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Saturday, September 13, 2008

Say Hello To My Little Friend

Dustin Pedroia had 3 more hits tonight to reach #200 on the season. The Red Sox had to come from behind to beat the Jays in the second game of the doubleheader. Colon ran in some trouble in the second giving up 5 runs (2 earned). He settled back down and went 6 innings. The pen was spectatcular keeping the Jays off the board for the last 3 innings. The Sox offense chipped away at the lead getting a run in the 6th from a sac fly, another run in the 7th and then took the lead with 3 in the eighth. Jacoby, Lowrie, Bay, and Pedroia all a multi-hit game.

The Yankees rallied from behind to beat the Rays 6-5 and put the Red Sox back within 2 of the division lead. Tonight's win for all practical purposes ended the Jays chance of competing for the wildcard.

Red Sox Win 7-5 BOX SCORE

Red Sox Lineup 9/13 Game 2 vs the Jays

Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Dustin Pedroia 2B
David Ortiz DH
Kevin Youkilis 1B
Mark Kotsay RF
Jason Bay LF
Jed Lowrie 3B
Alex Cora SS
Kevin Cash C

Bartolo Colo, SP

Byrd Comes Back to Earth

Paul Byrd had pitched like a Cy Young candidate since joining the Red Sox, he came back to reality in Game 1 of today's doubleheader. Byrd went 5 innings giving up 10 hits and 5 earned runs. David Aardsma came in for his first appearance since coming off of the DL and looked like a guy that is still not right. He pitched an inning giving up 3 runs, all earned. The only good news from the pitching staff was Hansack who pitched the final 3 frames without giving up a hit. The Sox offense looked as flat as the pitching staff today managing just 5 hits (Ellsbury had 2 of them) and one run in the blowout loss. I don't know the stats for this but it seems like the Sox alway suck when they wear the red uniforms.

Red Sox Lose 8-1 BOX SCORE

Okajima's option picked up for 2009

From redsox.com:

BOSTON -- The Red Sox announced Saturday that reliever Hideki Okajima's option has officially vested for next season.
Okajima's two-year, $2.5 million contract had a $1.75 million option for 2009, but if he pitched in at least 115 games in '07 and '08, the Sox would automatically pick it up.
"In a day and age when it's hard to find relievers," manager Terry Francona said, "he's done a pretty good job."
Entering Saturday's doubleheader with Toronto, Okajima has pitched in 123 games over the past two seasons; his 115th appearance was Aug. 20 at Baltimore. But due to paperwork and finalization on the option pickup, the Red Sox did not officially announce it until Saturday.
Okajima, 32, joined the Red Sox in November 2006 as an amateur free agent. The lefty came to the Major Leagues with a 34-32 career record and a 3.36 ERA in Japan.
He made the American League All-Star team in 2007 with a 3-2 record and a 2.22 ERA. This season hasn't been quite so seamless -- while Okajima harbors an identical record and a 2.88 ERA, he's blown eight saves.
"He set the bar unbelievably high," said Francona of Okajima's first year, when he finished sixth in the AL Rookie of the Year Award voting. "This year, I think by his own accounts, it hasn't been as easy as it was last year."
Okajima has pitched 123 1/3 innings in his first two seasons in Boston, and his strength down the stretch in 2007 undoubtedly helped the Sox toward their World Series title.
Now, with the option picked up, Okajima will have the opportunity to make a similar impact down the stretch this year and in 2009.
"He's still a pretty good reliever, and when he has that split over -- or that changeup or whatever you call it -- he can be a dominant reliever," Francona said. "There have been times this year when it hasn't always been there."

Red Sox Lineup 9/13 Game 1 vs. the Jays

Jacoby Ellsbury, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Mike Lowell, 3B
Sean Casey, 1B
Jason Bay, LF
Jed Lowrie, SS
Jason Varitek, C
Coco Crisp, CF

Paul Byrd, SP

Friday, September 12, 2008

Wake Delivers

Tim Wakefield pitched a gem tonight, going 8 scoreless innings only giving up 3 hits with no walks. The Sox took a one run lead in the bottom of the second and added another run in the 4th. Kevin Cash opened the flood gates with a 3-run tater over the monster in the 8th. Papelbon was warming up before Cash put the game out of reach so Delcarmen came in for the 9th and retired the Jays in order. The Tampa-NYY game was rained out so the Red Sox pick up 1/2 a game and now trail the Rays by 2.

Red Sox Win 7-0 BOX SCORE

Tonight's Red Sox Lineup 9/12 vs the Jays

Coco Crisp, CF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Kevin Youkilis, 1B
Jason Bay, LF
Mike Lowell, 3B
Mark Kotsay, RF
Jed Lowrie, SS
Kevin Cash, C Tim Wakefield, SP

Lester to take on Halladay on TBS

New addition to the Sox national TV schedule this week: Jon Lester v. Roy Halladay of Toronto will be on TBS this Sunday, September 14, 10:35 AM (PDT) on TBS.

NESN Gives Announcer Boy An Extension

Don Orsillo has signed to a multi-year extension to broadcast Red Sox games for NESN. Tonight he will announce his 1,000th game on the network. Congrats Don, well deserved.

