As you may or may not recall we'll be picking up in the 5th inning of game 1 of a 3-game set with the Ms...Bartolo was out dueling King Felix thus far and Felix held down his end of the bargain in the top of the 6th...the bottom came and Colon couldn't hang on to the shutout...the damage started with a single by Ichiro (no shame in that) but then the big pitcher made his only real mistake of the night hitting Lopez with a pitch, and putting runners on 1st and 2nd with nobody out...a sacrifice followed and then with the potential go-ahead run in scoring position, Dusty Pedroia helped out his pitcher with a fantastic diving stop on a hard shot up the middle...Ichiro scored to tie it but the out made 2 and Bartolo got Beltre to ground out, ending the threat...a couple of more 0s on both sides and Bartolo left after the 7th having pitched a very string game...7 full, 4K and only 1BB having thrown a total of 84 pitches on the night...nice work...the Ms brought Felix back out for the 8th (his pitch count was under 100 also, not a bad call) and he looked to be in charge...after giving up a leadoff single to Casey, Lugo forced him out and Jacoby grounded out, though it was just softly enough to move Lugo over...if you've been paying attention you know how much 2-out damage the Sox have been doing this year, and some more was one the way, we just didn't know it yet...Dusty came up and crushed a first-pitch fastball over Ibanez who was playing way too shallowly in left...has he not seen Pedroia swing? Not exactly a soft swing he's got there...can't be fooled by the little package, you have to play him straight up...anyway, bad scouting or bad luck, whatever it was it turned into a ground-rule double and Lugo trotted home with the lead...with 1st open Big Papi got the free pass and it would be righty power against righty power with Manny vying to continue the inning...Manny ended the suspense quickly lacing a first-pitch heater (think the Sox had the scouting report right this inning) into right field (uh-oh, Manny's hitting to the opposite field...could be time to heat up) and bringing home Pedroia with an insurance run...the hit parade would continue with Lowell and Drew singles, and all in all the Sox would bat around (10 men actually) and put up a 4-spot...now, normally this would be more than enough with Oki and Pap coming up...Oki didn't look super sharp in the 8th but got out without allowing any pain, it was Pap again that really struggled...he just doesn't seem in rhythm yet this year even though his numbers are solid, you can tell he's just a little less consistent so far this year...the Ms offense hasn't been beating anyone up, so you'd think this would have been an easy one, but instead they threw up 2 before Pap could get out of the inning...granted Pap himself contributed on a non-pitch by botching an easy out with a throwing error, but still, he had it where he needed it with 2 on but 2 out...Ichiro got a hit, again, not the worst thing in the world but obviously you want your closer to nail the door shut right there...then a wild pitch to make it 5-3...just un Pap-like...got a ground out to end it...I'm sure Pap will be ok, but it'll be nice when these struggles are behind him...so, game 1 in the books, 5-3 Sox...nice way to get off the snide on the West Coast, with another strong outing from Bartolo and some late offense...
Game 2's significance is minor in the standings today compared to what it could mean for the Sox pitching staff...the story of this game happened in the 4th inning, when Dice K left the mound with something...I say "something" because we still don't know what "it" is...there was some speculation that "it" happened when Dice made a play off of the mound, or when he landed awkwardly after a pitch, but whatever "it" is "it" can't be good...today looked like it might be a back or a hip thing, but word today is that he might have the ever vague shoulder stiffness...needless to say that with the year Dice has had so far we'll be paying close attention to "it." He wasn't sharp from the beginning last night and gave up 3 early runs, putting the O in a hole against Miguel Batista, who for some reason looked like a world-beater through 5...in the 6th he did make a mistake though, the 499th mistake that Manny Ramirez has punished...I don't need to do the math for you, we're on the verge of a historic HR for one of the best righties of this generation...I think there'll be some Bonds-esque Manny watching for, well, hopefully not too long...not only that the blast tied the game at 3...but the Sox could muster no more offense and we brought in Timlin to try to extend the game into extras, and he just can't seem to get it done this year...we still have more time to work this out but it might be time to start being more careful with the close games until we do...as a reliever you have to get the 1st guy...it's the hardest out because it's the "hope" out for most teams...if they get on they have hope, if you get that out every strike starts to make them doubt...some clubs get into a zone where they never doubt and hope is there until the last pitch, but it takes a special team to get there...and even with those teams the relievers job is the same...get the 1st out!!! As you may have guessed, Timlin did NOT get the 1st out last night...base hit for Wladimir Balentien (go ahead, say it...who???)...the mandatory sacrifice followed and then a groundout, so the winning run was 90 feet away but with 2 down, so Timlin had a shot to get out of it...worse yet, he got ahead in the count 1-2 but left a fastball over too much of the plate and Jose Lopez delivered the win for Seattle...so, the big news is really that Manny got 499 and the bigger news is that we need to join hands and pray that Dice stays healthier than not...rubber match tonight...
GO SAWX!
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Monday, May 26, 2008
Sweep And Be Swept
So we pick up with our boys after sweeping the Brew Crew (yeah, yeah...I know, that's like a week ago...I'm catching up, ok?)...momentum your name is Interleague Play, and with the not-so-terrible KC Royals coming to town we'll actually take it however we can get it...since there is no suspense at this late date about game 1 of this series, I'll just get on with it and I'll save the "ado" for the game itself...
Game 1 featured Jon Lester against some KC pitcher, and well, who cares exactly who he was, because all we'll remember is that Jonny Lester tossed a no-no at the Fens on Monday, 5/19/2008. Does this kid have a flare for the dramatic, or what? I'm not sure what kind of long-term pitcher he'll be...he still has all the upside in the world, but is also wildly inconsistent from start to start, but one thing I will see, I won't be scared if he ends up on the mound in a big game (caveat - at least as long as Tek is catching...that was his record-setting 4th no-no caught...this blog is Lester's but Tek has a biggie coming someday) . Not when he's capable of winning game 4 of a WS sweep and when he has the stuff and concentration to no-hit a decent-hitting club in the middle of May. This Lester is the Lester we've been anticipating since the hype began several seasons ago...he's the kid we wouldn't trade with Manny to make the A-Rod trade work out and he's the one that we'd have been nuts to include in a Santana deal...he's the kid that can go out there and allow only 2 walks in 9 innings while striking out 9...who can throw a mid 90s heater and a knee-buckling curve with accuracy pitch-to-pitch...he's the kid that should throw 130 pitches if and only if he's tossing a complete game...and he's a special pitcher, even if he never wins another game. We all know the story, Sox fans and non Sox fans at this point...diagnosed with cancer at an age that most of us are as carefree as we ever will be, he fought and beat it, returning to help the Sox to a title and now beyond...because of his plight the old adage about this start only meaning something if he builds on it is irrelevant...this start means something to anyone battling something over which they have no control...it means that people can overcome their greatest fears and challenges, and it means that there is such a thing as hope for those who may not dare to believe it...
Games 2-4: So, did anyone think the Royals would win a game after that? I mean, I guess they had to play the games, league rules and all, but there really wasn't a chance...yes, hindsight is 20-20 and I have the benefit of that thanks to my blogging tardiness but it just makes sense that the Sox swept, right?
Game 2 was another pitchers' duel with Justin Masterson deciding that he needed to congratulate Lester by tossing a gem of his own...1 ER over 6.1 innings did the trick and the pen was tight, only 2 runs scored (both in the 2nd, Lugo and Crisp with the RBI) but 4 relievers made them hold up, with Pap getting 3 Ks out of his 4 outs, recording his 13th save of the season...
Game 3 was significant since it was Bartolo Colon's 1st start with the Sox, a highly anticipated debut since we're all wondering what we have here...did we steal a big-time pitcher for peanuts or did we get an over-the-hill, gasless former ace for more than we'd spend on a Fenway Frank? So what's the verdict? Way too early to say of course, but his first start could only be described as a success...5 innings, 2 ER (scattered singletons) and a 2-1 K to BB ratio...me likey...he left with a 5-2 lead and got the W as the two offenses could only trade solo runs after the 5th...Craig Hansen pitched a perfect inning...worth mentioning since it lowered his ERA to 6.14, and Delcarmen also pitched a lockdown inning...Timlin gave up a harmless run in the 9th but that raised his ERA to 8+...we all know Tito will stick with him but this is starting to get a little worrisome...all in all, solid game and nice to see Bartolo getting a W first time out...if this keeps up we can get Schill really right before making a decision on him, and as we all know, you can never have too much starting pitching (Arroyo for Wily Mo Pena = awesome!)...
Game 4 was a slugfest that the Sox pulled out 11-8...this was a pretty fun one since there was not one but two Sox grand slams...JD hit the first and Mikey Lowell the second...everybody was getting on base and doing their things, and unfortunately the bullpen maestros did their things as well...this was an 11-3 game heading into the 7th, but then Tito decided to get the Craig-ster a little more work after his perfect inning the other day...now, in Tito's defense, the formula's corrolary would have said it was safe to throw him - as you may recall, the Hansen Formula states the following:
Innings Remaining in Game + Runs Ahead - (Planned Hansen Innings * Hansen's Current ERA) - Desired Lead in 9th (3 constant) = Safe to Pitch Hansen (if result is > 0)
In this game, that would be: 3 + 8 - (2 * 6.14) - 3 = -4.14
BUT, there is the 6 run lead exception...allowing him to pitch this game...and of course he gave up 2 ER in his inning of work...a HR surrendered to Jose Guillen who basically only hits obvious and super straight fastballs, so can we all guess what he crushed? Tough call eh? Aaaaaaaaaaardsma did WORSE than that...3 ER in his inning, including another bomb, and suddenly we're in a Save situation...this bullpen thing is getting less funny...a few more outings like this and I may stop joking and start getting mad...luckily we have Pap and a 3-run lead, which means, game over...2 hits, no Ks so it wasn't vintage Pap but a W is a W...time to head to Oakland with a 7-game win steak in tow...
