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Sunday, July 6, 2008

Sox Disappoint in Bronx Finale

Another great start by Tim Wakefield was wasted as the BoSox fell short to the Yankees in extra frames. Manny didn't deliver in the 9th watching a called third strike as the Sox offense failed to deliver late once again. The Yankees did not look much better until Girardi got tossed for arguing balls and strikes and sparked a fire under the offense of the Yanks. All was not lost on the evening, Extra Bases reported the following:

With Alex Rodriguez standing in the on-deck circle in the last half inning, a group of fans started singing the Madonna song "Like a Virgin" in his general direction.

Rodriguez, who is having an affair with Madonna according to reports, didn't seem to flinch a bit.

Sox lose 5-4 BOX SCORE

Tonight's Lineup in the Bronx

Manny has the night off, Casey will DH

1. Jacoby Ellsbury, LF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. J.D. Drew, RF
4. Mike Lowell, 3B
5. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
6. Sean Casey, DH
7. Coco Crisp, CF
8. Julio Lugo, SS
9. Kevin Cash, C

Tim Wakefield, SP

All Stars Named

TBS just finished naming the rosters for this year's mid-summer's classic.

I was 9 for 12 (.750) on my pitcher's choices. I forgot about the Kansas City factor. KC fans must not vote, so in order to make sure all teams are represented, a (usually marginal) pitcher from KC is selected. No one voted in Baltimore, either. George Sherrill, BAL and Joakim Soria, KCR were selected since no Royals nor O's were voted in by fans.

Realistically, I did not expect Wake would be named, but Lester without a doubt, should have.

American League

C Joe Mauer, MIN
1B Kevin Youkilis, BOS
2B Dustin Pedroia, BOS
SS Derek Jeter, NYY
3B Alex Rodriguez, NYY
OF Josh Hamilton, TEX
OF Manny Ramirez, BOS
OF Ichiro Suzuki, SEA
DH David Ortiz, BOSº

Pitchers

P Justin Duchscherer, OAK
P Roy Halladay, TOR
P Scott Kazmir, TBY
P Cliff Lee, CLE
P Joe Nathan, MIN
P Jonathan Papelbon, BOS
P Mariano Rivera, NYY
P Francisco Rodriguez, LAA
P Ervin Santana, LAA
P Joe Saunders, LAA
P George Sherrill, BAL
P Joakim Soria, KCR

Reserves

C Dioner Navarro, TBY
C Jason Varitek, BOS
1B Justin Morneau, MIN
2B Ian Kinsler, TEX
SS Michael Young, TEX
3B Joe Crede, CWS
3B Carlos Guillen, DET
OF J.D. Drew, BOS
OF Carlos Quentin, CWS
OF Grady Sizemore, CLE
DH Milton Bradley, TEX
--------------------------------------------------------------------

National League
C Geovany Soto, CHC
1B Lance Berkman, HOU
2B Chase Utley, PHI
SS Hanley Ramirez, FLA
3B Chipper Jones, ATL
OF Ryan Braun, MIL
OF Kosuke Fukudome, CHC
OF Alfonso Soriano, CHC

Pitchers
P Aaron Cook, COL
P Ryan Dempster, CHC
P Dan Haren, ARZ
P Brad Lidge, PHI
P Tim Lincecum, SFG
P Ben Sheets, MIL
P Edinson Volquez, CIN
P Billy Wagner, NYM
P Brandon Webb, ARZ
P Brian Wilson, SFG
P Kerry Wood, CHC
P Carlos Zambrano, CHC

Reserves
C Russell Martin, LAD
1B Brian McCann, ATL
1B Adrian Gonzalez, SDP
1B Albert Pujols, STL
2B Dan Uggla, FLA
3B Aramis Ramirez, CHC
SS Cristian Guzman, WAS
SS Miguel Tejada, HOU
OF Matt Holliday, COL
OF Ryan Ludwick, STL
OF Nate McLouth, PIT

Notes:
# Final Vote Selection
º Injured, will not participate
ª Named as replacement

Al All Star Team Arms Race

My picks for the AL pitching crew:

Tim Wakefield
Jon Lester
Joe Nathan, MIN, 1.26 ERA, 23/23 SVS/SVO, 44 K
Justin Duchscherer, OAK, 1.96, W9-L5, 59K
Jonathan Papelbon, BOS, 2.19, 25/29, 47K
Francisco Rodriguez, LAA, 1.93, 34/36, 35K
Rich Harden, OAK, 2.25, 5-0, 88K
Cliff Lee, CLE, 2.26, 11-1, 93K
Scott Kazmir, TBY, 2.63, 7-3, 75K
Roy Halladay, TOR, 2.88, 10-6, 113K
Ervin Santana, LAA, 3.28, 9-3, 106K
Mariano Rivera, NYY, 1.17, 23/23, 44K

and as an alternate pick:
John Lackey, LAA, 1.93, 6-2, 61K

Now that the error prone A-Rod and Jeter have been named to the starting team left side of the diamond, I should have looked closer at pitchers who induce ground balls to the right side (Pedroia and Youk.) Pedroia will have his work cut out for him trying to catch DP play balls from those two.

While Jon Lester is my sentimental pick for starter, I think Justin Duchscherer will start.

Picks coming up on TBS soon. We'll see how I do.

A Sox Win Tonight Will Make the Yankees Implode

If Wakefield can have another solid start and the offense can get some timely hits, the Yankees will face a loss that will have a devastating impact on their team. The Evil Empire is trotting out their "savior" Joba Chamberlain tonight and if the Sox can get to him, it could spell big trouble in the Bronx. The Yankees will fall farther behind the Sox and Rays and the first half will be declared a disaster. Hank will start blaming Cashman in the media while the media in turn will blame Girardi. The press will continue to hound A-Rod as the baseball world focuses on New York for the All-Star Game. A win by Boston would show how much trouble New York is in and that they have no quick fix; there is no player available at the deadline that would be able to save the sinking Yankees. Don't be surprised if there are some extracurricular activities in tonight's game after all of the bean balls yesterday. Girardi may try to get some spark in his team by having them mix it up with the Sox and there is still the Youk/Joba history. Should be a good one on ESPN tonight even with Joe Morgan announcing.

Saturday, July 5, 2008

I forgot to mention Dice-K in my Lester for All Star Team post! Doh!

Yesterday, I stumped for Lester for All Star Team. (I had already made my case for Wakefield.)

In my Lester post I mentioned Aardsma, Lopez, and Delcarmen all having good years, but not quite ready for the game. I wrote of Beckett and Pap, but somewhere along the way, my Dice-K review got lost. (Damn modern technology!)

Dice-K is having a great year, no doubt. However, I am just a little concerned about his high pitch counts, free passes, and that disastrous 1st game back from the DL.

Those negatives combined with Lester's positives are why I am picking Lester before Dice-K.

Soon come my picks for the rest of the AL arms.

Sox Rally Falls Short In 9th

The Red Sox almost stole one in the Bronx today but the slumping bottom of the order could not get a bases loaded hit. Masterson had another solid outing where he worked out of some jams. He was wild at times but overall he kept the Sox in a position to win. In the 9th Boston loaded the bases after scoring a run but Coco stuck out with a weak swing, quickly followed by a popup by the captain. Lugo came in to pinch hit in a chance to be the hero but once again he was the goat when he failed to make contact on any pitch from the Yankee closer. The offense was not in it today, but it was still one the Sox could have won. On a side note, Manny was hit by a pitch in three at bats today, I wonder if McCormick knows the Yankee pitching coach. The Sox will try to take 3-4 from the Yanks tomorrow night on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball.

