Boston Red Sox News Articles

Sox - Blue Jays Series

2011-09-09T14:07:00.002-04:00

Jacoby Ellsbury: What has two thumbs, makes all the ladies swoon, and hit 5 doubles over 4 games (not to mention a 3-run home run)? This guy! Ellsbury has a 13 game hit streak, went 9-19 against the Blue Jays with 4 RBI's. The only concern here is that he seems to have forgotten how to steal bases. Might be time to dust off those "Willie Mays Hayes" comparisons.

Marco Scutaro: When the hell did Scutaro turn into Ted Williams?! He had multiple hits in every game in the series, finishing with an astounding 11 hits in 17 at-bats. Oh, he also had 9 RBI's in the series. 9! With 4 doubles to boot. Pretty slick in the field too. It's like this guys in the tail end of his contract year or something!?

Jon Lester: 7 IP, 0 runs, 11 K's. Win #15 on the year. No one can doubt Lester's efforts lately. He hasn't allowed more than 1 earned run over his last 5 starts. His ERA has dipped from 3.32 to 2.93 over that span. He's dealing.

Alfredo Aceves: Sure, he only got in on one of the games, but with Beckett spraining his ankle early in a 0-0 ball game, Aceves stepped in and delivered 3.2 innings of one-hit ball. The Sox ended up losing the game, but once again Aceves was called into an unorthodox situation and rose to the challenge.

Daniel Bard: In the first game of the series he pitched 1.2 innings of hit-less ball. But no one is going to remember that thanks to him costing Tim Wakefield win number 200 with his 5 run, 3 BB suck-fest on Wednesday night. That very well could be the low-point of Bard's young career.

Dustin Pedroia: Yikes! 1 hit in 20 at-bats with 6 strikeouts. The beautiful thing about Pedroia is that this poor series will be nothing more than motivation for him against the Rays. Expect big things.

Andrew Miller: I don't want to harp on him too much. As I wrote in the dump, he was never supposed to be playing in the majors this season, let alone pitching in must-win situations. But, at the end of the day we need him. And he's just not delivering.

David Ortiz: Two sub-par games to bookend two stellar games. In games 1 and 4, Papi finished 1-8 with a walk. In the other two games he went 6-10 with a HR, 2 doubles, 3 RBIs and 5 runs scored. We're still waiting on him to prove us better.

Adrian Gonzalez: Not a bad series for Adrian, although he did sit out last night's contest. 6 hits in his 13 at-bats, with a solo shot, 3 RBIs, 3 doubles and 5 runs scored. But like Papi, we are still expecting a lot from him.

Tim Wakefield - Poor guy. He keeps doing enough for the Sox to get the 'W', and the Sox keep finding a way to blow it. He's no Jon Lester on the mound, but no one expects him to be. We're going to be patient and whisper, "It's not your fault" into his ear until he grabs that 200th victory.

Buy cheap Boston Red Sox Tickets for all games at Fenway Park in Boston, MA.

Red Sox 4 - Athletics 0 - both games go to the Boston Red Sox !

2011-08-29T10:49:00.003-04:00

David Ortiz hit on Saturday a two-run homer, and four Boston pitchers combined to allow just three hits in the 4-0 shutout of the Red Sox over the Oakland Athletics to complete the sweep in the second game a watered-night doubleheader.

In the first game, Jason Varitek hit a homer, two dashes and drove in three runs in support of another strong opening day of Jon Lester for the Red Sox beat the Athletics 9-3.

The meeting, with two rain delays totaling three hours, was passed at noon to play the night game, which was scheduled for Sunday but was rescheduled to avoid the effects of Hurricane Irene. In the eighth, the suspension was two hours and 15 minutes.

Erik Bedard allowed two singles in four innings in the second game before being replaced by Alfredo Aceves (9-1) when they resumed the meeting that had been stopped by rain.

Daniel Bard gave up a single in the eighth before Jonathan Papelbon threw a perfect ninth inning.

Ortiz closed two games 8-5, driving in four runs and scoring three.

The Red Sox are 8-3 in their last 11 games and increased their lead in the Eastern Division of the American League to two games over the Yankees, whose doubleheader against Baltimore was suspended by rain.

In the first game, Lester (14-6) allowed two runs, one earned, with three hits in six innings. He gave two walks and struck out four strikeouts.

The Red Sox scored three runs in the second and third innings against the Venezuelan Guillermo Moscoso (6-8) for a 7-2 lead.

In the opener, the Red Sox, Marco Scutaro 5-2 with a run scored and an RBI. Adrian Gonzalez 4-2 with a run scored. The Ortiz 4-2 with two runs scored and two RBIs.

In the second game, the Red Sox, the Venezuelan Scutaro 3-0. The Mexican Gonzalez 4-0. The Ortiz 4-3 with a run scored and two RBIs.

Buy cheap Boston Red Sox Tickets for all games at Fenway Park in Boston, MA.

Red Sox game Sunday ahead of Hurricane Irene

2011-08-26T11:58:00.003-04:00

Boston Red Sox advanced to Saturday, their final series against the Oakland Athletics as part of a doubleheader, not to play Sunday, when expecting the arrival of Hurricane Irene causing heavy rains in the region.

The start time of the first game went ahead at noon. The second meeting was agreed for 5.00 pm, as part of changes announced on Thursday.

Torrential rain could hit the area since Saturday night and throughout Sunday as Irene moves through the east coast.

"We consider it necessary and prudent move the game from Sunday to Saturday," said Red Sox president Larry Lucchino. "Not only does this give us a better opportunity to play the scheduled games, but make sure that traffic conditions safer for our fans."

Buy cheap Boston Red Sox Tickets for all games at Fenway Park in Boston, MA.

Lester kept the Red Sox in the hunt for the lead

2011-08-22T10:41:00.002-04:00

Starter Jon Lester pitched six innings and was supported by two homers to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 6-1 victory over Kansas City.

The Red Sox regained their form after losing last night, but they remain subleaders in the Eastern Division of the American League leaders for New York Yankees, who also lost the night before, this time beat the Twins 3-0 Minnesota. The Yankees have a half-game lead.

Lester (13-6) pitched six innings, allowed three hits, one run, walked four and struck out three grounds for the win.

Darnell McDonald (5) and Carl Crawford (8) homered to support the attack.

The loser was starter Danny Duffy (3-8) in six innings, allowed five hits, a homer, two runs, walked two and struck out three.

Buy cheap Boston Red Sox Tickets for all games at Fenway Park in Boston, MA.

Pedroia drove in three runs and Beckett overcame a tricky exit

2011-08-19T09:23:00.002-04:00

Second baseman Dustin Pedroia drove in three runs with two timely singles for Boston Red Sox return to the path of success and won 4-3 to Kansas City and not lose ground to the top of the AL East occupied by New York Yankees.

The timely hitting Pedroia starter Josh Beckett allowed to overcome a bad start to the match and reach the seven innings he would be allowed to stay with the win.

The catcher Jason Varitek also drove another run for the Red Sox (75-48), who had lost five of their last seven matches and lose the lead in the NL East after losing the series 3-1 against the Rays in Tampa Bay.

Beckett (10-5), although it gave up three runs in the first three episodes, then regained control, not making concessions and keeping the win.

The right-hander returned to find the winning formula to get the Royals 7-1 in the fighting that has had as a professional against them and only lost once, on July 28 in Boston.

Beckett also reached 10 wins after failing in four attempts.

The defeat was for starter Luke Hochevar (8-10) who worked six innings and gave up eight hits with four earned runs, walked two and struck out walked six batters rivals.

Buy cheap Boston Red Sox Tickets for all games at Fenway Park in Boston, MA.

Mariners 5 - Red Sox 3 - Boston dominated bu Furbush

2011-08-15T11:00:00.002-04:00

Charlie Furbush on Sunday gave up one run in seven innings, the longest distance of his career, Casper Wells homered and scored two runs and the Seattle Mariners beat Red Sox 5-3 in Boston.

Seattle took two of three games against the leaders of the Eastern Division of the American League.

For the first time since late June, the Red Sox lost a series. Their advantage in the division fell a half game after escorts New York Yankees did not play Sunday because of rain.

Furbush (3-4) held off the bat as the Red Sox got four hits in his 11th season opener. He had the most strikeouts in his career with six hits and did not admit in the first three innings.

Tim Wakefield (6-5) lost his second straight decision and fell to the Mariners for the second time this season. In late July, Wakefield gave up 10 hits and seven runs in Seattle.

On Sunday, Wakefield received the credit of the complete game after throwing eight innings, allowing four runs and nine hits. He had four strikeouts for the fourth straight start but was unable to achieve victory number 200 in his career.

Buy cheap Boston Red Sox Tickets for all games at Fenway Park in Boston, MA.

2011-08-08T09:59:00.004-04:00

Josh Reddick, right fielder for the Red Sox, raised his right fist in celebration after the manner of connecting the single that produced the winning run in the 10th inning, for the game against the Yankees at Fenway Park on Sunday August 7, 2011.

Thus the Red sox win the series 2-1 and return to the top of the AL with 1 game above the Yankees.

Buy cheap Boston Red Sox Tickets for all games at Fenway Park in Boston, MA.

Red Sox get last 2 games against the White Sox

2011-08-01T11:38:00.005-04:00

Dustin Pedroia hit a two-run advantage in the seventh inning, Jason Varitek homered and Boston Red Sox 5-3 on Sunday to beat the Chicago White Sox to take two of three games in the series on the road.

Alfredo Aceves (7-1), who relieved starter Andrew Miller in the sixth, scored the victory with an episode on the mound.

The All-Star Paul Konerko White Sox left the game with a strained a calf being beaten by starter Andrew Miller in the end of the fourth inning. The X-rays were negative.

Starter Mark Buehrle pitched six innings and allowed five hits and two runs, both with Varitek's homer in the second inning. The left-hander left the game with a 3-2 lead.

For the Red Sox, Adrian Gonzalez 5-2 with an RBI. David Ortiz 5-1.

The White Sox, Alexei Ramirez 5-2 with an RBI. Alex Rios 5-1 with an RBI. Omar Vizquel 1-0.

Buy cheap Boston Red Sox Tickets for all games at Fenway Park in Boston, MA.

Butler homered in Kansas's victory over Red Sox

2011-07-29T09:19:00.001-04:00

Billy Butler hit a three-run homer and Luke Hochevar pitched seven strong innings to lead Kansas City to a 4-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox.

Hochevar (7-8) allowed two runs, six hits and walked one, as well as matching their best season record with six strikeouts. He retired 14 of the last 16 batters he faced and gave only one extra-base hit in two of the Dominican Yamaico Navarro in the third inning.

Hochevar left the game with a 4-2 lead, and Dustin Pedroia led off the eighth inning with a home run high over the Green Monster on a shot by Greg Holland with account 3-2. Batters Faced But Holland withdrew to Adrian Gonzalez, Kevin Youkilis and David Ortiz to end the inning, and Joakim Soria entered the field for the ninth.

Josh Beckett (9-4) lost for the first time in a month, by giving up four runs, five hits and three walks while striking out eight. Before Thursday's loss, the Red Sox had won six of their last seven games to get for the first time in three games this season before the New York Yankees, second in the Eastern Division of the American League.

For the Royals, the Venezuelan Alcides Escobar 3-1.

For the Red Sox, the Mexican Gonzalez 4-2. Dominicans Ortiz Navarro 4-0 and 4-1 with a run scored.

Buy cheap Boston Red Sox Tickets for all games at Fenway Park in Boston, MA.

Red Sox 12, Mariners 8, Boston shoots 17 hits

2011-07-25T10:41:00.002-04:00

Jarrod Saltalamacchia drove in four runs Sunday and Kevin Youkilis hit two-run homer to Boston Red Sox 12-8 to the Mariners batieran, thus extending the longest losing streak of 15 straight losses to Seattle.

Tim Wakefield (6-3) is, after Roger Clemens, the pitcher who struck out second to 2,000 batters and went to Boston a victory for his 200th victory. However, the knuckleballer left the game 44 years after Brendan Ryan hit the grand slam that cut the lead to 11-7 with one out in the seventh.

The offensive power of Boston got 17 hits, of which Saltalamacchia, Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford had three each.

The Dominican Michael Pineda (8-7) allowed five runs in the first inning after Seattle took a 2-0 lead and ended up giving up seven runs in four innings.

The Sox maintained their three-game lead on the tip of the Eastern Division of the American League on the New York Yankees, who beat the Athletics 7-5 in Oakland.

The team with the most hits in the majors got 11 runs for the fourth time in the past eight starts for Wakefield. The Red Sox swept the three-game series with their 17th victory in 20 games.

Seattle, with the defeat, the worst extended string of setbacks followed by the team that was established in 1993. It is also the longest in the majors since Kansas City lost 19 straight in 2005.

The Mariners, Miguel Olivo 5-1 with a run scored and two RBIs. Franklin Gutierrez 3-2 with three runs scored.

For the Red Sox, the Mexican Gonzalez 5-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Dominicans Yamaico Navarro David Ortiz 1-0 and 5-2 with two runs scored.

Buy cheap Boston Red Sox Tickets for all games at Fenway Park in Boston, MA.

Who will the sox bring on board ?

2011-07-22T09:50:00.001-04:00

The July 31st trade deadline is rapidly approaching and rumors are beginning to fly around Major League Baseball.

The Red Sox are shopping for either a right-handed hitting outfielder, starting pitcher, or reliever before the deadline, and Theo Esptein would ideally like to fill numerous holes on his first place club.

