Fenway West - The Boston Red Sox Western Home

Monday, July 20, 2009

Smoltz Falls Apart in the 6th

Decision time on the rotation is quickly approaching for Theo; if Penny is going to be traded then Smoltz or Dice-K need to be reliable starters. Tonight was a test for Smoltz to see if he really belongs in the rotation. He looked good through the first 5 but then gave up 3 home runs in the 6th inning. The last time he gave up 3 home runs in a game (not and inning) was in 1997, this just shows that he is not the pitcher he was before his surgery and may not be able to compete in the majors consistantly.

Some of the Red Sox bats looked like they were still on the All-Star break; Drew, Lowrie, and Pedroia were a combined 0-9. The Yankees won on a walk-off homer by Matsui to enter into a tie with the Red Sox for first place in the A.L. East.

Red Sox Lose 6-3 BOX SCORE

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Red Sox	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	3	8	1
Rangers	0	0	0	1	0	5	0	0	0	6	10	0

Talking Sox

I was asked some questions about the Red Sox for the Texas Rangers Blog on the Dallas Morning News to preview the series. You can check out my answers along with Neil Keefe's from NESN.com. It is always nice to see what opposing fans think by reading the comment section, especially this gem:

O'Donnell reminds me of those obnoxious Red Sox fans that invariably show up to all Red Sox games. They make up only about 10% of the fans, but they make up about 90% of the impression that other fans have of the Red Sox fans.

Tonight's Red Sox Lineup 7/20 vs Texas

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

John Smoltz, SP

Q & A with Richard Durrett of the Dallas Morning News

Once again we are lucky enough to have Richard Durrett from the Texas Rangers Blog of the Dallas Morning News answer a few questions about the team he covers:

FW: Can the Rangers hang with the Angels if they continue to stay hot?

Richard Durrett: You would think will all of the Angels’ injuries that the Rangers could hang with them. But that will depend on this offense. For once, the pitching and defense has not been the Rangers’ problem. It’s been the offense’s inability to score runs on a consistent basis. They are too dependent on the homer right now and must do a better job of situational hitting and small ball, something the Angels do well. If the bats start swinging, they can hang with the Angels. But the schedule is getting tougher the next few weeks. We’ll see.

FW: How will Cruz's injury impact the Rangers?

Richard Durrett: I don’t think he’ll be out of the lineup for an extended period. They have plenty of depth in the OF, so I think they’ll try to play him when they can, but can work in Marlon Byrd, David Murphy, Andruw Jones and Josh Hamilton without much problem.

FW: Why aren't the Rangers in the Halladay rumor mill?

Richard Durrett: Money. The club’s financial situation makes is tough to get a guy like Halladay and pay for him the rest of this season, next season and even after that. Nolan Ryan, in a chat on the DMN Rangers blog, discussed that a bit today. The Rangers have the prospects to make a deal and I do think they’ll do their homework to look into it, but it seems like a long shot.

FW: How has Hamilton looked since returning from the DL?

Richard Durrett: He’s a more disciplined hitter, but his timing is still not quite there. He should get better and better, but I expect him to have a solid second half.

FW: Should Millwood have been on the All-Star team?

Richard Durrett: I think so. The guy led this rotation, had a good ERA and pitched deep into games in the first half.

FW: Will Teagarden be traded before the deadline?

Richard Durrett: My bet is no. But he’s an up-and-coming catcher still learning the ropes. He could be a good one. And I’m sure the Rangers would listen to offers because they have good depth at catcher.

FW: What is your prediction for this series with Boston?

Richard Durrett: I think the Red Sox take 2 of 3. The Rangers’ bats just aren’t awake right now.

Bowden Inserts Himself Into the Equation

Brad Penny, John Smoltz, Dice-K, Clay Buchholz, or a deal for Halladay? Who will be in the Red Sox rotation by the end of the month? After yesterday's game in Pawtuckett, Michael Bowden showed he should be a consideration as well. After 12 days off Bowden pitched 5 innings of no-hit ball against the Indianapolis Indians.

The Red Sox have a lot of chips as we approach the trade deadline but they also have a first place team and a system that has them ready for the future. A big trade may not be in order but the team can go either way; not a bad situation to be in.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Halladay Shuts Down the Red Sox

Two of the best pitchers in the American League faced off today but the Jays starter Roy Halladay came out on top. Ortiz drove in a run in a top of the first but that would be all the Red Sox could score against Halladay who pitched a complete game 6-hitter with 7 K's against the Sox. Lester gave up 2 in the 2nd and 1 in the 6th to take the loss.

Red Sox Lose 3-1 BOX SCORE

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

Today's Red Sox Lineup 7/19 vs Toronto

J.D. Drew, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Kevin Youkilis, 3B
David Ortiz, DH
Jason Bay, LF
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Jason Varitek, C
Mark Kotsay, 1B
Nick Green SS Jon Lester, SP

Bud Selig F's Up Again

So this year's All-Star game was not called a tie by Bud but he still found a way to get too involved and screw things up.

On Monday, Brian Fuentes said he was told he would pitch the sixth inning of the All-Star game. On Tuesday, he was told he would not, which Fuentes blamed on the commissioner's office.

"That bumped me from my inning," Fuentes said. "It's kind of crazy they would have their hand in making up the lineup." On Tuesday, two hours before game time, Fuentes said AL pitching coach Jim Hickey told him that there had been a "misunderstanding" and that AL Manager Joe Maddon had not been aware that the commissioner's office wanted the starting pitchers to work two innings.

That left one fewer inning for the relievers and that left Fuentes out.

"That soured me a little bit," Fuentes said.

"To think that someone in MLB would dictate who pitches when and where, that is not the way the game is supposed to be played."

Next thing you know, Bud is going to pick the players for the game. It is far past time that he steps asid.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Haggs Was Right, Penny Should Have Been Traded

Last month Joe Haggerty of WEEI.com called for the Red Sox to trade Brad Penny while his stock was high and if you look at the comment section, I agreed with him. After Buchholz's good outing last night and Penny's subpar performance today it looks like the Sox might be in a pickle. Penny gave up 8 hits and 6 earned runs today agains the Jays, getting his 4th loss of the season and raising his ERA over 5. As the trading dealine quickly approaches Penny's value has plummeted. Now the Red Sox would be lucky to get a reserve player for him and fans will only give him a short leash with Buchholz waiting in the wings.