And you just had to know that all of that good juju would get lost on the way to Oakland...it's a long friggin' flight out there...and along the way we lost ALL of the momentum, as the offense was barely awake in the 3 game set out there...we scored 6 runs in 3 GAMES...ouch...Wake got shelled in game 1, an 8-3 loss, Beckett pitched ok but we almost had the no-hit favor returned to us, with Papi's legit single being our only hit over 9 innings...Justin Duchscherer was lights-out and Manny hasn't found a groove since his mini-break last week, so the boys just didn't get anything going...we did hit some balls hard for what that's worth, but it's not worth much...finally Lester took the mound again and pitched ok, giving up 3 ER (4 overall) in 5 innings, and frankly after tossing 130 pitches last time out I'm ok with that...I'm not ok with the bats staying asleep against Joe Blanton, he of the 3-6 record and 4+ ERA (before this game)...I'm not even sure what this guy has that gets people out, but he got us out enough to win...and it was nice to have both Alan Embree and Keith Foulke pitch against us in this one...hi 2004 boys, hope you're enjoying the West Coast...so, blah blah blah, Sox get swept and for some reason I'm not that upset about it...maybe because I think we were due for a little letdown after the win streak and Lester's work...I won't be psyched if we continue this crappy road play...a bunch more in a row on the road too, starting with Seattle...not sure I'll be able to stay up to see all of these with my 6 month-old around, but I'll be checking in for sure and if we don't take 2 of 3 out there I'm going to be a little perturbed...
Game 1 out there is underway with Bartolo on the hill and so far he's out-dueling King Felix...1-0 Sox in the 5th with the run coming on Papi's solo shot (oh, one thing I didn't mention, can't blame Papi for Oakland, he kept up his ways...still on fire)...only 52 pitches through 5 for Colon too, which I like...nice and efficient, and that includes 3 Ks...maybe we DO have something here...
GO SAWX!!!
Game 1 featured Jon Lester against some KC pitcher, and well, who cares exactly who he was, because all we'll remember is that Jonny Lester tossed a no-no at the Fens on Monday, 5/19/2008. Does this kid have a flare for the dramatic, or what? I'm not sure what kind of long-term pitcher he'll be...he still has all the upside in the world, but is also wildly inconsistent from start to start, but one thing I will see, I won't be scared if he ends up on the mound in a big game (caveat - at least as long as Tek is catching...that was his record-setting 4th no-no caught...this blog is Lester's but Tek has a biggie coming someday) . Not when he's capable of winning game 4 of a WS sweep and when he has the stuff and concentration to no-hit a decent-hitting club in the middle of May. This Lester is the Lester we've been anticipating since the hype began several seasons ago...he's the kid we wouldn't trade with Manny to make the A-Rod trade work out and he's the one that we'd have been nuts to include in a Santana deal...he's the kid that can go out there and allow only 2 walks in 9 innings while striking out 9...who can throw a mid 90s heater and a knee-buckling curve with accuracy pitch-to-pitch...he's the kid that should throw 130 pitches if and only if he's tossing a complete game...and he's a special pitcher, even if he never wins another game. We all know the story, Sox fans and non Sox fans at this point...diagnosed with cancer at an age that most of us are as carefree as we ever will be, he fought and beat it, returning to help the Sox to a title and now beyond...because of his plight the old adage about this start only meaning something if he builds on it is irrelevant...this start means something to anyone battling something over which they have no control...it means that people can overcome their greatest fears and challenges, and it means that there is such a thing as hope for those who may not dare to believe it...
Games 2-4: So, did anyone think the Royals would win a game after that? I mean, I guess they had to play the games, league rules and all, but there really wasn't a chance...yes, hindsight is 20-20 and I have the benefit of that thanks to my blogging tardiness but it just makes sense that the Sox swept, right?
Game 2 was another pitchers' duel with Justin Masterson deciding that he needed to congratulate Lester by tossing a gem of his own...1 ER over 6.1 innings did the trick and the pen was tight, only 2 runs scored (both in the 2nd, Lugo and Crisp with the RBI) but 4 relievers made them hold up, with Pap getting 3 Ks out of his 4 outs, recording his 13th save of the season...
Game 3 was significant since it was Bartolo Colon's 1st start with the Sox, a highly anticipated debut since we're all wondering what we have here...did we steal a big-time pitcher for peanuts or did we get an over-the-hill, gasless former ace for more than we'd spend on a Fenway Frank? So what's the verdict? Way too early to say of course, but his first start could only be described as a success...5 innings, 2 ER (scattered singletons) and a 2-1 K to BB ratio...me likey...he left with a 5-2 lead and got the W as the two offenses could only trade solo runs after the 5th...Craig Hansen pitched a perfect inning...worth mentioning since it lowered his ERA to 6.14, and Delcarmen also pitched a lockdown inning...Timlin gave up a harmless run in the 9th but that raised his ERA to 8+...we all know Tito will stick with him but this is starting to get a little worrisome...all in all, solid game and nice to see Bartolo getting a W first time out...if this keeps up we can get Schill really right before making a decision on him, and as we all know, you can never have too much starting pitching (Arroyo for Wily Mo Pena = awesome!)...
Game 4 was a slugfest that the Sox pulled out 11-8...this was a pretty fun one since there was not one but two Sox grand slams...JD hit the first and Mikey Lowell the second...everybody was getting on base and doing their things, and unfortunately the bullpen maestros did their things as well...this was an 11-3 game heading into the 7th, but then Tito decided to get the Craig-ster a little more work after his perfect inning the other day...now, in Tito's defense, the formula's corrolary would have said it was safe to throw him - as you may recall, the Hansen Formula states the following:
Innings Remaining in Game + Runs Ahead - (Planned Hansen Innings * Hansen's Current ERA) - Desired Lead in 9th (3 constant) = Safe to Pitch Hansen (if result is > 0)
In this game, that would be: 3 + 8 - (2 * 6.14) - 3 = -4.14
BUT, there is the 6 run lead exception...allowing him to pitch this game...and of course he gave up 2 ER in his inning of work...a HR surrendered to Jose Guillen who basically only hits obvious and super straight fastballs, so can we all guess what he crushed? Tough call eh? Aaaaaaaaaaardsma did WORSE than that...3 ER in his inning, including another bomb, and suddenly we're in a Save situation...this bullpen thing is getting less funny...a few more outings like this and I may stop joking and start getting mad...luckily we have Pap and a 3-run lead, which means, game over...2 hits, no Ks so it wasn't vintage Pap but a W is a W...time to head to Oakland with a 7-game win steak in tow...
And you just had to know that all of that good juju would get lost on the way to Oakland...it's a long friggin' flight out there...and along the way we lost ALL of the momentum, as the offense was barely awake in the 3 game set out there...we scored 6 runs in 3 GAMES...ouch...Wake got shelled in game 1, an 8-3 loss, Beckett pitched ok but we almost had the no-hit favor returned to us, with Papi's legit single being our only hit over 9 innings...Justin Duchscherer was lights-out and Manny hasn't found a groove since his mini-break last week, so the boys just didn't get anything going...we did hit some balls hard for what that's worth, but it's not worth much...finally Lester took the mound again and pitched ok, giving up 3 ER (4 overall) in 5 innings, and frankly after tossing 130 pitches last time out I'm ok with that...I'm not ok with the bats staying asleep against Joe Blanton, he of the 3-6 record and 4+ ERA (before this game)...I'm not even sure what this guy has that gets people out, but he got us out enough to win...and it was nice to have both Alan Embree and Keith Foulke pitch against us in this one...hi 2004 boys, hope you're enjoying the West Coast...so, blah blah blah, Sox get swept and for some reason I'm not that upset about it...maybe because I think we were due for a little letdown after the win streak and Lester's work...I won't be psyched if we continue this crappy road play...a bunch more in a row on the road too, starting with Seattle...not sure I'll be able to stay up to see all of these with my 6 month-old around, but I'll be checking in for sure and if we don't take 2 of 3 out there I'm going to be a little perturbed...
Game 1 out there is underway with Bartolo on the hill and so far he's out-dueling King Felix...1-0 Sox in the 5th with the run coming on Papi's solo shot (oh, one thing I didn't mention, can't blame Papi for Oakland, he kept up his ways...still on fire)...only 52 pitches through 5 for Colon too, which I like...nice and efficient, and that includes 3 Ks...maybe we DO have something here...
GO SAWX!!!
Friday, May 23, 2008
Welcome National League!!!
It's been a long time (long time) I shouldn't have left you (left you)...
But I'm back from my mini-break and the Sox are apparently back in form. When last I left you we had just been mini-swept by some team from Baltimore that apparently still plays baseball, and that after losing 3 of 4 up in Minny...overall the Sox had lost 4 straight, 5 of 6 and 6 of their last 8...bad timing all around in terms of hitting when not pitching and vice versa, not to mention a shaky pen had sent us reeling a little bit...so what were we to say on our much-needed off day? WELCOME NATIONAL LEAGUE!!!
That's right, our favorite AL slump buster came to town in the form or Interleague Play. That fantastic experiment instituted several years back that basically guarantees the entire AL a winning month while conversely destroying half of the NL's hopes...it's really sort of sad at this point, since you can almost see the looks on the NL teams' faces as they leave the AL towns...they're thinking "Crap, even if we win our division and playoff rounds, we get to face this???"
And so the Milwaukee Brewers (formerly an AL squad lest we forget) came marching into Fenway, probably determined not to be AL doormats, but unknowingly really arriving just in time to fuel a Sox rebound. A little bit of fortune also grabs an assist, as the first game of the Brewers series was scheduled for Friday, May 16th, but Mother Nature decided the boys needed some more rest, and so she brought the rains. This meant, we're playing 2 on Saturday! May 17th...Happy Birthday MCF...
