This just in: the Red Sox don’t suck. Sure, they stumbled out of the gate, losing the opening series to the Yankees and falling six games out of first place just 13 games into the season after being swept by the Rays and falling to 4-9. Sure, they suffered an embarrassing sweep at the hands of the Orioles last weekend that dropped them to seven games behind the surging Rays.
Yet, over their last 15 games, the Red Sox are 10-5, the exact same record as the Yankees over their last 15, and if you push it to 16 games, the Sox are 11-5 to the Yankees’ 10-6. Setting aside the fluky Baltimore series, in which two of the O’s wins were one-run victories in extra innings, the Sox have lost just three other series all year, to the Yankees, Rays, and Twins, the cream of the American League who enter today’s action with a combined .702 winning percentage. The Sox followed up their embarrassment in Baltimore by sweeping a four game set at home against the Angels, which pushed their record over .500 for the first time since the second day of the season, and prior to their trip to Baltimore, the Sox had won seven of their last nine games. Oh, and they’re doing all of that with two thirds of their outfield on the disabled list.
Yes, the Sox got off to a bad start, but they’re not a bad team, and the Yankees and the rest of baseball would be foolish to write them off this early. Remember when everyone was wondering what was wrong with Jon Lester? Well he’s a perennial slow starter (5.40 ERA through six starts in 2008, 6.07 ERA through ten starts last year). After three duds, he has put up the following line over his last three starts: 3-0, 0.44 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 20 2/3 IP, 10 H, 1R, 8 BB, 23 K, 0 HR. He faces A.J. Burnett on Sunday.
Josh Beckett, who starts against Phil Hughes tonight, got off to an even worst start, but his last time out he held the O’s to two runs over seven innings, striking out six against no walks or homers. Twenty-five-year-old Clay Buchholz, who starts Saturday against CC Sabathia, has been very good for a fourth starter, posting a 2.97 ERA with solid peripherals. The Yankees are going to miss John Lackey in this series, but five of his six starts this season have been quaility, and if you take out his one dud against the Rays, his ERA drops to 2.14.
At the plate, J.D. Drew got off to a miserable start, but has hit .352/.422/.667 over his last 14 games. David Ortiz homered just once in April, but has three jacks already in May and is finally being platooned with Mike Lowell (a move I had been expecting all winter). Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia remain among the most productive players at their positions (Robinson Cano has nine homers and 21 RBIs, Pedroia has seven taters and has driven in 21 as well). Adrian Beltre is hitting .343, and Jason Varitek has found new life coming off the bench (11-for-34 with five homers), which is important as Victor Martinez is one of the few Boston hitters still scuffling (though he did go 6-for-17 with two doubles and a homer in the Angels series).
Mike Cameron, out with a sports hernia, and Jacoby Ellsbury, out with broken ribs, have both resumed baseball activities, and though he hasn’t pitched well in two starts, Daisuke Matsuzaka has returned from the disabled list, pushing Tim Wakefield to the bullpen and assorted detritus (Scott Atchison, Fabio Castro, Alan Embree) off the roster. The Red Sox are righting their ship. Given that they’ve been keeping pace with the Yankees for more than half of the season despite the struggles of various individual players, that’s a legitimate concern.
The Yankees enter this weekend’s series in Boston with a five-game lead on the Sox, but there are 135 games left on the Yankees’ schedule. Certainly those five games give the Yankees some margin for error, but with injuries cascading through the roster, they just might need it. Meanwhile, with the Rays off to a blinding start (in addition to their major league best 21-7 record and .750 winning percentage, they have tied the 1984 Tigers with the best run differential after 28 games by any team since 1961 [hat tip: @lonestarball]), the three-way battle in the AL East that we expected each of the last two years but didn’t get due to the shortcomings of the Yankees and Rays, respectively, looks like it will be a reality this year.
I still like the Yankees’ chances of taking this series, because of the starters they have lined up and because of how well they’ve been playing all year, but any thoughts of being able to kick Boston while they’re down are misguided. The Red Sox are good. You heard it here first.
