David Ortiz has made two rehab starts with the PawSox in his recovery from a wrist tendon sheath injury, and he has walked and mashed a home run in each of his two games.
So it appears that the most important cog in the Sox championship machine is well on his way to rejoining the club in the very near future, provided Papi experiences no setbacks in the next week or so.
That's the good news.
The bad news is that after months of toeing the line, acting like a team player, and singing Kumbaya about his tenure with the Sox, Manny Ramirez has suddenly turned back into the team-altering spectacle that seems to infect the club around this time of the year the past 3-4 years.
With Ramirez in the middle of a pivotal option year, and the Boston management apparently tiring of his antics, the question now is, how long will the dynamic duo remain together after Papi's return?
At first Manny had us all fooled into thinking this year would be different. He showed up to spring training on time (a first), singing the praises of his team and expressing his desire to stay with the ball club after his contract is up at the end this year.
I took this as a not so veiled attempt to get the Boston brass to pick up his 20 million dollar option for next season, so much so that I predicted he would win the AL MVP by putting up 'contract year' numbers, as players in these situations so often do.
The first 2+ months of the season went exactly according to this theory. Manny started off crushing the ball, blasted his 500th career home run at the end of May, and had another memorable MBM moment when he high fived a fan while in the process of turning a rare 7-6-3 double play.
It was all good times and no worries on the Manny front. He wanted to be here. The team and fans wanted him to stay with Boston, and the club appeared to be headed towards another long post season run, especially with Papi's return on the horizon.
But then things stared to change. For the worse.
Two well documented run-ins, one with teammate Kevin Youkilis in a game against the Rays on June 3rd, and the other with traveling secretary Jack McCormick in Houston on June 28th, painted a far different picture of the fun loving, happy-go-lucky left fielder, one that suggests he might have hidden anger issues, or at the very least an over-inflated sense of entitlement.
Who knew those two unfortunate incidents would only be the tip of the iceberg?
Since the McCormick incident, in which Manny shoved the 60+-year-old retired former cop and berated him over a request for 16 extra tickets to the game, the relationship between Manny and management, and even the ever-forgiving fans, has spiraled out of control at a rapid rate.
Before the All Star break, Ramirez pinch hit in a game against the Yankees and watched three straight pitches from Mariano Rivera go by him for a crucial strikeout in the 9th inning of a game the Sox would eventually lose, 5-4 in the tenth.
During the break, Manny had a curious interview in the Boston Herald that rankled Sox owner John Henry, so much so that he issued a response stating how offended he was that Ramirez would insinuate the Boston management has been anything but fair and straightforward with him through all the years of Man-sanity.
And then, on the heels of all this madness, came the play in the outfield in last night's game vs. the Angels.
In the 6th inning of the 11-3 Boston loss, Anaheim's Maicer Izturis blooped a fly ball to shallow left field that looked like a harmless single.
But Ramirez, ever the clown, decided to try and dive for the ball, even though it appeared he had no chance of catching it.
Sure enough, the ball landed in front of him, but instead of responding quickly and professionally to his miscue, Manny rolled backwards, flopped around like a fish out of water, and ended up laying on the ball as Izturis raced around the bases with an RBI triple.
Ramirez got up and laughed the incident off, but Terry Francona and Theo Epstein, who was seated behind home plate, were not laughing, and to everyone watching the fiasco, you got the distinct feeling that the play could have been the straw that broke the ManRam's back in Boston.
Whether or not the Sox deal Manny in the next few weeks, decline to pick up his option at then end of the season, or do end up retaining the unstable slugger, one thing's for sure:
when the circus act known as Manny Being Manny starts to include bodily harm and total disregard for the integrity of the game, it might be time to ship that sideshow off to the next town.
7.19.2008
Sox Drawer: While Papi progresses, Manny regresses
7.15.2008
Sox Drawer: Mid Season Report Card II (Pitchers)
Okay, you've seen, critiqued and disagreed with my grades for the Boston batters. Now it's time to bash my grades for the Sox pitching staff.
Needless to say the grades are going to be a lot harsher than those for the offense.
BTW, I know at the end of yesterday's post I said I was also going to have my players and plays of the 1/2 season today, but I decided to drag that out til tomorrow. Gotta keep em coming back for more, ya know?
Anyway, on to the report card:
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STARTERS: 2nd in AL in ERA (3.75), 2nd in wins (42)
A Daisuke Matsuzaka 10-1, 2.65, 57BB, 77K, 1.38WHIP, 5HR in 88.1IP
He seems to do it with smoke and mirrors sometimes, but you can't get around the fact that Dice-K is 10-1 at the break, the 3rd most wins in the league despite missing a month with a sore shoulder. He can be infuriating at times with the way he nibbles, yet without his efforts the Sox would not be in first place
A Tim Wakefield 6-6, 3.60, 47BB, 84K, 1.18WHIP, 16HR in 122.1IP
For the past month and a half he not only has been the best pitcher on the Sox, but one of the best in the league. Since allowing 8 runs in 5 innings at Oakland on May 23, Wake has an ERA of 2.13 in 9 starts, and has pitched at least 7 innings and allowed 3ER or less in all but one of those starts. He's 10th in the league in WHIP, and he's a knuckelballer. Amazing. Probably the Sox pitching MVP of the 1st half
B+ Jon Lester 7-3, 3.38, 44BB, 82K, 1.33WHIP, 9HRs in 125IP
He's 8th in the AL in innings pitched and 9th in ERA, and that's remarkable when you remember a year and a half ago he was recovering from cancer. He's had a couple of rough starts recently, which knocked this grade down a bit, yet he still leads the team in ERA, and oh yeah, he threw a no hitter earlier this season.
B Josh Beckett 9-5, 3.94, 24BB, 107K, 1.15WHIP, 14HRs in 112IP
Has definitely pitched better than his record indicates, yet he still is nowhere near the dominating starter he was last season. Spent time on the DL early in the season, which probably contributed to his slow start, and has shown flashes of the Beckett brilliance (13Ks at TB), but has yet to prove he's still the ace of this staff. 6th in the AL in Ks, 8th in WHIP
B- Justin Masterson 4-3, 3.67, 28BB, 39K, 1.26WHIP, 8HR in 54IP
When he first came up and started out 3-0, he was the next big thing. The he stuck around for a while, and we realized he's still just a 23-year-old kid who started the season in Double A and is learning how to pitch in the big leagues. Still, the future is bright for the lanky Jamaican-born righty, either for Boston or whichever team trades for him
C Clay Buchholz 2-4, 5.70, 25BB, 49K, 1.67WHIP, 3 HR in 47.1IP (9G)
Hard to grade a guy who's spent the past 2 months in the minors/on the DL, but we expected more from the kid who threw a no hitter in his 2nd career start. Guess there's nowhere to go but down from there. Came back up last Friday and got shelled by Baltimore after being shelled in his previous start at Minnesota, when he suffered a torn fingernail and went on the DL
I Bartolo Colon 4-2, 4.09, 9BB, 26K, 1.39WHIP, 5HRs in 33IP
Can't really give the big guy a grade because he only pitched in 6 games before getting hurt and missing almost a month with a hip injury. Big Bart did provide a lift to the rotation when he started 3-0 filling in for Dice-K, but came back to earth after that, thus the incomplete. Could be a factor in the 2nd half, provided he stays healthy (big 'IF')
RELIEVERS: 10th in ERA (3.95) and WHIP (1.42), 2nd in BS (16)
B+ Jonathan Papelbon 3-3, 2.43, 28SVs, 4BS, 7BB, 51K, 0.96WHIP, 3HRs in 41G
Like Beckett, Paps hasn't been nearly as dominating as he has been in years past. His blown save total is just 2 off his career high, his ERA is the highest its been since his rookie season, and he's allowed almost as many homers as he did all last year. Still, he's the best reliever on the club and one of the best closers in the game
B David Aardsma 3-2, 2.77, 0SV, 0H, 4BS, 25BB, 41K, 1.36WHIP, 1HR in 37G
The hard-throwing righty has been a pleasant surprise for the Sox so far, proving to be another flamethrower out of the pen who can get out of jams (ahem, Manny D & Hansen). He's only allowed 4 of 16 inherited runners to score, and my question is, why doesn't Tito bring him in to more pressure-packed situations instead of those other guys?