Game 1 featured Dice against our old friend and whipping boy Jeff Suppan, who somehow still pitches and for a team considered an NL contender no less. Always nice to see Jeff...not so nice for Dice to see the Brewers lineup, which is stacked. Rickie Weeks and Mike Cameron lead it off, and then the real firepower...young studs Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder in the 3 and 4 holes, followed by some legit hitters in Corey Hart and JJ Hardy. No joke these guys, but somehow (ahem, pitching) these guys were 2 games under .500 coming into this one. Dice was strong, gave up 2 runs, both unearned thanks to a RARE fielding error by Youk...luckily by the time that happened (7th inning) we had 4 on the board...didn't take long to get them either, 1st inning it was some patient 2 out hitting getting it done (have you noticed all of the 2 out runs we're scoring lately? If not, you should...it's happening a lot) and then the big blow, a 3 run bomb by Papi in the 2nd, with how many outs? 2...Lugo and Ellsbury got on with singles and took the ride with the big fella...oh, and in case you hadn't noticed, Papi is still lighting it up (since the whole Yankee stadium jersey debacle)...Ryan Braun did hit a HR off of a still not perfect Pap in the 9th to cut the lead but Pap got Fielder to pop out to end it...good solid win to break the 4 game loser and hey, anyone up for a nightcap?
Game 2 was Wake time, against the ever unpredictable Dave Bush on the other side...this one looked to be done early with the Sox taking a 5-0 lead by the 5th...more 1st inning damage (after Wake struck out the side to open the game...DANCING knuckler) got it done with how many outs? 2...Jacoby and Dusty went down easy but the Manny-less heart of the lineup showed some heart again...Papi walked, Youk followed with a double to put men on 2nd and 3rd for Lowell, and Mikey ripped a double of his own to plate the runs...in the 3rd it was Mikey again, drilling a 2-run homer over The Monster for 4 RBI in 3 innings...obviously both Youk and Mikey Lowell are playing great ball right now...Youk has been hot all season and since coming back off of the DL Lowell has just been his usual self...no way Youk can play like this all year, but if these guys have spurts like this and Papi and Manny are healthy we should at least avoid big losing streaks and stay near the top of the division...anyway, Wake cruised through 5 but the 6th was his obligatory shaky inning...Corey Hart homer, Gabe Kapler single (welcome back Kap - he got a well-deserved ovation for his 1st AB in game 1, and thereafter too) wild pitch, hit-by-pitch and there's some trouble...brought in Aaaaaaaaaaaardsma (to out out the fire, really?) and he got a K before a hit-by-pitch of his own and giving up a single to Weeks, scoring 2...another walk to load the bases and the blood pressure started to rise a little at the Fens, but he somehow got Braun to pop up and end the HUGE inning possibility...sigh of relief...of course that sigh was a short one since Tito thought it a bright idea to bring in Craig Hansen to start the 7th...TITO, APPLY THE FORMULA!!!! I don't even need to reiterate it here, read the previous blog for the details of the Hansen Formula, but needless to say a 2 run lead in the 7th is NO TIME FOR HANSEN!!! But, in he came nonetheless...I can't completely kill him this time since 2 errors played a HUGE part in this one, but still, before getting 3 outs there was a single, a double and a wild pitch in there...maybe he just makes the guys that much more nervous too...the errors were by Lowell and Cora, who basically never make errors...it's the Hansen effect, I'm telling you...and the Hansen effect turned a 5-3 lead into a 6-5 deficit heading into the bottom of the 7th... thankfully the Hansen effect seems to have hit the Brewers too, since a couple of errors on their end led to us taking the lead right back, with 2 runs scoring thanks to some more awful baseball...I guess the baseball gods were trying to even this one out, and before you knew it, Timlin was shutting the door with a perfect 9th...the nightcap was ours and in one day our losing streak became a winning streak!
Game 3 was just nuts...had to think going in that it would be a Beckett-dominated game...he was due for a strong start and even with a strong NL offense you just had to think he'd lock it down...wasn't the case...but hey, with Carlos Villanueava on the other side we weren't in for a pitcher's duel...balls were flying out of Fenway all day...4 homers on EACH SIDE...the Sox damage came from Dusty (2nd) Papi (hit 2, numbers 9 and 10) and Youk (9th...um, is he hitting for more power this year, or is it me?)...the big boys for the Brew Crew did it there Braun hitting 2, Fielder 1 and Hart another...the Sox were able to outslug overall though, putting up 11 on the Brewers staff, which let's face it, is going to have to get stronger for them to seriously contend...they were a great story last year, but we all know that pitching wins championships, and though that offense keeps them dangerous they won't really get it done until a couple of their vets pitch better and the young arms develop...the worrisome thing about this one from the Sox side was the return of the gopher-ball Beckett...granted this game may have been an anomaly but that does make 9 HR allowed in 8 games...much more like the 2006 JB than the 2007 JB...as is his current ERA...hopefully it's just a blip but worth mentioning...Pap came in and nailed the door shut with solid 9th...allowed a hit but Kd Tony Gwynn Jr. to close it out, Sox win 11-7...
Nice little sweep over two days at the Fens...the rest seemed to help and the bats got it done with a little help from the baseball gods when needed...pitching was up and down, Pap still looking a little off but not disastrously so...unfortunately the NL creeps away for a while now and it's back to some AL competition...the Royals were next up and while they used the be some guaranteed wins when they came to town they've played tough this year (so far)...you probably already know how this series went down since I'm so absurdly late getting these blogs in...since this one's getting long and one of those Royals games just miiiiiiight require special attention, we'll stop this one here with a simple...GO SAWX!!!
But I'm back from my mini-break and the Sox are apparently back in form. When last I left you we had just been mini-swept by some team from Baltimore that apparently still plays baseball, and that after losing 3 of 4 up in Minny...overall the Sox had lost 4 straight, 5 of 6 and 6 of their last 8...bad timing all around in terms of hitting when not pitching and vice versa, not to mention a shaky pen had sent us reeling a little bit...so what were we to say on our much-needed off day? WELCOME NATIONAL LEAGUE!!!
That's right, our favorite AL slump buster came to town in the form or Interleague Play. That fantastic experiment instituted several years back that basically guarantees the entire AL a winning month while conversely destroying half of the NL's hopes...it's really sort of sad at this point, since you can almost see the looks on the NL teams' faces as they leave the AL towns...they're thinking "Crap, even if we win our division and playoff rounds, we get to face this???"
And so the Milwaukee Brewers (formerly an AL squad lest we forget) came marching into Fenway, probably determined not to be AL doormats, but unknowingly really arriving just in time to fuel a Sox rebound. A little bit of fortune also grabs an assist, as the first game of the Brewers series was scheduled for Friday, May 16th, but Mother Nature decided the boys needed some more rest, and so she brought the rains. This meant, we're playing 2 on Saturday! May 17th...Happy Birthday MCF...
Game 1 featured Dice against our old friend and whipping boy Jeff Suppan, who somehow still pitches and for a team considered an NL contender no less. Always nice to see Jeff...not so nice for Dice to see the Brewers lineup, which is stacked. Rickie Weeks and Mike Cameron lead it off, and then the real firepower...young studs Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder in the 3 and 4 holes, followed by some legit hitters in Corey Hart and JJ Hardy. No joke these guys, but somehow (ahem, pitching) these guys were 2 games under .500 coming into this one. Dice was strong, gave up 2 runs, both unearned thanks to a RARE fielding error by Youk...luckily by the time that happened (7th inning) we had 4 on the board...didn't take long to get them either, 1st inning it was some patient 2 out hitting getting it done (have you noticed all of the 2 out runs we're scoring lately? If not, you should...it's happening a lot) and then the big blow, a 3 run bomb by Papi in the 2nd, with how many outs? 2...Lugo and Ellsbury got on with singles and took the ride with the big fella...oh, and in case you hadn't noticed, Papi is still lighting it up (since the whole Yankee stadium jersey debacle)...Ryan Braun did hit a HR off of a still not perfect Pap in the 9th to cut the lead but Pap got Fielder to pop out to end it...good solid win to break the 4 game loser and hey, anyone up for a nightcap?
Game 2 was Wake time, against the ever unpredictable Dave Bush on the other side...this one looked to be done early with the Sox taking a 5-0 lead by the 5th...more 1st inning damage (after Wake struck out the side to open the game...DANCING knuckler) got it done with how many outs? 2...Jacoby and Dusty went down easy but the Manny-less heart of the lineup showed some heart again...Papi walked, Youk followed with a double to put men on 2nd and 3rd for Lowell, and Mikey ripped a double of his own to plate the runs...in the 3rd it was Mikey again, drilling a 2-run homer over The Monster for 4 RBI in 3 innings...obviously both Youk and Mikey Lowell are playing great ball right now...Youk has been hot all season and since coming back off of the DL Lowell has just been his usual self...no way Youk can play like this all year, but if these guys have spurts like this and Papi and Manny are healthy we should at least avoid big losing streaks and stay near the top of the division...anyway, Wake cruised through 5 but the 6th was his obligatory shaky inning...Corey Hart homer, Gabe Kapler single (welcome back Kap - he got a well-deserved ovation for his 1st AB in game 1, and thereafter too) wild pitch, hit-by-pitch and there's some trouble...brought in Aaaaaaaaaaaardsma (to out out the fire, really?) and he got a K before a hit-by-pitch of his own and giving up a single to Weeks, scoring 2...another walk to load the bases and the blood pressure started to rise a little at the Fens, but he somehow got Braun to pop up and end the HUGE inning possibility...sigh of relief...of course that sigh was a short one since Tito thought it a bright idea to bring in Craig Hansen to start the 7th...TITO, APPLY THE FORMULA!!!! I don't even need to reiterate it here, read the previous blog for the details of the Hansen Formula, but needless to say a 2 run lead in the 7th is NO TIME FOR HANSEN!!! But, in he came nonetheless...I can't completely kill him this time since 2 errors played a HUGE part in this one, but still, before getting 3 outs there was a single, a double and a wild pitch in there...maybe he just makes the guys that much more nervous too...the errors were by Lowell and Cora, who basically never make errors...it's the Hansen effect, I'm telling you...and the Hansen effect turned a 5-3 lead into a 6-5 deficit heading into the bottom of the 7th... thankfully the Hansen effect seems to have hit the Brewers too, since a couple of errors on their end led to us taking the lead right back, with 2 runs scoring thanks to some more awful baseball...I guess the baseball gods were trying to even this one out, and before you knew it, Timlin was shutting the door with a perfect 9th...the nightcap was ours and in one day our losing streak became a winning streak!