As for the Yankees, they’re going to skip Andy Pettitte’s next start to be extra careful about his elbow and have thus pushed back Javy Vazquez back a day to his regular spot in the rotation on Tuesday and scheduled Sergio Mitre for Monday against the Tigers. So as not to be without a long man in the pen (and to free Alfredo Aceves up for high-leverage work), they’ve demoted Greg Golson (who made just one appearance as a defensive replacement) in favor of Romulo Sanchez. Sanchez, the hard-thrower received from the Pirates for Eric Hacker, has a 6.48 ERA after five starts for Scranton this year, but that number drops to 3.18 if you take out his one monster stinker against Syracuse, the Nationals’ Triple-A affiliate. Still, don’t expect to see him except in a blowout.
Mariano Rivera is available to night, but Jorge Posada needed one more day. Linup after Cano: Nick Swisher (RF), Brett Gardner (CF), Francisco Cervelli (C), Randy Winn (LF).
As for the Red Sox roster . . .
Boston Red Sox
2010 Record: 15-14 (.517)
2010 Pythagorean Record: 15-14 (.517)
Manager: Terry Francona
General Manager: Theo Epstein
Home Ballpark: Fenway Park
Bill James Park Indexes (2007-2009):
LH Avg-108, LH HR-85
RH Avg-107, RH HR-95
Who Has Replaced Whom:
- Darnell McDonald (minors) has replaced Jacoby Ellsbury (DL)
- Jonathan Van Every as replaced Mike Cameron (DL) on the roster, with Jeremy Hermida taking Cameron’s place in the lineup.
- Daisuke Matsuzaka (DL) has replaced Tim Wakefield in the rotation, who has replaced Scott Atchison (minors) in the bullpen
25-man Roster:
1B – Kevin Youkilis (R)
2B – Dustin Pedroia (R)
SS – Marco Scutaro (R)
3B – Adrian Beltre (R)
C – Victor Martinez (S)
RF – J.D. Drew (L)
CF – Darnell McDonald (R)
LF – Jeremy Hermida (L)
DH – David Ortiz (L)
Bench:
R – Mike Lowell (3B/1B)
L – Jonathan Van Every (OF)
R – Bill Hall (UT)
S – Jason Varitek (C)
Rotation:
R – Josh Beckett
R – Clay Buchholz
L – Jon Lester
R – John Lackey
R – Daisuke Matsuzaka
Bullpen:
R – Jon Papelbon
L – Hideki Okajima
R – Daniel Bard
S – Ramon S. Ramirez
R – Manny Delcarmen
L – Scott Schoeneweis
R – Tim Wakefield
Lineup:
R – Marco Scutaro (SS)
R – Dustin Pedroia (2B)
S – Victor Martinez (C)
R – Kevin Youkilis (1B)
L – J.D. Drew (RF)
L – David Ortiz (DH)
R – Adrian Beltre (3B)
L – Jeremy Hermida (LF)
R – Darnell McDonald
15-day DL:
CF – Mike Cameron (sports hernia)
LF – Jacoby Ellsbury (fractured ribs)
RHP – Boof Bonser (groin)
SS – Jed Lowrie (mononucleosis)
RHP – Junichi Tazawa (Tommy John surgery)
Romulo Sanchez was promoted in place of Golson. Girardi also confirmed that Pettitte will miss his next start, but not head to the DL. Mitre will also start on Monday (making the Sanchez move necessary) and Vazquez will move back to Tuesday.
[1] Yeah, that's all in the above post.
I also wouldn't say the Red Sox have righted the ship. If you watched the series against the Angels, they didn't play very well. The Angels just happened to play worse.
[3] I said the Sox are "righting" their ship, meaning they're in the process of it, but not all the way there yet, a subtle, but important distinction.
[4] I am not criticizing you for saying it...I just wouldn't. I am not basing that on the results of the week, but what I observed. Boston did not play well against the Angels. That doesn't mean they wont play well this weekend, but until they do, I still think their ship is rocky.
Just win the series and move on to the next city. : )
My friend sent me this. Mets fan or Yankee fan? Pretty silly.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704342604575222410550392850.html
A-Rod's response to Braden's latest rant is awesome. I didn't think the "hand full of wins" comment was warranted at the time, but now I think A-Rod should make fun of this tool any chance he can get
[6] Interesting. I enjoy beer, have guns & two dogs. But I am single w/ no kids & I have JD & MLS degrees.