The Jays scored in the 2nd, 4th, and 5th off of Penny. The Red Sox offense took and early lead with an RBI by Balelli but in the top of the 2nd but failed to plate another run until the top of the 7th when Lowrie hit a tater in his first game back since wrist surgery.

Red Sox Lose 6-2 BOX SCORE

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

Ever wonder what goes on in your old hometown? (continued)

Red Sox Sonoma here (aka Dave), sitting at the ol' homestead in RI visiting the folks for their 65th anniversary along with my 3 brothers. I got to watch the game last night on NESN which is quite a treat after suffering through TBS, Ken Rosenthal, and Fox. Late after the game had ended, we got to experience a good old fashioned New England lightning and thunderstorm, of which there are very few of in coastal California. Woke up late (I'm still on CA time), went downstairs, had breakfast and picked up the Providence Journal. (I still prefer paper to digital newspapers.) Mark Patinkin is an entertaining columnist for the paper who writes about the Sox on occasion. He wrote a story in today's ProJo called "License plates Rhode Islanders will love." Sounded interesting, so I read it. He recites a list of new RI license plates now available for an additional fee. There was one plate design that he described that confounded him, me, and I am sure all of RSN as well.

A RI Yankee license plate.

Huh? WT........ ?

I understand that the General Assembly of RI, as well as every other state in these dire economic times is trying desperately to find new sources of revenue, but a Yankee license plate?

Puh-leeze! We're only 50 miles from Fenway! What did you guys put in your pipe?! After all the reports of violence between Red Sox and Yankee fans, the State Legislature proposes this?! Now I know there are Yankee fans in RI (my father is a Yankee fan), but putting one of those plates on your car would be kin to lathering yourself up in bacon fat and walking into Grizzly Bear country in Montana!

Money's tight everywhere, but this proposal should garner a Darwin Award for whomever the brilliant public servant is who submitted it. Then again, Yankee fans aren't that brilliant either, (with just a few exceptions, such as my father, and Jimmy, the guitarist I work with.)

Today's Red Sox Lineup 7/18 vs Toronto

J.D. Drew, RF

Dustin Pedroia, 2B

Kevin Youkilis, 1B

David Ortiz, DH

Jason Bay, LF

Mike Lowell, 3B

Rocco Baldelli, CF

Jed Lowrie, SS

George Kottaras

Brad Penny, SP

Mike Lowell Talks About His First Game Back -Video

Mike Lowell talks about how he was feeling after last night's game. Watch below:

Friday, July 17, 2009

Buchholz Gets the Second Half Started Right

Clay Buchholz had a solid outing in his brief time with the big club; going 5 2/3minnings while giving up 1 earned run on 4 hits and 3 walks. Youk gave Buchholz an early lead with a 2-run homer in the first and Ortiz drove in 2 more in the 5th. The bullpen looked rested and pitched well. Bard struck out 3 of the 4 batters he faced and did not give up a hit. Oki gave up 1 hit in a scoreless inning and Paps was perfect in the 9th to pick up his 24th save of the season.

Red Sox Win 4-1 BOX SCORE

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

Happy Buchholz Day for Me! P.S. NO TRADE CLAY!

I think people know how I feel about Clay. To say I am a HUGE fan is an understatement. So, today...no matter why or the circumstances or what shady motives might be behind it, I am CELEBRATING!

NO TRADE CLAY!

CLAY BUCHHOLZ IS PITCHING FOR THE MO FO RED SOX! At least for a day, he's going to be up with the big boys and pitching from that mound. I am super duper crazy excited.

Plus, Lugo got DFA'ed today. Lowell is back in the lineup. Lowrie is coming back tomorrow. It's basically like Christmas morning for me over here....Red Sox style.

Of course, I am also terrified. It may not be rational, but I say it often...say it loud....NO TRADE CLAY. I want to see Clay's development continue with the Red Sox and not another team. I think the kid is crazy talented and want to see him smoking away people on the mound for us and not some competing ball club.

Theo Epstein has been slapping hands of other ballclubs when it comes to Clay for years, but the idea of snatching Roy Halladay might be just enough to make Theo not so willing to say "no way no how" when it comes to pitching away his hot prospects.

I am crossing my fingers and wishing Clay LOTS of luck tonight. He's been waiting for this moment all season long. No pressure buddy.

Tonight's Red Sox Lineup 7/17 vs Toronto

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

Buchholz SP

Red Sox DFA Lugo

Nobody wanted to take Lugo away from Boston so now he must choose if he wants to report to the PawSox or become a free agent.

Clay Buchholz's Start Doesn't Answer Lingering Questions

No matter how Buchholz pitches tonight he will be sent back down to the PawSox to make room for Lowell. If he pitches great it only causes more frustration since there is no room in the rotation right now. If he pitches poorly it could further delay his full time return to the team and lowers his trade value. The Red Sox are letting him pitch tonight as a sort of a test to see how he can fare against major league hitters, but even if the Red Sox were to trade Penny they still would not have a spot for Buchholz once Dice-K comes back. Are the Red Sox trying to showcase Buchholz for a deadline trade or do they have plans for him to be a member of the rotation for the second half? Unfortunetly tonight's start does not answer any of those questions.

Contract Talks With Bay Are On Again

UPDATE: The talks were not productive and the Red Sox have chosen to wait until after the season to negotiate with Bay.

The Red Sox and Jason Bay's agent talked about an extension during the All-Star break. The two sides are still not close but are both willing to work for a deal during the second half of the season. The Red Sox really need to keep his bat and he will be among the best free agents available in the offseason, so it is likely that he gets locked up before the end of the season to avoid a bidding war with teams like the Yankees.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Lugo Misses Mandatory Team Workout

Julio Lugo missed a mandatory workout with the team in Toronto today. Is this a sign that he is about to be traded? Aaron Bates was with the club for the workout when he was the player most assumed to be sent down to make room for Buchholz on the roster. All signs are pointing to Julio's departure.