Game 3 was just nuts...had to think going in that it would be a Beckett-dominated game...he was due for a strong start and even with a strong NL offense you just had to think he'd lock it down...wasn't the case...but hey, with Carlos Villanueava on the other side we weren't in for a pitcher's duel...balls were flying out of Fenway all day...4 homers on EACH SIDE...the Sox damage came from Dusty (2nd) Papi (hit 2, numbers 9 and 10) and Youk (9th...um, is he hitting for more power this year, or is it me?)...the big boys for the Brew Crew did it there Braun hitting 2, Fielder 1 and Hart another...the Sox were able to outslug overall though, putting up 11 on the Brewers staff, which let's face it, is going to have to get stronger for them to seriously contend...they were a great story last year, but we all know that pitching wins championships, and though that offense keeps them dangerous they won't really get it done until a couple of their vets pitch better and the young arms develop...the worrisome thing about this one from the Sox side was the return of the gopher-ball Beckett...granted this game may have been an anomaly but that does make 9 HR allowed in 8 games...much more like the 2006 JB than the 2007 JB...as is his current ERA...hopefully it's just a blip but worth mentioning...Pap came in and nailed the door shut with solid 9th...allowed a hit but Kd Tony Gwynn Jr. to close it out, Sox win 11-7...
Nice little sweep over two days at the Fens...the rest seemed to help and the bats got it done with a little help from the baseball gods when needed...pitching was up and down, Pap still looking a little off but not disastrously so...unfortunately the NL creeps away for a while now and it's back to some AL competition...the Royals were next up and while they used the be some guaranteed wins when they came to town they've played tough this year (so far)...you probably already know how this series went down since I'm so absurdly late getting these blogs in...since this one's getting long and one of those Royals games just miiiiiiight require special attention, we'll stop this one here with a simple...GO SAWX!!!
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
We're losing how...and to whom???
Clearly I can't take a week off from blogging...I was so enraged after the Tiger loss where we battled and battled only to lose on some crap luck from the baseball gods, that I figured I'd take a day or two off...bad idea apparently...we've played 7 games since that junk fest and we're 2-5...we lost 3 of 4 to the everything challenged Twins and then 2 straight to the Orioles...I'm not even sure what division they're in...what...AL East you say??? Prove it...
Sad part is we're losing with our strengths...things the Sox don't usually do to lose, we're doing...ugggggly...here's the quick recap of the past week or so to get that out ot the way...
Final game of of the Tigers series was a nice bounce back after the crap fest...Beckett was in control all game after a 3 run lead was given to him early (Tek with a big single and Youk added a dinger later)...the Tigers managed 1 run in 7 innings off of the ace, the pen work was solid from Hansen and Delcarmen (for a change...probably a sign that the world was about to shift) and that was that...we took 3 of 4 from the Tigers and they got lucky not to be swept...feeling pretty good waking up May 9th...but we're heading to Minny, which isn't traditionally a kind place for us...
And game 1 of that series reminded us of that very fact...Lester got the start and was pretty typical...5 runs, 3 earned, surrendered over 5.1 long innings (94 pitches) but hey, we're leading when he leaves, 6-5...Aaaaaardsma and Oki got their holds, but Pap, in his first action since the Tiger debacle, clearly wasn't himself...2 hits a walk and 2 runs later the Twins walked off with a win...and friggin Mike Lamb did it...are you serious??? Mike Lamb walked off on Pap (ok, it was a single, but still)...Pap actually didn't pitch too bad, just missed a couple of spots and got some good pitches hit, at least they were more solid than last time out, but still, not vintage Pap...hopefully he's watched the tape and made some adjustments...
Game 2 of the Twins series we'll call "The good one." Dice K was pretty strong...2 runs over 7, allowed 3 BB but struck out 7 and was in command all game...good outing...solo HRs were the offensive order of the day, with 4 ordered and served...Youk (EN FUEGO in case you haven't noticed) Coco (welcome back), Lowrie and Mikey Lowell hitting them out...tacked on the insurance run in the 9th, a nice little 5-2 win with Pap coming right back to get the S...2 Kk in his inning, it's really not hard to spot when he's on...if they're swining and missing, he's on...
Game 3 was the long overdue Shaky Wake game...shaky to the tune of 7 runs, 6 earned, in 2.2 innings...OUCH...they were just all over the knuckler, which usually moves in a dome, but not that day...this one ended 9-8 thanks to us getting to Joe Nathan in the 9th...nice that we battled back and if not for a crazy play in the 9th we might have completed the comeback...Papi led the inning off with an out, but then the bats got going...singles for Youk and Lowell put men on 1st and 2nd with JD Drew up...now, we all know that last year that was game over right there, but the 2008 even year JD Drew ripped a double to center that Gomez couldn't play and Youk came around to score, Lowell making it to 3rd...Coco was next up, and he's been hot since returning, including a 2-run bomb earlier in this game...so I'm actually feeling pretty good at this point...2nd and 3rd, down 2, one out with Coco up there...to add a little intrigue, Manny, who didn't play in this one earlier thanks to a sore hammy, was out on deck to pinch hit...but, back to Coco and the crazy play...Coco rips a shot towards the hole up the middle but Nathan somehow gets a hand on it, knocking it up in the air and towards the 3rd base side of the mound...Lowell is running all the way so he scores easily, but the deflection by Nathan causes Drew to pause between 2nd and 3rd...after the pause he takes off for 3rd, but Nathan sees this, recovers the ball and throws him out while twisting/falling/tossing...I dunno...can't blame Drew much, great play by Nathan, and a killer...now it's Coco on first, Manny up with 2 out as opposes to 2 on 1 out...Coco steals the bag to get to and and Manny hits it hard, but his hard luck against Nathan continues (0-7 I think) as the SS gobbles it up and ends the game...UNREAL...the other night Pap does everything right and loses a game, tonight Nathan does almost everything wrong and gets a save...really makes you wonder if they need to change the definition of save...not that it's ever been good, but how this all makes sense I don't know...there should be style points or something, cause neither of those results is fair...
Final game of the series was no mystery...Manny hit number 498 for the only highlight and Buchholz just sucked...he's GOT to stop throwing that curve so much...yeah, it's an awsome pitch, but only if you have the fastball working to make it more effective...if they're expecting it then it's just not that good no matter how much break it has...these guys are good enough to hit slow pitches when they know they're coming...7 runs allowed in 4.1 and Livan "Junkball" Hernandez threw enough garbage to only allow 3 runs, so that's easy math...7-3 Sox lose...awful series, but we always suck in Minny and you have to be happy that the next two are against the Orioles, right???
Nope, can't be happy about that...mini-sweep by Baltimore...I don't want to talk about these in detail because I'm ashamed...Beckett was off in the first one allowing the Os 5 runs and the bats couldn't get the clutch hit late, 5-4 was the final yesterday...today, we (being Tito) left the pen in too long and brought in Oki with the bases loaded in the 7th to try to get Sox killer Jay Payton...I think he still holds a grudge from when we had him and didn't let him play every day, since he's left he HURTS us...and he did again, touching Oki for a GS to give the Os a 6-3 lead they wouldn't relenquish...
Tomorrow is an off day, and hopefully a recoup day...a couple of the boys are dinged up (Crisp out with a stomach and Drew with lord knows what) so we need the day and interleague is starting up...hopefully the NL, me back in the blogosphere and the off day set things straight and we knock Jeff Suppan (who still pitches, giving you an idea of just how bad the NL can be) all over Fenway...
Celtics are on right now, and have finally showed a pulse to take the lead in this crucial game 5...since we can only win at home it seems, this is a MUST win for the Cs...nice to see them face a little adversity (down early by 13) and not let it kill them...a little over a quarter to go, HOLD THAT LEAD!!!
GO SAWX!!!
Sad part is we're losing with our strengths...things the Sox don't usually do to lose, we're doing...ugggggly...here's the quick recap of the past week or so to get that out ot the way...
Final game of of the Tigers series was a nice bounce back after the crap fest...Beckett was in control all game after a 3 run lead was given to him early (Tek with a big single and Youk added a dinger later)...the Tigers managed 1 run in 7 innings off of the ace, the pen work was solid from Hansen and Delcarmen (for a change...probably a sign that the world was about to shift) and that was that...we took 3 of 4 from the Tigers and they got lucky not to be swept...feeling pretty good waking up May 9th...but we're heading to Minny, which isn't traditionally a kind place for us...
