren’t push-ups.

Or as 'Ah-nold' the governator of CA might say, 'girly-man' push-ups?

Lowell is Back

Mike Lowell took the field for the first time since he was sidelined in the ALCS due to his hip injury. From Extra Bases:

With runners on second and third, Lowell struck out swinging on three pitches. He took the first pitch from Brian Bass for a strike, fouled the second one off, then reached out on an awkward swing for a low and outside pitch that couldn't sniff the strike zone. The plan was for him to get two at bats in this game.

The Red Sox really need Mike Lowell to be at full strength when the season starts, he has plenty of time to get his swing worked out before opening day.

Red Sox/WBC Roundup

Jason Bay played yesterday going 2-2 with 3 RBI's but his good effort at the plate did not help Canada as they were eliminated from the tourney with a 6-2 loss to Italy. Team USA will play the winner of the Italy/Venezuela game on Wednesday. Big Papi will play tonight in a rematch with the Netherlands.

The Red Sox played a 4 hour game against the Pirates winning 15-14. Lester gave up 4 runs (1 earned) in 2 1/3 innings of work. Manny Delcarmen gave up 2 runs in 1 inning. Jeff Bailey went 3-4 and Josh Bard had two hits in the game. Nick Green continued swing a hot bat with a homer in the game.

Mike Lowell returns to action today against Baltimore.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Dustin Pedroia Commercial

Red Sox Look to the Future

Watch Chad Finn from Touching All The Bases analyze the Red Sox plans for the future.

Red Sox/WBC Roundup

Youk continues to own the world with another tater yesterday. He went 2-6 with 2 RBI's and 4 runs.

Pedroia had a bases loaded double in the game and went 1-6 with 2 RBI's in Team USA's 15-6 victory over Venezuela.

Ortiz went 1-2 with a RBI and a walk as the Dominican Republic avoided elimination.

Jason Bay will be in action later today for Team Canada.

Back in Fort Myers the Red Sox beat the Rays 8-2. Masterson started the game and pitched 3 shutout innings only giving up 1 hit. Lugo went 3-3 with 2 RBI's and Green had another homer.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Lester Gets a 5 Year Deal

The Red Sox locked up Jon Lester for 5 more years with a team option for a 6th year. The deal is worth $30 million with the option at $13 million.

Hat tip to The Bottom Line for spotting this.

Today's Red Sox Lineup vs. the Rays

1. Julio Lugo, SS
2. Rocco Baldelli, DH
3. Jason Varitek, C
4. J.D. Drew, RF
5. Lars Anderson, 1B
6. Chip Ambres, LF
7. Jonathan Van Every, 8
8. Nick Green, 3B
9. Ivan Ochoa, 2B

Justin Masterson SP

Ellsbury now has a hamstring issue:

Jacoby Ellsbury, however, has a slight discomfort in his hamstring, and probably won't be making the trip to Bradenton tomorrow to play the Pirates. Francona stressed that it was no big deal, however.

Saturday, March 7, 2009

WBC/Sox Roundup

Today was a busy day for following all of the baseball action with Red Sox players scattered around for the World Baseball Classic and spring training. Here's a breakdown of how things went:

Dice-K - got the W for Team Japan but was not great
Youk- scored three runs for team USA with two walks and a homer.
Pedroia- 1-5 4LOB
Bay 0-2 3BB 1 run scored for Team Canada
Big Papi 0-2 2BB for DR

In the Grapefruit League the Red Sox lost to the Rays 15-7. Wake gave up 4 runs in 3 innings (2 earned) and Hansack gave up 5 in 1 2/3 (none earned). Kottaras and Van Every both had home runs in the game.

New Injury for Baldelli

Rocco Baldelli has a new reason for being out, he missed today's game and may miss tomorrow's as well:

"Maybe. We ll see," said Francona. "He's a little tight in his groin, so I really didn't want to push that. It's been the last couple days. So it makes sense to stay away until he's not feeling it anymore."

Today's Red Sox Lineup vs. the Rays

Ellsbury, CF
Lowrie 3B
Carter, 1B
Wilkerson, RF
Bailey, LF
McAnulty, DH
Bard, C
Green, 2B
Diaz, SS

Wakefield, SP

Dice-K Gets the Win for Team Japan

Defending World Baseball Classic Team Japan earned a win last night by beating South Korea 14-2. Dice-K went four innings giving up 4 hits and two runs. Not a great outing for Matsuzaka as he had two walks and gave up a homer, but he did get the win.

Friday, March 6, 2009

Where Are They Now: Dave Roberts

Every real Red Sox fan knows who Dave Roberts is. Just the mere mention of his name makes a Sox fan giddy with glee.

Roberts spent 2 seasons with the Padres, hitting .293 and stealing 49 bases in 2006. He then signed a lucrative 3 year contract with the Giants, but only managed to play in 166 games for them in two years. Sadly for Roberts, in the Giants pursuit of youth, he was released yesterday in a move that may cost the them over 6 million.

While this move may cost the Giant's some long scratch, it does give Roberts time to hook up with another team. However, should this not come to pass, this scribe thinks it would be a most befitting honor were Theo to sign Roberts to a 1 day contract. It has been suggested that Theo is not a GM prone to give out such deals, but this is Dave Roberts we're talking about! His name will live on in Red Sox history forever, with or without such a contract. He changed the course of Red Sox history. If he decides to hang up his cleats, his last game without a doubt should be in a Red Sox uniform. Give him one more chance, one last chance to steal one last base. Against the Yankees.