Will the Sox target National League All-Stars like Carlos Beltran or Hunter Pence? Can they make a strong enough bid to pry right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez away from the Rockies? Is Heath Bell a realistic option for the back end of Boston’s bullpen?

If you were Epstein, who would you target before July 31st?

Buy cheap Boston Red Sox Tickets for all games at Fenway Park in Boston, MA.

1-0. Pedroia broke the tie with a single and strengthens the Red Sox

2011-07-18T10:43:00.003-04:00

Second baseman Dustin Pedroia hit single up the right field to tow the game's only run in the sixteenth inning to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 1-0 victory over Tampa Bay.

With the victory, the Red Sox are entrenched as leaders in the Eastern Division of the American League with a 1.5 game lead over the Yankees, who beat the Blue Jays 7-2 in Toronto.

Pedroia, who went 7-3, singled to deep right field to send the register to the Rangers Josh Reddick with the only run of the match.

Also Pedroia hit single in the fourth inning with what he said extending his hitting streak to 15 straight games hitting the hit.

The match was marked because the top of the eleventh episode, the pilot of the Rays, Joe Maddon was ejected for arguing with the referee.

While the bench coach of that ninth, Dave Martinez, also was ejected by umpire of the register, Chad Fairchild, in the middle of the inning for arguing.

The victory was credited with the relief of Alfredo Aceves (5-1) in three innings, striking out two of the 11 enemies he faced, who dominated with 27 submissions, 21 of them make it perfect for his ERA 3.13 .

The defeat was the closer Adam Russell (1-2) in one episode, allowed two hits, one run and walked one.

Buy cheap Boston Red Sox Tickets for all games at Fenway Park in Boston, MA.

Carlos Beltran would be cool with deal to Red Sox

2011-07-12T10:33:00.001-04:00

"Less than three weeks remain until the trading deadline, and right field is right up there with starting pitching as a spot where the Red Sox likely will seek an upgrade.

Two options, Carlos Beltran of the Mets and Hunter Pence of the Astros, are here.

The veteran Beltran has a no-trade clause but that would not be an issue if the Red Sox wanted to deal.

"They're in first place. It's a no-brainer," said Beltran, 34. "Boston is a great team, they have a great team. Like I say, man, right now the Mets know that I have made it clear to them, I'm willing to listen if they want to trade me. All I want to be is on a team that has a chance to go to the playoffs. I know there are a lot of teams out there having a good season.

"At the end of the day, it will not depend on Carlos Beltran; it will depend on the New York Mets for what direction they're going to take."

Pence, who at 28 represents much more of a long-term commitment and thus would require more of a blockbuster-type transaction, sounded far more unaware of the situation."

Buy cheap Boston Red Sox Tickets for all games at Fenway Park in Boston, MA.

'Impossible Dream' skipper Dick Williams dies at 82

2011-07-08T11:11:00.001-04:00

Hall of Fame manager Dick Williams, who was the skipper of the 1967 "Impossible Dream" Red Sox team that reached the World Series, passed away Thursday. He was 82.

Williams died from a ruptured aortic aneurysm at a hospital near his home in Henderson, Nev., the Hall of Fame said.

The Red Sox had finished ninth in the 10-team American League the previous year, helping form Williams' reputation as a master of the turnaround. The Sox ended up losing the World Series in seven games to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Williams managed the Red Sox for three seasons (1967-69) before moving on to the Oakland Athletics, with whom he won two World Series in his three seasons there (1971-73). He subsequently managed the California Angels, Montreal Expos, San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners during a 21-year managerial career.

In his three seasons in Boston, he compiled a 260-217 record (.545 winning percentage). During his career he had a 1,571-1,451 record (.520 winning percentage), won two World Series and four pennants.

The Red Sox held a moment of silence in the memory of Dick Williams before Thursday night's game at Fenway Park.

"Dick Williams inherited a Red Sox team that had finished with a losing record in eight consecutive seasons and immediately set a new tone and course," Red Sox principal owner John Henry said. "Dick was an outstanding leader who demanded excellence and accountability from all his players, leading the Impossible Dream Red Sox to the 1967 AL pennant that forever changed baseball in New England."

Red Sox manager Terry Francona sat in his office in the corner of the Red Sox clubhouse Thursday afternoon and recalled what it was like to know Williams.

Francona was 22 when he made his major league debut with the Montreal Expos on Aug. 19, 1981. Williams was his manager.

"It was in Houston and I was supposed to start, and Nolan Ryan was pitching," Francona recalled. "That's when they had the air controller's strike, so I got to the game in the fifth inning. I found my way into the dugout and he said, 'Kid, you're leading off next inning.' There was no 'hello,' no nothing. That was Dick.

"Then I remember in my third game I didn't get a bunt down and he met me at the dugout and reminded me that I better get the bunt down or I'll be doing it in [the minors].

"I also remember making a base-running play where I took an extra base, and I just happen to look up when I got to second and he was standing up and he reacted. I remember thinking, 'This guy cares.' He didn't want you to know that."

Williams managed Francona for only three weeks before the Expos fired him and replaced him with Jim Fanning.

"He was gruff, to say the least," Francona said of Williams. "He was a brilliant manager, and everybody knew it.

"I actually spent more time talking to him when he became a special assistant with the Yankees. I went to watch a B-game once over in Tampa and he was talking to me. I was like, 'Damn, Dick. When I played for you, you wouldn't talk to me.' And he laughed like crazy, but everybody mellows. He was a really good baseball man."

Francona played in the minors with Williams' son, Rick, at the Double-A level. Francona's father, Tito, and Dick Williams were teammates with the Baltimore Orioles during the 1956 season.

"I've kind of known the family for a while," Francona said.

Francona also recalled a conversation he once had with Williams when the Hall of Fame manager said he would not want to manage in today's game.

Francona explained his reasons that he believed Williams was a brilliant manager.

"He was just ahead of the game," Francona said. "He was way ahead of the game. You knew when you were going to hit, why you were going to hit and who you were going to hit off of."

Francona has been around Boston long enough to know the rich history the Red Sox have in New England and said he agrees with those who believe the 1967 Sox, managed by Williams, represented the rebirth of the love affair this region has with this team. "I've heard enough to know that they recaptured this region that year," Francona said. "It sure seems like people fell in love with the team that year."

Williams was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2008 after being elected by the Veterans Committee.

Williams was back in Cooperstown last month when he managed both teams at the Hall of Fame Classic at Doubleday Field in a legends contest featuring six Hall of Famers and 20 former major league stars.

"Dick Williams' lasting legacy will be his innate ability to lead, turning franchises into winners wherever he managed," Hall of Fame president Jeff Idelson said. "No one wore the mantle of Hall of Famer more proudly than Dick. We will miss him in Cooperstown."

Buy cheap Boston Red Sox Tickets for all games at Fenway Park in Boston, MA.

Rays Beat Red Sox 9-1 to Take 2-1 Lead in AL Series

2008-10-13T23:21:00.001-04:00

B.J. Upton and Evan Longoria hit third-inning home runs as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Boston Red Sox 9-1 in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series.

Matt Garza took a shutout into the seventh inning at Fenway Park in Boston, while Upton hit a three-run homer and Longoria had a solo shot during the Rays' four-run third inning.

"I just kept attacking their hitters,'' Garza said in a televised interview. "And my guys got to (Red Sox pitcher Jon) Lester early and stayed on him. I was able to keep that dangerous lineup down today.''

Baldelli added a three-run home run in the eighth inning and Carlos Pena had a solo blast in the ninth for Tampa Bay, which has won two straight to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of- seven Major League Baseball playoff series. The defending World Series-champion Red Sox host Game 4 tomorrow.

The AL pennant winner advances to the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies or Los Angeles Dodgers. The Phillies hold a 2-1 lead in the National League Championship Series, which continues with Game 4 tonight in Los Angeles.

After splitting the first two games of the AL series in Tampa, Florida, the Rays struck first in Boston. Longoria walked to lead off the second inning, advanced to third base on a single and passed ball, and then scored on a groundout.

Third Inning

The AL East-champion Rays opened the third inning with three straight hits off Lester. Jason Bartlett led off with a single, Akinori Iwamura doubled and Upton followed with his major league-leading fifth homer of the playoffs.

They were the first earned runs allowed by Lester since Game 2 of the 2007 ALCS against Cleveland, snapping a streak of 24 2/3 innings. Lester hadn't allowed an earned run in winning his previous two starts this postseason.

Longoria homered to centerfield two batters later to give the Rays a 5-0 lead. It was his fourth homer of the postseason, matching the rookie record set by Miguel Cabrera in 2003.

Lester allowed five runs -- four earned -- and eight hits over 5 2/3 innings to take the loss. The 24-year-old left-hander had been 11-1 in 17 home starts during the regular season and entered the game with a 4-0 record all-time against the Rays.

Lester is the first Red Sox starter to lose in the team's past 14 playoff games. Josh Beckett was tagged for eight runs in 4 1/3 innings in Boston's Game 2 loss, though he didn't factor in the decision as the Rays won 9-8 in 11 innings.

It's the first time in franchise history that Boston has allowed eight or more runs in consecutive playoff games.

Garza scattered six hits and left after issuing a walk to Jason Varitek and a single to Alex Cora to start the seventh inning. J.P. Howell came on in relief and gave up a sacrifice fly to Jacoby Ellsbury before getting Dustin Pedroia to hit into an inning-ending double play.

Baldelli and Pena added homers in the final two innings off Red Sox reliever Paul Byrd. Both homers cleared the ``Green Monster'' left field wall at Fenway Park.

Buy cheap Boston Red Sox Tickets for all games at Fenway Park in Boston, MA.

Jon Lester struggles as Red Sox fall behind Tampa Bay in ALCS

2008-10-13T23:20:00.001-04:00

Jon Lester sped through his perfect first inning with just four pitches. Then he gave up four runs in the third.

The ace-in-the-making was the ace in a hole.

Lester and the Boston Red Sox never climbed out of it Monday against Matt Garza, who had gotten second billing in the matchup of emerging pitching stars but earned post-game plaudits for his six-plus innings.

The Tampa Bay Rays beat the Red Sox 9-1 and took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven AL championship series. Lester was simply beaten - badly.

"At times I was effective with everything, but I didn't execute, for the most part, two pitches and they hurt me," Lester said.

B.J. Upton smacked a fastball down the middle of the plate in the third inning for a three-run homer, clearing the Green Monster, the seats behind it and three billboards high above the street. Two batters later, Evan Longoria pounced on a cutter high in the strike zone and hit a solo homer that cleared the 37-foot high wall, with Canadian left-fielder Jason Bay remaining largely in place.

"When you leave pitches out over the middle of the plate like that to good hitters, they're supposed to do what they did," Lester said. "I didn't stay away from a big inning."

And it happened in his own stadium.

Lester was 11-1 at Fenway Park this season, including a no-hitter May 19 against Kansas City, and 16-6 overall with a 3.21 ERA.

But the big left-hander was touched for five runs and eight hits in 5 2-3 innings after pitching 14 innings in his first two post-season games this year without allowing an earned run. That followed 5 2-3 scoreless innings in Game 4 of last year's World Series when the Red Sox completed a sweep of the Colorado Rockies.

"It certainly wasn't his sharpest outing," Boston manager Terry Francona said.

Lester tacked on two more innings without an earned run, giving him a streak of 24 2-3 in the post-season.

The Rays grabbed a 1-0 lead when Longoria scored on Jason Varitek's passed ball in the second, and Lester, at his best when he puts his 95-plus mph fastball in just the right spot, was way off target in the third.

Jason Bartlett led off a with a single, Akinori Iwamura doubled and Upton homered before Lester struck out Carlos Pena for the first out. But Longoria went deep to give Tampa Bay a 5-0 lead.

"Three-run homers are nice to get. We were very fortunate," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "But I have a lot of respect for him. This is one of the better young left-handed pitchers in the league."

Lester allowed four earned runs and two homers in the third, a dramatic drop from his career post-season totals of two earned runs and one homer in 25 2-3 innings through the second inning against the Rays.

"You've got to take advantage of his mistakes," Upton said. "You can't let him get away with it. Today we didn't let him get away with it."

One of Lester's problems was clear: an inability to retire the leadoff hitter.

He retired the leadoff hitter in his first 15 innings this post-season, including two seven-inning stints in the AL division series against the Los Angeles Angels. But the next four leadoff hitters reached base - Longoria on a walk in the second, Bartlett on his single in the third, Dioner Navarro on a single in the fourth and Upton on a single in the fifth.

Lester held the Rays scoreless in the fourth and fifth then retired the first two hitters in the sixth. But after walking Rocco Baldelli, he was replaced by Paul Byrd after 96 pitches.

"He settled in," Varitek said. "We made some (pitch) selection errors. I'll take the blame for that. And they did a good job of hitting"

Lester's struggles came after Josh Beckett, a post-season star until this season, allowed eight runs over 4 1-3 innings in Boston's 9-8 loss in 11 innings that evened the series Saturday night.

Buy cheap Boston Red Sox Tickets for all games at Fenway Park in Boston, MA.

Better Pitching with an Erection?

2008-09-23T20:37:00.034-04:00

Better Pitching with an Erection?

Just when you think Roger Clemens can't possibly become a bigger joke than he already is, we learn that the Rocket used Viagra as a performance-enhancing drug:

Clemens got the pills -- which are not banned by Major League Baseball -- from a teammate and kept them in a GNC vitamin bottle in his locker, according to an anonymous source cited by the newspaper. He also reportedly told a friend that the drug made him feel flushed and made his heart race.

I can think of something else it might have done. Suddenly, I feel the need to take a shower.