The Red Sox do so suck.
I don't care how well they're playing, they still suck. :-)
Cliff, if you love the Red Sux so much, why don't you marry them? =) Still think they're gonna win the AL East?
evening .... doing laundry on an exciting Friday night :-)
[11] Don't get to crazy. I'm balancing my checkbook.
And looking forward to the Sergio Mitre Experience on Monday.
[12]
well, the dryer is stacked on top of the washer, so no "spin cycle fun" :-P
[13] LOL
Are you washing your unmentionables?
[14]
as a matter of fact ...
Ungood start.
If Beckett has that kind of curve, the Yankees could be in trouble. He hasn't shown as good a curve all season.
C'mon Phil ... nice and easy ...
I mean, Who has a pony? I had a pony!
And the thunderstorm has knocked the satellite out. But at least my dogs have taken the Dangerous Book for Dogs advice and have Scrammed and Cowered. One at my feet, the other in my lap.
Phil, hitting 95, is, I believe, *pumped* right now.
Siddown, Nancy.
And we're back in time to get a bit of a scare on that flyball.
[11] Great minds...beautiful Sat morning here and I got three loads ready to go, thankfully Yanks-Sox on tv! Hope we make contact against the Grinch at some point tonight... :(
Robbie not been looking good the last few days ...
And the signal is gone again.
5-6 strikeouts? Who was it who was saying the Red Sox don't scare them?
Hughes better be on his his game...Beckett has 95mph with a curve working. Not wasting time with many cutters and changes. This is the kind of game where Tex and Arod have to hit because it could be tough for the bottom of lineup to be productive tonight.
Yo folks.
Yeah, Beckett is on fire.
[27] I believe in the Mighty Mites!
Just watch!
Ugly grew up in Cincinnati. Good.
21. cult of basebaal
May 7th, 2010 at 7:22 pm
Phil, hitting 95, is, I believe, *pumped* right now.
NOOOOOOOOOO!
YESSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!
Maybe?
Phew!
[31] Recursion!
Could we have a sub-3:00 Yanks/BoSox game?
Brains!
Zombietime!!
Everybody is happy! Everybody wants to play baseball!
(checks to see if Brains has any SBs in his minors career)
[39] 5 SB & 5 CS
I'm watching NESN. Don and Jerry are very distracted by the Bruins/Flyers game. Checking in with Katherine Tappan right now.
[40]
and none since 2007
Beckett has thrown 5 pitches out of the zone to Jeter and he has swung at 4. This has been a problem all season for Jeter, and it is going to catch up to him if he doesn't figure it out.
ugh
Beckett's got everyone fooled but Frankie? You just can't fool Brains.
[45] Brett grounded sharply up the middle (unfortunately Josh stuck his glove out and nabbed it).
Jorge Posada anagrams to "Oops! Aged Raj"
Grrr. Thought that was a strike.
how do you walk facemask?
Some of those balls were... close, anyway.
Kim Jones zings MK!
That was a freebie for Phil. A phreebie.
Marco Scutaro anagrams to "Actor or a Scum"
hi team!
haven't read cliff's post yet. looking forward to.
no gig tonight... : ( 2 tomorrow though...
fuckett is striking out the world. : /
werth took lowe very deep. watching old man moyer here in hotlanta.
[6] i barely skipped the silly article. but... i LOVE beer, HATE guns. not married, no kids (unfortunately). NO pets. (scared of dogs)
[13] i wrote a poem once called "Spin Cycle" and titled a friends' CD "Life Cycles"
GO YANKS!!!
Wow.
Helluva game so far.
[53] Vida Blue anagrams to:
Diva Lube
(i figured you'd like that!)
Time for ice cream!
[56]
LOL
[57] i just bought some. more importantly, i bought a half-case of Sierra Nevada! : )
[59] Sierra floats!
wow, i can't believe tex got the walk. i was thinking that he wasn't looking good to start that AB.
[60] Mmmmmm.
Mark Teixeira anagrams to "I, rear exam kit"
(which kinda describes his Aprils)
nice hit by Arod!
There ya go, Alex!
Woo hoo, base cloggers!