Sox Lose 2-1 BOX SCORE

Close, But No Cigar

Mussina had his game on today, allowing only 4 hits, 1 walk, and no runs through 6 innings. The yankee bullpen for once did their job~ getting to the 9th inning and Mo with a lead intact. One of these days though, Mo's performances are going to land him in the Red Sox Hall of Fame. The Sox almost pulled off a nice come from behind victory. Down 2-0 in the 9th, he hits 2 batters, and allowed 2 hits and a run before wiggling out of a bases loaded jam. I love seeing him come in against the Sox. Close game, but no cigar.

Masterson was just a little wild today, allowing 6 hits, issuing 2 walks, a wild pitch, and 3 HBP's, but he did get through 6 innings with only 2 yanks making it to home plate.

Speaking of hit batsmen, there were 7 of them today, Manny taking 3 of them.

Random thoughts and observations of this game~ Joe Buck said 'Devil Rays.' I thought the Steinbrenner's had a strict dress code that didn't allow facial hair. No matter, some guys just don't look good with a moustache, and neither do his fans. Are golden thongs allowed by the Steinbrenner's? Molina took a nice hit to the head by a foul tip that knocked him down for a minute or so. He's OK. He took a dinger to the cup last week. Not sure how many more he can take, though. When Manny did swing, he was looking a little awkward. I thought Tek had broken out of his slump after going 3 for 7 in the previous 2 games, but he had another 0-4 today. Timlin had a nice 1-2-3 inning with one K. He wasn't wearing his usual knickers, but opted for the ankle length trousers instead.

Today's Lineup at the Bronx

Ellsbury, lf
Pedroia, 2b
Drew, rf
Ramirez, dh
Lowell, 3b
Youkilis, 1b
Crisp, cf
Varitek, c
Cora, ss

Masterson, sp

Yanks Get Beat Up By Sox, Then NY Media

For me there is nothing more fun than reading the New York media after the Sox beat the Yankees. Today proved to have some more entertaining reading, below are a few highlights.

From NY Post:Of course, the Yankees now have to win both games just to get back to the same unfavorable position in which they started the series. Not an exciting prospect.or this from the Daily News:

As for the games, Girardi seems to overthink things at times, whether it was not starting Ian Kennedy because of a bad weather report early in the season, or not bunting Melky Cabrera
earlier this week in a late-inning sacrifice situation, leaving himself open to second-guessing.

He seems to have plenty of respect in the clubhouse, but you wonder if his style creates tension among his players at times. Torre's style never failed to produce a playoff berth. Fairly or unfairly, Girardi's style is now officially on trial.
Or this that Dumbass Hank told to the NJ Star Ledger:
"We're looking into different things," Yankees co-chairperson Hank Steinbrenner said yesterday by phone. "I think we all had more confidence in what we could do with what we have than what we've shown lately.
"I don't think there's going to be any -- for most teams in baseball, 90 percent of the teams in baseball -- there's not going to be anything major that's going to happen."

The Yanks had better do something quick because Ponson is not going to get them into the playoffs.

Friday, July 4, 2008

AL All Stars Continue to Beat Up the yankees

Apparently yesterday's 30 minute reaming by Joe Girardi of his yankees was all for nought as the Sox beat them by a score of 6-3*. Beckett pitched 6 innings allowing 4 hits, 3 ER's, walking 2 and registering 4 K's. All Stars Pedroia, Ramirez, Youk, Tek and Lowell all had productive days at the plate going a combined 9 for 19, scoring 5 times and knocking in all 6 runs. Tek is having better days at the plate these days, going 3 for 7 in 2 games against the yanks. Potential All Star write in candidate Jacoby Ellsbury went 3 for 5, scored a run, and made a spectacular sliding catch. Oki is still looking for his Doki, but Delcarmen, Lopez, and Pap all did their jobs well.

*The official score of the game goes into the books as 6-4. In the 9th inning, Coco Crisp made a spectacular diving catch of a Derek Jeter blooper. Coco knew he made a clean catch as he took his time getting up and picking up his shades before realizing that 3rd base umpire Wally Bell called it a trap. Replays clearly show it was a clean catch. It should have been out #3, but the runner on base scored. Even the yankee announcers said it was a bad call. No worries, Pap got Abreu to fly out to Crisp. Expect to see replays on ESPN's 'Baseball Tonight' at 7 pm. Link will be posted when available.

BOX SCORE

Johnny Damon Can't Catch and Can't Throw

The Sox know where to target their fly balls when playing the yanks: left field and Johnny Damon. In the third inning today, Ellsbury got on with a bunt, Pedroia hit a single to left, followed by a sac fly by Lowell, also to left. Youk hits a long ball to left, Damon leaps and gets a piece of it, but as it was not a clean in-the-pocket catch, the ball popped out of his glove and sat on top of the fence for a couple of seconds while Damon fell on his backside and Youk legs out a triple. The ball falls back onto the playing field. Damon thought he had made the catch, then realizes he didn't, gets up and throws the ball in, but it doesn't reach the infield (but we knew he couldn't reach it, injured or not.) After reviewing the video, it's hard to tell if he injured his throwing arm on the collision, or the throw in. As he lands on his ass and gets up, he does not appear injured at that point. I'm guessing he hurt it on the throw.

Damon's replacement, Brett Gardner has struck out twice and flied out, putting his BA at .077. Is that the best the yankees can do?

Sox up 6-3 going into top of the rain delayed 8th. Is there a 60 minute closed door meeting coming up for Girardi and crew? Perhaps 30 wasn't enough?

Jon Lester Makes His Pitch for the All Star Game

I’ve already called for Tim Wakefield to be named to this year’s AL All Star pitching crew. Last year, the Sox sent 3 pitchers to the game: Beckett, Papelbon, and Okajima. To send at least two Sox pitchers should not raise any eyebrows, but I’m sure yankee fans will disagree. The Sox have several potential nominees for pitcher this year. David Ortiz, despite leading in the DH category, will not be able to play in the game, so hopefully Tito can sneak in a 3rd Sox pitcher.

While being consistent and putting up good numbers, Aardsma doesn't have much of a chance mostly because he’s young, unknown, and a middle relief man. Same goes for lefty specialist Javier Lopez. Until recently, Manny Delcarmen had a nice string of well pitched performances going. From May 8th to June 27th, he allowed only 12 hits and 2 earned runs in 19 games and 20.2 innings. They’re all young and will have more chances during their careers to get to the game if they continue pitching the way they have been. I see Manny becoming a top notch closer someday somewhere.

Beckett has found himself in a nice groove of late, but he has not been quite as overpowering and consistent as he was last year. He gave up 11 hits and 5 runs to the O’s in May, followed that by giving up 6 hits and 6 runs to the Brewers in his next start, and 3 runs to the yankees in the first inning of today's game. Overall, his numbers are pretty good, and I expect him to have another very good year, but as of right now, I don’t see him as the no-brainer starting choice that he was last year. Pap is having another great year, but he did have back to back blown saves and losses in May, along with 2 blown saves in June. Nonetheless, he is one of MLB’s premier closers and should be at the top of the list of nominees.

That brings us to Lester. All sentiment aside, the 24 year old Lester just gets better with every game. Riding his 2007 World Series game #4 victory into this season, he has tossed 6+ innings of 3 hit, no runs ball against the A’s, 8 innings of 1 hit ball against the Blue Jays, a no hitter in June, and just completed his 2nd game of the season, a rarity in this age, another shutout no less, AND it was against the yankees in THEIR house, taboot! Now bring in the sentiment factor. MLB wants ‘stars’ and ‘big names’ in the game to pull in those almighty TV advertising dollars, and Jon Lester has the story line behind his performances that TV suits cream their shorts over. Jon Lester is this year’s ‘no-brainer’. He may not be the starter, but he will be on the team.