Paean to the New Guy and the Young Guy

2008-09-23T20:37:00.033-04:00

Paean to the New Guy and the Young Guy

We know how well Jason Bay has done since coming to the Red Sox in last Thursday's final-minute trade: A batting average of .381 with two homers and six RBI in five games. He has more than done his part to help Sox fans forget that other left fielder.

But what may not be as obvious is the coincidental (is it?) surge of Jed Lowrie in that same span. The young shortstop, tasting his first extended stretch of major league play since Julio Lugo went on the disabled lists, was hitting just .269 before the trading deadline. Since then, he has been every bit as impressive as Bay: .369 with a stellar nine RBI.

This is Bay's sixth year in the big leagues, and though he has never played in anything remotely resembling the super-charged atmosphere of a Fenway sellout crowd, he has enough experience not to be rattled by the attention of being the newest member of a team operating in a fishbowl. Lowrie is another story, four years younger and seven years less experienced than Bay, he was the Johnny-come-lately on the squad until last week. Might the diversion helped him to break out? I can't say for sure, but whatever the reason, I'll take it. When the old familiar faces are struggling/tired/hurt, it is reassuring to have two guys still getting their feet wet in Boston be able to take up the slack.

Water under the Bridge

2008-09-23T20:37:00.032-04:00

Water under the Bridge

I can scarcely find words to express my thoughts about the ceremonial first pitch preceding today's Red Sox home opener. But this being a blog, I'll try.

Let's start by saying that the pre-game ceremonies—from music by the Boston Pops and the unfurling of banners to delivery and presentation of championship rings—was a slightly toned-down version of the ceremonies that marked opening day 2005. The most notable difference was the absence of Red Sox stars spanning the generations. It was a comfortable ceremony, one to which we seem to have grown accustomed, in a good way. Yeah, this is cool. Let's do it again. And again and again. It will never be as intense, as cathartic, as what followed the 2004 victory, but that's good too. Despite the inane prognostications of people way too self-important for their own good, we Red Sox fans haven't been dealt some existential blow from which we can never recover. We used to be devoted followers of a losing team; now we're devoted followers of a winning team. No one amongst us—NO ONE—wants to go back.

What I didn't realize, though, was how much unfinished business there still was after 2004. Up until today, it had felt like that victory, with all the drama of the unprecedented ALCS comeback and ease of the World Series sweep, erased all the agony of seasons past, like we were at last free to do what other teams' fans do, look forward to what our club can do next rather than back at what they couldn't do before.

Apparently I was wrong. There was one wound that still festered, at least for one person, and probably for all the rest of us, though we probably didn't realize it. So as I sat in front of the television at 2:00 this afternoon listening to ~~Carl Beane~~ Joe Castiglione announce that the ceremonial first pitch would be thrown by Bill Buckner, it was as if I was watching the last piece of a puzzle fall into place, a piece no one even realized was missing until it was there. THIS was last remaining loose end.

Buckner—who ironically wore the same number as a Red Sox player that was worn by the "goat" of a prior Red Sox World Series loss, Johnny Pesky—was introduced as a player who amassed Hall of Fame numbers during his 21 year major league career, one without whom the Red Sox would not have won the American League pennant in 1986. That characterization is not an understatement. A career .289 hitter, the 15-year veteran came to Boston in 1984 and proceeded to hit double digit home runs in his first three seasons here and had an impressive .990 fielding percentage at first base for the Sox. He was also a stabilizing influence on a team that included several young players. So respected was he that John McNamara decided to leave him in the game that night in New York—when he should have been on the bench with an injured ankle—because he wanted Buckner to be on the field to savor victory.

I was thinking about all of that when I saw and heard on TV the thunderous, prolonged, and unanimous ovation given to Buckner by the fans in attendance before today's game. They must have known, like all of us know if we're honest, that we overreacted back in 1986. Seriously. The Sox didn't lose that year's World Series because of Bill Buckner. They lost because of many people and many failures, not only before that most memorable play at first but in the entire next game, in which Boston had a chance to reduce Buckner's game six error (and Evans' error, and Gedman's error, and Clemens' giving up a two-run lead, and Schiraldi's giving up a one-run lead, and Stanley's wild pitch, and of course manager McNamara's sentimental decision) to a mere footnote in what would otherwise have been a tremendous series for the Sox. They lost because the Mets played better. The ensuing years of piling on Buckner as if he alone held victory in his hands and let it slip away like sand always was ridiculous.

Frankly, I'm surprised Buckner agreed to come back. He said back in 2004 that he didn't think he'd ever set foot inside Fenway Park again, and who could have blamed him if he had stayed away? After the way some of the fans held a grudge, he would have been justified in saying, with bitterness or without, "good riddance" to the lot of us. I would be very surprised if he didn't fear in the back of his mind, or perhaps even in the front of it, that the announcement of his name might elicit a chorus of boos from which he would have no escape.

So when the boos didn't come, when he was greeted warmly and genuinely and with enthusiasm and affection, Buckner wiped away a few tears. The fans had an opportunity to collectively make things right with Buckner, and he seemed happy to accept the gesture. Have you ever had a falling out with a family member or best friend, one that lasted many years? It becomes tiring, and tired. Eventually, you just have to fix it and move on.

Which seems to be what happened this afternoon at Fenway Park. I can picture sitting at a ball game a couple months or a few years down the road and, at the point when that game's occupant of Fenway's Legends Suite is introduced, being happy to see that the guest that day is Bill Buckner. I'm sure he'll never forget how shabbily he was treated by some of the faithful, just like we'll never forget that error. But there's an understanding between us now. We have all come to terms with the ugly past and have mutually decided that it doesn't matter any more.

It feels good.

UPDATE: Here is the full transcript of Joe Castiglione's introduction of Bill Buckner:

Now it's time to welcome the star who will throw our ceremonial first pitch on this day that we honor champions. And how happy we are that amidst this celebration and joy, this Red Sox alumnus has come back to join us. He amassed Hall of Fame caliber credentials in his 21 year major league career, and the Red Sox would never have won the 1986 American League pennant without him. Won't you please welcome back to Boston and let him know that he is welcome always. Number 6 — Bill Buckner.

All-Star Week Updates

2008-09-23T20:37:00.031-04:00

All-Star Week Updates

Somewhat belated congratulations to All-Star Game MVP J.D. Drew. He was one of seven Red Sox All-Stars, including starters Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, and Manny Ramirez; subs Jason Varitek (voted in by the other players) and Drew; fan favorite David Ortiz who was voted the starting DH but didn't play because of his healing injury; and reliever Jonathan Papelbon. It was sweet to see so many Red Sox players, not to mention manager Terry Francona and his coaches, descend upon the Den of Darkness, soon to be known as The House that Hank Tore Down. If only the oh-so-classy Yankees fans (just ask them — they'll tell you how classy they are) had shown a little, you know, class.

Special thanks to 2004 ALCS MVP Mariano Rivera for holding the tie that sent the All-Star Game into extra innings until the American League could do what they always do, i.e. beat the hapless National League. With home field secured for the World Series, the Red Sox have one item knocked off their to-do list and can now focus solely on winning the division.

On Thursday evening, David Ortiz homered for the Pawtucket Red Sox in the first of several minor league rehab appearances leading up to what we all hope will be his return to the Sox line-up in time for in the upcoming Yankees series. A friend and I managed to make it to the game thanks to an advance online purchase of two general admission seats.

It was great. Papi's home run was but one of five—count 'em, FIVE!—hit by the PawSox. (The visiting Toledo Mud Hens had three homers of their own.) Attendance was 11,460 at a ballpark I thought only held 10,000, but that may have been before they put a grass berm and bleachers in the outfield. In any event, the place was sold out, and there were LOTS of people standing behind the general admission seats.

In addition to getting a standing O after his fourth inning solo homer, Papi got a huge ovation when he took the field for warm-ups, when he returned to the dugout after warm-ups, when he was on deck, when he was at bat, when he popped out in the first, when he lined out in the fourth (his second at-bat of the inning), when he walked in the fifth, and when he came out of the game for a pinch runner—at which point people started leaving. In fairness to the crowd, it was hot and muggy, and many of the people leaving were families with little kids. And a lot of us did stay for the whole thing. Final score: PawSox 15, Mud Hens 6, though it wasn't even as close as the score makes it sound.

PawSox starter Edgar Martinez (not to be confused with the cutie-patootie formerly of the Seattle Mariners) pitched into the seventh inning and was charged with three runs, two of which scored when Justin Masterson came on in relief and coughed up a grand slam. Let's just say he was not stellar. Chris Smith finished it out.

Every PawSox starter except Joe Thurston (Juuuuust sit right back and you'll hear a tale...) scored at least one run. Thurston and Keith Ginter had no hits, but Ginter did draw walks in three consecutive innings and scored all three times. I looked back to my spring training scorecards and realized that I saw each and every PawSox starter, plus two of the pitchers, at spring training this year. Oh, and lest I forget, Chris Carter (a.k.a. The New Lenny, a.k.a. Hunky) went 4-for-5 with two singles, a double, and a two-run homer. His last hit before being lifted for a pinch runner was a single, but of course we were all hoping for a triple so he could get the cycle.

Did I mention it was warm and muggy? Of course the air temperature cooled off a bit after the sun went down, but the place was so packed and there was only a slight intermittent breeze, so it felt much warmer because of all the amassed body heat. No one who has ever attended a game with me in the blazing heat will be surprised to learn that the bra came off while we were in line at will-call before the game. I call this the female version of "going commando."

Now I'm in Maine visiting my brother, and we hope to grab tickets for tonight's Portland Sea Dogs double-header against the Trenton Thunder, the AA affiliate of the Yankees. The not-yet-Triumphant Brother, a lifelong MFY fan due to the unfortunate after-effects of being dropped on his head as a young child, is going with me to tomorrow's game with a bunch of my crazy Red Sox friends. Since taking a job in Portland last year and moving to the area part-time, he has become totally hooked on the Sea Dogs, which I explained to him was step one in his deprogramming.

Do You Know This Man?

2008-09-23T20:37:00.030-04:00

Do You Know This Man?

Neither do I.

But whoever he may be, he came on in relief against the Cardinals this afternoon after Daisuke Matsuzaka coughed up four runs in the first inning and loaded the bases in the second.

Naturally, inquiring minds want to know more about the (apparently) young Mr. Smith. Here's what my exhaustive internet search turned up:

According to ESPN.com's transaction log, Smith was "recalled ... from Pawtucket of the International League (AAA)" on Tuesday, the same day Bartolo Colon went on the disabled list.
His minorleagebaseball.com player page says he was "[s]elected by the Boston Red Sox in the 4th round (their 3rd pick, No. 118 overall) of the 2002 First-Year Player Draft" after playing three years of college ball at University of California at Riverside.
He has played in 22 games, including four starts, with a 1.52 ERA for the PawSox this season.
Last season, he pitched for AA Portland (6-9, 4.41) and Pawtucket (0-0, 1.80).
My scorebook informs me that he didn't appear in any of the six spring training games I attended last February and March.

The only other thing I can tell you is that since giving up a grand slam this afternoon (the runners on base were charged to Matsuzaka), he has pitched three scoreless inning.

Rings!

2008-09-23T20:37:00.029-04:00

The new Red Sox World Champion ring has been revealed, and once again it's a beauty.

Reminiscent of the 2004 ring, it features the team colors in gemstones: a ruby logo on a diamond of diamonds on a background of sapphires. But this time, instead of the stylized "B", the logo used is the two red socks. Like the '04 ring, this one is eminently wearable, as demonstrated when Mayor Tom Menino modeled both a tthe unveiling earlier today.

One person who wears his World Series ring every day is Fenway Park's public address announcer, Carl Beane, who comes to my office occasionally to have lunch with his wife, who also works here. I can't wait to see his new ring—and try it on.

That's Why We Chant YOOOOOUK!

2008-09-23T20:37:00.028-04:00

Not only was it news at MLB.com, the Boston Herald, Providence Journal, Washington Post, and countless other sports pages around the country, but it was also this morning's question in a daily e-mail trivia game I play. The question: "Boston Red Sox player Kevin Youkilis just set a Major League Baseball record for what?" The answer: Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis is baseball's new all-time leader in errorless games played at first base. Succinctly documented on SI.com:

Kevin Youkilis set the major league record for consecutive errorless games by a first baseman, playing his 194th consecutive mistake-free game at first to break Steve Garvey's record. The A's gave first base to Youkilis in appreciation, and the ball used on his final putout was sent to the Hall of Fame.

What the articles don't mention is that the record is actually for consecutive errorless regular season games. Alert fans may recall that Youkilis committed an error in Game 4 of last year's American League Championship Series against Cleveland. No matter. It's still a remarkable accomplishment which is unlikely to be equalled any time soon, especially if the streak continues awhile longer.

And as the Herald article notes, there is some incentive for Youkilis to remain perfect awhile longer: He stands just 72 errorless defensive chances shy of Stuffy McInnis. Youk could tie that record with six more games like last night's, in which he was credited with a dozen chances.

Why This Was a Good Trade

2008-09-23T20:37:00.027-04:00

I had an interesting experience on the Dodgers message board yesterday after the Manny Ramirez trade was announced. Besides discovering that moronic posters inhabit that board too, I had a productive exchange with one person. (Alas, only one. The others were, well, re-read the beginning of the last sentence.)

A board member calling him/herself "tennismenace" wrote, "I think your team will come in 3rd place. Drew is choking and you have two stiffs at the end of your lineup. You lose arguable your best hitter now. Good luck, but expect to see the NYY pass you."

