Off the Monster

I'll take it!

2012-02-06T00:06:00.002-05:00

Two weeks until pitchers and catchers!

Thanks again, Cliff Lee!

2012-01-30T12:55:00.000-05:00

With all of the starpower on its way to the American League for the upcoming season, I think it's time to once again thank Cliff Lee for shunning the Yankees' offer of more money to go to Philadelphia last offseason. With Albert Pujols heading to Anaheim, Prince Fielder going to Detroit, and Roy Oswalt talking to the Rangers, I'm happier than ever that Lee opted for the National League.

Thankfully, neither Pujols nor Fielder are in our division, so we'll be facing the Angels just six times and the Tigers ten times during the regular season (in contrast, we'll play the Yankees, Rays, and other divisional rivals eighteen times each).

Of course, it was especially sweet to finally see a high caliber player rejecting New York, just because their endless money tends to see them getting every player they want, but one year later there's a different perspective - not having to face Lee and his Phils could be the difference between a playoff berth and a third straight year at home in October.

Given the pedigree of hitter now in the AL (and the fact that the DH rule means one more good hitter in the lineup of every non-interleague game), I'm sure Lee is even more content with his decision than he was a year ago.

Yankees' 1990s Core 4 now 50% retired

2012-01-24T14:07:00.000-05:00

Unless you're living under a rock (and I won't judge you if you are), you've probably heard that New York Yankees' catcher Jorge Posada retired today. Posada was drafted out of Puerto Rico in 1990 - I was less than six months old - and debuted five years later on September 4, 1995. Needless to say I cannot remember a Yankees team without Posada behind the plate.

He'll end his career with a .273 BA, .374 OBP, .474 SLG, 275 HR, and 1065 RBI - extremely solid numbers for someone who squatted behind the plate an average of 93 games per season (when you take out his first two seasons and his last, that average jumps to 112).

With Pettitte now gone for an entire season, and Posada bowing out, the only remnants of the dream teams of the late 1990's are Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera (who we all know is some sort of android and will never get old). Even as a Red Sox fan, I came of age hearing these names and seeing these faces in magazines and newspapers and on television - and it certainly feels strange to know that I won't be seeing them anymore.

In a way, Pettitte's retirement was less jarring, as he spent three years in Houston just as I was getting old enough to stay up until the end of baseball games - he wasn't a Yankee lifer like Posada and the others. Even as it will be strange to see the Yankees without Posada, he is making the best choice for himself and his team. All too often in baseball, we see players trying to hold on just a few years too long, claiming that they'll regain their stroke with the right offseason diet plan or workout. As painful as it is to see your heroes retire, it is so much worse to watch them struggle on in denial.

Posada had a taste of that struggle last season, batting just .235 with 14 homers and 44 RBI, and managed just one game behind the plate. His retirement, though emotional for Yankees' players and fans, is the right decision.

But just for fun, let's look at what Bill James projected for Posada, had he participated in the 2012 season: 110 games, .246 BA, .343 OBP, .416 SLG, 12 HR, and 47 RBI. Apparently James foresaw Posada sliding slowly into mediocrity - but Posada had other plans, and made his final, tearful farewell this morning in the Bronx.

2012 Bill James Projections - Red Sox Outfielders

2012-01-16T15:46:00.000-05:00

[A continuation of this post which I began with the Bill James projections for infielders.]

Left field, Carl Crawford:
2011 projection: 149 games, .300 BA, .350 OBP, .453 SLG, 14 HR, 93 RBI
2011: 130 games, .255 BA, .289 OBP, .405 SLG, 11 HR, 56 RBI
2012 projection: 155 games, .286 BA, .332 OBP, .436 SLG, 15 HR, 73 RBI

It's no secret that Crawford performed rather less well than we had hoped he would last season, and James' expectations seem to have been lowered in keeping with 2011. The good news is that though Crawford only managed to steal 18 bases last year, James thinks he'll steal 34 next season.

Center field, Jacoby Ellsbury:
2011 projection: 157 games, .300 BA, .355 OBP, .409 SLG, 8 HR, 58 RBI
2011: 158 games, .321 BA, .376 OBP, .552 SLG, 32 HR, 105 RBI
2012 projection: 158 games, .304 BA, .362 OBP, .476 SLG, 19 HR, 72 RBI

I think it's safe to say that Ellsbury proved himself last year, but apparently James is expecting a backslide. Here's hoping Goldenboy proves him wrong.

[Possible] Right fielder, Ryan Sweeney:
2011: 108 games, .265 BA, .346 OBP, .341 SLG, 1 HR, 25 RBI
2012 projection: 105 games, .285 BA, .353 OBP, .392 SLG, 4 HR, 36 RBI

Both last years numbers and the projections were for Oakland - and Sweeney's playing time is up in the air. These numbers are solid enough for a fourth outfielder, but I'd like to see more power out of a permanent corner guy.

[Possible] Right fielder, Darnell McDonald:
2011: 79 games, .236 BA, .303 OBP, .401 SLG, 6 HR, 24 RBI

2012 projection: 113 games, .268 BA, .325 OBP, .320 SLG, 9 HR, 40 RBI

McDonald has been more than serviceable in the last few years - the right fielder job is still up in the air, and it stands to reason he'll get a shot at it.

Other possibilities for the outfield include Ryan Kalish and Che-Hsuan Lin, both of whom spent last year in the minors, so they don't have projections in the 2012 Handbook.

2012 Bill James Projections - Red Sox Infielders

2012-01-01T10:54:00.001-05:00

I'm doing this a little differently from last year. Since there is a new manager who will have his own new ideas about the makeup of the lineup, I won't even try to guess what it will be for 2012. So there will be four projections posts: this one for infielders (and DH), one for outfielders, one for starting pitchers, and one for relief pitchers.

1st base, Adrian Gonzalez:
2011 projection: 161 games, .285 BA, .378 OBP, .512 SLG, 33 HR, 102 RBI
2011: 159 games, .338 BA, .410 OBP, .548 SLG, 27 HR, 117 RBI
2012 projection: 160 games, .301 BA, 387 OBP, .517 SLG, 30 HR, 105 RBI

Last year's projections were calculated by James and his team with the assumption that Gonzalez would be playing in San Diego's cavernous Petco Park for 81 games, so it only makes sense that he surpassed those numbers in the friendly confines of Fenway Park. James predicts a precipitous drop off from last year to this one - but I don't think it will be quite so steep.

2nd base, Dustin Pedroia:
2011 projection: 158 games, .297 BA, .372 OBP, .462 SLG, 17 HR, 77 RBI
2011: 159 games, .307 BA, .387 OBP, .474 SLG, 21 HR, 91 RBI
2012 projection: 143 games, .299 BA, .378 OBP, .469 SLG, 17 HR, 73 RBI

James consistently underestimates Pedey. I guess it was understandable for last year, since no one was sure how he would bounce back from his foot injury in 2010, but I think we know what to expect from Pedroia at this point. If he's not doing well, or if the team isn't, Pedroia WILLS himself to do better. I don't put much stock in "intangibles," but if they exist, the Sox second baseman has them.

3rd base, Kevin Youkilis:
2011 projection: 151 games, .294 BA, .398 OBP, .507 SLG, 25 HR, 95 RBI
2011: 120 games, .258 BA, .373 OBP, .459 SLG, 17 HR, 80 RBI
2012 projection: 135 games, .281 BA, .389 OBP, .489 SLG, 21 HR, 86 RBI

It's no secret that Youk had a rough 2011. In fact, given his sports hernia and bursitis in his hip (requiring surgery), it's impressive that he managed to play in 120 games. Given his injuries and the Red Sox collapse, it's easy to forget the fantastic first half that Youkilis had, even being named to the AL All-Star Team. Assuming all went well this offseason, expect a rebound season for Youkilis.

Shortstop, Marco Scutaro:
2011 projection: 153 games, .266 BA, .339 OBP, .374 SLG, 10 HR, 60 RBI
2011: 113 games, .299 BA, .358 OBP, .423 SLG, 7 HR, 54 RBI
2012 projection: 143 games, .271 BA, .341 OBP, .378 SLG, 9 HR, 59 RBI

Though somewhat short of spectacular, Scutaro has been one of the better Red Sox shortstops in recent memory (not injury-riddled like the now-departed Jed Lowrie, nor error-prone as the abominable Julio Lugo). He's been quite steady, both in the field and at the plate, and he'll likely continue that pattern.

Shortstop, Jose Iglesias:
2011: 10 games, .333 BA, .333 OBP, .333 SLG, 0 HR, 0 RBI
2012 projection: 50 games, .241 BA, .277 OBP, .277 SLG, 0 HR, 10 RBI

Everyone knows that this job is Iglesias' for the taking. If he hits as James predicts, we'll see more of Scutaro for 2012 - if he exceeds these projections, we'll likely witness the shift away from Scuaro and into the foreseeable future.

Catcher, Jarrod Saltalamacchia:
2011 projection: 110 games, .249 BA, .323 OBP, .422 SLG, 12 HR, 43 RBI
2011: 103 games, .235 BA, .288 OBP, .450 SLG, 16 HR, 56 RBI
2012 projection: 95 games, .245 BA, .311 OBP, .426 SLG, 13 HR, 45 RBI

Salty's playing time will likely depend on how skillful Kelly Shoppach turns out to be as a backup. As one of the only players pulling his own weight in September, I have faith in Saltalamacchia's ability to hold up the mantle of head catcher and game-caller that Jason Varitek held for so long.

Catcher, Kelly Shoppach:
2011: 87 games, .176 BA, .278 OBP, .339 SLG, 11 HR, 22 RBI
2012 projection: 85 games, .227 BA, .318 OBP, .431 SLG, 11 HR, 31 RBI

As you might remember, Shoppach was drafted by the Red Sox originally, before spending time in Cleaveland and Tampa Bay. He bats righthanded, and hits better against lefties than Salty, but given the power in the Sox lineup, his playing time will probably depend more on how well the pitchers like throwing to him.

Catcher, Ryan Lavarnway:
2011: 17 games, .231 BA, .302 OBP, .436 SLG, 2 HR, 8 RBI
2012 projection: 77 games, .275 BA,.351 OBP, .527 SLG, 13 HR, 41 RBI

Obviously, the Red Sox are not going to be carrying three catchers, and the projections were calculated before the move for Shoppach. If Shoppach struggles mightily, and Lararnway is tearing it up in Pawtucket, we might see him sooner rather than later. Otherwise, expect to see the Sox give him some more time to develop.

Utility infielder, Nick Punto:
2011: 63 games, .278 BA, .388 OBP, .421 SLG, 1 HR, 20 RBI
2012 projection: 99 games, .243 BA, .329 OBP, .315 SLG, 1 HR, 23 RBI

I don't know too much about Nick Punto, but it's unlikely that he'll get the 99 games of playing time James predicted when it was assumed he'd be playing for the Cards. If we can get passable offense and defense from our utility guy, I'll be happy.

Utility infielder, Mike Aviles (thanks to Paul for the reminder!):
2011: 91 games, .255 BA, .289 OBP, .409 SLG, 7 HR, 39 RBI
2012 projection: 101 games, .279 BA, .311 OBP, .423 SLG, 8 HR, 38 RBI

As Paul said in the comments, if Youkilis can't hack it for whatever reason, we'll be seeing quite a bit of Aviles this season. The numbers are more than satisfactory from a utility man - but James is predicting a lot of playing time for him.

Designated hitter, David Ortiz:
2011 projection: 151 games, .261 BA, .366 OBP, .509 SLG, 33 HR, 112 RBI
2011: 146 games, .309 BA, .398 OBP, .554 SLG, 29 HR, 96 RBI
2012 projection: 150 games, .277 BA, .378 OBP, .517 SLG, 30 HR, 104 RBI

Though the Red Sox struggled mightily in April, Papi escaped his usual struggles last spring, and surpassed most of James' predictions for him - here's hoping he can do that again, even at age 36.

[Final note: players not with the Red Sox at the beginning of 2011 do not have their 2011 projection numbers, because I left the 2011 Bill James Handbook in my dorm room - the Sox projections were recovered from last year's projection post.]

Andrew Bailey to the Sox

2011-12-28T17:32:00.001-05:00

According to Boston.com's Extra Bases blog, the Red Sox have traded for Oakland A's closer Andrew Bailey and outfielder Ryan Sweeney. Josh Reddick will be shipping out to Oakland, and Class-A first baseman Miles Head and Class-A pitcher Raul Alcantara will be headed to A's minor league affiliate.

I know some of you grew pretty fond of Reddick last season, since he spent more than half the season with the big club, but his shoes are sure to be filled by someone capable. While Rookie Reddick was serviceable, batting .280 with seven home runs and 28 RBIs in 87 games, he played just 56 of those games in right field. According to the Globe's Pete Abraham, the Sox were downright deplorable in right field last season:

Red Sox right fielders hit .233/.299/.353 last season with 14 homers and 58 RBIs. Going by OPS, only Seattle was worse in the American League.

It's unlikely that Sweeney would end up being the full-time right fielder, as he's capable of playing all three outfield positions, and he seems to be more of a utility/fourth outfielder type, batting .265 with 25 RBIs and just one home run last season in 108 games. We'll probably be seeing a lot of Ryan Kalish, who has hopefully fully recovered from all of his ailments. Obviously, Kalish won't just be handed the job - there will be some competition in Spring Training.

But we all know that the gem of this deal is 27-year-old Andrew Bailey. Since the departure of Jonathan Papelbon, Red Sox Nation has been understandably worried about who is going to be closing games, especially because former heir-apparent Daniel Bard has expressed interest in starting. Bailey should be a serviceable replacement, as he has 75 saves in his three-year career, and though his ERA went up considerably last year (1.47 to 3.24), he had nearly four times as many strikeouts as walks.

It will be interesting to see how Bailey fares in the AL East, especially after spending his career in the somewhat cushier AL West (though I'm sure he's happy he doesn't have to face the Angels and Albert Pujols 18 times a season). All in all, this is a solid move for new GM Ben Cherington - maybe it will even get Red Sox Nation off his back.

Merry Christmas - have some copyright infringement!

2011-12-27T15:54:00.000-05:00

I got an email from Brett Rudy the other day tipping me off to this post on Boston Sports Then and Now - apparently the Sox weren't allowed to use the image and name of Rudolph for their holiday promotion:

“We had discussed the opportunity of linking together Rudolph with the Boston Red Sox last year, and I know that you mentioned that was not something you were able to do. Then today, this message was distributed to their fans, and it currently is posted on their website. I’m wondering what changed.” Then it added, “We are disappointed that our concept and presentation seems to have been leveraged without our involvement.”
Well, it turns out the Red Sox liked the idea too much to let lack of a license slow them down, and they opted to proceed anyhow. According to Sharma later that same evening, there was still no deal. “Nothing has changed (and thank you for bringing this to our attention) – this use is unauthorized and will be dealt with appropriately.”

This is obviously disappointing, since the Red Sox, as a subsidiary of Major League Baseball, are extremely strict about who uses their brand, but seem to have no qualms about using someone else's. Definitely head over to Boston Sports Then and Now and check out the whole article.

Rudolph, the Red Sox Reindeer

2011-12-15T18:59:00.003-05:00

If you have about ninety seconds to watch this e-card the Red Sox are sending out, please do. Best laugh I've had all day.

Time for Tek to bow out - gracefully

2011-12-14T10:39:00.000-05:00

Bring on the haters, but I am seriously so tired of people saying that the Red Sox are treating Jason Varitek unfairly:

"it’s just not right for the Red Sox to treat him this way. He wants to finish his career in Boston. He will always be part of the Red Sox because he was the true first captain. You will be greatly missed Varitek, we love you." [Tumblr post]

First of all, the Red Sox do not owe Jason Varitek anything but respect. They do not owe him another year on the team, especially if there is a viable, cheaper, and possibly much more productive alternative. He CAN finish his career in Boston if he really wants - the man will be FORTY YEARS OLD in April, and younger players than he have gracefully hung up their spikes after fulfilling careers.

Where were Tek's FANTABULOUS leadership skills last season when apparently the bulk of the team decided to ignore the manager and their work-out plan? I know he was in the bullpen or on the field for most games, but surely he knew about the clubhouse hijinks? Why didn't El Capitan SAY SOMETHING - and if he did, and was ignored, then his leadership certainly isn't reason enough to keep a man who hasn't broken .232 or fifteen homeruns in four years on the team.

I'm also extremely confused about the "true first captain" comment: I'm pretty sure these men would have something to say about that.

Let me be clear: I love Jason Varitek. I practically have a shrine to him in my room:

I also attended his Celebrity Putt-Putt charity event this summer:

I had a fantastic time, and I truly believe that Tek is a genuinely awesome human being. But it's time to face the facts, Red Sox Nation. His glory days are far behind him, and his greatest value comes from "game-calling skills" - something many teams leave to the manager on the bench, relayed to the pitcher with signs. I will always look back on Tek's time with the team fondly - I came of age with him behind the plate, and he'll always hold a special place in my heart.

But baseball has no room for sentimentality, and it is Tek's time to bow out gracefully. I really hope that for his sake, and the sake of the organization, that he takes the practical path to retirement - maybe someday he'll return to us as a coach (though he has said he's uninterested in such a job).

Deja Vu: A return to roots for a former Sox catcher

2011-12-13T14:42:00.002-05:00

Remember that time we traded a homegrown catcher to the Indians for Coco Crisp? And then he went to Tampa Bay for a player to be named later (who ended up being Mitch Talbot)? Can anyone name that player?