What a Difference a Year Makes

One year ago Josh Beckett came up with a strange injury that seemed to dog him all year long. In his third start of spring he has shown that the injuries are behind him and he is ready to regain the spot as the ace of the Red Sox staff. Beckett spoke with reporters after the game:

"I felt good today," said Beckett. "When you go into those games, I think sometimes, especially in the first inning, it's always been a problem for me whenever I have a lot of energy. I have to kind of harness it and remember the things I need to do on those days. One of those things I try to remember is that less is more.
"It's going to be easier to locate the ball if maybe I don't try as hard. Sometimes that's one of the tough things for me, because I do consider myself a max-effort guy. There's not a whole lot of pitches I've ever thrown that I went 80 percent at."

Beckett pitched three scoreless innings giving up three hits in today's win against the Marlins.

Today's Red Sox Lineup vs. the Marlins

J.D. Drew is back in action.

1. Josh Reddick, RF
2. Julio Lugo, SS
3. Jason Varitek, C
4. J.D. Drew, DH
5. Jeff Bailey, 1B
6. Jed Lowrie, 3B
7. Zach Daeges, LF
8. Chip Ambres, CF
9. Ivan Ochoa, 2B

Josh Beckett, SP

Youk and Pedroia on Letterman

Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia participated in the Top Ten list on Letterman last night. View the video here.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

PLAY BALL

Ok, so as most Red Sox fans do as the start of the season nears, I find myself comparing what we’ve got to what the Yanks have. This year, as we all know, with the Yanks adding possibly the two best free agents (CC and Tex) and then some, I find myself in a position that I haven’t been since 2002. I think the Yankees are better. Please don’t yell. Let’s just think about it OK? Who doesn’t think the Yankees under-achieved last year?
Be honest. So, this year, what if Wang stays healthy and Cano remembers how to hit. Sure both the SOX and the Yanks have a lot of questions going into the year, but, and I HATE TO SAY THIS, I fear the Yanks have more answers.

C - Tek vs. Jorge : I love Tek, his defense leaves no doubt, but he just can't hit anymore and Jorge hits like a madman, if he is healthy. Bard has the ability to tip this in our favor a bit, but not enough
Edge Yanks
1B - Youk vs. Tex: Again, love Youk and his sweat glands, but are we supposed to think he is going to hit 30 HRs? We KNOW Tex will (at least), and they are a wash in the field (except Youk's versatility to go to 3rd)
Edge Yanks, but not by much, almost a push but the power number tilt this one.
2B - The Destroya vs. Cano: Cano can be good, but with no indication that Dusty is going to slow down and Cano's recent struggles.....
Edge - SOX
SS - Lugo/Lowrie vs. Jeter: As much as I love the POTENTIAL of Lowrie and the fact that Jeter is getting older, no one comes through more when the Yanks need a hit than Jeter.
Edge - Yanks
3B - Lowell vs AROID: This really isn't fair to Lowell, he is great and defensively he gets the nod, but come on, AROID going to hit 40+ HRs and we don't know if Lowell is even going to be healthy......
Edge - Yanks
LF - Bay vs. Damon/Matsui: Bay is younger and more comfortable in the clubhouse now, I think he has a great year at the plate, he may approach 35 HR and 110 RBI’s depending where he hits in the lineup. Defensively - he is better all around than both of the Yanks, plus I wouldn’t give the traitor an edge in anything.
Edge SOX
CF- Ellsbury vs. Swisher/Cabrera: Swisher has power and Cabrera is really good, but Ellsbury beefed up in the off season putting on some muscle, I don't even think this one is close
Edge -SOX
RF - Drew vs Nady: - If Drew is healthy, Drew is better, but that is a HUGE IF. Drew is better defensively and they are close at the plate.
Edge - SOX
SP - Beckett vs. CC: #1 and #2 from Cy Young two years ago. CC struggled a bit in the AL first half last year and was a stud in the NL. Becks struggled with injuries. I’m predicting an injury or arm fatigue for CC and a comeback year for Josh, but since that is just a prediction.
Edge - Push
SP - Lester vs. Wang: Lester was AWESOME last year, but a career high in innings could affect him this year, lets hope not. Wang is very, very good.
Edge - Push
SP - Dice K vs. Burnett: Health is always a question with Burnett, but we saw what he did with the Blue Jays last year, now give him what should be a very good Yankees offense and he could have a career high in wins, IF HEALTHY. Dice K pitching in the WBC worries me, remember two years ago?
Edge - Push
SP - Wake vs. Chamberlain: Look, I know we can pencil Wake in for 15 wins, but it is the 15 or so losses and his ERA in those losses that worry me. Joba is unproven, but could be very good.
Edge - Yanks
SP - Penny/Buchholz/Smoltz/Masterson vs Pettitte: Again, health is huge here. Penny is good when he wants to be, Smoltz was a stud, Buchholz and Masterson, we’ll see. Pettitte is Pettitte.

CP - Paps vs Rivera: I'd say dead even, unless Rivera decides to get old this year, but haven't we been waiting for that for years? Both of these guys are great.
Edge - Push
Bullpen: After Marte, the Yanks do not have much proven talent there, and the Sox may have the best pen in baseball
Edge - SOX
Bench: They look pretty even, both will have some veterans, but the key in this whole thing is Baldelli. If he is healthy, he tips the edge to the SOX
Edge – SOX
Manager – Tito vs Giradi: Tito has his challenges with in-game decisions and when in doubt, I always go with a former catcher.
Edge – Yanks
So what does any of this mean???? NOTHING. That is why they play the game. Who would have thought that the Rays would win the division last year (put your hands down, I mean, would you have put money on it, come on)? This year has the potential to be very special. When I look at the SOX, I think that they are capable of winning it all again, but that will require some luck and good fortune. All I can say now is, PLAY BALL.

A-Rod* To Miss First Month of Season

Looks like those steroid injuries are starting to surface; A-Rod* will miss April.

