Tonight was Lester's turn. While watching Buch twirl a gem last night, throwing 8 innings of one-run ball, Lester was clearly taking notes. With a chance to sweep the Jays, win three in a row for the first time this season, break even, AND move up in the standings from fourth in the AL East to third, he stepped up to the plate--er, mound, and dominated over 7 shutout innings, striking out eleven and looking like the Jon Lester who is thought of as one of the premier lefties in the game. He held the reeling Jays to just one hit and, yes, the calendar still says April.
After a walk to lead off the 1st, it looked like another Lester-being-Dice-K outing, with a early high pitch count and lots of walks, but that changed quickly as he picked off the recipient of the free pass and set down the next two batters in order. He allowed a double to Vernon Wells in the 2nd and another walk in the 6th to the same batter he walked in the first, some guy named McCoy (I forgot his first name, never having heard of him before tonight's game). It does the heart good to see Lester dealing tonight after struggling so much to start the season. It did his ERA good too, dropping it from the 6s to the 4s.
Maybe this is merely a function of what teams they've had to face and where, but the Sox possess a better road record at this point in the season (6-3) than their home record (5-8). The sample size is small, of course, and only one of the three teams they've faced on the road is a contender--the Twins. However, I hope they continue to play over .500 on the road this season and reverse a trend that hampered them in 2008 and 2009. In the same vein, their sub-.500 play at Fenway is due to playing teams like the Yankees and the Rays for 7 of their 13 home games.
Speaking of the Rays, is it just me or are they reminiscent of the 2007 Red Sox? They're flying high right now and they look unstoppable, much like the '07 Sox did. They are going to be one tough team to beat this year. The baseball fan in me is happy for them, but the Red Sox fan in me wants my team to knock them off their pedestal. In order to do that, though, they have to actually win a game against them.
After an off-day tomorrow, the Sox come to B-more and take on the O's in what MASN dubs "Birdland". Dice-K makes his first start of the season on Saturday night, with Lackey going on Friday and Beckett on Sunday. Let's hope all three pitchers paid close attention to the awesome work of Buchholz and Lester this week and draw inspiration from those two performances to make short work of the O's this weekend.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!! CONGRATS ON THE SHUTOUT, LESTER (Bard and Pap too)!!!!!
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Big Buch
After last night's slugfest/pitching debacle, the Sox needed a killer performance by their starter tonight and that performance they got with Clay Buchholz on the mound. After a somewhat rocky first inning where he gave up a few hits and a run, Buch settled down and went 8 strong, giving up only that first inning run in what was called by the good folks at NESN the best start by any Red Sox pitcher of the season so far.
That start was needed for two reasons, the most important of which was the severely depleted bullpen. Tito was forced to use almost the entire pen last night, save for RamRam, who pitched a gutsy 9th inning tonight, picking up the save in a one-run game. The second reason was that Jays pitcher Shaun Marcum was matching Buch in effectiveness, making Sox runs as hard to come by tonight as outs were last night. Marcum limited the Sox to one run over 7 innings, leaving the game tied at a run apiece until the 8th, when a pinch-hitting Mike Lowell walked in the go-ahead run off Toronto's closer Kevin Gregg.
Now, the Sox find themselves one game under .500, with a chance to pull even with a win tomorrow. In order to do that, however, Lester has to pitch like it's May 28th instead of April 28th, if you get my drift. The Sox have not yet won three games in a row this season and have yet to sweep a team. Win tomorrow and they do both.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!! GREAT JOB, CLAY!!!!
That start was needed for two reasons, the most important of which was the severely depleted bullpen. Tito was forced to use almost the entire pen last night, save for RamRam, who pitched a gutsy 9th inning tonight, picking up the save in a one-run game. The second reason was that Jays pitcher Shaun Marcum was matching Buch in effectiveness, making Sox runs as hard to come by tonight as outs were last night. Marcum limited the Sox to one run over 7 innings, leaving the game tied at a run apiece until the 8th, when a pinch-hitting Mike Lowell walked in the go-ahead run off Toronto's closer Kevin Gregg.
Now, the Sox find themselves one game under .500, with a chance to pull even with a win tomorrow. In order to do that, however, Lester has to pitch like it's May 28th instead of April 28th, if you get my drift. The Sox have not yet won three games in a row this season and have yet to sweep a team. Win tomorrow and they do both.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!! GREAT JOB, CLAY!!!!
A Picture Says A Thousand Words
I'm going to borrow a page from my fellow blogger Julia whose blogs are made all the more entertaining by her clever use of pictures and say this was the Sox and Jays batters last night
C is for cookie, right out over the plate! Outs were hard to come by in the 13-12 Sox win last night at Rogers Centre, with the pitchers from both the Sox and Jays baking and serving up dozens upon dozens of cookies for the batters to feast on. And feast they did, with 34 hits between the two teams! Beckett got shelled for the second straight outing and the 'pen, save for Manny Delcarmen and Pap, gave up lead after lead. Fortunately for the Sox, the Jays pen was slightly worse and the Sox came out on top in what could have been a laugher if Beckett pitched like he is capable of pitching. Let's just say, if they have to keep working this hard for every win, they'll be worn out long before the All-Star break.
Tonight, Buchholz takes the mound and I'm thinking it's going to be another tight game tonight, but a much lower scoring one. Who wins it is anyone's guess, but obviously I hope it's the Sox. I'll take all the wins the Sox can muster at this point, but it would be nice to get an easy win sometime soon. Good thing the Sox have an off-day on Thursday because they're gonna need it.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!
Sunday, April 25, 2010
An Uphill Battle
The Sox took two out of three games this weekend from an Orioles team that's off to an unbelievably bad start and are now 8-11 on the season, their struggles to even get to .500 continuing. That they had to work so hard for those two wins is troubling. Of course, being without their two starting outfielders and having to rely on two Quad-A players, regardless of said players' past heroics, puts them at a major disadvantage, especially when one of those outfielders is a dynamic player like Jacoby Ellsbury. Having Ellsbury healthy and producing is key to the Red Sox offensive production. They NEED him out there on the basepaths, making pitchers, catchers, and infielders nervous. The lineup looks sluggish without him.
