It's spring training? Screw it, let's brawl!

Hit batters lead to benches clearing as Sox overcome a shaky effort from Beckett.

Gotta love Tito's & Coco's expressions in this pic; BTW, I would NOT f**k with Demarlo Hale! (courtesy of the Globe/AP)

Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that it was 80+ degrees and sunny on this gorgeous early spring day in F-L-A that got temperatures rising between the Sox and Tigers at Joker Marchant Stadium in beautiful, desolate Lakeland.

Or it could have been that Sox gopher ball specialist Josh Beckett turned into the second coming of Nuke LaLoosh, nailing new Tiger Gary Sheffield with a pitch in the first inning and then catching Mags Ordonez with a breaker to the helmet in the 3rd. Neither pitch did much damage to the batters, although Ordonez was down for a bit and removed for precautions, but neither sat too well with the Tigers players & staff.

Needless to say hot-headed Detroit skipper Smokey Jim Leyland didn't take too kindly to Beckett using his players as target practice while he worked on his breaking ball, so nobody in the stadium was surprised when Detroit reliever Todd Jones attempted to hit J.D. Drew in the 5th. I think it was more that Jones attempted twice, throwing behind Drew on the second try, that got Leyland and Jones ejected (both sides had already been warned due to the three prior HBPs), and caused the benches & bullpens to empty, culminating in a shouting match between Smokey Jim and Maddog DeMarlo Hale.

Cooler heads ultimately prevailed, and it's a good thing, too; Leyland may be an ornery, chain-smokin' old S.O.B., but DeMarlo would snap that geezer in half like a Nicorette user snapping a Malboro.

Beckett ended up allowing 5 runs (2 earned) on 4 hits in 3 2/3, with 1 walk and 1 strikeout, a less-than-stellar outing, according to Captain Obvious. On the bright side Eric Hinske slugged a 1st-inning grand slam off Tigers playoff hero Justin Verlander, five Sox had 2 hits apiece (Coco, Drew, Hinske, Cora and Joe McEwing) and 4 relievers combined to throw 5 1/3 innings of 1-run ball.

And the Sox won, 7-6.

The Tigers visit Fenway April 14-17th for a four game set.

Better bring a bodyguard, Marlboro man.

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Sox split squads split twin bill

GM1:Boston 3, Toronto 2
GM2:Minny 1, Boston 0

The Sox split its squads yesterday, playing two games at the Fort, but one of the 2 had a decidedly regular season, Fenway feel to it.

Curt Schilling took on Minnesota's Johan Cy-tana yesterday afternoon at City of Palms Park in a duel that takes center stage no matter what time of year it is or where the venue is. Schill worked on his developing slider again, throwing 14 of them out of his 60 pitches, and allowed one run on two hits and a walk in four innings of work. Cy-tana was in mid-season form as well, tossing 3 shutout innings while giving up one hit, two walks and three Ks.

The real positive sign here is that Schill is getting more comfortable with his new "out" pitch, at one point throwing three in a row to Matt LeCroy before striking him out on a fastball, causing the non-roster invitee to do a little double take. "I was like, 'What in the world?" LeCroy said.

In the other game Kyle Snyder got tagged early, allowing homers to 2 of the first 4 batters he faced, but the righty settled down to toss 2 1/3 innings, giving up just the two runs on 5 hits, a walk and two Ks. Snyder is making a pitch for the remaining spot in Boston's pen, but getting outpitched by fellow retread Tomo Okha, who pitched 3 innings of shutout ball, is no way to go about it.

Other notes from the game: JD Drew's triple drove in ManRam, who had singled, and tied the game at 2 in the 4th; Boston won it on a 9th inning RBI double by Jeff Bailey.

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Welcome to the Blogosphere, Curt!

In an obvious attempt to counter what is sure to be the enormous popularity of this new blog, Red Sox ace Curt Schilling, a man who never met a microphone he didn't like and himself admits "I’ve been called everything from outspoken to blowhard to much, much worse", has decided to take a side job as a blogger.

The big question is, will the pitcher we have all come to know, love and worship over these past 3+ years have anything important to say on his new site, 38 Pitches?

Oh sure we know Curt loves to opine on everything from his political beliefs to how other managers should coach their players, and he will go to great lengths to promote charities such as the ALS Association and breast cancer awareness, but will he be able to provide relevant "inside the ropes" observations about our favorite ball club?

If the first couple of entries are any indication the answer should be "yes." Obviously Schill is never afraid to speak his mind and shoot from the hip when it comes to any issues, and having this blog should provide a terrific forum for him to vent some of the feelings he has throughout the season, whether it be regarding opposing players, teammates and/or anything else in the universe.