B Javier Lopez 2-0, 2.19, 0SV, 9H, 1BS, 16BB, 21K, 1.38WHIP, 3HRs in 43G
The lefty specialist has done his job against lefties (.224BAA), but he's been hit pretty hard by righties (.294); he has been one of the more steady relievers this season. Allowed 9 of 33 IRs to score
C- Manny Delcarmen 0-2, 4.54, 0SV, 13H, 2BS, 15BB, 39K, 1.29WHIP, 3HRs in 43G
In 43 appearances, the former potential closer has allowed at least 1 base runner in 33 of them. Has allowed 11 of 34 IRs to score, because he's usually allowing his own runners to score. Either way you look at it, Mattapan Manny has been a major disappointment for the club, and don't be surprised if he's wearing another uniform after July 31st
C- Craig Hansen 1-3, 5.47, 1SV, 7H, 2BS, 18BB, 22K, 1.63WHIP, 2HRs in 27G
Another potential closer, the hard throwing former first round draft pick has also been a major disappointment for Boston. He might be more likely to switch teams than Delcarmen, if only because he's a little younger and cheaper. One of the two will definitely be gone by the trading deadline, in my estimation
C- Hideki Okajima 2-2, 2.82, 1SV, 17H, 6BS, 16BB, 37K, 1.41WHIP, 4HRs in 39G
Not only have his well-documented troubles caused Tito to lose confidence in him, he has obviously lost confidence in himself. And that's the kiss of death for any reliever, especially a setup man. Has bounced back recently from a horrid stretch, but leads the AL in blown saves and has allowed a staggering 12 of 17 IRs to score. And to think at this time last year, he was an All Star
D Mike Timlin 3-3, 6.31, 1SV, 0H, 0BS, 12BB, 15K, 1.71WHIP, 3HRs in 28G
It's not really his fault that he's older than dirt and has logged so many innings in his career (1,100+) that his arm is ready to fall off, but there's no way he should appear in any games other than blowouts on either side. Coincidentally, 2 of his last 3 apps have been in those types of games (12-1 and 18-5 Boston wins)
Okay, that's it for the report cards. Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments.
Tomorrow: Plays and Players of the First Half
7.14.2008
Sox Drawer: Mid Season Report Card (batters)
For the 4th straight year the Red Sox are in first place at the break. Time to grade the team for the (unofficial) first half of the season. 
As we finally hit the unofficial mid-season break (97 games in, or 16 games after the official midway point), the Red Sox have reclaimed first place in the AL East, thanks to a 7-3 stretch over the past 10 that, coupled with a seven game skid by the Rays, catapulted Boston back on top for the first time since June 28th.
So now it's time to do what we bloggers do at this point in the season - take three days off and binge drink to our hearts desire. Kidding, kidding. of course I mean we grade our team's performance through the first half of the season.
Without further adieu, here is my mid season wrap. Ready, set, go.
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Hard to find too much fault with a club that has been in first or second place in the toughest division in baseball for the entire first half of the season, especially when the team has been missing its most potent slugger, David Ortiz, for almost half of the games.
The most glaring weaknesses on this team are painfully obvious - bullpen and shortstop. But with guys like Hideki Okajima and Manny Delcarmen finally settling down, and Julio Lugo now on the shelf for 4-6 weeks with a torn quad, even those sore spots seem to be taking care of themselves right now.
Even without Big Papi, the offense of this club has been the one constant so far this season. At the break Boston ranks 3rd in the majors in runs scored (495), 2nd in average (.282), 2nd in on base percentage (.356) and 6th in home runs (108).
It's not a stretch to think that if you put Papi in the lineup for the 43 games he's missed, the Sox lead the majors in every one of those offensive categories.
The pitching has been pretty decent as well. Daisuke Matsuzaka, for all his faults, totes a 10-1 mark into the break; Tim Wakefield has been spectacular for the last two months; Josh Beckett has been better than his record indicates; and Jon Lester threw a no hitter.
The bully has been the biggest concern of the first half. The pen is responsible for 16 losses so far, fourth most in the AL, and 16 blown saves, the second most in the league. Three relievers have an ERA of over 4 1/2, three have been let go already, and Hideki Okajima has allowed an atrocious 12 of 17 inherited runners to score.
That being said the Sox are still the best team in the East and are tied for the most wins in majors with 57 victories.
Like I said, hard to find too much fault with that.
Okay, it's time for the player grades.
STARTING LINEUP:
A+ Dustin Pedroia .314, 9HR, 47BI, 67R, 28 2B, .357OBP
What sophomore slump? Pedroia has followed up his ROY campaign with an All Star second season. He recently had a 17 game hitting streak, and has raised his average 54 points since June 14th. Currently 7th in the AL in average, 2nd in runs, and 2nd in hits (124), the Little Big Man is the spark that drives this offense
A+ J.D. Drew .302, 17HR, 55BI, 63R, 18 2B, 52BB, .412OBP
He has finally produced the way the Boston brass hoped he would when they inked him to a 70 million dollar pact prior to last season. His production, especially in June, has softened the blow of losing Ortiz; he ranks in the top 10 in walks, slugging, on base, OPS and is 12th in homers. Arguably the team's first half MVP.
A Kevin Youkilis .314, 15HR, 63BI, 56R, 25 2B, 4 3B, .381OBP
The chrome-domed slugger has been on a tear of late, coincidentally (or not) after he and Manny got into a shoving match in the dugout during a game against the Rays in early June. Since then Youk has raised his average 27 points, hit two game winning home runs, and just hit his first career grand slam yesterday. Currently 6th in average and 5th in SLG%, RBIs and OPS. Leads team in ribbies
A Mike Lowell .297, 13HR, 57BI, 43R, 22 2B, .360OBP, .867OPS
With the numbers the World Series MVP has put up, you'd never guess he missed 18 games with a thumb injury. Despite that lost time he is having an All Star caliber season, as he leads all AL third basemen in RBI and is 2nd in average, doubles and on base percentage, all while providing Gold Glove defense
B Manny Ramirez .293, 18HR, 60BI, 58R, 18 2B, 44BB, .389 OBP
Manny Being Manny has been taken to new highs (and lows) this year, from high-fiving fans during a play to body slamming 60-something team officials and bitchslapping Youk in the dugout. Through it all, and a major slump as well, ManRam continues to produce at a prodigious rate; he's 8th in the AL in homers and SLG%, 6th in RBI, and first in memorable moments, including his 500th home run on May 31st
B Jacoby Ellsbury .269, 5HR, 27BI, 60R, 11 2B, 4 3B, 32BB, 35SB, .340OBP
A little disappointing for the speedy outfielder, if only because after his spectacular 2007 postseason we expected so much from him. Sure he leads the league in steals and provides stellar defense no matter which OF position he plays, but after going 25 -25 in steals to start his career he has been thrown out 7 times in his last 17 attempts, and his OBP has plummeted from a season high of .416 in early
May to a "paltry" .340
B- Coco Crisp .259, 5HR, 22BI, 28R, 13 2B, 13SB, .309OBP
He gets points deducted for igniting a full scale brawl in the Rays series at Fenway in June, and for earning a suspension that forced him to miss the rematch at the Trop this month. But he earns points for handling the dawning of the Ellsbury era with class and going out and playing hard whenever Tito tells him to, proving to be a valuable outfield insurance policy/trade bait
C Jason Varitek .218, 7HR, 28BI, 20R, 14 2B, 27BB, .299OBP
Okay, so he's having the worst offensive season of his career. But if ever there was a player who shouldn't be judged by his stats, Tek is it. If any proof was needed as to how valuable and respected the Captain is to his teammates and around the league, look no further than his being selected to the All Star team by his peers despite his horrid numbers.