Of course, I love a good baseball discussion and the chance to Here is my response to tennismenace about why I disagreed with his/her assessment:

1. You are making the mistake with Drew of assuming that the current trend (i.e. this July) is the trend that will continue. To make a more valid prediction, you should look at historical performance. For example, in the last couple years, he's been lousy in July, but much bettter in August and September. That's why we aren't particularly worried about him right now.

2. Manny, on the other hand, has a habit of missing games in September, when his at-bats plummet because that's when he is most likely to take himself out of games. We have already gotten from him what are typically his most productive months (excluding, of course, the postseason).

3. The other factor to consider is that Manny's production has begun to decline, as one would expect to happen with age. He is still a formidable hitter, better than many players several years younger than he is, but chances are he isn't trending upward overall. His batting average/homers/RBI in his eight seasons with the Red Sox have been (in chronological order from 2001 to 2008) .306/41/125, .349/33/107, .325/37/104, .308/43/130, .292/45/144, .321/35/102, .296/20/88, and this year projecting to (presuming games played in the last two seasons) .299/27/90. What we have now that we didn't have in Manny's best years are two younger players whose offense is on the uptick: Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis. Obviously, neither has the power Manny has, but they are more than making up for his average. And Jason Bay is on pace with Manny this season with homers and RBI, so that's a better fit than one might expect.

4. Even with their weak bottom of the order, the Red Sox have the third most runs scored in the American League, the third best team batting average, the fifth most home runs, and the best on-base percentage. They can afford weaker hitters down the lineup because others are so productive.

5. The Yankees, though improving, still lag significantly behind the Sox in those offensive categories, as well as pitching categories like batting average against and, to a lesser extent, earned run average. Two of their historically most consistent players, Hideki Matsui and Jorge Posada, are lost for the season. Furthermore, the Yankees are usually strong this time of year, when the Red Sox typically slump. Frankly, my bigger concern is not the Yankees but the Rays.

Whether I am correct remains to be seen. But his is hardly the gloom-and-doom situation many removed from the recent happenings here seem to think it is. And this information, looked at rationally, makes bloviators like Michael Felger, who has been foaming at the mouth on WEEI all morning, seem a bit unhinged.

No, Manny, the Red Sox Don't Deserve You

2008-09-23T20:37:00.026-04:00

Man-child, idiot savant, multiple personality Manny Ramirez made a proclamation yesterday that perfectly sums up where his relationship with the Boston Red Sox has ended up.

"Boston no me ha dicho nada, no me han pedido que firme ningún papel o algo parecido", dijo Ramírez a ESPNdeportes.com desde el estadio Fenway Park antes del inicio del partido del miércoles contra los Angelinos de Los Angeles.

[ . . . ]

"Los Medias Rojas no merecen un pelotero como yo", dijo.

In English, as far as I can figure out :

"Boston has not told me nothing, has not asked me to sign no paper or anything like that," Ramirez said to ESPNdeportes.com [from] Fenway Park before the start of Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Angels.

"The Boston Red Sox do not deserve a player like me," he said.

You know what? He's right. The Red Sox don't deserve what he has dished out over the years. They don't deserve a $20 million player who won't run out a ground ball, who takes himself out of the lineup for the kinds of aches and pains that every other major leaguer plays with on a regular basis, who makes inappropriate jokes at inappropriate times about the prospect of a trade necessitated by his temper tantrums, etc. Having paid him a lot of money over the years, they certainly deserve the production they got from him, but they don't deserve the horse manure he has been shoveling for far too long.

So will they Sox cast off Ramirez in a deal at the trade deadline? That is the burning question. This morning, the reports were that he would end up with the Marlins in a three-way deal that would net the Sox Jason Bay from Pittsburgh. That deal now appears dead, due to either (depending on whose "sources" you believe) the Marlins' insistence on extra cash from the Sox in addition to their paying the rest of Ramirez' salary, or the Pirates' insistence on too many prospects.

On the other hand, WEEI is just now commenting on a Sports Illustrated report of a possible deal with the Dodgers. Let's hope.

End of an Era

2008-09-23T20:37:00.025-04:00

My spring training reminiscences will appear sporadically between now and the beginning of the season, but for now, there is news.

The Doug Mirabelli era appears to be over.

The Red Sox have just made Doug Mirabelli's release official. He was placed on unconditional release waivers.

[ . . . ]

[Kevin] Cash is a non-roster player, but he had not yet been upgraded to the roster. [H]e appears to be a likely choice to be added, however.

The Sox replaced Mirabelli in [today's] lineup with Pawtucket catcher Dusty Brown, who is also considered a possible candidate for the major league club.

Sox Players, Manager Stand Up for Coaches

2008-09-23T20:37:00.015-04:00

Sox Players, Manager Stand Up for Coaches

It has been the big news since this morning, when major outlets across the country startd reporting that the Boston Red Sox players voted to boycott their scheduled trip to Japan if Major League Baseball follows through on a late decision to renege on appearance pay for coaches and team staff. ESPN.com reports that MLB appears to have capitulated, which is a good thing because the players were not willing to compromise, according to the Globe's Nick Cafardo

The players are adamant that a $40,000 stipend for coaches and staff was negotiated in their agreement to play in Japan and that it has now been reneged. Third baseman Mike Lowell confirmed to the Globe that the team voted unanimously this morning not to make the scheduled trip unless the situation was rectified.

"When we voted to go to Japan, that was not a unanimous vote," said third baseman Lowell, "but we did what our team wanted us to do for Major League Baseball. They promised us the moon and the stars, and then when we committed, they started pulling back. It's not just the coaches, it's the staff, the trainers, a lot of people are affected by this."

$40,000 is a relatively small amount for the players, even those earning the league minimum of around $400,000 a year. But as manager Terry Francona points out, the coaches and staff aren't paid as well, noting that in some cases, $40,000 may be two-fifths of a coach's salary. Perhaps even more important is the message the decision sends about the value of coaches and other staff. The players' stance seems to have truly touched those affected.

"We all like to feel as if we're part of the team," Alicea said. "We help the players and we appreciate what they're trying to do. We thought this issue was resolved a long time ago. To have it come down to the final day is embarrassing. That's about all I can say about it."

Red Sox batting coach Dave Magadan said he appreciated the players' support.

"It means as much as the money itself," he told ESPN.

The Boston Herald's Rob Bradford and Michael Silverman point out that for at least one member of the Red Sox coaching staff, the appearance fee exceeds his entire salar: bullpen catcher Manny Martinez, who earns $30,000 a year.

Delivering the bad news to the affected individuals fell to Francona, who was quite upset by the turn of events.

"We're spending energy on something we don't want to spend it on. I don't understand it. I was embarrassed this morning. I had to tell them, 'Hey, that money you may have already spent, go get it back.'"

[ . . . ]

"I did not have an off day yesterday. I had the phone glued to my ear because I was promised some answers and I haven't even received a phone call," Francona said. "So I'm a little bit stuck. What I want to do this morning is get excited to play a baseball game and what I ended up doing is apologizing to the coaches and being humiliated."

Francona has long been a huge advocate of coaches' rights, executing such deeds as using money from television commercials to pay for the coaches' clubhouse fees, and making sure they all are included in his contract with Reebok.

[ . . . ]

"I don't agree that coaches are second-class citizens. That has never sat well with me, ever, and continues to boggle my mind."

Speaking just for myself, I would agree with Francona. It's bad enough to back out of any part of an agreement, but to shaft the very people who aren't making millions is particularly repulsive. For the players to take a stand in their behalf, especially one that could potentially resulted in forfeiture of two regular season games, is gratifying to see. Fans prone to complain about the selfishness of highly paid professional athletes would do well to remember this gesture.

The Triumphant Red Sox Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02231067571607836686noreply@blogger.com

To read the full article click here.

FREE Internet Business Course�$295 Value! Free Internet business, training, and support. Multiple income streams. Residual and leveraged income; 95% of the work is automated. Visit http://sfi.4results.biz/FREE for complete details today.

To unsubscribe from this feed, click here

To manage your other subscriptions, click here

Comebacks Are Great, but Must We Rely on Them?

2008-09-23T20:37:00.014-04:00

Comebacks Are Great, but Must We Rely on Them?

Granted, the last two games were phenomenally exciting, edge-of-your-seat contests that the Sox won with walk-off hits. It is nice to know these guys don't stop playing until the game is over.

The problem is that they can't pull off late-game heroics every time. Given that reality, it might be a good idea for the Sox to try to, you know, score before the ninth inning.

Take tonight's game, which the Blue Jays currently lead 3-0 in the top of the ninth inning. I know that Red Sox fans the world over realize a win is still possible, though not probable. On NESN, Don Orsillo is just pointing out that the Sox have had eight walk-off wins and 10 come-from-behind wins this season (I think I got that right). But come on, guys, give us a break here. And give a break to the poor guys who have to hit in the bottom of the ninth.

Wait, Terry Francona is making a pitching change—to Mike Timlin. I love Mike, really I do. But I'm afraid a come-from-behind win just got less probable, as I have no confidence that the score will still be 3-0 when he's done.

The Triumphant Red Sox Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02231067571607836686noreply@blogger.com

To read the full article click here.

Win MILLIONS On-Line with Official Australian Lotteries

To unsubscribe from this feed, click here

To manage your other subscriptions, click here

The Battle of Good vs. Evil: Part 1

2008-09-23T20:37:00.013-04:00

The Battle of Good vs. Evil: Part 1

OK, so that didn't go exactly as planned. Clay Buchholz was very good, but unfortunately Chien-Ming Wang was better. Each allowed just one run, but Wang was more efficient with his pitches and turned in a complete game. Buchholz gave way to a string of relievers who, well, didn't do as good a job as he did (see: Timlin, Mike). Hideki Okajima did an admirable job trying to get the Sox out of the situation Timlin had placed them in, but he did allow one inherited runner to score on a sacrifice fly. Beazer and I scratched our heads over why Okie didn't come out for the eighth inning. Javier Lopez acquitted himself well before David Aardsma gave up the game's final run in the ninth inning.

The hitting was anemic, to say the least. Big Papi not only continues to hit below the Mendoza line, he's hitting below Mendoza's knees — .077 after going 0-for-3 last night. The offensive bright spot continues to be J.D. Drew, who had the only Sox run with his third home run of the season. His average stands at .429 with eight RBI. Of course he got off to a good start last year, but not that good: .342 with one homer and seven RBI after the same number of games.

It rained for more than half the game, but we were under cover (grandstand section 26) so we didn't mind. Today's game looks like it won't be a wash-out after all, with relatively warm temps and only about a 40% chance of showers. So I guess I'll go. Look for me on TV. I'll be the one cheering with a bunch or people around me.

The Triumphant Red Sox Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02231067571607836686noreply@blogger.com

To read the full article click here.

BRAND NEW eBook Software with eBook Disabling! You now have full control over your ebooks. Get the most feature rich ebook software ever created. This has just been released. http://www.ebookgenerator.com/x.php?af=53901

To unsubscribe from this feed, click here

To manage your other subscriptions, click here

Michael Felger Makes My Ears Bleed

2008-09-23T20:37:00.011-04:00

Michael Felger Makes My Ears Bleed

Dear WEEI,

For the love of God, PLEASE don't make me listen to Michael Felger on your station any more.

There are many factors that make a good radio host, but being a broken record is not one of them. Felger has been making the same two points about the Manny Ramirez trade (Ramirez is a future Hall of Famer and Jason Bay isn't, and Ramirez always throws a temper tantrum in July) since Friday morning, and after hearing them about 147 times, I'm pretty sure no one needs to hear them a 148th time.

Nor is ignoring the points made by your co-hosts and callers a desirable characteristic. If Felger weren't so stuck in the rut of his own narrative, he might occasionally say, "You know what? I see what you're saying, and it's a good point. But I think it's outweighed by [insert Felger Talking Point #1 or Felger Talking Point #2 here]."

So please, I'm begging you, put me out of my misery and stuff a sock in this guy's mouth. He can't possibly be helping your ratings. He sure isn't helping my headache.

Hugs and kisses,
The Triumphant Red Sox fan

The Triumphant Red Sox Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02231067571607836686noreply@blogger.com

To read the full article click here.

Add Powerful Affiliate Ads to your site

To unsubscribe from this feed, click here

To manage your other subscriptions, click here

The Dog Regurgitated My Laptop

2008-09-23T20:37:00.010-04:00

The Dog Regurgitated My Laptop

I'm alive!

I have no excuses for my long absence. I suffered no dread diseases that had me comatose and hospitalized; I wasn't lying in a ditch on the side of the road, undiscovered for months after a terrible auto accident or ferocious winter storm; aliens did not abduct me and perform torturous experiments upon my body and mind. No, I'm just a big bag of ca-ca. But I'm back. And I'm leaving for spring training in...

(Drum roll, please...)

(Wait for it...)

(Are you ready?)

THREE DAYS!

Three days, folks. That's a Washington's birthday holiday weekend. A 3-day Macy's sale. The very same amount of time it took Jesus Christ to eat the last supper, die on a cross, and rise from the dead. Except that I fortunately, don't have to save humankind in that amount of time. All I have to do is pack, get myself and my luggage to Logan Airport, and board a plane to a magical place where I won't have to see this for a week.

OK, kids I'll see. But they won't be trudging through snow, which means neither will I.

I'm almost ready to go. Going through the checklist in my mind...

Airline reservation direct to Southwest Florida Airport – CHECK!
Economy rental car – CHECK!
Tickets for six pre-season games – CHECK!
2007 World Series t-shirt – CHECK!
Travel journal hand-crafted by my friend Pam – CHECK!
Custom scorebook made by yours truly – CHECK!
White-Out, just in case of scoring mistakes – CHECK!
Sharpie, for autographs – CHECK!
My brother's super-duper digital SLR camera and zoom lens, the better for capturing butt shots of my favorite Red Sox players – CHECK!
And last but not least, my previously dog-eaten and since regurgitated laptop for (hopefully) daily blogging from Fort Myers – CHECK!