"I plan to chat about a myriad of topics as this blog evolves, from baseball, teams, players, and umpires, to the media, my family, and my past in and around the game, all the way to the electronic gaming industry and what I’ve seen, am seeing, and hope to see from 38 Studios in the future."

That's what we in the Nation would expect from you Curt. Look, sports fans complain when athletes answer questions with cliches and "no comments"; this is a chance to listen to the thoughts of one of the greatest pitchers of our generation, one of the greatest Red Sox of all time, who just happens to be a knowledgeable, intelligent, and articulate person, and what better way to express your thoughts to the world in 2007 than with a blog?

Welcome to the club, Curt.

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Another good outing for Paps

Wake & Paps combine for 6 scoreless innings

Although Boston still does not have a closer for the upcoming season, its former closer continues to progress quite nicely in his new role as a starting pitcher.

Mind you Jonathan Papelbon has yet to start a spring training game (that might come next, according to the Globe), but his spring work so far has proven that the shoulder trouble that sidelined Paps at the end of last season and forced him top forgo the closer's spot seem to be a thing of the past.

After Tim Wakefield pitched the first three scoreless innings, Papelbon took over and matched the knuckler with three scoreless of his own. Paps allowed one hit and one run while striking out four in his second impressive outing of the spring since relinquishing his closer role. Maybe.

No one in the organization is absolutely ruling out a return to the pen for the 26-year-old, but unless something drastic happens (like, say potential closers Pineiro getting lit up the other day and Brandon Donnelly allowing 4 runs on 2 hits & a walk in 2/3 of an inning in today's 9-5 win over the Mets), look for Paps to start the season in the starting rotation.

All we here in the Nation care about is that the kid is healthy again and showing his dominant, early-2006 form, no matter where he pitches.

Oh, by the way, the Sox won the game on a 9th inning, walk off grand slam by former Orioles infield prospect Ed Rodgers off the immortal Ambiorix Burgos. ManRam also got his first hit of the spring (finally!); the mercurial one had been 0-6 coming in before singling in the 4th.

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SOX NOTES: and Judas Demon wonders why The Nation despises him?

Just checked out this piece from Boston Metro, via Globe Sports Online, which is an interview between BM reporter David Sandora and former Commonwealth Idiot, Judas Demon.

In the brief piece Damon gushes about his playing for the Yankees and living in the Big Apple in general, things he would have been loathe to do just two short years ago. A few of the comments struck me as quite amusing, if not for their idiocy then their sheer assholeishness (I can use that word here):

-On his first year living in New York, Captain Caveman says "It was incredible. After a night game, you’re able to go and find something to eat. Every other place I’ve played, you couldn’t do that."

Ah, I know I've been a Floridian for 14 years now, but last time I was home I remember that most restaurants/bars/clubs were open until at least 2:00 a.m., and after that everyone knew where to go for after hours carousing. Night games are over by 10-10:30, plus an hour & a half for post-game bullshit still leaves you on Yawkey Way by midnight with a smorgasbord of options for your wining & dining pleasure. In other words, what the hell is he talking about?

-Asked if there was anything that surprised him about playing for the Stanks, CC replied "I think just the way they do stuff, it’s incredible. How the simplest things — having two buses before a game on the road, two buses after the game — we’re the only people who did that."

Note the disgusting use of the word "we", and also chuckle at how a former self-proclaimed idiot who enjoyed long hair, Jack Daniels and sluts thinks so highly of the fact that his new team has two buses for the players' royal pampered asses.

-But the kicker had to be his response to the inevitable query about his long-lost shaggy mane; did he miss his hirsute visage? "No. Actually, the hair was going to come off regardless of what team I signed with."

And that's why we hate you, you f-ing traitor. Keep your shorn locks and double-bussed ass in the Big Apple, and may an enraged former fan serve you an extra "special" pot of cold tea next time you're looking for a late night snack in Chinatown.

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Matsuzaka impressive against professional hitters, too

It's fitting that today's 14-6, 10-inning Sox victory over the Marlins took place in Jupiter because the way Daisuke Matsuzaka has been pitching hitters are going to start thinking he's from another planet, never mind another country.

Matsuzaka tossed three innings of 2-hit, shutout ball against Florida, allowing one walk while striking out three. He needed 47 pitches, 31 of which were strikes, and he threw first-pitch strikes to a stellar 10 out of 12 batters faced; talk about getting ahead of the hitters. Oh, and his fastball topped off at 94 mph.

Now can we please cut the bullshit about "what if this Matsuzaka guy can't pitch as well against major leaguers as he did against Japanese players and college kids"? Because the Diceman proved today that there aren't any hitters on the planet that he won't gladly attempt to dice-sect (sorry) with his nasty array of fastballs, curves, and mystical gyro balls.