You Won't Have Lugo to Kick Around Anymore

Julio Lugo's time in Boston is about to end. The Red Sox are trying to deal him to anyone that will take him, they are even willing to pay his salary. If they can't get anything in return he will be released to make room for Lowrie. Lugo followed in the path of Renteria by being grossly overpaid and not producing up to fans expectations. He was part of a World Champion team and acted as a professional throughout his time in Boston. I think Lugo will be happy to land somewhere else where he can play and does not have a fan base that has given up on him.

Don Orsillo on WEEI

Watch this at WEEI

Red Sox Fans Turn to On Demand to Fill Baseball Void

With no baseball yesterday Sox fans in New England went to On-Demand to get their fix:

more than 100,000 programs already watched one month after the new service launched exclusively on Comcast. The incredible popularity of Red Sox On Demand makes it the number one category of locally produced On Demand programming in New England....This week, Red Sox On Demand programming includes profiles of pitcher Justin Masterson and Red Sox legend Dom DiMaggio, a special on the history of the iconic Citgo sign overlooking Fenway Park and features of Mike Lowell playing monopoly with Red Sox Foundation supporters and David Ortiz golfing during his signature fundraiser in the Dominican Republic. Red Sox On Demand also gives fans a closer look at the Cape Cod League, the Salem Red Sox and the Greenville Drive.

Too bad the program is not available outside of New England for the rest of Red Sox Nation.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Jacoby Ellsbury SB Contest

Time for another contest here on Fenway West. Jacoby is getting close to breaking the Red Sox single season stolen base record. Correctly pick the game and inning in which Ellsbury breaks the single season Red Sox stolen base record of 54 held by Tommy Harper since 1973 and win a Red Sox key chain courtesy of www.wholesalekeychain.com. This is a real leather key chain like the one pictured with the Red Sox Logo. Put your guess in the comments section of this post to enter. You can see the remaining Red Sox schedule here to help with your pick. Good luck!

If you are interested in buying Boston Red Sox Keychains enter promo code FenwayWest for a 10% discount.

Jason Bay Blogs About His All-Star Experience

Jason Bay has a blog post up over at WEEI.com where he talks about some of the highlight of the All-Star experience in St. Louis this week. Here are a few of the highlights:

So I become an American citizen and a week later I meet the President. That’s how it works for everybody, isn’t it?....from the time we went on the field one thing I couldn’t take my eyes off were the snipers on top of the stadium. Even in the fourth inning, I couldn’t stop looking at them because from where I was it looked like a video game, with the dark silhouette and with the sun setting. I’m thinking, “These are snipers! That’s so cool!”....Put it this way, you know you’re probably going to get fastballs from the best pitchers around, so you aren’t preaching patience. There’s no ‘Moneyballing’ it in this game.

We can only hope that he keeps on blogging for the rest of the season and for years to come when the Red Sox lock him up.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

A.L. Continues Winning Streak in ASG

The American League won the All-Star Game again and secured home field advantage for the World Series. There were 6 members of the Red Sox on the A.L. All-Star Team but only 3 of them saw action. Jason Bay went 1-2 with a walk in the game, Youk was 1-1 as a pinch hitter and Papelbon earned the win even though he almost gave up a home run that would have tied the game. Carl Crawford made a great catch to preserve the victory for the A.L. and save Paps' bacon. Wake and Beckett did not get into the game.

A.L. Wins 4-3 BOX SCORE

You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet

Jason Bay says Sox fans have seen nothing yet. Interesting tidbits from redsox.com: "Bay is the first Red Sox player to reach base five times without recording a hit since Ted Williams on May 23, 1951, vs. the St. Louis Browns -- five walks for Teddy Ballgame. ... Rehabbing shortstop Jed Lowrie (left wrist) went 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored on Sunday for Triple-A Pawtucket. ... With a stolen base in Sunday's 6-0 victory over the Royals, center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury became the second player in Red Sox history to record 40 steals in multiple seasons, joining Hall of Famer Tris Speaker (1912-14). ... Boston enters the second half of the season in first place in the AL East for the fifth consecutive year, dating back to 2005."

Pedroia Talks About His Decision to Skip All-Star Game

Dustin Pedroia will not be in St. Louis tonight and fans should all support him in his decision. His wife went into premature labor and was admitted to the hospital to postpone the delivery.

“It was pretty tough, obviously,’’ Pedroia said. “I’ve got to be with my wife right now. It’s more important. Obviously I’m extremely honored to be selected by the fans. I wish I could be there, but I hope everybody understands....She’s kind of the same right now,’’ Pedroia said. “That’s one of the reasons I was hoping she’d get better. That’s why I put it off to the last minute. But hopefully the next few days she gets better.’’

Jason Bay, Youk, Beckett, and Papelbon will all be there to represent the Red Sox and ensure home field advantage this October.

Monday, July 13, 2009

One More Post on Wake

My last one, I promise (yeah, right, Dave.) There's another great story on Wake's 1st ASG selection on MLB.COM, with a great video of an interview with him. Check it out.

Starting Lineups for the All-Star Game

National League
1. Hanley Ramirez-SS
2. Chase Utley -2B
3. Albert Pujols-1B
4. Ryan Braun-RF
5. Raul Ibanez- LF
6. David Wright-3B
7.Shane Victorino-CF
8.Yadier Molina-c
9.Tim Lincecum-SP

American League
1. Ichiro Suzuki, RF
2. Derek Jeter, SS
3. Joe Mauer, C
4. Mark Teixeira, 1B
5. Jason Bay, LF
6. Josh Hamilton, CF
7. Evan Longoria, 3B
8. Aaron Hill, 2B
9. Roy Halladay

Weekend Wrap Up: Fenway Edition

I posted this over on my personal blog, but wanted to double post it over here as well since it is very much Red Sox related. Enjoy!

Hey all out there in the internets....I'm a lucky duck and off work today. I was smart enough to request a day off to recover from my weekend.

I had to work until noon on Saturday because I am an idiot and scheduled to teach a class on the same day I was heading to Fenway Park. Brilliant planning on my part there. Luckily, it worked out. I worked from 8am-12pm...changed into my Red Sox attire and jetted down the Northway to get on the bus and go to Fenway Park.

That is the pic I took walking up to Fenway for the first time. I've been a Red Sox fan for a long time now...but never been to a game at Fenway. Now that I've been, I can't believe I waited that long. I went with a dear friend of mine. She's a fan as well....you know, not crazy obsessed like me, but a fan none the less. She got to witness my crazy obsession first hand.