And game 1 of that series reminded us of that very fact...Lester got the start and was pretty typical...5 runs, 3 earned, surrendered over 5.1 long innings (94 pitches) but hey, we're leading when he leaves, 6-5...Aaaaaardsma and Oki got their holds, but Pap, in his first action since the Tiger debacle, clearly wasn't himself...2 hits a walk and 2 runs later the Twins walked off with a win...and friggin Mike Lamb did it...are you serious??? Mike Lamb walked off on Pap (ok, it was a single, but still)...Pap actually didn't pitch too bad, just missed a couple of spots and got some good pitches hit, at least they were more solid than last time out, but still, not vintage Pap...hopefully he's watched the tape and made some adjustments...
Game 2 of the Twins series we'll call "The good one." Dice K was pretty strong...2 runs over 7, allowed 3 BB but struck out 7 and was in command all game...good outing...solo HRs were the offensive order of the day, with 4 ordered and served...Youk (EN FUEGO in case you haven't noticed) Coco (welcome back), Lowrie and Mikey Lowell hitting them out...tacked on the insurance run in the 9th, a nice little 5-2 win with Pap coming right back to get the S...2 Kk in his inning, it's really not hard to spot when he's on...if they're swining and missing, he's on...
Game 3 was the long overdue Shaky Wake game...shaky to the tune of 7 runs, 6 earned, in 2.2 innings...OUCH...they were just all over the knuckler, which usually moves in a dome, but not that day...this one ended 9-8 thanks to us getting to Joe Nathan in the 9th...nice that we battled back and if not for a crazy play in the 9th we might have completed the comeback...Papi led the inning off with an out, but then the bats got going...singles for Youk and Lowell put men on 1st and 2nd with JD Drew up...now, we all know that last year that was game over right there, but the 2008 even year JD Drew ripped a double to center that Gomez couldn't play and Youk came around to score, Lowell making it to 3rd...Coco was next up, and he's been hot since returning, including a 2-run bomb earlier in this game...so I'm actually feeling pretty good at this point...2nd and 3rd, down 2, one out with Coco up there...to add a little intrigue, Manny, who didn't play in this one earlier thanks to a sore hammy, was out on deck to pinch hit...but, back to Coco and the crazy play...Coco rips a shot towards the hole up the middle but Nathan somehow gets a hand on it, knocking it up in the air and towards the 3rd base side of the mound...Lowell is running all the way so he scores easily, but the deflection by Nathan causes Drew to pause between 2nd and 3rd...after the pause he takes off for 3rd, but Nathan sees this, recovers the ball and throws him out while twisting/falling/tossing...I dunno...can't blame Drew much, great play by Nathan, and a killer...now it's Coco on first, Manny up with 2 out as opposes to 2 on 1 out...Coco steals the bag to get to and and Manny hits it hard, but his hard luck against Nathan continues (0-7 I think) as the SS gobbles it up and ends the game...UNREAL...the other night Pap does everything right and loses a game, tonight Nathan does almost everything wrong and gets a save...really makes you wonder if they need to change the definition of save...not that it's ever been good, but how this all makes sense I don't know...there should be style points or something, cause neither of those results is fair...
Final game of the series was no mystery...Manny hit number 498 for the only highlight and Buchholz just sucked...he's GOT to stop throwing that curve so much...yeah, it's an awsome pitch, but only if you have the fastball working to make it more effective...if they're expecting it then it's just not that good no matter how much break it has...these guys are good enough to hit slow pitches when they know they're coming...7 runs allowed in 4.1 and Livan "Junkball" Hernandez threw enough garbage to only allow 3 runs, so that's easy math...7-3 Sox lose...awful series, but we always suck in Minny and you have to be happy that the next two are against the Orioles, right???
Nope, can't be happy about that...mini-sweep by Baltimore...I don't want to talk about these in detail because I'm ashamed...Beckett was off in the first one allowing the Os 5 runs and the bats couldn't get the clutch hit late, 5-4 was the final yesterday...today, we (being Tito) left the pen in too long and brought in Oki with the bases loaded in the 7th to try to get Sox killer Jay Payton...I think he still holds a grudge from when we had him and didn't let him play every day, since he's left he HURTS us...and he did again, touching Oki for a GS to give the Os a 6-3 lead they wouldn't relenquish...
Tomorrow is an off day, and hopefully a recoup day...a couple of the boys are dinged up (Crisp out with a stomach and Drew with lord knows what) so we need the day and interleague is starting up...hopefully the NL, me back in the blogosphere and the off day set things straight and we knock Jeff Suppan (who still pitches, giving you an idea of just how bad the NL can be) all over Fenway...
Celtics are on right now, and have finally showed a pulse to take the lead in this crucial game 5...since we can only win at home it seems, this is a MUST win for the Cs...nice to see them face a little adversity (down early by 13) and not let it kill them...a little over a quarter to go, HOLD THAT LEAD!!!
GO SAWX!!!
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Snatching Defeat From the Jaws of Victory
Well, it was only a matter of time before a game annoyed me enough so as to require and immediate post-game blog...let the record show that the inspirational game was against the Detroit Tigers in Detroit on May 7th...
It was right there set up for us...this had the potential to be one of those thrilling games that keeps a win streak alive and takes one level of momentum to another...this could have been a game that saw a great comeback give the boys a hard-earned W and put us one win away from a road sweep against a tough AL opponent...not a make or break series or even a game, but a nice feather for the cap early in a long season...instead, our loss may pump a little life into our less-than-worthy opponents, who thus far have underachieved...I call it our loss because after battling back all night, the Red Sox and the baseball gods GAVE this one back to the Tigers...truthfully, it might have been theirs all along...they beat up on Clay and held the Sox bats at bay with their terrible bullpen for a while...but their major (and maybe fatal) flaw finally got them...Mikey Lowell tied the game up with the 3 run bomb in the 7th...love having him back...then in the next inning the boys took the lead on a great pinch-hit by Dusty...coming in cold he worked the count to 3-0 against Horrible Tiger reliever X and then got hooked on two strikes looking to make it a 3-2 count...he finally busts a single just through the hole on the left side, a gritty typical Dusty at-bat, and he deserved to be the hero in this one...
But this 9th inning knew nothing about "deserved"...this 9th inning was just plain absurd...there was NOTHING right about it...our half went pretty normally...with a 1-run lead and Pap available who cares about a wasted insurance run...not a biggie, right...so we begin the bottom of the 9th...first batter is some kid names Joyce...apparently he really plays for the Tigers...he gets up there and looks overmatched, because, well, he was...but he somehow hits an "oh crap" roller towards Lugo...here's where the irony begins...Lugo makes a great play on the ball but it's hit too slowly and Joyce beats it out...Tigers insert a pinch runner and Pap falls behind to Renteria but makes a tough pitch and gets the grounder to Lugo...WHO BOOTS IT...and it gave him a room service hop too! He tried to rush the throw to maybe turn 2 and he just flat out muffed it...that gives him 10 errors on the season, and while he's hitting this season, if this keeps up I might be willing to sacrifice that .290, 2, 25 and 30 SB for a little defense...on the only legit play of the inning, Pudge-Rod bunts the guys over, Tek making the play to 1st for the out, correctly so...we now need Pap to get a K...which we all know he's capable of, especially against Curtis Granderson who'd already struck out like 47 times in this game...but Grander-suck makes contact and rolls one to 2nd...making an out but tying the game...up next, Placido Polanco with Renteria on 3rd waiting to stick it to us one more time (he was our crap-tastic SS for the 2005 season...very forgettable)...Pap starts overthrowing, I should say overthrowing more because he was a little over the top all night, even for him...but anyway...he overthrows three straight heaters, the first of which almost ties the game by going to the backstop on the fly...the count is 3-0 and here's where the irony continues...the next pitch is another heater, and it's high...there's no debate...it's high...ball 4...take your base...harmless enough, especially since the guy at the plate had 4 hits already on the night...except the stupid-ass ump who has already been pissy with Youk tonight, calls it a strike...you know, the obligatory 3-0 strike that umps give to respected pitchers even if it's clearly a ball...love that...how about you trained monkeys just call the damn game as it happens, not as you want to call it...so that gives Placido a 3-1 pitch...luckily, we get teased for a second (I'm not blowing the outcome here...if you haven't figured it out already you're just not too perceptive) and Pap throws a 3-1 splitter that Placido chases...3-2...the 3-2 pitch is a nasty fastball that tails in...it's a pitcher's pitch...it's usually either missed completely or grounded harmlessly somewhere...but Placido is obviously Superman today and the Sox are obviously not supposed to win this game, because this time that pitch hits his bat, which SHATTERS, and the ball lofts juuuuuust over...who else...LUGO, into left field for the walkoff loss...ARE YOU FRIGGING KIDDING ME???? It didn't matter what we would have done...the baseball gods weren't going to let us steal this one...I feel cheated after they worked so hard to pull that game even and scrape into the lead...but baseball is a funny game that way...to recap the inning check swing dribbler, error, bunt, groundout, broken-bat floater...and that's how you lose a major league baseball game...awesome...
Awful loss...and it kills any fun I would have had rooting for tomorrow's game...now it's just Beckett versus Verlander...it could have been for a 4-game sweep and a 7-game win streak...now it's just an early May, mostly meaningless game...nice that we battled back in this one and that we have a shot at 3 of 4, still pretty good, but that 9th inning SUCKED to watch...hopefully the baseball gods are watching another game tomorrow...
GO SAWX!!!
It was right there set up for us...this had the potential to be one of those thrilling games that keeps a win streak alive and takes one level of momentum to another...this could have been a game that saw a great comeback give the boys a hard-earned W and put us one win away from a road sweep against a tough AL opponent...not a make or break series or even a game, but a nice feather for the cap early in a long season...instead, our loss may pump a little life into our less-than-worthy opponents, who thus far have underachieved...I call it our loss because after battling back all night, the Red Sox and the baseball gods GAVE this one back to the Tigers...truthfully, it might have been theirs all along...they beat up on Clay and held the Sox bats at bay with their terrible bullpen for a while...but their major (and maybe fatal) flaw finally got them...Mikey Lowell tied the game up with the 3 run bomb in the 7th...love having him back...then in the next inning the boys took the lead on a great pinch-hit by Dusty...coming in cold he worked the count to 3-0 against Horrible Tiger reliever X and then got hooked on two strikes looking to make it a 3-2 count...he finally busts a single just through the hole on the left side, a gritty typical Dusty at-bat, and he deserved to be the hero in this one...