It was Matsuzaka's first MLB action against actual major leaguers (although scrubs with names like Stokes, Gall, Seabol and Borchard aren't exactly the Fearsome Foursome), and the debut was a rousing success. Many people have argued that although Dice-K is a phenom in his native land, they are dubious that his rare abilities will translate here in the toughest hardball league in the world.

A start on Friday against the bright-eyed Boston College Eagles did nothing to prove or dispel the argument, although his 25-pitch, 19-strike scoreless outing certainly didn't hurt his confidence. Today was the real test, though, one that Boston ownership, media and fans had been waiting a whole winter for. And the Diceman did not disappoint.

Photos courtesy of REUTERS

Luckily the high-five knows no language barrier

The best part of the outing wasn't the fact that he threw an an impressive 90% of his pitches for strikes, or that the first batter he faced was former Sox property and reigning NL ROY Hanley Ramirez, whom he retired on two pitches. No, it was the fact that he had to work his way out of a legitimate scoring jam in order to keep his 0.00 ERA intact. After allowing a walk and ground rule double, Dice-K was faced with runners on first & second with one out. Here is where his mental toughness & discipline pays off for him as much as his psychical talents. Matsuzaka fanned the next batter and got the following to pop out on a bunt, and the Diceman escaped the inning unscathed.

And Red Sox Nation breathed a little easier, secure in our knowledge that this happy-go-lucky hurler from the Far East may just take our beloved Sox back to the top of the World.

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Spring Training Notes

We savvy baseball fans here in The Nation all know that the scores & stats from spring training games are about as meaningless as a as a claim of paternity in the Anna Nicole case. That's why we must read between the box scores to see what's really going on with our Sox as the spring heats up and the starting 25 rounds into shape.

Here's a rundown of some Grapefruit League goings on as Boston sports a 1-4 record (who cares?!)after today's loss to the Dodgers:

-Schill's experiment with new pitch looks good in his second outing
The Globe's Nick Carfado reports that Shill threw 9 or ten of the "new change ups" the 40-year old is experimenting with in yesterday's 3 1/3 innings of work in a 6-1 win over the Twins. Schill is learning the new pitch in an effort to broaden his pitching repertoire as he advances in age, a la Pedro Martinez or Roger Clemens. And it probably won't hurt Curt's efforts to enhance his chances of signing one more big contract before he retires, whether it's with Boston or elsewhere.

-Future (?) closer hammered while former closer excels

Free agent acquisition Joel Pineiro, a.k.a The Man Who Could Be The Closer, got roughed up by the Phils Saturday in his second appearance for the Sox, while last year's stopper, Jonathan Papelbon had a stellar debut as he prepares for his new role as a starter.

Pineiro faced 10 batters and allowed four runs on four hits and two walks, including a 2-run homer to the immortal Greg Dobbs and an RBI double to Aaron Fence Face Rowand. The interesting part about the former Seattle starter's situation is that he can make some serious cash in Boston if he becomes the team's closer; the scenario is detailed in this Gordon Edes piece.

Another interesting tidbit gleaned from the article is the part where Pineiro raised a question about why Francona threw him for more than one inning, believing the tobacco-free skipper was going to "build up his arm strength". My initial impression of this situation: Pineiro is too thin-skinned to make it as a close in Boston, and the complexity of his incentive-laden contract could serve as a detriment to his development in the role.

Meanwhile Papelbon showed no ill effects of last year's season-ending shoulder injury in his spring debut. He pitched two innings, the 3rd & 4th, and allowed no runs while striking out 4 of his 6 opponents, including reigning MVP Ryan Howard in the 3rd with some nasty high cheese.

The 26-year-old has started previously in his baseball career, in high school college, and even early on with the Sox, so his transition to the rotation is more based on the health of the shoulder than his ability to adjust to the change.

But the development of these two hurlers, both central figures in Boston's bid to find a new closer, will be one of the biggest stories to keep track of in the weeks and months to come.

-Lester pitches today for the first time since cancer diagnosis
On a back field in a "B" game against spring training scrubs in front of 200 or so non-paying customers, one of the greatest stories of the season had another chapter written.

In what has to be THE best story of the spring & the regular season for any team anywhere, Boston's Jon Lester took the mound today for the first time since being diagnosed with large-cell lymphoma last August.

After six rounds of chemo, Lester was declared cancer-free by his doctors in January, and the 23-year-old lefty reported to training camp two weeks early to get ready for his return to action.

Today that return was completed as Lester started the "B" game against the Twins in The Fort.The fact that Lester threw only eight pitches, six fastballs for strikes and two curves in the dirt, while facing just three batters in reaching his 1-inning limit was inconsequential. The fact that Jon Lester was able to stand on a ball field under the South Florida sun and enjoy doing what he does best while his friends and family are able to watch him do so is something that transcends wins, losses, and stats.

Welcome back, Jon.

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