I'm still trying to find a way to download the aforementioned butt shots from the aforementioned camera without the accompanying software, but once I resolve that small glitch, I'll be ready to post image after image that will have you feeling almost like you're there with me.

Talk to you then.

The Triumphant Red Sox Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02231067571607836686noreply@blogger.com

To read the full article click here.

Learn How to Build A Seven-Figure Business from The VIPs of Million Dollar Marketing... And Learn Coveted Secrets That Could Effortlessly Catapult You Into A Sparkling Seven-Figure Empire

To unsubscribe from this feed, click here

To manage your other subscriptions, click here

Ding, Dong, the Twit Is Gone!

2008-09-23T20:37:00.009-04:00

Ding, Dong, the Twit Is Gone!

Details are few and far between, but here it is, from two different media outlets so far.

From the Sports Illustrated web site:

The Red Sox traded embattled slugger Manny Ramirez to the Dodgers late Thursday afternoon, SI.com has learned.

Jason Bay is headed to Boston as part of the deal, SI.com has learned. The Pirates will get four minor leaguers in the three-way trade.

[ . . . ]

The Red Sox approached Ramirez in advance of their negotiations, and got the OK from Ramirez. He signed off on the paperwork, contingent upon the two $20-million team options for 2009 and '10 being dropped. The move will set the stage for Ramirez to become a free agent this winter.

Pittsburgh gets Craign Hansen and Brandon Moss, both from Boston, as well as third baseman Andy LaRoche from the Dodgers and a fourth minor leaguer who has yet to be confirmed.

The Red Sox are paying the $7 million remaining on Ramirez's $20 million salary for this year.

From Boston.com:

Manny Ramirez's stormy relationship with the Boston Red Sox appears to be over.

A baseball source has confirmed Ramirez has been traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers, ESPN.com has learned.

Jason Bay is going to Boston as part of the deal, Jayson Stark reported. And the Pittsburgh Pirates get four minor leaguers as part of the three-way deal.

Third baseman Andy LaRoche and right-handed pitcher Bryan Morris will go to the Pirates from the Dodgers. Outfielder Brandon Moss and right-handed pitcher Craig Hansen will leave the Red Sox orgianization for Pittsburgh, ESPN.com has learned.

The Triumphant Red Sox Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02231067571607836686noreply@blogger.com

To read the full article click here.

This ebook book shows you techniques on how to make your publicity, emails and websites hypnotic. It also includes Joe Vitale's 3-step marketing strategy called "Guaranteed Outcome Marketing," which can increase your business by 70% -- in less than 90 days

To unsubscribe from this feed, click here

To manage your other subscriptions, click here

Fast Games and Pitchers' Duels

2008-09-23T20:37:00.008-04:00

Fast Games and Pitchers' Duels

Some people, usually casual fans, find baseball boring. Not enough action, they protest, or the games take so long. Ask them what would make the sports more exciting and they're more likely than not to say they want more hitting. There is action in offense and grandeur in towering home runs. The irony is that high scoring games are also very long, but if your understanding of baseball is limited to hits and runs, it would be hard to sit through a game that lacked those elements.

For me, the most exciting games are the low scoring affairs where the pitchers and fielders have no room for mistakes. There is nothing better—or, increasingly, rarer—than a pitchers' duel. So I was as happy as a clam watching last night's contest between the Sox and the Blue Jays. It lasted only 2 hours 18 minutes, according to the official box score, and involved only three pitchers, one run, and an average of only 12 1/2 pitches thrown per half inning.

Compare that with the other 14 games around the major leagues last night that averaged 3 hours long and more than 8 pitchers used. But enough of the raw numbers.

What was most enjoyable about last night's battle is that both starting pitchers were about as close to perfect as most pitchers ever get. Toronto's Roy Halladay is known as an efficient and fast worker, the antithesis of what Boston's Jon Lester has been so far in his short major league career. Yet Lester was also quick and efficient, perhaps following Halladay's lead, or maybe because manager Terry Francona reportedly suggested to him after Justin Masterson's debut appearance that Lester might take a page from Masterson's book and move things along a bit more than he is used to. It was great to see Lester pitching the way we have long heard he can.

Meanwhile, there were defensive plays aplenty to back up the pitchers, the most memorable being a diving stop by second baseman Dustin Pedroia that saved a run. It was reminiscent of the spectacular play he made late in Clay Buchholz' no-hitter last year, and a sign that the terrific defense we saw from Pedroia last year wasn't a fluke. He epitomizes the term "scrappy," which MLB.com's Ian Browne uses in his game recap and many a Sox fan would agree with.

Of course, I wouldn't be waxing poetic about the game if we had been on the losing end of the 1-0 score. It's more fun to watch your team win a close one than to be left agonizing about why they couldn't do just a little more. That frustration was saved for Jays fans, not to mention Halladay, who was none too happy when center fielder Vernon Wells bobbled Kevin Youkilis' hit that ended up scoring David Ortiz in the bottom of the ninth. (Incidentally, I wasn't there to see exactly Ortiz was on the basepath when Wells fumbled, but I was somewhat surprised the official scorer didn't score an error on the play. It seemed to me an argument could be made for marking Ortiz to third on Youk's hit and to home on an E-8.)

In any event, it was a great win, and as I sit here and write about it, the same teams are in the midst of another tight one, a 1-1 game with pitching not quite as good as lawst night's but still better than you'd expect from Daisuke Matsuzaka and Dustin McGowan, the latter of whom, by the way, is on my fantasy team and did well for me tonight and has now given way to relief that I hope will give it up. I realize how lucky I am to love this game and be able to appreciate it in its many forms, including the lost art of outstanding pitching. So, with the Red Sox threatening with runners on first ande second with one out, I leave you to reflect on your own appreciation of what we have seen these last two games. And if you don't appreciate it, well, all I can say is you don't know what you're missing.

The Triumphant Red Sox Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02231067571607836686noreply@blogger.com

To read the full article click here.

To unsubscribe from this feed, click here

To manage your other subscriptions, click here

A Post-Trade Poem, by an Unknown Author

2008-09-23T20:37:00.007-04:00

A Post-Trade Poem, by an Unknown Author

'Twas the night before August and all through the Nation,
The fans on their feet in a standing ovation,
Ramirez — the baby — is off to L.A.
So who is this guy they call Jason Bay?

He bats from the right and throws that way too,
And produces the home runs; he has 22.
Will he ever be Manny? "Not a chance" might be true.
But when he hits his first homah, we'll all say "Manny who?"

He'll protect our Big Papi and with Mike at his back,
He'll make up for what with Ramirez we lack:
Good defense in left field, base-running skill too,
And he'll run out the grounders unlike you-know-who.

If you look at the stats, Bay's a star on the rise,
While Manny — his stature is shrinking in size.
Just look at the stats. Can you guess who is who?

	AVG.	HR	RBI	OBP	SLG
Player 1:	.282	22	64	.375	.519
Player 2:	.299	20	68	.398	.529

(I'll give you a hint: Good-Bye Player 2!)

With the A's due in town, get the offense on track!
But will Papi and Bay will be a formidable attack?
At the end of the day brings an unnerving truth:
Yes, Papi and Manny were like Gehrig/Ruth.

So here's some advice from a local Sox fan.
Please try to get it right if you can:
Say "Wall," not "Green Monster"; pronounce "Pahk" with no "R".
Produce like you've been doing and you'll be a star.
The "bleachers" are in right field, Pesky's Pole's "down the line."
Say, "I hate the Yankees," and you'll fit in just fine.

By the way, Red Sox Nation, raise your glass in a toast;
Pay homage to an old friend who's on the West Coast.
He's a friend of the Nation and a really good sport:
Thank you, thank you, oh thank you, dear old friend Frank McCourt.

So we hope for the best as the day turns to night;
I'll just finish my poem and turn out the light.
But as I try to sleep, I turn and I toss.
Jason Bay for Ramirez, Hansen, and Moss?

Did we make the right choice? Did we give up too much?
Will Jason Bay ever hit in the clutch?
I find I can't sleep and I sit up in fright.
I know Manny was wrong; God, I hope Theo's right.

But what about Manny? How hard will he play
Now playing with Nomar and Lowe in L.A?
I promise you this, there's more to his story.
As you head off to bed, say a prayer for Joe Torre!

The Triumphant Red Sox Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02231067571607836686noreply@blogger.com

To read the full article click here.

The Visual Thesaurus Look up 140,000 words using Visual interactive display. Try it today!

To unsubscribe from this feed, click here

To manage your other subscriptions, click here

Dr. Daisuke and Mr. Wild

2008-09-23T20:37:00.006-04:00

Dr. Daisuke and Mr. Wild

Hmmmm, which Daisuke Matsuzaka will we get today? The one who pitches brilliantly and gets the win, or the one who gives us small heart attacks and gets the win?

I'll give you a hint: I have already taken two TUMS. And an Imitrex.

After one inning pitched against Kansas City this afternoon, Matsuzaka has already allowed a run on two walks, a wild pitch, and a hit. He has thrown 36 pitches.

But hey, he has two strikeouts.

The Triumphant Red Sox Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02231067571607836686noreply@blogger.com

To read the full article click here.

===Professional Link Cloaker=== By using a Link Cloaker, your links look more attractive, will get more clicks and will not look like an affiliate link.

To unsubscribe from this feed, click here

To manage your other subscriptions, click here

Magical Happenings at Fenway

2008-09-23T20:37:00.005-04:00

Magical Happenings at Fenway

Updated 05/20/2008 at 13:23 EDT

24-year-old Jon Lester faced the Kansas City Royals tonight to open the four-game series, and all he did was throw a no-hitter. It was the 18th no-hitter in team history (no American League team has more), the first by a Red Sox left-hander since Mel Parnell did it to the White Sox on July 14, 1956, and the first at Fenway Park since way back on September 1, 2007 when Clay Buchholz no-hit the Orioles.

The cherry on the sundae is that it was the fourth no-hitter caught by Jason Varitek, and that's a major league record. (Update: See today's Boston Globe for details on this record.) He was behind the plate for Hideo Nomo's second career no-hitter, also against Baltimore, on April 4, 2001; for Derek Lowe's no-hitter on April 27, 2002, versus Tampa Bay; and for last year's Buchholz gem.

Did I mention that my friend Lloyd was at this game? He has 20-game-pack tickets up in the new left field Pavilion, so he had a good view as the evening played out. Can't wait to have lunch with him tomorrow so he can tell me all about it.

~~(Note: When I eventually get onto Retrosheet.org, whose servers are probably being swamped by stats geeks like me, I'll post links to the box scores of the above games.)~~ Links to the no-hitters mentioned have been added. Thanks to Retrosheet.org.

The Triumphant Red Sox Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02231067571607836686noreply@blogger.com

To read the full article click here.

Learn How to Build A Seven-Figure Business from The VIPs of Million Dollar Marketing... And Learn Coveted Secrets That Could Effortlessly Catapult You Into A Sparkling Seven-Figure Empire

To unsubscribe from this feed, click here

To manage your other subscriptions, click here

If All Goes According to Plan, I Will Be at All Three Games This Weekend

2008-09-23T20:37:00.004-04:00

If All Goes According to Plan, I Will Be at All Three Games This Weekend

The wild card factor here is the weather. I just got tickets for tonight's Red Sox vs. Yankees game from a co-worker with seasons tickets who is sick and can't go. My good friend and sistah Beazer has tickets for tomorrow afternoon's and Sunday night's games.

If the rain that is being forecasted (70-80% chance of precipitation through the evening) holds off long enough, Beazer and I will see tonight's game. Tomorrow afternoon's forecast looks even worse, and frankly neither of us wants to hang around for what almost certainly will be a rain-out. So we're both going to stay home and hope for a postponement to Sunday afternoon, at which time we'll see a day-night doubleheader.

That's my plan. Now it's up to Mother Nature not to screw it up.

The Triumphant Red Sox Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02231067571607836686noreply@blogger.com

To read the full article click here.

Add Powerful Affiliate Ads to your site

To unsubscribe from this feed, click here

To manage your other subscriptions, click here

Luck Runs Out

2008-09-23T20:37:00.003-04:00

Luck Runs Out

Well that sucked. Let's get the bats going for the series against mighty Tampa Bay, shall we?

And speaking of The Team Formerly Known as the Devil Rays, we are now out of April and the Rays are in first place. It's as if we're living in a parallel universe where Tampa Bay doesn't suck.

The Triumphant Red Sox Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02231067571607836686noreply@blogger.com

To read the full article click here.

MAKE MONEY WORKING AT HOME. No gimmicks, no pie in the sky, no bull. Proven, 20-year track record: http://sfi.4results.biz/FREE

To unsubscribe from this feed, click here

To manage your other subscriptions, click here

The View from My Window

2008-09-23T20:37:00.001-04:00

The View from My Window

(Written February 29 at 12:45pm, posted late due to technical difficulties)

I'm sitting on the lanai of my friend Patty's condo in Marco Island, Florida, also known as Home Base for the duration of my vacation. The weather is absolutely beautiful — sunny and warm — after a couple sunny and cool days (but still better than what they're having back at home). All in all, I have absolutely no reason to complain.

After arriving late Wednesday afternoon, I saw the two college games yesterday, blowouts both (24-0 vs. Boston College, 15-0 vs. Northeastern). The BC kids definitely had it worse, facing the a-team infield and pitching. Northeastern faced some of the top pitching prospects, starting with Justin Masterson. We'll see how some of these guys look against actual major leaguers.