Yankee Universe is in Disarray

Things are not going well for the Evil Empire this morning. Girardi had to hold a 30 minute closed door meeting in the clubhouse with the team after last night's loss. The Daily News has more on A-Rod's wife blaming Madonna for their split. Johnny Damon said the following about the game:

"After we got down, it seemed like there was nothing there. It didn't look like we had a chance"

or this from the Daily News:

"So after something of a honeymoon period based on what A-Rod did last year, the fans responded with boos Thursday night, which are predictable at this point.

The shocker was there were some boos for Jeter as well, after a sixth-inning strikeout that essentially punctuated a miserable night for the captain. So apparently even Jeter's championship warranty comes with an expiration date....So just as the Yankees are beginning to resemble the Mets, the Stadium in the Bronx is starting to feel more like Shea this year, where the karma has been toxic from Day One."

Today's Lineup 7/4 in the Bronx

Happy 4th of July

1. Jacoby Ellsbury, LF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. J.D. Drew, RF
4. Manny Ramirez, DH
5. Mike Lowell, 3B
6. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
7. Coco Crisp, CF
8. Jason Varitek, C
9. Julio Lugo, SS

Josh Beckett, SP

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Lester and Sox Stop the Bleeding

Jon Lester had a performance that was second only to his no-hitter this season. He got into a jam in the first by walking the first two batters he faced before retiring the next 3 in order. He would dominate from then on holding the Yankees to just 5 hits in a complete game shut-out. The Sox offense got to Pettitte early, scoring 2 in the first and 2 in the second. Tek and Manny both went 1-3 to help them break out of their slumps. The game had everything a Sox fan loves; an error by Jeter, A-Rod and Damon went a combined 0-7, the Sox scored a touchdown + extra point and the Yankees fans were silenced throughout the game.

Sox Win 7-0 BOX SCORE

Tonight's Lineup 7/3 at the Death Star

1. Jacoby Ellsbury, LF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. J.D. Drew, RF
4. Manny Ramirez, DH
5. Mike Lowell, 3B
6. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
7. Coco Crisp, CF
8. Jason Varitek, C
9. Julio Lugo, SS

Jon Lester, SP

Why Wakefield Should Be Named to the All Star Team

Wakefield?!

Yes, Tim Wakefield.

But his ERA is up over 4.00, and that crazy knuckleball?! Who’s gonna catch that?

Let’s start with his numbers.

On May 27, his ERA was 5.19 and over his last 7 starts, it has dropped to 3.72. He has gone at least 7 innings in each of his last 7 starts.

Here are the stats for those 7 games:

That’s a pretty impressive string of quality starts. His ERA over this time period is 1.98, again, pretty darned impressive.

I know it’s a long shot, but I think he should at least be named to the team. With 12 pitchers on the staff, it’s possible that he wouldn’t be called, but he still deserves this. His recent numbers support this, and just as important, he gets an A for All Star effort all year long, every year. Jason Varitek will be a late inning replacement at catcher. While he’s not Wake’s ‘personal catcher’, the two have worked together on the same team for years now. It wouldn’t be the first time Tek has caught Wake, and it would most likely be one inning of work or less. If Wake has another good performance in his next outing, which quite coincidentally will be in the same stadium as the mid-summer classic and could be considered a final tune-up, I say Tito should go with Wake as one of his picks.

A-Rod Gets Dumped by Wife for Lenny Kravitz

F-Word (aka Cynthia Rodriguez) has left A-Rod to be with Lenny Kravitz according to People magazine in the wake of his alleged philandering with Madonna. The NY Daily News contends that the A-Rod/F-Word marriage is over, while the singer's rep maintains that she is not divorcing her husband.

So where does that leave A-Rod? Looks like he's been scratched from the line-up. Not enough lumber to go around, Alex? (There's always Jeter.)

Maybe he should text Clemens* about that Viagara.

A Win Tonight Will Make All of This Go Away

Note to Red Sox Nation: it is still early July, the Sox will have their best hitter back soon, and the Sox will make a deal to improve the bullpen before the deadline. It is tough to see the big picture in the middle of losing streak but the Red Sox will regroup. Boston has been very streaky this season and have followed their losing streaks with big win streaks. There is heat on Tek, Manny, Tito's managing skills, and the pitching staff in general from the media and the fan base, but the great thing about baseball is you usually get to play again the next night. Tonight the Sox face their real rival with a chance to remind the Yankees and the country(2 of the games are on national TV) that they are World Champs and they are still the team to beat. The Sox are due for some big clutch hitting, tonight it will come at the Yankees expense.

Timlin Returns, Buchholz Does Not

Mike Timlin will be activated today and Chris Smith will be sent down. It was thought that Clay Buchholz would also be returning to the Red Sox to start against the Yankees but the team is saying that he will stay with Pawtucket and Masterson will get the star.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Things That Suck

Tek's bat right now

Manny's bat right now

The bullpen

Getting swept by the Rays

Sox Lose 7-6 BOX SCORE

Pedroia Just a Single Away from Hitting for the Cycle

At Tampa Bay today, the Sox and Rays are in the 5th inning, Sox up 4-1. In the 1st inning, Pedroia hit a home run. In the 3rd inning he hit a triple. In the 5th inning he hit a double, making him 3 for 3, with 3 runs scored and 1 RBI. All he needs is a single to hit for the cycle!

C'mon, Dustin!

And if, make that when, he does it, it will be in decreasing order by number of bags (4, 3, 2, 1)

Kazmir appears not to have his best stuff today.

Here's hopin' he does it!!!

UPDATE: Pedroia did one better than the single he needed; he whacked a double in his last at bat. So far today he is 4 for 5, 3 runs, 2 RBI's.

Unfortunately, the Sox are now down 7-5 going into the bottom of the 8th.

The Manny Backlash Begins to Grow

Manny's behavior in Houston is getting more attention mainly because of the way it was swept under the rug. Bob Ryan of the Globe calls out the Sox for their handling of the situation:

Manny was not just out of line. Manny was actually indulging in a criminal act. The Red Sox had an obligation to inform the rest of the organization, as well as the rest of baseball, that they will not tolerate criminal acts on the part of anyone, even future first-ballot Hall of Famers such as Manny Ramírez. It is incomprehensible that such smart people as John Henry, Larry Lucchino, and Theo Epstein didn't understand how much they had to gain by taking a stand for honor and decency. There is no more thankless task in baseball than that of the traveling secretary. How can any of the Red Sox brass now look Jack McCormick in the eye?

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports thinks the Sox should end their relationship with Manny at the end of the season:

Should they have disciplined him? It goes without saying. But the Sox can't touch Manny, lest he go into one of his periodic funks. So, they tolerate his obvious sense of entitlement and disrespect for a longtime team employee, viewing the incident as an aberration.

Manny has apologized and Jack McCormick says the incident is in the past but the story has legs and the media and fans will not be satisfied until some additional action is taken. The Sox dropped the ball on the handling of this one and need to right a wrong. I love Manny's quirkiness and his ability at the plate but his actions were inexcusable and need to be addressed in a way that sets an example to the entire organization that Manny cannot get away with anything he wants. I understand the team needs to treat Manny differently in some situations, this is not one of them.

Buchholz May Replace Masterson in The Rotation For Yankees Series

The Boston Globe is reporting that the Sox may bring Clay Buchholz back up to the big club this weekend to start against the Yankees. He would replace Masterson in the rotation.

