Youk wins Hank Aaron Award

Last night, Youk made an appearance in Philly to receive the Hank Aaron Award for best offensive player of the season in the AL. With a .312 average, 29 homers and 115 RBI, he is very much deserving of this prize. Congrats, Youk! I hope the next award you win is the AL MVP!

Filling In The Blanks: What do the Sox need in 2009?

The Red Sox' 2008 season was long and arduous and it pointed to some areas where they need to improve in the offseason to remain competitive in what has to be the toughest division in all of MLB:

1. Catcher: This is 'Tek's walk year and to say the Sox have a huge decision to make would be an understatement. The stats back up his value behind the plate, particularly with the pitching staff, but offensively he's just plain out of gas, especially from the left side. Seeing as the majority of his at-bats are from that side, that's trouble. An automatic out's worth of trouble, sadly. The Sox are hurting for a catcher with some pop in his bat who can also call a good game and throw runners out. The best prospect they have at this position, Mark Wagner, is at least a year away from being ready for the majors. If they let 'Tek walk, they're going to need a catcher who can step in and be effective right away. Even if 'Tek re-signs, they'll need to bring on a new catcher to learn the ropes from 'Tek and relieve him of some starts.

2. Wake: Tim Wakefield is a class act and he has given so much to the Red Sox in his 13 years on the team. That said, his effectiveness is declining and he requires a personal catcher to handle the knuckler. Given the situation the Sox are in with catchers (see #1), they really can't afford to carry Wake and Cash, especially if 'Tek stays on and mentors a new, young catcher. Also, if the Sox add another starter via free agency or trade and they also want to bring either Buchholz or Bowden into the rotation, there wouldn't be enough room for Wake in the rotation. The catcher situation makes moving him to the bullpen an undesirable option. The Sox need to have four pitchers that can perform well in the post-season and, unfortunately Wake has not been able to do that in the past two years.

3. Starting Rotation: It looks like the Sox could use a fourth (or better) starter and rumors are flying about Peavy, Sabathia, Burnett, etc. Each of those options have their pros and cons, but that's another blog entirely. Assuming Beckett comes to spring training in better shape than he did this year (API calling!) and is able to remain healthy and regain his 2007 form, he's the #1. Lester is a solid #2 A 2007-ish Beckett and a 2008-ish Lester would be a formidable 1-2 righty-lefty punch. Dice-K and possible trade/FA acquisition can duke it out for #3 and #4 and either Wake (see #2) or Buchholz/Bowden/Masterson for #5.

4. Bullpen: If Masterson remains a reliever, he and Oki can share set-up duty for Paps. That leaves us with Lopez, Delcarmen and Aardsma. I'm not sure how long Aardsma's contract is but if it was only for a year, the Sox will hopefully let him walk, since he never could establish location, though he had good velocity. One possibility to explore in spring training is Hunter Jones, currently with the Pawsox. Finding good relievers via trade or FA can be tricky, so if they can get a bullpen arm or two internally, a la Masterson, that would help them a lot.

5. Offense: Game 7 of the ALCS was lost by lack of offense, plain and simple. Getting rid of the distraction that was Manny was a very good thing, absolutely the right thing to do for the team, but the offense did take a loss when it comes to a bat that sends a chill up a pitcher's spine. Bay, Youk, and, when they weren't injured, Lowell and Drew are all great hitters with power, but the Sox could use that awe-inspiring bat, especially with a diminished Papi who has been fighting more than his share of injuries lately. Teixeira would be that kind of bat, but acquiring him would take some maneuvering of the Sox infield. Teix is a first baseman and I don't believe he'd want to come to a new team and have to play a new position. That would mean moving Youk to third and Lowell's the odd man out. Lowell is another class act and great team player that the Sox would be loath to lose. Since he only plays one position and is still a starter-quality player, the bench doesn't seem like a good option.

Holliday is another possibility, especially if either Coco or Ells get moved. Move Bay to center and have Holliday play left. Coco/Ells (whoever stays) is the fourth outfielder. Of course, you sacrifice a little speed on the base paths, especially if it's Ellsbury who stays. Holliday would require giving up a good bit, especially in terms of prospects. Let's just say I don't envy Theo's position. There will be a lot of tough choices to make this off-season, but if they make the team more competitive, especially against the young, healthy, and powerful Rays, then so be it.

LET'S GO 2009 RED SOX!!!