Good News on Smoltz, Bad News on Penny

We all know you can never have too much pitching, and the old adage rings true today. The Red Sox had to move Brad Penny's first start of spring back due to shoulder fatigue:

“I just don’t think the shoulder strength is quite where it needed to be yet,” Penny said. “It was better to take it easy right now rather than have it flare up on me. I’m staying on the shoulder program and I’m still going to play catch to build shoulder strength.”

Great, he is going to play catch....see you in July.

The news is much better for John Smoltz:

Smoltz had surgery on his shoulder last June and his rehab has gone very well to a point where the Red Sox have had to put the reins on the veteran right-hander so he doesn't push it too much.
But there's a chance he could be ready before the originally scheduled return date of June 1.
"If he's ready to pitch we're not going to hold him back," said Francona. "It's going to end up being pretty close."

With all of this it looks like Masterson could end up in the starting rotation on opening day.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Rolling Green Monster Update

Rocky Rhodes & his 'Rolling Green Monster' (RGM) have arrived in California. He's been travelling XC in his rolling monument to the Red Sox, while raising awareness for The Jimmy Fund and cancer research. He's currently in San Jose and will be visiting San Francisco Thursday, albeit without the RGM. Current plans have him returning to The City on Friday or Saturday in the RGM for a visit to CT Yankee Sports Bar & Grill at 17th & Connecticut. I will see him tomorrow and will update here with more details of his Northern CA itinerary.

Red Sox National Games on Fox TV

For those of you without NESN or MLB Extra Innings, here are the date the Red Sox will be on Fox in the upcoming season. Unfortunately McCarver and Buck are still on the broadcast team.

Saturday, April 11, 2009
Boston Red Sox at Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Saturday, April 25, 2009
New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox

Saturday, May 9, 2009 (*3:30 PM ET)
Tampa Bay Rays at Boston Red Sox

Saturday, June 27, 2009
Boston Red Sox at Atlanta Braves

Tuesday, July 14, 2009 – 8:00 PM ET
2009 MLB All-Star Game
Busch Stadium – St. Louis, MO

Saturday, August 22, 2009
New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox

Saturday, September 5, 2009
Boston Red Sox at Chicago White Sox

Red Sox Sonoma

Introduction time, folks! Entering my second season writing for Fenway West, I thought I'd introduce myself, and give you a little background into my Red Sox history. Last year I discovered Sawxheads.com, a social networking site for Red Sox fans, not unlike myspace, except that it's devoted totally to all affairs Red Sox. Someone there questioned my fandom? fanhood? so in response, I wrote my Red Sox bio, as it were. I've already written about my father and his baseball history, so here goes my story as we find ourselves about to start a new season!

My name is Dave, & I am a Red Sox fanatic.

Can I remember the starting line-up of the ’79 Sox? No. The ’98 Sox? No. I don’t have the Green Monster painted on the wall in my living room, and I don’t have any Yankee TP (but I’d like to.) It’s been years since I’ve been to a game at Fenway Park. I can count the number of games I’ve been to there on one hand. (I have managed to go on a tour of the park since my last game.)

I do reme

mber, however, the sofa I was sitting on at the summer house as I watched in horror as Tony C. got beaned 41 years ago. Eight years later, I was sitting on the same sofa watching Fisk wave the ball fair. In 1978, I was driving up the Florida Turnpike listening to the radio when Bucky Fn Dent….

I found myself in a bar in Death Valley National Park in 1986, when Buckner…

I got so unbelievably shit faced that night after the game that I couldn’t get out of bed for the next three days. Not even to puke.

Could anyone ever forget the R-O-G-E-R chant in October of '99? I remember the look on Wake’s face after Boone hit his shot in ’03. The following October, I was home from work for 6 weeks after knee surgery, watching the whole post-season. That’s why I planned the surgery for mid-October! How about the pair of 17-1 games against the Yanks? And then of course there were the 4 back-to-back-to-back-to-back home runs against the Yankees in 2007. I can still hear Jon Miller: "And that one's headed for New Hampshire!!!"

There were several years I didn’t pay much attention to the Sox and baseball. For many years I had been actively involved in competition water skiing at the amateur and intercollegiate levels, thus tying up all my summers during that time span. I also spent three summers in Sequoia and King’s Canyon National Parks, where there was no TV or radio. We considered ourselves lucky if we saw a 3 day old newspaper maybe twice a week. However, the box scores, recaps, and standings were read in every newspaper I ever did get my hands on in all those years.

Somew

here around 1966 or 1967, this dorky, unathletic, 8 or 9 year old kid growing up about 50 miles south of Fenway, tried to emulate his older brother who was playing Little League and high school ball. I picked up a bat and a glove, and played sandlot ball with the other neighborhood kids. I usually played right field as most of the hits went to left, and I usually was at the bottom of the order. The Sox had gone from worst in ’66 to first in ’67 and there was a baseball buzz in New England that hadn’t been felt in years, although I didn’t know it at the time. I remember sometime in the late ‘60’s laying on the aforementioned sofa not feeling too well watching the Sox win and then feeling better. Of course I attributed feeling better to the Sox winning and not to whatever medicine my mom might have given me. I was hooked. 40 years later, I’m still here, I’m still a Red Sox fan.

Yaz, Tony C., Reggie Smith, Joe Foy, Rico Petrocelli, Mike Andrews, George Scott, Jim Lonborg, and damn if I can’t remember the catcher’s name!* No, I did not look those names up. Flashy Hawk Harrelson came in to replace Tony C. Do you remember that rocket that Jose Tartabull fired into home from right field and got the runner out? I still have my old copy of "The Impossible Dream" vinyl LP.

Thanks again to Matt O’Donnell, owner of the FenwayWest.com blog for inviting me to be a contributor to his blog. I had been active in on-line music discussion groups, and started a small Red Sox group for Sox fans in the Sonoma (CA) area. Matt saw my writings in that forum and liked what I wrote. I’m home a lot these days and writing about the Sox has been very enjoyable and therapeutic during this uncertain time of change, as well as rewarding in its own right.