"The idea was to work on fastball command," Francona said of Buchholz's stint in Pawtucket. "Consistency, and we slightly adjusted his arm angle to create two-seam movement.
"We didn't want to run him down there for just one or two starts. We made him throw his fastball. I don't know if it was a hard count, but we told him, 'Make yourself do this.' "
Buchholz's changeup and curve are so good, he could fall back on those pitches to get hitters out, which is why the Sox told him not to worry about results, Francona said.
But the results have been there as well, which would seem to guarantee Buchholz a seat on the shuttle to Boston, sooner rather than later.

For either Materson or Buchholz it is going to be a pressure filled situation to pitch in the Bronx when the Sox are desperately in need of some wins. This could be great for Clay's confidence if he can pitch well in New York but it could also have the fans and media really questioning Theo and Tito if he comes up and gets shelled.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Ortiz's Absense Is Becoming a Big Factor

For the second night in Tampa the Sox had trouble bringing runners across the plate. Manny is slumping and J.D. is not really a guy you can build a lineup around. Wakefield pitched well but so did Garza for the Rays. The Sox did not have many scoring opportunities and when they did they did not come through; Mike Lowell grounded out to short in the eight with bases loaded to end the inning. Boston is now 2 1/2 games out of first and the lineup is badly in need of a spark. If Ortiz can come back at 90% or better the Sox will be fine but if he can't return it will be difficult to win the division. The Red Sox need to leave Tampa with a win before heading to the Big Apple to face the Evil Empire.

Sox Lose 3-1 BOX SCORE

A- Rod Now Cheating With Madonna?

A-Rod announced he will not be participating in the Home Run Derby at the All-Star game in New York because it would upset his swing. There may be another reason; he wants to avoid the national media. A report has come out in US Magazine that A-Rod has been making late night visits to Madonna's apartment in NYC. I wonder if he texts Pete Rose while he's there? Honestly, you can't make this stuff up.

Tonight's Lineup 7/1 at Tampa Bay

Lugo gets a day off, that should give you something to cheer about.

Ellsbury CF
Pedroia 2B
Drew RF
Ramirez DH
Lowell 3B
Youkilis 1B
Moss LF
Cora SS
Cash C

Tim Wakefield SP

Last Call to Vote for 2008 All Star Game

It's looking like the Sox will have 3 starters at this years All Star Game farewell to the House that Ruth built (and the one that the Steinbrenner's burned down.) Youk, Pedroia, and Manny, are all leading their respective positions in ballot totals updated as of Sunday, 29 June. Youk is up by about 260k votes over the Twins' Morneau, while Pedroia has a lead of about 185k votes over Kinsler of the Rangers. Manny is the leading vote-getter in the outfield, and has a slim 82k vote edge over Hamilton, also of the Rangers.

Due mostly in part to his torrid June, JD Drew has surpassed former Sox traitor Johnny Damon and is now in 6th place in the outfield ONLY 7,OOO VOTES BEHIND THE YANKEES' ABREU.

VOTE NOW FOR JD DREW!!

Voting ends at 11:59 PM ET on Wednesday, July 2, 2008.

Big Papi still maintains quite a lead over 2nd place Matsui for DH, but has fallen to 3rd place in the most-votes-overall category behind yankee caped crusaders A-Rod and Jeter, by about 36k votes, most likely because it had been becoming apparent that his injury would prevent him from playing in the game. You can still vote for Papi, and it sure would be nice to see the final tally with him on top of the two yanks.

The Sox should also be furthur represented with Mike Lowell and Jason Varitek both holding comfortable 2nd place positions over their nearest competitor's in 3rd place.

This puts 3 Sox starters and 3 Sox reserves in the last ASG ever to be held at Yankees Stadium.

But wait! There's more!

VOTE FOR JACOBY ELLSBURY IN THE WRITE-IN BALLOT!!

We'll take a look at likely pitching candidates after the voting is done.

Another Silly Rip on Red Sox Nation

Hat tip to The Rational Red Sox Fan for pointing out an article in today's St. Petersburg Times entitled 10 reasons to hate the Red Sox. If anything this shows how hard the Rays fans are trying to be legit but bottom line is they play in the worst stadium in baseball, they live in an area that is home to Scientology, they had to change their name to try to sell more gear, and I can personally say, I have NEVER seen anyone wearing a Rays hat. Maybe Tom Cruise can make some aliens come down and fill the Trop with real fans...until then they can return to being the basement rat that they will always be. If you don't believe me, watch below.

Close, But Lugo Was At the Plate

Justin Masterson looked like an inexperienced pitcher facing a first place team last night. He gave the Rays an early lead when Upton homered off him in the first and left the game after 6 innings. The Sox offense struggled against Shields but did manage 2 runs. In the 9th the Sox were down by 3. The started a comeback and scored two runs. Moss, the tying run, was at third when Lugo came to bat. Lugo got decent wood on the ball but it caught at short to end the game and put the Sox a game and 1/2 behind the Rays.

Monday, June 30, 2008

Tonight's Lineup 6/30 at Tampa Bay

Jacoby Ellsbury, CF

Dustin Pedroia, 2B
J.D. Drew, RF
Manny Ramirez, DH
Mike Lowell, 3B
Kevin Youkilis, 1B
Brandon Moss, LF
Jason Varitek, C
Julio Lugo, SS

Justin Masterson, SP

Ortiz To Miss All-Star Game

No big shock here, Ortiz will not be ready to play until after the All-Star Game. He told the Boston Herald he will attend to honor all of those that voted for him and said:
“I’m going to activate myself even if I’m hurt because I have the sword that can control the beast of Manny Ramirez.”

This is NOT a Rivalry

As much as the folks in Tampa want this to be a rivalry, it is not. As soon as the Rays become a real team and play in a real stadium there can be roots for a rivalry but right now they have some good young players but there ride will soon be over. When you look at the fans of the Rays you see the similarities to the Rockies fans last year. Rays fans will be sporting their brand new gear to the Trop to see their first baseball game. It is so bad that even their hometown newspaper had to print 10 Tips for New Rays Fans today, one of the tips is. get this...learn the fight song. Who has fight songs that matter besides USC, Michigan, and Notre Dame? When the Rays sell more seats to their fans than to fans of other teams and keep the stadium half full for a few years there could be a rivalry with maybe Baltimore. As for the Sox, the rivalry will always be with the Yankees, the Rays are more of a novelty or a distraction right now; slightly more interesting than inter-league play.

Two Sox Minority Players Threatened

The Red Sox received a threat against Latino and African-American players in the mail. The threat reportedly cited 2 players and was postmarked from Memphis. Extra security has been added for the team. The threat is not linked to the incident between the Rays and Sox.

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Manny Gets Into Altercation With Sox Traveling Secretary

Manny Ramirez was displeased with Red Sox traveling secretary Jack McCormick because he could not get him 16 tickets to Saturday's game. From the ProJo:

When McCormick cautioned Ramirez that he might not be able to fulfill his request, Ramirez responded by shouting: "Just do your job!"

An argument insued and Ramirez pushed McCormick, sending him to the ground.

Later, the two met behind closed doors and Ramirez apologized to McCormick, who accepted the gesture. No further disciplinary action is expected against Ramirez.

Asked on Sunday to comment on the altercation, Ramirez responded: "That's over. We're fine now."

When you add this to the recent fight between Manny and Youk you start to wonder what happened to easy-go-lucky Manny? Maybe he found this new personality when he read The Secret. This will get some play as Manny being Manny but it is ridiculous behavior, if he needs more tickets he could throw some money at StubHub and see what fans have to do when they need good seats. Only we don't have the millions of dollars of disposable income.