D- Julio Lugo .268, 1HR, 22BI, 27R, 13 2B, 34BB, 12SB, .355OBP, 16E
It's that last stat, combined with the anemic production, that makes Lugo the most reviled member of this team, especially when you factor in the team is paying him 8 million a year. You know things are bad for a player when the fans openly celebrate you going on the DL for at least a month. The curse of the Sox shortstops continues!
BENCH:
A+ Sean Casey .373, 0HR, 10BI, 12R, 13 2B, 12BB, .428OBP in 43G
The Mayor has been everything the Sox hoped he would be and more when they signed him in the off season: productive at the plate in spot duty, solid in the field at first base, and the kind of clubhouse guy who pulls a team together. A great signing.
A Brandon Moss .295, 2HR, 11BI, 7R, 5 2B, .337 OBP in 33G
He hit a homer on opening day, has been up and down from the minors more times than I can count, and had his appendix removed a couple of months ago. Through it all Moss has remained a valuable contributor, and even knocked in the game winning run against the Twins last week.
B Alex Cora .283, 0HR, 5BI, 3R, 5 2B, 0SB, .368OBP in 36G
Doesn't hit for power or average, has no speed and little range at short. Still he's a capable utility infielder who doesn't complain and embraces his role as a small cog on a championship club. Should see increase in PT now that Lugo is on the shelf
B Jed Lowrie .277, 1HR, 7BI, 6R, 4 2B, .308 OBP, 0E in 19G
He hasn't played much, but that's about to change with Lugo out. But when the youngster has played, like when he filled in for Lowell when he was hurt, he has proven to be a productive hitter and decent fielder. We'll find out more about his ability in the coming weeks
B- Kevin Cash .242, 2HR, 11BI, 7R, 6 2B, 31K, 11PB in 35G
He's proved to be a better caddy for Tim Wakefield than Doug Mirabelli and Josh Bard, but his recent slump (batted .115 in June) has dropped his average from .314 to where it is now, which also caused his grade to drop.
I Big Papi .252, 13HR, 43BI, 36R, 10 2B, 37BB, .354OBP, .486SLG% in 54G
Hard to grade a guy who's missed half the season and spent the better part of the half he did play in a major slump. But the numbers he put up, in a limited time and while battling injuries and ineffectiveness, prove that he is still a force to be reckoned with
Okay, this thing ran on a bit long, so I'm going to come back tomorrow with my pitching grades, as well as the top plays and players of the first half.
7.01.2008
Sox Drawer: Sleepless in St. Pete
One demoralizing loss does not a season make, but three in a row coupled with other negative news sure can bring a top team down fast.
The Sox are suddenly streaking in the wrong direction, losing three consecutive games for the first time since May 23-25 in Oakland, and there has been more bad than good surrounding the club in the past week or so.
On top of Big Papi being sidelined at the beginning of the month, Bartolo Colon going on the DL, Curt Schilling undergoing season ending surgery and Hideki Okaijima falling apart worse than a poorly constructed Haiku, we've had to deal with: a brawl that resulted in three player suspensions and a dugout scuffle between Manny Ramirez and Kevin Youkilis in the same game that was caught on camera; Youk taking a grounder to the eye that sidelined him for a couple of days and left him with a nasty shiner; the Sox dropping an embarrassing 11-10 decision to Houston on Saturday, the same day Ramirez got into a shoving match with a 60+-year-old team official; a wacko making terrorist threats against Ramirez and Coco Crisp, forcing extra security for the club in St. Pete; and now this.
After spending most of the season in first or within sniffing distance of the top spot in the East the Rays have the Sox on the mat with their feet on the jugular, expanding its lead to a game and half with two games left to play in this series, and another loss could send the club into a downward spiral they may never climb out of.
Okay, so that might be a little melodramatic, but still these are somber times for a team that was on top of the world just a few short weeks ago, despite the loss of Ortiz.
On June 15th Boston owned a 2 1/2 game lead over Tampa Bay and were in the midst of a hot stretch that saw them win 10 of 14 games to begin the month.
Since then the Sox have gone 6-7 while the Rays have ripped off a 10-4 run of their own to complete a 4 game swing in the standings, giving the longtime losers the best record in baseball, the biggest turnaround at this point in a season in ages, all while capturing the hearts of the nation with the beloved "little team that could" storyline.
So what are we to make of these series of unfortunate events?
Many people will say it's karma coming back to bite Boston in the ass, for flaunting its superiority like a diamond studded watch, for having the best team in the game, one of the highest payrolls and a star-filled farm system with which to pluck key components necessary to get through a long baseball season.
And they may have a point. After all the Rays have been so bad for so long, have taken all the shit everyone's tossed their way, and they barely made a posturing peep this spring other than to tout the virtues of their new team mentality.
And the humbleness has paid off.
Everyone always hated the Sox, but now instead of hating either Boston or its biggest rival, the Stankees, people have a team they can root for to topple the new empire and give hope to the common man that middle America can win out over the upper class.
Which is all well and good.
Let the Rays have the mid-season accolades. As long as when it comes time to hand out the postseason trophy the Sox are right there holding it again.
6.30.2008
Sox Drawer: The new MBM?
But over the last couple of weeks MBM has taken on a different meaning: Manny Being Mean.
Earlier this month cameras caught Ramirez bitch slapping teammate Kevin Youkilis in the dugout during a game against the Rays at Fenway, and the story that followed said Ramirez, like many fellow Sox teammates, had become tired of Youk's post-at bat tirades so Manny decided to make his feelings known, very vocally I guess.
When Youk protested, Manny unleashed a backhand that sent Youk sprawling, and then Ramirez had to be held off by coaches and players as he lunged for the chrome domed first baseman.
The incident was downplayed as a minor flare up that occurs during the course of a long season when 25 mean spend the majority of their time together for 6-8 months, and both parties as well as the Sox management brushed it off as an isolated incident, forever to be forgotten.
Until now.
A report in today's Providence Journal states that Ramirez laid another smackdown on a member of the club, this time the team's traveling secretary Jack McCormick, Saturday afternoon in Houston.
And suddenly Manny Being Manny isn't so cute anymore.
This latest incident is interesting for the simple fact that it illustrates a side of Ramirez that has rarely been seen, or at least publicized, in all his years with the Sox.
Reportedly Manny asked for 16 tickets to Saturday night's game sometime Saturday afternoon. When McCormick, a retired cop who handles all ticket requests for players both at home and on the road, informed Manny that he might not be able to come up with such a large number so soon before game time, Ramirez fired back at him "just do your job."