The Sox won’t win every World Series in 4 games, they won’t win every World Series, nor the pennant, not even their division. (Same goes for the Yankees. Get used to it, Evil Empire.) Who knows, we may even see Pittsburgh and Kansas City squaring off in the Series someday!

Someday the Sox may lose 90 games in a season, or experience the turmoil the Yankees are experiencing right now. Hopefully this will not happen in my lifetime, but if it does, I’ll still be a Red Sox fanatic.

*Russ Gibson (RIP) & Elston Howard

Manny Heads Back to La La Land

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

J.D. Drew's Back is Still a Problem

Not surprisingly J.D. Drew is in the news again with his reoccurring back problems. Yesterday he went to Boston for an injection:

"The reason we did it was kind of -- I want to explain this right -- kind of precautionary," Francona said. "We have some time right now because it's so early in March, and J.D., through getting looked at by some different people, though this could be a benefit to him. If it worked, we think we thought OK, good. If it didn't seem to do anything, OK, well it's March 3 or March 2.

The Red Sox have an injury clause in their contract with Drew so it will be interesting to see how they deal with him if he misses significant time this season.

Monday, March 2, 2009

O's Beat Red Sox

Baltimore got the best of the Red Sox in today's game but there was some solid play members of the Sox. Nick Green continued to swing a hot bat with two more hits and Lars Anderson had a solid game with a hit and a walk. Lowrie did not do himself any favors in winning the starting ss position by getting an ofer on the day. Masterson pitched 2 innings of one-hit ball.

Red Sox lose 5-3 BOX SCORE

It's All Working According to Manny's Plan

Think Manny Ramirez is in a major jam right now? Think again. Manny left Boston because he wanted more than the $20 million he would be getting for each of the next two years. He has already had offers for more than that and turned them down. If Ramirez would accept a 2 year deal at $27 mil per year he could be playing tomorrow but he is doing what he wants now. He gets to miss spring training, play hours of video games, go to a few car shows and arrive at camp when he is ready. Ramirez will sign with a team before opening day with a deal better than what he would have had if he stayed in Boston. Everyone who thinks Manny is crazy for not taking the last Dodger's offer doesn't realize that Manny is still being Manny and doing exactly what he wants.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Red Sox Pitchers Shut Down Twins

The Red Sox had a big advantage going into today's game with the Twins because they needed to get some work for the best pitchers on their staff. The advantage paid off as the Sox staff dominated the Twinkies holding them to 5 hits and 1 run. Beckett continued to show he is not longer bothered by the oblique injury by pitching two no-hit innings. Wake, Papelbon, Okajima, and Saito also looke good today. Youk went yard and Pedroia had the other RBI as the Red Sox won 2-1. BOX SCORE

Today's Red Sox Lineup vs. the Twins

Julio Lugo SS
Dustin Pedroia 2B
David Ortiz DH
Kevin Youkilis 1B
Rocco Baldelli RF
Paul McAnulty LF
Josh Bard C
Angel Chavez 3B
Jonathan Van Every CF

Josh Beckett SP

Red Sox Roll Over Northeastern and the Reds

The Red Sox crushed Northeastern 14-0 in the first of 2 split squad games yesterday. Angel Chavez had 2 homers and 6 RBI's in the game while Tazawa continues to impress everyone with two more scoreless innings. Lars Anderson showed patience at the plate with 3 walks. BOX SCORE

In the second game the Red Sox picked up their first Grapefruit League win by beating the Reds 16-5. Two much malagined players from last season helped get the team going; Buchholz pitched two scoreless innings, giving up just one hit, and Tek drove in 4 runs. Wilkerson had his first homer of spring in the game. BOX SCORE

Not a bad day when you can put up 30 runs.

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Tonight's Red Sox Lineup vs. the Reds

Buchholz looks to continue his quest for a spot in the rotation with a good outing tonight against Cincinnati.

1. Julio Lugo, SS
2. Brad Wilkerson, CF
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. J.D. Drew, RF
5. Jason Bay, LF
6. Jason Varitek, C
7. Chris Carter, 1B
8. Nick Green, 3B
9. Gil Velazquez, 2B

Clay Buchholz, SP

Today's Red Sox Lineup vs. the Northeastern

Ellsbury, cf
Pedroia, 2b
Youkilis, 1b
Anderson, dh
Lowrie, ss
Chavez, 3b
Bard, c
Daeges, lf
Reddick, rf

Johnson, sp

Friday, February 27, 2009

Varmint Chasin'

Before today's game the grounds crew had trouble trying to remove a raccoon from the stands. Amalie Benjamin has the story:

Around 11 a.m., as the Rays were taking batting practice, a couple of grounds crew members were creeping through the stands with a ball bucket and a net. The reason became apparent soon enough. There was a raccoon racing around the stands, including the luxury boxes right behind home plate under the press box. He (or she) managed to elude the pursuers, and eventually leaped off a section of the stands onto a pad that was beneath it, and scampered off. But it was quite a spectacle, with the Rays coaching staff (including Don Zimmer and Joe Maddon) just about doubled over with laughter watching, and the Red Sox enthralled as well.

The raccoon was smart to leave before the Sox pitchers got shelled. Here's the video from Big League Stew:

Untitled from Big League Stew on Vimeo.

0-3

The Red Sox were roughed up today in Grapefruit League action by the defending American League champs. Bowden struggled giving up 4 earned runs in 1 2/3 innings, but the damage was not done yet. Enrique Gonzalez came in and gave up 6 hits and 5 earned runs in 1 1/3 innings. By the end of the third inning the Rays were up 10-0. The Sox bats came alive in the 5th scoring 4 runs with the top of the order (Ellsbury and Lowrie) getting 3 RBI's. Boston is now 0-3 in spring training but nothing really to worry about yet...unless your name is Michael Bowden or Enrique Gonzalez.