The next issue is the pitching. When the Sox added Lackey to a rotation that already included Beckett and Lester, they figured they would have one of the best rotations in the American League and possibly all of the majors. So far, that hasn't even come close to being the case. The Red Sox are bottom-feeders in the ERA department and the starters are getting lit up on a regular basis. Why is this so? Beckett has been inconsistent, Lester has had his usual awful April, and Lackey hasn't exactly been lights-out either, save for his first outing of the year, against the Yankees where he didn't get the run support and the Sox lost in extra innings. Clay Buchholz has probably been the best pitcher on the staff so far, at least ERA-wise, but he only has one win to show for it. Wake has been a mixed bag, as he usually is. The bullpen holds the line in mop-up situations, but can't be counted on in close games. What's going on here? Is it the coaching? John Farrell is no Dave Duncan, but he did coach the staff that won the World Series in '07 and many of those pitchers are the same ones on the staff now. Is it the game calling? V-Mart puts in an admirable amount of effort to improve his game and, like Tek, he's a natural leader, so that doesn't seem to wash either. It's a mystery why such a talented starting rotation is off to such a terrible start and we can only hope they start to put it together in May.
Now for the offense, which has been inconsistent at best. To their credit, they have had to play a lot of catching up and coming from behind so far due to the underperformance of the pitching staff, but they have a habit of going into a collective slump at the worst possible time. It wasn't any different when Jason Bay was in the lineup--he could slump with the best of 'em. They are missing a key piece in Ells, but right now they need to find a way to work around that if they're to dig out of 4th place.
The defense is sorely missing Mike Cameron and Ells in the outfield, though Cameron still has to learn how to play CF at Fenway. Scutaro and Beltre are also still adjusting to the new park and, possibly, the fan expectations that come with playing baseball in Boston. One thing Spring Training does not do is allow new players on the team to get acclimated to the ballpark in which they'll be playing half their games. Defense behind the plate as far as holding runners on has been atrocious, but neither catcher has the best throwing arm and the pitchers are taught not to slide-step when pitching from the stretch.
Putting it all together--offense, defense, and pitching--has eluded the Red Sox so far this season for some reasons that are understandable and others that mystify. Perhaps things will click once the starting outfielders (at the very least, Ellsbury) return or perhaps this really is a "bridge year," following an offseason where the free agent market was thin and a couple of big veteran contracts (Papi, Lowell, Tek) tied the front office down. A possible trade for coveted power-hitter Adrian Gonzalez could conflict with the need to find a defensive catcher to reign in the stolen base problem. The Big Papi dilemma also must be resolved if the Sox were to add a catcher or Gonzalez. Adding a catcher would mean making V-Mart the DH. Adding Gonzalez to a team that already includes Youk and Beltre would mean Gonzalez would be the DH. Then what of Mike Lowell, who is a good candidate to take over Papi's DH spot if Papi is still batting under .200 and striking out like crazy in May? Perhaps trying to trade for Gonzalez would make more sense in the offseason, when there will be more room for him on the team. Still, it is difficult to watch the Red Sox struggle so much while the Yanks and Rays are rolling.
Whatever happens this season, I will always be a Red Sox fan. Naturally, I really, really want them to get it together and be competitive in the division, but if sitting out the playoffs this year brings the same results next year as sitting out the 2006 playoffs did for 2007...All we can really do as fans is watch it all unfold before us and hope for the best.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
The next issue is the pitching. When the Sox added Lackey to a rotation that already included Beckett and Lester, they figured they would have one of the best rotations in the American League and possibly all of the majors. So far, that hasn't even come close to being the case. The Red Sox are bottom-feeders in the ERA department and the starters are getting lit up on a regular basis. Why is this so? Beckett has been inconsistent, Lester has had his usual awful April, and Lackey hasn't exactly been lights-out either, save for his first outing of the year, against the Yankees where he didn't get the run support and the Sox lost in extra innings. Clay Buchholz has probably been the best pitcher on the staff so far, at least ERA-wise, but he only has one win to show for it. Wake has been a mixed bag, as he usually is. The bullpen holds the line in mop-up situations, but can't be counted on in close games. What's going on here? Is it the coaching? John Farrell is no Dave Duncan, but he did coach the staff that won the World Series in '07 and many of those pitchers are the same ones on the staff now. Is it the game calling? V-Mart puts in an admirable amount of effort to improve his game and, like Tek, he's a natural leader, so that doesn't seem to wash either. It's a mystery why such a talented starting rotation is off to such a terrible start and we can only hope they start to put it together in May.
Now for the offense, which has been inconsistent at best. To their credit, they have had to play a lot of catching up and coming from behind so far due to the underperformance of the pitching staff, but they have a habit of going into a collective slump at the worst possible time. It wasn't any different when Jason Bay was in the lineup--he could slump with the best of 'em. They are missing a key piece in Ells, but right now they need to find a way to work around that if they're to dig out of 4th place.
The defense is sorely missing Mike Cameron and Ells in the outfield, though Cameron still has to learn how to play CF at Fenway. Scutaro and Beltre are also still adjusting to the new park and, possibly, the fan expectations that come with playing baseball in Boston. One thing Spring Training does not do is allow new players on the team to get acclimated to the ballpark in which they'll be playing half their games. Defense behind the plate as far as holding runners on has been atrocious, but neither catcher has the best throwing arm and the pitchers are taught not to slide-step when pitching from the stretch.