ALCS Game 7: That's A Wrap

Sox: 1 Rays: 3

The 2008 Boston Red Sox ended their season tonight at Tropicana Field, after falling 3-1 to the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 7. It's disappointing to fall short of the World Series berth, that's for sure, but when all is said and done, they had a great season and battled impressively through the adversity that dogged them from the very beginning, with the trip across the world that shortened their Spring Training and lengthened their season by a week. They battled illnesses, lots of injuries, a certain petulant former left-fielder who disrupted the team's chemistry when he didn't get his way with his contract. They had trouble winning on the road, especially in the first half. Coming into Game 7, they had a starter with an enormous innings load, an exhausted closer, an injured gold-glove first baseman, and hitters who ran hot and cold. They had an amazing comeback in Game 5, hung on in Game 6, but just didn't have enough gas to maintain their early hold on Game 7.

So the season had its share of disappointments and adversity, but there were some good stories as well. The emergence of Jon Lester as a force to be reckoned with on the mound. He may have ran into a little trouble in the middle innings tonight and in Game 3 (and didn't get much help from the offense in either game), but overall his 2008 was a dramatic improvement over his 2006 and 2007. He has come into his own and took on a monster workload, with well over 200 innings pitched. He became the first Red Sox lefty to throw a no-hitter in over 50 years.

Another great story for the Sox this season has been Justin Masterson. He started the year in AA Portland and was called up for a spot start in April. He pitched very well, though he didn't get the win due to the bullpen surrendering the lead. With various illnesses and injuries to the pitching staff, Masterson became a fill-in starter during the first half. Once he was no longer needed as a starter, he was sent to Pawtucket to learn how to pitch out of the 'pen. His success as a reliever has solidified a shaky bullpen and he's earned the trust of Tito in important game situations.

Jed Lowrie, although he has struggled at times offensively, has also been a good story for the Red Sox. He took over for the error-prone Lugo, who went down with a quad injury just before the All-Star Break, and his play at short has been solid and steady. He's been a major improvement over Lugo defensively and he's also able to play well at third. When he first came on, he racked up the ribbies at an astonishing rate, pounding hit after hit with runners in scoring position. As the league caught up to him, however, he struggled to make adjustments and started accumulating the K's instead. He has been able to break out of his late season slump somewhat in the post-season, with some key hits (see ALDS Game 4 9th inning) and, with a little more work on his hitting, will be a fine shortstop for the Sox in the coming years.

I have to tip my hat to the Rays. This season, they were the better team. They had an amazing, worst-to-first season and they're full of young talent due to high draft picks. They will be competition for the Red Sox and the Yankees next year and for a few more years to come, until their young talent seeks big free agent $$ and their success keeps them out of the first draft picks. But they've earned their World Series berth this year with consistent, high level play. They have a young, very talented starting rotation and a very solid bullpen. They have some power bats in the lineup and a lot of speed. They've gotten the timely hits necessary to win games. Since they, like the Red Sox, represent the American League, I will root for them to win the World Series. Of course I wish it were the Red Sox playing in the Fall Classic, but it wasn't meant to be this year.

LET'S GO RED SOX 2009! CONGRATULATIONS, RAYS!

ALCS Game 6: Stayin' Alive!

Sox: 4 Rays: 2

The Sox have forced another Game 7! Beckett was just Beckett enough to win this game for the Sox, with the help of four kick-ass innings from the 'pen (Oki for 2, then Masterson, then Paps). His velocity was down, but he was able to gut it out and locate his pitches well, with two exceptions leading to homers by Upton and Bartlett. The latter was a very unlikely source, having a grand total of ONE home run for the entire regular season. A disruption of routine between the third and fourth innings when the home plate ump came out of the game due to being injured at the top of the third on a foul tip by Tek ultimately lead to Beckett coming out after five. Tito took him out just to be on the safe side in this do-or-die game and the move paid off with the 'pen shutting the Rays down for the last four.

Youk started the Sox scoring off in the second with a solo shot to left center, answering Upton's homer in the first and tying the score. He drives in the second run an inning later with a ground out to short, scoring Pedey. Tek finally breaks his 0-for-the-ALCS by going yard in the sixth and breaks another tie (the Bartlett homer in the fifth). Papi singles to right center and knocks in Coco, who hit his third single of the game two batters ago. Pedey had reached on an errant throw by Bartlett and tripped over the bag, preventing him from taking second on the error. Coco, Drew, & Papi each had multiple hits in the game and Youk was responsible for the first two runs. A lot of guys were stranded on base, but enough scored to win the game, thanks to an improved outing by Beckett and stellar work by Oki, Masterson, & Paps.