Here is my top 5 list of my first trip to Fenway Park:

1. Great game. The Sox went out to a 9-0 lead and it looked like the game was well in hand. Then almost the whole bullpen drank a case of the suck and before we knew it the Sox were clinging to a 9-7 lead. Luckily the Sox offense was still on a tear and the Royals didn't believe in something called defense...and the boys won the game 15-9. John Smoltz got his first win in a Boston uni....and I believe I brought him luck.

2. The Kansas City fan on our bus. Almost everyone on the bus was a Sox fan...everyone but one guy. He and his lonely self boarded the bus wearing a Royals jersey. He had the most angry body language while he was watching the game. He was in the last row in the bleachers and stood the whole time, arms crossed with a huge scowl on his face. I kept looking back and checking on him because he amused me. My friend and I...and the couple sitting next to us joked that KC guy looked so pissed that he planned on killing us all on the way home as we fell asleep. And umm...I was only half kidding. The guy not only rode a bus for 3 hours to watch his team lose...but he also had a major creeper vibe to him. I almost took a pic of him while he was stewing during the game, but that just seemed mean. Still funny though...and on Monday morning, I wish I did.

3. Jason Varitek looked at me. I feel like such a dork that this brings me such happiness. I walked around with my friend for a good while and then walked around a little by myself to take some pictures and what not. I went down to the bullpen since Smoltzie was warming up with Tek. This nice couple...well, I don't think they were technically a couple since the woman was a nun and all...but they let me stand in front of them to take pictures. They were darling sweet. Anyways...back to Tek. So, I was taking pics of Smoltz and Tek...and Tek was actually really close to me. He was turned away, so I wanted to get a pic of him and his adorable face, so I yelled his name...and he turned and looked at me. I know...hand me my dork card. I almost forgot to take the pic since I was startled, but I would not be denied. Here is my close up Tek pic:

Jason Varitek

4. Yelling at JD Drew haters. I know he's not the most popular Red Sox player, but he's on the top of my list. Some of the crowd around me was heckling or booing JD as he came up to bat. Ugh. Expected, but still annoyed me none the less. Later in the game, JD made a spectacular throw to home that stopped the Royals from scoring another run. It was a genius play and I didn't think anyone could make that throw...but JD did. After the play...the crowd cheered and I yelled..."Yeah, who hates JD Drew NOW?" No one really responded to my yelling...which is probably better, but still happy I let people know about JD, his awesomeness and how wrong they all were. Just sayin...

5. The rain. The words Boston and rain have been permanently linked this summer. The weather report indicated no rain for the day. They were almost right. The skies stayed clear...until the top of the 9th inning. It started with a few drops here or there. By the time Saito took the mound, the rain turned from a few drops to a pretty steady rain. Saito had a 1-2-3 inning and as we were leaving the park the skies opened up and it started pouring. By the time my friend and I made it to the bus.....we were soaked from head to toe. There was not a dry spot on my body. And...I had light khaki pants on, so let's just say the world or at least my bus was aware of what color undies I was wearing. Good times, good times....really, it was. At least the rain gods waited until the game was almost over. I didn't get home until 4am as it was so a rain delay would have made me super cranky.

And one more for good measure...

This girl knows something something about baseball. I am used to most people thinking women who like baseball are there to watch cute boys and don't really know much about the actual game. I spent a good deal of time during the game explaining some things to my friend and just talking about the game and the players. Yes, I mentioned some of the players hotness....but more time was spent watching the game and commenting on said game. At one point during the game...while my friend was gone getting a drink and a hotdog...the guy sitting next to us had a question about Justin Masterson. So, he immediately turned and asked me. Of course I knew the answer. Later he wanted to know about Bates...what his story was, etc. So, we chatted about Bates and then both CHEERED when Bates got his first major league hit. It was just nice to see someone actually seeing a female is a fan...not just there to watch pretty boys run around.

I have some pics up over at the Facebook. If you and I are friends at the Facebook...feel free to check them out. There is no one on facebook who is not completely aware of my trip to Fenway, how excited I was about it....and what a great time I had.

I gotta figure out how to get back to Fenway and SOON.

Beckett Talks About His 100th Win

Josh Beckett spoke with reporters after last night's shut out victory over the Kansas City Royals. Watch below:

Sunday, July 12, 2009

The Heavy

It's no secret that Tim Wakefield has been my favorite Sox player for a long time (followed by Pesky, DiMaggio, Pedroia, Yaz, Tony C, and yes Manny, too.) I thought Wake should have been on the All Star Team last year, as he had a formidable stretch in his last 7 games before the ASG (7+ innings each game, 1.98 ERA), but since Tito was the manager, and there were several Sox already on the team, he had to pass on Wake. (He had to pass on Lester, too, who was also having a monster year.)

In today's Boston Globe, Adam Kilgore tells the great story of Wake's success and difficulties in Pittsburgh back in '92 and '93. Pittsburgh released him after going 6-11, with a 5.61 ERA in '93. Dan Duquette, as GM of the old Montreal Expos, had seen him pitch in his rookie year of '92, when he went 8-1, 2.15 ERA, and snatched him up on opening day '94. He firmly believed that Wake was the difference in Pittsburgh making it to the post-season that year and not the Expos. Wake has been with the Sox ever since, quietly going about his business. Kilgore tells of Wake learning from Charlie Hough, his friendship with another well respected Sox, Mike Timlin, his team leading community appearances, and his charitable work for The Franciscan Hospital for Children.

Wake has had some up years and some down years along the way, and while his numbers may not get him into the MLB HoF, he most certainly be will be in the Red Sox HoF. He is bearing down on a couple of notable milestones: he has 189 career wins right now, 2910+ IP, and 1968 K's. Knuckleballers historically have pitched well into their mid and late 40's, so here's hoping that we still see Wake in a Sox uni for a few more years to come.

As an aside, my brother in RI, yard sale and flea market wiz that he is, gave me a Wakefield Pittsburgh shirt years ago, but my ex-wife.....

Ah, what are exes for anyhow? Who knew? Who could have known?