Red Sox Lose 12-4 BOX SCORE

Today's Red Sox Lineup vs. the Rays

Ellsbury, cf
Lowrie, ss
Youkilis, 1b
Baldelli, dh
Bay, lf
Wilkerson, rf
Brown, c
Green, 2b
Chavez, 3b

Bowden, sp

0-2

The Red Sox dropped their second Grapefruit League game yesterday but things mostly went well. Lester looked good on the mound and Bailey looked good at the plate.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

J.D.'s 5 Pound Bass

J.D. Drew caught a 5-pound bass behind Big Papi's house giving us this great picture via Rob Bradford.

If you look closely you may be able to find me in the crowd. Notice Robert Earl Keen is wearing a baseball Hall of Fame hat.

Todays Lineup vs. the Pirates

1. Julio Lugo, SS
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. J.D. Drew, RF
5. Jason Varitek, C
6. Jeff Bailey, 1B
7. Paul McAnulty, LF
8. Nick Green, 3B
9. Chip Ambres, CF

Jon Lester, SP

Doug Mirabelli No Longer Needed

Forget the police escort and the dramatic entrance; the Red Sox no longer need to replace Bard when Wake is pitching. Josh Bard did well catching the knuckler last night against the Twins.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Red Sox Fall to Twinkies in Game 2

The Twins offense fared better than BC against Red Sox pitching, especially against Wake in the second game of the day for Boston. Wakefield gave up 3 runs (2 earned) 5 hits, 2 BB in two innings. Ouch. Masterson pitched much better giving up just 1 hit and a BB in 2 innings. Pedroia and Bailey each had 2 hits but Ellsbury went 0-3 on the night. Lester will be on the mound tomorrow as the Sox host the Bucs.

Red Sox lose 5-2 BOX SCORE

Red Sox Beat BC in 1st Spring Game

The Red Sox trailed BC 1-0 into the 5th before putting up 6 runs in the bottom of the inning. Navarro had a homer and Chris Carter had 3 RBI's. The pitching staff looked good in the game; Beckett went 2 innings without giving up a hit. He threw 22 pitches, 15 for strikes. Here is the breakdown from Rob Bradford:

first inning (9 pitches, 6 fastballs, 2 curveballs, 1 changeup)
second inning (13 pitches, 11 fastballs, 1 changeup, 1 curveball/22 pitches total)

Buchholz also threw a scoreless no hit inning. Junichi Tazawa pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 5th and got the win.
Red Sox BP coach Ino Guerrero got into the game pinch hitting for Big Papi. (He drew a walk).

Sox Win 7-1 BOX SCORE

Dice-K Has A Bad Outing For Team Japan

Dice-K did not perform a Houdini act for Team Japan in a tuneup game against Australia. He only lasted 1 2/3 innings and gave up 5 hits and 2 runs.

"There were good points and bad points," the Boston Red Sox right-hander said. "I'll work hard to get ready for the actual games."

Not much to be overly concerned with here, but it was Team Australia he was facing.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Lineups for First Two Games- Tek Out

UPDATE: Tek will play Thursday:

The Red Sox catcher is slated to play on Thursday. Red Sox manager Terry Francona explained he didn't want his captain to catch back-to-back games the first two days of the exhibition season.

Here are the lineups for tomorrow's exhibition games against BC and the Twins. Interestingly Tek does not get the start in either game.

Day Game vs. BC
1. Julio Lugo, SS
2. Rocco Baldelli, LF
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. J.D. Drew, RF
5. Chris Carter, 1B
6. George Kottaras, C
7. Jonathan Van Every, CF
8. Nick Green, 2B

Pitchers: Josh Beckett, Clay Buchholz, Kris Johnson, Junichi Tazawa, Felix Doubront and Daniel Bard

Night Game vs. Twins
1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
4. Jason Bay, LF
5. Brad Wilkerson, RF
6. Jed Lowrie, SS
7. Jeff Bailey, DH
8. Josh Bard, C
9. Gil Velazquez, 3B

Pitchers: Tim Wakefield, Justin Masterson, Manny Delcarmen, Javier Lopez, Ramon Ramirez, Billy Traber and Dustin Richardson

All About Ellsbury

This could be a breakout year for Jacoby Ellsbury, Johnny Pesky is even comparing him to Ted Williams:

"I have a lot of faith in Jacoby Ellsbury," said Pesky. "I think he could be a real good one. If he was 10 pounds bigger he could be, I keep saying it and people tell me I'm full of bull, he could be the next Ted Williams. He has that kind of ability. He's not as big as Ted. He doesn't run as good as Ted. But he's a much better fielder and a much better thrower than Ted. Ellsbury is the complete package and that's what you have to have."

Monday, February 23, 2009

Virtual Pedroia

A more extensive look at Dustin Pedroia in the virtual world:

Lars in the Outfield?

Every Red Sox fan is wondering how the team will find a way to get Lars Anderson into the mix in the future with Youk signing a long term deal. Anderson has only played first base for the Sox organization but that could change soon according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com:

In all likelihood, the Sox will have him acquire an outfielder’s glove when he reaches Triple-A Pawtucket, something that could happen as soon as this season. The practice of moving a player for a trial at a new position is a common one that the team undertakes with players who are knocking on the door of the majors.

Too bad the Sox can't put him behind the dish when Tek retires.

J.D. Drew Injuries Continue

J.D. Drew had another injury on Saturday but was back in there on Sunday practicing with the team. The guy finds a way to miss 1/3 of his playing time with various injuries.

"He looked good," said manager Terry Francona. "In February it doesn't hurt to give a guy a day off when he needs it. There's no reason to push."