TBS goofed big-time when technical difficulties kept most of the first inning off the air. I turned the TV on a few minutes after eight to see some sitcom instead of the game, which made me none too pleased, but at least I didn't miss the Sox scoring any runs. First the endless Frank TV ads, now this?

Tomorrow night...another year, another Game 7. Lester takes the mound, hoping for a better outing than Monday night at Fenway. He's in a rematch with Matt Garza and both teams have their backs against the wall. The prize: A date with the Phillies in the Fall Classic. Can the Sox do it again? Let's hope TBS doesn't pull any more technical difficulties stunts because it's gonna be a good one...

LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!

JD Drew: The Latest Mr. October?

No matter what happens tomorrow night or however long this series may last, there is one certain Red Sox right fielder who is building his own reputation as a post-season superstar--the guy who wears Trot Nixon's old number--and his name is JD Drew. He's had his struggles and he's dealt with nagging injuries and a medical drama with his young son. People have bemoaned his large and lucrative contract, especially during his first season in Boston when he struggled to adjust to the American League. All that said, he is the author of four ginormous clutch hits in October. The first was his grand slam in Game 6 of last year's ALCS, off Fausto Carmona, in a must-win game for the Sox. Huge Hit #2 came in this year's ALDS, a two-run dinger off K-Rod to break a 5-all tie. Numbers 3 and 4 both came in last night's miracle comeback, in two consecutive at-bats, no less: #3 being his two-run homer in the eighth off Dan Wheeler to bring the Sox within one run and #4 the walk-off double in the ninth off of JP Howell that kept the Sox' season alive, forcing a Game 6 in Tampa Bay. Whether this against-all-odds win will carry momentum over into tomorrow night's game remains to be seen, but by winning that game and coming back on the Rays the way they did, the Sox showed that they will not go down without a fight.

LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!

ALCS Game 5: Not so fast, Tampa Bay!

Sox: 8 Rays: 7

Wowza! What a comeback! Things looked downright funereal for the Sox until that 7th inning, when the lights came back on after a two-and-a-half game blackout. Down 7-0, the Sox offense came out of their coma with a Lowrie double, a Coco single, and an RBI single by Pedey (so long shutout). Then up to the plate strode Big Papi. Any other October, Sox fans would have been banking on a huge hit with Mr. Clutch up with two men on. This year, it didn't look so promising, as Papi had been 1 for 17. Well, shut my mouth! Papi takes Balfour deep and closes the gap to 7-4! The Fenway crowd springs to their feet and starts making some long overdue noise! There's life in them bats after all!

Fast forward to the bottom of the 8th, after Paps shuts down the Rays in the top of the inning. Bay walks and Drew takes Wheeler yard to make it a one-run game. Wheeler gets Lowrie out and then Casey pinch-hits for Tek. Wheeler whiffs Casey, but Kotsay lines a double off of him. Coco comes up with two outs and drives Wheeler berserk by fouling off pitch after pitch before lining one into right. Coco rounds first and heads for second as Kotsay scores the tying run. He gets thrown out at second, but the damage is done. Three more Sox runs in the 8th with a chance to win the game and stay alive in the series.

Top of the 9th, Masterson has come on in relief of Paps. He gives up a single to Bartlett and gets Aki to fly out, but not deep enough to advance Bartlett. He pitches carefully around Upton, trying to keep Bartlett close, and Upton works the walk. Now the young rookie is in a jam that has Sox Nation wondering why Pap wasn't brought out for another inning. Lest we forget, however, that this kid has a knack for getting the double play ball and that he does. Pena hits a grounder to second. Pedey flips to Lowrie, who throws to Kotsay and the threat is erased, paving the way for a truly Red Soxian bottom of the 9th.

After two quick outs retiring Pedey and Papi, J.P. Howell (now does that name sound like a banker or what?) has a tough time with Youk, who studied Coco's 8th inning at-bat intently and keeps fouling off pitches. He hits one to third and Longoria, who is a pet of Chip & Buck, makes a long throw to first, where Pena can't get a grip on the ball. It bounces into the stands as Youk takes second. Howell pitches around Bay to take his chances with Drew, favoring the lefty-lefty matchup. Dangerous move, young banker! J.D. makes J.P. pay dearly as he lines the 3-1 offering into right, plating the winning run! Deja 2004, anyone? It had a bit more of a 2004 feeling than a 2007 feeling, given the long odds of such a comeback against a team that has been raking for the better part of the series. Game 5 in 2007 had Beckett dominating and the offense producing from the beginning of the game. This Game 5 looked like a miserable end to a depressing series up until the last three innings, when the fortunes reversed dramatically. I'll even admit that I stopped watching for about an inning and a half because I couldn't bear to see it end the way it looked like it would in the fifth--a humiliating shutout at home and a third consecutive thrashing by a younger and playoff-inexperienced team, no matter how talented they may be. I came back in the bottom of the 7th, right after Lowrie's double, just to check on the game. Good thing I did!