[63] a new form of navel gazing?
[61] I think Randy Winn doesn't get those calls...
Fastballs on the black, all game. Damn.
[68] the mighty winn?
Joe West is going to be upset with you, Beckett.
Ugh. Rotten.
I do believe Cano is slumping ...
christ - 7 of 11 outs via K
Oh come on.
Come on Swish, and come on, Blue.
Nick Swisher anagrams to "Screw His Kin" :-O
woohoo!
Attack of the Swish!
swisher!!!
Nick THE STICK!!!!!!!
Swish Swat!
Dope.
SWISH-A-LICIOUS!!!!
[76] does he have a hot sister? ; )
Run, Lil' G, Run.
Run, Gritner, Run!
Let's see if Beckett abandons his curve now.
gardner on first! steal all three bases!!!
Fucking beautiful.
I was about to say, "Beckett's gonna throw some gopher balls, so if we're lucky it will be (i) with men on, and (ii) to one of our slammers."
Really. I swear.
Upper Deck Beck!
[84]
Swisher Sister .... we're not gonna take her ...
asshole.
F.U. Beckett
[88] i am so down with that!
[91] nice! D. Snider Firstman
[91] No! We're not gonna take her!
Damn, I missed it!!
[83] Yo thelarmis, hope you're feeling better today! More classical chat soon, doing chores here this morning.
Eff you Grinch for going high and tight on Frankie!
[89] likely story.
[92/93] what did 'plays the game right' do now?
Why. Isn't. Gritner. Running???
Beckett up to 68 pitches on the 4th ...
[96] oh, i see what he did. jerkbag.
ah, thanks man. it's physical stuff. we'll see... not much in a classical mood tonight. oh well...
FRANKIE!! I love that kid.
C'mon. One more three run job.
Everybody wants to play baseball! So, things happen.
ZOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMBIE!
[98] was wondering the same thing.
i'm not fully paying attention to the braves-phils game. i just can't stand fister caray. but i think Lowe had a 3-pitch inning before. that's pretty frickin' cool, yo!
This is your Brains on Speed!
[97] Beckett was taking a bit too long, so Frankie steps out, then the next pitch dusts Frankie.
winn's specialty is the 3-run homer. all set up for him...
[107] thanks man. i have to remember to always be nice to you... ya know, so you don't shoot me! ; )
[108] Meh. He didn't add anything to our Winn expectancy ...
[109] Heh. I'd only shoot if my or my family's lives were in danger. I actually keep the guns unloaded at home. Less chance of the dogs getting into trouble.
Ice cream gone, time for beer.
wow, the braves look really bad. really really bad. all facets of the game. the only real bright spot has been heyward and his groin is bad. could even be a DL thing. it is nice for me to see Melky a lot though.
What, scared of JD Drew all of a sudden?
Swing, you loser!
lowe for 4 years/$60 mil was a really crappy deal for the bravos.
fuck you, nancy
Okay, now we can just concentrate on the W.
Well, we don't have to worry about that anymore.
Hm.
Settle down, Phil, here we go.
Oy.
I was hoping to see a 4-5-6-3- Globetrotter type double play. Oh Well.
That one bad pitch to Youk. Otherwise, it was another VG inning.
nice pitch!
Easy 95. Real Nice.
Great visit by Eiland...the cutter wasn't working, so no need to force it.
[122] Was also a bad pitch to Ortiz, but very good all things considered.
now I want an opposite field single by Cano .... nice and simple
What is wrong with Jeter? He has completely abandoned any attempt to work the count.
[126] True, but no harm on that one. (Let's face it, you can afford a small mistake to him now.)
They're dropping like flies!
That was an awful inning.
Way to work the pitch count, team.
at least we didn't strike out.
what happened to NJ?
[133] It's NJ...pick something.
Philthy vs Facemask...that is not an even match-up these days..
Good play by Swish.
Hughes is getting a little sloppy...lots of first pitch fastballs down the middle.
that was nicely done by swish. He had some real embarasing moments last year in Fenway so it's nice to see.
Well NJ was healthy for 5 weeks.
Um, I don't like these hits.
Argh.
Those hits were off decent pitches, too.
0-1 curve following a cutter? Odd.