With Kotsay out and Baldelli a big question mark, it may be Wilkerson to the rescue.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Where Are They Today: Bobby Kielty

Bobby Kielty cemented his place in Red Sox history on October 28, 2007, when in his last major league at-bat, he hit a home run to help the Sox sweep the Rockies in the World Series that year.

Th NY Daily News reports that after a miserable 2008 in which he was plagued by injuries, he "has opened eyes" in the Mets camp so far this spring.

I liked Bobby Kielty and wish him well with the Mets in 2009.

Yes, that is Bobby Kielty, and no, that is not a wig!

Bean Ball in Fort Myers

Good thing it's only spring training because some of the Red Sox pitchers are looking wild:

The drill can tend to get a little dangerous from time to time, too. Brad Wilkerson was drilled in the arm by Jon Lester. Nick Green was hit in the rib cage by Daniel Bard the other day and Julio Lugo was grazed by a Clay Buchholz fastball.

David Ortiz Catches Some Shrapnel From the A-Rod* Bomb

Big Papi trained with one of the people that supplied A-Rod* with PED's. Does that make him a user? Absolutely not but it does bring up some red flags. According to Big Papi, he only trained with this guy in the Domincian Republic in group workouts to get ready for the season and he did not have a one on one relationship like A-Rod* did.

Ortiz is in a tough situation here. Fans want to and should believe that he is clean but they have been burned too many times before. When Mark McGuire was going after Aaron's record, some friends and I picked a game on the calander where it looked like he could hit the magical home run. We picked Milwaukee and planned a weekend trip around the games. Big Mac had already broken the record by the time our trip came around but we did get to see him hit 3 homers over the weekend, each one a new record. We even drove down to Chicago that weekend to see Sammy Sosa play as he was having an amazing season of his own. I had such great memories of that weekend and I even took a great picture of the moment McGuire was connecting with a record breaking homer. Now those memories are tarnished by steriods.

I moved to the Bay Area in 2000 just in time to see Barry Bonds start to hit crazy amounts of home runs. I was in the bleachers when he hit his 600th career home run and I was at 10 games of his record breaking season. Now those memories are tarnished by steroids.

In 2006 I was at Fenway to see Big Papi hit home runs #51 and #52 to pass Jimmie Foxx for the most homers in a season by a member of the Red Sox. Is that memory going to be tarnished? Ortiz is the face of the Red Sox and I don't know what I would do if I found out he was among the cheaters in baseball. I believe that he is clean and I hope I don't get burned again but I have been burned enough in the past to place too much trust in baseball players.

Back Home

I'm back in California after a week long family trip to Florida. I did not get to Fort Myers but did attend the Daytona 500 and saw John Henry enjoy his time in victory lane. Usually Wakefield comes to the race but he was not there this year, I did get to meet Tom Cruise and Gene Hackman at the driver's meeting before the race. Now that I'm back you will see more frequent posts on Fenway West as the 2009 season gears up.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Best Western Red Sox Bars: Connecticut Yankee, San Francisco

Opening Day will soon be here my baseball friends, and for Red Sox fans on the West Coast, that means finding a watering hole nearby with a big screen. Or any screen, for that matter. We get scraps from ESPN and Fox, but who can stand Tim McCarver?! Joe Morgan is a nice guy, is truly knowledgeable about the game, and has a smooth ‘sounding’ voice, but I frequently find myself tuning him out.

So where to go on the West Coast to catch Sox games with other Sox fans? Let’s start in Fenway West’s back yard.

While I’ve never watched a Sox game at the Connecticut Yankee in San Francisco, I have had the pleasure of enjoying some prime live music and their tasty comestibles as well. Local and upcoming bands such as Five Eyed Hand and Izabella are regulars here. National acts such as New Monsoon, Drive-By Truckers, and Yonder Mountain String Band have graced the stage here, too. I discovered The Connecticut Yankee through a large and active, local music discussion group on yahoo. I’ve met a lot of great folks through this board, but let’s get back to the Red Sox.

I’ll let Fritz, the owner of this fine establishment tell you about it in his own words:

My name is Fritz Frisbie and I own 'Connecticut Yankee' bar and restaurant in S.F. Our web site is http://www.theyankee.com/ We've been at it here since 4/1/89 and are ardent Sox fans. We were featured in the 2007 'Red Sox Nation Annual', one of 3 Northern California establishments mentioned. We've got tons of Sox/New England sports memorabilia hanging and feature 4 t.v.'s in our main dining/bar area with 2 big screens in our back dining area. We were the 'go to' bar for the TV news crews when the Sox did the deed in 2004. The first game that I went to in Fenway was game 6 of the 1967 Series, making a lasting impression on a then 9 yr. old. I moved from Portsmouth N.H. to S.F. in 1980, and although I've been a Giants season ticket holder for 15 years, the Sox are still my first love. We're also a MAJOR Pat's bar.
Check us out,
Fritz

Owner Fritz with Grace Potter

OK, so how does a Red Sox fan end up owning a bar with the word 'Yankee' in it? Fritz again:

Hey Dave. We are on Connecticut Street. I'm from NH, thus a 'Yankee' [as in Yankees and Rebels.] Mark Twain wrote 'A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court.' Mark Twain has a history in S.F. and [allegedly] once wrote "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco".

There is also an associated social networking group at tribe.net: http://tribes.tribe.net/theyankee (You have to join tribe to post, but not to read, and it’s free.)

I’ll be spending more time in San Francisco this summer, so I will be checking out an occasional game here this season and am looking forward to watching the Red Sox play at one of my favorite watering holes.

I like the font on the awning!

As we get closer to the start of the season, we’ll be highlighting other western bars that feature Red Sox games. If you have a favorite of your own that you would like to see in the spotlight, send as much info and photos as possible about the place in an e-mail to: redsoxsonoma (at) yahoo (dot) com, and we’ll write it up!

Should We Be Worried About Big Papi?