Beckett pitches a complete game shutout against Royals

The final game of the Red Sox homestand before heading into the All Star Break, Josh Beckett reminded all of Red Sox Nation and Major League Baseball why he is well deserving of a spot on the AL's All Star Team.

A game after the Red Sox used more of their bullpen than they would have liked (I'll looking at you Masterson and Delcarmen), the Red Sox really could have used their starter going late into the game. Josh Beckett gave them that and then some.

Beckett pitched a 94 pitch complete game shutout of the Royals to get a 6-0 win. It was a thing of sheer beauty to watch. He was a strike out machine in the first few innings and later flew through innings barely throwing any pitches at all. Josh was dealing, no doubt. This was also a career 100th victory for Josh Beckett bringing his 2009 record to 11-3.

"It's pretty memorable" to post his 100th win, Beckett said, "and the way I did it is cool."

Beckett (11-3) retired the first nine batters, five on strikeouts. It was his second shutout and complete game of the season following his 3-0 win over Atlanta on June 20. He finished with seven strikeouts and no walks.

After Aaron Bates got his first major league hit in last night's game, he picked up right where he left off. He went 3-4 in the game with an RBI. I wasn't too familiar with Bates before he was called up, but he sure is on my radar now.

Jason Bay was on base 5 times tonight, but none of them as a result of getting a hit. He was walked during his first 3 plate appearances and then reached with hit by pitch in his last two at bats. It took until his 4th at bat for the Royals pitchers to throw him one strike. It was an interesting and good day for Bay's OBP at least.

Sox WIN 6-0 BOX SCORE

In related AL East news today:

The Angels beat the New York Yankees 5-4 to complete a series sweep. That leaves the Yankees trailing the Red Sox by 3 games heading into the All Star Break.

The Athletics beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-3 to take that series 2-1. That leaves the Rays 6.5 back in the hunt for the AL East.

Ahh....SO GOOD...SO GOOD....SO GOOD!

Buchholz to pitch for the Red Sox on Friday!

I am a happy happy camper. Wanna know why?

Is it because I went to my first game at Fenway Park on Saturday? Possibly. (I'll post a more in depth post on this soon).

Is it because Josh Beckett just pitched a 94 pitch complete game shutout and recorded his 100th career win? Possibly.

Or...

Could it be because at the post game interview Terry Francona made an announcement that has me doing cartwheels and jumping for joy?

What did Tito say? Well, he said that on Friday, the first game after the All Star Game, the starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox will be.....

CLAY BUCHHOLZ.

Cannot contain excitement. I have waited to see him on the mound for the Sox all season long. I don't have more info on the details...how they are dealing with the roster to make this happen...if this is a one time start or if Clay is going to hang with the rotation for a while. It's hot off the presses...and something that makes Shelley aka HUGE CLAY FAN very happy.

Of course, it also makes me suspicious. I know that there were Toronto scouts at the PawSox game today when Buch was pitching. I do fear that they are bringing Clay up to showcase him pitching on the major league level to whoever out there might be watching.

I'll say it once. I'll say it again. NO TRADE CLAY.

But, for right now...I am just going to bask in the excitement that I am going to see Clay pitching with the Red Sox in less than a week. WOOT! WOOT!

EDITED TO ADD:

The Globe has an article with a little more info on Clay and the decision to have him pitch on Friday. Tito said they were concerned about rest of their starters who are participating in the All Star Game. They did not want to change the rotation for their starters, so they are bringing Clay up on Friday and then will send him back down to the minors and return to their regularly scheduled rotation of Penny, Lester, Smoltz, Beckett and Wakefield.

Francona said Buchholz was selected for a variety of reasons, but part of that is rewarding him for his fantastic performance in the minor leagues so far.

“That’s part of it,” Francona said. “He’s very important to what we’re doing, obviously, in the future. I don’t that we would just do that. It lines up real well. It should benefit him and us.”

Today's Red Sox Lineup 7/12 vs K.C.

Ellsbury CF
Pedroia 2B
Youkilis 3B
Ortiz DH
Bay LF
Varitek C
Baldelli RF
Green SS
Bates 1B

Beckett SP

Smoltz Earns His First Win

John Smoltz had his best outing of the season going 5 innings and giving up just 4 hits and 1 run while striking out 7. He had plenty of run support from the Red Sox offense and left the game with a 9-1 lead.

The bullpen that had been the best part of the team for the first 1/3 of the season, again showed signs of fatigue. Masterson came in to relieve Smoltz and was awful; he gave up 5 earned runs in 1/3 of an inning. Okijima also had an off night giving up a home run and 2 other hits in 1/3 of an inning.

The bats were on fire with 2 homers by Youk and additional homers by Big Papi and Tek. Every batter but Kotsay (who had 2 walks) had a hit in the game.

Red Sox Win 15-9 BOX SCORE

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Tonight's Red Sox Lineup 7/11 vs K.C.

J.D. Drew, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Kevin Youkilis, 3B
David Ortiz, DH
Jason Bay, LF
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Jason Varitek, C
Mark Kotsay, 1B
Nick Green, SS

John Smoltz, SP

Web Sox Nation Video

Here's the video of my appearance on CSNNE's The Baseball Show from this morning. I am the third site in the clip:

Joba is in Denial

Joba got shelled last night but he thinks things are going swimmingly:

Joba says three times that his stuff and mechanics in the last two starts were the best he has had this season. Here is his line in those two starts:
8 innings, 18 hits, 13 runs, 7 earned runs, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts, 3 home runs....I’m also getting a sense that his teammates are tired of the “well, I threw the ball pretty well” stuff...
“You have to work your tail off,” Chamberlain said. “But the sun will come out tomorrow. I’ll be the same person I was before.”

Well, the sun will come out in Scranton, too. At some point the Yankees can’t let a starter go five innings every time.

Seems like the Yankees have their own version of Dice-K, only the Yankees don't have the depth to deal with the problem like the Red Sox do.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Ever wonder what goes on in your old hometown?

Well, I don't really call Pawtucket my hometown, but my family moved there just before I entered 8th grade. I went to high school in the shadow of McCoy Stadium, went to a few games there (hopefully another later this month), and saw some 4th of July fireworks there, too.