If you said "Kelly Shoppach," you get a cookie! [But not really - I can't send cookies through the internet.] When we originally sent Shoppach to Cleveland, he was a pretty promising young catcher, who had the potential and the tools to be a qualified offensive and defensive player, though he has done some back-sliding since.

So what does his return mean for the Red Sox? Well, for one, it most likely means that we have seen the last of Jason Varitek's playing days, at least in Boston. This should come as no surprise, since Ben Cherington has been hinting that he's reluctant to bring back Tek (or Wake, for that matter) for a while now. In addition, it means that the Red Sox have a viable backup catcher who has spent significant time in the big leagues. Ryan Lavarnway held his own last fall (17 games, .231 BA, 2 HRs, 8 RBIs), but he could certainly use some more seasoning in the minors.

Over at Boston.com's Extra Bases Blog, Pete Abraham mentions the possibility of using Lavarnway as trade bait now that the Sox have a viable alternative, but cautions that possibility is unlikely. The most prudent course of action would be to keep Lavarnway around and continue his development, in case the Shoppach experience leaves something to be desired. It also bears mentioning that Shoppach is no longer a young prospect, as he'll turn 32 at the beginning of next season, so keeping Lavarnway is insurance for aging, as well.

This isn't a huge move for the Sox, and it isn't a great deal of time or commitment, either, as the deal is a single year at $1.35 million. It should be interesting to have a new face behind the plate.

Last but not least, three useless trivia facts about Kelly Shoppach:

He drove in the first run at the new Yankee Stadium (April 16, 2009)
On July 30, 2008, Shoppach had five extra-base hits in one game, against the Tigers (three doubles and two homers)
For all you Tek fans, Shoppach has caught a no-hitter himself - calling Matt Garza's no-no on July 26, 2010

Hot Stove Check-in

2011-12-08T20:09:00.001-05:00

A lot has happened so far this offseason - and because I'm such a terribly inconsistant blogger, I'm going to take this opportunity to talk about EVERYTHING I've neglected thus far.

Let's start with the Red Sox. So far, we've replaced the manager and general manager, lost our closer (thankfully to the National League), and a starter (to Tommy John). We have a right fielder who is presumably retiring, and a few other players who might do well to consider that option. So what's the good news? Hopefully Ben Cherington and Bobby Valentine can take the asylum back from the lunatics, and build us a winning team. David Ortiz has accepted arbitration, and we can expect a typically good season from him, barring injury or unforeseen circumstances.

The biggest news of the offseason is the unexpected aggressiveness from both the Marlins and the Angels. The Marlins will be moving into a new stadium soon, and it looks like they want to put the real deal out on the field, as well. After signing Heath Bell, Jose Reyes, and Mark Buehrle, the Marlins went hard after Albert Pujols, but were beat out by the Angels.

So Pujols will stay in red, but on the west coast and (sadly for the Red Sox) in the American League. As fun as it will be to see Pujols play more often, I don't relish watching him face off against our pitchers at Fenway. The Angels also committed big money to former Rangers ace CJ Wilson.

I don't really expect the Sox to make any big splashes in this year's market: for one, most of the big names are already spoken for. In addition, holes in right field and the bullpen can ostensibly be filled from inside the organization, without losing too much in translation. The big questions won't get answered until players start reporting: will Daniel Bard start, as he's requested? If so, who will close? Will we be seeing Josh Reddick, or maybe Ryan Kalish, in right field?

Hopefully I'll be blogging more in the next few weeks - school is winding down, and I still have my 2012 Bill James Handbook to look through... All this studying for finals is making me wait to pay attention to what really matters: baseball.

Yet another reason Japan is better then New Hampshire.

2011-11-22T11:33:00.001-05:00

Have you ever seen anything this cool? I don't think I have...

Happy Trails, Paps.

2011-11-14T14:43:00.000-05:00

We can now add Jonathan Papelbon's departure to Philly to the growing list of offseason things that are both sad and unsurprising. The closer's new contract joins:

The scapegoating and ~~firing~~ of Terry Francona
The departure of Theo Epstein to Chicago
The ever-growing list of rumors about the bad behavior of players
The fact that we have lost another starter to Tommy John (regardless of personal feelings about John Lackey, looking for a starter in this market is rather depressing)

We all knew this was coming. Paps never wanted to take a home-town discount, and the Red Sox were perfectly content to go year-to-year with him in arbitration. The strategy makes sense, especially when you looks at the recent lack of success the Sox have had with long-term contracts for pitchers. Being bankrolled by John Henry and Co., the Sox can afford to overpay year after year; it's the failed gambles that trap them in terms of years that they're wary of.

But even though it all makes sense from a clinical point of view, it stings. Papelbon was one of the few players this season who didn't make excuses, who worked his butt off all season, and who was reasonably consistent (his heartbreaking final inning notwithstanding), and I for one am going to miss him. I trust new GM Ben Cherington to figure this out, and whtehr Bard steps in as the closer permanently or he finds someone via trade or free agency, I don't think we'll be without someone for the ninth inning.

Dan Shaughnessy (which, hilariously, my auto-correct just tried to change to "Haughtiness"), said it poignantly last week: "A natural in front of the cameras, Papelbon was Cinco Ocho. He was the guy who put the cardboard 12-pack box on his head when the Sox clinched the pennant at home against the Indians in ’07. He was the guy who wore the kilt when he rode the duck boat."

Paps loved the spotlight, and I think Philadelphia will be good for him. We'll see if they regret giving him all those years, but one thing is for sure: the Red Sox will miss him.

World Series Review: I Suck at Predictions

2011-10-31T10:04:00.000-04:00

Despite worries from baseball elite that this year’s World Series would be boring and unprofitable due to the absence of large-market teams full of superstars, it turned out to be one of the most exciting Fall Classics in years. Their worries were certainly valid, as the biggest audiences will typically tune in when teams from either coast are involved, and this Series was, as Sports Illustrated put it, “Central Casting,” with both the AL and NL Pennants going to teams far from the coasts, the Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals, respectively.

The network carrying the Series also doesn’t begin to make a profit unless the two teams play five or more games in the best of seven series: since they pay Major League Baseball so much money to gain the exclusive televising rights, the advertising revenue after just four games (like the sweeps in 2004, 2005, and 2007) barely covers their cost. If a Series reaches seven games, like this one, the network can charge huge amounts of money on advertising slots to get a return on their large investment.

The games themselves were particularly compelling: on one side you had the Rangers, who have never won a World Series (including in their time as the Washington Senators), who were back after losing to the San Francisco Giants in last year’s Fall Classic, and who had been the no-doubt winners of the AL West for quite some time. Across the diamond you had the Cinderella story: the Cardinals had been ten games back in the Wild Card race with a month to play, and had just a 1.1% chance of even seeing the playoffs, before taking down the Braves to make it in, then the favored Phillies (who had been practically crowned World Champs in February), and the Brewers.

While Texas hunted fruitlessly for it’s first title, St. Louis tried to provide more incentive for free-agent to be Albert Pujols to stay with the team this offseason, and it might have worked – when asked if a repeat would be possible in 2012, Pujols grinned and said, “Why not?”

The Series it self was compelling all the way through, as the two teams traded victories through Game 4, and then Texas gained a 3-2 advantage by winning Game 5. If you didn’t watch what happened next, you missed a hell of a game. Game 6 was one for the ages: the Rangers were one strike away from winning their first title – twice. They had a two-run lead in both the ninth and tenth innings, and then David Freese and Lance Berkman (both with two strikes against them) batted in the tying runs. Freese would hit a walkoff home run in the bottom of the eleventh inning to send the Series to its seventh game.

After the drama of Game 6, Game 7 was slightly less exciting, as the Cards earned the lead in the third and never relinquished it. Hometown boy David Freese was named World Series MVP, and the city of St. Louis earned the right to party in the streets for the second time in five years. Despite the absence of a big-market team, this World Series was one for the ages – it’s only too bad that it’s over.

Surprise! John Lackey "needs" Tommy John

2011-10-25T16:30:00.001-04:00

So there's your answer, Red Sox Nation. While we've all been wishing for Theo to take John Lackey with him to Chicago, new GM Ben Cherington and the front office had their own plan in mind. It was obvious to everyone that Lackey simply could not spend 2012 in a Red Sox uniform, especially once you added the allegations (and then confessions) of drinking and general gametime shenanigans to a moribund record that spoke for itself.

So John Lackey, like Daisuke Matsuzaka before him, will disappear onto the disabled list for the foreseeable future, while the Red Sox staff looks to clean up their act - and their collective reputation. It is a rather neat solution, though it won't save John Henry and Co. any money. I'm guessing they shopped him around, saw absolutely no one was biting, and decided to relegate the big righty to baseball purgatory.

I know many of you had worked out elaborate trade scenarios for getting rid of Lackey, and some had genuine merit for all parties involved, but you can't really be surprised that no other team wanted to take a chance on the overpaid hurler. Lackey just turned thirty-three, he has a body type that doesn't age well (even before the now infamous weight gain of 2011), and he hasn't performed at a particularly high level in over two years.

Add to all of this the fact that he is owed more than $45 million for the next three years (a huge sum for a pitcher who has never logged a season ERA lower than 3.01, and that just once - his career ERA is over 4), and Lackey is a pitching pariah, without even tackling the allegations that he was one of the ringleaders of the *ahem* unprofessional behavior in the clubhouse this season.

All of these factors make for the perfect equation for the baseball cynic: banishment to pitcher hell. Of course, Lackey has had documented elbow trouble, something the Sox brass were aware of when they signed him, which is why the team option for 2015 will now be at the Major League minimum (this vested with the news of Tommy John surgery).

This seems like a win-win for fans. We've all been screaming to get him gone, and this will certainly see him out of sight for an extended period of time; the money is a bummer, but the Sox would have been eating most of the contract even if they had managed to scrounge a trade partner. If the surgery is particularly successful, perhaps Lackey will return in 18 months better than we've seen him, and hopefully having eaten a large serving of humble pie (and very little actual pie).

And if not? Well, I'm sure management can come up with another creative solution for the John Lackey problem when the time comes. For now, it's out of sight, out of mind. Hasta luego, Lackey... I won't be missing you.

"World Series munchies"

2011-10-19T16:10:00.000-04:00

Trinity's meal plan is advertising "game-time munchies." I do enjoy the Rangers and Cardinals logos slathered in butter, though. So classy.

World Series Preview: 2011

2011-10-19T09:22:00.000-04:00

Typically you would examine starting pitching matchups very carefully when attempting to predict the outcome of a seven-game series like the Fall Classic, but this postseason has been anything but typical for the hurlers of the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers. During the LCS, the Card’s starters managed just one win in their six games, and posted an atrocious 7.03 ERA, while the Rangers’ starting staff didn’t do much better: zero wins in six games with an ERA of 6.59.

Not a single Rangers starter has managed to make an out in the seventh inning all postseason, and there has never been a World Series Champion that could make that dubious claim. On the other hand, both teams are averaging less than five innings out of their starters per game during these playoffs, and the last team to win the Fall Classic with that distinction was the 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates. Both teams have relied heavily on their bullpens thus far, so it should be interesting to see how the pitching situation shakes out.

Assuming starters can stay in the game for a reasonable length of time, the Rangers have the edge, despite the fact that the National League Cardinals have home-field advantage by virtue of the NL winning this year’s All-Star Game. The Cards were just 20-20 this season against left-handed pitchers, and Texas boasts three southpaws in their playoff rotation. CJ Wilson will start the Series off tonight against Chris Carpenter (RHP). Wilson has turned into a bona fide ace for the Rangers in the last two years, making a seamless transition from his bullpen days. Tomorrow night will see righthander Colby Lewis starting for Texas, with lefty Jaime Garcia taking the mound for the Cards. The Rangers round out their rotation with lefthanders Derek Holland and Matt Harrison on Saturday and Sunday, while the Cards will counter with righties Edwin Jackson and Kyle Lohse.

Star power is provided by the Rangers’ Ian Kinsler (2B), Josh Hamilton – hero of the 2008 Home Run Derby (CF), and Adrian Beltre (3B), while the biggest story on the Cardinals’ side of things is free-agent to be Albert Pujols (1B). The Cards do have other star players (left fielder Matt Holliday, right fielder Lance Berkman), but the big questions revolve around Pujols: will he follow the dollars to greener pastures this offseason, or will he stay in baseball-crazy St. Louis? And either way, will he lead the cards to another Championship?

The last time the Cardinals won the World Series was just fie seasons ago in 2006 – just two years after being swept from the Series by the Boston Red Sox. The Rangers have a similar feel of unfinished business to them, as they return to the Fall Classic after falling to the San Francisco Giants in just five games last October. The consensus in the baseball world seems to be that Texas has a pretty strong edge – even though they will not enjoy home field advantage – but that expecting St. Louis to bow out in four games would be just another fallacy. Texas should take it, but we’ll give them six games to do so, and they’ll win their very first World Series in their fifty year history.

I stand by Tito.

2011-10-12T17:12:00.001-04:00

Of all the crap being spewed today, and all the blame being tossed around, the parts that most disgust me are those concerning the now former manger of the Red Sox, Terry Francona. Yes, he has to expect that the dirty laundry of his divorce will be aired (just like pitcher John Lackey) in a market like Boston, and even that his family will get dragged into things - I mean, who wouldn't be concerned if they had a son and son-in-law stationed in Afghanistan.

No, the biggest disappointment is the allegation that Tito's use of prescription pain pills was abusive, that the skipper had a drug problem that hampered his ability to manage. Obviously SOMETHING was hampering his managerial skills, but since we've all been intimately aware of Tito's myriad health problems for years, why is the medication a problem NOW?

When Tito was fined back in 2007 for wearing a pullover during a game instead of his team jersey, everyone was up in arms defending him. The man has poor circulation and gets cold easily - you're really going to make a stink that he's wearing a team sanctioned sweatshirt instead of a restrictive jersey? It's not like he's on the field; I'm pretty sure the umpires don't need to see a jersey to know which team's manager he is.

Even longer ago, in 2005, Tito was taken to the hospital from Yankee Stadium with chest pains, so his history of illness, injury, and the legitimate need for medication has been established for more than half a decade. We all knew he was taking pain medication. We have known this for YEARS. As Tito said, “It makes me angry that people say these things because I’ve busted my [butt] to be the best manager I can be. I wasn’t terribly successful this year, but I worked harder and spent more time at the ballpark this year than I ever did.’’

Granted, if I were living in a hotel, I might be at work more often, too, but the point is clear: if anything, Tito had more focus invested in the Sox this season. Something went wrong, that much is obvious, and Tito has owned it, admitting he just wasn't getting through to the players as he once did: “The guys that weren’t down on the bench, I wanted them down on the bench,’’ Francona said last week on an appearance on WEEI, “I wanted them to support their teammates.’’

So maybe something was lost in translation - certainly lots of games were lost during this time. But throwing around accusations of drug abuse when Francona's doctor assured him that wasn't the case? That's just low. Low, and like much of the news today, disappointing.

Playoff Preview 2011

2011-10-03T09:31:00.000-04:00

The marathon is over. One hundred and sixty-two games later, just eight teams remain, all hunting for the right to raise the Commissioner’s Trophy into the October night. The road to the postseason was exciting for many, with the Rays and the Cardinals sneaking in on the very last day of the regular season – both avoiding potential one-game playoffs for the Wild Card against the free-falling Red Sox (winners of the dubious “worst September collapse in history” distinction) and Braves, respectively.

Two games into the Division Series at press time, and only the Brewers have an edge (two games to none, over the Diamondbacks). The Yankees and Tigers, Phillies and Cards, and Rays and Rangers are all tied up, with each team laying claim to a singular LDS victory. The biggest surprise thus far has to be Cliff Lee’s Game 2 loss, closely followed by James Shields’ disastrous start on Saturday.

In the best-of-five Division Series, the safest money is on Milwaukee to defeat Arizona in three or four games to advance to the NLCS. The other series are a bit more convoluted to predict while tied 1-1 each – it essentially means you're predicting the outcome of a best-of-three series; something any baseball fan will tell you is a crapshoot. Most people are betting on Philadelphia to advance over St. Louis, but the Cards won’t be making it easy, especially since Albert Pujols’ troublesome left ankle didn’t stop him from knocking in the go-ahead run on Saturday to tie the series.

As for New York and Detroit, the advantage will fall to the team whose ace pulls through Monday evening. Writing this Monday morning, I’m giving the edge to the Yankees and CC Sabathia, despite the apparent Cy Young winner Justin Verlander going for the Tigers at home. Down in St. Pete, the Rangers have Colby Lewis going against the Rays’ young star David Price. Price struggled down the stretch, so it’s possible that the 224 innings he pitched in 2011 (by far his career high) are catching up with the young lefty. Conversely, Lewis ended his season with a win, and is 3-0 lifetime against the Rays, so I’m going to give him – and the Rangers – the advantage for Game 3 and the ALDS.

Assuming all of the above, the ALCS should be Texas vs. New York (Yankees will have home-field advantage), and the NLCS should be Milwaukee vs. Philadelphia (Phillies will have home-field advantage). This is where the pitching staffs will really start to show; baseball is all about pitching, and one hot or strong-willed started can will his team to a World Series – just ask vintage Josh Beckett (2003, 2007). Though Texas lacks a Sabathia-caliber ace, the rest of their staff is much more reliable than New York’s: if AJ Burnett were more dependable, the Yankees would have my confidence. As it is, I’m giving the edge to the Rangers.