Met Fan Knows What to Do With a Foul Ball From A-Rod

A Met fan in today's Yankee game showed the proper technique for disposing of a foul ball from A-Rod. Watch below:

Oki Is Not So Doki

I usually agree with Francona's moves in a ballgame but I must say I was perplexed when he went to the struggling Hideki Okajima in the 8th. Oki admitted earlier in the season that he does not do well with runners on base but Tito brought him in with Carlos Lee on first. After a wild pitch put the runner in scoring position, Oki served up a hit to former Sox second baseman Mark Loretta to put the Astros up 3-2. The Sox could not score a run in the 9th and leave Houston losing 2 out of 3. They now take on the Rays in a series for top spot in the A.L. East. Okajima has not been the pitcher he was last year and the bullpen is filled with question marks. It is time for Theo to see what is out there before the deadline.

Sox Lose 3-2 BOX SCORE

Today's Lineup 6/29 at Houston

CF Jacoby Ellsbury
2B Dustin Pedroia
RF JD Drew
LF Manny Ramirez
3B Mike Lowell
1B Kevin Youkilis
C Jason Varitek
SS Julio Lugo
SP Josh Beckett

10 Runs Not Enough For Sox Pitchers

This loss you can blame squarely on the pitching staff. The Red Sox offense handed Lester a 4 run lead in the top of the third but he gave all of the runs back plus one more in the bottom of the inning. The Sox added 5 more runs in the 6th but the pen (mainly Delcarmen) gave those runs back too. Houston took a two run lead going into the 9th. Lowell homered to put the Sox within one but that was as close as they would get. Tek and Lugo continued to struggle at the plate and Lester had his first bad outing in a while. This was a tough loss for the Sox but they should be able to put it behind them and leave Houston having won the series with Beckett on the hill today.

Sox Lose 11-10 BOX SCORE

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Clemens'* Ex-Squeeze in Trouble...Again

Last month the NY Daily Times alleged that Roger Clemens* started an improper relationship with country singer Mindy McCready when he was 28 and married and she was a mere 15 years old.

She had been on probation for a 2004 drug charge when she was recently arrested for violating her parole by falsifying her community service records.

I'm wondering if the drug charge involved steroids, perhaps? For her voice?

This is her 2004 mug shot.

Tonight's Lineup 6/28 at Houston

Ellsbury CF
Pedroia 2B
Drew RF
Ramirez LF
Lowell 3B
Youkilis 1B
Varitek C
Lugo SS
Lester SP

Have you voted yet?

If not, do it! Now!
Vote Varitek! Vote Youkilis! Vote Pedroia! Vote Papi!
Voting for the 2008 All Star Game ends on July 2, 11:59 pm.
You may vote up to 25 times.
As of June 23rd, Minnesota's Joe Mauer has overtaken Jason Varitek by 44,775 votes. At first base, Kevin Youkilis' edge over Mauer's teammate, Justin Morneau, is now less than 270,000 votes. At second base, Texas' Ian Kinsler made up more than 50,000 votes on Dustin Pedroia to come within 166,000 votes. And Derek Jeter zipped past David Ortiz to grab the lead in overall votes.
Jacoby Ellsbury! Vote for him in the write-in ballot!

Wouldn't it be SWEET to see 5 Sox starting at Yankee Stadium?!!!

"Red Sox Kid Nation" Captain is from Northern California

As reported in the Marin Independent Journal today:

Eleven-year-old Ben Brandeis of Mill Valley [CA] and the Red Sox Nation have officially been connected.
Brandeis won a contest and has been elected as a captain of the Red Sox Kid Nation following online voting that ended June 22. He was one of 25 finalists across the country and one of a dozen who were finally selected from 32,000 votes nationwide. The 12 winners will be invited to Fenway Park in Boston for an inaugural ceremony where they will meet Red Sox television analyst Jerry Remy, the "president" of the Red Sox Nation, tour the ballpark, get premium seats to an upcoming Red Sox game and Red Sox apparel and autographs, and receive a year's supply of ice cream from the sponsor of the first contest that attracted nearly 700 applicants from 29 states.
Of the 12 winners, Brandeis, whose parents grew up in Massachusetts, is the only one who lives outside the six-state New England region.

Ben also has a website: http://www.voteforben.org/

More Signs That Houston Fans Are Not Wicked Smahht

In today's Houston Chronicle they have a feature on how a local rapper name Paul Wall, whoever that is, gives his support to Roger Clemens*. Seriously, is this the best the Rocket* can do for quasi -celebrity props? That guy isn't even famous enough to be on a Fox reality show. To make the story even more ridiculous, the rapper will participate in a guitar hero contest competition after the game wearing a Clemens* jersey, that should pack in the fans. From the Chronicle:

"That's why I had to wear it on my back," Wall said. "I had to represent. It may be a little added pressure to win on the Guitar Hero. I'm representing Clemens."

Wall has been one of Clemens' biggest supporters in Houston since the seven-time Cy Young Award winner was mentioned in the Mitchell Report on Dec. 13. At one point, he paid for a billboard in town that read, "Houston Supports Roger Clemens." The owner of Paul Wall's Grills also vows to write a rap song in honor of Clemens, whom he has mentioned in a few of his songs.
"Yeah, I've put him in a couple verses here and there, especially when he started getting a lot of coverage and everybody started coming down on (Clemens') back just saying, 'This is how the world is, man,' " Wall said.

I don't know which is scarier; that this guy paid for a billboard to support Roger* or that the Chronicle published this story.

Friday, June 27, 2008

Sox Run On All Cylinders in Houston

Dice-K is back and in a big way. Matsuzaka went 5 scoreless innings allowing just 2 hits while striking out 4. Hansen and Delcarmen faced the minimum in the 6th and 7th before Okajima came in for the 8th. Oki was less than sharp again giving up 2 hitsincluding a home run in 2/3 of an inning. Papelbon came in for a 4 out save as the Sox staff shut down the Astros on 4 hits. Offensively the Sox looked good; Drew broke out of him mini slump with a 3 run tater in the third inning and Youk went 4-5. Not a bad way to start the second half.

Sox Win 6-1 BOX SCORE

Coco's Suspension Reduced

MLB reduced Coco Crisp's 7 game suspension by 2 games. Coco was happy with the new but Joe Maddon of the Tampa Bay Rays was not. From the Boston Herald:

“First of all, the fact that after the appeal that we made the other day that Aki’s suspension was not reduced, I’m kind of baffled by it,” Maddon told Tampa Bay reporters prior to tonight’s game in Pittsburgh. “I don’t agree with it at all. I thought it should have been reduced. I thought it was way too severe, because of the fact that we were reacting to a situation. And then furthermore, the guy that pretty much created the entire moment gets his reduced by two [games]. Honestly, none of that makes any sense to me whatsoever. There’s no way for me to take all the information that I’ve heard over the last couple of days and indicate that I’m in agreement. Regardless that I’m a Ray or not, I would think that an independent person would also agree that how this has all come down, you would say that I disagree with this.”

Coco will play tonight and miss the remainder of the Houston series and the Tampa series. This could lighten up the tension between the two teams but Papelbon may get things heated back up if he has his say.