Whenever the Red Sox say an injury is caused by sleeping on something the wrong way, it is time to start worrying. Last spring Josh Beckett had a sleep related injury and ended up missing the trip to Japan. David Ortiz has now missed two days of spring training with a sore shoulder because he "slept on the shoulder awkwardly."

Drew Takes Every Pitch in BP

I know the Red Sox preach patience at the plate but watching every pitch go by in batting practice seems a bit extreme. At yesterday's first live BP J.D. Drew had a unique approach to improving his hitting:

J.D. Drew, who faced newcomer Ramon Ramírez, didn't take a swing. There will be plenty of time for that, he said.
"I just track," Drew said. "I really try to pick up the seam, pick up the rotation. I can go in there and take swings; it's going to look ugly. Those guys are throwing hard. Sliders are breaking nasty. Especially when they tell you a fastball is coming inside, the last thing you want to do is step into one. It's a matter of them getting work on location, but it's good to see some balls come at us off the mound, at 60 feet 6 inches."

Just hope he can start to hit some of those pitches come April.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

50 More Years at Fenway

You can put away the "Save Fenway" bumper stickers for the next half century because the America's Most Beloved Ballpark should be hosting the Red Sox for another generation.

"I think a result of the investment that our ownership group has made is a Fenway Park that will be stable and solid and with a normal maintenance will be around for another 50 years," president and CEO Larry Lucchino said.

I can't think of any better news than that as we head into the '09 season.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Lugo is This Year's Coco

Last year it was Elsbury and Crisp for the CF spot, this season we have Lowrie and Lugo. Coco showed how to deal with the situation as a professional and still contribute when you are called on. Julio Lugo looks like he is going to take the same approach:

“You want to be where people want you … Nobody’s going to be happy on the bench. I’m not going to be happy,” said Lugo. “I don’t worry about that. I just come here, do what I do, play baseball the best I can. I can’t make those decisions. They know what they’re going to get from me. It’s not my first rodeo.”

Lugo declined to answer whether he would request a trade if he were not the starter, though his non-answer was revealing enough.

“We’re going to have to see, we’re going to have to wait to see what happens,” said Lugo. “We’re going to see at the end of (spring training).”

The competition should make Lugo raise his game and I think he still has a good chance to be the opening day starting shortstop.

Amalie Benjamin on David Ortiz

Monday, February 16, 2009

Josh Beckett Tells Us What We All Thought Last Fall

Remember Beckett getting shelled in the ALCS followed by the press conference where everybody said he was fine? Nobody believed them then and now we find we were right all along. From the ProJo:

Beckett explained yesterday afternoon that his problem in the postseason was the
lack of explosiveness with all of his pitches due to the strained oblique.
"I
wasn't in excruciating pain or anything like that," he said. "It wasn't the most
comfortable thing I had ever done."

So why was he on the mound at all?

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Dr. Strangeglove

My local paper did some research on the best-ever negative baseball nickname now that people are focusing on all the A-Rod* choices. They picked Dick Stuart with his nickname: "Dr. Strangeglove"

"In 1964 -- the year Stanley Kubrick's classic black comedy about nuclear war, "Dr. Strangelove," hit the movie theaters. In 1963 with the Red Sox, Stewart made a career-high and AL-leading 29 errors at first base, for a fielding percentage of .979, 11 points below the league average.

As you can see they spelled his last name wrong. Now how about a nickname for Lugo?

Ellsbury Bulked Up During Offseason

Wondering where the power might come from without Manny's bat? Look to the big guy playing center. Jacoby Ellsbury spent the offseason working out and is now 195 pounds causing Pedroia to say he was "jacked."

"I think Jacoby is already an impact defender and impact baserunner," said GM Theo Epstein. "With his track record in the minor leagues, he's a guy we feel will hit and get on base enough to be a real weapon offensively moreso than he already is."

With the sophomore slump over, Ellsbury could have and All-Star season. He will be playing everyday with Coco gone and he seems to be ready for the grind of a long season this year.

Friday, February 13, 2009

The Sights and Sounds of Spring Training

Not exactly the most exciting thing in the world but "Play Ball!" can't be far away.

Like it Or Not, Buchholz Still Under Pressure

He worked things out in the minors, he got his command back in the Arizona Fall League, he has better mental control now:

"I don't think there are any words for it," he said. "I never had to go through any adversity throughout my whole career. It was different last year. It was the first time I really struggled and it sort of snowballed on me. You have to live and learn, and I learned a lot from it last year."

Sound like something you have heard before? Unlike last season when Buchholz was given the benefit of the doubt when he struggled in spring training, this spring he will have to earn his spot in the rotation. Beckett, Lester, Dice-K and Wake are already in. Penny wants to be number 5 and Masterson will start the spring as a starter. Clay better bring his A game to Fort Myers if he wants a spot. He has had a hard time with pressure before and this spring is going to test him again.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Tito is Confident in This Team

Red Sox skipper Terry Francona talks to the media at the start of spring training. For those of you that want to follow Tito's every move, he is now on Twitter.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

A Bigger A-Hole than A-Rod*

I have no love for the Yankee's third baseman and consider him to be everything the NY Post said he was on the cover. However, there is one person out there who has proven to be a bigger A-Hole than Arod* this week and his name is Sheriff Leon Lott of the Richland County Sheriff's Department in South Carolina. (not to be confused with a-hole Leon Lett) In case you missed the story, he is the guy who is going after swimmer Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps for *gasp* smoking marijuana at a college party. From Sheriff Lott:

"The Richland County Sheriff's Department is making an effort to determine if Mr. Phelps broke the law. If he did, he will be charged in the same manner as anyone else. The sheriff has a responsibility to be fair, to enforce the law and to not turn a blind eye because someone is a celebrity."