But this 9th inning knew nothing about "deserved"...this 9th inning was just plain absurd...there was NOTHING right about it...our half went pretty normally...with a 1-run lead and Pap available who cares about a wasted insurance run...not a biggie, right...so we begin the bottom of the 9th...first batter is some kid names Joyce...apparently he really plays for the Tigers...he gets up there and looks overmatched, because, well, he was...but he somehow hits an "oh crap" roller towards Lugo...here's where the irony begins...Lugo makes a great play on the ball but it's hit too slowly and Joyce beats it out...Tigers insert a pinch runner and Pap falls behind to Renteria but makes a tough pitch and gets the grounder to Lugo...WHO BOOTS IT...and it gave him a room service hop too! He tried to rush the throw to maybe turn 2 and he just flat out muffed it...that gives him 10 errors on the season, and while he's hitting this season, if this keeps up I might be willing to sacrifice that .290, 2, 25 and 30 SB for a little defense...on the only legit play of the inning, Pudge-Rod bunts the guys over, Tek making the play to 1st for the out, correctly so...we now need Pap to get a K...which we all know he's capable of, especially against Curtis Granderson who'd already struck out like 47 times in this game...but Grander-suck makes contact and rolls one to 2nd...making an out but tying the game...up next, Placido Polanco with Renteria on 3rd waiting to stick it to us one more time (he was our crap-tastic SS for the 2005 season...very forgettable)...Pap starts overthrowing, I should say overthrowing more because he was a little over the top all night, even for him...but anyway...he overthrows three straight heaters, the first of which almost ties the game by going to the backstop on the fly...the count is 3-0 and here's where the irony continues...the next pitch is another heater, and it's high...there's no debate...it's high...ball 4...take your base...harmless enough, especially since the guy at the plate had 4 hits already on the night...except the stupid-ass ump who has already been pissy with Youk tonight, calls it a strike...you know, the obligatory 3-0 strike that umps give to respected pitchers even if it's clearly a ball...love that...how about you trained monkeys just call the damn game as it happens, not as you want to call it...so that gives Placido a 3-1 pitch...luckily, we get teased for a second (I'm not blowing the outcome here...if you haven't figured it out already you're just not too perceptive) and Pap throws a 3-1 splitter that Placido chases...3-2...the 3-2 pitch is a nasty fastball that tails in...it's a pitcher's pitch...it's usually either missed completely or grounded harmlessly somewhere...but Placido is obviously Superman today and the Sox are obviously not supposed to win this game, because this time that pitch hits his bat, which SHATTERS, and the ball lofts juuuuuust over...who else...LUGO, into left field for the walkoff loss...ARE YOU FRIGGING KIDDING ME???? It didn't matter what we would have done...the baseball gods weren't going to let us steal this one...I feel cheated after they worked so hard to pull that game even and scrape into the lead...but baseball is a funny game that way...to recap the inning check swing dribbler, error, bunt, groundout, broken-bat floater...and that's how you lose a major league baseball game...awesome...
Awful loss...and it kills any fun I would have had rooting for tomorrow's game...now it's just Beckett versus Verlander...it could have been for a 4-game sweep and a 7-game win streak...now it's just an early May, mostly meaningless game...nice that we battled back in this one and that we have a shot at 3 of 4, still pretty good, but that 9th inning SUCKED to watch...hopefully the baseball gods are watching another game tomorrow...
GO SAWX!!!
2 Down in Motown...
So, as it turned out, Dice didn't pitch so great a game, but, like Lester before him, somehow managed to avoid getting hurt...he gave up 1 ER in this game, but did that while issuing 8 BB and striking out 1...no, that's not a mistake...I don't have Sox dyslexia...that's not backwards in any way whatsoever...he pitched 5 innings...walked 8...struck out 1...gave up 1 run...I didn't get to watch much of this one (did I mention I have a 5 month-old daughter...great time to start a blog that requires daily attention, huh?), so I'll stop the bewilderment there (it doesn't translate as well in writing either...if you could see my face right now...bug eyes...slack jaw...I dunno....)...I really don't know how it's possible to even do that...he's walking 2 guys an inning and somehow getting out of it...it's becoming more and more clear to me that Dice and Lester are long lost brothers...seriously, they have to share some genes somewhere, because they pitch the same games...they're either attacking the strike zone with 2-3 great pitches and piling up the Ks or they can't throw a strike and have to rely on magic to get out of innings...which, luckily they seem to be able to conjure lately...look, they're both young and still trying to adjust to big AL bats...not an easy thing I would imagine, but these cardiac kids need pitch a little more to contact and trust the D or else we're in for some long nights and and overtaxed bullpen...
Speaking of the bullpen, we come to Craig Hansen again...been here once before, it's worth expounding...1.2 IP in this one, 2 ER...yes, Tito, he throws hard, but you say you like his "stuff." You're probably saying that to keep the kid's spirits up because I would think that by now you know the difference between gas and stuff...Hansen throws gas, no doubt there...kid hits 98+ on the gun...but he doesn't have stuff...stuff has life...it has character...it moves, it bobs, it weaves...anyone that saw Pedro throw his fastball in his prime knows what stuff is...it's a fastball that starts out in one vector and then somehow (whether this is perception or not is irrelevant) darts to another...sometimes the ball seems to actually leap to another path on the way to the plate...sometimes it's just the mythical late life or late action where the ball stays on the same line but seems to get a turbo boost as it nears the catchers mitt...describe it how you like, it's not easy to explain, but it's easy to see...the first time I saw Petey's fastball I just stared pop-eyed afterwards and thought "What the hell was that???" Now, granted, his stuff included gas...it was flying in there at 97 with late movement and a little special Pedro attitude to go along with it, so I don't expect that kind of stuff from everyone...everyone's stuff is different, but one thing's for sure, you need stuff to make it in this game unless you're the rarest of the rare...the guys like Maddux, Hoffman and maybe now Schilling who are so accurate and so smart about the art of pitching that they can use guile to get outs...Hansen doesn't have great stuff...as I've said before, the kid throws it hard but it's about as straight as can be...as a hitter, that's cake...you see the guy once and it's done...and I don't mean one at-bat...I mean one pitch...any big league hitter can get a pitchers timing down...that's what they do...you've seen one 98 mph fastball, you've seen them all, so one pitch might remind you "hey, I need to swing earlier" and then you do, bam...it's that easy...the kid's got a decent curve and slider but he can't get them over consistently, so it always comes to having to throw an arrow of a fastball at 98 right down the pike...so, Tito, you're a smart guy...this game was 5-1 when you brought him in...no no no...let's apply a formula, and since I'm a helpful guy, here it is:
Innings Remaining in Game + Runs Ahead - (Planned Hansen Innings * Hansen's Current ERA) - Desired Lead in 9th (3 constant) = Safe to Pitch Hansen
Simply, if "Safe to Pitch Hansen" is negative, you don't pitch him...applying that formula to last night's game would give us:
4 + 4 - (2 * 5.4) - 3 = -5.4
DON'T PITCH HANSEN!!!
That simple...sure enough, it's a 5-3 game when he gets out of there with a couple of innings left...we just happened to tack on the extra run to feel good about the 9th, but ya just never know...a couple of things about the formula...you may have noticed that Runs Ahead, if less than 3 and including if we're trailing (i.e. - Runs Ahead) pretty much means don't pitch him (his ERA would have to be in the low 1s to make that work at all)...yes, that's right...this means that he should NOT PITCH IN CLOSE GAMES UNTIL HIS ERA IS TINY!!! The only exception to this formula is if Runs Ahead is -6 or less, then we can pitch him to see if he can lower that ERA a bit for the next time...
So, there you go Tito and Mr. Farrell...it's that simple...use the handy dandy Craig Hansen formula from here on out and we should be all set...like I said, we took him out, tacked on a run and got the 6-3 win...the pop came from the corners with Youk and Mikey Lowell providing 2-run HRs in this one...
Saw more of the second game and this was a trademark "The knuckler is dancing tonight!" game from the Wake...Tigers hitters were baffled and became more and more aggressive as they were more and more baffled which only makes them worse hitters (it really is a vicious circle)...Papi and Manny went back to back, Manny's 497th on the way to Cooperstown, and that right there was more than we'd need after some small ball runs early...5-0 Sox win including a pretty easy 9th from Timlin, and we're half-way to a road sweep in Motown...not going to count those chickens since their better pitchers (of late and overall) are coming up, but I'll take the first two in hand...Sox 5th win in a row and let's hope they have a little mo building here...Buchholz on the hill tonight against some angry Tigers...
GO SAWX!!!