Tonight's Lineup 6/27 at Houston

Crisp CF
Pedroia 2B
Drew RF
Ramirez LF
Lowell 3B
Youkilis 1B
Varitek C
Lugo SS
Matsuzaka SP

Flush Twice, It's a Long Way to Texas

I read the above headline in a bathroom stall in Alaska several years ago and it seems appropriate today. The Sox are headed to Houston; home of Enron, George H.W. Bush Airport, and Roger Clemens*. Interleague play can sometimes make sense and be interesting but it is hard to get excited about playing the Astros. I wonder how many Sox blogs or newspaper stories are going to go with the "Houston, We Have A Problem" headline if Boston loses a game there? Houston is so caught up in the Shaun Chacon incident the city hardly notices the World Champs are coming to town, or maybe they are not the brightest of baseball fans. Take a look at what some typical Astros fans are like as they talk about Chacon. Oh those silly Texans, they make me laugh, especially the Barbara Bush look-a-like about 30 seconds into the video. FYI -Ed Wade is the GM that fired Tito in Philly.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Timlin Pitches Well For PawSox

Mike Timlin pitched the 8th inning for the PawSox tonight and retired the side in order. He threw 10 pitches, 7 for strikes. While this is a good sign, he will not be pitching at Fenway any time soon. If he can have 3-4 more outings like this it may hasten his arrival, a few more Oki or Hansen meltdowns might help him too.

Starting in Center Field Tonight....

yahoo reports on the real names of pop stars. Madonna is Madonna Ciccone, Tiger Woods is Eldrick Woods, Larry the Cable Guy is Daniel Lawrence Whitney along with 17 others on their list. Number 5 on the list: Covelli (aka 'Coco') Crisp.

A-Rod did not make the list. I guess he's just not that big enough of a star.

The Midseason Report Card

The Sox are halfway done with the regular season and on a pace to win 98 games. Here is how I grade the team so far.

Starting Pitching: B+ Beckett, Lester, Dice-K, and Wake all have ERA's under 4. Masterson has pitched well in spot starts, Colon has shown he can be a good member of the rotation. Outlook for the second half: Buchholz looks like he is ready to rejoin the club, Lester has become an ace and other arms are recovering; look for even better pitching from the rotation.

Relief Pitching: C- The pen has lost a few games this season and cannot get any consistency. Okajima is not the pitcher he was last year and Timlin looks like he is ready for the retirement home. Aardsma has been pitching well and Lopez, Hansen, or Delcarmen look good occasionally. Papelbon had a few blown saves in the first half but he is still the best closer in baseball. Outlook for the second half: Look for Theo to try to get some bullpen help before the deadline (just hope it's not somebody like Gagne) The pen will continue to be the weak point on the team.

Offense: B The numbers are not there in the first half and you have to blame this on injuries. Only Drew and Youk are batting over .300 and nobody is on pace for 100 RBI's (Manny will get there if he stays healthy). The team has great speed and can manufacture runs and the lineup can produce top to bottom. Outlook for the second half: If Big Papi can return at full strength this team is going to get better at the plate. The average and power numbers will rise as the team sees pitchers for the second or third time.

Defense: A- The team has been very good defensively other than Julio Lugo. The platooning of Ellsbury and Crisp allows for late defensive replacements in the outfield. Cora has also been coming in late at short. Outlook for the second half: More of the same solid defense and Lugo will not be as bad; he is not a great defensive shortstop but he should not be leading the league in errors.

Bench: A+ The Red Sox have the best bench in baseball and have been able to overcome injuries to Ortiz, Manny, Youk, Coco, Drew, and the sickness that went through the team earlier in the season. Casey and Cora have both filled in well. Cash is a great backup catcher and the Sox usually have Coco or Ellsbury in reserve for the outfield. Outlook for the second half: there is still a chance that Coco gets traded but the Sox will be ok on the bench with Moss and possibly Kielty. The bench is going to keep the Sox at the top of the division and be the ace in the hole for the playoffs.

Coaching and Management: A Francona and Theo have done a tremendous job handling all of the injuries and egos. They had a good backup plan when Schilling went down, they made the right moves with Buchholz and Masterson and have made the Coco/Ellsbury thing a non issue. Outlook for the second half: Who else would you want steering the ship than a guy who has won 2 of the last 4 World Series. Tito will have the team ready and rested for the post season and Theo will make sure he has the players to get there.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Wake Cashes In

The Sox took the rubber match in the three game series against the Snakes behind solid pitching by Tim Wakefield and outstanding play by Kevin Cash. Wake went 7 innings, allowing just 2 hits and 1 walk while striking out 6. He kept Arizona hitters off balance all night. Kevin Cash was the other hero of the night hitting a 3-run homer, calling a great game behind the plate and throwing out a runner trying to steal second. Cash really deserves credit for how well he has caught Wake this season, he has been quietly getting the job done behind the dish and made people forget about Mirabelli. The Sox offense had 12 hits including 3 by Coco. Hansen did run into some trouble in the 9th and loaded the bases before Paps came in and bailed him out.

Sox Win 5-0 BOX SCORE

Tonight's Lineup 6/25 vs. the D-Backs

Jacoby Ellsbury, LF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Kevin Youkilis, 1B
Manny Ramirez, DH
Mike Lowell, 3B
Coco Crisp, CF
Kevin Cash, C
Brandon Moss, RF
Julio Lugo, SS Tim Wakefield SP

Ortiz Update

Big Papi did take some swings today but it was not the best case senario according to Ortiz and the ProJo:

"There's a little bit of pain, but it's better than when I hurt it. Then I couldn't even hold onto the bat. I didn't take a full swing. It was very light. I was trying not to miss it, We're pretty much where they expected," said Ortiz of his medical staff. "I was a little disappointed. I want to be playing. There's not too much I can do about it but wait. It's a healing process. It's better than what it was."

Ortiz now looks like he is at least 3 weeks away from playing some rehab games with the PawSox before rejoining the team. So much for the Yankee series or even the All-Star Game.

Injury Update

David Ortiz: With the cast removed Ortiz will take some swings today and be checked out by doctors before heading with the Sox to Houston. If all goes well he could be in there for the series with the Yankees.

Bartolo Colon: El Gordo has been put on the "slow road" to get back to the rotation to ensure he has totally healed (and to avoid any chance of him swinging a bat in an NL game.) From the ProJo:

“We’re going to slow (his rehab process) down for another week,” said Francona, “just to make sure we don’t have a problem like last time.”

Kevin Youkilis: Youk had a CT scan which came up negative and he saw an eye specialist about the injury. He did not start yesterday but did come in for the 9th. Tito talks about the injury below:

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Sox Bats Come Alive In The 8th

Masterson did not have his best stuff tonight but he kept the Sox in the game. He gave up a big three run homer but was able to stay in the game until the 7th when Chris Smith came in and kept the Snakes from adding to their lead. Aside from Pedroia's homer in the first, the Sox could not get to Arizona starter Doug Davis. By the time the 8th rolled around, Boston was down 4-1. In the bottom of the 8th Lugo and Ellsbury both singled, chasing Davis from the game. Chad Qualis came in and gave up an RBI single to Pedroia cutting the lead to 4-2. The rally seemed to be over when J.D. Drew K'd, followed by a grounder to short by Manny. Mike Lowell restarted the rally with a wall ball double plating 2 to tie the score at 4 apiece. The Red Sox captain came to the plate in the middle of a major slump and hit an RBI single to put the Sox ahead 5-4. Papelbon pitched the 9th (Youk also came in at first) and closed the door on the D-Backs.

Sox Win 5-4 BOX SCORE

More Rain

Tonight's start has been delayed to 7:40 PM Eastern.

It's Jerry Remy Day at Fenway

Today is Jerry Remy Day at Fenway, the Red Sox are honoring Remy to mark his 20th anniversary as NESN’s Red Sox analyst. Students from the RemDawg's hometown of Somerset, Mass will be part of the pregame ceremony. Check out a classic Remy moment below:

Tonight's Lineup 6/24 vs. the Snakes

Youk will miss tonight's game with swelling under his eye, Moss will have to try to play first again tonight since Casey is still suspended.