That response begot a heated exchange between the two, with the ex-cop and longtime Sox secretary presumably telling Manny to stick his request in his dread-nest (pure speculation on my part, but what do you think a retired cop would tell a spoiled athlete?)
Anyway the situation has once again been downplayed, with McCormick stating that "It's over. He apologized. That's it. Everything's fine" and Francona blowing it off by saying "Sometimes things happen and when they do, we choose to handle them internally."
That's all well and good, but when an incident becomes public, that internal bullshit goes out the window.
The big question here is why a guy known for his easy going manner and good natured playfulness is suddenly taking swipes at teammates and 60-year-old club personnel.
Is it a sign of a surly Manny Ramirez, upset over a recent mini-slump that saw him go 15 games without a homer while he battles a hamstring problem?
Or perhaps this behavior is a direct result of the fact that Ramirez came into this season with a new attitude, arriving to spring training on time, vowing to table the annual "Manny wants to be traded" talks and generally trying to be a model citizen and teammate?
Or is he cracking under the pressure of living up to Manny Being Manny?
Who knows. But maybe next time he explodes he can direct his ire towards an opponent and not someone in his own clubhouse.
Tonight against the Rays might be a good place to start.
6.27.2008
Sox Drawer: Injury updates, news & notes
I haven't posted in a while because the Sox were off yesterday and my son had his final LL All Star game last night, so I took a personal day from blogging to recharge the batteries.
But there has been quite a bit going on with the team since I last posted, so let me run through what I failed to cover.
-Schilling surgery successful, could throw again by January
Curt Schilling underwent surgery to his ripped right shoulder, and by all accounts the procedure was a smashing success. I won't go into details, as you can get that kind of shit anywhere, but suffice it to say that things went so well that Curt could be back throwing a baseball by the beginning of next year if his rehab works the way it's supposed to.
Now Schill is so giddy, because it's obvious that he and his doctor were right while the Sox brass was wrong regarding the course of action the injured ace should take to heal his wounded wing, that he says he might indeed play again, either with Boston or somewhere else.
"It's what I do. It's what I've done my whole life. It's what I enjoy doing. (But) If I come out of rehab and I'm throwing 84 miles per hour, it's over."
Translation: if I can pitch effectively, I'll be back.
I'm not going to get too deep into this because there is so much that could happen between now and then. But if and when Schill decides to play again, there will be so many words written about it it will make War and Peace look like a pamphlet.
Just as long as you don't go to NY, Schill, we'll be cool.
-Big Papi improving, can smell return to lineup
After taking some swings at a ball on a tee at Fenway the other day, David Ortiz declared he could be ready to play in 2-3 weeks, once again if all goes according to plan.
He has already had the hard cast he was sporting on his injured left wrist removed and now wears a removable splint thingy, and although he wasn't impressed with barely being able to do something my son's team executes with regularity, soft- tossing and hitting off a tee, he knows he gotta take baby steps before he can walk.
Barring setbacks Papi could be back with the team in a couple or three weeks, which would put him on track for a possible post-All Star game return. Boston opens up a series with Toronto at Fenway on Friday after the break, and wouldn't it be nice to see Ortiz in the lineup to kick off that home stand?
Fingers crossed.
-Sox bid adieu to Interleague play after this weekend
Boston travels to Houston to play the explosive Astros starting tonight, and thankfully this will be the final time pitchers have to bat for the Sox.
Granted Boston has had some success playing the senior circuit this season, posting a 10-5 record despite losing 3 of its last 6 IL contests, but I for one am looking forward to playing teams I know and hate like New York and the Rays.
-Hot and not hot Sox
Heading into this series with the Astros, here's a look at the Sox who are lighting it up or stinking it up at the moment. (based on the last 10 games)
Smokin Sox:
-Dustin Pedroia 20-43 (.465), 3HR, 5BI, 8R
The Little Big Man is swinging the hottest stick on the Sox by far right now; he's had multi-hit games in 6 of the last 10 contests
-Mike Lowell 13-36 (.361), 2 2B, 1HR, 5BI, 8R
Good to see the WS MVP getting back to his old self after spending time on the DL
-Coco Crisp 12-35 (.342), 3 2B, 1 3B, 3HR, 7BI, 6R
Looks like the Raysbrawl sparked the part time center fielder's bat. Too bad he'll have to sit out his suspension for his part in the brawl pretty soon, possibly this weekend
-Kevin Youkikis 11-36 (.305), 4HR, 9BI
Only a ball to the eye could slow down the Cincinnati Crusher
Stinkin' Sox:
-Jason Varitek 3-33 (.090), HR, 4BI
The Captain did have the game-winning hit the other night against Arizona, but this has been one of the worst slumps of his career
-Manny Ramirez 7-33 (.212), 0HR, 1BI
The slugger hasn't homered since June 10th (12 games), leading one to believe his hammy is bothering him more than he's letting on. We'll have to see how much he plays with no DH this weekend
-J.D. Drew 10-38 (.263), 4HR, 8BI
Started to cool off the last week after a torrid start to June; is only 2 for his last 19 at bats
-Jacoby Ellsbury 10-42 (.238), 1HR, 1BI, 1BB, 5R
The average would be okay if he were walking and scoring runs, which you can see for yourself, he is not
That's about it for updates. Gotta get ready for the series preview post.
GO SOX!
6.20.2008
Sox Drawer: Schilling done for the season, career may be over, too
His shoulder unresponsive to rehab, Curt Schilling will go under the knife for what could be a career-ending surgery .jpg)
Today, on WEEI's Dennis & Callahan Show, Schill admitted it most definitely is the end of his season and quite possibly of his Hall of Fame career.
With the rehab not having the results he and the team had hoped for, Schill admitted it " got to the point where we had to make a decision." When asked "does this end your season?", Schill responded with a soft but definitive "yeah, yeah it does."
The team brass had originally though rehab was all that would be needed to get Schill back on the mound this year, but after a recent setback this weekend, Curt and several doctors, including the one who will perform the surgery, Dr. Craig Morgan, and the team all agreed to go ahead and have the procedure done.
In what sure sounds like a career-ending operation, Morgan will perform a procedure that involves relocating his biceps muscle (ouch!) and "some other stuff", which presumably doesn't include attaching a bionic limb.
Assuming that doesn't happen, it looks like for all intents and purposes the career of one of the greatest big game pitchers ever to play the game is officially over.
So now the retrospectives can roll in. Schilling has been beloved in Boston and Arizona, where he and Randy Johnson helped bring a championship to the desert, but vilified most everywhere else, mainly for his outspoken opinions and willingness to put his foot directly in his mouth, athlete etiquette be damned.
But there's no denying his impact on the game. He leaves (if he is done pitching) after pitching for 20 seasons with 216 victories, 3,116 strikeouts, 3,261 innings pitched and a lifetime ERA of 3.46.
Throw in an all-time best 11-2 playoff record, two World series Championships, one World Series (co) MVP award and one historic bloody sock, and what you have is simply one of the greatest, gutsiest, clutchest (?) pitchers in baseball history.
Forget about all the other bullshit. Sure he was outspoken, said some things he probably shouldn't have (and he regrets) and had a tendency to rub many people the wrong way.
Bottom line he was a one of a kind, a supremely talented athlete who wasn't prone to speaking in cliches and soundbites, who believed in living life the way he wanted, whether it involved making brash statements or writing a blog that opened him up to even more criticism.
Love him or hate him Schill was a blessing to watch and listen to. He didn't care what people thought, he spoke his mind and he gave it his all every time he was on the mound.