If the Phillies manage to get eliminated before the World Series, it will be seen as a failure. Like the disgraced BoSox, the Phillies were practically crowned champions in February, before a single game had been played. Their pitching pedigree cannot be questioned, but the Brewers are young, hot, and ambitious. For now, the advantage is with Philly.

In a Texas-Philadelphia World Series (Philly, as the NL team, has home-field because of the NL win in the All-Star Game), the Phillies win it. It is, as they say, all about the pitching, and no one can beat the Phillies hurlers, at least on paper.

However, anyone who has read (or now seen) Michael Lewis’ Moneyball knows that playoffs, and especially best-of-five series, are little better than a roll of the dice. Anything can happen, and probably will: I’m predicting a Phillies-Rangers Fall Classic, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw Cardinals-Tigers, Diamondbacks-Rays, or Brewers-Yankees. That’s (playoff) baseball.

[Note: the strange timing of this entry - not at the beginning of the LDS - is due to the fact that it was originally written for the Trinity Tripod, and my deadline over there is Monday morning. This means I might already be wrong by the time it comes to press Tuesday night. Oops.]

Breaking up a family: The legendary bond of Pedey and Tito

2011-10-01T12:08:00.000-04:00

SO. MUCH. LOVE.

If you read this blog even semi-regularly, you know that I am an unabashed and shameless fangirl of both Tito and Theo. Was there more that the two of them could have done this season? How much of the blame lies in the hands of the manager who makes the on-field decisions? How much lies with the GM who built the team? And, perhaps most importantly, what portion should lie at the feet of the athletes on the field?

The tales spilling out now that the season has been brought to a violent and screeching halt are eye-opening, in a word.

A commenter on Boston.com this morning, referring to this piece.

Globe writer Dan Shaughnessy claims that the parting of Tito Francona and the Red Sox was anything but a mutual decision: " [John] Henry has had Francona in his crosshairs for a couple of years. Ultimately, Francona was not enough of a numbers guy to satisfy Boston’s Moneyball boss." Francona tells a different story: he wasn't getting through to the players, the constant scrutiny of managing a baseball team that is so much more than that to so many people, he thought eight years was enough.

As usual with this particular corner of blogdom, I look at this travesty through the eyes of one Dustin Pedroia. Pedey and Tito have a well-chronicled bond; they passed straight through legendary bromance to honorary father-son territory long ago. They trade jokes about their receding hairlines, about Pedey's height, and Tito's age, they played (ah, the past tense) cribbage before every game, and by all accounts enjoyed a refreshingly honest and functional relationship.

So if I'm heartbroken over the skipper's departure, it stands to reason that Pedroia would feel even stronger, and he didn't disappoint: "I love him. He’s given me every opportunity in the world and given me the respect to play the game with a freedom, and that’s what he allows us players to do. Geez, man, he’s done everything for me and everything for my family ... he’s done everything for me in the five years I’ve been in the big leagues. My heart’s broken for him and I wish he was back and I wish I could have played my whole career for him. It’s going to be hard. I’m sure he’ll come back a better manager and a better person for it. Us, as an organization, we’re going to move forward together."

If that didn't make you tear up a bit, you have no heart ~~(or you're not blinded by a a deep-seated love and admiration for everything that our second baseman does and says)~~. Pedey also threw in a couple of jabs about player responsibility, but if you want to read those you can go to the source. This post exists for the sole purpose of mourning the now defunct dream team of Dustin Pedroia and Terry Francona. I'll be drinking for them tonight.

Life, school, and baseball

2011-10-01T10:29:00.000-04:00

Anyone uninterested in a post that's more about me than the Red Sox (I suspect that's most of you) can come back later for a reaction to the sacking of Tito. Right now I need an outlet, and since this is my blog, I feel entitled to use the space for that - at least once.

This morning, I got up at seven to take the LSAT. Through a series of unfortunate events (and several dimwitted and sleep-clouded actions on my part), I missed the test. I was upset, obviously, but as I drove back to school, I realized that I was much more distressed about the fact that I wasted $140 (a sum I don't really have to throw away) than the fact that I wouldn't be sitting the exam.

Lately I've been thinking about the future (an inescapable pastime for a senior in college - especially in the current economic climate), and I'm suddenly not as sure as I used to be that I even want to be a lawyer. It's always been my dream to work in baseball; I've always said I don't care what I have to do, as long as I can be around the game.

My first choice would be to earn a living in sportswriting, but you don't generally get offered a job at The Globe straight out of college, particularly if you don't have a journalism degree (TrinColl doesn't offer that major). It used to be that you would pay your dues at a small local and/or regional newspaper, and then hopefully your if your work was good it would get recognized by a national publication and you would move up the ranks. Now, as many of you know, those smaller newspapers are in trouble, much more likely to be shedding payroll than taking chances on unknowns.

The next best thing would be to work for a team, in any capacity. Baseball is a well known boys' club, steeped in tradition and notoriously difficult to break into. Given the game's established proclivity for hiring men, and especially former players, I assumed that (as a woman who last played even softball in high school) my best bet was to get a law degree and try to work with contracts, either with a team or for an agency.

In the last few weeks, I should have been studying for this test. I bought the review book, I had free time, but I couldn't bring myself to sit down and focus on it. I just wasn't passionate about any of the material, and even less excited about the prospect of mortgaging my entire life away for three more years of education that I have no way of paying for.

I've always been so sure about my direction in life; I was a third grader with a twenty-year plan for my future, and now I'm floundering. I'm sure this is nothing new, or even unusual, but it's particularly jarring for me because I have always known what my next step should be.

I don't flatter myself that I could make a living as a writer at this point in my life - I need a LOT more practice - and so I'm lost. I don't know where I should be looking, or what I should be doing, and I'm going to be dumped (ceremoniously, in a cap and gown, but still dumped) into the cold, cruel world in seven months. The only thing I'm still sure of is my love for baseball, and the Red Sox (yes, even after this disgrace of a season). I know I've been absolutely terrible at keeping up this blog in 2011, and I'm sorry. I hope to be better while I figure out what to do with the rest of my life.

[Also, for anyone who managed to slog through all that existential crap, I thank you. To show my appreciation, here's a video of Florida Atlantic and Western Kentucky baseball players putting on a show - during a rain delay.]

Being a Red Sox fan is WORTH the heartache

2011-09-29T15:50:00.001-04:00

We didn't deserve to make it. As angry, depressed, disappointed, and bitter as I am right now (and it's toned down a lot since last night), I can see that. The Red Sox mailed it in this September, and last night's debacle was nothing more than a microcosm of the last month.

They say you don't win pennants in April. That might be true, but if nothing else, this season has taught us that you sure as hell can LOSE them in April. If we didn't get swept by Cleveland (Cleveland!) the second series of 2011, we squeak into the playoffs last night - whether we could have done a damn thing one we were in? That's another story.

However, some of the reactionary stuff I was seeing on Twitter and Facebook last night was appalling, and - in many cases - downright foolish:

Let's start off with a tweet where the poster misspelled the closer's name, exposed his own misogyny, and blamed a player with a serious injury. I'm sorry, bro, but I know you personally, and there is no goddamned way you were playing through injuries like Salty's and Youk's. Despite the fact that Lackey has thus far been a HUGE disappointment for the money, he DID manage to win 12 games, and the suggestion to sign Prince Fielder is hardly going to help out our pitching.

Let's move on:

Gold. "Sell the team." To whom, I wonder? Are you going to buy it? And it's not really like the owners can carry much of the blame here. Sure, if they had denied the money to sign a really important and obvious missing piece, but we all know that John Henry and Co. essentially have an open-wallet policy with Theo. Perhaps that's where the blame should go? But, don't forget we were all lauding Theo just eight months ago, and Sports Illustrated literally JUST ran a story extolling the virtues of his managerial technique (you might have to subscribe to SI to see it - sorry).

So this brings me to the most popular sentiment of the night:

You have got to be joking. Luckily, there sees to be just as many people on the interwebz who are violently disagreeing, and defending Tito. I'm sure this conversation is of no surprise to Francona, after all, the double-edged sword of being a manager is that if the team wins, they were really talented, but if they lose, it's the manager's fault. Could Tito have done more to light a fire underneath his team? Maybe. We will never know what he was doing in the clubhouse. It is worth remembering that every single Red Sox is a grown-ass man, and therefore responsible for his own performance - Tito can only enhance.

And, to wrap up the evening, here's a status update that literally made me feel sick to my stomach:

Yes, that happened on my newsfeed last night. And FIVE PEOPLE "Liked" it. Listen, I get the frustration, the thoughts that the team just doesn't work, that maybe starting over would be better - that it couldn't be worse. But these men are people. Just like you and me. They have families and lives outside of baseball. I don't care how much of a superfan you are, wishing for a plane crash just makes you a spectacularly shitty human being.

If anything, I hope this ending, this season, leaves us wiser as fans. You don't win seasons in the offseason. The playoffs are a special event, not a perennial birthright. Sometimes you're on the losing end of epic chokefests. All of these things kind of suck, and for fans like me, who didn't live through much of the storied franchise heartache (1999 and 2003, but before that was before my time), this is a stark reminder that we as Red Sox fans have lived a charmed existence.

But for me, it's worth it. I have seen two World Series Championships come to my team in my lifetime, and I believe I'll live to see many more. Last night was crushing, painful, tear-inducing, because baseball and the Red Sox are my life. But the feeling I got when I saw them win it in Colorado in 2007 and St. Louis in 2004 outweighs that heartache by an indescribable amount. Being a dedicated (some might say obsessive) fan can fucking HURT sometimes - but when it feels good, it feels SO GOOD, SO GOOD, SO GOOD!

Cinco-Ocho Speaks Out

2011-09-14T19:04:00.000-04:00

“Cinco Ocho loves haters, he loves to drink the Haterade, man. That’s what Cinco Ocho fuels his engine with — Haterade. Some people in this clubhouse need to be told how great they are to go out there and succeed. I like to be told I can’t do something. Cinco Ocho needs to be told he stinks, and then he just takes the Haterade and fuels his engine. That’s how he works, man. That’s the God’s honest truth.”

Ladies and gentlemen, your closer.

Tim Wakefield: 200 Game WINNER.

2011-09-13T23:48:00.000-04:00

Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield finally got to the 200-win mark this evening during the Red Sox romp against the Blue Jays. On his eighth try for history, Wake was less than spectacular, allowing five runs in six innings, and departing when the Sox had a narrow one-run lead.

The blew it open after that, absolutely going to town on the Jays' pen, and looking for all the world like they were unleashing the pent-up aggression from their frustrating losing streak.

I'm going to keep this post short: you all know how I feel about Wakey, and I won't bore you with an account of how every win counts at this point. You know as well as I do, as well as the Sox do, that the Rays are coming for us, that objects in mirror are closer than they appear, and that the division is ours for the taking - and missing the playoffs isn't yet out of the question, either.

Hopefully this victory can galvanize the troops for the home stretch - every inning counts.

Tough luck, Timmy

2011-09-08T09:39:00.000-04:00

[Cartoon from Boston Dirt Dogs - I'm unsure of the date.]

Tim Wakefield was yet again denied his 200th win - despite leaving the game with a comfortable 8-5 lead. Once again, the bullpen just couldn't do it for the iron man knuckler.

Unsurprisingly, in public Wakefield downplayed the personal importance of a 200th career win with the Red Sox, instead emphasizing the team angle, that the important thing now is for the RED SOX to win games, and get to the postseason: “If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t change what I’ve done. I’d like it to happen. But more importantly, I think, is for us to get into the postseason. … That’s our ultimate goal.”

He's correct, of course, that not reaching 200 wins wouldn't change what he's done for the Sox in his nineteen-year career (seventeen years in Boston). The fans (including yours truly) will still love and respect him, and I think we can all agree that we'd rather see a Pennant and a World Series win than Wakey's 200th W.

That said, I would REALLY like to see Tim Wakefield reach this milestone. Over the course of his career he's been a team player (with a few notable, passive-aggressive exceptions in the last couple of years), and a perennial contributor to charity endeavors of all kinds. The cool thing about a team like the Red Sox is that not only are the fans all pulling for Wake, the players are, too. Judging by Daniel Bard's reaction to blowing the lead last night, I think we can safely say that he might have been more upset that Wakey was.

Personally, I'm not giving up hope, yet. The season has a few more weeks to go - and even if Tim Wakefield gets moved to the bullpen for the duration of the postseason (not unlikely), he has a good sporting chance of reaching his milestone.

Why I give to the Jimmy Fund

2011-08-31T20:03:00.004-04:00

Today, the Red Sox are hosting the WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon to raise money and awareness about the Jimmy Fund. The following is a re-post of my September 25, 2009 entry entitled "Baseball as a Coping Mechanism," which should explain why even a broke college student like myself makes sure to give every year.

"Surviving cancer is, and will always be, my toughest battle. I laugh when people talk about how tough it is to deal with the boos of the fans or the high expectations of big market baseball. Hah! You want to know what tough is. John Kruk knows. Andres Galarraga knows. And Jon Lester has come to find out. When cancer comes calling, baseball takes a backseat. Having forty thousand people at Yankee Stadium tell me I suck is a nice diversion." -Mike Lowell, Deep Drive

Cancer took my mom last month. Today would have been her sixty-second birthday.

When I came back from boarding school with a renewed obsession for baseball, my mom humored me, watching all the games with me (with intermittent naps), and even picking a favorite player (David Ortiz). After I read Mike Lowell’s book, I knew she had to read it, too. The above passage caused Mikey to replace Papi in her affections.

The Red Sox were something that we shared. She didn't have any real affinity for professional baseball before I did (though she grew up in rural Connecticut, so the Sox would have been a logical choice), but she started paying attention because it was important to me: I loved the Red Sox, she loved me. Therefore, she loved the Red Sox, too. The other members of my family are what you would term "casual fans," they don't know very much about the players, don't really watch on TV, but, like all good New Englanders, they have Sox hats and are happy when the home town team does well.

When we were in the hospital last month, the Red Sox were on the television every night. The first night we were there was the night of Victor Martinez's two-out, go-ahead double in the ninth inning, and when he hit it I leaped out of my chair, feeling that I shouldn't yell in a hospital. My mom felt no such qualms, and shouted her excitement. She then looked at me and said, quite seriously, "You know, I really liked Justin Masterson... but this new guy looks promising." I couldn't have said it better myself.

The Red Sox provided an escape these last few years when I needed one, and they were something for my mom and I to enjoy together when we could. Her first trip to Fenway was last June, and Tim Wakefield pitched the Sox to a win over the Diamondbacks. We went twice this summer, once to see Jon Lester pitch 7+ perfect innings (and a complete game) against the Rangers in June, and once to see Brad Penny toss a gem against New York the next week.

"I never thought I'd get to go to Fenway Park," she told me more than once. I'm so glad that she did.
Even when I was away at school, she would watch the games so she could talk about them with me (and, as a lifetime coach and phys. ed. teacher, she had a deep love of sports). I have a saved voicemail on my cell phone from April 26, 2009. She called me during the game, while my phone was off, and left the following breathless message: "Wow, Kayla, I really hope you're watching the game, because Jacoby Ellsbury just stole home, and it was AMAZING!" As soon as I got the message, I called her back and we discussed it at length.

My mom valued sportsmanship highly, perhaps because of her keen awareness that life isn’t fair, she expected sports to be fair… She even infamously pulled out a rulebook in the middle of a field hockey game last season in order to correct the referee. As those she coached well know, she never advocated arguing with the umpire, so if she was upset, there was something very wrong. Sure enough, she was right, and another person learned that it’s very unwise to doubt Deryl Fleming when it comes to field hockey. She taught me to always respect the umpire, and the only time I ever saw her visibly upset over a call in MLB was last year. Mikey Lowell, whose book she had just finished, starting arguing balls and strikes with the umpire. "Well," she reasoned, "Mike never argues, so if he thinks it's a bad call, it's a bad call."

I can't thank everyone enough that helped her and our family through everything: all the food, and the rides, and the support, meant more than anyone will know. I wish there was some way for me to thank the Boston Red Sox, and specifically Mike Lowell, for giving her, and me, something to believe in and hope for right up until the end.

To give, call 877-738-1234, go to jimmyfund.org, or text KCANCER to 20222 to give $10. Every little bit helps.

Why are we using the CLOSER with an ELEVEN-RUN LEAD?!?

2011-08-24T23:12:00.000-04:00

Snappy title, I know, but I'm legitimately lost for words. Can someone please explain to me why the hell Terry Francona decided that he needed to use the CLOSER when the Red Sox were sitting on an ELEVEN-RUN LEAD? He couldn't have waited to see if Matt Albers could finish the thing, and only made the call to Paps if he started giving it up big? After, I don't know, six runs or so?

I'm really trying to understand the logic here, because I'm always the person trying to tell people that there's a reason Francona is the manager and not Joe "WEEI Whiner Line" - and it's because Tito generally knows what he's doing.

But I'm seriously struggling to understand this. I know that the save is one of the most useless and overrated statistics in the history of baseball, but this was nowhere near a save situation, or even approaching a "high leverage" situation where you would want your best reliever out there (whether Paps is the Sox's best reliever can be debated, but for the purposes of this post, we'll say he's one of them).