So, now that they've managed to stay alive, they still have a lot of work to do. Beckett must return to form for Game 6 if they're to have a chance to force a Game 7. While it's tempting to think of Lester pitching on Saturday instead, the Sox are in a position where they're going to have to either live by Beckett or die by Beckett. I previously blogged about wanting Byrd to pitch Game 6, but his Game 3 outing made me think better of it. They can't pull another pitcher out of thin air. Beckett it is. Let's hope for the best!

LET'S GO RED SOX!!!! CONGRATS ON AN AMAZING COMEBACK!!!

Wanted: New ALCS Announcers

Is any Red Sox fan out there not way beyond annoyed with the Tampa Bay cheerleaders calling the ALCS games on TBS? I'd rather press the mute button and watch the games in total silence than listen to those biased buffoons bite their tongues trying not to yell "Go Rays" as they ooh and aah over the young upstarts' every move. They're *supposed* to be professionals--can't they tone their bias down a few notches? They're worse than Fox and Yankee-lovin' ESPN. On that note, what did the Red Sox do to piss off all national TV announcers? Maybe we Sox fans are spoiled by Remy and Orsillo, who at least make an effort to be evenhanded.

Which one of them can't pronounce Big Papi's last name? It's David Or-TIZ, not David OR-tiz. Just because Papi forgot how to hit doesn't mean the announcers have to butcher his name every time he comes up.

ALCS Game 3: Not A Pretty Picture

Sox: 1 Rays: 9

Lester got shelled.
Byrd got shelled.
Sox bats in the sub-zero.
Swiss Cheese lineup.
Young Upstarts demoralize the Fenway crowd.
Crappy poem for a crappy game.
'Nuff Said

Please Let Byrd Pitch Game 6

If there's to be a game 6, I hope the Red Sox management considers letting Paul Byrd pitch that game instead of throwing an injured and ineffective Beckett (who looked like Buchholz out there last night) out to get lit up again. I know Byrd hasn't pitched in, like, 2 weeks, but at this point, can he be any worse than Beckett? Hard to believe I'm saying this, given how awesome Beckett was last year at this time. What a difference a year makes! This October, it's Lester (so far...knock on wood) who has been golden and Dice-K came up pretty clutch on Friday night himself. Of course, Lester, and, despite the walks and high pitch counts, Dice-K have been the top two Sox pitchers all season. Wake has been Jekyll/Hyde-ish as usual and Beckett has been just as inconsistent. I'm hoping Wake can be Jekyll in Game 4 at Fenway (where he has fared better this season than on the road) and Dice-K can come up big again in Game 5.

LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!

ALCS Game 2: Oh Gee, Another Five Hour Loss

Sox: 8 Rays: 9

I feel sad for Josh Beckett. He clearly does not have it this October and I think that, like Mike Lowell, he is too injured to help the team. In his past two starts he looked like Sabathia from last year's ALCS. Fortunately for the Sox (at least early in the game), Kazmir didn't have it either. The Sox batters (well, Youk, Pedey, and Bay, mainly) scratched and clawed their way back into the game and tied it in the 8th on a wild pitch by Dan Wheeler. Unfortunately, after the 8th, the bats packed it in and forced an unsavory situation for the Sox: Timlin on the mound in the bottom of the 11th. I knew when I saw that Timlin had come in the game (after hoping against hope that it would be Byrd instead) it was going to be over. To be fair, the ump squeezed him big-time (after cheating Kotsay on a called third "strike" way out of the zone at the top of the inning).

Timlin's presence on the roster is the result of not having enough reliable bullpen arms for a longer playoff series. The minor leaguers Smith, Pauley, and Hansack don't really cut it and neither does Aardsma, who lost any effectiveness he had once he went on the DL. That leaves Timlin, who throws glorified batting practice, but his post-season experience gives him the razor's edge over the rest of the pack. Teams like the Rays, however, exploit pitchers' weaknesses and gobble up Timlin like a tankful of piranhas. One thing for the Sox organization to work on in the off-season is strengthening the bullpen.