Philthy Phil vs. My Little Pony, what a showdown...
Pony Pop!
Oh, Dusty. A thousand broken hearts across Bahston.
[140] I don't know...one was a fastball down the middle and the other a hanging curve. Hughes' fastball is so good, I'd like to see him go off speed early and then stay with the fastball.
[144] Psst: they're watching hockey.
That was a very key AB there, ending the rally by getting Pony to pop-up...
BTW, why do Orsilo and Remy keep cutting away to some female announcer? They don't broadcast the sideline reporters here on J tv, it just goes silent..
[147] hockey playoffs
[145] Don't think so. McDonald got a pitch on the outside edge and took it to the opposite field; the curve was not great but it was breaking low when Scutaro hit it.
nice alex!
Eat Fucking SHIT Beckett.
Why are you obsessing over the Citgo sign.
Youch!
Ouch.
[147] [148] Yeah, Katherine Tappan. You'd like her.
ouchie!
where'd it hit him?
Not in the next inning, but a Yankee pitcher has to hit Pedroia. Must do it...no question.
was he throwing at cano there? he seemed to throw near him on btoh pitches.
[154] Looks like the inside of the left knee.
Christ. Don't break a kneecup. Holy fucking dogshit.
Owwww.
That looked very painful.
Robbie better be ok...the injuries are getting ridiculous.
[154] Inside the knee.
[155] Pony made the last out, so he won't be up for a while. And I don't want him hit in a close game, I just don't care about the unwritten rules that much.
[153] she's adorable
No way Cano comes out for the bottom of the 6th.
[156] There's no way. Rob isn't hitting him, and Beckett wouldn't impose that kind of cost on his team.
[156] The base was open...and he did seem annoyed by Cano stepping out. Regardless, its being careless. If Pedroia doesn't go down, its pretty weak.
double steal!
of course, robbie can't steal and just got hit in the knee. lefty at the plate.
fuck it, just hit another 3-run job!
[163] Nope, he's coming out now.
crap, crap, crap.
Cano leaves the game. I hope he's not out too long.
Poor facemask.
Tripleplus ungood.
OH NO!
cano is coming out?
fuck. piss. shit. hell.
destroy fuckett. destroy him.
[164] but it's Beckett. He threw at Abreu for calling time out. And he did it to Frankie earlier too. The guy is a jerk. But maybe you're right.
[165] yeah, just a pitch high and tight in warning would suffice.
[164] You give Beckett too much credit. This is the same guy that threw a ball right at Bobby Abreu's head for stepping out.
Rob will be fine. He's bruised, is all.
Sore right wrist for Johnson is scary...wrists have plagued him since the minors.
The injuries are getting out of hand here.
[176] understatement.
according to chad jennings,
NJ has soreness in his right wrist..
but of course he does...
Well, some Red Sock is gonna get hit.
I'd love to see a wild pitch and Arod plow through Beckett.
Beckett continues to throw way inside. Red Sux need to hit dirt.
Gardner has to bunt here.
interesting.
Oh, fer christ sake. That's just stupid. It's stupid. I'm ashamed of Tito.
damnit, swish
hi team - i am mostly watching the cavs destroy the fucking celts - good to check-in and see the yanks up - but what the hell is going on - can and nj out?!?
Can anyone explain that move???
make them pay, Brains!!!
Posada looks like he wants to charge the mound.
Beckett apparently yelled something at Swisher in the at bat.
[186] cano hit by pitch in knee. NJ sore wrist.
Man, tempting fate by challenging Frankie Brains.
Beware the Might Mites!
[187] Beckett thinks he can blow away Cervelli and Winn.
2-0.
Now they're sorry, right?
[186] nj has a sore wrist. fuckett hit robbie in the knee, 'coz he's a fucking asshole.
nice to know the celts are losing big!
[190] thanks - good lord the whole team needs that bubblewrap they sent jeter
[193] Maybe not.
[189] did swish admire his homer before?
Not sure of the outcome, but walking Gardner was the right move.
But why didn't he think he could blow away Brett??
[197] I think he thought Swish was being dramatic when he bailed on the previous pitch.
[198] No way. Bad move.
[199] Because Brett hasn't been swinging and missing all season.