Yes, Albers gave up a run in the eighth, but it was hardly time to push the panic button. WE HAD AN ELEVEN-RUN LEAD. Statistically, you could have thrown a postition player out there on the mound, and you would still have had a damn good chance of winning the game (is Nick Green available? I believe his ERA is still at 0.00...).

What's the harm, you ask? We won the game, you say, so quit your whining. Yes. Yes we won the game. We passed the Yankees, who lost to the Athletics, to take sole position of first place in the AL East. But what happens if we need Paps tomorrow? Not unlikely, since we'll still be playing the Rangers. And then what if we need him against Oakland? What if we need him for the next three games? What if we need him for more than three outs?

I know, I know... "You don't save a pitcher for tomorrow. Tomorrow it may rain." - Leo Durocher. But I also adhere to my own radical school of thought about situations like this: don't waste a pitcher today when you have an eleven-run lead, tomorrow Andrew Miller might get shelled.

Okay, so Durocher's quote is slightly less specific and more poetic than mine, but I literally just do not understand why you would put Paps in the game tonight. If any of you can shed some light on this for me, do tell (in the comments, via Facebook, etc.), because I'm literally baffled.

Win-win for Red Sox fans

2011-08-24T22:40:00.000-04:00

[This video has always pissed me off a little, since I feel it implies that female baseball fans are somehow unable to appreciate the nuances of a pitcher's duel, and can only pay attention to the fireworks of homeruns.]

Anyway, you all know that THIS female fan has a place in her heart for games of all types, from no-hitters to blowouts, they all have something to offer, and tonight's game had a little bit of everything.

Josh Beckett went six innings, allowing four hits and one run (a longball by Mike Napoli that this "chick" certainly didn't "dig"), then Franklin Morales came in and tossed a perfect inning with two K's, and Matt Albers came in for the eighth, giving up a single run on two hits and a walk. For some inexplicable reason, Jonathan Papelbon entered the game, recording a one-two-three ninth inning, though it was nowhere close to being a save situation.

The bats were alive and well tonight - finally - as Adrian Gonzalez went deep for the second straight game, and Jacoby Ellsbury and Carl Crawford notched homeruns of their own. Crawford, Marco Scutaro, and the newly returned David Ortiz all struck doubles, and Ellsbury swiped his thirty-fifth stolen base.

When it was all over, the Red Sox had scored thirteen runs, and everyone in the starting lineup had at least one hit. Tonight's game was a win-win for Sox fans - whether you dig the longball, splendid pitching performances, or inexplicable calls to the bullpen.

Happy Birthday, Dustin Pedroia!

2011-08-17T21:18:00.003-04:00

As you all know, Dustin Pedroia is my favorite baseball player. In fact, he's top ten favorite people, ever. Today just happens to be his twenty-eighth birthday, and so I thought, what better way to honor Pedey than by publishing a list of my favorite Pedroia-isms and videos [sorry the formatting is weird]:

"When you have a physique like this, when you're shredded and everything, something might happen."

“I’m probably a 3 looks wise, but my personality is a 12, so it takes me to about an 8.”

"To be able to say that i play for the Boston Red Sox is an honor in itself."

"I want to be here. I want to play for the Red Sox and I don't want to play for anybody else...We're going to have an opportunity to win every single year. The fans are the best, the city embraces their team. So why not? It fits."

"I always wanted to be a miniature badass."

"Where has all the bitterness gone?"

2011-08-07T19:55:00.000-04:00

I'm watching Baseball Tonight on ESPN, and one of their commentators wondered what had happened to the days when every Red Sox-Yankees series was fraught with animosity, and not just in the stands. What happened to the brawls between Fiske and Munson, or Tek and A*Rod, or even Pedro and Don Zimmer?

Parity happened. In the last 11 years, the Red Sox and Yankees both have two Championships each, and they've been relatively evenly matched. Right now, for instance, the two teams have identical records in the AL East, and they're tied for first. Only one of these teams will leave Fenway tonight with first place, and the best record in the American League.

Just seven years ago, a series like this would be overshadowed by the constant threat of beanings, brawls, and general enmity. Now? Well, I'm sure you've seen Nick Swisher showering praise on Josh Beckett, and David Ortiz unabashedly bestowing hugs upon pinstriped rivals during batting practice.

Even among fans, some of the hatred has abated. There are certainly Yankees fans that I avoid like the plague, but for the most part, I can respect their devotion and knowledge, just like I would with any other sports fan (however, anyone who chants "1918!" or utters the number "27" isn't worth the time. Let's talk about contemporary history. Kthanks).

So is this better? It's less nerve-wracking, to be sure, but the lack of open hostility makes things just a little bit less exciting. While it's good to be able to be confident that Jeter won't throw a sucker punch a Gonzo when the latter rounds the bases, the games are certainly less of an event than they once were.

That said, I would NEVER want to go back to the way things were, because the animosity was so intense because the Red Sox (and we as fans) had a monkey on their backs, and we were reminded of it every time the two teams met. Back then, we were still eighty-six-year losers, perpetually looking up at New York in the standings.

Now things are much more even, and if the price of that is that the edge comes off of the bitterness and rivalry a bit, I'll certainly take the tradeoff. I'm calling for a Sox win tonight, on the back of one Joshua Patrick Beckett - he's given us no reason to doubt him, and I don't plan to start now.

(Not so) Bold Predictions

2011-08-05T19:35:00.000-04:00

Erik Bedard's first attempt at a win in a Red Sox uniform was thwarted yesterday by his own bullpen and former Sox pitcher Justin Masterson. The game wasn't pretty if you were rooting for the local nine, especially since it means we're in a tie for first with the Yankees, who are (conveniently) at Fenway RIGHT NOW for a three game set.

This man is pitching tonight - I think he can take them.

I'm going to go on record here and predict that the Sox take two out of three, with the Bronx Bombers taking the middle game (CC Sabathia over John Lackey). Jonny "K" Lester should have no problems taking care of Bartolo Colon (remember that time he swung the bat so violently he was on the DL for the rest of the season, and then didn't want to come out 'pen so he ran home early? Good times.).

Sabathia is likely to be his brilliant self, and since I've learned to not expect much from Lackey, I'll concede that game (CC is on my fantasy team, so at least there's that). I'm counting on Josh Beckett to take his recent excellence to the mound to take on Freddy Garcia - no slouch himself at 10-7.

If the Sox can take two of three, it puts them one game ahead of New York in the East - and every game counts.

Of Hit-streaks and Nostalgia

2011-07-29T07:54:00.001-04:00

Yesterday afternoon, in the eighth inning, Dustin Pedroia came to the plate hitless after his previous three at-bats (he did, however, have a walk). The crowd, aware of his 24-game active hit streak, got to its feet and cheered, and were then rewarded when Pedey took a neck-high 3-2 offering from Greg Holland and deposited it in the Monster Seats, successfully extending his streak to 25 games.

The longest such streak in the majors this year belongs to Pedroia's close friend, Andre Ethier, with 30 games. One can only imagine the ribbing Ethier will get if Pedey manages to notch hits in the next 6 games.

The most special part of the situation, in my opinion at least, was the fan reaction, and Terry Francona agreed: "I do think our fans are pretty special. They do react to things like that. It's part of what makes Fenway so great," he said. "We don't need to have President races or mustard racing ketchup. Our fans like our baseball. I actually really think that's cool. Nothing against mustard."

This is part of why I find Fenway Park so special - we don't need the gimmicks that other teams depend on to draw and keep fans. The new Yankee Stadium, for instance, felt to me like I was in a shopping mall and a baseball game broke out - it was plastered with technicolor ads and gimmicks, there were games and giveaways every half-inning on the scoreboard, almost like a minor-league stadium.

While Fenway does have a big new high-def scoreboard, it also hangs onto nostalgia with it's manual scoreboard under the very same Monster Pedroia homered into yesterday, as well as the same wooden grandstand seats in which your father and grandfather might have sat. And the fans are just as knowledgeable and vociferous as they were when Teddy Ballgame was swatting homers from that very same batters box.

Tim Wakefield: Ironman

2011-07-25T17:13:00.002-04:00

Yesterday afternoon, during a typical day game/Mariners beat-down at the Fens, Tim Wakefield continued his solid march toward Red Sox immortality, notching his 2,000th career strikeout with the team, and his 199th career Red Sox win.

Wakey had a bit of a shaky start, giving up ~~three~~ two runs in the top of the first inning, but his teammates were there to back him up, putting a five up on the scoreboard in the bottom half of the first - a nice change, since Wakefield traditionally hasn't enjoyed great run support.

The streaking Sox blew the thing open in the fifth, tacking on another five runs, allowing Wake to stay in the game for the sixth, where he struck out Mike Carp to tally his 2,000th strikeout in a Red Sox uniform. Jarrod Saltalamacchia was catching, and he headed out:

"I knew it was the 2000th. I gave him the ball and gave him a hug to congratulate him... Not that guys watch their stats, but that’s a pretty big number so I assumed he knew he was getting close. When I told him, he was like, ‘Congratulations for what?’ I was like, ‘Crap, did I get this wrong?’ I wanted to make sure," he said. "I looked at the [video] board and it said 2,000. He looked up and saw it and just started smiling."

I've made my feelings about Wake pretty clear on this blog: I LOVE HIM. Over the years, he's done it all for the Sox, from eating innings in the bullpen, to starting, to closing, and though there were some minor hiccups last season with his role, he's been relatively flexible over the years. Timmy's next win will be his 200th (186th as a Red Sox), and he keeps marching his way toward the team wins record of 192, currently held by some guys named Cy Young and Roger Clemens.

Wake lacks the pure electricity of either of these pitchers, and his status in the record book is a testament to his longevity and tenacity. Tim Wakefield is Boston's own Ironman, and I for one am extremely proud of him.

[Quotes in this post are from the Boston Globe's Extra Bases Blog.]

Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt Putt

2011-07-24T17:26:00.000-04:00

As any of you who follow me on Twitter know, my friend Soni and I attended Jason Varitek's Celebrity Putt Putt on Thursday evening. Why am I just posting about this now? MY COMPUTER IS FINALLY FIXED [also, I love Apple for extending my warranty for no extra charge!]. So I hope to close out July with a lot more entries to make up for the terrible job I've been doing so far this summer. So, without any further ado, I present a flurry of photos from the event, with a little bit of commentary:

The entire event was awesome - I only wish more players had come. Those in attendance included Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Jed Lowrie, John Lackey, Josh Beckett, Tim Wakefield, and, of course, Varitek himself. Tek and Salty each signed two baseballs for me (well, one was for my brother-in-law). Autograph seekers were aided and abetted by none other than Tek's fiance, Catherine Panagiotopoulos (bet she can't wait to change that name).

I really can't say enough nice things about Catherine: she was beyond friendly to everyone crowded around, and even carted armfuls of baseballs, photos, and memorabilia from the fans to Varitek, making it her personal mission to assure that everyone who wanted an autograph received one. (She's pictured above, signing a T-shirt for a staff member, and golfing.)

Overall, I would call the event a HUGE success - Soni and I certainly had a wonderful time - and it was extremely affordable, as Sox charity events go, at just $50 per person. Proceeds from the event went to Journey Forward, an organization looking to improve the lives of people who have suffered spinal cord injuries through participation in sports.

I'll close this post with a sentiment from Thursday night, which I stand by still, even three days later:

And he thanked me.

Basebrawl at the Fens

2011-07-09T11:55:00.000-04:00

So if you somehow missed what happened last night, the bottom of the eighth inning featured some fireworks, though the Fourth was over on Monday. It started when Orioles pitcher Kevin Gregg hurled a few pitches in tight to David Ortiz - one coming so close that Papi took a few steps toward the mound, brandishing his bat at the O's righthander.

With the count at 3-0, Ortiz took a hack at the next pitch, which he popped up toward shallow right field. Big Papi, obviously disgusted, began to jog slowly toward first base, when Gregg decided to take this opportunity to teach the Sox slugger about "baseball ethics," shouting and geturing at him to run out the play.

Needless to sat, Big Papi took exception to this, and charged the mound, just missing Gregg's face with a vicious uppercut before the benches (and bullpens) cleared and Demarlo Hale restrained him. Papi, Gregg, Jarrod Saltalamacchia (from the bullpen), and Baltimore relief pitcher Jim Johnson (also from the pen) were all ejected for their roles in the scrum.

I know it's not exactly professional to reveal my glee at baseball fights, but I just LOVE the way it causes teams to come together. Remember in 2004? There are a lot of people who credit Tek stuffing his glove in A*Rod's face as the catalyst that turned that season around for good. And don't even pretend you weren't impressed with Coco Crisp's Matrix-impression against James Shields in 2008.

After the game, Papi's teammates certainly had his back, though Gregg and the O's uttered their share of tough talking. Josh Beckett took the opportunity to express his confidence in the Red Sox's productive lineup: "Maybe they saw something they didn't like or whatever. But if it's just because we scored eight runs in the first inning and they start throwing at our ... guys, it's going to be a long year."

Hell. Yes. There's a lot more baseball to be played, and I am beyond excited to see this season to the end.

Religion: Boston Red Sox

2011-07-07T19:16:00.000-04:00

"Fenway Park is a shrine. People go there to worship." -Bill "Spaceman" Lee

I just got totally validated by a NESN commercial. [Add that to the list of things I never thought I would have a reason to say.] You've probably all seen it, they show a bunch of shots of fans at Fenway, and say things like "This isn't a fan club, it's a Nation," and "being a Red Sox fan is something you're born with," blah blah blah.

But then comes a statement that I will agree with until the day I die: "it's more than devotion; it's like a religion." [Possibly slightly misquoted. But that's the gist.] I'm a secular person. I haven't been to a church (in the traditional sense, at least) since I was a small child, and I don't feel like I'm missing anything.

On Facebook, my religion is listed as "Boston Red Sox," and though some people might think that's downright blasphemous, I think sports fandom often falls within the realm of religious. One of Webster's definitions for religion is as follows: a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith.

If you look at it objectively, the "cause" for Red Sox fans is the team, and we certainly follow them with ardor and faith. Personally, I know more about the Red Sox (and baseball generally) than many church-goers know about their religious tract of choice, and I while some people wear a cross around their neck, I wear a Boston "B."

Hopefully my more religious readers won't be offended by this post; please know that was not my intention. But for those of you who find themselves feeling out of place at traditional churches, you can come with me to Fenway - my personal Baseball Mecca.

Some things never change.

2011-06-30T07:57:00.000-04:00

Back in Little League (or, in my case, elementary school softball), you stuck the player you didn't want handling the ball too much in right field. When I was in second grade and the youngest player on my softball teams, they stuck me in right field, so I could be distracted by dandelions in peace (do you know how rare lefthanded pull hitters are at that age?).

Last night was a similar story. The Sox stuck Adrian Gonzalez in right field, and (I'm sure) practically prayed he wouldn't have to make any difficult plays. It worker: he handled the ball just once defensively, playing it on a hop and getting it back in. A pulse-quickening ball hit in the eighth went over his head and bounced of the wall, but it was ultimately corralled by center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury.

Hopefully this plan proves more fruitful tonight... as good as the Phillies are, I am NOT okay with being swept by them.

Terry Francona: Maverick

2011-06-28T22:53:00.000-04:00

The current mid-week series in Philly is being billed by many of the talking heads in the sports business as a Fall Classic preview. The Sox and the Phils are the toast of the bigs, despite the fact that Boston is a game and a half behind New York in the standings right now.

Tonight pitted Josh Beckett against Cliff Lee. Though Cliff claimed the "W," I won't hold a grudge because I still worship the ~~ground~~ mound he walks on for spurning the advances of the Evil Empire during the offseason. He's an honorary favorite for life, though that might change if we actually end up meeting him in October.

Despite the fact that I generally approve of Cliff Lee (and Philadelphia generally) I was very happy when Lee gacve up his first hit to the Red Sox, a single to Marco Scutaro in the sixth inning. The only other Sox hit of the night was clubbed by Darnell McDonald, who doubled to lead off the top of the eighth inning.

We have John Lackey going for us tomorrow, and the big righty has been a bit of a mystery this season. Personally, I'm inclined to cut him rather more slack than I normally would, because his wife Krista has been undergoing treatment for breast cancer, and I know how draining, distressing, and rattling it can be to watch a family member fight that battle.

Tito (a better maverick than John McCain ever was), has been hinting that he will combat the uncertainty of Lackey on the bump by putting David Ortiz in the lineup. As all of you know, playing in Philly means Papi will have to play first base... thus sliding Adrian Gonzalez to right field. Yes, right field.

I could give you my perspective on this plan, but, as always, Dustin Pedroia's take is much more entertaining, so I'll leave it with this sentiment from my favorite second-baseman: "It'll be good offensively, but damn, I've gotta play second, first and right. That's a lot of ground to cover, man. I've got small legs."

Help - I'm being taunted by a Cleveland fan! [Part 2]

2011-06-26T13:38:00.000-04:00

You may remember my friend Mike from this post back in April. Sadly, we're into late June and despite the fact the Red Sox have won FOUR MORE games than the Tribe, he's still finding things to laugh about.