And if the last time he ever pitched in the major leagues was last October 25th in Game 2 of the World Series in Colorado, so be it.
He won that game, by the way, and what a fitting way for a future Hall of Famer to go out.
As a winner on the biggest stage the game knows.
Good luck, Curt, and thanks for everything.
6.11.2008
Sox Drawer: Oki not O.K. when it comes to facing B-More
Hideki Okajima's mighty struggles against the Orioles highlight a deeper problem with the second year reliever.
I touched on this in my recap last night and the Globe had a piece on this puzzling situation today, but I think it needs to be explored a bit more thoroughly before we move on to Game 2 of this series.
What in the hell has happened to Hideki Okajima?
When he came to the Sox last year as a free agent from Japan it was more to be a buddy to Daisuke Matsuzaka than a dominant set up man. But a funny thing happened after he gave up a home run to Kansas City's John Buck on his first ever pitch in the major leagues - he went on to become a dominant set up man and an invaluable part of the Sox run to the World Series.
After that inauspicious debut Aki didn't allow another run until nearly two months later, and for the season he would wind up allowing 17 earned runs in 69 innings for a 2.22 ERA, compiling 27 holds and finishing 6th in the 2007 Rookie Of the Year voting.
It was as if the combination of his deceiving delivery and array of off speed pitches lulled the hitters of the league to sleep whenever he pitched.
But in 2008 those hitters have woken up.
Especially the Baltimore Oriole batters.
After last night's meltdown against the Birds Oki's ERA climbed from 1.95 to 2.89, but that leap isn't nearly as discomforting as his ghastly propensity for allowing inherited runners to score.
As the Globe article pointed out, but anyone following the team knows, Oki has allowed 11 of 14 inherited runners to score, and that alarming stat, more that ERA, is as telling a figure as any to the effectiveness of a middle reliever/set up man.
And no team has done more to damage Oki's effectiveness this season than Baltimore.
In five appearances against the Birds this season Oki has allowed 9 hits, 3 walks and 8 earned runs in 5 1/3 innings pitched. Those numbers equate to a 13.50 ERA and a 6.60 WHIP, with the Baltimore hitters batting a robust .375 off the embattled lefty.
The one thing those starts don't take into account is the game-losing grand slam he allowed to Jay Payton at Camden Yards on May 14th, as only one of those runs was charged to him.
All of this turmoil has led to Hideki owning the most blown saves in the major leagues with 6, and while he still has 12 holds, good for 3rd in the AL, his penchant for allowing other people's runs to score and his inability to retire anyone in the Baltimore lineup is adding up to a very disappointing sophomore season.
Although his stuff still seems the same he hasn't been able to consistently throw strikes, and last night he threw a lot more curveballs than anything else, which led to his downfall. It seems to me that right now his problems are more mental than physical, but we know how one thing feeds the other until a situation gets out of hand.
As I said last night I'm sure that if the situation warrants it Tito will toss him right in there again tonight, or tomorrow, just so the guy can get his confidence back and get back to being an integral part of this bullpen.
But if he can't straighten things out against the Baltimores of the league, it's only a matter of time before other, quality teams start hammering him too.
Get well soon,Oki. We need ya.
6.09.2008
Sox Drawer: An off day? At home? WTF to do?
That's right, 2+ months into the season and the Sox have only had a handful of days off, and all of them have either been on the road or travel days between road trips before starting a series at Fenway.
So what's a first place club full of bored ballplayers to do with a day off in their home city? Let's take a look at some of the activities they might be getting involved in today.
With a little training Coco's positive he can perfect this maneuver before the Sox next series with the Rays
-Coco Crisp is reportedly honing his diamond skills by catching a screening of "You Don't Mess With the Zohan" followed by a personal training session with Kimbo Slice.
-Kevin Youkilis is attending athlete anger management classes, which include gently slamming your bat in the rack and stealthy 'muttering under your breath' techniques.
-Manny Ramirez is getting his hair done, although no one will notice, and bragging to his buddies at the bodega how he "bitchslapped that annoying little bald fucker" in the dugout the other day.
-Justin Masterson is checking out the Commons, the Bull & Finch, Fanueil Hall, the Aquarium and Chinatown, because he's been told that's what all visitors to the Hub must do.
-J.D. Drew is looking at himself in the mirror with the Bible opened in front of him and repeating the mantra "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me" about 150 times.
-Dustin Pedroia is working hard in the batting cages, determined to get out of his wretched 5-49 skid lest someone utter the phrase "sophomore slump" around him.
-Curt Schilling is blogging about the "sweet court side seats" he scored for last night's Celtics game.
-Mike Lowell is sitting poolside with a Tommy Bahama shirt open to the navel, sipping Mojitos and basking in the glow of having movie star looks and primo athlete talent.
-Jon Lester is still responding to the 1000's of fan letters he has received from cancer survivors and other less fortunate people since his no hitter. He's only got three more sacks to go.
-Hideki Okajima and Daisuke Matsuzaka are texting Yu Darvish and bragging about how much they've been embraced by the Japanese community in town. Then they're going to see "Kung Fu Panda."
-David Aardsma, Craig Hansen, Manny Delcarmen, Mike Timlin and Javier Lopez are taking bets on who will be the next one to implode on the mound. Loser has to buy the first round at The Rack.
-Brandon Moss is sitting on the side of his hotel room bed just waiting for the phone to ring.
Sure enough it does. It's Masterson saying "they call you yet?"
Enjoy the off day, fellas!
6.06.2008
Sox Drawer: Brawlgame - The Aftermath
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Let's get ready to ruuuummmbbbble!!!! It's just that it got lost amid all the rumbling, tumbling and stumbling that went on both on the field and in the dugout in what will be remembered as one of the wildest, weirdest and costliest games in Boston history.
Set aside the fact that Boston did sweep the series with the Rays and jumped back into first place in the East by a game and a half in doing so. The real story here is twofold, and as I stated last night, the repercussions of last night's brawlgame will be felt for a while to come.
1.) How long are the Sox going to be without Crisp, who is sure to get a hefty suspension and fine for his foolishness, and Ellsbury, who was injured bad enough to have to come out of the game
2.) Will the dugout confrontation between Manny and Youk fracture the clubhouse and cause a possible season-imploding rift in the chemistry of this team, or will it be forgotten about as soon as tonight's game?
The whole thing about the Crisp situation would be meaningless if it weren't for Ellsbury's injury. Had Ellsy not gone down, Coco would have sat out his 4-6 games, played sparingly upon his return, and been shipped to another team before the July 31st trade deadline.
As it stands now the team might need Coco back on the field ASAP if Ellsbury has to miss significant time, and that means a whole lot of roster shuffling and hand-wringing for Tito, Theo and the brass.
Either way Coco is as good as gone for his mentally retarded actions of the last two nights, and the Nation will finally get what it has wanted all along - Ellsbury as its everyday centerfielder.
As far as the Youk/Manny situation, the consensus is that the two were arguing over Ramirez' late participation in the brawl and since emotions were running high Manny just reacted in the heat of the moment to something Youkilis said and that's all there is to it.
Whether that's true or not one thing's for sure: Youk had to say something pretty bad to get Manny fired up like that, and chances are it's not just the one thing that sent him over the edge. Ramirez and Youkilis couldn't be more opposite, and I have a feeling that this is something that might have been simmering below the surface and in the locker room before this incident brought it to the surface.