One more quick note before I leave for lunch and the beach: I have found Kelly's Spring Training Hottie of 2008. He is Chris Carter, wearing #77 and not having played yet. I'll post a picture later so you can see how right I am.

The Triumphant Red Sox Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02231067571607836686noreply@blogger.com

To read the full article click here.

To unsubscribe from this feed, click here

To manage your other subscriptions, click here

2009 Boston Red Sox

2008-09-15T21:24:00.002-04:00

This is a listing of players the Red Sox have under control for 2009. This list will be updated regularly. Some lists maybe incomplete.

Players under Red Sox control who will be with Boston on opening day.

Pos....Player....................2009 Salary
.C.....
1B.....Kevin Youkilis............TBD
2B.....Dustin Pedroia............TBD
3B.....Mike Lowell...............$12,000,000
SS.....Jed Lowrie................TBD
LF.....Jason Bay.................$7,500,000
CF.....Jacoby Ellsbury...........TBD
RF.....JD Drew...................$14,000,000
DH.....David Ortiz...............$12,500,000
.C.....
IF.....
OF.....
UT.....

SP.....Josh Beckett..............$10,500,000
SP.....Daisuke Matsuzaka.........$10,000,000*
SP.....Jon Lester................TBD
SP.....Justin Masterson..........TBD
SP.....

RP.....Jonathan Papelbon.........TBD&
RP.....Hideki Okajima............$1,750,000%
RP.....Manny Delcarmen...........TBD
RP.....
RP.....
RP.....
RP.....

*Matsuzaka is scheduled to make $8,000,000 in 2009 but with a top three Cy Young vote it would escalate to $10,000,000. Matsuzaka should easily finish in the top three so the salary has been escalated here.
&Arbitration eligible for 2009.
%Option that has been activated.

Players under Red Sox control who may or may not return in 2009.

SS.....Julio Lugo................$9,000,000#
OF.....Coco Crisp................$5,750,000#
SP.....Tim Wakefield.............$4,000,000%
.C.....David Ross................$3,500,000%
RP.....Javier Lopez..............TBD&
RP.....David Aardsma.............TBD&
.C.....Kevin Cash................TBD&

#Under contract for 2009, could be traded.
%Team options for 2009.
&Arbitration eligible for 2009.

Players under Red Sox control who may or may not start 2009 in Boston.

SP.....Clay Buchholz.............TBD
UT.....Jeff Bailey...............TBD
SP.....Michael Bowden............TBD
OF.....Chris Carter..............TBD
SP.....Devern Hansack............TBD
.C.....George Kottaras...........TBD
SP.....David Pauley..............TBD
RP.....Chris Smith...............TBD
SP.....Charlie Zink..............TBD

The players listed here are players who could play a significant role in the 2009 Boston Red Sox. This list maybe incomplete and will be updated.

Updates:
9/15/08 - Added arbitration tag to Papelbon

Red Sox Likely To Land Junichi Tazawa

2008-09-12T08:26:00.002-04:00

Junichi Tazawa, who helped Nippon Oil to its first title in 13 years at the national corporate baseball tournamentthat ended Tuesday, will try to sign with a major league club without playing in Japan, baseball sources said Wednesday.

The highly unusual news came as a shock as the 22-year-old Tazawa was expected to draw the spotlight as the key figure in the first round of this year's autumn amateur draft in Japanese baseball.

Major league clubs, including the Boston Red Sox, appearto be interested in Tazawa.
The right-hander throws a fastball over 150 kilometers per hour and also has a forkball and slider in his arsenal. Tazawa pitched in all five games of the national tournament, posting four wins to help lead Nippon Oil to its ninth overall crown and was named the tournament MVP.

Braves and Tigers among those interested but consensus seems to say Boston will land him.

Massarotti Might Be An Idiot

2008-09-10T04:15:00.003-04:00

I'm sure by now most of Red Sox nation has gotten a whiff of the article Tony Massarotti wrote today writing off any importance of winning the American League East and suggesting the Red Sox would be better off resting players and taking the Wild Card then going full force at Tampa Bay for the division crown.

First off, too much rest will only kill us come the playoffs, just ask Detroit.

Second, does anyone feel comfortable having to travel to Anaheim in the first round? I don't either.

As I write this the Red Sox are within three outs of a one half game deficit in the American League East and likely will be division leaders when the series ends Wednesday, exactly why should or would Boston write off the American League East at this point?

The prize of winning the East is hosting Chicago or Minnesota in a best of five series, that gives a much safer route to the American League Championship Series than a match up with the Angels on the road.

Also as I write this Jonathan Papelbon just now finished off the Rays for a 3-0 Sox victory moving Boston to just one win behind the Angels for the best record in the American League, should Boston also write off securing home field advantage when it is very achievable?

The Red Sox have the talent offensively to remain a powerful force while resting players reguarly, afterall they have been doing that most of the season.

Chris Carter can play DH while resting David Ortiz, Carter has power and went 3-3 earlier this season during a one game callup.

With J.D. Drew ready to return he can get some rest once he's back on track with Mark Kotsay in the fold along with Coco Crisp and Jacoby Ellsbury around.

When it comes to pitching you can't exactly shut a guy down for three weeks and expect him to be ready to fire up for the playoffs, these guys still need to pitch.

As of today the rotation is actually setup perfectly.

On the 13th Boston has a doubleheader, Paul Byrd and Bartolo Colon are scheduled to start. If theirs no injuries between now and the seasons end and Boston uses all six starters after this weekends doubleheader then Beckett would be slated to open a October 1st ALDS match up on seven days rest. Depending on when game two was played either Lester (Oct. 2) or Matsuzaka (Oct. 3) would pitch on regular rest, the other would pitch game three on at least regular rest.

There are enough arms available or soon to be available that Boston can get these guys out after five innings down the stretch to limit the innings they pitch.

There really is no reason to call off the dogs and Massarotti would know this if he even took a few minutes to research what he writes.

1.5 Games Back

2008-09-08T05:52:00.008-04:00

We win. 1.5 back. And 6.5 up in the wild card. Looking better every day.

Check the comments of the previous post for the answer to the mysterious creature riddle.

I will update this as soon as the Yanks game goes final, and they fall into fourth place.

Okay, it's official. Yanks lose, now in fourth. One more team to pass in their quest for last place. Let's go Orioles!

One final update: I just listened to the end of the PawSox game on radio. It went scoreless to the tenth. But Pawtucket's season was ended on a dong by Shelley Duncan. Not quite the "AL MVP" that some people predicted for Shelley. I wonder if he'll yell "seig heil" in the Scranton celebration.

9-21-08

2008-09-08T05:52:00.006-04:00

I think one of the coolest things of all time would be if the Yanks' last game at the Stadium is a loss that eliminates them from the playoffs.

September

2008-09-03T14:42:00.004-04:00

Dustin Pedroia may be the smallest cleanup hitter in the business, but he's great. 3 for 5 today against the Baltimore Orioles, including a homer. And he's about my height, too, which makes that excuse of mine for not being a major-leaguer moot... although he does have about 40 pounds on me. Who would have thought, post-Manny, that the best protection for the 3-spot only came up to Ortiz's nipples or thereabouts?

And the Twins and White Sox lost. Which is good for the Red Sox. And the Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays. Which is... I don't know. I suppose I want the Rays to be catchable for the Division title i.e. I want the Rays to lose. But at the same time I can't root for the Yankees too much, and a sweep by them would give me the heebie-jeebies, warranted or not. So I'm rooting for a split.

The Decline and Fall of Jay Mariotti

2008-09-03T14:42:00.003-04:00

Mariotti's always been a blowhard on Around the Horn (which I still find compulsive watching, if only to meet my American sports news jones), but I just thought it was funny how even Roger Ebert slammed him after he quit the newspaper business.

Game #13...Boston Red Sox 7 New York Yankees 3...KOTSAY TO BOSTON (?)

2008-08-27T18:08:00.004-04:00

Tuesday was an all-around great day for the Boston Red Sox. In their last ever series at Yankee Stadium (barring a miracle), they defeated the New York Yankees by a score of 7-3, Toronto beat up on the first place Rays and the club found out that Josh Beckett will be able to return to the rotation on Friday evening. The Sox crept to within 3 1/2 games of those Rays and have a full three game wild card lead over the Twins and a 6 game lead over the pinstripers. That's a lot of reasons to be happy, but there's one more--a big one. Boston just might be playing their best baseball of the year at the most important time of this long season. That's just terrific! And keep reading to learn about the latest possible Red Sox acquisition, ANOTHER piece of great news.

Tim Wakefield returned to the mound after an injury "time out" and was able to go five full innings, throwing 80 pitches while giving up just 3 runs on 8 hits. He walked one and struck out one and said this after his outing...

"I got a couple game balls from tonight," Wakefield said. "Lou Cucuzza, the clubhouse guy, got me some dirt from the mound. It's pretty special. Playing in this league the last 14, 15 years, and pitching here for such a long period of time, it's such a cathedral of sports. To walk the hallowed grounds that such great players before us have played their game and walked and ran and hit, it's pretty special."

It was a quality start for Wakes, and he would have gone an inning longer if last night wasn't his first start back. After Wakes, the recently effective bullpen took over and posted zeros galore. Javy Lopez, Manny Delcarmen, Justin Masterson, who made the biggest pitch of the game against AROD (he induced the chump to hit into a double play, erasing a possible rally), Hideki Okajima and Jonathon Papelbon all combined for perfection, cementing Wakefield's 8th victory. Jonathon Papelbon earned his 34th save in 38 chances. Oh, what a relief it is...and I ain't talking about Rolaids.

Boston managed just 7 hits, but it was their speed and aggressiveness on the basepaths that left the Yankees eating their dust. New York looked like they were just "going through the motions", lethargic and seemingly out of it. And if they keep playing in such a manner, they WILL be out out of everything. Hear that, Hankie?? And that's just fine with me. New York MUST win these next two games with their east coast rivals just to be able to say they are in it. And they won't. Today at 7:05pm EDT, it'll be Paul Byrd versus that punk (he is!) Sydney Ponson. We usually hit the sh*t out of him and I hope it continues. Nothing would please me more than winning the first two games of this series. The Sox have found road success this past month, and if that continues, the playoffs are a sure bet. Add to that concoction a liberal Friday dose of Josh Beckett, sprinkled slowly over 7 innings, and you have the recipe for success, success the Boston way, my favorite kind.

One more bit of great Sox news. They possibly acquired the services of outfielder Mark Kotsay, who will be with the club in time for tonight's game. He was batting a healthy .289 with 37 RBIs and 6 home runs and will fill the emptiness that is JD Drew, who was put on the DL with his possible herniated disc. JD saw a spine specialist in New York on Tuesday, and we hope surgery will not be needed. So the outfield is restocked, Boston is playing great, and right now, all is good!

Damon Drops Ball...Winning Run Scores

2008-08-20T16:07:00.011-04:00

Damon Drops Ball...Winning Run Scores

The Yankees lost another one last night when Johnny Damon dropped a fly ball on what would have been the third out of the inning, allowing the winning run to score.
"Nine hundred and ninety-nine times out of a 1,000 he catches the ball," Girardi said of Damon, who made his 10th start in center. "For whatever reason, it didn't happen. Those are balls Johnny is used to catching. It was a strange event."
"I just missed it, plain and simple," said Damon. "I know that stuff happens sometimes, but catching routine fly balls should not be that much of a problem. I'm baffled. I'll take this on me."
A-Rod was also thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double in the 9th.
The Yankees are now 11 games behind the Rays and 6.5 behind the Red Sox.

Red Sox Roll Over Orioles

2008-08-20T16:07:00.010-04:00

Red Sox Roll Over Orioles

The Red Sox took an early lead and steadily built upon it in their defeat of the Baltimore Orioles tonight. The Red Sox offense looked very good tonight with 15 hits. Jacoby jump-started things with a single in the first, he then stole second ,advanced to third on a throwing error, and scored on a sac fly. Many Sox fans are probobly asking who is that power hitting catcher and what has he done with Jason Varitek? The captian went yard for the second consecutive game. Youk continued his MVP quest going 3-5 on the night with 3 RBI's. Dice-K pitched one of his typical games; high pitch count, some jams with masterful escapes, an early exit, and another W. The bullpen was good tonight, going 4 scoreless innings and allowing just 3 hits. With the bad news from Beckett this was a good win for the Red Sox.

Sox Win 7-2

This Day in Red Sox History

2008-08-20T16:07:00.009-04:00

August 20

1901: At Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds Denton True "Cy" Young pitches a 6-0 shutout over the Milwaukee Brewers.

1903: "Buck" Freeman is the first player to hit a ball over the right filed score board in Chicago South Side Park. Alas Boston loses the Game 9-5.

1960: Ted Williams picks up his 2000th career walk, as the Red Sox split a doubleheader with Baltimore. In doing so Williams joins "The Bambino" as the only batters to have 2,000 walks. "Teddy Ballgame" also bashes his 514 and 515^th home runs.

1967: In the first game of a double header, switching OF Reggie Smith hits a home run from both sides of the dish. The first is a three run shot, while the second is for two runs. This not only marks the first time this feat has ever been done by a Red Sox it is also the first time it has happened at Fenway Park. He joins Mickey Mantle, Pete Rose, and a host of others to pull this off. Smith however is not the only person to hit two dingers today, Carl Yastrzemski also nets 2 homers, one in each game. The Sox take the night cap 9-8. The Sox need to come from behind in this one. The Angles surge to an 8-0 lead, but Smith and hits his third home run of the day, to complete a four game sweep of the California Angels, avenging a four game sweep earlier in season in Anaheim.