Putting it all together--offense, defense, and pitching--has eluded the Red Sox so far this season for some reasons that are understandable and others that mystify. Perhaps things will click once the starting outfielders (at the very least, Ellsbury) return or perhaps this really is a "bridge year," following an offseason where the free agent market was thin and a couple of big veteran contracts (Papi, Lowell, Tek) tied the front office down. A possible trade for coveted power-hitter Adrian Gonzalez could conflict with the need to find a defensive catcher to reign in the stolen base problem. The Big Papi dilemma also must be resolved if the Sox were to add a catcher or Gonzalez. Adding a catcher would mean making V-Mart the DH. Adding Gonzalez to a team that already includes Youk and Beltre would mean Gonzalez would be the DH. Then what of Mike Lowell, who is a good candidate to take over Papi's DH spot if Papi is still batting under .200 and striking out like crazy in May? Perhaps trying to trade for Gonzalez would make more sense in the offseason, when there will be more room for him on the team. Still, it is difficult to watch the Red Sox struggle so much while the Yanks and Rays are rolling.
Whatever happens this season, I will always be a Red Sox fan. Naturally, I really, really want them to get it together and be competitive in the division, but if sitting out the playoffs this year brings the same results next year as sitting out the 2006 playoffs did for 2007...All we can really do as fans is watch it all unfold before us and hope for the best.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Lightning Doesn't Strike Thrice
After two walk-off wins in as many games, a third one wasn't to be. For the first six innings, the game was a bona fide pitcher's duel, with Clay Buchholz and CJ Wilson mowing down the Rangers' and the Red Sox' offenses with clinical efficiency. Then came the 7th. It was in the 7th inning of last night that Beckett surrendered the Sox' 3-run lead (courtesy of a grand salami by JD Drew, a two-run dinger by Darnell McDonald and a solo shot by Mike Lowell and a few other timely hits) by serving up a cookie to Josh Hamilton, tying the game. Youk was the hero with a walk-off single in the bottom of the 12th. In the 7th inning of tonight's game, Clay cracked, giving up three straight hits and two runs before recording an out. A third run was scored on a bunt by Andres Blanco which was fielded poorly by Buchholz. An error by Beltre allowed Blanco to reach third. Still, this was a solid outing for young Buch, who fanned a career high 10 batters.
Alas, Buchholz was left high and dry by his teammates wielding the lumber. The streaky offense played hooky tonight, apparently forgetting that it was their skipper's birthday. It's like showing up at the party without a gift. Where's the love for Tito, boys? It turns out Darnell McDonald is NOT a robot programmed to hit 2-run homers and walk-offs. He's human after all. It was fun while it lasted and generated countless Mickey D's-inspired tributes in cyberspace, including Boston Dirt Dogs' golden arches in the Green Monster seats.
Don't look now, but here come the 2-14 O's, who are taking scuffling to a new level. They're the team keeping the Red Sox out of the AL East basement. Other teams in the "it could be worse" column: The White Sox, at 5-11, and the Astros at 5-10. In the same boat as the Red Sox are the Cubs. On the other end of the spectrum, much to our chagrin, are the Yankees and the Rays, who taking turns being at the top of the division. Let's hope the Red Sox can at least win this series against the O's and perhaps try to gain ground on the Jays, who sit in third place.
Tomorrow night, Lester tries to get himself on track against a team he's had a lot of success against. The Sox hitters, should they decide to show up, will be facing Jeremy Guthrie, whom they've knocked around in the past.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
Alas, Buchholz was left high and dry by his teammates wielding the lumber. The streaky offense played hooky tonight, apparently forgetting that it was their skipper's birthday. It's like showing up at the party without a gift. Where's the love for Tito, boys? It turns out Darnell McDonald is NOT a robot programmed to hit 2-run homers and walk-offs. He's human after all. It was fun while it lasted and generated countless Mickey D's-inspired tributes in cyberspace, including Boston Dirt Dogs' golden arches in the Green Monster seats.
Don't look now, but here come the 2-14 O's, who are taking scuffling to a new level. They're the team keeping the Red Sox out of the AL East basement. Other teams in the "it could be worse" column: The White Sox, at 5-11, and the Astros at 5-10. In the same boat as the Red Sox are the Cubs. On the other end of the spectrum, much to our chagrin, are the Yankees and the Rays, who taking turns being at the top of the division. Let's hope the Red Sox can at least win this series against the O's and perhaps try to gain ground on the Jays, who sit in third place.
Tomorrow night, Lester tries to get himself on track against a team he's had a lot of success against. The Sox hitters, should they decide to show up, will be facing Jeremy Guthrie, whom they've knocked around in the past.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
How To Make A Good First Impression
If you're Red Sox call-up Darnell McDonald, you'd say, "All it takes is a 2-run homer to tie the game and the a bases-loaded walk-off hit." Only those who paid close attention in Spring Training even knew who Darnell McDonald was before he was called up tonight along with Josh Reddick after both Cameron and Ells were put on the 15-day DL. Hitting well over .300 in Pawtucket in the first two weeks of their season and having plenty of major-league experience, McDonald was a natural choice to accompany Reddick to the big club. Reddick, for his part, hit a 2-RBI double that really should have been ruled a ground-rule double, plating only one run, but the Red Sox will gladly take some luck coming their way for a change.
The weekend series with Tampa Bay was beyond brutal and the Sox had had more than their share of bad luck lately, with two starting outfielders down, and suspended game that caused the Sox to begin play on Saturday night in the bottom of the ninth inning, about as unnatural a situation as you can get. Some problems they had over the weekend were a result of poor control of the running game, sloppy defense, and a rather passive approach to the offense, playing for the big inning.
Tonight, the game was managed far better than it had been in those dismal games during the losing streak. Facing a lefty, Francona pinch hit Mike Lowell for Papi and Lowell drew a walk. Though it didn't result in any runs, that particular move might have prevented an out from being made at that time. Then, in the ninth inning, when the game was tied, Bill Hall sacrificed Youk to third. He originally intended to move Youk to second, but a wild pitch by Frank Francisco took care of that. Lowell got the 4-finger salute and Beltre, no doubt trying to lift a ball into the air to avoid grounding into a double play, popped out. With two outs, Tek walked and McDonald got the chance to be the hero again, after tying the game on a two-run dinger into the Monster seats the previous inning. He lined a single off the wall and the game was over, only one run needing to score to give the Sox a desperately-needed win.