In fact I noticed onthe night of Manny's 500th home run that Youk didn't seem to thrilled to congratulate Ramirez like everyone else did. Perhaps it was my imagination, or a sign that things aren't so rosy between the team's most laid-back and hair-trigger hitters.
Who knows. Only time will tell if the events of last night affect this team well into the summer, but as of right now it was certainly a dark day for the team and the town in what has been an otherwise mostly sunny season.
Stay tuned.
6.05.2008
Sox Drawer: Coco's cock knock causing a stir
During last night's 5-1 Red Sox win over Tampa Bay Coco Crisp blasted Akinori Iwamura in the package in retaliation for a cheap play Jason Bartlett had pulled on the Sox ceterfielder a few innings earlier.
There is video of the incident on both Bugs & Cranks and Sox & Dawgs, the latter featuring Coco's comments after the game regarding the incident.
The background of the situation goes like this: in the sixth inning of the game, with Coco on first after an infield single, Crisp attempted to steal second base and was successful. But on the play Rays shortstop Jason Bartlett dropped his knee in front of the bag where Coco was sliding, a no no for infielders in the book of baseball etiquette because the runner could suffer serious damage to his hands.
Irked at the play Coco stored it away and reacted on his anger later.
Later came in the 8th inning when Crisp walked with one out and the Sox leading 5-1. Shortly after the base on balls Coco took off for second base, and although he was out by a mile, the intent was not to steal but exact revenge for the earlier play by Bartlett.
Thus when he slid into the base Crisp came up with his arm high and nailed Rays second baseman Akinori Iwamura right in the groin, touching off a heated exchange between both teams and included Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon, who came out to the mound to remove pitcher Jason Hammel after the play, and continued long after Crisp was in the dugout.
The play was eerily similar to the spring training incident the Rays had with the Stanks when Shelly Duncan package-jacked Iwamura on a slide into second after a Rays player had injured a Stankee catching prospect days earlier.
My feelings about this incident are mixed. Do I believe Coco had every reason to be mad at Bartlett for a play that was stupid but probably unintentionally malicious on his part? Absolutely. But should Crisp had retaliated against Iwamura in the 8th inning of a 5-1 game on a play that wasn't even an attempted break up of a DP, just a straight steal? Absolutely not.
My fellow commenters at B&C are lambasting me for not agreeing with the retaliation, saying that Crsip had to get back at someone so he just picked the nearest player, not unlike a pitcher hitting an opposing batter to get back for one of his own teammates getting hit by the opposing pitcher.
I say bullshit. Coco's problem was solely with Bartlett and he will have other chances to get back at the shortstop, whether it is tonight or one of the next 10 games the teams have against each other.
To cock knock Iwamura was petty and unnecessary and will most likely result in Coco getting drilled tonight and could touch off a season-long war between the top two teams in the East.
The bottom line is Bartlett was wrong for what he did and Coco was also wrong for how he reacted. Let's hope cooler heads prevail and this thing doesn't drag out and give the Rays any more fuel for an already contentious rivalry.
6.03.2008
Sox Drawer: Sox limp back to Fenway without Papi & Dice K
A 4-6 road trips ends with a depressing defeat and the team trudging home to take on the 1st place Rays without two of its top players.
To all the fans of clubs that are wallowing in mediocrity and blaming a rash of injuries for their team's current crummy state, I only have one thing to say:
STFU!
With yesterday's revelation that David Ortiz, arguably the possessor of most lethal bat in the lineup as well as being the unequivocal leader in the clubhouse, will miss at least a month but most likely more due to a freak wrist injury, Boston has now lost six key players from the roster at some point this season.
A quick recap of the current and past walking wounded:
-SP Daisuke Matsuzaka: currently on the DL due to a shoulder problem; able to return next Wednesday, June 11th, but status uncertain
-SP Josh Beckett: missed the first two weeks of the season with a back injury
-SP Clay Buchholz: just reactivated from the DL due to a cracked fingernail; currently refining his game at Pawtucket
-3B Mike Lowell: missed 17 games in April with a sprained thumb
-1B Sean Casey: key reserve missed 12 games in late April/early May with a hip strain
-DH David Ortiz: out indefinitely with a torn tendon sheath in his left wrist
I don't know about you but that's an awful lot of offensive and pitching firepower to have go down in just over 1/3rd of a season.
Yet here the Sox are, just a game and a half out of first place with the fourth best record in the majors despite the plethora of ailments, and no one is whining and complaining that the losses have robbed the team of any chance of being competitive this year.
Why?
Because thanks to a terrific farm system and shrewd off season deals by Theo this team has more depth than an Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu film, which has allowed the boo birds to remain at bay while Tito plugs holes and fills gaps in the roster, biding time until the day the team is at full strength again.
That's not to say it hasn't been tough to juggle lineups and shuffle players up and down from Pawtucket on what seems like a weekly basis. But the depth does allow the backup players and minor leaguers get a chance to prove their worth, and for the most part almost every single fill-in has performed at or above expectations.
Take Justin Masterson for example. The kid who began the season at Double A Portland will make his third spot start tonight in place of Dice-K, and his excellent efforts in his two prior starts (5H, 2ER in 12.1 IP) have earned him a promotion to the Pawsox and put him on a fast track to become next year's Jon Lester or Buchholz.
Brandon Moss hit a homer in the first game of the year, went back to the minors the next day, came back up when Casey went down, hit another homer in a game against Tampa Bay in early May, had an emergency appendectomy the next night, and was just named the IL Player of the Week for last week when he hit .400 with four homers.
He's now a leading candidate to take Papi's spot on the roster.
Now that's what I call depth.
Of course no one, especially a rookie with 21 career major league games under his belt, is going to be able to replace one of the greatest clutch hitters of all time, but the fact is this team is built to withstand temporary losses to the lineup without sinking into the depths of the cellar of the division like some other clubs we know and hate.
Yup, I'm talking about you, New York.
Hopefully they can just keep plugging holes and plugging along, and if and when this team does get back to full strength, there will be no stopping them from capturing title #3 of the new millennium.
5.30.2008
Sox Drawer: Matsuzaka to the DL
The results of the MRI on Daisuke Matsuzaka's shoulder revealed a mild strain of the rotator cuff and the team decided to place the undefeated starter on the disabled list retroactive to Wednesday.
The good news is that the damage was minor and Dice-K feels well enough that he thought he could pitch through the discomfort, but luckily he is not in charge of such decisions and the Boston brass opted to protect its $101 million investment and let him rest for 15 days before reevaluating his condition.
This makes Dice K the third Sox starter to make a trip to the DL this season, following Josh Beckett and Clay Buchholz, but luckily for Boston the rotation is deep enough, especially with the addition of Bartolo Colon, to weather this latest setback.
Plus Buchholz is due back soon and Justin Masterson is just a phone call away, so hopefully this situation won't come back to bite Boston in the ass.
To take Matsuzaka's place on the roster Jeff Bailey, who was already summoned to Baltimore from Pawtucket in preparation for this scenario, was activated.
Another day, another setback for the defending champs. Time for someone (ahemJoshBeckett) to step up and fill the void created by losing the AL leader in wins and second leading ERA man.
Sox Drawer: Still undecided on Dice K, Sox call up Bailey
That decision will come after the results of Dice K's MRI are examined this morning.
Bailey, who had a cup of coffee with the big club last summer and even hit a homer off Detroit's Nate Robertson, has been one of the hottest hitters in the International League over the past few weeks.