I don't think of Pawtucket unless it has something to do with the Sox, and I found a story about the shady side of Pawtucket and one of the PawSox. It turns out that Clay Buchholz had 2 of his rims stolen off of his BMW when two Pawtucket men were caught in that act after being seen by a witness.

Ah, yes. Pawtucket. I told my father we should have tried to strike up a deal with the Sox! (Our family used to own a furniture store and rental properties, some furnished, just minutes from McCoy; and he's a Yankees fan. Sigh.)

Pedey's Wall-Ball Saves Lester's Gem

Jon Lester was dealing tonight but the offense was struggling against the Royals starter, Brian Bannister. Lester went 8 shutout innings giving up just 4 hits and 2 walks while striking out 8.

Ellsbury had the only hit (he was thrown out at the plate and ejected for arguing the call) for the Red Sox until the 8th inning when Kotsay led up with a single. Green bunted him over to second with 2 strikes putting the go-ahead run a second. The table was set for J.D. Drew but he wiffed putting the pressure on Pedroia. Dustin came through with a wall-ball double scoring Kotsay and giving the Sox all the runs they would need.

Papelbon had good stuff and finally put Red Sox Nation at ease with three quick outs preserving the win for Boston.

Red Sox Win 1-0 BOX SCORE

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Royals	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	1
Red Sox	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	3	1

The Baseball Show

I'll be on the Baseball Show tomorrow morning on CSNNE as part of Web Sox Nation so tune in if you are in the viewing area.

Tonight's Red Sox Lineup 7/10 vs KC

Drew RF
Pedroia 2B
Youkilis 3B
Ortiz DH
Bay LF
Ellsbury CF
Varitek C
Kotsay 1B
Green SS

Lester SP

Dustin Pedroia, Please Stick to Baseball

If your kids are depending on Dustin Pedroia to teach them about taxes they might as well have Lenny Dykstra as their financial adviser. Watch the train wreck below:

HT to Bugs & Cranks

Ortiz's 300th Not Enough

Big Papi hit his 300th career home run last night but it was not enough for the suddenly struggling bullpen. In 2 2.3 innings, MDC, Masterson, and RR gave up 7 hits and 5 earned runs to one of the worst offenses in baseball. 4 of the last 5 losses can be attributed to the pen; the All-Star break can not come soon enough for some of the tired arms. The loss puts the Red Sox in a tie for first place in the A.L. East.

Red Sox Lose 8-6 BOX SCORE

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Tonight's Red Sox Lineup 7/9 vs K.C.

J.D. Drew, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Kevin Youkilis, 3B
David Ortiz, DH
Jason Bay, LF
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Jason Varitek, C
Mark Kotsay, 1B
Nick Green, SS

Brad Penny, SP

Q & A with Joe Posnanski

To get ready for the Royals/Red Sox series, Fenway West interviewed Joe Posnanski of The Kansas City Star and Sports Illustrated. Joe has been rated the best sports columnist in America twice by the Associated Press Sports Editors and is the author of The Soul of Baseball: A Road Trip Thourgh Buck O'Neil's America.

FW: How much does the loss of Coco Crisp hurt the Royals?

Joe Posnanski: Well, sure, it does hurt. Crisp was playing quite well early in the year -- he was walking a lot, chasing down everything in center field and so on. The Royals got off to a good start and he was a big part of that. I don't know if he could have maintained that pace for a full season -- we'll never really know since he's gone for the year (and I can't imagine the Royals picking up his $8 million option). I think the team has some pretty serious problems and a healthy Crisp would not have changed that. But he certainly could have helped.

FW: Is Zack Greinke going to win the Cy Young?

Joe Posnanski: I said before the year that he would win the Cy Young so it would be silly for me now -- after his brilliant first half -- to back away from my good-looking prediction. But I will say that I think the team's struggles seem to be wearing on him. Zack seems to me the kind of guy who wants desperately to be on a winning team, who wants to pitch in meaningful games. Everybody does, of course, but I think that means even more to him. He has already pitched way too many meaningless games for such a young guy. So, the key to me will be how well he can keep his concentration, focus and enthusiasm in the second half. I still think he and Roy Halladay are the two best pitchers in the American League.

FW: Do you see the Royals making any big deals before the deadline?

Joe Posnanski: I'm sure they would love to make big deals but I'm not entirely sure they have the necessary bait. I think it's possible, maybe even likely, that they will deal Mark Teahen or David DeJesus or someone like that before the deadline, and I guess that could qualify as a big deal. But as far as a really big deal -- a trade that would include Greinke, Joakim Soria, Gil Meche or one of the Royals No. 1 draft picks in the minors or a trade where another team takes Guillen's $12 million contract off their hands -- well, I don't see any of those things happening.

FW: Is Callaspo the best young player on the Royals?

Joe Posnanski: No, I don't think so. I think Billy Butler is the best young everyday player on the Royals. I think he has been surprisingly decent playing first base -- the Royals had fully expected him to be stuck as a DH his whole career -- and I really believe the guy's going to hit a ton. He's only 23 and his power is still developing but he's a natural hitter -- I really think he's a potential star in the making. I'm also keeping my eyes on Alex Gordon when he returns from the disabled list just after the All-Star break. Gordon was everyone's favorite prospect just two years ago and he was actually pretty good last year. I wonder if these couple of months away from the game will help him refocus and become the star that most people expected. As for Callaspo, he's a good hitter. He can't run and I think he's a well-below-average second baseman. But he can hit, and he has flashed some power this year and that is a pleasant surprise for the team. He hardly ever strikes out so that's fun too.

FW: What are your predictions for this series with the Red Sox?

Joe Posnanski: I've hope I've learned enough through the years of watching Royals baseball to not make too many predictions about individual baseball games. But, obviously, this series does not look like a good match-up at all for the Royals. Four games at Fenway and no Zack Greinke pitching and the Royals can't score at all ... I think if the Red Sox don't take at least three out of four they'll be kicking themselves over the All-Star Break.

Fenway Park: Number 1 Ranked Ballpark!

This is no new news to all of us in Red Sox Nation, but Sporting News Magazine just ranked the 30 MLB Parks and the #1 ballpark was of course, Fenway Park.