This is the same sheriff that thought it would be a good use of taxpayer money to buy an armoured personell carrier complete with a .50 caliber machine gun. I wonder what they do if you jaywalk in their county...look out Manny! On the Richland County Sheriff's Department's website they list 17 unsolved homicides, good thing they are wasting their time going after a guy who was in a picture smoking weed. Better get that menace to society off of the streets.

UPDATE: Now that they have arrested some of the people at the party they are continuing to focus on Phelps and not the bigger issues in Richland County:

“After they arrested him, they didn’t ask him, ’Where did you get the marijuana?’ or ’Who sold it to you?’ Almost all the questions they asked him were about Michael Phelps,”

Penny Throws

This spring we get to find out what Theo pulled out of the bargain bin. Brad Penny is coming off a shoulder injury and may be a great find or could be a mediocre fill-in a la Bartolo Colon. He took to the hill in Fort Myers today and spoke with Extra Bases about his session:

"The way I feel now I shouldn't have any setbacks," said Penny, who threw all fastballs. "I've just got to stay after my shoulder work, do the best I can to stay in the best shape I can. Everything else will take care of itself."

The staying in shape part may prove elusive when you look at this photo from Boston Dirt Dogs.

Wednesday in the Nation

Here's your quick look at what's going on in Red Sox Nation today:

Josh Beckett is throwing in Fort Myers and without the spare tire from last spring. (Extra Bases)

Pedroia is writing a book (Sox & Dawgs) and Manny's wife and former agent contribute to another one. (Red Sox Monster).

Red Sox bloggers love Smotz (The Bottom Line)

and Youk speaks...watch below:

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Late Show w/Letterman - Top 10 Messages Left on A-Rod's Answering Machine

10. "Hey, it's Mark McGwire. Want to get together this week and not talk about the past?"

9. "Joe Torre here -- thanks for helping book sales"

8. "Could you find a steroid that keeps you from choking in the playoffs?"

7. "Are you worried this will taint all the championships you didn't win?"

6. "It's Bernie Madoff. Nice try but I'm still the most hated man in New York"

5. "Michael Phelps here. Got any snacks?"

4. "This is Sammy Sosa. Just pretend you don't speak English"

3. "Michael Phelps again. Did I call you or did you call me?"

2. "Hey, it's Rod Blagojevich -- I'll say you're innocent, if you say I am"

1. "It's Madonna. You got a phone number for Jeter?"

Video Link: Late Show - Top Ten Messages Left on Alex Rodriguez's Answering Machine

Mike Lowell's Health is Key to Red Sox Chances

The Nation is worried about their guy on the hot corner. The Red Sox can ill afford to have Mike Lowell injured for a significant part of the season. If the Sox are to return to the promised land in '09, Mikey need to put up numbers like he did in '07, without Manny's bat in the lineup the team cannot do well without a solid hitting performance by Lowell. Baseball Prospectus does not think that is likely to happen:

Lowell's rehab is supposedly going well, but the combination of a severe injury and a player in his mid-30s rarely augurs heightened production. Baseball Prospectus's PECOTA forecasting system envisions him showing no more durability than he did in 2008, while projecting a further decline in offensive production, dropping to .272/.332/.442.

Lowell will not participate in the WBC and will not be back at full strength until April. Cross your fingers folks, this season could depend on what he can bring to the table.

Spring is in the Air

The Boston media has descended on Fort Myers to start to cover spring training. Finally we get some updates about the players that have arrived and what they have been up to. President Obama will be in Fort Myers today to deliver a speech so there may be some traffic around town. I have to admit it does seem strange to not have the "When will Manny arrive?" storyline out there, although we do have the "When will Manny sign with a team?" storyline.

Monday, February 9, 2009

I Warned You This Was Coming

Shocked by the leaking of the A-Rod* test results? You shouldn't be, I warned you that this was going to happen back in May.

...and for those of you saying "what's the big deal? he didn't break any rules when he took roids in '03." Steroids were against MLB rules from 1991 on. Check out the memo below:

Red Sox Bloggers Pick the Best Offseason Move

Red Sox bloggers have weighed in on the best move by the team this offseason. Take a look at my response and others over at The Bottom Line.

A-Rod* Admits to Juicing

Tired of the A-Rod* News? It's Just Getting Started

If you thought we were done with the steroid era with the Mitchell Report you are sorely mistaken. A-Rod* has brought the story back to the forefront where it will stay through his retirement as writers vote for or against his admittance into the Hall of Fame. The story will burn brightly until A-Rod* holds a press conference, it will simmer until all 104 names are released, it will smolder as the Bonds* and Clemens* trials drag on. We are in a dark period of baseball history but the game will ultimately survive; just as it did with the Black Sox scandal and the strike shortened season. If you are one of those people that do not care about this story then you are part of the culture that accepts cheating in sports. Let this story run its course, embrace the bad news whatever it may be and hopefully baseball will come out better because of it.

The Best One Yet

If you have not had a look at this morning's New York Post you have missed out on perhaps the best cover of all time. This one is sure to be a collector's item for years to come.

The Battle for the Corner Infielder Spot

With the news of Mark Kotsay's injury the Red Sox have an opening for the backup corner infielder at the start of spring training. The battle in Fort Myers will be between Wilkerson, Bailey, and Anderson. Lars Anderson is the only one of them without major league experience but is also the most hyped. Will the Red Sox bring him up at the start of the season? Everyone in the Nation wants to see what he can do and with his invite to spring training we well get that chance in a few weeks.

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Another Cover for the Collection

A-Rod* has his share of classic NY Post and Daily News covers....here are a few more to add to the collection:

MLB.com Gets it Right For a Change

I headed over to MLB.com this morning to see how they would be dealing with the A-Rod* story, half expecting the news to be buried behind the hype of the World Baseball Classic. To my surprise the news was front and center, with great videos from people involved in the story. If you have not watched any of their video coverage yet I highly recommend you check it out.

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