Dumbass Hank Guarantees the Yankees Will Suck Next Year

If the Yankees were bad this year, just think how bad they will be when Dumbass Hank makes all the decisions next season. Here is what he told the Record yesterday:

“Suffice to say, there’s not going to be any more, on my part, of trying to keep everybody happy. If I want somebody, I’m going to go after him,” Steinbrenner told The Record by phone this afternoon. Immediately after the season, Steinbrenner plans to review the entire organization. “Just as my dad would have,” he said, adding that George Steinbrenner has equally been dismayed by the Yankees’ fourth-place standing. “It’s been a very disappointing year for both of us."

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Red Sox Can Bury the Jays

Toronto is the hottest team in baseball and they have moved to within 6.5 games of Boston. They do not have a great chance of catching the Red Sox but it is in the realm of possibilities. If the Sox win the upcoming four game series with Toronto they can make fans north of the border start to think about hockey season. Bartolo Colon is scheduled to make his first start since his injury during interleague play on Sunday.

Remember

----writers note, I don't claim to be a poet, nor a writer, but this is from the heart, and this is my plea for today: Sorry it's not Baseball, but sometimes, there is more to life than baseball.

-----

We sit in silence, to focus on this day,

a celebration, mournful and heavy, what me must remember.

Remember the skyline of the City torn to bits,

Remember the support of the world.

Remember, the outcry for help, and the outpouring of love.

Remember in celebration, the character of this United States.

Remember, the strength from within.

Remember as a nation, we were NOT divided,

even when religion, politics, sex , race and geography tried to.

Remember, we are one, we breathe, sigh, love and bleed together, we are one voice,

one people.

We, need to remember, no matter what side of the fence we stand,

in argument with our neighbor, ALL of our feet, both sides, are

firmly planted in America.

SO please my brothers and sisters,

Lest not remember color, creed, religion or politics.

Lets remember, hope, a better life for the future of us,

and our love for our country.

Our People, and our children.

Let us remember, this day, this somber day, that we are Free, Free to believe, act, think, be different.

And we are lucky, blessed, and fulfilled for it.

GOD BLESS AMERICA

Red Sox Could Go After Japanese Pitcher Junichi Tazawa

Junichi Tazawa announced that he was interested in playing with a Major League team in the U.S. instead of playing in Japan. Here's what Rotoworld said about him ealier this month:

The Red Sox, Braves and Mets are among the teams reportedly targeting 22-year-old Japanese pitcher Junichi Tazawa.
Tazawa is slated to be an early pick in Japan's draft, but there's nothing preventing him from signing with an MLB team first. He reportedly throws 97 mph, though that may be an exaggeration, and shows a quality slider. There's been no indication yet of what kind of contract he might get.

Fenway Park Blood Drive

Papelbon's Dirty Dancing Video

Wicked Good Sports has posted the Jonathan Papelbon high school dancing video in full, you can watch it here if you can stomach it.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Rays Squirm Out of Fenway With Their First Series Win

It took 14 innings but the Rays now have won the first series at Fenway in the history of their franchise. Timlin gave up a 3-run homer to Pena in the top of the 14. The Sox loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the inning but could only push one run across. The Red Sox could very easily have swept the series if a few things had gone their way but they now find themselves 2 1/2 games back.

Red Sox Lose 4-2 BOX SCORE

Red Sox Prayer

Our Lord of Fenway, God of all things seen, and green (like the monster),

Be with our gentlemen tonight, as they cruise (around the bases like Ellsbury), and over the Rays for a victory tonight.

See them hitting the ball hard, being swift, and gloves accurate and on.

Arms firing hard (Beckett), and the wind in fenway against our backs.

Gods of hits, runs and outs, please grant us easy outs on defense, long innings and high scores on offense, may we hit and run, hit off the wall, and not commit any errors.

Lord, once again, I ask you to be with Bay, Lowrie, Ellsbury, Kotsay, Ortiz, Varitek, Pedroia, Youkillis, Lowell and of course Beckett, and also with the Bench, Bullpen and the coaching staff. . . lead us to victory.

Lord, thank you so very much for the fall of the yankees, we do owe you one!, And oh yes lord, who ever it is praying hard in Tampa and Toronto to give them the luck they're getting, please know, Bostonians and the Red Sox Nation have been praying longer, and harder. . . so thanks again for 2004, 2007 and I'll just thank you in advance for the victory in the world series over the Cubs this year.

Ellsbury for ROY, Pedroia for MVP, Dice-K for Cy Young, and the Sox for Champs in 2008. . . . . . . . . . too much to ask?

AMEN

Tonight's Red Sox Lineup 9/10 vs Tampa Bay

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

Josh Beckett, SP

Papelbon and Casey Appear in New TBS Ad

TBS is rolling out a new ad for their post-season coverage featuring Bon Jovi and Red Sox players Jonathan Papelbon and Sean Casey. Yahoo sports points out that the Yankees are also featured in the ad even though they will be nowhere near the post-season.

Lugo Is Done For the Season

New reports are now suggesting that there is no chance Julio Lugo will be back on the team this season. After a setback during rehab to his injury he has not been able to resume baseball related activities. Many of you out there may be cheering this news, but I would have liked to have him available in case Lowrie gets hurt. The team has been better offensivly and defensively with Lowire so the news is not devistating by any means.

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