[194] thanks thelarmis - gotta co-sign about beckett
[200] ah. fuckett really is a giant douchelord. he needs to rot in hell.
throw at him now beckett you ass
Everybody wants to play baseball!!! So things happen!
Ha. Ha.
we better hit two red sox. twice throwing at the head of the guy with concussion issues? seriously?
I love Cervelli's reaction...looked at Beckett with disgust. Yankees better have a response.
[205] He did.
Still no warning!
FRANKIE BRAINS!!!
Wahoo!!!
suck it, fuckett!
Dictionary definition of asshole has a picture of Josh Beckett. Throwing inside yet again after time called.
Winn!
The MIGHTY MOTHERFUCKING MITES.
Just sayin' ...
[209] yeah i noticed that for sure.
Hell yes.
Walking the bases loaded is almost always a bad idea.
The bigger the lead the easier it is to retaliate. I nominate Boone Logan to put a 97mph fastball in Dusty's ribs.
[210] makes you wonder what is going on in his head.
Winn Expectancy!
keep it movin', fellas!
This is freakin' ridiculous.
Still no warning???
warning? thrown out yet? WTF?
This is ridiculous.
Send Arod to run across the mound.
[216] I'm thinking big fat Romulo Sanchez
Is the C word verboten here?
Cuz Beckett's a fcking...
Beckett is turning into a Giant Douche .... or a Turd Sandwich.
What The FUCK. I can't paint with all this shit going on. Fuck you, shithead.
But you guys have to admit, he's lost his control, it's not deliberate. Sure, he's coming inside too much, but he's not handing the Yankees runs deliberately.
[216] i'd prefer the target to be ugly - he takes it much more personally - though let's avoid having joba do it
[224] works for me.
I think they assume it can't be intentional, because he's walking in runs by hitting the batters.
fuckett needs to be ejected, fined & suspended.
cocksucker.
haha! what an awesomely horrid play.
Even if they aren't on purpose to hit, Josh has no control.
You can't tell me a Yankee pitcher wouldn't have been warned and ejected by now.
[225] no - he is a cunt!
[220] warning? for what? for hitting somebody with the bases loaded to force in a run?
Uh, how about a slide there, Randy?
[223] Awesome.
[223] hilarious.
[225] i hate that word. but it's not forbidden here...
[223] lol
please go BOOM, Tex!!!
[228] I firmly believe he hit Cano on purpose...now, I just don't think he cares. It's a tough guy act.
[237] For hitting four batters.
I know, it's not deliberate, but it's culpable negligence.
Beckett's just really wild right now.
I love it....walk off the mound punk.
Ha!
Pitchers who are "wild" and hitting batters have been ejected simply for being "wild," haven't they?
[242] i also believe he threw at frankie on purpose. That was pretty obvious the first time, if not the second time (yes, with the bases loaded I think he'd do it)
[239] Ditto, never use that word.
See, this is much better than hitting Pony or Ugly. Much. Because it's Josh who suffers, and he suffers in the worst way: mentally, not physically.
Embarrass the dickhead.
[247] I seem to recall one or two such instances.
Beckett is putting up Javy numbers. 7.24 ERA with runners still on.
nice, tex.
Alex: Be GRAND!
The Bruins have rallied to tie, after dropping behind 3-1.
[252] That would cap things nicely.
lohud chad said cc was irate and screaming after jeter got hit
Any hit for Alex here. Doesn't have to be grand...
[255] good to hear.
[255] Posada looked angry too. Arod yelled something like, take him out.
From Jayson Stark:
Starlin Castro 3 AB into his career /// youngest player in last 50 years with a 3B, HR & 6 RBIs in a game. It's not this easy!
did fuckett get booed by the idiots?
let's keep adding to fuckett's era
Add another run to the ledger.
Even that's fine.
I wonder how Phil's feeling right now.
[263] It's been a long delay for sure. Maybe one more inning and then call it a night.
i'll take it. i'd like to see double digits
[260] Not really, no.
i'm glad it's 9-1. It kind of sucks having Pena bat 5th.
[267] Probably for the only time in his ML career.
[266] that's a shame.
Meanwhile, the Yankees have to hope Cano is ok. If he isn't, I would have Pedroia eat dirt in every AB this series.