Now for the holes in the Sox lineup: Ellsbury, Papi, and Tek. Ells started off like a rocket, but flamed out quickly. Did he catch "no-hit-itis" from Pedey (who has, thankfully, made a full recovery)? Papi, as a DH, all he has to do is hit. He started to get hot again in late September, but he's back to the freezer in October. Is the wrist bothering him that much? Did he re-injure it at some point between the end of the regular season and the beginning of the playoffs? Tek's been an offensive liability all season. He's essential to the pitching staff, but do you think he could stop trying to switch hit? He's a natural righty, so maybe he should just bat from the right side where he can still hit for a decent average.

With the discouraging performance from Beckett tonight, I'm left with doubt as to how much further the Sox can go with only two reliable starters. Even if they somehow manage to win the ALCS, what happens in the World Series? Would they run a compromised Beckett out there to get shelled again? Would they go with both Wake and Byrd as starters? Let's be realistic: The Sox really are in a pickle if Beckett is unable to pitch effectively for the rest of the post-season, however long that may be.

ALCS Game 1: Dice-K Being Lester

Sox: 2 Rays: 0

How about this, a close game at The Trop won by the Red Sox! Too often in the regular season, those close games went the Rays' way. Tonight, thanks to 7+ shutout innings by Dice-K and 2 by the 'pen, the nailbiter went in favor of the Sox.

The first inning had me thinking this will be a typical 5-inning affair for The Diceman. He loaded the bases via the walk, then Houdinied his way out as only he can. However, after that 30+ pitch inning, it was as if Jon Lester was pitching from within Dice-K's body. Or, perhaps, it was Dice-K indeed, pretending he was pitching to the White Sox (against whom he threw two gems this year). He took a no-hitter through the sixth, gave up two hits apiece in the seventh and eighth, and not a single Ray managed to cross the plate. Oki, Masterson, and Paps combined to preserve the shutout.

For the Sox bats, runs were not easy to come by. It turned out, all they needed was one and they ended up with two. The first came in the fifth on a sac fly by Jed Lowrie. Bay had walked to lead off the inning. Kotsay's check-swing double put Bay at third and Lowrie did what he does best, lifted the ball into the outfield to bring Bay home. The second run came in the eighth, on Youk's third hit of the night. Youk plated Pedey, who singled, then stole second. They got the better of the Rays' tough bullpen and grabbed a win that will shift the home field advantage into their favor.

Game 2 tomorrow night, Beckett's on the mound against Kazmir. If Beckett bounces back from his tough ALDS outing, the Rays will have their work cut out for them.

LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!

My ALCS Prediction

Sox in 7. While the Rays look like the team the Baseball Gods are smiling on this year and they are full of talented young players, I'm picking playoff experience to win out in the end. The Red Sox, in all their Red Soxishness, will find a way to win in the post-season, quite possibly with their backs against the wall as they did last year against The Tribe. That said, I won't be shocked if the Rays pull it out. We've waited all season for them to pumpkin, but it hasn't happened yet.

My ALCS Rotation

The fact is, in 2008, the Red Sox ace is Jon Lester. He's shown it since May and so far in two post-season starts. Unfortunately, since the Angels forced Game 4 last night, Lester will not be available on full rest until Game 2 on Saturday. Having pitched 107 pitches in last night's outing, it's probably better not to pitch him on short rest Friday night. That said, here is how I hope the ALCS rotation shakes out:

Game 1: Dice-K. It's his turn to pitch and he has been better on the road than at home. I hope he can go deeper into the game than his last start.

Game 2: Lester. Lester needs to be able to pitch twice in this series. Pitching him in Game 2 will have him on normal rest as early as Game 5, which is on Thursday, Oct. 16. Also, it puts the best pitcher on the mound in a game they really should try to win, to give them a chance at the very least to split.

Game 3: Beckett. Beckett is a question mark right now, with his recent oblique strain and his less-than-stellar start on Saturday. Pitching Beckett in Game 3 gives the bullpen some rest from Friday, when they will undoubtedly have to go several innings in relief of Dice-K.

Game 4: Byrd. This was a tough one. Wake in relief does give rise to a catcher dilemma, but he is no longer dominant over the Rays. They've given him trouble all year. Byrd pitched a very good Game 4 of last year's ALCS, albeit for the opposing team. I think Byrd just might have a slight post-season edge over Wake.