Ellsbury LF
Pedroia 2B
Drew RF
Ramirez DH
Lowell 3B
Varitek C
Moss 1B
Crisp CF
Lugo SS

Masterson SP

Eric Byrnes vs Jeff Kent For Worst Mustache

What was that thing on Eric Byrnes' face last night? He has apparently been trying to grow a mustache since last April.(without much success) He is giving Jeff Kent a run for his money for the 1970's porn star look.

Nomar Is Genetically Challenged

There is a new reason why Nomar is always hurt, which he is again if you haven't noticed, he says its due to genetics. The Dodgers were going to have Nomar move back to short until he got reinjured this week. From Scout.com:

"Dodgers infielder Nomar Garciaparra said a genetic predisposition, one he didn't know he had until it was identified by a Boston physical therapist with whom he voluntarily consulted last week, is the reason his left-calf strain has been so long in healing."

You can say what you want about Theo signing Lugo but he abosultely made the right move in shipping off Nomar. I'm sure roids had nothing to do with the bulking up followed by the breakdown of ligaments.

Monday, June 23, 2008

Haren Shuts Down Sox...Youk Hurt

Dan Haren won a pitchers duel against Josh Beckett at Fenway as the Sox offense managed just 4 hits. Beckett had a shutout going in the 7th before he gave up 2 runs. One of the runs may not have scored but Moss (who was in for the injured Youk) bobbled the ball and had no play at the plate. The Sox tried to rally in the bottom of the inning and had bases loaded with one out. J.D. hit a sac-fly to put the Sox on the board. Manny came to the plate with runners on first and second and two outs. He hit a hard liner but it was right at the third baseman for the third out. Lyon came in for the 9th and the Sox went in order. Beckett and Aardsma both pitched very well for Boston but they did not have any run support.

Youk was hurt in the game during a warm-up between innings. He tried to catch a bouncing throw that came up on him and hit him below his eye. He was replaced my Moss at first because Casey was out serving the suspension from the Rays incident. No word on how much time Youk will miss.

Sox Lose 2-1 BOX SCORE

O Brother, Where Art Thou

On the other team, that's where!
Last week, two former Red Sox teammates faced each other. Today the Drew brothers find themselves on opposing teams: JD for the Sox and Stephen for the D-backs. Stephen just flied out to his bro' in the first inning as the game delay is over and the game is on!

This just in~ Julio Lugo throws to 1st and does not make an error to end the top of the 1st.

Schilling's Surgery Goes Well

The Herald is reporting that Curt Schilling sugery went better than expected, making it possible for him to possibly pitch next season. Not that it matters much to the Sox unless he is going to take a major discount.

Today's Lineup 6/23 vs. the D-Backs

Ellsbury LF
Pedroia 2B
JD Drew RF
Ramirez DH
Lowell 3B
Youkilis 1B
Varitek C
Crisp CF
Lugo SS

Beckett SP

Rain In the Forecast

The tarp is on the field and rain is in the forecast along with some lightning. This may be a tough one to get started on time.

Tek Drops to Second in All-Star Voting

Jason Varitek is now behind Joe Mauer of the Twins for the starting catcher spot on the AL roster in the All-Star Game. There is still time for Tek to regain the lead, you can vote for him here.

The Spaceman Can Still Get it Done

Bill Lee won a minor league game in Alaska over the weekend. From the Fairbanks News Miner:

Bill “Spaceman” Lee walked off the field with a cigar in his mouth, a grin on his face and another win on his record after the Midnight Sun Game this morning.
The 62-year old former Goldpanners and Boston Red Sox hurler, who hadn’t pitched in a Midnight Sun Game since losing to the Japanese national team in 1967, threw six-plus innings for the Alaska Goldpanners in their 10-6 win over the Southern California Running Birds.

Lee gave up 4 runs and had 3 K's in the game. I will always be a fan of Bill Lee because he got me tickets to my first Red Sox game. Bill Lee played for the Alaska Goldpanners earlier in his career. For a history of the Midnight Sun Baseball Classic look here.

Bronson to the Bronx?

There are some trade rumors that former Red Sox pitcher Bronson Arroyo may get traded to the Yankees. It would be a shame to see him in pinstripes, he has always been very loyal to the Sox, even after they screwed him over.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Sox Win A Thriller

In perhaps the best game of the season, Kevin Youkilis helped the Sox avoid a sweep in a 13 inning game. Lester started the game and pitched very well, going 7-1/3 innings, with 2 runs on 9 hits, a walk and 3 strikeouts. Delcarmen came in and kept the Sox within one of the Cardinals in the 8th. The Sox caught a break when the Cardinals misplayed a hit by Coco allowing him to get to third, Lugo plated him with a sac-fly. Pedroia then singled and stole second (even though he was out on the replay) and then the Sox caught another break as the Cardinal reliever walked 3 straight batters, giving Boston a one run lead. Paps came in to pitch the 9th and close out the game but things did not work out that way. He got two quick outs before walking Chris Duncan, he then got two strikes on pinch hitter Adam Kennedy before giving up a hit over Coco's head to give the Cards a one run lead. This was Papelbon's 4th blown save of the season. Okajima loaded the bases in the 11th but Hansen struck out Ryan Ludwick to get out of it. The Sox then had bases loaded in the bottom of the inning with one out before Isringhausen struck out Cora and Ellsbury to get out of the jam. In the top of the 13th Adam Kennedy singled again with Chris Duncan on base, he was sent home on the play and J.D. Drew threw a stike to Tek who held on after a violent collision at the plate. In the bottom of the 13th Youk followed Mike Lowell's single with a walk-off homer to win the game, he had a home run earlier in the day.

Sox Win 5-3 in 13 Innings BOX SCORE

Lester Should Help Sox Avoid Sweep

The Rays are only 1/2 game back but Jon Lester has proven to be a solid starter this season and should get the win today, keeping the Sox in first. Here is what he told ESPN about his recent pitching.

"It seems like every start, things are getting better," said Lester, who has walked just two batters over his last 20 1-3 innings. "Walks are going down, I'm more around the zone with better command of my stuff. I have the confidence to throw any pitch, any time."

Saturday, June 21, 2008

What Now For Sox Rotation?

With Colon out, Dice-K looking like he needs more rehab time, Schilling done for the season, and Buchholz struggling, what do the Red Sox do in the rotation? One thing is for sure, Justin Masterson is not going anywhere until some of the injuries get sorted out. But if Dice-K and Colon miss a few starts the Sox may need to call up another starter and that will most likely be David Pauley. He won his 9th game for the PawSox tonight and now has an ERA of 3.78.

More Bad News

Sox fans might find it expensive to catch a buzz even if they don't catch one of the gopher balls sereved up by Dice-K today; CNBC compared the price of beer at different parks and suds at Fenway cost .60 per ounce.

No Dice

Dice-K does not look like he is all back, he walked the first batter, gave up a two run homer followed by a single. His first out of the inning was from a fly ball to the warning track. The Redbirds batted around and scored 4 runs in the first, it took Dice-K 34 pitches to get out of the inning. On top of the bad start we have to listen to Tim McCarver explain the difference between a good and bad walk, he also added that catchers need baggy pants because they have to bend their knees....shoot me now.

Update: Dice-K was pulled after loading the bases with no outs in the second. Chris Smith replaced him to make his major league debut, the good news: he struck out the first batter he faced on three pitches. The bad news: the next batter hit a grand slam. Sox are now losing 8-0.

Mike Timlin To DL

Mike Timlin is now on the DL to make room for Dice-K. Timlin has struggled most of this season with a 7.06 ERA and now we may have a reason; tendinitis of the left knee. This is similar to what happened to Keith Foulke when he struggled with the Sox. He will rehab with the PawSox after his knee is rested. If Mike can't do well with Pawtucket he may have reached the end of the line for his baseball career.