Speaking of the bullpen, we come to Craig Hansen again...been here once before, it's worth expounding...1.2 IP in this one, 2 ER...yes, Tito, he throws hard, but you say you like his "stuff." You're probably saying that to keep the kid's spirits up because I would think that by now you know the difference between gas and stuff...Hansen throws gas, no doubt there...kid hits 98+ on the gun...but he doesn't have stuff...stuff has life...it has character...it moves, it bobs, it weaves...anyone that saw Pedro throw his fastball in his prime knows what stuff is...it's a fastball that starts out in one vector and then somehow (whether this is perception or not is irrelevant) darts to another...sometimes the ball seems to actually leap to another path on the way to the plate...sometimes it's just the mythical late life or late action where the ball stays on the same line but seems to get a turbo boost as it nears the catchers mitt...describe it how you like, it's not easy to explain, but it's easy to see...the first time I saw Petey's fastball I just stared pop-eyed afterwards and thought "What the hell was that???" Now, granted, his stuff included gas...it was flying in there at 97 with late movement and a little special Pedro attitude to go along with it, so I don't expect that kind of stuff from everyone...everyone's stuff is different, but one thing's for sure, you need stuff to make it in this game unless you're the rarest of the rare...the guys like Maddux, Hoffman and maybe now Schilling who are so accurate and so smart about the art of pitching that they can use guile to get outs...Hansen doesn't have great stuff...as I've said before, the kid throws it hard but it's about as straight as can be...as a hitter, that's cake...you see the guy once and it's done...and I don't mean one at-bat...I mean one pitch...any big league hitter can get a pitchers timing down...that's what they do...you've seen one 98 mph fastball, you've seen them all, so one pitch might remind you "hey, I need to swing earlier" and then you do, bam...it's that easy...the kid's got a decent curve and slider but he can't get them over consistently, so it always comes to having to throw an arrow of a fastball at 98 right down the pike...so, Tito, you're a smart guy...this game was 5-1 when you brought him in...no no no...let's apply a formula, and since I'm a helpful guy, here it is:
Innings Remaining in Game + Runs Ahead - (Planned Hansen Innings * Hansen's Current ERA) - Desired Lead in 9th (3 constant) = Safe to Pitch Hansen
Simply, if "Safe to Pitch Hansen" is negative, you don't pitch him...applying that formula to last night's game would give us:
4 + 4 - (2 * 5.4) - 3 = -5.4
DON'T PITCH HANSEN!!!
That simple...sure enough, it's a 5-3 game when he gets out of there with a couple of innings left...we just happened to tack on the extra run to feel good about the 9th, but ya just never know...a couple of things about the formula...you may have noticed that Runs Ahead, if less than 3 and including if we're trailing (i.e. - Runs Ahead) pretty much means don't pitch him (his ERA would have to be in the low 1s to make that work at all)...yes, that's right...this means that he should NOT PITCH IN CLOSE GAMES UNTIL HIS ERA IS TINY!!! The only exception to this formula is if Runs Ahead is -6 or less, then we can pitch him to see if he can lower that ERA a bit for the next time...
So, there you go Tito and Mr. Farrell...it's that simple...use the handy dandy Craig Hansen formula from here on out and we should be all set...like I said, we took him out, tacked on a run and got the 6-3 win...the pop came from the corners with Youk and Mikey Lowell providing 2-run HRs in this one...
Saw more of the second game and this was a trademark "The knuckler is dancing tonight!" game from the Wake...Tigers hitters were baffled and became more and more aggressive as they were more and more baffled which only makes them worse hitters (it really is a vicious circle)...Papi and Manny went back to back, Manny's 497th on the way to Cooperstown, and that right there was more than we'd need after some small ball runs early...5-0 Sox win including a pretty easy 9th from Timlin, and we're half-way to a road sweep in Motown...not going to count those chickens since their better pitchers (of late and overall) are coming up, but I'll take the first two in hand...Sox 5th win in a row and let's hope they have a little mo building here...Buchholz on the hill tonight against some angry Tigers...
GO SAWX!!!
Monday, May 5, 2008
Sweep, I Got Yer Sweep, RIGHT HERE...
For the first time this season I'm checking in after a series not due to procrastination (which is a much better term than laziness, wouldn't we agree) or incredible business surrounding work and/or family (the latter of which supersedes blogging any day), but solely because I wanted to post THAT headline...after the humiliating sweep in Tampa last week, which I was too disgusted to face as you may recall, we needed to send a little message that this is still our division, and if the Rays want into this decade plus two team battle, they're going to have to earn it...
The Rays came to town riding a wave that included that 3 game sweep of our boys, and they must have been feeling pretty good about themselves...sure, they beat some of our second string arms, and sure, we were missing a few guys in the lineup, but a sweep is a sweep, and even in early in the season I'm sure they were happy with themselves after winning those games...their little post game 3 congratulations seemed more enthusiastic that usual...something I noticed (I think it happened, I really do...but perception is a funny thing...who knows, maybe I was just pissed) and hoped would be shoved back at them, and soon...
We didn't have to wait long, as redemption was a dis served up by the Red Sox offense...the bats awoke for this series and order was restored in the AL East universe...before getting to the game action, which I won't spend too much time on since there was very little actual "action," just a good old fashioned whomping, I'll illustrate the point with these numbers:
4-5, 1-2, 0-3, 7-3, 12-4, 7-3
What are the scores from the last 6 Red Sox - Rays games, Alex? That is correct...notice that the pitching was just fine all along, even when trotting out the David Pauleys and Justin Mastersons of the world...so let's add that up quickly, first three games we scored 5 runs total...lost them...last three games, 26 runs...theeeeeeere we go...talk about a correction...I apologize to the Rays organization and their fans for the false hope, but the Red Sox are back in the swing of things, and your pitchers had to take the punishment...here are the brief synopses since there wasn't much drama for building:
Game 1: Clay Buchholz vs. Edwin Jackson: This game was over when: bottom of the 4th...the Sox tacked on 5 more to their 1 run lead, and Clay wasn't going to let that go on that particular night...he was still up and down with the command (4 BB, 6 K) but he wiggled out of enough and got it to the pen...the Rays scratched out 2 unearned runs in the 7th thanks to a Lugo error (number 8, putting him on pace for 40 or so...this frightens me...a lot) but we were able to throw back a "not so fast" run in the 8th to make sure they knew that there would be no 9th inning rally...Oki and Pap worked their innings, done deal...
Game 2: Josh Beckett vs. James Shields: This game was over when: Shields stepped onto the mound...last week he wrecked the Sox and made our boys look foolish...a complete game 2 hit shutout, 1 BB, 7 K last week...now, you just DO NOT do that to the Sox (especially not your WS champion Sox) and live to tell about it...his line for this one looked a little different...try 3.2 innings, 7 nice big EARNED runs, 3 BB and 3 K...Sox led 3-0 after 1, and even though Beckett was a little off the offense didn't stop, and he was up 9-4 when he left after the 8th...no HR from the Sox in this game, just a relentless 15 hit attack...like saying, you want to f*ck with us, we're going to f*ck with you...
Game 3: Jon Lester vs. Scott Kazmir: This game was over when: we remembered this was the "just off of the DL" Kazmir, not the "I kill the Red Sox" Kazmir...he lasted 4 innings in his comeback game, giving up 3 ER...not horrible and I'm sure the Rays will take it, but considering his prior work against us, we'll take it too...Lester didn't progress much in terms of control and put up a trademark Lester line...6 inning,s 112 pitches, 3 BB 5 K and somehow only one ER allowed...I don't know how he does this...we're going to have to give him some sort of magic nickname, like Houdini or the Great something...if you have any ideas, hit me with them...I'll think of one by his next start, so you have 4+ games...anyway, we beat up on their pen and Delcarmen gave up his obligatory runs, which is a little bit of a concern now too, but as long as we have Oki and Pap back there I'm going to try not to freak out too much...still, we may have to address the pen sooner rather than later if Timlin doesn't return to form and Delcarmen keeps on like this...
So, life is much better in Soxland today...feels like we're about to put a stretch together...in fact I felt so good I went out and got my seasonal Sox hat...every season since 2003 I've gone out and gotten a Sox cap for the season, but only when it felt right...sometimes that was way before the season (like in 2004 when I couldn't WAIT to get back on the field) and other times it's at a relevant point during it...but always before the All Star break...this felt like the right time...I even picked up my official 2007 WS champs cap, which I had been meaning to do...like I said, right now it just feels right...could be time to put together some consistent, Red Sox baseball and see if we can win some games and put some distance between the contenders and the pretenders...
The Mighty Tigers, everyone's fancy pre-season AL pick for supremacy, are next...and the boys have to travel...I hear Detroit is lovely...umm...never, so they must be enjoying that...they're enjoying the game so far, Dice looks to have pitched a good game and the power stroke is going...up 5-1 going to the pen in the 7th...not sure when the Tigers will realize that pitching wins championships, but until they do...
GO SAWX!!!
The Rays came to town riding a wave that included that 3 game sweep of our boys, and they must have been feeling pretty good about themselves...sure, they beat some of our second string arms, and sure, we were missing a few guys in the lineup, but a sweep is a sweep, and even in early in the season I'm sure they were happy with themselves after winning those games...their little post game 3 congratulations seemed more enthusiastic that usual...something I noticed (I think it happened, I really do...but perception is a funny thing...who knows, maybe I was just pissed) and hoped would be shoved back at them, and soon...
We didn't have to wait long, as redemption was a dis served up by the Red Sox offense...the bats awoke for this series and order was restored in the AL East universe...before getting to the game action, which I won't spend too much time on since there was very little actual "action," just a good old fashioned whomping, I'll illustrate the point with these numbers:
4-5, 1-2, 0-3, 7-3, 12-4, 7-3
What are the scores from the last 6 Red Sox - Rays games, Alex? That is correct...notice that the pitching was just fine all along, even when trotting out the David Pauleys and Justin Mastersons of the world...so let's add that up quickly, first three games we scored 5 runs total...lost them...last three games, 26 runs...theeeeeeere we go...talk about a correction...I apologize to the Rays organization and their fans for the false hope, but the Red Sox are back in the swing of things, and your pitchers had to take the punishment...here are the brief synopses since there wasn't much drama for building:
Game 1: Clay Buchholz vs. Edwin Jackson: This game was over when: bottom of the 4th...the Sox tacked on 5 more to their 1 run lead, and Clay wasn't going to let that go on that particular night...he was still up and down with the command (4 BB, 6 K) but he wiggled out of enough and got it to the pen...the Rays scratched out 2 unearned runs in the 7th thanks to a Lugo error (number 8, putting him on pace for 40 or so...this frightens me...a lot) but we were able to throw back a "not so fast" run in the 8th to make sure they knew that there would be no 9th inning rally...Oki and Pap worked their innings, done deal...