1997: Boston take two from the A's in Oakland. Nomar Garciaparra hits in both games to set a Major League record for a rookie by safely hitting in 22 games in a row.

STATEMENT FROM THE FAMILY OF CARL YASTRZEMSKI

2008-08-20T16:07:00.008-04:00

Carl Yastrzemski arrived at Massachusetts General Hospital on Monday after experiencing chest discomfort. After numerous tests and evaluations, it was determined that he needed triple bypass surgery which was performed this afternoon. The surgery was a complete success and he is resting comfortably. We are most grateful for all of the prayers and support we have received.

Red Sox Sign Jason Lane

2008-08-20T16:07:00.007-04:00

The Boston Red Sox have signed Jason Lane to a minor league deal. Lane was born here in Sonoma County, California and went to El Molino High School right down the street. He was released by the the Yankees farm system and quickly picked up by the Sox. He will now start for the PawSox and could see some playing time in Boston when rosters expand.

Tonight's Red Sox Lineup 8/19 at Baltimore

2008-08-19T21:57:00.007-04:00

Tonight's Red Sox Lineup 8/19 at Baltimore

Jacoby Ellsbury, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Kevin Youkilis, 3B
Jason Bay, LF
6. Sean Casey, 1B
Jason Varitek, C
Alex Cora, SS
Coco Crisp, CF

Daisuke Matsuzaka, SP

Beckett Hurt, Next Start Moved Back

2008-08-19T21:57:00.006-04:00

Josh Beckett's next start has been moved back because of numbness in his fingers and throwing arm. Here is what he told the ProJo moments ago:

"I have some numbness in fingers that I'm not used to having," he said. "As far as pain goes, there's not very much pain with it. We just have to figure out what it is because you don't want it to get so bad where it ends up being a really bad problem...."It's something I've been dealing with," Beckett said moments ago. "At some point and time we just have to figure out what the hell it is. Obviously, it's not what I want, but at this juncture (being pushed back) is something that needs to happen because there's something going on."

This is not the news the team needs right now but it does help explain his last outing.

The Eighth Inning

2008-08-19T21:57:00.005-04:00

Lester cruises through seven, if the Red Sox can just get to Paps the game will be over. This scenario from last night's game has shown a key difference from last year's team. Last season if the starter could go seven innings and the Sox had the lead the game was an almost guaranteed victory; Oki would dazzle in the eighth and Papelbon would close the door in the ninth. Yesterday Delcarmen got the call in the eighth because Okajima was just plain awful on Sunday. Manny gave the Orioles base runners they needed to get back in the game and Papelbon had to come in at an irregular time for him and gave up a big double. Who is the go to guy in the eighth? It is getting to be late August and we still don't know. Okajima is not the same pitcher he was last year, Delcarmen, and Lopez are inconsistent and Timlin is showing his age. Tito usually has Aardsma go into the game in the early innings along with Masterson. Could Buchholz become an eighth inning guy? It seems unlikely because he has had problems with dealing with pressure this season. If the Red Sox want to repeat as World Champions they need a pitcher to step into the role of setup man and pitch well down the stretch. The Red Sox did not make the deal at the break for a reliever so they have faith that one of these guys can get it done. My question is which guy?

Yaz in Hospital

2008-08-19T21:57:00.004-04:00

Carl Yastrzemski was admitted to Mass General hospital this morning after experiencing discomfort an chest pains. He will turn 69 on Friday.

UPDATE: Yaz is undergoing bypass surgery to clear a blocked artery.

With Wakefield out, it's time to give the kids a shot

2008-08-19T18:20:00.001-04:00

Is it getting Dusty in here?

No, I'm not talking about pitchers.

Since 2003, the Red Sox have felt the need to assign their backup catcher to near-exclusive duty as Tim Wakefield's personal knuckleball valet. With the exception of Doug Mirabelli's crazy-good 2004, that has meant that the Red Sox (like most teams, to be totally fair) have found themselves carrying an offensively-deficient glove man.

Currently, that man is Kevin Cash, he of the career line of .179/.237/.279. But with Wakefield currently on the disabled list and Charlie Zink not looking like he'll make another start any time soon, Cash's main purpose on the roster - specifically the ability to successfully catch a knuckleball - is rendered moot. While the Sox likely would not want to lose Cash's services should Wake recover in time for a playoff start - assuming there are playoffs in the Sox' future, they could perhaps find some space on the roster (Cash could go down with a phantom injury perhaps?) to call up either George Kottaras or Dusty Brown from Pawtucket to give them an extended audition and see what they can produce at the Major League level.

One of the more interesting situations with the Red Sox these days is the future of the catching situation - Jason Varitek has not had a good year (on or off the field) and, at his age, the next few years don't look too bright either. Around the league, he's revered for his ability to handle a pitching staff, and so because of that, it's probably for the best if the Red Sox try to find a way to keep Varitek - an impending free agent - around next season. But surely not at the rate of his current contract, and, ideally, he wouldn't be starting four out of five games in 2009. An ideal situation would involve Varitek handling a reduced workload while also mentoring a young backstop - grooming his own replacement, essentially. Many assume that replacement would come from outside the organization, someone like Texas's Jarrod Saltalamacchia or the St. Louis' Bryan Anderson. But with Brown and Kottaras both hitting acceptably well in Pawtucket, why not see what they can provide first?

Lester and Bay Deliver

2008-08-19T03:37:00.008-04:00

Lester and Bay Deliver

The Red Sox needed a good win today after the disaster yesterday and they got one thanks to Jon Lester and Jason Bay. Lester looked like the ace of the staff again going 7 innings and allowing just 4 hits and one run that came off of a home run by Aubry Huff. Jason Bay hat his first multi home run game with the Red Sox hitting taters in the second and the eighth, he had 3 hits on the night and drove in 4. Tek also had a home run in the game, his 9th in the season. The game tightened up in the eighth when Delcarmen walked back to back batters before getting the hook from Tito. Papelbon came in for a 4-out save but gave up a double to let the O's back in the game. The Red Sox added 2 more in the top of the ninth thanks to some bad fielding by Baltimore and Papelbon shut them down in the bottom of the inning for his 33rd save.

Sox Win 6-3

Red Sox Injury Update

2008-08-19T03:37:00.007-04:00

Red Sox Injury Update

J.D. Drew: He is sitting tonight with the back issue but it is only precautionary, at the most he will miss the remainder of the series but I would suspect he will be back in the lineup tomorrow.

Julio Lugo: He has begun sprinting in the outfield and will start hitting in the cage today.

Mike Lowell: He has gone to his home in Miami to begin two workouts a day with his personal trainer because Fenway will not be available this weekend due to the Neil Diamond concert. He is still about 2 weeks away from returning.

Tim Wakefield: He has been playing catch without problems. The Red Sox are being cautious not to rush his return and have the same problem they had with him last season. If Buchholz struggles again on Wednesday they may have to rethink that plan. Wake could come back as early as next week.

Bartolo Colon: El Gordo has been on the slow road to recovery, he was supposed to throw extended innings this weekend but he had a stomach issue and had to come out of the game early. It must have been something he ate. (insert your own joke here) He will continue to bring up his pitch count with the PawSox and is still several weeks away.

Clay Needs A Reality Check

2008-08-19T03:37:00.006-04:00

Clay Buchholz was happy with yesterday's outing, "It was definitely a confidence booster, my arm felt good, and it feels like I'm moving forward now instead of staying back where I was and, hopefully, there's good things to come." In his last 8 starts, Buchholz is 0-6 with an 8.61. Yesterday he gave up a walk, a hit, and a run in one inning of work. That would give Clay an ERA of 9.00 on the day and a WHIP of 2, neither of which is good. Clay has "turned the corner" so much he is spinning in circles. I am glad he will enter his start in Baltimore with confidence, but why do I feel like I have seen this movie before? It does not end well. Now is time for Clay to prove me wrong and throw a great game, we do not need any more hype for this kid, what we need is a win.

Tonight's Red Sox Lineup 8/18 in Baltimore

2008-08-19T03:37:00.005-04:00

Tonight's Red Sox Lineup 8/18 in Baltimore

Jacoby Ellsbury, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Kevin Youkilis, 3B
Jason Bay, LF
Jed Lowrie, SS
Sean Casey, 1B
Jason Varitek, C
Coco Crisp, CF Jon Lester, SP

This Day in Red Sox History

2008-08-18T09:37:00.004-04:00

This Day in Red Sox History

August 18

1907: Rube Kroh beats the St. Louis Browns 2-1 in a complete game. This will be Kroh's only win of the season.

1967: While facing right handed pitcher Jack Hamilton of the Angels in the bottom of the fourth at Fenway, OF Tony Conigliaro is hit the face by a fastball (according to most Red Sox players it was a spit ball). The ball hits him on his cheekbone, just below his left eye socket. Conigliaro suffers a fractured cheekbone, a dislocated jaw, and a damaged retina, and doctors say that had the ball hit an inch or two away it would have killed him. The 22 year old will miss the rest of the season as well as all of 1968. However by special permission of Commissioner William Eckert, Tony C. was able to be in uniform for the last game of the season, and was on the bench when the Sox won their first pennant in 21 yeas. At the time he was hitting .267 with 20 home runs and 67 RBIs in only 95 games. Due to his injury he has problems with his eyesight for the rest of his life, and never is able to live up to his Hall of Fame potential that was on display during his first three years.

1993: Righty Danny Darwin pitches a 5-0 shut out over the White Sox.

2006: In the second half of a day/ night double header the Yankees and the Red Sox play in the longest nine inning game in Major League History. The game lasts 4 hours and 45 minutes. The teams have a total of 34 hits. The Sox go on to lose the game 14-11.

Jays Take Red Sox Behind the Woodshed

2008-08-18T09:37:00.003-04:00

Josh Beckett started to dig a massive hole for the Red Sox by giving up 8 runs in 2 1/3 innings and then he handed the shovel to the bullpen. One by one the Sox relievers dug some more until the team had given up 22 hits and 15 runs. Josh Beckett did not have much today but niether did Aardsma, Timlin, Buchholz, Masterson, nor Okajima. Every Boston pitcher not named Papelbon that entered the game added to the misery. On the offensive front, the Sox were not terrible; they did score 4 runs on 10 hits but in reality the game was over in the first inning. To add to the bad news, J.D. Drew left the game early with back stiffness. Usually when his back flares up Drew misses 2-3 games.

An Early Look At The Offseason

2008-08-17T07:50:00.002-04:00

There will be at least a few issues the Boston Red Sox need to address this off season and catching will be very close to the top.

Jason Varitek is having a very poor offensive season in 2008 which comes at a bad time for him, but a good time for Boston being that he's a free agent after the season.

There will be a price at which Boston will keep Varitek, whether Varitek will agree to return at that price is unknown.

In either case Boston will be having serious discussion for a top catching prospect this winter and Jarrod Saltalamacchia will likely be at the top of the list.

Boston can expect to pay a hefty price for Saltalamacchia if they do land him, probably costing them Justin Masterson as the top player in a package. Boston will probably check in on Salty get a general idea of what will be needed top obtain him and then compare that to others potentially available.

Who will be in Boston in 2009?
For pitchers we're looking at Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Clay Buchholz, Justin Masterson, Jonathan Papelbon, Manny Delcarmen, Hideki Okajima.

Boston also holds options on Tim Wakefield ($4M) and Paul Byrd ($7.5M). Some may look above and think Okajima isn't likely to return, but his club option will become guaranteed with two more appearances at $1.75M.

The outfield is pretty much set unless Boston deals Coco Crisp this winter. Jason Bay, JD Drew and Jacoby Ellsbury round out the group.

On the infield decisions need to be made. Boston at this point can't justify starting Julio Lugo over Jed Lowrie that likely means Alex Cora will be done in Boston as Lugo and his un-tradeable contract will become a super utility player.

Mike Lowell, Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia are all set to return.

We discussed catching above. I don't see any scenario where Varitek isn't back in 2009, his game calling is too valuable for Boston to let it walk. That said, if they can land a top catching prospect who has time at 1B too, Boston could consider carrying three catchers in 2009 giving Varitek more time off and still having Kevin Cash to catch Wakefield.

Under this scenario Varitek would likely catch for Lester and Buchholz while the new entry in town would catch for Matsuzaka and Beckett.

The reason for needing a catcher who can play first is that by carrying three catchers your taking about the roster spot that would go to a backup first baseman.

Red Sox Acquire Paul Byrd from Cleveland

2008-08-14T08:25:00.014-04:00

RED SOX ACQUIRE RIGHTHANDED PITCHER PAUL BYRD FROM CLEVELAND INDIANS FOR A PLAYER TO BE NAMED LATER OR CASH CONSIDERATIONS

The announcement was made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Theo Epstein.

Byrd, 37, has been added to Boston's 40-man roster. The Red Sox will make a corresponding move on the active roster once Byrd reports to the club.

Byrd is 7-10 with a 4.53 earned run average in 22 starts with the Indians in 2008. The righthander ranks second on the Indians staff in wins, starts, and innings (131.0) and has issued just 1.6 walks per nine innings, the eighth best ratio in the American League.

He has won all four of his starts since the All-Star break with a 1.24 ERA (4 ER/29.0 IP) to lower his season ERA from 5.47 to 4.53. Byrd is tied for the major league lead in wins since the break and has the second lowest ERA among pitchers with at least 20.0 innings behind Arizona's Randy Johnson (0.66). He has worked at least 7.0 innings in each of his last three starts, allowing six hits in going the route to win at Toronto, 4-2 in his last appearance on August 9. Byrd has not allowed a home run in his last five starts with a 1.80 ERA (7 ER/25.0 IP) in that span.