The Red Sox still have a lot of work to do, including finding a way to better control the running game. The Rangers were running all over the bases, stealing nine on Wake, who is slow to the plate with the knuckler. Walks turned into doubles and triples--The Texas nine were a slippery lot. More American League teams are stealing bases now and playing small-ball and, consequently, defense behind the plate (and on the mound) is becoming more and more important. The Angels, Rangers and Rays, and even the Red Sox themselves when Ells gets on base can turn the basepaths into a track meet and make pitching from the stretch an even more intensely stressful situation.
Tonight's game was a giant step in the right direction for the Red Sox. More aggressive, active management, along with some timely hitting from a unlikely hero and solid pitching from the pen won the game for the Sox tonight. Good job, boys! Now go out there and win another one tomorrow. One game at a time.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
The weekend series with Tampa Bay was beyond brutal and the Sox had had more than their share of bad luck lately, with two starting outfielders down, and suspended game that caused the Sox to begin play on Saturday night in the bottom of the ninth inning, about as unnatural a situation as you can get. Some problems they had over the weekend were a result of poor control of the running game, sloppy defense, and a rather passive approach to the offense, playing for the big inning.
Tonight, the game was managed far better than it had been in those dismal games during the losing streak. Facing a lefty, Francona pinch hit Mike Lowell for Papi and Lowell drew a walk. Though it didn't result in any runs, that particular move might have prevented an out from being made at that time. Then, in the ninth inning, when the game was tied, Bill Hall sacrificed Youk to third. He originally intended to move Youk to second, but a wild pitch by Frank Francisco took care of that. Lowell got the 4-finger salute and Beltre, no doubt trying to lift a ball into the air to avoid grounding into a double play, popped out. With two outs, Tek walked and McDonald got the chance to be the hero again, after tying the game on a two-run dinger into the Monster seats the previous inning. He lined a single off the wall and the game was over, only one run needing to score to give the Sox a desperately-needed win.
The Red Sox still have a lot of work to do, including finding a way to better control the running game. The Rangers were running all over the bases, stealing nine on Wake, who is slow to the plate with the knuckler. Walks turned into doubles and triples--The Texas nine were a slippery lot. More American League teams are stealing bases now and playing small-ball and, consequently, defense behind the plate (and on the mound) is becoming more and more important. The Angels, Rangers and Rays, and even the Red Sox themselves when Ells gets on base can turn the basepaths into a track meet and make pitching from the stretch an even more intensely stressful situation.
Tonight's game was a giant step in the right direction for the Red Sox. More aggressive, active management, along with some timely hitting from a unlikely hero and solid pitching from the pen won the game for the Sox tonight. Good job, boys! Now go out there and win another one tomorrow. One game at a time.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Free Falling
This will be a short entry because I'm running out of words to describe how godawful the Red Sox look this year. I know it's very early, but there's no team chemistry, no defense, no offense, and inconsistent pitching. They're headed for rock bottom and if this FAILplay keeps up, they'll get there very soon. They're just depressing to watch as all is spinning out of control. I believe the Red Sox of 2010 could be the Mets of 2009. It's gonna be a long, long summer for the boys of Boston and for Red Sox Nation, unless some miracle happens to right this rapidly-sinking ship. The one good thing about hitting rock bottom, however, is that there's no place to go but up.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!! TURN THIS AROUND, PLEASE!!!
LET'S GO RED SOX!!! TURN THIS AROUND, PLEASE!!!
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Epic Red Sox FAIL Today
Were the Red Sox up all night doing their taxes without getting a wink of shuteye? That's what it looked like at Target Field today when their zombie selves showed up to play. Back down under .500 they go, raising questions about just what kind of team they'll be this year (yes, I know it's early, but consistent good play isn't too much to ask for a team with one of the highest payrolls in the game). Wake flaked, the lumber slumbered (except for Pedey, of course, who got 3 hits), and the defense put a dunce cap on Theo "run prevention" Epstein's head. In fact, the only runs they were preventing from scoring were their own! Bill Hall has become the new Julio Lugo and V-Mart can't make a clean throw to second to save his life. Jeez, even Tek did a better job of throwing to second than V-Mart's doing!
The news only gets worse from there: Ells is still in some serious pain and may be out for longer than the Sox first anticipated and Cam may need an appendectomy. While a Reddick call-up wouldn't be too terrible, we REALLY don't want to see Hall in center field again. Let's hope for the sake of the Sox' hit-and-miss offense that Reddick's bat is still as hot as it was in Spring Training.
Talk about a tough team to come home to. The Tampa Bay Rays will be in town to greet the Sox as they begin their homestand. Four games with these guys...The O's can't come soon enough! However, the Sox need to be able to win series against the better teams in the league or they will be hanging with the O's and the Jays in the downstairs part of the division when all is said and done.
I like to strike a balance between the positive and the negative, but games like today make it particularly challenging. It is still very early days, but they have to play better ball more consistently. I haven't yet seen the stellar defense that was supposed to be worth the sacrifice in offensive power. Please, Red Sox, turn over a new leaf when you get back to Fenway and show the Rays that you're a team that means business.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
The news only gets worse from there: Ells is still in some serious pain and may be out for longer than the Sox first anticipated and Cam may need an appendectomy. While a Reddick call-up wouldn't be too terrible, we REALLY don't want to see Hall in center field again. Let's hope for the sake of the Sox' hit-and-miss offense that Reddick's bat is still as hot as it was in Spring Training.
Talk about a tough team to come home to. The Tampa Bay Rays will be in town to greet the Sox as they begin their homestand. Four games with these guys...The O's can't come soon enough! However, the Sox need to be able to win series against the better teams in the league or they will be hanging with the O's and the Jays in the downstairs part of the division when all is said and done.
I like to strike a balance between the positive and the negative, but games like today make it particularly challenging. It is still very early days, but they have to play better ball more consistently. I haven't yet seen the stellar defense that was supposed to be worth the sacrifice in offensive power. Please, Red Sox, turn over a new leaf when you get back to Fenway and show the Rays that you're a team that means business.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Can We Keep Him (In The Lineup)?