Game 2: Josh Beckett vs. James Shields: This game was over when: Shields stepped onto the mound...last week he wrecked the Sox and made our boys look foolish...a complete game 2 hit shutout, 1 BB, 7 K last week...now, you just DO NOT do that to the Sox (especially not your WS champion Sox) and live to tell about it...his line for this one looked a little different...try 3.2 innings, 7 nice big EARNED runs, 3 BB and 3 K...Sox led 3-0 after 1, and even though Beckett was a little off the offense didn't stop, and he was up 9-4 when he left after the 8th...no HR from the Sox in this game, just a relentless 15 hit attack...like saying, you want to f*ck with us, we're going to f*ck with you...
Game 3: Jon Lester vs. Scott Kazmir: This game was over when: we remembered this was the "just off of the DL" Kazmir, not the "I kill the Red Sox" Kazmir...he lasted 4 innings in his comeback game, giving up 3 ER...not horrible and I'm sure the Rays will take it, but considering his prior work against us, we'll take it too...Lester didn't progress much in terms of control and put up a trademark Lester line...6 inning,s 112 pitches, 3 BB 5 K and somehow only one ER allowed...I don't know how he does this...we're going to have to give him some sort of magic nickname, like Houdini or the Great something...if you have any ideas, hit me with them...I'll think of one by his next start, so you have 4+ games...anyway, we beat up on their pen and Delcarmen gave up his obligatory runs, which is a little bit of a concern now too, but as long as we have Oki and Pap back there I'm going to try not to freak out too much...still, we may have to address the pen sooner rather than later if Timlin doesn't return to form and Delcarmen keeps on like this...
So, life is much better in Soxland today...feels like we're about to put a stretch together...in fact I felt so good I went out and got my seasonal Sox hat...every season since 2003 I've gone out and gotten a Sox cap for the season, but only when it felt right...sometimes that was way before the season (like in 2004 when I couldn't WAIT to get back on the field) and other times it's at a relevant point during it...but always before the All Star break...this felt like the right time...I even picked up my official 2007 WS champs cap, which I had been meaning to do...like I said, right now it just feels right...could be time to put together some consistent, Red Sox baseball and see if we can win some games and put some distance between the contenders and the pretenders...
The Mighty Tigers, everyone's fancy pre-season AL pick for supremacy, are next...and the boys have to travel...I hear Detroit is lovely...umm...never, so they must be enjoying that...they're enjoying the game so far, Dice looks to have pitched a good game and the power stroke is going...up 5-1 going to the pen in the 7th...not sure when the Tigers will realize that pitching wins championships, but until they do...
GO SAWX!!!
Friday, May 2, 2008
Walking Off On the Jays...
I'd love to produce a fantastic blog about the dramatic walkoff wins against the Blue Jays in this space right now, but that would be disingenuous. Sadly, real life got in this way of me watching and of the two wins in this three game set...I only caught the highlights, and as thrilling as they were I can't help but think these games signaled a nice little salvation to the Sox's opening month, and so any attempt to write anything too intense without having witnessed the drama live would not be fair to the games themselves...too much work this week, not enough play, but after this weekend I should be able to get my priorities back in line ; )
Game one was a classic pitchers duel, that I know...I kept checking in on the score and seeing the 0's piling up, nice to see from Jon Lester, that's for sure...he did walk 4 so I'm not going to go all gaga since his control is obviously still a little suspect, but he did get 8 innings out of his 97 pitches, so he must have been hitting the zone more when he wasn't walking guys...struck out 6 and kept the Jays off the board...hard to ask any more...Halladay was brilliant over 8 innings...struck out 6, walked 1, only gave up 3 hits...we all know it's not easy to do that against the Sox, and this was with Lowell and Tek back in the lineup...but the Sox got him in the 9th in typical middle of the lineup fashion...Halladay got the first two, but he was a little too careful with Papi, walking him, and Manny followed with a single...Youk then delivered the walkoff single, with Papi hustling around to score the game winner...WHEELS!!! 1-0...Sox playing well in one run games, especially at home...
Game two featured 3 times as many runs as the first game...but it was pretty much second verse, same as the first...this time the hurlers were the Dice for Boston and the young Dustin McGowan for the Jays...nothing happened in this game at all until the 7th...Papi continued his resurgence with a bomb to give the boys a 1-0 lead, but the Jays tied it right back up in the top of the 8th off of the Mr. Hyde version of Manny Delcarmen...single, double, sac fly...tie game...then Dr. Jekyl returned and struck out the next two to keep it tied...0s in the bottom and top and we went to the bottom of the 9th...Papi got it started again, this time with a sharp single...Manny walked him over (so hard to get these guys out when it matters) and Francona, ignoring the blazing speed of Papi on second, pinch ran for him with Jed Lowrie...was Francona not watching the previous game???? He took out WHEELS!!! Of course it was the wrong call!!! Moss singled sharply to center and Lowrie was gunned down by Vernon Wells...of course he was...with the hit, Manny moved up to second but it would take a clutch hit from the Captain and Manny actually running to deliver a win without going to extras...Tek did his part, with a legit single up the middle, and you had to be thinking there's no way Manny makes it, but he guns it around third and keeps his helmet on his head until after he slides his foot in ahead of the tag...another night, another walkoff..Dirty Water blaring to cheers for the second straight night at Fenway...
Game 3 I did see most of, and I sure as hell picked the wrong game to watch...AJ Burnett, who gets killed by everyone else (I know, he's on my fantasy squad) pitched a great game...his electric stuff was there, and the Sox couldn't muster anything against him...3 hits in almost 8 innings...Wake was Wake, and the Sox go down 3-0...
Overall, a good finish to the month of April considering all of the obstacles...the feisty Rays that just swept us are coming right back for more...game on right now, after a little rain..two good young starters, Clay against the improving Edwin Jackson for the Rays...Sox are up 2-0, but to be honest I'm checking on that briefly here and there...I'm watching the Celtics blow game 6 to the Hawks right now...down 102-100 without the ball and 8.7 seconds left...another lackluster 4th quarter and for the first time in the series some dubious officiating...not cool...I can't believe this series is going 7, and if the C's lose game 7 at home to this Hawks team, I'll have one hell of a blog about it...game on...
GO SAWX!!!
Game one was a classic pitchers duel, that I know...I kept checking in on the score and seeing the 0's piling up, nice to see from Jon Lester, that's for sure...he did walk 4 so I'm not going to go all gaga since his control is obviously still a little suspect, but he did get 8 innings out of his 97 pitches, so he must have been hitting the zone more when he wasn't walking guys...struck out 6 and kept the Jays off the board...hard to ask any more...Halladay was brilliant over 8 innings...struck out 6, walked 1, only gave up 3 hits...we all know it's not easy to do that against the Sox, and this was with Lowell and Tek back in the lineup...but the Sox got him in the 9th in typical middle of the lineup fashion...Halladay got the first two, but he was a little too careful with Papi, walking him, and Manny followed with a single...Youk then delivered the walkoff single, with Papi hustling around to score the game winner...WHEELS!!! 1-0...Sox playing well in one run games, especially at home...
Game two featured 3 times as many runs as the first game...but it was pretty much second verse, same as the first...this time the hurlers were the Dice for Boston and the young Dustin McGowan for the Jays...nothing happened in this game at all until the 7th...Papi continued his resurgence with a bomb to give the boys a 1-0 lead, but the Jays tied it right back up in the top of the 8th off of the Mr. Hyde version of Manny Delcarmen...single, double, sac fly...tie game...then Dr. Jekyl returned and struck out the next two to keep it tied...0s in the bottom and top and we went to the bottom of the 9th...Papi got it started again, this time with a sharp single...Manny walked him over (so hard to get these guys out when it matters) and Francona, ignoring the blazing speed of Papi on second, pinch ran for him with Jed Lowrie...was Francona not watching the previous game???? He took out WHEELS!!! Of course it was the wrong call!!! Moss singled sharply to center and Lowrie was gunned down by Vernon Wells...of course he was...with the hit, Manny moved up to second but it would take a clutch hit from the Captain and Manny actually running to deliver a win without going to extras...Tek did his part, with a legit single up the middle, and you had to be thinking there's no way Manny makes it, but he guns it around third and keeps his helmet on his head until after he slides his foot in ahead of the tag...another night, another walkoff..Dirty Water blaring to cheers for the second straight night at Fenway...
Game 3 I did see most of, and I sure as hell picked the wrong game to watch...AJ Burnett, who gets killed by everyone else (I know, he's on my fantasy squad) pitched a great game...his electric stuff was there, and the Sox couldn't muster anything against him...3 hits in almost 8 innings...Wake was Wake, and the Sox go down 3-0...
Overall, a good finish to the month of April considering all of the obstacles...the feisty Rays that just swept us are coming right back for more...game on right now, after a little rain..two good young starters, Clay against the improving Edwin Jackson for the Rays...Sox are up 2-0, but to be honest I'm checking on that briefly here and there...I'm watching the Celtics blow game 6 to the Hawks right now...down 102-100 without the ball and 8.7 seconds left...another lackluster 4th quarter and for the first time in the series some dubious officiating...not cool...I can't believe this series is going 7, and if the C's lose game 7 at home to this Hawks team, I'll have one hell of a blog about it...game on...
GO SAWX!!!
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