Game 5: Lester or Dice-K. If the team is behind and needs a clutch outing from the ace, pitch Lester in Game 5 at home. If the team is ahead or tied, pitch Dice-K and save Lester for Game 7

Game 6: Dice-K or Beckett. If Dice-K doesn't pitch in Game 5, pitch him in Game 6. If Dice-K does pitch Game 5, pitch Beckett in Game 6

Game 7: Beckett or Lester. If Lester was not used in Game 5, he pitches Game 7. If Lester is used in Game 5 and Dice-K in Game 6, then Beckett goes in Game 7.

As you can see, the rotation for 5-7 is situational. If I had to commit to one for each of the last three games, I would go with Lester in Game 5, Dice-K in Game 6 and Beckett in Game 7 (with fingers crossed that he can be dominant in a deciding game).

With four starters used in the ALCS, they will probably need an extra bullpen arm. Since neither of our "left over" arms (Aardsma and Timlin) are reliable in any sense of the word, it's like choosing the lesser of the two evils. Both drive me nuts when they're on the mound, but I'd have to go with Timlin over Aarsdma because Timlin has more post-season experience. I can't remember when Aardsma had a decent outing. Timlin will surprise me once in a while, but Aardsma's gone downhill since his first DL stint. He's also young and more likely to crumble under pressure. So, I shudder to say this, but if the alternative is Aardsma, bring on Timlin.

They Did It!!!! Now Can They Pumpkin Cinderella?

Sox: 3 Angels: 2

After Lester had thrown his seven shutout innings, given the lead after Sox scrapped together two runs off of Lackey in the fifth, things were looking pretty good for the Sox wrapping up this series at home. Then the bullpen happened. Oki retired the first two Angels batters he faced, but couldn't put the third one away, walking him and bringing Francona to the mound to make the change. Masterson, who the Angels have seen a lot of this series, proceeded to follow Oki's walk of Teixeira with a walk of his own to Vladi Guerrero. Up to the plate came the most clutch hitter of the Halos lineup, Torii Hunter. Masterson had him down 0-2, but then tried to get him to chase a pitch out of the zone. The next pitch he threw was a wild one and the runners advanced. Hunter roped Masterson's 2-2 offering into right field and the two-run advantage the Sox held went "poof", along with Lester's chance to pick up the win. Momentum appeared to swing in the Angels' favor and it looked like a long trip back to Anaheim for the Sox.

Then came the top of the ninth. With pinch-runner Reggie Willits at third, Scioscia tried the old Suicide Squeeze with Aybar at the plate. Aybar missed on his first attempt to bunt as Willits broke for home. Tek caught up with him and tagged him out before he could make it back to third and the play backfired. With two down in the inning, Manny Delcarmen got the third out quickly and it was on to the bottom of the ninth.

With one out in the bottom of the ninth, Jason Bay lined a ball into right field that bounced into the seats. Ground rule double. That was a tough break for the Sox because he could have made it to third and possibly all the way home had the ball not taken that bounce. Kotsay hit a hard line drive that was caught by Teixeira. Two out. Lowrie is up, batting left-handed, where he has struggled the most (though he did hit a long single off the wall earlier in the game). In a hitter's count, the rookie found the gap and Bay hustled around from second to plate the winning run. No return trip to Anaheim for the Red Sox. They clinched a spot in the ALCS at home, beating the team with the best record in baseball this year, the team with 100 regular season wins. The Angels of 2008, unlike the banged-up squad from last year, put up a fight to the very end. They were a very tough team to beat and deserve props for giving it their all. That said, it's very gratifying to know that the Red Sox were the ones to come up victorious once again in the post-season, over a team that has had their number during the regular season.

Now it's on to the Tampa Bay Rays. This team appears to have had a date with destiny since the very beginning of this season. They've made a meteoric rise in the ranks of the AL East and they've given the Sox a hell of a time in the process. Simply put, they know how to win games. The Red Sox know how to win games too, but the Rays have been doing it just a tad bit more consistently in 2008. Both teams have dealt with injuries to key players. They've also each won a whole slew of games in their home ballpark. With home field advantage having been earned by the Rays, that could play a key part in this series. The Sox will have their work cut out for them, and there are questions about how their pitching will match up to the Rays' rotation, but the Sox can win this series, just as they won the division series against the 100-win Angels. It will take everyone on the team stepping up and bringing their A-game. It will be an exciting series, that's for sure. That said, I may need to work on some Zen meditation between now and Friday...

LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!