He is currently 8th in the league in hitting (.318), 3rd in homers (16) and 2nd in RBI (44) after a recent power surge in which he's hit 6 long balls and knocked in 14 runs in his last eight games. That includes three multi homer-games and three games in which he had at least 3 RBI (he had five in one game).
But the big news is not the addition of yet another talented position player ready to step in and contribute at the major league level, a la Brandon Moss, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jed Lowrie and Joe Thurston.
The main concern is obviously Dice K's shaky shoulder and the probability that he will have to miss at least one start if not more. Just how bad is the shoulder - skip Tuesday's turn bad, or miss a couple of weeks and cross fingers & toes that it all goes away in that time bad?
That is the $101 million dollar question facing the Nation right now.
Stay tuned.
5.28.2008
Sox Drawer: Dice K has shoulder injury
Daisuke Matsuzaka leaves the field last night in Seattle after tweaking his shoulder before the 5th inning of Boston's 4-3 loss (AP photo) When Sox starter Daisuke Matsuzaka was removed from last night's game against Seattle after tossing a couple of warm up pitches prior to the 5th inning, it was assumed he had a problem with either his side or back.
Turns out it could be a lot worse than that.
The official diagnosis from the front office is that Boston's 8-0 ace has what is commonly referred to as "shoulder fatigue", which in turn sounds both potentially benign yet incredibly ominous.
Evidently this problem has struck the 27-year-old righthander a few seasons into his professional career in Japan. And with a kid who once threw 250 pitches in a game and then pitched again the next day, is it any surprise that he would have arm troubles?
And therein lies the problem. Although he is relatively young, there are so many pitches already on his arm that he is a candidate for a major shoulder injury at any time. And it's not like he's keeping his pitch count down this year, either.
Not only does Dice lead the league in wins, he also leads the league in walks and is 13th in total number of pitches thrown with 1,121.
That number is magnified because 10 of the 12 pitchers ahead of him are in the top 20 in innings pitched, while Matsuzaka has accumulated his large tally as the 32nd place hurler in innings pitched.
In other words he's thrown a shitload of pitches compared to the amount of time he's actually in the game.
The team has sent the pitcher back to Boston to have an MRI on his shoulder, and Francona refused to declare whether or not he will make his next scheduled start Monday in Baltimore.
But let's be frank, here. The Sox have $101 million invested in this guy, and with a past history of shoulder trouble and as many pitches as he's thrown this year, they almost have no choice but to rest him for a week or so, get him some therapy and rehab and hope and pray that this goes away and is never a problem again.
Because the alternative - throw him out there Monday and then have him suffer a full-blown major injury - is just too much of a risk to take.
In other words, look for Clay Buchholz or Justin Masterson to get the start against the O's. Read More......
5.25.2008
Sox Drawer: Lester's dad diagnosed with cancer, too
Realizing that manager Terry Francona knew of Lester's father's illness at the time made this embrace all the more poignant On the day Jon Lester takes the mound for the first time since his historic no hitter last week at Fenway, word has come down that his dad, John, has been diagnosed with the deadly illness as well.
Talk about an unwanted father-son connection.
Lester revealed yesterday that his father discovered he also had lymphoma about a month ago but the pitcher, who just tossed a no hitter last week, decided to keep the personal matter under wraps, telling only Boston manager Terry Francona, whom he considers a second father figure.
This helps explain the emotional embrace the pair enjoyed following Lester's gem last Monday against Kansas City at Fenway Park.
Lester says his father has already begun chemo treatments, but that the cancer is a slow growing and will not result in death.
The Lester family is from nearby Puyallup, Washington, so with the Sox playing in Oakland today and then Seattle beginning tomorrow the elder Lester will be able to watch his son pitch today and then be present at the games against the Mariners.
John Lester wanted his son to reveal that he had the illness so he didn't have to carry the burden of hiding such an emotional burden from his teammates and fans, and also to prove that if his son could overcome such a potentially life-threatening disease and handle the aftermath with dignity and determination then he could as well.
I think it's safe to say that everyone in the Nation, and baseball fans in general, will be rooting for the man who is responsible for producing such an inspirational son will be able to recover from this traumatic experience and become as much of a role model for cancer survivors as his namesake has.
Good luck, John, and get well soon. Read More......
5.20.2008
Sox Drawer: Revisiting Leter's No No
A day later the magnitude of what Jon Lester accomplished last night is just starting to sink in.
It's not the fact that the kid threw a no-hitter; let's face it, some truly scrub pitchers have been lucky enough to get through a full game without allowing a hit - Bud Smith, Jose Jimenez, Wilson Alvarez, Juan Nieves and Joe Cowley, just to name a few recent ones.
The impressive part of the whole story is the back story that sounds like it's straight out of a Disney movie.
Cue the sappy music and deep-voiced narrator:
Left handed pitching prospect gets drafted in 2002 by storied franchise the Boston Red Sox, works his way through the minor leagues and finally gets called up to the bigs in June of 2006.
Three months later the 23-year-old is involved in a minor car accident on the way to Fenway Park and suffers a back injury that forces him to be placed on the disabled list. Only further testing shows that the pain is not due to the crash actually lymphoma, a treatable yet deadly form of cancer that could have gotten worse had it not been diagnosed at the time.
After months of treatment and rehab Lester is declared cancer-free, and after many minor league starts and small setbacks, he returned to a major league mound on July 23, 2007 in Cleveland. He pitched a strong six innings at Jacobs Field and picked up the win to the delight of his teammates, fans, and parents, who were in attendance to witness their son's magnificent return to the majors.
His perseverance and determination was an inspiration to a world full of cancer patients and spoke volumes about the character and will this young man has.
End credits...
What, it doesn't end there? Oh yeah, there's more.
After that triumphant return Lester posted a 4-0 record with a 4.57 ERA in 11 starts in 07, and then he became a true baseball hero when he started and won the clinching Game 4 of the 2007 World series, completing his return as not only a cancer-free human being, but a top notch starting pitcher in the major leagues as well.
Entering 2008, with the health concerns behind him, the Sox were expecting big things from Lester and fellow phenom Clay Buchholz, who himself tossed a no hitter in his second career start at Fenway in September. The two kids were named the 4th and 5th starters on a championship contender, and the weight of the Nation was on their shoulders.
So what happens? Three weeks after he threw an 8 inning 1-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays Lester pitched a no hitter against the Kansas City Royals in Fenway, matching his counterpart's performance statistically speaking, but surpassing Buchholz' feat on a much more philosophical level.
Where as Buchholz effort was more a result of luck and September callups, Lester's was a direct result of hard work, determination and the will to succeed.
What this man has accomplished is really nothing short of remarkable. He is an inspiration not only to cancer patients but to young ballplayers and people in general. It would have been so easy for him to give up. To beat cancer and then kick back and enjoy the simple things in life.
Instead Jon Lester decided to pursue his dream of becoming a quality major league pitcher on a championship team.
Mission accomplished, and then some.
No No Notes:
-First no hitter thrown by a Sox lefty since Mel Parnell in 1956
-He and Buchholz efforts enabled the Sox to become first team to toss consecutive no nos in MLB since Nolan Ryan did it for the Angels in 1974 and 75
-Only the 2nd time Royals have been no hit (ironically the other time was Ryan's in 74)
-Boston has 18 no hitters in its history, 2nd only to the Dodgers 20
-The Sox have thrown 4 no nos since 2001: Hideo Nomo (01), Derek Lowe (02), Buchholz (07) and now Lester.
-Jason Varitek has been behind the plate for all 4 of those, a new MLB record
5.19.2008
Sox Drawer: Masterson & Colon set to start in KC series
Not to get too far ahead of myself but the Sox will send two potential rotation saviors to the hill against the Royals this week.