I'm surprised Beckett didn't get another standing ovation.
nice play A-rod!
I hope Phil hasn't lost his control after sitting on the bench so long. It would be so terrible if a RS got hit. . .
[272] It was. When he started to throw to first, I was thinking, "Why not throw to third??" Then it hit me. Doh!
Flyers take the lead.
A hit to Ortiz? Take Hughes out immediately!
[274] funny thing is I did the same double take. My brain almost froze trying to figure out how to make it work.
What's so great is that as Yankees fans we can't even imagine that Beckett would be such a douche as to throw at a guy to force in a run but I think it was very obvious that's what he did. He was pissed at Frankie for stepping out, he was pissed at Varitek for not framing pitches, he was pissed at the umpire for the ball 2 call which was a strike but Varitek did not frame. It was classic Pedro, I can't be the bully so I'm gonna start drilling guys. i wonder if the unwriiten rules guys will talk about the selfishness of Josh. No eye contact with the manager when he's pulled despite facing 3 batters more than he should have.
As long as he doesn't walk anyone, I'm happy.
[277] I feel better now.
Hughes location is off...need to just get through this inning.
Oh, it's the "Yankees Suck!" chant!
We're world champs, beating the snot out of their ace, and the chant is ringing. It's like the 1990's again! Awesome.
old man moyer about to complete a game vs. the bravos. he's allowed 2 hits and no walks. 5 k's, 0 runs. 1 out to go...
[281] Except on that pitch.
Leiter is giving Beckett way too much credit. Beckett has and always will be an insolent child.
[282] i was just going to comment on that. It's like you know we're kicking their ass when that chant starts.
[283] I picked the Braves to win that division. Not smart.
[281] Agree. Absolutely no reason for him to pitch the seventh. There will be plenty of future opportunities for him to embarrass the Sox.
nice looking pitch!
[287] Although, he's fun to watch.
nice work, phillip!
moyer: shutout. amazingly enough, it was of the complete game variety! ; )
By the way, Phil is a young Liam Clancy.
Man, oh, man I hope Robbie is okay. Man, I'm FIRED UP. That douchebucket Beckett is shit starter.
Shades of Doc Ellis, perhaps?
http://www.bronxbanterblog.com/2008/12/20/the-good-doctor-2/
[286] you were not alone. they're complete and utter suckitude was not expected.
I'd have Phil start the 7th, maybe get an out, then plunk a guy. No reason for a reliever to get tossed.
And if Phil gets suspended, appeal & kick the time down the road to where the other starters are all healthy, then use it to help cap Phil's innings.
[282] [285] it really shows what losers they still are - i posted about a month or so ago that the dean of where i went to graduate school ended his lame ass newsletter "yankees suck" - he hasn't written anything about the red sox in the last few newsletters - i had one of those rare feelings of abject disgust and pleasure
[294] Two words...Romulu Sanchez. He is 6'5", 260lb and throws about 98mph. Even better, he is likely ticketed back to Scranton by next week.
So, Wakefield isn't starting? I guess I didn't realize that.
damn
[297] Nope...Dice K took his spot :)
[299] thanks. that's awesome! :)
[297] Yeah, he's not happy about it.
Whoa, Bruins tie it up with seconds left in regulation! (In case you were wondering why a cheer went up in Fenway for no obvious reason.)
[296] in other words, he's around the same size as me...
[297] yeah, he wasn't happy about having to take his floater to the 'pen...
[301] [302] Yeah, i don't think he should be happy. it's interesting.
[303] Thing is, Dice-K can't pitch from the pen. Buchholz could, I guess, but you know, 26 vs. 42 or whatever Wake is.
[296] Yet another good option. And I'd rather have Romulu on the mound if the RS charges -- I'd rather he get hurt than Phil.
But if no one's up in the 'pen, it's all moot.
Sucks that Pedroia comes up this inning...would have loved Romulu to start the 8th against him.
nice and easy!
Yes!!! Now pitching...Romulu Sanchez :)
Nice. Nice.
I wouldn't have sent Phil back out, but I'm not complaining.
nice!
[309] he finished with 101 pitches.
let's see some sanchez and logan and call it a night...