I need a Xanax to get through these damn games!

Sox: 4 Halos: 5

Well, that was five-plus hours of agony. Let me just say that post-season Beckett was AWOL tonight and '06/08 Regular Season Just Plain Average Edition Beckett took his place. Yeah, the ill-fated injured oblique might have played a role, but command eluded Josh tonight. Angels were all over the bases the five innings he pitched. There was no settling in after the first inning or so and the Halos backstop made him pay twice for poor location. Then there were the two non-plays at first. With this kind of start from the guy the Sox call their ace, I knew they were in for a long night.

As if the starting pitching wasn't enough of a momentum-killer, the offense flipped the OFF switch after Ellsbury's bizarre bloop bases-clearing single and Youk's RBI in the fifth. Just seven hits over 12 innings. SEVEN. The Halos had, what, SIXTEEN??? The Sox 'pen did all they could to keep the team in the game until the 12th, when Lopez couldn't fool the Angel bats and the blasted Rally Monkey any longer (Jeez, and I thought JD took care of that simpering simian on Friday night...). The Sox bats couldn't buy a clutch hit, especially o-fer-Pedey. What's up with Mr. Batting Title Runner-Up this series? Cat got his bat? Bay forgot to homer in tonight's game; instead he went hitless, taking a gander at strike three in the bottom of the 12th, leaving the game, the sweep, and the Red Sox' momentum in the hands of Alex Cora. Cora, as predicted, went down quietly and the Angels pulled off the upset, ending a streak of 11 straight post-season victories of the Sox over the Angels. The Halos are going to be fired up tomorrow. They've seized the momentum in a huge way and it's going to take something even huger from Lester to stop them from stealing the entire series. That and the Sox bats have to, for crying out loud, WAKE UP!!!! Have they forgotten they are at Fenway? Oh, and if I see one more Frank TV ad, I will run screaming out of the room.

LET'S GO RED SOX!!! WAKE THE BATS AND KEEP YOUR SEASON ALIVE!!!!

JD Kills The Rally Monkey

Sox: 7 Angels: 5

The poor primate didn't stand a chance. With two strikes on him in the top of the ninth, JD Drew, man of huge post-season four-baggers, took K-Rod deep with Coco at second, running for Big Papi, who doubled to lead off the inning. This ginormous clutch hit capped off a night of drama for the Sox and Halos, who were tied going into the ninth. The Sox touched "the other Santana" for four runs in the first, thanks to Drew's RBI double (scoring Big Papi, who also doubled, starting the hitting with two outs in the inning) and Jason Bay's second homer of the series, a three-run job with Youk and Drew on. Dice-K took the mound and--quel surprise!--threw first-pitch strikes to the first seven batters he faced. Still, the middle of the order gave him some trouble as they produced the first Angels run. The Sox answered in the third with back-to-back doubles by Cora and Ells, making the score 5-1. The Angels, however, slowly chipped away at that lead, their big three, Teixiera, Guerrerro and Hunter, were hitting and getting on base like it was going out of style. The trademark Dice-K walks began in the fourth, and that walk came around to score the Halos' second run. The fifth was when the wheels came loose for Dice. He issues back-to-back freebies to lead off the inning and needs three dozen pitches to finally escape with only one run scored.

After five, Dice-K was done and the 'pen took over. Oki pitched the sixth 1-2-3, but couldn't extend his dominance into the seventh. He let two runners on and Masterson was summoned to put out the fire. The rookie did, but not before walking in Angels run #4. When Masterson came out for the eighth, the Rally Monkey was doing his thing and Chone Figgins roped a triple. Like the rest of us Sox fans, Tito had seen enough of the Rally Monkey and summoned Paps for a two-inning save. The relentless middle of the lineup managed to sac-fly in Figgins to tie the game and Paps was tagged with a blown save. He took care of the rest of the lineup, thanks to a highlight-reel catch by Youk, who snagged a fly ball in foul territory by the cameras.

That brings us to the top of the ninth, where this blog began. K-Rod got the last out of the eighth and was back on the mound to try to finish off the save. Try he did, but JD got the better of him. With the lead once again, Pap took care of the rest and, four hours after the game began, the Sox took their second victory in Anaheim. They go back to Fenway with a commanding lead in the series and Beckett takes the mound on Sunday night. Even if Beckett isn't in his '07 post-season form, Lester is waiting in the wings for Game 4.

LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!!