By him, I mean Jeremy Hermida, who hit a clutch bases-clearing double in the 8th to put the Sox ahead of the Twins 6-2 at the time. Hermida, who is filling in at LF for Ells, has hit .357 with 1 HR, 6 RBI, and an OPS of over 1,000 in the 14 at-bats he's had so far. The sample size is tiny, but this 26-year-old is making the most of the opportunities he's been given and has earned plenty more at-bats as far as I'm concerned. Once Ells returns, which will be Friday at the earliest, it would be a shame to see him riding the pine until there's another opening in the lineup. Hermida could be well on the way to reaching his potential as a hitter and would benefit greatly from at least 4 or 5 days a week in the lineup (and the team would probably benefit too!) to keep his bat warm.
Meanwhile, it's no secret in Red Sox Nation, or even the baseball world at large, that Big Papi is really struggling right now, striking out in more than half his at-bats so far. Hermida, once Ells returns, and Lowell are both very good alternatives at DH. Should the Red Sox give Big Papi the rest of April to figure it out at the plate, occupying such an important spot in the lineup batting fifth? My heart says yes, but my head's not inclined to agree. My head says both Lowell and Hermida could give the team a lot more production out of the DH spot than what we're getting from Papi now. My heart says it's still too early to give up on him. I'm sure I'm not alone among my fellow Red Sox fans in feeling this way.
Now how about that Pedey? Is he on a mission to reclaim the AL MVP title from Joe Mauer or what? Baseball's pluckiest second baseman set a goal for himself to hit 20 home runs this season and now he leads the team with four. No one else on the team even has three yet. Tek occupies second place with two, both hit in the same game, and Youk, Drew, Hermida and V-Mart have one apiece. Pedey's also batting .364 with 10 RBI. Obviously, he's been a lot of fun to watch this season, but he's always fun to watch.
Lackey picked up his first W as a Red Sox today as the Sox topped the Twins 6-3 today. It was nice to see the offense give him some more run support this time. Against the Yankees a week ago today, all they could muster was a single run. Wake takes the mound in the rubber game tomorrow afternoon and tries for his first win. Keep that run support coming, boys!
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!
Meanwhile, it's no secret in Red Sox Nation, or even the baseball world at large, that Big Papi is really struggling right now, striking out in more than half his at-bats so far. Hermida, once Ells returns, and Lowell are both very good alternatives at DH. Should the Red Sox give Big Papi the rest of April to figure it out at the plate, occupying such an important spot in the lineup batting fifth? My heart says yes, but my head's not inclined to agree. My head says both Lowell and Hermida could give the team a lot more production out of the DH spot than what we're getting from Papi now. My heart says it's still too early to give up on him. I'm sure I'm not alone among my fellow Red Sox fans in feeling this way.
Now how about that Pedey? Is he on a mission to reclaim the AL MVP title from Joe Mauer or what? Baseball's pluckiest second baseman set a goal for himself to hit 20 home runs this season and now he leads the team with four. No one else on the team even has three yet. Tek occupies second place with two, both hit in the same game, and Youk, Drew, Hermida and V-Mart have one apiece. Pedey's also batting .364 with 10 RBI. Obviously, he's been a lot of fun to watch this season, but he's always fun to watch.
Lackey picked up his first W as a Red Sox today as the Sox topped the Twins 6-3 today. It was nice to see the offense give him some more run support this time. Against the Yankees a week ago today, all they could muster was a single run. Wake takes the mound in the rubber game tomorrow afternoon and tries for his first win. Keep that run support coming, boys!
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
A Win, With A Side of Drama
The Sox took advantage of Royals pitching again this afternoon and again scored 8 runs. This was enough to give the somewhat shaky Clay Buchholz his first W of 2010 after going five and giving up 3 runs. Pitching from the stretch still seems to unnerve the young starter, who has a habit of almost reflexively throwing to whatever base is occupied by a runner. However, he was able to work his way out of most of the jams he found himself in and limit the damage to 3 runs, only 2 of which were earned. The first run he allowed was caused by a failure to communicate in the outfield between Ells and Bill Hall, making his Red Sox debut. Hall nearly collided with Ells and ended up being charged with an error when he couldn't get a handle on the ball.
Meanwhile, the Sox scored four runs in the first inning off fresh-from-the-DL Gil Meche. Ells singles and swipes second. V-Mart knocks him in. Beltre knocks V-Mart in after Papi walks. Hermida hits a 2-run double to cap it off. Another run scores in the second after a fielding error by Ankiel, who gave the Sox fits in the first two games. The sixth Red Sox run comes on new team HR leader Pedey's blast to left. The little engine that could is a mere 17 dingers away from his promise of 20 this season. Also in that inning, Beltre belts a 2-run double off of reliever Tejeda, making the score 8-3. Pedey and Beltre both raked today, with Pedey going 4 for 5 with a HR and Beltre 3 for 5 with 3 RBI.
Unfortunately, Beltre was also involved in a collision in short left with Ells, who had to leave the game with his hand to his ribs. The X-rays were negative, however, and Ells just has what must be the mother of all bruises. J.D. Drew, who had been given the day off for neck stiffness came into the game for the last two outs in the ninth, with no other outfielders available. As much as I did not want to see Ells get hurt, it will be good to get Hermida some more at-bats. He's impressed so far with 3 RBI in the series and, if given enough at-bats and often enough, I think he can contribute a great deal to the offense.
The final score ended up 8-6, due to some RamRam pitch location fail in the eighth. MDC threw two scoreless and Pap picked up his second save of the season. The Sox are now back at .500 and head to the brand spankin' new Target Field for three days of afternoon ball with the Twins. Lester, to whose ERA April is the cruelest month, gets the start against Carl Pavano for tomorrow's late afternooner.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!