Don't you feel better knowing this guy ^ is going to start for Boston on Wednesday?And who better to take the ball than phenom-in-training Justin Masterson, who pitched brilliantly in his MLB debut against the Angels a few weeks ago, and the once laughable offseason acquisition Bartolo Colon, who could be the pickup of the year if he pitches anywhere close to his Cy Young form.
According to the Globe Masterson will start Tuesday, taking Buchholz spot on the rotation, and Colon will make his 08 debut Wednesday night, thus preventing Boston from having to use one of its regular starters on short rest.
Like I said I know it's tough to get too amped up about a 23-year-old kid with six innings of major league experience under his belt, and an aging, overweight former ace who may pitch his last game in the majors should he shit the bed on Wednesday.
But the thing makes me excited is despite the early woes that have plagued the majority of the pitching staff the team has option available, cheap ones at that, to plug in until the other problems get straightened out.
With Colon it's a low risk/high reward situation that could pay huge dividends. Do I believe that the hefty righty is going to dominate lineups and become a top of the rotation stater again? Not quite. But if he can be a serviceable #4-5 with his experience and veteran leadership, that will certainly be an improvement over Julian Tavarez and the unstable Buchholz.
And if he doesn't pan out Boston will cut him loose quicker than Mariah did Nick (what, that didn't happen yet? bullshit!) and will only have wasted about a million on the chance that a former Cy winner could contribute anything to a pennant contending team.
As for Masterson he could be this year's Buchholz (especially since it appears Buchholz won't be) if he parlays these spot starts into a September callup, where he could have the chance to toss a gem in a pennant race, a la Clay's no-no last September.
If he doesn't he's back in the minors till next year, with the tantalizing taste of the MLB experience enough motivation to drive him to make it back.
Bottom line is not matter how bad things have looked for the rotation (except Matsuzaka) and the bully (ditto Paps), it's nice to know that reinforcements are on the horizon to shore up the leaks until the ship is ready to sail smoothly again.
And to think I didn't even mention the inevitable return of Mr. Bloody Sock. Read More......
5.15.2008
Sox Drawer: Off day activities of the team
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Plenty of rest, recharging and refocusing should be in order for the players, but these being men, and well, ballplayers, one can only imagine the kind of activities they could be indulging in on their first day back home in 10 days.
Yup, one can only imagine...(cue wavy camera effect and cheesy harp music)
-Manny Ramirez spent the day climbing the walls of his condo, which he had specially coated with outfield wall foam, and practiced high-fiving a paper hand he taped on about 8 feet up.
-Hideki Okajima stayed inside and kept the blinds drawn with his cell off and watched the History Channel in HD all day.
-Jacoby Ellsbury stole three donuts, a Powerade, two packs of mints and a Hustler when he was at Store 2-4. Because he can. You know, because no one can catch him? Ah fuck it.
-Julio Lugo stumbled around the Hub and bumped his head on anything he could find to ensure his concussion stays fresh. That way he'll have an alibi for his shitty play for the rest of the season
-Kevin Youkilis had his goat trimmed and combed, stared at his Player of the Week award for 45 minutes, then he hit seven different bars in two hours, just to see if he could break his own record.
-Jonathan Papelbon worked out for a few hours, flexed in front of the mirror with his game face on for 45 minutes, then met Youk at three of his last stops.
-JD Drew had his wrist examined, his back checked, his quads stretched and his manhood questioned when he went to see Baby Mama by himself.
-Daisuke Matsuzaka gave 14 interviews to Japanese television, and almost every one of them started with the question "so is Darvish really better than you?"
-Mike Timlin met with a Dr Fronkenshtein to see about getting that dead arm replaced.
-Kevin Cash worked on catching the knuckler by fielding off a pitching machine. He got hit in the nuts 46 times and will be placed on the DL tomorrow.
-Mike Lowell chilled poolside clad in a Tommy Bahama shirt, unbuttoned and untucked, and tilted brim hat with a martini in one hand and a bathing beauty on the other. (What, how else do you picture a guy who looks like a cross between George Clooney and Clark Gable spending his off day?)
-David Ortiz spent 1/2 the day getting his knee worked on and the other half getting his Lil Papi straightened out
-Dustin Pedroia went to the doctor to get his shoulder checked, as he does every off day to make sure it is still in its socket after all his Little Big Man swings.
-Craig Hansen answered every phone call and knock on the door with a nervous, shaky "hello?"
-Ditto Clay Buchholz
-Coco Crisp spent most of the day enclosed in his homemade altar, plunging long needles into a doll that bore a striking resemblance to an American Indian.
-Jon Lester kicked back at the crib playing XBOX 360, mumbling to himself "these guys think a 10 game road trip is tough. They have no freaking idea what tough is, those frigging pantywaists. Well, except Mikey. He knows."
-Jason Varitek helped an old lady cross the street, rescued a cat from a tree, mentored a fatherless child and then caught Ellsbury as he was exiting the Store 2-4.
-Jonathan Van Every wandered around the city checking out the sights, enjoying his his cup of coffee in the bigs, and after relentless pages and messages, met up with Youk and Paps for last call.
-And Tito came back home after an agonizing couple of days mourning the loss of his mother in law, scratching his dome and thinking over and over 'how the fuck can we be trailing the...the Devil Rays, Sun Rays, whatever the fuck that team down there in Tampa is called?!"
Well, I hope they all enjoyed their day off.
Now it's time to go back to work and start another winning streak.
5.05.2008
Another week, another Sox player on the DL
Sox lose Moss to DL due to emergency appendectomy, but recall a pitcher, not an outfielder, to replace him
Already this season Boston has had to deal with disabled list trips by its top starter, Josh Beckett, starting third baseman Mike Lowell, backup infielders Alex Cora and Sean Casey as well as lengthy illnesses to Jason Varitek and Daisuke Matsuzaka and nagging injuries to David Ortiz, Coco Crisp, Jacoby Ellsbury and JD Drew.
Now they can add backup outfielder Brandon Moss to the list.
In an odd twist of fate the solid 24-year-old had a terrific game at the plate and in the field on Friday, but said he was feeling funny and was not 100% during that game.
By Saturday evening his condition had worsened, causing team doctors to send him to the hospital to find out what was wrong.
Hours later Moss had his appendix removed, sending him to the shelf for at least a month, and suddenly the Sox had another key piece of the roster removed as well.
But in a move that will cause considerable head scratching, especially if an emergency situation arises or one of Drew's myriad maladies flares up, team management decided to bring up reliever Craig Hansen to takes Moss' spot on the roster, leaving the club with just four outfielders.
Supposedly Julio Lugo is the emergency outfielder, even though he hasn't played the position but a handful of times in his career and acted like someone asked him to drink arsenic when he was interviewed about the prospect of manning the outfield turf.
But hey, after making his league-leading 9th error at short yesterday, maybe a BJ Upton-esque shift might be the best thing for him.
Seriously, though, with Drew spending more time in the trainer's room than on the field in his career and Coco and Ellsbury already nursing nagging ailments, is it really wise to go with four OFs for this vital road trip to Detroit, Minnesota and B'More?
I guess it has something to do with there not being any real viable candidates ready to make the jump down at Pawtucket, with Bobby Kielty on the DL, but this situation has the potential to blow up in their face should Drew come up lame again.
All I know is if I see Lugo out there, I'm closing my eyes and saying a prayer that the ball is never hit his way.
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