The Ace Has Arrived and New Guy Comes Up Big

Sox: 4 Halos: 1

I called it! Jon Lester kept the Angels guessing last night in Anaheim. After a first inning where he struggled a bit with command, Lester settled down and limited the Halos to one unearned run over seven innings, fanning seven. He got stronger as he went deeper into the game, striking out the side in order in the sixth. The Angels touched him for some hits, but only one of their men would cross the plate, due to an error by Jed Lowrie at short in the third inning. Masterson took over in the eighth and had a scare that was put to rest by Youk throwing Vladi Guerrero out at third. Paps gave up one hit, but otherwise made quick work of the home team, sewing up the 4-1 Sox victory.

The Sox offense struggled to put a run across early in the game and it looked like it was going to be one of those gut-wrenchingly futile outings for the seemingly frozen bats. Until, with two outs in the sixth, Jason Bay, in his first post-season hit after whiffing twice before, stroked a two-run dinger that put the Sox ahead of the Angels 2-1. Two more insurance runs were added in the ninth, off the bats of Jacoby "3-for-5 with 2 SB" Ellsbury and a previously thwarted Big Papi. Jake resembled the Jake of last post-season, getting on base and keeping the Angels pitching and defense on their toes. His three hits and two snagged bags showed that he has caught fire at the right time again, in effect continuing the hitting streak he had amassed during the last weeks of the regular season (18 games). Jacoby's presence on the basepaths is key to the Sox' success in the post-season, so here's hoping he keeps it up.

Friday night is Game 2 with Dice-K on the mound. Key for him will be going deep into the game and saving the bullpen. His road record this year has been dominant, so let's hope he continues this trend into the post-season.

LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!

My End of Season Red Sox Awards

Here we are on Soxtober first, with Game 1 of the ALDS less than twelve hours away. It's time for the 2008 InSOXicated Awards. For the purpose of getting the "bad news" out of the way first, here are the more dubious honors (hey, at least they got recognized!)


The Dr. Strangeglove Award, in honor of the original "Dr. Strangeglove," the former Red Sox first baseman Dick Stuart goes to Julio Lugo

The Cardiac Warning Label Award for most stress-inducing bullpen pitcher goes to David Aardsma. Dubiously Honorable Mentions: Mike Timlin and former blood-pressure raiser Craig Hansen, now with Pittsburgh.

The Captain K Award for most whiffs at the plate, well I hate to have to give this to the team captain since he's so vital to the success of the team's pitching staff, but it goes to Jason Varitek. Sorry, Captain.

And now for the "good news"...

The King of the Hill Award goes to Jon Lester, for his ace-like performances on the mound this season. Honorable Mention: Justin Masterson, for coming up from AA Portland to contribute both as a starter and as a reliever at the major league level.

The Flashin' The Leather Award for best defensive player goes to Jacoby Ellsbury for his stellar defense in all three outfield positions. Honorable Mention: Dustin Pedroia

The Teddy Yaz Award for best offensive player goes to Kevin Youkilis. With Papi having a down year and You-Know-Who getting traded, Youk really stepped it up and produced in a big way throughout the season. Honorable Mention: Dustin Pedroia

The Dirt Doggery Award for the grittiest player who isn't afraid to get the uniform dirty goes to Dustin Pedroia. Honorable Mention: Kevin Youkilis

The Golden Welcome Mat Award for best newbie goes to Jason Bay, who made a smooth transition to big-time Boston baseball from his very first game on August 1. Honorable Mention: Jed Lowrie

The Harry Houdini Award for escaping pitching jams goes to Daisuke Matsuzaka

The You've Come A Long Way, Baby Award for most improved player is Jon Lester. Honorable Mention: Kevin Youkilis

The Greased Lightning Award for biggest basepath threat goes to Jacoby Ellsbury. Honorable Mentions: Coco Crisp and Dustin Pedroia.

And finally...drumroll please...my vote for the 2008 Red Sox MVP...

KEVIN YOUKILIS!!!!

While Pedroia may be the leading candidate to most of Red Sox Nation, I'm more sold on Youk. He has 29 home runs and 115 RBI, meaning he is a serious power threat and he drives in the runs. He has stepped up admirably into the cleanup spot behind Big Papi and his defense is Gold Glove caliber just as it was last year. He can play two positions very well. There was no second-half fade for him this year and I believe, at 29 he is entering his prime as a baseball player. Pedroia has been magnificent as well and he gets my honorable mention here. I will be happy if either Red Sox player were to win the AL MVP, but if I had to choose between two supremely qualified candidates, my vote would be with Youk.