Sox Drawer: In Between the Linens

Oki has been the biggest surprise of the season for the Sox, and he was rewarded by being named April's AL Rookie of the Month

-Okajima, not Dice-K, Gordon or Iwamura, named April ROM it's been creeping up on us for a couple of weeks now, but after yesterday's announcement, we can avoid it no longer: Oki Mania has replaced Dice-K fever as the hottest Japanese fad to sweep the states since the MP3 player

In being named the Rookie of the Month for his astounding April performance-0.71 ERA, 17 strikeouts 5 hits, 1 run in 12.2 in IP- Hideki Okajima has emerged from the shadows of his more heralded countrymen, Matsuzaka & Rays 3B Akinori Iwamura, and highly-touted Royals rookie 3B Alex Gordon, to become a big factor in Boston's success thus far

His whip-saw lefty motion combined with his impressive array of pitches, including a devastating, knee-buckling curve ball and a wicked changeup, have made him an instant celebrity on a team loaded with him, and like his buddy Dice-K, he takes it all in stride. Probably because he doesn't understand much of what is being said about him.

Speaking of that yakker, I had christened the pitch the Oki-Doke in a post over a week ago, and it seems that the filthy spies of the blogosphere picked up on that moniker and passed it along to the Sox staff. As reported in today's Globe, bullpen coach Gary Tuck had given the pitch the nickname "Oki Doki". I have a team of detectives digging up who used the name first & when.

-Lester return delayed the much-anticipated return of starting pitcher Jon Lester will be pushed back even further; the rehabbing righty had been sailing along in his attempt to come back from cancer, but had to leave a PawSox game last night after experiencing a cramp in his right forearm.

It had already been announced that Lester would be staying with Pawtucket for a few more weeks in order to slowly integrate him back into the lbig eagues, but this latest setback could push that date back even further. Which in turn means Julian Tavarez will be continue to start for the Sox while dispense pearls of pitching wisdom to Dice and Oki.

Be sure that RSN is pulling for Jon to make it back quickly.

-The CoCoCatch since a version of my catch phrase "Oki Doke" has been plaguerized, I came up with a new handy handle, this one for Coco Crisp's increasingly frequent hightlight-reel catches: The CoCoCatch

It's quick, it's clever, it's crazy fun to say, and it sums up the magnificinace that is Coco hurtling himself through the air parallel to the turf, extending with every inch of his 6' frame to snare a would-be extra base hit from an unsuspecting enemy batter.

With two spectacular grabs in the past two games, four or five on the season already to go with his tumble over the bully wall and last year's slew of show-stopping masterpieces, this is a sure-fire nickname that's guaranteed to catch on.

The trademark is pending, but please be sure to credit the source.

I can almost hear Rem Dog now..."wow, did you see that, Don, another great CoCoCatch to add to the NESN archives!"

-Beckett chasing the Babe it is almost ludacrious to mention Babe Ruth's name in the same breath as that of Josh Beckett. After all, the Babe allowed 10 homers in his entire 148-start pitching career, while Becks allowed a league high 36 last season alone.

Granted those were different times, but still, Beckett can enter the Bambino's hallowed company if he wins his next two starts.

The Babe won his first 8 starts with Boston in 1917, as did two other Sox, but something tells me Beckett won't tie the mark. He's on schedule to face the Jays in Toronto next Tuesday, a team he has historically had trouble with (1-2, 6,.10 ERA, 8 HRs allowed in 29 IP), and we know how Boston has played at SkyDome over the years. I'm just sayin'...