Meanwhile, the Sox scored four runs in the first inning off fresh-from-the-DL Gil Meche. Ells singles and swipes second. V-Mart knocks him in. Beltre knocks V-Mart in after Papi walks. Hermida hits a 2-run double to cap it off. Another run scores in the second after a fielding error by Ankiel, who gave the Sox fits in the first two games. The sixth Red Sox run comes on new team HR leader Pedey's blast to left. The little engine that could is a mere 17 dingers away from his promise of 20 this season. Also in that inning, Beltre belts a 2-run double off of reliever Tejeda, making the score 8-3. Pedey and Beltre both raked today, with Pedey going 4 for 5 with a HR and Beltre 3 for 5 with 3 RBI.
Unfortunately, Beltre was also involved in a collision in short left with Ells, who had to leave the game with his hand to his ribs. The X-rays were negative, however, and Ells just has what must be the mother of all bruises. J.D. Drew, who had been given the day off for neck stiffness came into the game for the last two outs in the ninth, with no other outfielders available. As much as I did not want to see Ells get hurt, it will be good to get Hermida some more at-bats. He's impressed so far with 3 RBI in the series and, if given enough at-bats and often enough, I think he can contribute a great deal to the offense.
The final score ended up 8-6, due to some RamRam pitch location fail in the eighth. MDC threw two scoreless and Pap picked up his second save of the season. The Sox are now back at .500 and head to the brand spankin' new Target Field for three days of afternoon ball with the Twins. Lester, to whose ERA April is the cruelest month, gets the start against Carl Pavano for tomorrow's late afternooner.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!
The Ship is Righted. Thanks, Captain!
The Red Sox captain may not be at the helm of the ship as often this year, but he made the most of his opportunity last night against the Royals. Tek smashed two dingers and provided The Commander with a steady, familiar presence behind the plate. Perhaps this part-time gig will help The Cap'n retain his edge throughout the season, avoiding the wear and tear that catching 4 of 5 games can do to him.
Tek wasn't alone in making an impact last night from a bench role. Jeremy Hermida preceded Tek's first round-tripper with one of his own and Mikey Lowell reminded us of his pre-hip trouble days in the field and chipped in a single at the plate. No rust gathered on these guys!
On the mound, Josh Beckett came with an improved arsenal over what he had on Opening Night at Fenway. He wasn't quite at Vintage Commander Kick-Ass mode, but seven innings of three-run ball was a significant improvement over 4 2/3 innings and five runs. He escaped catastrophe in the seventh, when David DeJesus lined a single up the middle that just grazed The Commander's head. Unfazed by the near-miss, The Commander kept on going as if nothing had happened, his only regret being that a run scored on that single.
After seven innings of Beckett, it was time for the 'pen to take over. Given what happened the three games previous, Red Sox nation held its breath as Oki redeemed himself with a 1-2-3 eighth inning. Then in the top of the ninth, a Red Sox home run derby ensued, with Youk going yard, followed by Tek's second blast and a 2-run shot by Pedey, who is now tied with Tek for the team home run lead. Whodathunkit?
With an 8-3 margin in the bottom of the ninth, Pap was passed over in favor of RamRam, who, in tandem with defensive replacement Mike Cameron, retired the side in order, giving the Sox the win and Beckett his first W of the season (and the first for any starter on the team). The 'pen did their job tonight and that had as much of a part in the victory as the five dingers and the seven solid innings by Beckett.
Later today, Buchholz makes his season debut. He's had success against Kansas City in the past, so let's hope he builds on that today.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!!
Tek wasn't alone in making an impact last night from a bench role. Jeremy Hermida preceded Tek's first round-tripper with one of his own and Mikey Lowell reminded us of his pre-hip trouble days in the field and chipped in a single at the plate. No rust gathered on these guys!
On the mound, Josh Beckett came with an improved arsenal over what he had on Opening Night at Fenway. He wasn't quite at Vintage Commander Kick-Ass mode, but seven innings of three-run ball was a significant improvement over 4 2/3 innings and five runs. He escaped catastrophe in the seventh, when David DeJesus lined a single up the middle that just grazed The Commander's head. Unfazed by the near-miss, The Commander kept on going as if nothing had happened, his only regret being that a run scored on that single.
After seven innings of Beckett, it was time for the 'pen to take over. Given what happened the three games previous, Red Sox nation held its breath as Oki redeemed himself with a 1-2-3 eighth inning. Then in the top of the ninth, a Red Sox home run derby ensued, with Youk going yard, followed by Tek's second blast and a 2-run shot by Pedey, who is now tied with Tek for the team home run lead. Whodathunkit?
With an 8-3 margin in the bottom of the ninth, Pap was passed over in favor of RamRam, who, in tandem with defensive replacement Mike Cameron, retired the side in order, giving the Sox the win and Beckett his first W of the season (and the first for any starter on the team). The 'pen did their job tonight and that had as much of a part in the victory as the five dingers and the seven solid innings by Beckett.
Later today, Buchholz makes his season debut. He's had success against Kansas City in the past, so let's hope he builds on that today.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!!
Saturday, April 10, 2010
A Hot [Opening Week] Mess
It happened last year and it's happening again this year: After a successful, feel-good Opening Day, the Red Sox FAIL comes out in force. Big Papi's batting below .200, timely hits are few and far between and the bullpen ought to be condemned by the Board of Health. Beckett and Lester were far from stellar and, while they got some fine work by Lackey and Wake, neither has a W to show for it, thanks to both the bumbling bullpen and the LOST/Gilligan's Island approach to offense. I'll concede that the Yankees are a tough opponent, but the Royals? Puh-lease! Last night's game was one they should have WON. Instead, the bats were a one-inning wonder and the 'pen had me wishing all the starters would just throw complete games all the time.
It's early in the season--they haven't been playing games that count for a week yet--but the disturbing patterns of last season are undeterred by the changes made in the offseason. Not a single starter has a win yet. With Beckett going up against Greinke tonight, that drought looks to continue. I'd love to be proven wrong on that.
Papi's been getting a lot of heat from the fans and the media about his struggles at the plate. While I understand the frustration and the fear that his April 2010 will be a replication of his April and early May 2009, Papi's not the only one at fault for the team's lack of clutch hitting. Sure, as a full-time DH, hitting is his only contribution to the team's play, but his teammates need to step it up too. Without Jason Bay, the team needs to distribute their offensive production more evenly among its lineup. Either that, or aggressively pursue, and perhaps give up some prized talent, for a big bat like Adrian Gonzalez.