The 3 reasons the author LOVES Fenway Park:

1. The Green Monster

2. The Ted Williams Seat

3. Pesky's Pole

Here is what Jason Bay had to say about his experiences with the Monster, both as a Red Sox and a visiting player:

"There's not a lot of room out there. It's pretty self-explanatory: If it's over your head, it's off the wall or it's gone. In that aspect, it's easier. But there are some nooks and crannies, the scoreboard—I've been back there behind the scoreboard a couple times, once as a visiting player, and then I've gone back since. Most of the guys who come here for the first time go. There's thousands and thousands of signatures back there. So it was like, 'Hey, you gotta go sign the Monster.' So I went in and signed the inside of it. And when I came here, I went back and saw my name back there. It's the nostalgia. There's all these new ballparks going up, and they're great. People are like, 'Wouldn't you like to see Boston get a new ballpark?' And the answer is, 'Not really.' "

Here, here JayBay! No new ballpark for the Red Sox. No way. No how.

My own personal FOURTH reason...the FANS. There is something about the Fenway Faithful. The noise. The fact that the fans don't need a teleprompter to tell them to cheer....and they don't need to be given noise sticks or clappers. Fenway fans make noise all on their own. Josh Beckett said it himself in his last press conference how much he loves playing here. He said the support of the fans is so valuable and a welcomed change from what he experienced when he was with the Marlins.

Here are the Top 5:

1. Fenway Park - Boston Red Sox
2. PNC Park - Pittsburg Pirates
3. Wrigley Field - Chicago Cubs
4. Oriole Park at Camden Yards - Baltimore Orioles
5. AT&T Park - San Fransico Giants

Oh...and in that Top 5, I didn't notice the new Yankee Stadium. Just saying.

P.S. Did I happen to mention that I am making my first trek EVER to Fenway Park this Saturday? I didn't? Well...I SO AM. I am so excited...I am literally counting the hours until 7:10pm on Saturday night.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Wake Shows He Belongs in St. Louis

Tim Wakefield became the first pitcher in the AL to reach the 11 victory mark tonight after going 6 innings and giving up 3 runs and striking out 8 Oakland A's batters.

The A's had a 1-0 lead in the 6th before J.D. Drew and Big Papi hit home runs giving the Red Sox the lead for good.

Delcarmen and Oki each kept the A's off of the board but Paps was shaky again giving up a run in the 9th.

Red Sox Win 5-4 BOX SCORE

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Athletics	0	1	0	0	0	0	2	0	1	4	13	0
Red Sox	0	0	0	0	0	4	1	0	0	5	7	1

Tonight's Red Sox Lineup 7/8 vs Oakland

Drew, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Youkilis, 3B
Ortiz, DH
Bay, LF
Ellsbury, CF
Kotsay, 1B
Green, SS
Kottaras, C

Wakefield, SP

Have You Checked Waffle House?

The White Sox can't find Bartolo Colon:

"I know where he is supposed to be right now. He's supposed to be in Charlotte, preparing to start Thursday," White Sox GM Ken Williams said Tuesday, according to the Chicago Tribune. "Efforts to contact his agent have been successful. Their efforts to contact their client have not been so successful."

Chances are "el Gordo" is snacking at a local eatery, he should turn up shortly.

Nomar: "I Never Turned the Money Down"

Nomar disputed the common belief that he turned down a large contract offered by the Red Sox in 2004 before he was traded in an interview with CSNNE. Watch Below:

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.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Tek, Beckett Deliver for Sox

While the Sox hitters didn't "feast" on A's pitchers, they did put up 5 runs on 9 hits.

Jason Varitek came through with a key hit, driving in 2 of the Sox runs.

Josh Beckett pitched well, giving up 2 ER in 6.2 innings and picking up his 10th win. Paps picked up the save (his 21st) by striking out the side in the 9th.

An expected, but nonetheless, solid win for the Sox.

Box

Table Set for Sox Feast

I think all of Red Sox Nation is ready for a Sox win. Not an extra innings affair, not a comeback in the 9th, but a good ol' whoopin'.

Beckett takes the mound tonight for the Sox. That alone should mean a Red Sox win against a team that is at the bottom of the AL West. But, what makes tonight's victory more likely is this:

Dana Eveland (1-2, 7.40 ERA).

In a couple of career starts against the Sox Eveland's ERA is nearly 19.00. (Those are post-juice Gagne numbers) The A's were planning on starting Dallas Braden, but he was placed on the bereavement list.

Eveland is pitching on only 3 days rest. (To be fair, Eveland has pitched well in Sacramento, but Fenway is not Sacramento, and these are the Boston Red Sox not the Colorado Springs Sky Sox.)

Bring out your bats. This outta be a high scoring game for the Sox.

How Long is Smoltz's Leash?

Smoltz has had a great career. He's considered by some to be worthy of eventual induction into the Hall of Fame. I shouldn't be putting all of this in the past tense, should I?

With the Sox this year, the "potential Hall of Fame Smoltz" has given up 20 hits, and 11 ERs in the 15 innings that he has pitched. His ERA is a whopping 6.60.

Sox fans knew they weren't getting the same pitcher that dominated hitters for Atlanta, but they thought he still had some Ws to contribute to a winning club. How long before we should be truly concerned? One more start? Two more? Smoltz is 42. Comebacks get harder with age. Smoltz is a true competitor, and I think he can turn it around, but I am a tad worried.

With Buchholz pitching well in AAA and Dice-K conditioning in Ft. Myers the leash may not be too long.

Nomar Thanks Sox Fans

NESN caught up with Nomar after last night's game. Sox fans were classy in welcoming Nomar back to Fenway.

Watch here:

Monday, July 6, 2009

Anderson Cruises Against Sox

Rookie lefthander Bret Anderson 2-hit the Red Sox, pitching a gem for Oakland. Anderson was the A's highest touted prospect but has had mixed results so far this season. He lived up to the hype tonight.

The Sox continue to struggle in July, losing against teams that they are expected to beat.

The upcoming All-Star break will provide a well-needed rest for the team.

Box

Spring Training in July for Dice K

Dice K is in Ft. Myers to recondition himself and hopefully get back to his old pitching form. Dice K asked for permission to leave the team to work out in Ft Myers.

Speaking to Southwest Florida's News2 Dice K shed some light on the situation:

"I originally wanted to come down here so I could focus on working really hard. I appreciate the team agreed to it," he said.