Today's Lineup 6/21 vs. the Cardinals

You won't have Julio to kick around today; Cora in at short.

Ellsbury CF
Pedroia 2B
Drew RF
Ramirez DH
Lowell 3B
Youkilis 1B
Moss LF
Varitek C
Cora SS

Dice-K SP

Papelbon Finds A New Way to Embarrass Himself

Jonathan Papelbon seems to have too much time on his hands; this season we have seen him embarrass himself at Mike Lowell's Dancing With The Stars fund raiser and we saw him get national headlines for his comments about the Rays. During last night's rain delay a video was aired of Papelbon dancing and lip syncing "Blame it on the Rain" with Manny Delcarmen and Wally and some mystery guy on drums. Watch it below:

Dice-K Back on the Hill

Matsuzaka is off the DL and will make the start today against St. Louis. He does not have a pitch limit going into the game:

"Lot of it's going to depend on how tough innings are for him," Francona said. "Hopefully, he'll stay out there for a while. He wasn't down a whole long time. I don't think that's going to be a big issue."

Today's game will be nationally broadcast on Fox.

Friday, June 20, 2008

Trip Around the Majors

Well, the Sox and Wake lost tonight, but they’re playing over .600 and have won 6 of their last 10 games and now are tied for the most wins by any team today with the Cubs. Okay, the Cubs have lost fewer games, but these are the only 2 teams playing over .600 ball right now. Tampa Bay is hot on the Sox’s heels only 1.5 out. But what’s this? The Yankees are in 3rd place? Appears they have finally awaken in 2008 and are 6 games over .500.

Both Chicago teams lead they’re divisions. The Royals had been playing almost .500, but a 12 game losing streak last month sent them back to familiar territory~ the basement. Seattle very unexpectedly stumbled out of the gate this season, landed in the basement of their division, saw their skipper melt down in a press conference that had more bleeps than an urban gangsta rap show and then get canned, only to reward the new interim manager with a 10-2 shelacking of Atlanta. Chipper Jones has finally fallen below .400. He’s currently at .390, pretty respectable for late June.

With Seattle taking up residence down south of their division, it gives hope to seeing Oakland going farther than anyone expected this year. They are currently 4 games behind the Angels.

The Phillies lead the NL East, while the struggling Mets, who were expected to go far with the Santana acquisition are sitting exactly at .500. The Marlins give the state of Florida two teams both in 2nd place in their respective divisions. Last time I checked in with Pittsburgh, they were just a hair under .500, (as was KC), but they’ve held their own since. They are only 4 games under .500 and are in 4th place in the NL Central.

Last year’s NL Pennant winners, the Rockies, are sitting tied for last place in the NL West. What a difference a year can make. What is more amazing is that it’s not the Giants they’re tied with in the basement, it’s the Padres. While the local Giants are no likely threat to win this division, they are in 3rd place, only 3 games behind the 2nd place Dodgers.

The season is almost ½ way through folks. Only 1 team below .400 right now, this could make for some interesting races come September.

Bring Me Lugo's Head On A Platter

Lugo needs to go. Somewhere, anywhere. Are those Milwaukee Sausages still available for trade? Even if they were, the Brewer’s would probably be very unlikely to trade for another Sox cast-off after the Gagne debacle and the decline of Julian Tavarez, especially for a man with a shoe box for a glove.

The man just committed two throwing errors in one inning. He now is up to 16 errors this season and this is only game number 76. At this rate, he’s on track to reach 35 errors in one season.

Previous fielding stats (shortstop) for Lugo:
Year Team Games Innings Errors Pct.
2004 TBY 143 1238 25 .963
2005 TBY 156 1338 24 .968
2006 TBY 73 620 14 .957
2006* LAD 8 27 2 .857
2007 SOX 145 1228 19 .968
2008** SOX 63 526 14 .939

* Lugo played in 48 games with LAD at other positions.
** Does not include tonight’s game.

While Lugo does not appear to have a shot at setting a new record for most errors in one season by a shortstop in the modern era of baseball (1903, John Gochnaur of Cleveland, 98 biffs), he does have a realistic shot of breaking the record for most errors in one season by a shortstop in this century, currently held by Jose Valentin in 2000 with 36 biffs.
Now that he’s got his batting average out of the toilet, currently at .278, he’s gone and replaced his bat in the commode with his glove.

Getting back to the game, I see he (partially) atoned for his errors by hitting a solo shot to tie the game. But committing 2 errors in one inning can change the tempo and flow of the game in a heartbeat. The Sox have now fallen behind by 2 runs, not of Lugo’s (immediate) undoing, but I wonder how much the Sox were rattled by that inning. This won’t be the first game Lugo’s botched, nor will it be the last. I hope Theo is doing his homework and searching for a way out of this mess at shortstop. I say unload him, eat his contract and put Lowrie (2008: BA .310, Fld. Pct. 1.000 in 17 games) in at shortstop ASAP. If not, Lugo will cost the team more than he is being paid (which is more than he is worth.)

Roush-Fenway

Sorry for the limited posts today, I spent the day at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Ca. My Brother works for NASCAR and gets me garage passes every year, this year I brought my son for qualifying. While I was there one of my brother's coworker brought my son around to see the cars and meet some of the drivers. Here he is with Roush-Fenway driver Carl Edwards.

Today's Lineup 6/20 vas the Cardinals

Ellsbury, lf
Pedroia, 2b
Drew, rf
Ramirez, dh
Lowell, 3b
Youkilis, 1b
Crisp, cf
Lugo, ss
Cash, c

Wakefield, sp

Schilling To Have Season Ending Surgery

Curt Schilling will not be on the mound for the Sox this year. After returning to Boston from Philly the Sox and Curt Schillinge decided that he could not pitch effectively again without surgery. He also said his chances of pitching again were 3-10 and the surgery is to make his shoulder pain free. The Sox will discuss the issue with a press conference later today. Schilling announced his plan on WEEI this morning, you can listen to the interview here. Nothing yet on 38pitches.com. This is not a real surprising development and to be honest it is not as bad as when we first learned about the injury before the season because the Sox now have Masterson and Colon to pitch. The news may cause the Sox to trade Coco for a starter if not a guy for this season, one that could join the rotation next year.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Tavarez Designated For Assignment By Brewers

Julian Tavarez's stay with the Brewers did not last long. After choosing free agency over signing with the PawSox he was 0-1 with an ERA of 8.59 in seven appearances in Milwaukee before being DFA'd. Tavarez has 10 days to accept the assignment in AAA or become a free agent again. I wonder if his World Series Ring got there in time.

Lee County Determined to Keep Sox Spring Training

Despite recent talk of the Sox looking to move their Spring Training to Sarasota, Lee County Florida officials are confident that the Sox are staying put.

Lee County Deputy Manager Bill Hammond told WBBH TV the Red Sox will remain in Southwest Florida. "There is no push and go thing right now. We're not in that mode, we're not going to lose the Sox," said Hammond. "We're keeping them here and that's the message the county has given to (Red Sox COO) Mike Dee."

The TV station has launched a petition drive to keep the Sox Spring Training in Lee County.

SI Poll of MLB Players Names Jeter As Most Overrated

Derek Jeter won the honors of being the most overrated player in the majors by a poll of 495 MLB players. Jeter was the leading vote getter of the Sports Illustrated poll, A-Rod got third, tied with J.D. Drew. (the vote took place before his recent hot streak) Earlier this year Jeter also won the honor of being the worst defensive shortstop. Jeter responded to the news by saying:

"I don’t want to hear about it. I don’t want to talk about it. All negative stuff I don’t want to talk about.”

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