So today I'll keep it simple, and just hope the Sox shut him up :)

Red Sox Canine Soulmates

2011-06-24T13:23:00.000-04:00

Since there was no game yesterday for me to recap (Sox offdays are DEATH for my fantasy team - and my sanity), I decided to get a little silly with today's post. If you were looking for insight, statistics, or reasoned discourse, you should come back tomorrow, because I found a website that is too fun to be allowed.

It's called Doggelganger, and yes, it does exactly what you think it does. So of course, being me, instead of putting my own photo into the matcher, I put in tonight's (presumable) starting lineup. So without further ado, the canine soulmates of the Boston Red Sox [click the photos to enlarge]:

CF: Jacoby Ellsbury and Max

2B: Dustin Pedroia and Kim

1B: Adrian Gonzalez and Tiki

3B: Kevin Youkilis and Grace

DH: David Ortiz and Ella

LF: Darnell McDonald and Seamus

RF: JD Drew and Grace (Yes, the site paired Youk and Drew with the same dog. I don't know about you, but the mental image of them sharing a pet brings me to tears of hilarity.)

SS: Marco Sutaro and Sheilah

C: Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Cade

P: Jon Lester and Lady

Yes, I know, useless from a baseball point of view... But some of these dogs are probably really good defensively.

Boston is Titletown

2011-06-16T15:31:00.000-04:00

Let's face it. We're spoiled. Since the Patriots won the Super Bowl in 2002, Boston (with most of New England by its side) has celebrated a major sports championship in every year except 2003, 2006, 2009, and 2010 - and there were two in 2004.

Boston-area teams have also set another record, winning one of each major championships within a span of six years (Patriots in 2005, Red Sox in 2007, Celtics in 2008, and Bruins in 2011); the next shortest span is twety-one years, and that distinction is held by New York.

It goes without saying that I am a HUGE fan of this trend, despite the fact that my devotion to the Bruins, Celtics, and Patriots pales in comparison for my love for the local nine. However, I think it also goes without saying that we need to be careful how we handle these new found riches. Like the multi-millionaire who complains about the price of milk, we should probably tone down the crying when one of our teams goes through a minor losing streak.

I know what you're thinking: "HYPOCRITE!" Yes, I moan about small misfortunes in this space all the time, but I don't honestly think that Boston fans have problems, not when compared to what I've seen my friends from Cleveland go through.

Likewise, I plan to try to avoid bragging as much as possible - after about a week's grace period to celebrate the Stanley Cup - lest I come off like an obnoxious Yankees fan who can't say anything except "TWENTY-SEVEN RINGS WOOOOO!!!1!!1!!!!"

However, since I have a seven-day window to celebrate like the loud and proud Boston sports fan I am, GO BRUINS!!! [And Red Sox since you're the only Boston team currently playing.]

Bruins take Game 7!

2011-06-15T23:19:00.000-04:00

Since this is a baseball blog, I'll leave the commentary to this photo of Zdeno Chara with the Cup... At least until tomorrow, when I'll blog about Boston's SEVEN MAJOR SPORTS CHAMPIONSHIPS IN THE LAST TEN YEARS!

The least appreciated one-hitter in Boston history...

2011-06-15T21:56:00.000-04:00

(BAMF)

I'm sure many of you, like me, are currently watching the Bruins go for a Game 7 win, and have been since the B's started playing in about the 4th inning. It's too bad, because Josh Beckett just tossed an absolutely dominating game down in Tampa Bay.

The big righty went the distance, giving up just one hit to Reid Brignac, walking none, and notching six strikeouts. As good as James Shields was yesterday, Beckett was better tonight. Obviously, Beckett won't care that he had fewer spectators than normal, and I don't think any of the Red Sox would hold a grudge because their fans decided to watch a Game 7.

But if you're sad you missed the badassery (and I know I am), NESN airs Sox in 2 at midnight. I might just stay up to watch it.

James Shields: Dream Crusher

2011-06-14T21:53:00.000-04:00

As the Remdawg said after the final out of the ninth, "he was outstanding." Sadly, James Shields shut down the Red Sox for a full nine innings, allowing just five hits and three walks in his third shutout of the season. Sadly, Tim Wakefield's quality start was wasted, as the knuckleballer went seven innings, allowing two runs on four hits and five walks.

The Sox didn't do too much to help themselves, as they grounded into three inning-ending double plays, despite the fact that "Big-Game James" as he calls himself, has historically had very limited success against the Red Sox.

The local nine, of course, saw their nine-game winning streak come to an end, and as the Yankees are currently administering a beating to the Rangers in the Bronx, both the Rays and Yankees will pick likely up a game on the Red Sox in the American League East standings.

The story of the night was Carl Crawford's return to the Trop for the first time since signing with the division rival Red Sox this past offseason. The left-fielder definitely heard some boos as he came to the plate for the first time, but there were more cheers - I think most Tampa Bay fans realize what he did for the team, and they certainly can't expect all of their players to sign team-friendly, long-term deals like Evan Longoria did.

Like I said in my last post, winning is the best revenge, and the Rays certainly didn't need Crawford tonight - Shields performance was more than enough to get them the win. It's just a pity that it came against Wakefield, who is inching closer to the Red Sox all-time record for wins (192, held jointly by Roger Clemens and Cy Young).

Timmy is just 10 wins away, and time is ticking... it's unlikely that the Sox will sign him for next season, and it sucks when Wake gets a worthy start wasted. However, as much as it pains me to say this, Shields deserved the win tonight. Hopefully Wakefield gets to stay in the rotation and keep chugging toward his dream.

Winning: The Ultimate Revenge

2011-06-10T12:00:00.000-04:00

Okay, I'll admit it: like many of you, I'm sure, I went to bed before the Red Sox were done with their game last night. After a 3 1/2 hour rain delay, the game finally got started when it should have been ending, and I only made it through six innings before my eyes started drooping and I went to sleep.

Sadly, I surrendered just one inning too early. When I left at the end of six, the Sox were trailing 0-2, and by the end of the seventh, they had exploded for eight hits and seven runs in the seventh inning. David Ortiz had a single and an RBI double, notching his own personal payback for being beaned by CC Sabathia earlier in the game.

Ortiz didn't blame Sabathia for the HBP, which isn't terribly surprising considering the two are friendly. What is interesting is that Papi blamed the media for getting plunked. Until last night, Ortiz had made it 160 games against the Bronx Bombers without getting hit by a pitch, and that fact was well publicized.

To be perfectly honest, after Beckett hit Captain Jetes and A*Rod early on, I fully expected Youk to bear the brunt of Yankee payback - he's traditionally been their favorite target. [However, I guess I shouldn't be surprised since Joba Chamberlain, Youk's usual tormenter, is on the DL.] It was pretty obvious that both of Beckett's HBP were accidental, and he made sure to speak to Umpire Hunter Wendelstedt and make sure he would still be able to pitch inside.

On the other hand, despite the fact that Sabathia claimed the ball simply "got away" from him, his control had been pinpoint until that moment; it was payback, plain and simple. I'm okay with it, though... the Red Sox got the last word, pulling 2 games ahead of the Yankees in the division, and gaining a commanding 8-1 lead in the season series.

No surgery for the Laser Show

2011-06-09T20:48:00.000-04:00

I'm just going to take this time to note how ecstatic I am that Dustin Pedroia, by all accounts, will not need surgery on his troublesome right knee. According to boston.com's Extra Bases blog, Pedey has suffered nothing more serious than a bruised kneecap, and will be reunited with the Red Sox tomorrow.

Terry Francona noted that while Pedroia does have some cartilage damage, most baseball players do - including the skipper himself. What is far more worrisome to me is that it was bothering Pedroia enough not only for him to mention it, but enough for him to ask for time off to get it checked out.

It's obviously been affecting his performance, as his line this year is less than stellar. With damage that required surgery, we could have seen a repaired and rejuvenated Dustin in about a month. As things stand now, we don't know how things stand. It's obvious that Pedey is the sparkplug and heart and soul of the Red Sox. It's also clear (to me, at least) that they could survive a month without him to get him back full steam for the remainder of the season.

If there's no simple surgical solution for what ails the feisty second baseman, what can we expect as the season continues? That's the big mystery, and since Pedroia himself has admitted his poor performance is due to the pain in his knee and his surgically repaired foot than to any sort of regular slump.

Hopefully he doesn't go the Nomar route: I simply cannot watch another promising, talented, homegrown player go through a string of injuries and DL-stints. Luckily, I absolutely cannot imagine Pedroia sulking, refusing to play, or demanding a trade. Keep your fingers crossed he heals up soon... I've been missing the Laser Show.

FAQ: The First Year Player Draft

2011-06-07T10:39:00.000-04:00

Since there was no Red Sox game last night, I decided to watch the first round of the MLB First Year Player Draft on MLBNetwork until the Bruins played. My mom, a casual fan, was watching with me, and had a lot of questions about the process. If she had questions, I'm willing to bet some of YOU have questions as well:

How do they decide who picks first?

Generally, the teams pick in reverse order of the final standings from the previous year.

But they didn''t pick in exact reverse order - what's up with that?

Here's where it gets a little more complicated. When teams sign top-ranked free agents, they have to sacrifice some of their draft picks. Elias Sports Bureau ranks players by position every year, and the top 20 percent are considered Type A, while the players lower than 20% but in the top 40% are Type B. Teams signing Type A free agents must surrender their first round draft pick to the team the FA is leaving, and that team will also receive a pick in the supplemental first round. Teams that lose a Type B free agent only get a supplemental pick.

That's a little confusing; can you explain it in terms of the Red Sox?

Sure! This year, the Red Sox had to give up their own first round pick to the Tampa Bay Rays, because they signed Type A free agent Carl Crawford. However, they received first round picks from the Detroit Tigers for Type A free agent Victor Martinez, and from the Texas Rangers for Type A free agent Adrian Beltre.

Who gets drafted?

The pool of players for the MLB draft is quite large. Players must be from the US or Canada, and must be high school graduates. Any high school graduate who has NOT attended college, players attending a four-year college who have finished their junior or senior years, and any player attending a community or junior college is eligible to be drafted by any team.

How many rounds are there?

As many as 50. A club can choose to "pass" it's pick at any point, after which they may make no more selections in that year's draft.

Why so many rounds? The NBA only has two!

Unlike the other major sports in the US, baseball draft picks are almost never expected to make a major impact at the major league level right away. There are 4 levels of minor leagues that players can progress through, and each of those levels must be able to field a full team. Thus, players taken in the later rounds are almost never expected to make it to the majors, but are essentially used to fill the rosters of the minor leagues. Of course, now and then a pick from the lower rounds will surprise everyone.

Do most players take high school players? College players? Junior college players?

I'm sure many of you are familiar with the bestselling book Moneyball, which made the argument that college players are nearly always the better investment, since they play against a known level of competition, and so their stats might actually mean something. However, teams often pick high school phenoms, with the understanding that it will take a large signing bonus to lure them away from the college they might have committed to.

That's all my mom asked me, but I'm happy to answer anything else you guys might want to know. Leave any further questions in the comments section!

さようなら, Daisuke

2011-06-02T17:21:00.000-04:00

Despite the fact that we are still waiting on an official club announcement, the murmurs are growing louder, and Tommy John surgery seems to be in the cards for Daisuke Matsuzaka. Maybe it had to end this way: a surgical procedure with an excruciating recovery period for a pitcher who has often been excruciating to watch.

In his 4+ seasons in Boston, Matsuzaka has notched a 49-30 record with a 4.25 ERA. He has pitched 622.2 innings, recording 568 strikeouts, issuing 301 walks, and allowing 64 home runs. His best season was in 2008, when he went 18-3 with a 2.90 ERA and played 4th in Cy Young voting. In his very first season in the Majors, Matsuzaka recorded 15 wins and helped the Red Sox to their second World Series win in four years.

Since 2008, Daisuke has hit the DL multiple times each season, and has become as enigmatic as AJ Burnett when he is able to pitch. He has been the opposite of Pedro Martinez, in that you attempt to buy tickets to ANY OTHER GAME because his performances are lame and forgettable as he nibbles around the strikezone for about 5 innings.

Remember the hype surrounding him back in the 206-2007 offseason? He was coming, and then he wasn't. And then he was, and he was bringing his gyroball with him. THAT certainly never panned out, but we were all equally excited at the possibility.

The first season was satisfactory, and even if it hadn't been, it ended with a World Series, so any hiccups would have been swept under the rug in the honeymoon period. 2008 was fantastic, though Matzukaka didn't nail it down in the playoffs.

Since then, it's all been down hill. 16-15 in the last three years, and just 45 games started - I don't know about you, but I'm not all that torn up to be saying goodbye. Sure, he's turned in a gem or two over the years, but the stinkers were much more consistent, and for me, much more memorable. Sure, it's a lot of money lost, but it's not like John Henry can't afford it, eh?

I'M BACK!

2011-05-31T10:51:00.000-04:00

And, in more exciting news, so are the Red Sox. Despite the fact that the local nine only managed to split yesterday's doubleheader, they're still tied for first place in the AL East. After that brutal beginning, who would have thought we'd recover by Memorial Day?

Admittedly, we owe some thanks to the Yankees and the Rays (and all of their successful opponents, of course) for dragging their feet out of the gate, as well. Somehow, we've survived injuries to Daisuke Matsuzaka, and John Lackey, and while Lackey looks to be on his way back soonish, there are whispers of Tommy John surgery for Matsuzaka.

Tito claims that surgery is not a possibility, but there's also no word as to when the enigma will be returning. Luckily, Alfredo Aceves and Tim Wakefield have been performing admirably in the meantime. Each of these "placeholders" have notched two wins already this season, and it will be interesting to see who gets pushed into the bullpen when Lackey makes his (hopefully) triumphant return.

My bet is on Aceves, since he's the more conventional hurler, and Wakefield has made it known in recent years how he feels about the bullpen. We all know about Tito's loyalty to his veterans, and Wake is the capital-"V" veteran of this team.

Whatever happens, I'm just SO HAPPY to be back home where I can watch EVERY Red Sox game on NESN on my very own TV, where I don't have to fight with the internet of MLB.tv, and where I can't go anywhere without seeing somebody wearing a Sox hat. Home sweet home, indeed.

Flirting with .500

2011-05-11T09:05:00.000-04:00

Just when you think they're going to turn it around for good, and reach .500 for the first time since Opening day in Texas, they go and hand in a heartbreaker like last night's. Jonny Lester wasn't himself last night,and he would be the first to say so, admitting that he let his emotions get to him during a first inning where he gave up three runs and the calls just weren't going his way.

Red Sox pitching gave up three home runs in last night's game, and the bats just couldn't keep up, despite homers from Adrian Gonzalez (2), and David Ortiz. This was not the way the Sox wanted to open the series, with a loss, and Lester only able to pitch 5.1 innings, meaning that the bullpen was more heavily taxed than they would have hoped.

Tonight we have John Lackey going against Jesse Litch, before the Sox head south to New York for a three-game set. There's an off-day in between, and the rotation has been shuffled so that Clay Buchholz,Josh Beckett, and Lester will pitch against the Bronx Bombers, and Daisuke Matsuzaka won't go until we face the Orioles next week.

Someday the Red Sox will get back to .500.... Maybe it will be this Friday.

Jon Lester is a BOSS.

2011-05-04T08:40:00.000-04:00

The offense exploded for seven runs last night, as Jon Lester notched his fourth win of the young season. The game seemed to go off without a hitch, and everything went as if scripted by Theo during the offseason: the starter threw 7 fantastic innings, and handed the ball off to the bullpen who finished the job. All the while the lineup was performing well, as everyone but JD Drew and Dustin Pedroia had at least one hit.

So how good was Lester? Since MLB.tv seems to hate me in Argentina, I didn't actually get to watch him pitch, but the stat line is quite impressive. Lester went seven full innings, scattered six hits, gave up just a single run (a homer from Trumbo), one walk, and eleven strikeouts. Yes, eleven strikeouts.

Peter Abraham of the Globe stated in the Extra Bases blog that Lester could be among the best of his generation, and I can't find many reasons to disagree. The man is only 27 years old, and he owns a career winning percentage of of .714 (65-26).

Despite traditionally struggling mightily in April, Lester managed to win three games last month, and continued his dominance last night. It's right about now that I'm wishing I had managed to draft him for my fantasy team - that was a failure on my part.

I suspect this isthe year that Lester finally gets his due, even among the more casual fans. Of course, even the Cy Young winner can get ignored when he pitches for a small-market team (somewhere, King Felix weeps). But Lester looks to be building a strong resume for the award (though it's very early), and the Red Sox are anything but small-market. More than one sports periodical picked Jon Lester as the 2011 AL Cy Young winner, and he's not taking any prisoners along the way.

I'm guessing he's also really fun to watch during this stretch - it's too bad MLB.tv won't let me.

No offense?

2011-05-03T09:15:00.000-04:00

Not last night. The Red Sox lineup came through in a big way during last night's game against Jered Weaver and the Angels, scoring nine runs, six of them in the bottom of the seventh inning, to assure Clay Buchholz of his second win of the season.

The Red Sox were 11-for-36 on the game, with two walks and seven strikeouts, and they extended their prodigious winning streak to TWO GAMES.

All sarcasm aside, last night's game was a gem, complete with a grinding battle pitting Dustin Pedroia against Weaver to score the go-ahead run in the bottom of the fifth inning (essentially guaranteeing the win for Buchholz, as the Sox did not trail after the fifth). Pedey fouled off nine pitches in a 13-pitch at bat, before shooting a single back up the middle to score Carl Crawford from third.