"I'm approaching it as if it's spring training in February. It's a little bit strange to be doing it in the middle of the season - but maybe because of that I've been given about two times the work," Matsuzaka said.

"I've been given this time to workout down here, so I just want to keep smiling as I do it. But I think for me to show my real smile, that's a little bit further down the road," said Matsuzaka.

"I've been given some rough outlines of a schedule but I don't think even the ballclub really knows how much time I'm going to be spending down here. I want to stay here and work out until I feel ready," he said.

Nomar Back at Fenway

Nomar Garciaparra will be back at Fenway Park tonight as a member of the Oakland A's. He hasn't played at Fenway in almost 5 years.

Sox fans should give Nomar a warm welcome. He's never been the same player since leaving Boston, and has been plagued by injuries.

Garciaparra told the Boston Globe:

“I look forward to it, just because of the fans and to see some old friends and everything. I always loved the fans, and that city will always have a special place in my heart"

Javier Lopez Hopes to Make it Back

With Saito struggling the Red Sox always have the option of bringing Javier Lopez back up. Lopez talks about what happened to him earlier in the season and how he is doing now. Watch below:

Sunday, July 5, 2009

A Tip of the Cap to Joe Maddon

In a very classy gesture, Joe Maddon, manager of the Tampa Bay Rays, used one of his picks to name Tim Wakefield to the American League All Star Game Team. Whether perceived or real, a budding rivalry between the Sox and the Rays could have cast a shadow over the possibility of any Sox being picked by Maddon with his allotted manager's picks. Joe Maddon rose above this with his choice of Wakefield in what could be considered a lifetime achievement award as much as it reflects his performance this season.

Despite his 4.30 ERA this year, Wake has a 10-3 record, which ties him for most victories by any pitcher in the AL, and puts him 2nd in W-L pct. He has 10 quality starts this season, which is 2nd on the Sox staff behind Beckett. In the month of June, he was 4-0, with a 3.45 ERA. Outstanding individual game performances this year include a 7 inning 1 H, 0 ER, no decision at Cleveland, an 8 inning, 5 H, 1 ER win against Toronto, and a 6 inning 3 H, 0 ER win at Atlanta just last week.

Of all his games this year, the one game that stands out the most is his April 15th gem at Oakland (which I was extremely fortunate to be in attendance to witness) when he carried a no-no into the 8th inning (perfect into the 5th, broken up by an error.) He pitched a CG that day tossing 111 pitches, while allowing only 4 H and 2 ER.

I called for Wakefield to be named to last year's ASG by Tito, as his ERA over the 7 games preceding the nominations was only 1.72. He pitched at least 7 innings in all of those games. Unfortunately for Wake last year, several of his teammates had been chosen by the fans. Had Tito chosen one of his own starters, I'm sure cries of favoritism would have been heard across the land no matter how brilliant his stats were at the time of manager's picks. Joe Maddon did not have that influence to worry about this year.

RedSox.com has a great story about how Tito informed Wake of his achievement, the announcement of the achievement during the game, and the video of his NESN in-game interview, including a big ol' bear hug that Papi gave him. I got all tingly with pride watching the video and reading the story, as Wake has been my favorite Sox for several years now.

Joe Maddon did the right thing!

Red Sox Rally Off Of Mariners' Pen

It looked like the Red Sox were headed for another painful loss to the Mariners as the game entered the bottom of the 7th. Lester had given up 4 runs (3 earned) and the Sox were down by one as the Mariners turned their bullpen. With runners on first and second Youk made an out and failed to advance the runners but Big Papi (who had already homered in the game) saved the day with a base hit driving in the tying run. Then Bay got on and with bases loaded Ells drew a walk to bring in the go-ahead run. Kotsay then got a hit and the Red Sox were in the driver's seat. Masterson and Oki went the rest of the way and didn't allow a hit.

Red Sox Win 8-4 BOX SCORE

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Mariners	0	0	0	3	1	0	0	0	0	4	8	0
Red Sox	2	0	0	0	0	1	5	0	0	8	9	1

Wake Makes All-Star Team

Tim Wakefield, Jonathan Papelbon and Josh Beckett have made the All-Star pitching staff for the American League. Dustin Pedroia has been voted in as the starting second baseman, Jason Bay is in as a starting outfielder and Youk was voted in as a reserve player. The full roster is here.

Manny's Sham Apology

Are we really supposed to take Manny's apology seriously? The guy can't take off his sunglasses inside to address the media, his body language gives off a giant f-you and he has Scott Boras sitting next to him showing that it was all scripted. How did the suspension impact Manny emotionally? It was great according to Ramirez because of all of the support he got; sounds like a tough punishment. Fox joined the apologist bandwagon yesterday by showing his AB's.

Today's Red Sox Lineup 7/3 vs Seattle

J.D. Drew, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Kevin Youkilis, 3B
David Ortiz, DH
Jason Bay, LF
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Mark Kotsay, 1B
Jason Varitek, C
Nick Green, SS Jon Lester, SP

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Saito Hands Mariners a Victory

Jason Varitek gave the Red Sox a 2-0 lead with a homer in the second but the Mariners tied it up in the fifth. Brad Penny lasted through the sixth and was replaced by Masterson who kept the game tied. Oki pitched a scoreless eighth and the Red Sox offense failed to score in the bottom of the inning. Saito came in to pitch the 9th and gave up 3 walks and a bloop single to allow the Mariners to take a 1-run lead which would be all they would need.

Red Sox Lose 3-2 BOX SCORE

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Mariners	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	1	3	7	1 «
Red Sox	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	4	0

Today's Red Sox Lineup 7/4 vs Seattle

.D. Drew, RF

Dustin Pedroia, 2B

Kevin Youkilis, 3B

Jason Bay, LF

Rocco Baldelli, DH

Jason Varitek, C

Jacoby Ellsbury, CF

Jeff Bailey, 1B

Julio Lugo, SS

Brad Penny, SP

Red Sox Will Play First Game at Target Field

When the Twins play their first game at their new home next year they will face the Boston Red Sox. Gone will be the ugly astro turf, the white dome, and the hefty bag; the new stadium will be an outdoor venue that will hold 40,000 fans. You can view a webcam of the new stadium that is updated every 15 min. here.

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