Oh, cool, they're throwing in the towel. Hall for Scutaro.
Wakefield is my favorite Red Sock.
Hate to keep harping on it, but Jeter has to go back to his old approach or he is going to have a poor season.
Boo! Boo! Stealing with a seven run lead!
Violation of Unwritten Rule 604.
Hah!
V-Mart, meet Wakey.
That's an RBI, thanks to V-Mart.
[314] Rule 604 § 2(h)
double digits!!
[316] Oh, thanks, Dallas.
This is pathetic.
Dave?
Dave Robertson?
So Beckett goes on a rampage, and the Yankees do nothing. Seems more like the Torre years.
where the hell is quantrill when we need him?
I'm watching hockey now. Let me know if anything exciting happens.
no sanchez? ack!
[323] Zamboni!
you could hit ugly but he'd just throw his helmet at you before getting body slammed.
I don't get the capitulation on the part of the Sox. Down 7 in the eighth and they give up?
They don't have any games they can simply give away.
Sigh.
holy crap. throw some fucking strikes, dude! jeezus.
don't bring sanchez in w/ 2 outs...
Robertson needs to be sent down to figure out what's wrong. If he can't throw strikes tonight than you simply can't use him in any meaningful situation.
siddown fat liar
Suck, it Big Poopi.
Whoa. Not watching, but Cervelli and Robertson are working this inning by themselves, huh?
Robertson kind of stinks..
[333] I jinxed it.
goddammit. wtf, robertson???
[334] He did strike out My Little Pony on three pitches.
But there's something wrong, for sure.
[334] I think we have to entertain the possibility that Robertson's brief flash last year was just that.
Heh. Beckett injured Varitek.
Pena's OBP is lower than his BA
Lack of word on Robbie is starting to worry me. I was hoping to hear contusion...day to day.
[340] Sweet! I love that.
Damn. NHK switched to Angels-Mariners now...hope there's no fireworks in the bottom 9th at Fenway..
hey Ms. O - if you come back to this thread...
a young kid named Craig Kimbrel made his pitching debut for the Braves tonight. he's from Huntsville...
OT powerplay for the B's...
Who will score Logan's Run this inning?
Hit their other catcher!
Flyers have killed the PP.
[346]
+29 -- don't want to go to 30.
[344] ha, thanks - just popped back in for a second. i'm with suns/spurs now.
that's cool - any clue where he went to hs?
[350] Suns up 2-0..think they can take the Lakers? Havn't seen any playoffs this year, missing it..
[344] Hey, Huntsville...cool. I bet he will have a lot of fans at the game.
[351] i hope so - but they probably don't have the length to guard and rebound with bynum and gasol. they would have to just out score them like crazy.
[350] not a clue. he was very well received by his teammates when he showed up yesterday. he did well today and projects as their closer of the future. he's 21.
Flyers win it!!!!
Ok Boone, time for this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsOmvSlPuys
ok g'night folks.
Wonder if CC takes matters into his own hands tomorrow.
And Yankees win. Bad night in Beantown, sportswise.
glad pony boy made the final out.
Sab's will give them hell tomorrow. i'll only catch the very beginning of the game...
[359] Slurp. Can't wait to rub it in all over Rhode Island tomorrow.
[350] Looks like he went to Lee High School and college at Wallace State.
NJ is headed back to NY for an MRI. Don't expect him back for a month.
[343] Dude, you gotta get MLB's premium package. I just turned off the tube and went right to my iPhone.
Maybe our friends in the States don't know how ridiculous Japanese sports programing is. There's no rhyme or reason to it. Cutting out of games to show the news when nothing special is happening. Sometimes they'll switch to a story about some duck in a park that got shot by an arrow. Dropping out of one close game to show guys warming up before the start of another game. While you folks are watching two or three replays of a close play, we get to see Ichiro scratching his balls or Daisuke picking his nose. Highlights never include great fielding plays, only HRs and runs scoring are shown. Oh, and we also get to see Matsui striking out over and over again. It's maddening!
Memo to Yanks:
Open season on lame red sox late in season when red sox are eliminated (again).
Scenario:
yanks minor leaguer pitcher.. plunk Dustin Pedroia.
Enough already.