Pedroia is one of the only players I have ever seen who can literally WILL himself to win: to win at-bats, to win ballgames, and even to win honors like ROY or MVP. The man clearly has a lot of talent, and as much as I make fun of "intangibles" in this space, Pedey might be the King of them (sorry, Jetes).

Pedroia also went on to walk in the seventh inning, and come around to score on Adrian Gonzalez's 3-RBI double (Youkilis would then double to score Gonzalez, and David Ortiz bashed his second homer, scoring Youk).

This team seems to be back on track, or at least headed that way, as Adrian Gonzalez has 18 RBIs on the season, and Carl Crawford is 4-for-8 in May - hopefully a glimmer of things to come. Now, the pitching needs to get back on a roll, perhaps jump-started by Clay Buchholz's performance last night. Despite putting ten men on base on eight hits and two walks in 6.2 innings, Buch gave up just two runs - pulling a "quality start" out of a start that was slightly less than quality.

I was concerned last night about Buch, since he was going against the previously 6-0, .99 ERA Jered Weaver, but, like the day before, my worries were for naught. Tonight the Sox have Jon Lester facing off against Dan Haren - I don't think I should worry too much, but if this team has taught me anything, it's that games aren't played on paper.

Futbol faux pas in Buenos Aires

2011-05-02T10:28:00.001-04:00

I committed a capital offense in the eyes of the sports fans in my homestay this weekend. To be fair, I had no idea what I was doing, but ignorance is no excuse. Let me explain: Saturday afternoon, I went to La Boca, a neighborhood known for its futbol team, Boca Juniors, and I purchased some shorts with their logo as a souvenir (their colors are also the same as Trinity's).

When I got home, I put the shorts on and went up to dinner with my giant homestay family (besides the two parents in their sixties, there are 13 foreign students living in the house, and about 7 of us show up to dinner every night). My host mother asked me what I had done that day, and I told her, in my broken Spanish, that I had done some shopping in La Boca (also a renowned tourist destination). She asked what I had purchased, and I proudly indicated the shorts.

Big mistake. She gasped (a bit dramatically, I thought at the time), and hurriedly told me that my rather gruff host father was a fan of the rival team, River Plate. essentially, it's like someone walked into my house sporting a Yankees hat, and telling me that they just liked the color.

Boca Juniors and River Plate have a rivalry similar to Red Sox/Yankees, except it's even more intense, since they are both located within the city limits of Buenos Aires - imagine the Red Sox and Yankees residing in the same town (somewhere in Connecticut maybe), and how that would intensify the rivalry.

I promised my host mother I wouldn't wear the Boca Juniors paraphernalia in the house anymore, she agreed to hide my logos from my host father, and it was a happy ending for all.

[Sorry this had only a tangential connection to baseball and the Red Sox; I'm working with what I've got.]

Wakefield and Crawford: Sox heroes of the day

2011-05-01T16:32:00.001-04:00

Despite missing most of today's game because I was slightly lost in Buenos Aires, I couldn't be happier right now. While I was lost and confused, I had the best ice cream of my life, and I returned to my homestay to find the Red Sox tied in the 8th inning, that Tim Wakefield had tossed 5.2 innings of shutout ball, and that my internet was actually fast enough to stream the rest of the game.

I couldn't be happier for Wake, who really deserved to get the win. Alas, Bobby Jenks came in and gave up two runs, so a "W" just wasn't in the cards today. Nevertheless, Wakefield certainly deserved the ovation he reportedly got when leaving the mound this afternoon. After last year, when he was often sarcastic and passive-aggressive about his reduced role, Wakefield has taken things in stride this year. He's mopped up more than a few games at this point, and was ready and very able to take the ball for the spot start this afternoon.

The Red Sox certainly needed a performance like Wake's today. When I realized that he was going against King Felix, I was extremely worried, and had even conceded the game in my head; what business does a 44-year-old knuckleballer have beating the reigning AL Cy Young winner? (Yes, I know Papelbon is TECHNICALLY credited with the win, but it's a moral victory for Wake.)

This win brings the Red Sox to 12-15, last in the AL East, and 5 games behind the streaking Yankees. The victory was much needed, and brought some much needed spotlight to Carl Crawford, who knocked in Jed Lowrie to win in the bottom of the ninth. In a quick interview with Heidi Watney after the game, Crawford acknowledged how nice it was to do something to win the game, and how much the Red Sox - and he - needed some success.

Thankfully the Angels come to town starting tomorrow - hopefully the Red Sox can start a long winning streak against them, juts like they did out in Anaheim last week. Clay Buchholz gets the ball tomorrow... hopefully he's recovered from his "internal issues" enough to notch a quality start.

Something's gotta give. Right?

2011-04-30T22:18:00.002-04:00

Okay. Enough is enough. The Red Sox may be a better team than they've been showing, but until they start putting their proverbial money where their mouths are, I'm done predicting their success. The raw talent is obviously there, but something is clearly not clicking. Can they do better than this? Certainly. WILL they do better than this? I'm no longer so sure.

After tonight's travesty of a game the Sox fall to 1-7 against he Orioles, Mariners, and Indians. This is unacceptable, especially in a division like the AL East. to get to the playoffs the Red Sox must win about 95 games, and the easiest way to do that is to win series against mediocre teams like, I don't know, the Orioles, Mariners, and Indians. If you can't even beat the Indians, how do you expect to beat the Rangers? The Rays? The YANKEES?

Again, this is clearly not a question of talent. The talent is there. It's at every position, and in most cases that talent is backed up by awards like Gold Gloves, Silver Sluggers, All Star selections, and MVP votes. But something isn't clicking. The Red Sox hitters left runners in scoring position tonight like it was going out of style (let's hope that's the case), and it's old news at this point.

During the first skid of the season, Dustin Pedroia called out the Sox pitchers for not living up to their potential. He had a point, and now the tables are turned, so which Sox hurler has the gall to make a statement? My vote is on Josh Beckett - he's never been one to keep quiet about his feelings, and if the lineup wastes a good start of his like they did Lackey's tonight, heads might roll.

Either the Red Sox step up, starting immediately, or this season starts to slip out of reach. It's hard to dig yourself out of a hole like this one when you can't even beat the perennial cellar-dwellers of the American League. Something's gotta give. Let's hope it gives soon.

Lester is a champion (especially against the O's)

2011-04-29T08:22:00.002-04:00

The Red Sox were just 9-9 against the Baltimore Orioles last season, 4-4 against the Cleveland Indians, and 1-6 against the Chicago White Sox. Beyond the 2010 Parade of Carnage, this poor performance against mediocre and bad teams was a large part of the reason that the Red sox missed the playoffs.

Thus far, the 2011 Sox are 1-2 against the Orioles, and 0-3 against the Indians (they are 10-8 against everyone else), and they need to do better. Jon Lester set the tone by turning in a 2-run, eight inning performance even when, according to Adrian Gonzalez, "his command was not quite there, but he still goes out there and gives us eight innings and two runs. He’s definitely a Top 5 pitcher in the league."

Interestingly enough, Jon Lester has never lost to the Orioles, owning a 14-0 record with a 2.33 ERA. You could chalk this statistic up to the Orioles now being a very good team while Lester's been in the league, but he certainly has notched losses to other mediocre teams, so it's likely an anomaly. The southpaw did note that he enjoys playing at Camden Yards, but that's hardly reason for his ridiculous run of success against the O's.

I had to monitor the game on ESPN Gamecast last night, since MLB.tv was busy hating on me, and worked only for a very short time during the bottom of the second inning. However, it was clear that Lester was battling, and he was finally supported by the bats. Dustin Pedroia's RBI squibbler in the seventh inning to score Carl Crawford put the Red Sox on top for good, and then RBIs by Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Jacoby Ellsbury (2) settled the final score at 6-2.

The Sox head home starting tonight, and will play the Mariners, Angels, and Twins, before heading out on the road again. I see the turnaround starting now... for real this time.

Crumbling Clay?

2011-04-27T09:47:00.001-04:00

So maybe my predictions were a little TOO optimistic, but I stand by what I said. I'm entirely unsurprised that the Red Sox bas were stifled by left-handed rookie Zach Britton (who I have now added to my fantasy team), as thy've been struggling mightily against lefties this season, and Britton has been quite effective thus far.

However, things are looking up: the Orioles have two righthanders going for them in the next two games, and the Sox have Josh Beckett and Jon Lester on the docket, two of the hottest starters on staff - though, to be fair, the only starter NOT on a roll seems to be Mr. Clay Buchholz...

And speaking of Clay, he was very impressive at points last night, despite the four runs and 12 hits he gave up in 6.2 innings. Three of Baltimore's runs came on sacrifice flies, which is interesting, even if it doesn't absolve Buchholz of any blame (he is, after all, the one who let the runners get to third base).

The most impressive moment, in my opinion, was in the second inning, after Matt Wieters hit that squibbler down the first base line that should have been an out but bounced off the bag and scored the runner. Clay buckled down and struck out the next two batters he faced, a beautiful sequence of pitching.

So why didn't this dominance continue throughout the game? Obviously, Clay Buchholz has the physical tools to dominate any lineup, and he was able to do it last night, at least in short bursts and flashes. When asked about his performance, Buchholz mentioned "tipping [his] hat" to the Baltimore lineup, intimating that he had executed his pitches, and all TWELVE of their hits had been due to their own prodigious skill and not any mistkaes of his.

Sorry Clay, but I'm calling shenanigans on that. The Orioles just aren't that good. Sure, they don't look to be the laughingstock that they once were, but they're also no Murderer's Row. Perhaps the focus just wasn't there last night, or maybe he needs more time to get a handle on his stuff, but the four runs given up last night were not luck, and they weren't a fluke. Buch should take a leaf out of Beckett's book, and admit when he doesn't have his best stuff.

I do recognize that if the bats hadn't been so effective;y silenced by Britton this post would look very different: we would be celebrating the Red Sox' triumphant turn to .500 (which must now wait at least two more games) and their sixth straight victory. So yes, the lineup takes some of the blame for this loss - scoring 5 runs is not out of the real of possibility for this team, and they were shut down by a hotshot rookie.

But I'm less worried about the hitters on this team than I am about Buch. Not that I'm SUPER concerned about him, I think he'll get back on track, but at the very least I think he should be honest and look back on what wasn't working last night. Growth and improvement comes from reflection.

Sadly, I'll be missing tonight's matchup between Beckett and Jeremy Guthrie, because I'm attending a tango lesson in Buenos Aires (I know, tough life). However, my thoughts, as always, will be at Camden Yards with the Red Sox - tonight should be better than last night.

Looking ahead...

2011-04-26T18:02:00.000-04:00

Tonight, the Red Sox will head to Baltimore, where they will play a 3-game set against the free-falling Orioles, and then return home to the friendly confines of Fenway Park to play the Mariners (3 games), Angels (3 games), and Twins (4 games). As of this afternoon, these teams are 38-49, a combined record well under .500. However, since the Red Sox are currently ALSO under .500 (10-11), we know you can't take an April record and say what caliber team you have.

In the last 10 games, the Red Sox are 8-2, tied with the Marlins for best in the Majors in that span. They are a different team than the one who started off 0-6, and thank goodness. The Orioles are 2-8 over the last 10 games, and 5-7 at Camden Yards. Their pitching for the upcoming series includes one lefthander (tonight) and two righthanders, and if the Sox can beat tonight then the Sox might be able to complete their second sweep in as many series.

Not to be overly optimistic, but if all of the Red Sox pitchers can continue to toss the ball the way they did during the last turn through the rotation, we might even pick up a few games on the Yankees and forget the horrible start that had all of Red Sox Nation reeling just a week ago.

I'm feeling optimistic, so I'm going to make some bold predictions:

1. Carl Crawford will take the next two weeks and pull himself above the Mendoza line - and then some.

2. Jed Lowrie will continue to rake. Perhaps not at the ridiculously torrid pace he's been setting, but the numbers will be respectable nonetheless... Tito will be making some tough decisions, soon.

3. Adrian Gonzalez will knock a few more homers. The much-heralded first baseman's rather slow start has gone unremarked upon because of the struggles of Crawford... but we've been saying all winter how perfect his swing is for Fenway - we'll start to see that now.

4. The Red Sox will finish this upcoming road trip (and 3-game series at Camden Yards) with a 10-3 record, bringing them to 20-14. I know that's optimistic, but with everyone playing the way they have been, I can't help it - I know this team is that good.

Lackey turns hurt pride into increased drive

2011-04-25T09:12:00.001-04:00

John Lackey turned in his second excellent start in a row yesterday, becoming yet another cog in a Red Sox rotation that is turning out to be a well-oiled machine. One starter after another has turned in a great start over the last week or so, and Lackey was no different yesterday afternoon, tossing eight shutout innings, and giving up just 6 hits and one walk with 108 pitches, 73 of which were thrown for strikes.

According to Lackey, he was able to use the slight of being skipped in the rotation back on April 13th as motivation (to be fair, it was rained out, and instead of pushing everyone nack, he was skipped). And why not? The anger and annoyance of being underestimated and overlooked has been motivation enough for teammate Dustin Pedroia to build a ROY/MVP/All Star career on, so it should certainly work for Lackey.

Lackey reported that the skipped start "pissed [him] off," and when asked if he used that as motivation, he quipped, "What do you think?" It seems that Lackey's got some snark, but it seems to be working for him. Personally, I could get on board with a bit of sarcasm from the big righty: I find it wildly entertaining when Josh Beckett shuts down reporters (ahem, Heidi Watney) with his snipe.

The fact is, Lackey has always been a quality pitcher: he has a career record of 118-84, with a 3.92 career ERA, and he tosses an average of 219 IP per 162 games. That's certainly nothing to sneeze at, and Lackey knows it, but he also knows that the expectations in Boston are a bit higher than they were out in southern California. With the Angels, Lackey won more than 14 games just once, with 19 in 2007. In his first year with the Sox, he went 14-11and tossed 215 innings during a Parade of carnage that saw nearly all of his teammates miss some time to injury.

But still, the fans howled: "We didn't pay $80 million for a 4.40 ERA!" Lackey's paycheck is neither here nor there. It obviously hasn't stopped the front office from going after other high-price talent, and the thing about rooting for a big market team is that they can afford to overpay when they deem it worthwhile.

It's certainly been worth it, in my opinion. Clearly, Lackey is capable of brilliance, as he's shown us over his last two starts (giving up just one run in 14 innings). Like Daisuke Matsuzaka, John Lackey seems to have found something to motivate him to turn in his very best every five days: anger. If all it took to get John Lackey to turn into a bona fide ace was a few days of hurt pride, I can certainly support that.

[Quotes in this post found on the Extra Bases blog, Boston.com]

Fear: A powerful motivator for Daisuke Matsuzaka

2011-04-24T11:28:00.001-04:00

Who was that man last night (and the start before, for that matter), and what has he done with Daisuke Matsuzaka? In all seriousness, over the last two starts, Matsuzaka has given up two hits, and no runs in fifteen innings. It's especially impressive when you consider that his first two starts of 2011 saw him giving up ten runs in seven innings.

So what's the deal? Well, we may finally be seeing the pitcher that we thought we were getting: the one who's been missing for three years except when he's wearing the Team Japan WBC uniform. Matsuzaka has pitched brilliantly of late, mixing speeds and pitches, and attacking the strikezone - you know, all those things John Farrell and now Curt Young have been trying to get him to do all along.

Apparently, Daisuke Matsuzaka is totally aware that these last two starts have been probably the best he's had with the Red Sox, but the surprising (and vaguely infuriating) thing is that he remarked after Monday's game in Toronto that "he was motivated by the fear of losing his spot in the rotation." (via Boston.com's Extra Bases.)

So basically, until he thought he might lose his job (something Tito says was never a possibility), the Red Sox were never important enough to Daisuke to really buckle down and give it his all. Personally, I always suspected that the Red Sox and MLB came in at a distant second on Matsuzaka's list of priorities, far lower than #1 Team Japan. In a culture where personal and national honor is the most important thing in a person's life, this is unsurprising, but still disappointing.

It's clear that hoisting the WBC trophy for Japan, and then the WBC MVP trophy was a much bigger point in Daisuke's life than holding the World Series trophy in 2007. Perhaps we should be proud to have this sort of player on the team: one to which honor for his country and himself means more than $50 million - a rarity in today's world. But it IS sad that only fear of losing his slot in the starting rotation could truly motivate Matsuzaka into pitching to the best of his ability, but I'll take whatever works, at this point.

As Terry Francona said, "If that’s the case I’ll go out and threaten him.” If it would help, I'll be happy to do the same.

Five-minute Musings (Live from Buenos Aires!)

2011-04-21T10:07:00.000-04:00

The Red Sox won again yesterday afternoon, and slowly but surely seem to be emerging from their funk. Though the team is just 6-11, 4.5 games behind the firs-place Yankees, they seem to be coming to life. So since I'm sitting in class on a day when the entire country of Argentina is on holiday (again, BEST STUDENT EVER), I'll leave you with five semi-related points:

1. Clay Buchholz notched his first win of the season. Sadly, I forgot to put him in my fantasy league starting roster for yesterday, so I didn't profit from his fortune. I was unable to catch the beginning of the game, so by the time I tuned in Clay was out, but from what I hear he was pretty good until the sixth inning, when he loaded the bases with one out, which leads us to...