The bullpen was the strength of the team at this time last season, while Papi was in his horrendous slump, Beckett and Lester were getting hammered routinely, and Dice-K was suffering Post-WBC-itis. The 'pen and Jason Bay carried them through April and May. Toward the end of the season, the 'pen started to unravel and Billy Wagner was added to give them a boost. Wagner, of course, was a rental and when he and Saito both left via free agency for Atlanta, the Sox had to find two arms to replace them, while holding on to the struggling Ramirez, Delcarmen, and even Okajima. Of the arms they chose, Atchison spend two years pitching in Japan, where the competition is considerably lighter than in MLB, and Schoenweiss, who was canned by an NL team in Spring Training. Yes, good bullpen arms are hard to find, but this bullpen could find the Sox looking up at both the Yanks and the Rays.
While I never count the Sox out, I'm not ready to count them in yet either. Not until they start playing better baseball. That means Drew and Ells need to protect the plate with two strikes (and not run into outs like last night), the whole lineup needs to hit better with RISP, and the bullpen needs to locate and execute their pitches so that the starters can start getting Ws, especially when they pitched like Lackey and Wake did this week.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
It's early in the season--they haven't been playing games that count for a week yet--but the disturbing patterns of last season are undeterred by the changes made in the offseason. Not a single starter has a win yet. With Beckett going up against Greinke tonight, that drought looks to continue. I'd love to be proven wrong on that.
Papi's been getting a lot of heat from the fans and the media about his struggles at the plate. While I understand the frustration and the fear that his April 2010 will be a replication of his April and early May 2009, Papi's not the only one at fault for the team's lack of clutch hitting. Sure, as a full-time DH, hitting is his only contribution to the team's play, but his teammates need to step it up too. Without Jason Bay, the team needs to distribute their offensive production more evenly among its lineup. Either that, or aggressively pursue, and perhaps give up some prized talent, for a big bat like Adrian Gonzalez.
The bullpen was the strength of the team at this time last season, while Papi was in his horrendous slump, Beckett and Lester were getting hammered routinely, and Dice-K was suffering Post-WBC-itis. The 'pen and Jason Bay carried them through April and May. Toward the end of the season, the 'pen started to unravel and Billy Wagner was added to give them a boost. Wagner, of course, was a rental and when he and Saito both left via free agency for Atlanta, the Sox had to find two arms to replace them, while holding on to the struggling Ramirez, Delcarmen, and even Okajima. Of the arms they chose, Atchison spend two years pitching in Japan, where the competition is considerably lighter than in MLB, and Schoenweiss, who was canned by an NL team in Spring Training. Yes, good bullpen arms are hard to find, but this bullpen could find the Sox looking up at both the Yanks and the Rays.
While I never count the Sox out, I'm not ready to count them in yet either. Not until they start playing better baseball. That means Drew and Ells need to protect the plate with two strikes (and not run into outs like last night), the whole lineup needs to hit better with RISP, and the bullpen needs to locate and execute their pitches so that the starters can start getting Ws, especially when they pitched like Lackey and Wake did this week.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
Monday, April 5, 2010
Opening Day ditty
Here's a more musical take on last night's game, with apologies to Neil Diamond:
Season began, it was on Easter Sunday
on national TV it was shown
Fenway was full, it was another sellout
Anticipation, it had grown…
Runs…Let’s score runs…Let’s pitch well…Let us win!
Chorus
Red Sox scored nine! (Whoa-oh-oh)
New York Yankees, they went down (Went down! Went down! Went down!)
The local nine (Whoa-oh-oh)
They were the toast of old Beantown
Beckett got rocked
Didn’t get his five innings
It was a rough beginning, but
CC got chased,
Gave up five runs too
Bullpens were driving both sides nuts
Back…Back and forth…Went the score…Of the game!
Chorus
Pedey went deep
Youk hit three extra-base hits
The Red Sox newbies chipped in too
Papelbon got
His first save of the season
He was the Paps we always knew
Win…Red Sox win…Yankees lose…at Fenway!
Chorus
Hope you enjoyed! LET’S GO RED SOX!!!!!
The Bearded One and The Short One
Sox: 9 Yanks: 7
It was basically everything one has come to expect from a Red Sox-Yankees game. You had your controversial umpiring, your dramatic plays, your back-and-forth momentum, your battle-of-the-bullpens, and your contest of who can chase the other team's starter first. The first part of the game was shaping up to be Opening Nightmare for the Fenway nine. Beckett was getting rocked and the Yanks pulled off a double-steal, including a steal of home by Brett Gardner. The song that was running through my head by the time the fifth inning rolled around: Don't Go Breaking My Heart.
But, one must never count the Red Sox out. Does 2004 ring any bells here? The Sox offense, poo-pooed as nothing to write home about, saw the 5-1 deficit and fought back to tie the game at 5 a side. The bullpen, courtesy of Ramon Ramirez and Hideki Okajima, gave two runs right back to the Yankees. However, The Short One crushed one over the Monster to tie the game up again. Feisty Pedey wasn't done yet. The Bearded One collects his third extra-base hit, a double, in the eighth and scores on a wild pitch and a passed ball. Pedey then knocks in Cameron, who singled, giving the Sox a 2-run pad going into the ninth.
Papelbon shipped up to the mound in the ninth, with redemption on his mind. After two quick outs, he allowed a single to Posada. It turned out to be harmless, since Granderson fed Beltre (that's BEL-tre, Miller and Morgan, not Bel-TRAY) a grounder to end the game in a Red Sox victory. New Sox Cameron (2 for 3), Scutaro (2 for 3 with an RBI) and Beltre (1 for 3 with 2 RBI) made their mark while Youk (3 for 4, 2 RBI, 7 total bases) and Pedey (2 for 4, HR, 3 RBI) showed the Fenway Faithful and the national TV audience what homegrown talent can do.