Byrd has a career major league record of 104-91 in 330 games/242 starts with the New York Mets (1995-96), Atlanta (1997-98; 2004), Philadelphia (1998-2001), Kansas City (2001-02), Los Angeles Angels (2005), and Cleveland (2006-08). He has won 10 or more games five times, including four of the previous five seasons (2002-07). Byrd has issued just 2.12 walks per nine innings in his career, the sixth lowest figure among active major league pitchers with at least 1,500 innings. He was a member of the 1999 N.L. All-Star Team with the Phillies.

Byrd established career bests for wins (17), starts (33), innings (228.1), and strikeouts (129) with Kansas City in 2002. Last season, he was 15-8 with a 4.59 ERA in 31 starts for the A.L. Central Division champion Indians and led the A.L. with a ratio of 1.31 walks per nine innings. Byrd was 2-0, 3.60 in his two post-season starts, including a 7-3 victory over the Red Sox in Game 4 of the ALCS on October 16 in Cleveland. He also won the fourth and deciding game of the ALDS on October 8 at New York.

PAUL BYRD—2008 AND MAJOR LEAGUE CAREER

W-L ERA G GS CG SHO SV IP H R ER BB SO

2008—CLE 7-10 4.53 22 22 1 0 0 131.1 146 70 66 24 56

ML Career 104-91 4.37 330 242 17 6 0 1614.0 1752 881 783 235 886

I’ll be frank

2008-08-14T08:25:00.012-04:00

"You messed up, dood."

The hotdogs were cheaper.

It seemed so logical at the time.

By the time Sox Blogette met me at the Lower Depths last night, Charlie Zink had already retired the side in the top of the first. I had half a beer left. Rather than book it on over to Yawkey Way and pay four bucks for a Fenway Frank, we figured we'd just stay put, order another quick round, watch the bottom of the inning on TV, and avail ourselves of the Depths' dollar hotdog deal.

In retrospect, that was a mistake.

A walk, a single, a home run. 3-0.

A single, an error, a steal, a double. 5-0.

A walk, a single. 6-0.

A single. 7-0.

Another homer. 10-0.

"Man, I'd hate to have tickets and be late to this game," said the guy next to me.

I couldn't help but agree with him.

So we head to the park, anticipating more fireworks. Instead, then it all started falling apart.

We got a couple runs in the bottom of the third, and they got eight in the fifth. We got a couple more in the bottom of the inning, and they got five more in the top of the next one.

If the first inning was exhilarating, by the seventh, the game was getting excruciating.

The bullpens couldn't get anyone out. The at-bats were long. Things were dragging.

(One of the few bright spots was the discovery that Jed Lowrie uses the Undertones classic "Teenage Kicks" as his at-bat music. Derry punk power pop forever! John Peel, RIP!)

It was past 10:30 now. Sox Blogette had to get up early the next day. And, truth be told, despite getting a run in the seventh, I was not especially confident that we could pull this one out. So we did something I've never done before in my long baseball watching career: we left early.

My reward? By the time we got home and scrolled back the TiVo a bit, Don Orsillo was losing his shit: "You kidding me?!?!"

Nope.

And yes. Yes, Pedroia had notched his fifth hit of the night, an RBI double. Yes, Youk, who'd struck out twice in the first inning, had blasted his second homer of the night, a three-run shot. Yes, the Sox were back on top. And yes, with a little difficulty, Papelbon finally closed it out.

Yes, I had tickets to the wildest win of the year and missed pretty much all the good stuff.

Oh well. On TV or in person, it sure was one for the books.

The Sox gave up 17 runs and still won. They scored 19 runs and still got out-hit. You don't see games like that come around very often. More, from the official post-game notes:

* Boston and Texas combined to score 36 runs, tying the single-game A.L. record set on June 29, 1950 when the Red Sox beat the Athletics, 22-14

* The Sox set a season high with 19 runs, the club's most since scoring 25 on June 27, 2003 vs. Florida. (And Boston's 10 runs in the 1st inning tonight are the club's most in a single frame since scoring 14 in the 1st inning of that game.)

* Boston blew a 10-0 1st-inning advantage, matching the largest lead lost in club history, done June 4, 1989 vs. Toronto

* It was the Red Sox' 30th inning of 10 or more runs, a major league record.

* David Ortiz became the 4th player in Red Sox history with 2 home runs in an inning …he's the first Sox player to accomplish that since Nomar in 2002.

* Ortiz's is the 3rd Sox player with 6 RBI in a single frame, the 1st since Carlos Quintana in the 3rd on July 30, 1991.

* Ortiz now has 224 home runs in his Red Sox career, passing Jimmie Foxx (222) and Bobby Doerr (223) for sole possession of 7th place on the club's all-time list.

* David Aardsma and Charlie Zink became the 1st pair of A-to-Z Red Sox teammates to appear in the same game since Harry Agganis and Norm Zauchin on June 2, 1955 at Chicago.

Sox 19, Rangers 17

2008-08-14T08:25:00.011-04:00

19-17. From 10-0 up to actually being down 15-14, then 16-14. Baseball is a crazy, crazy game.

Oh, and I'm glad to have Paul Byrd. Buchholz needs some time to find his mechanics.

Lowell To DL

2008-08-14T08:25:00.010-04:00

Mike Lowell has been placed on the DL and the Red Sox recalled David Pauley to take his roster spot.

Pauley's stay could be a short one as he likely only was called up because of the work put in last night by the bullpen.

If his stay is indeed short Boston would likely callup a corner infielder tomorrow or Friday.

The choices will be limited if thats what they want to do. Chris Carter is probably the best hitter among the possibilities, but he hasn't played 1B this season as he split his time between DH and LF.

Ortiz, Pedroia, Youkilis Lead Sox To Victory

2008-08-14T08:25:00.009-04:00

An offensive explosion at Fenway Park tonight was led by David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis.

The three combined to go 10-15 with 4 homeruns, 13 RBI and 11 runs scored.

Ortiz hit two three-run homers in the first inning leading Boston to a 10 run frame.

However the big lead wouldn't last as Texas hammered back disposing of Charlie Zink before the fifth inning was over and lead 16-14 going to the bottom of the seventh.

Pedroia would score on an error in the seventh to make it 16-15.

Then in the 8th inning Jacoby Ellsbury pinch hit for Kevin Cash and walked and eventually scored on Pedroia's double, his fifth hit of the game.

Texas then walked Ortiz and Youkilis followed with a 3-run shot, his second homer of the night to send Boston to a 19-16 lead.

Jonathan Papelbon came on for the ninth and while giving up an unearned run held on for the save and a 19-17 victory.

Zink Gets The Call

2008-08-12T08:55:00.002-04:00

For once the most deserving player gets the call.

Tuesday evening at Fenway Park, Charlie Zink will make his major league debut after spending several seasons in the minors.

Zink's path the Boston included a switch to make him a knuckleball pitcher after the Red Sox told him that was probably his best chance to someday get to the majors.

Most people since Wakefield's DL stint was announced agreed that Zink most deserved the start on Tuesday, yet many also agreed it was unlikely because Zink had just pitched Friday for Pawtucket and would end up going on just three days rest.

Wakefield To Disabled List

2008-08-11T03:40:00.003-04:00

Tim Wakefield will be placed on the disabled list and Boston is now in need of a starter for Tuesday's game at Fenway.

A quick rundown of Pawtucket's roster and last games pitched shows that Boston has three options for Tuesday.

Justin Masterson could make the start out of the bullpen, Michael Bowden could be called up for his major league debut or Devern Hansack could be recalled for the start.

Bowden last pitched on August 5 and would start the game on six days rest if the call was made to him. Hansack would make the start on regular rest as he last pitched on Thursday.

Charlie Zink pitched Friday and would have to start on three days rest. David Pauley pitched Saturday and Bartolo Colon on a rehab assignment pitches today.

The choice could be known early in Pawtucket's game. In his last start after struggling, Bowden was brought in with two outs in the first, if Colon struggles again today early and the call is made to someone other than Bowden it could be a sign he is being held back for Tuesday.

The Red Sox of late have chosen to make the move to the young pitchers when a need occured and with the timeframe working in favor of that again and with the game being at Fenway expect Bowden to be making his major league debut Tuesday Red Sox against the Texas Rangers. The game against the Texas Rangers is set for Tuesday night.

Royals get whacked in 8-2 loss to Red Sox

2008-08-06T07:57:00.003-04:00

It’s been a couple of weeks since the Royals turned in an absolute clunker. But, boy, this qualifies. Tuesday’s 8-2 loss to the Boston Red Sox was like a bad dining experience that got worse with every course.

Boston starter Josh Beckett had lost his last three starts, so the law of averages suggested he was due to dial up the sort of performance he often displays in the postseason.

Close enough.

Beckett, 10-8, limited the Royals to two runs and four hits while striking out seven in 6 2/3 dominant innings. That delighted the heavy Red Sox contingent in the crowd of 22,069.

“He looked great,” Royals designated hitter José Guillen said. “His ball was moving in and out. His breaking ball was unbelievable. He looked like the playoff Beckett.”

Boston backed Beckett with a 13-hit attack that made things easy. Every starter except Mike Lowell had at least one hit, and Lowell still managed to score twice. Mike Timlin and Chris Smith closed out the victory by combining for 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief.

The loss was just the second for the Royals in nine games.

Royals starter Brian Bannister, 7-10, avoided the big inning but labored through 86 pitches before departing with no outs in the fifth. He gave up three runs and six hits and remains winless in seven starts since June 23.

“Beckett had his swing-and-miss stuff tonight,” Bannister said. “I was just trying to keep it close and give us a chance going into the later innings.”

The Red Sox put the game away by playing whack-a-mole with Leo Nuñez in the sixth and seventh. Nuñez gave up five runs and six hits in 1 1/3 innings. Two runs were unearned, but all were deserved.

It made for a long night for bench coach Dave Owen, who ran the Royals while manager Trey Hillman served a one-game suspension imposed earlier in the day for his role in Sunday’s on-field brawl with the Chicago White Sox.

“What about the guy getting suspended on the night that we’ve got to face Beckett?” Owen joked. “Nice going. He picks his spot, doesn’t he?”

Catcher Miguel Olivo and pitcher Zack Greinke received five-game bans along with fines of $2,000 and $1,500. Both plan to appeal, which puts a hold on the punishments until the process plays out.

This one would have been a good one to miss, though.

The Red Sox scored single runs in the first, fourth and fifth innings in building a 3-1 lead against Bannister. Any thoughts of a comeback evaporated when Nuñez took his beating.

Jason Bay paced Boston’s balanced attack with four hits, including two run-scoring doubles. Jacoby Ellsbury and Kevin Youkilis each had two hits. Six different players scored runs; five had RBIs.

“Our offense kept at it,” Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. “It was consistent. Early on, we didn’t have a ton to show for it, but we took some really good swings.

“We hit some balls at people, but we stayed at it and ended up having a really good night all round.”

Bay’s second double came in the three-run seventh and is sure to be a replay highlight. It was nearly an out, then nearly a homer.

Center fielder Mitch Maier reached the deep drive to left-center field, but the ball popped out of his glove as he hit the wall and rolled along the top of the new scoreboard just inches from being a homer.

Left fielder Ross Gload leaped up, knocked the ball back into play and held Bay to a double.

“He did a great job of keeping it in,” Maier said. “If he had not jumped up and grabbed it, if it rolls off the other side, it’s a three-run home run.”

Buy cheap Boston Red Sox Tickets for all games at Fenway Park in Boston, MA.

Bay at home in Boston

2008-08-05T10:39:00.003-04:00

Jason Bay is off to a solid start in the "Bay State." The Trail native went 4-for-11 with one home run and three RBI, while scoring six runs during the Boston Red Sox three-game sweep of the Oakland Athletics over the weekend.

Bay has some pretty big shoes to fill in left field, where former fan favorite and future Hall of Famer Manny Ramirez roamed for the past eight seasons.

But the 29-year-old Bay has fit in nicely with the Red Sox (64-48), who are currently leading the American League wild card race by two games over the Chicago White Sox (61-49).

"The first day was kind of a mulligan as far as everything that happened. Getting out there and the last two days have been a lot more routine," Bay said after Boston's 5-2 win on Sunday.

"It's a testament to these guys because I feel like I've been here three weeks, not three days. It's been an easy transition." There was some talk that Bay, who has averaged 28 home runs and 94 RBI over the past four seasons, would succumb to the pressure of playing with a big-market club that is in the middle of a pennant chase.

During his tenure with the Pirates, Bay was never a part of a team that won more than 70 games. Now he is playing with the defending World Series champions.

But the Canadian showed no effects of playing in front of a sellout crowd -- although he will have to eventually prove himself in a more clutch situation in bigger games.

"One of the things we talked about [on Friday] was not looking back or forward and just attacking what's at hand," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said Sunday. "We did that very well." Bay received a standing ovation before his first plate appearance on Friday, and the cheers continued throughout the weekend as the left fielder made an immediate impact.

Batting fifth or sixth during the first three games, Bay homered in his first at-bat Saturday, which amused his teammates, who are used to their left fielder standing in admiration at his work.

"Some guys had a couple of laughs, because I was running down the line pretty hard and that ball went out by a pretty good margin," Bay said. "I'm not used to the park yet, but hopefully it will come to me." While Bay may not be able to match the production of Ramirez, the hustle and enthusiasm he's brought out from his teammates in the past three days is just what the Red Sox were looking for.