2. Daniel Bard: The Stopper. Saves are a wildly overrated statistic. Without Bard's brilliance in the sixth and seventh innings yesterday, Jonathan Papelbon would not have had the chance to give us all heart palpitations getting the save. Bard came in with the go-ahead run at the plate and one out - a much more high-pressure situation than the one Jonathan Papelbon dealt with (bases empty, 3-run lead, no outs). Bard is clearly capable of being poised under pressure, and I'm glad he's on our side.

3. Jed Lowrie is a champion. The 27-year-old is demanding that terry Francona find a way to put him into the lineup every day, with his .462 batting average, 3 homers, and 11 RBIs in just 13 games. The beauty of Lowrie is that he can play all four infield positions (though only 19 innings in his career at first base), and so Tito can utilize him at a variety of positions to get his potent bat in the lineup. Clearly, this crazy hot streak can't continue, but if Lowrie continues to produce better than Scutaro, something's gotta give, so stay tuned for that.

4. Despite struggles, the Red Sox CAN be successful against lefties. Oakland starter Gio Gonzalez is a southpaw, and yet the Sox managed to score four runs off of him. Notable lefthanded hitter David Ortiz was sitting, though part of that was the shuffling required to get red-hot Lowrie into the game (Youkilis DHed, Lowrie played at third). However, lefties Carl Crawford, JD Drew, Adrian Gonzalez, and Jacoby Ellsbury were in the lineup, and they managed three hits and two RBIs between them. However...

5. ...Looking ahead, the Sox have a lot of right-handed opponents. The Angels have four right-handed starters on the docket for this weekend, according to the match-ups just posted on Boston.com's extra bases Blog, and the Sox have Josh Beckett, John Lester, Daisuke Matsuzaka, and John Lackey ready to go. With the wealth of good left-handed batters on the Sox' roster, this weekend could be a slugfest - hopefully our pitchers can build off the success they had during the last turn through the rotation.

I see good things ahead for the Red Sox. Sadly, I won't be watching much, as I'm still an hour ahead of Eastern Standard time, so today's and tomorrow's games won't end until after 2am for me... Hopefully Saturday and Sunday will find me watching some baseball.

The Red Sox are turning things around...

2011-04-19T22:09:00.001-04:00

Buenos noches, amigos! No, that's not my Jerry Remy impersonation - this blog post is coming to you from Argentina - my homestay in Buenos Aires requires that I speak exclusively Spanish, so I thought I would practice on you.

But enough about me [though I'm happy to share travel stories via Twitter, Facebook, or email if any of you are curious] - this is a Red Sox blog. Since I was last able to post, the Red Sox have won three straight, and actually look as though they WANT to win. So what's been the difference? What's making everything click?

1. The renaissance of Joshua Patrick Beckett. Coming into 2011, countless journalists, bloggers, and sportscasters (including yours truly) predcited that Beckett would be the key to the season. If we could get the vintage Beckett circa 2007 it would mean big things, but if we got the Beckett of 2008 and 2009 it would be a long haul. Of course, there's a lot of games left to play, but Beckett's last two starts have been downright dominating.

2. The continuation of the Daisuke Matsuzaka roller coaster. Two starts ago Matsuzaka gave up an ungodly amount of runs, and it was the last straw for a number of commentators. There was more than one piece online calling for Matsuzaka to be traded, even if the owners need to eat a ton of money and get only middling prospects in return. In his last start, Daisuke was brilliant - and in the Patriots' Day spotlight, no less. Now, if only we could be somehwta sure he could show us that level of expertise on a semi-regular basis... dare to dream.

3. Jed Lowrie is an absolute BEAST. The man is totally raking this season, and it shouldn't come as a shock to anyone. It's easy to forget the trials of Jed Lowrie in the exciting acquisitions that came this past offseason, but the 27-year-old was a highly regarded prospect (and a former 1st round pick) for a number of years. Then, of course, the plague struck: first it was the wrist injury, which then recurred. Last year, the poor man was struck down by mono, and out until the end of the summer. Now he's looking to make up for lost time... I for one have capitalized on his ambition by adding him to my fantasy roster.

Of course, there are other reasons as well - some of this is simple dumb luck, and some of it is the fact that things seem to finally be clicking. I'm not going to analyze this any more now - the Sox are playing and I can ATUALLY WATCH THEM, so I'm going to do that - but updates should be more frequent now that I have reliable internet at my homestay. Adios!

Off day thoughts...

2011-04-14T18:16:00.000-04:00

Since I've last blogged, a lot has gone down in Red Sox Nation, most of it bad (I'm sorry for neglecting my duties here, but I'm on Spring Break on a beach in Africa, and internet is hard to come by). The Sox have yet to win their third game, and they currently have the worst record in baseball. I know we all keep saying that they're too good for this, that something's gotta give eventually... but when is "eventually"? And how do we get it to come faster?

Sadly, I don't have any answers for you (other than this fantastic list of suggestions compiled by Peter Abraham over at the Boston Globe), but at this point we have no other recourse but to keep believing in this team. We know they're better than this. THEY know they're better than this.

What needs to happen immediately, though, is for everyone to start hitting. Dustin Pedroia, Adrian Gonzalez, JD Drew, David Ortiz, and, strangely enough, Jed Lowrie, are all hitting at an acceptable clip (Lowrie is leading the team at .438 in 7 games). As for the other members of the team? They need to get their act together - soon, and preferably with runners in scoring position.

Champion.

The pitching rotation can take a lesson from Mr. Joshua Patrick Beckett on how to be a badass who beats CC Sabathia by stymieing a Yankees lineup that might be aging but is still formidable. Jon Lester did a passable job the other night, holding the Rays to just three runs, but if the bats aren't going to get it done, three runs is too many. Perhaps a rainout and day off will get things back in order: John Lackey will be skipped this time through the rotation, so he has extra time to get his act together while the other hurlers stay (mostly) on schedule.

They will snap out of this skid. They HAVE to snap out of this skid. If it were possible to will a team to victory, Boston's devoted fans would make sure the Red Sox never lost a game, but we live in the real world. The games have to be played, and the players have to prove themselves. We're 4.5 games out of first with 151 left to play. I'd day it's definitely doable.

It's more than "just a game."

2011-04-08T04:44:00.001-04:00

[Image from sportsofboston.com]

Here we are. Six games into the season. I have yet to see a single one of these games, but from all accounts, I’m not missing much. Despite the fact that Jonny Lester pitched a gem yesterday afternoon, the bats couldn’t scrape together one measly run to get him the win, while Daniel Bard walked the first man he faced, only to have that very runner come around to score on a perfectly executed suicide squeeze.

The play is aptly named, since I’m sure hordes of New Englanders (and current Red Sox Nation expatriates like myself) were ready to hurl themselves off the Tobin when they looked at the calendar and realized that we’re now a week into the season and about to head home to play the Bronx Bombers, still looking for that elusive first “W.”

My head is telling me that this is a good team, and that a six-game losing streak in June would be cause for mild concern and not the panic that bubbles in my stomach when I think about the 0-6 record that will soon be displayed upon the Fenway Park scoreboard. My heart, on the other hand, is much less reasonable, and demanding an explanation that doesn’t seem to exist.

It’s times like these when I turn my lonely eyes to one Dustin Pedroia, and as usual, the scrappy second-baseman didn’t disappoint: “last year… it kind of took us a while to get into the flow of things. We don't want that to happen here this time. We're going to try to come out and do what we do. Have good at-bats. Carl [Crawford]'s a game-changer, Adrian [Gonzalez]'s a run-producing machine. We just need the guys who have been here to do what they normally do, and those guys will fit in well because they're such good players.”

He also mentioned how much this team needs Fenway Park right now: "We've just got to relax, man… Get back home, get our fans into it. We miss them. We want to play in front of those guys. Get the new guys a nice big ovation. It will be good. We'll be good to go." Well, we’d like to see you all play in front of us at home, too, but don’t expect too big of an ovation if things don’t turn around in the very near future.

This is serious business – you don’t take baseball lightly in New England. For all of the people on my abroad program poking fun and telling me to “lighten up – it’s just a game,” I have something to tell you. It’s WAY MORE than just a game to me. It’s a huge part of my life, and I’m doing everything I can to make sure that I can make it my job when I leave college. Telling me that I shouldn’t care so much, that it’s only a silly game, makes me realize that you just don’t get it – or me. My devotion to the Red Sox is hardly a secret, and anyone who dares make light of this skid or tell me I shouldn’t care so much doesn’t care enough about me to pay attention.

My devotion to the local nine borders on the religious (I’m willing to bet I know more about the Sox than many church-goers know about their religious tract of choice), and I will lead a crusade in their defense if that’s what it takes. Hopefully the Red Sox turn things around before it comes to a holy war – after all, Jesus jumped ship for New York six years ago.

I'm not ready to jump yet...

2011-04-07T15:05:00.000-04:00

But if the people on my program don't lay off I might just throw one of THEM off the Tobin Bridge.

Seriously. It's not like I've made my love for the Red Sox a secret in the last eleven weeks, and I'm willing to take some good-natured jabbing, but this is totally out of hand. Everyone knows what a big part of my life this team is, and being so far away from access to them is hard enough without having to deal with the endless jokes and jabs about their poor performance.

I KNOW they've sucked, but it's NOT A JOKE TO ME.

End rant.

Help - I'm getting taunted by a Cleveland fan!

2011-04-06T08:10:00.001-04:00

This is getting out of hand. Don’t get me wrong; I’m confident that the Red Sox will eventually turn this thing around – they’re easily capable of rattling off a ten game winning streak, and then we’re sitting pretty at 10-4, and everything will be right with the world.

In the meantime, however, I’m in Senegal, getting taunted by a Cleveland fan (I would say Indians fan, but baseball isn’t the top of his list, really). The sad thing is that I have no retort for him. The Red Sox are 0-1 against the Tribe so far this year, and his half-joking threat that we’re about to get swept by the lowly Indians is still within the realm of possibility.

I’ve not been able to watch a single game, between the time difference and lack of reliable internet, and I’m honestly on the verge of blaming myself for this extensive losing streak (though I’m hardly the superstitious type). This is just unbearable – I know 4-game losing streaks happen, even to very good teams, but it’s twice as hard to bear when it happens at the very outset of the season.

I know that we’re better than this. All of the players know that they’re better than this. However, with the exceptions of David Ortiz, Adrian Gonzalez, and Dustin Pedroia, the entire team is hitting below the Mendoza line, and the pitching rotation has been a mess. It has to get better, because I just won’t be able to handle it getting any worse.

I’m currently typing this during class (yes, yes, I know, I’m a terrible student), and the aforementioned Cleveland fan is showing me highlights of last night’s game on his computer, and then smirking repeatedly. Please, Red Sox, give ME something to smirk about - this can only end badly, otherwise.

Red Sox Fan in a Foreign Land [Part 2]

2011-04-05T08:22:00.001-04:00

Back in 2008, an bitter Hank Steinbrenner took a shot at Red Sox Nation: "What a bunch of bullshit that is. Go anywhere... and you won't see Red Sox hats and jackets, you'll see Yankee hats and jackets." As much as I hate to say this, old Hank was right. To a certain extent in Delhi, and to a much larger degree in Dakar, you see Yankees hats everywhere.

This wasn't completely unexpected, but I was curious as to why and how all of these people became Yankees fans (and why all of the people wearing Red Sox, Marlins, Cardinals, Mets, White Sox, A's, Braves, Rockies, and other hats came to have them). Very few people here speak English or Spanish (French and Wolof are the official and most common languages), and to the best of my knowledge there has not been a single Senegalese Major Leaguer.

This man dd not understand why I wanted a photo with him. Then, he told me he loved me.

So when I had access to a translator for a class project (yes, I actually have to do work on this program), I decided to ask a few people. Not a single one of the men I asked knew that the interlocked NY on their caps meant New York Yankees, all five of them thought it simply stood for New York, and, by extension, the United States. The one man I asked with a Red Sox hat owned it because his surname started with a "B," so this phenomenon is hardly unique to the Yankees.

Some people wearing such hats wear them to look like American rap stars Jay-Z and 50 Cent, contemporaries of Senegalese cult-hero Akon, who was born in the US to Senegalese parents but spent his formative years in Dakar. All in all, I would hazard a guess that 99% of the people in Dakar wearing MLB paraphernalia have no idea that it's a team logo, and they don't care.

However, that doesn't mean I don't get excited when I see a Boston hat (all the Yankees caps are enough to drive you insane). Yesterday, we went to a wrestling match, and when one of the famous wrestler emerged from his car to cheers, a member of his entourage had a shiny, new, flat-brimmed Red Sox hat on (backwards, of course). I immediately started jumping up and down in excitement (I was hardly alone - wrestling is a BIG DEAL here - people were literally fainting from excitement all over the stadium).

The sight of the Sox hat was enough to make my day, even though the match was anticlimactic (it actually ended in a tie) and I was rushed to the hospital late at night because I am apparently allergic to mangoes. Hopefully, the Red Sox will soon start playing well enough for this kind of excitement to be justified... I think a series at Cleveland is JUST what the doctor ordered.

Everyone CALM DOWN.

2011-04-04T08:03:00.003-04:00

So here we are, one series and three games into the 2011 season, and 3 games behind the first-place Orioles (yes, the Orioles), and people are starting to panic.

Why did we drop so much money and so many prospects for a splash in the offseason only to see the 2011 version of the Sox immediately fall into a tailspin in Texas? First of all, there are a lot of factors that go into these three losses.

(1) The Rangers are not to be taken lightly. These are not your father’s Texas Rangers: they’re under new ownership (hello, Nolan Ryan), and, lest you forget, they are the defending American League champions. Yes, they’ve lost Cliff Lee, but one player does not make or break a team.

(2) The Red Sox had a terrible spring. I understand that Spring Training is essentially meaningless, but the lackluster record and laissez faire attitude from that period seems to have carried over. Hopefully, they snap out of this funk sooner rather than later.

(3) It’s only April 4^th! I know, I know, these losses count just as much as losses in July or September, and if we lose out on the playoffs by less than three games, I will go back and eat my words, but while a three-game sweep to Texas, IN Texas, would be a cause for concern in mid-June and are the reason for outright panic at the start of the season. Say it with me, folks: SMALL. SAMPLE. SIZE.

Look, I understand the panic. I get it, the start of a new season is a rebirth in many ways, and no one wants their personal time of renewal to be sullied by bad experiences (and three losing scores of 12-5, 5-1, and 9-5 certainly fall into the realm of bad experiences).

But just like the triumphant graduating senior who can look back at his botched freshman year with nostalgia, I am confident that we will be able to look back on these three days and laugh, for they will not shape the entire season. Baseball is a marathon, there are 160 games still left to be played, and it’s unlikely (practically impossible, in fact), that the Red Sox will go 0-162 – though that would certainly be a memorable season, for all the wrong reasons.

It’s going to be okay, I promise… there’s a lot to look forward to: David Ortiz and Adrian Gonzalez are already RAKING; Matt Albers, Bobby Jenks, and Dennys Reyes have a collective ERA of 0.00; no one is injured yet; AND WE GO TO CLEVELAND NEXT. Things are going to look up – our starting pitching can hardly get worse, and the return to friendly Fenway on Friday should do us a world of good (even if we’re returning to play the Yanks).

It's not the 2010 Parade of Carnage, so everything will be okay.

So back away from the edge of the Tobin Bridge, Red Sox Nation… this should still be a season for the ages, and you would hate to miss out because you jumped ship in April after one lost series.

I'm missing everything!

2011-04-03T09:03:00.002-04:00

This photo almost made me cry.

This is harder than I had initially imagined… Before I embarked on this semester abroad, I calculated just how many Red Sox games would be played during my absence, and while I understood on some level that I would really be missing a lot of baseball, I had it in my head that I would be able to keep up somehow, and maybe even watch a game here and there.

At this point, that seems pretty unlikely. My homestay here in Dakar, Senegal, does not have internet, and the games are broadcast at times when I am certainly expected to be home. Next week, I leave for Spring Break, and the resort presumably has WiFi, but most likely not enough to stream games. The one light at the end of the tunnel might be Buenos Aires. We arrive in Argentina April 17^th, and because the time difference there is just one hour (!), it’s possible that I might be able to watch the occasional Red Sox game, whether or not my Argentinian homestay has internet.

When I’m at home, the only times I wake up without knowing how he Sox did the night before are when I fall asleep watching them on the West Coast… and I just missed Opening Day (which, apparently, was not the triumphant return we had all imagined) and Game #2. Every morning when I get to someplace with internet, I immediately check the scores, but it’s not the same.

I feel like there’s a physical hole in my life: Opening Day is about renewal and new beginnings, and I missed out completely. My own personal Opening Day will be May 23^rd, when I return stateside, and you better believe the first thing I’m going to do is watch the Sox.

Let's Burst his Bubble: CJ Wilson and Opening day

2011-04-01T05:15:00.006-04:00

Despite the fact that Texas starter CJ Wilson is seemingly unimpressed with the 2011 Boston Red Sox, I have a good feeling about today (plus, I have Wilson and Neftali Feliz on my fantasy team, so if all goes awry for the Sox, at least I'll get something out of it).