Among those who did not have their A game last night: The August 2009 version of Josh Beckett, Jacoby "Called third strike" Ellsbury, RamRam-made-hitters-go-BamBam, and Hideki "I inherited a big mess" Okajima. Fortunately for those four, it was but one game, with 162 to go.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!
It was basically everything one has come to expect from a Red Sox-Yankees game. You had your controversial umpiring, your dramatic plays, your back-and-forth momentum, your battle-of-the-bullpens, and your contest of who can chase the other team's starter first. The first part of the game was shaping up to be Opening Nightmare for the Fenway nine. Beckett was getting rocked and the Yanks pulled off a double-steal, including a steal of home by Brett Gardner. The song that was running through my head by the time the fifth inning rolled around: Don't Go Breaking My Heart.
But, one must never count the Red Sox out. Does 2004 ring any bells here? The Sox offense, poo-pooed as nothing to write home about, saw the 5-1 deficit and fought back to tie the game at 5 a side. The bullpen, courtesy of Ramon Ramirez and Hideki Okajima, gave two runs right back to the Yankees. However, The Short One crushed one over the Monster to tie the game up again. Feisty Pedey wasn't done yet. The Bearded One collects his third extra-base hit, a double, in the eighth and scores on a wild pitch and a passed ball. Pedey then knocks in Cameron, who singled, giving the Sox a 2-run pad going into the ninth.
Papelbon shipped up to the mound in the ninth, with redemption on his mind. After two quick outs, he allowed a single to Posada. It turned out to be harmless, since Granderson fed Beltre (that's BEL-tre, Miller and Morgan, not Bel-TRAY) a grounder to end the game in a Red Sox victory. New Sox Cameron (2 for 3), Scutaro (2 for 3 with an RBI) and Beltre (1 for 3 with 2 RBI) made their mark while Youk (3 for 4, 2 RBI, 7 total bases) and Pedey (2 for 4, HR, 3 RBI) showed the Fenway Faithful and the national TV audience what homegrown talent can do.
Among those who did not have their A game last night: The August 2009 version of Josh Beckett, Jacoby "Called third strike" Ellsbury, RamRam-made-hitters-go-BamBam, and Hideki "I inherited a big mess" Okajima. Fortunately for those four, it was but one game, with 162 to go.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!
Sunday, April 4, 2010
It's Sox Time Now
Opening Day. Spring training is behind us and now it's time to see just what kind of team the 2010 Red Sox are. There's no better test of their mettle than season-opening series against their archrivals, the--forgive me if I cringe while saying this--reigning World Champion Yankees. The offseason hype is that the Red Sox have lost offensive thump in favor of high-quality defensive leather and a third ace in the rotation. Surely, when Jason Bay was allowed to walk south to Queens to join that other New York team, the Nation fretted that the Red Sox offensive power would go with him. The gloves they gained in Cameron, Beltre, and Scutaro will no doubt tighten up the loosey-goosey defense that dragged the team down last year. Remember the shortstop antics of Julio Lugo and Nick Green? Or all the balls hit to left field that Jason Bay didn't get to? Or, the post-hip surgery Mike Lowell trying valiantly to play third base while hampered by significantly reduced mobility?
Overall, the 2010 Red Sox are an improved team from the one who went three and out last October. The top of the rotation could very well be the envy of the league. Adrian Beltre will make some killer plays at third and get the ball to Youk fast enough to retire even the speediest runners. Marco Scutaro batting ninth can be a valuable second leadoff hitter. Mike Cameron is a very athletic and spry 37 and, with the help of Jacoby Ellsbury and J.D. Drew will plug a good many of the holes in the outfield. Having a bat of Mike Lowell's caliber off the bench could be a real plus in pinch-hitting situations, as well as giving guys a breather at first, third and DH. The only area of concern I have is the bullpen. Aside from Papelbon, Bard, and Okajima, the remainder of the bullpen is peppered with question marks. Atchison looks promising, but we still haven't seen enough of him in late and close situations to make an accurate judgement. Schoenweiss's sample size is even smaller. Then, there are Ramon Ramirez and Manny Delcarmen, who started out so strong last season, but unraveled as the season went on.
It will be an exciting season for the Red Sox and for all of baseball. Will the Blue Jays replace the Orioles as the Red Sox' AL East punching bag? What about those Rays? Will they resemble the 2008 version or 2009? Will the Yankees have another year like last year where everything falls into place and they win over 100 games? Will the Red Sox find the need to make a major deadline trade like they did last year for V-Mart? Fasten your seatbelts, Red Sox Nation--the ride is about to begin!
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!
Overall, the 2010 Red Sox are an improved team from the one who went three and out last October. The top of the rotation could very well be the envy of the league. Adrian Beltre will make some killer plays at third and get the ball to Youk fast enough to retire even the speediest runners. Marco Scutaro batting ninth can be a valuable second leadoff hitter. Mike Cameron is a very athletic and spry 37 and, with the help of Jacoby Ellsbury and J.D. Drew will plug a good many of the holes in the outfield. Having a bat of Mike Lowell's caliber off the bench could be a real plus in pinch-hitting situations, as well as giving guys a breather at first, third and DH. The only area of concern I have is the bullpen. Aside from Papelbon, Bard, and Okajima, the remainder of the bullpen is peppered with question marks. Atchison looks promising, but we still haven't seen enough of him in late and close situations to make an accurate judgement. Schoenweiss's sample size is even smaller. Then, there are Ramon Ramirez and Manny Delcarmen, who started out so strong last season, but unraveled as the season went on.
It will be an exciting season for the Red Sox and for all of baseball. Will the Blue Jays replace the Orioles as the Red Sox' AL East punching bag? What about those Rays? Will they resemble the 2008 version or 2009? Will the Yankees have another year like last year where everything falls into place and they win over 100 games? Will the Red Sox find the need to make a major deadline trade like they did last year for V-Mart? Fasten your seatbelts, Red Sox Nation--the ride is about to begin!
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!
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