I'm a pretty big Wilson fan, but with all due respect, his comments sounded like overcompensation - perhaps for nerves? Obviously, the lefthander is an elite talent, and he's only saying what any pitcher would say. You can't expect him to publicly cower from the almighty Red Sox - that would hardly inspire his teammates to give him much run support. The fact is, the Red Sox did only make 2 additions to their lineup, but they're two of the best players in the game. Sure, the fact that both Crawford and Gonzalez are lefthanded, and Wilson has been absolute DEATH on lefties, but I still think the Sox will pull this one out.

And even if they don't? There are 161 games coming after today, and these Red Sox are built for the long haul. Assuming they can avoid another Parade of Carnage like last year, it's easy to imagine baseball in Boston well into October. It's hard not to look at the first few games of the season under a microscope: if the team goes 0-2 or 1-3, well, there goes the season. Likewise, if the team starts off hot, it's tempting to start designing those World Series rings in April.

But it's just so pretty.

The checked-in fan does neither. Yes, the games happening in April count for exactly as much as the games that will happen in late September, but they also count only as much as those lazy June afternoon games that so many of us miss while we're at work. A little perspective goes a long way in baseball.

CJ Wilson's perspective is that he needn't worry about the Sox this Opening Day - I say we give him a reality check.

We made it!

2011-03-31T03:50:00.002-04:00

It's here! Finally, Opening Day 2011 is upon us, and though the Red Sox don't actually play until tomorrow, THERE'S BASEBALL AGAIN! Despite the fact that I will struggle mightily to keep up with MLB in the coming months (though the internet situation in Argentina is unknown - maybe that will be easier), I cannot remember ever being this excited to start a season.

Sure, we say something to this effect every year, but I honestly think this is different, at least for me. Like every year, Opening Day is a clean slate (let's forget the 89 wins of yesteryear right now, ok?), but this year it means even more, for some reason.

I think partially because I've been hitting a wall lately on my study abroad program, but I really need baseball to keep my sanity intact, now more than ever. I absolutely cannot wait to throw all of my energy and my free time into repeatedly checking and rechecking stats and standings and replays, and if I ever have enough bandwidth, I will hopefully be able to stream a game or two.

I'll put up a more Sox specific post later, but I really needed to get this out there first thing in the morning: Happy New Year, Red Sox Nation - we made it!

Fantasy Baseball 2011: I have no idea what I'm doing

2011-03-27T15:57:00.006-04:00

Despite the fact that I will be missing a large chunk of the baseball season while in Senegal and Argentina, I've decided to try my hand at fantasy baseball for the first time. One of the kids on my abroad program decided to organize things, and we did our live draft on the 6-hour bus ride to a rural African village. We're an 11-person league, and a few of the participants were tuned out/uninformed during the draft (there was one girl who chose her team based on physical attractiveness and interesting names, and a guy who only drafted from the bottom fifty from our top-300 list), so even though I had the ninth pick I think I ended up with a pretty solid team.

If this is totally uninteresting to you, feel free to check back later in the week for a Red Sox post (OPENING DAY WAHHH!!!), but for now I'll just run down my 2011 fantasy baseball roster - feel free to leave comments or criticisms for me.

LINEUP:

1B Adrian Gonzalez: This was my first pick, and I'm excited for obvious reasons. I think Gonzalez will have a monster season at fenway Park, and unlike some of my competition, I don't think the shoulder surgery from last year will be an issue.

2B Brandon Phillips: The guy with the number 1 pick took Pedey in the second round, and then Robbie Cano and Ian Kinsler went before I picked, so I ended up with Phillips. I don't know too much about him, but his ranking on ESPN's top 300 list (51; 4th out of second basemen) along with his stat line from 2010 make me pretty excited about him.

3B Kevin Youkilis: Unsurprisingly, quite a few players ranked lower than Youk went before him in our draft (he was #19), and I capitalized. At this point, I don't think people will ever truly appreciate what a quality ballplayer Youkilis is: he's constantly turning in killer seasons, but he doesn't have the "look" of a star, and so he'll forever be underestimated. In terms of this fantasy baseball draft, I'm okay with that.

SS Troy Tulowitski: Somehow, Derek Jeter was taken before Tulowitski in our draft, despite the fact that Jeter is ranked 45 slots LOWER than Troy on our ranking sheet. There were a few Yankees homers in the draft, and I exploited that fact. Also, the fact that Tulowitski plays for the Rockies in the NL West meant that only 4 of 11 people participating had even heard of him. Yes, please.

C Matt Wieters: The would-be phenom hasn't lived up to his enormous hype in the last few years, but I have a good feeling about 2011. His power numbers went up last year from his rookie season, and he will be turning 25 at the beginning of the season, so he still has time to come into his own. I think this is the year he realizes his potential and becomes a star.

OF Colby Rasmus, BJ Upton, Aubrey Huff: Not a trio with too much star power, but they pack a good amount of punch between them. I'm pretty sure they were mostly overlooked due to the fact that they play for St. Louis, Tampa Bay, and San Francisco, respectively, and very few people in the draft are hard core fans, so the big names went fast - though these three names should be bigger, in my humble opinion.

Starting Pitchers:

LHP CC Sabathia: Obviously excited about this. CC turns in nearly 20 wins every year, and is a reliable workhorse. I'm confident that he'll be a fantastic pick for me. Though it will be hard to root for a Yankee to win. Speaking of which...

RHP Phil Hughes: Someone please explain to me why Hughes isn't the number two guy in the Yankees rotation? Anyway, I think 2011 will be a big year for him, and, by extension, a big year for me. He was one of their two reliable starters last year, and he's heading into his age 25 season - fortunately for my fantasy team, and unfortunately for the Red Sox, I see big things in Hughes' future.

RHP Clay Buchholz: So Clay was only ranked at #140, and I took him before we had even gotten all the way through the top 100. I was judged by my fellows, but I absolutely do not regret this pick. Despite all the speculation about his luck last year with BABIP, but I don't foresee too much of a downslide. Bill James might not be too optimistic about Buch's 2011 (13-9, 3.54 ERA), but I am.

RHP Ubaldo Jimenez: I'm pretty sure 80% of the people participating in the draft had no idea who Jimenez is, which certainly worked in my favor. After winning 19 games in 2010 (while pitching in the thin air of Coors Field), I see him being a pretty consistent contributor to my squad.

LHP CJ Wilson: After being moved into the Rangers rotation last season, Wilson really came into his own, going 15-8 with a 3.35 ERA. In addition to on-field contributions, Wilson is quite the clubhouse character. I know this doesn't actually help with the whole fantasy baseball thing, but I find Wilson endlessly amusing (follow him on Twitter), so I'm glad he's on my roster.

Relief Pitchers:

RHP Neftali Feliz: Since Feliz is actually going to remain the Rangers' closer, I'm pretty pumped to see his stats rack up. Feliz, the AL Rookie of the Year in 2010, saved 40 games last season, and struck out 71 batters in 69.1 innings - and he's only heading into his age 23 season.

RHP Brad Lidge: This one is a gamble on my part, given Lidge's age (and that he's starting 2011 on the disabled list), but I think he still has something left in the tank - it was only 2 years ago that he was perfect, saving 41 games in the process. Last year he saved 27 games, so if he can do that again - and the Phils should give him plenty of opportunity - I'll be happy.

RHP Daniel Bard: This one was a no-brainer for me - even though he was ranked pretty low, and even though he won't get many save opportunities with Paps and Jenks ahead of him, I'm confident he'll once again be racking up the strikeouts.

RHP Rafael Soriano: Yes, another Yankee. Soriano signed his three-year, $35 million contract this offseason with New York - to be the set-up man to closer Mariano Rivera. He should get a lot of innings this season with all the question marks in the Yankees' rotation, so hopefully he can continue the excellence he displayed in 2010 (45 saves for the Rays) in his new role and under new pressure in the Bronx.

Bench Players:

OF Vernon Wells: The former Blue Jay had 31 home runs last year - if healthy, he should perform well for the Angels.

OF/DH Manny Ramirez: This was mostly a nostalgia pick. After last year's injury fiasco and taking a bargain-basement deal (in Manny-terms, that is) to come to Tampa Bay, it would be easy to write off the aging slugger. However, I think that with the chance to DH more often to rest his ever-ailing knees, and with the presence of old friend Johnny Damon to keep him grounded, Manny might actually have a chance at a productive season.

LHP Mark Buehrle: Not the best pitcher out there, but he's pretty consistently turned in a dozen or so wins for the last decade or so, which makes me feel okay about having him as my backup. Plus, he shows flashes of brilliance now and then, so he has the potential to be totally domination at times.

So what do you guys think? I'm sure many of you are avid fantasy baseball players, and know what kinds of things I should have looked at. We're playing through Yahoo!, so I don't exactly know how points are calculated, but it's just for fun - and bragging rights - so let me have it in the comments if you think I made any major miscalculations.

More tweaking for Matsuzaka

2011-03-21T15:55:00.003-04:00

Opening Day is getting closer and closer every day, and things are starting to solidify for the already-pretty-solid Sox. We've got a relatively set lineup (though Tito is hesitant to say as much), and an eviable rotation (Lester, Lackey, Buchholz, Beckett, and Matsuzaka) - the only thing in any state of flux seems to be the bullpen, but that's a topic for another day.

Today, I would like to discuss a man who is a bonafide legend not just in his hometown (most major-leaguers are) but all across his nation. Yes, this is going to be a post about Daisuke Matsuzaka, the pride of Tokyo. [I'll try to make it easier to read than he is to watch.] We'll skip over the usual hyperbole about his enigma status and jump right into the reason for this post: Sox pitching coach Curt Young thinks he may have a solution.

So what is this "solution?" Is it voodoo? Magic? Icy-Hot? According to Young (via the Boston Globe online), the secret might just be shuffling Matsuzaka's off-day workouts. In MLB, starting pitchers are on a five-man rotation, meaning they usually get four days off between starts. Matsuzaka operated with a six-man rotation back in Japan, meaning that he did his long-toss and bullpen sessions on the same day. [This seems strange at first: why do everything on one day if you have extra time? The theory seems to be that you can do a more intense workout because you have the extra day to recover.]

Since coming to the Red Sox in 2007, Matsuzaka has been doing his workouts his way, and Young thinks switching things up, with long-toss and bullpen on the second and third day after his start, respectively, could make a positive difference.

On behalf of Red Sox Nation, I have one thought to sum up the whole Matsuzaka predicament: whatever the change is, JUST DO IT [apologies to Nike]. Hopefully this change will cure him of that horrible tendency to nibble the corners instead of challenging hitters, as well as allowing him to pitch well past the fifth inning - both skills that have thus far mostly eluded Matsuzaka in Boston.

For me [and I'm guessing for many of you] the most frustrating thing about Daisuke is that he HAS been the dominating guy we thought we were getting... for Japan in the 2009 World Baseball Classic, where he went 3-0 with a 2.45 ERA and was awarded the WBC MVP Award. Great. And as I'm sure you all remember, he played in only 12 games for the red Sox that season, going 4-6 with an ERA well over 5.

Hopefully this is the year that we'll finally see that guy playing in a Red Sox uniform. Will we see the mythical gyroball? Probably not, but I'll settle for a quality season from a player who certainly has the talent.

The Adventures of Josh 'n' Jon: Opening Day Starter Edition

2011-03-16T15:21:00.005-04:00

In the least shocking news since the third reelection of FDR, Jon Lester has officially been named the Opening Day starter for the Boston Red Sox. As Manager Terry Francona said, after the first game, the rotation order is sort of a non-issue until the playoffs, but I'm sure it's nice for Lester to get that recognition.

In case you were concerned about 2009 and 2010 Opening Day starter Josh Beckett getting jealous, there's no need to fret; the big Texan is here to assure you that there are absolutely no hard feelings: "It's a really big honor and he should be proud of it. It's something he has earned."

How much of this is genuine, and how much is just for the press/team unity/warm fuzzies? It's difficult to say. Beckett has never been one to censor his feelings about his own performances, or even to hide his disdain when reporters ask him redundant questions. There's no doubt that he was extremely disappointed by his injury-marred 2010, and it's probably true that he believes Lester deserves it more this year.

However, that's not to say that the righthander isn't a little jealous, or even a bit bitter. Just a few years ago, Beckett was the young phenom who made fans excited with every pitch. He was a World Series Champion at a young age, just like Lester, with the added exhilaration of being a leader on a young and talented team, and then being a centerpiece of the trade that sent Hanley Ramirez to Florida.

Now, despite the shiny new contract extension Beckett inked last year, he's all but forgotten. All the press about Boston's rotation is the 1-2 punch of young guns Lester and Clay Buchholz, or the well-documented struggles of the enigmatic Daisuke Matsuzaka. I'm quite certain Josh is absolutely aching to be the big-game pitcher he was only a few years ago, with all the respect and accolades that comes with that.

I don't see this causing any discord in the clubhouse. For one, I really don't imagine Lester and Beckett to be the kinds of people who sit around and talk about their feelings - they strike me as more of the "act first, question later" types. Mostly, both pitchers (along with the rest of the staff) are too professional to let something like this affect their performance - but here's hoping Beckett uses it as motivation to return to the form he had just a few years back.

* * *

For those of you interested in my travels, I am currently in Dakar, Senegal. There's a lot of random MLB gear around here, and sadly, much of it says "NEW YORK" on it - and it's not usually the National League team, either. So far, I've seen jerseys and/or hats for the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Rangers, and Nationals (who knows?), as well as quite a few Celtics and Lakers jerseys. I'm having a great time so far, and trying to spread Red Sox Nation across the globe.

Red Sox, wine, and charity - a perfect combination

2011-03-07T10:01:00.004-05:00

The last time that Red Sox players partnered with Charity Wines, I had to ask my mother to buy them so that I could keep the bottles. Now, at the glorious age of twenty-one, I will proudly drive myself to the store and buy a bottle each of ChardonClay and CabernAce.

Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester are just the latest in a line of Sox stars to put out wines for charity with the aid of Longball Cellars/Charity Wines. Their predecessors include Manny Ramirez, Curt Schilling,Tim Wakefield (2007), David Ortiz, Jason Varitek, Kevin Youkilis (2008), Jacoby Ellsbury, and Josh Beckett (2010).

Buchholz's vino will benefit the Jimmy Fund, while the proceeds from Lester's will go to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Neither slugger will get a penny of the proceeds - they all go to charity - so there's no reason not to go out and buy a few of each (the bottles themselves are pretty cool, if you ask me).

Both varieties will be available in the New England region starting in May, after a May 5th Wine Tasting and Launch Party at the House of Blues - sorry kids, members of the media and wine community only. [Those of you living outside the geographical confines of Red Sox Nation can purchase your bottles via the Charity Wines website.]

The press release from Charity Wines contained the following information about the two charitable foundations:

The Jimmy Fund
Clay Buchholz can be untouchable, proven by the no-hitter he tossed in just his second big league start. Yet, he reaches back and connects with those in need across the community. Buchholz is a Co-Captain of the Jimmy Fund, an official charity of the Boston Red Sox, and a portion of proceeds from ChardonClay support the Jimmy Fund in the fight against cancer at Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, helping to raise the chances of survival for children and adults with cancer locally and around the world. Cheers. Learn more at www.jimmyfund.org.

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Jon Lester knows the importance of overcoming barriers in life and on the diamond. Less than two years after being diagnosed with lymphoma, he pitched the biggest game of his life, helping his ballclub win a world championship. That's why proceeds from Jon Lester's CabernAce support Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the development of targeted immunotherapies. This pitch helps researchers maximize the body's own ability to strike out disease so lymphoma patients can win their own games in life. Learn more at www.fhcrc.org.

[Thanks to Charity Wines for emailing me the press release!]

10 minute musings [Live from Delhi!]

2011-03-06T00:18:00.006-05:00

A free morning for me = a blog update for you:

1. Indian cricket fans are just as crazy as Red Sox Nation. I know I said in the last post that the match I went to was poorly attended - and it was. However, it was the West Indies playing the Netherlands, in Delhi, so it wasn't surprising that there weren't too many Dutch or West Indian fans in attendance... it's sort of a long trip from Europe or the Caribbean. There were lots of India fans there, chanting "IN-DIA! IN-DIA!" and it sort of reminded me of Red Sox fans chanting "Yankees suck!" while we're playing the Blue Jays.

2. I'm very heartened by David Ortiz's spring thus far. I know it's silly to count spring performances as indicators of what's to come, since many players have torn up Spring Training only to flop over the course of the season, and vice versa. But it still seems like a good sign that he's swinging the bat well, especially given how lost he looked in the opening months of 2009 and 2010. Here's hoping we skip the struggle this year - though if Papi falters, we have a few more big bats to fall back on.

3. Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez seem to be adjusting well. Though it's possible that Crawford is still creeped out by the whole private investigator/due diligence/much ado about nothing fiasco of a few weeks back, he seems to be at home with the rest of his teammates thus far. Quick to assure the media that no, he and Jacoby Ellsbury are NOT in competition, that they'll be great TOGETHER, Crawford is a team player (who wouldn't bet against himself in a footrace). Gonzalez is ahead of his schedule for recovery after last season's shoulder surgery, but in his case I think no news is good news... I can't wait to see them both in a game.

4. The Lester-Buchholz show is back - hopefully with some more reinforcements. Jon Lester is giving a strong showing so far this spring, and Clay Buchholz is determined to replicate (or surpass) his last season's results. Besides the little hiccup when Josh Beckett got nailed in the head shagging fly balls, the pitching staff looks to be gearing up for a strong season. They have a lot to prove after last year's poor performances - and they know it. Here's hoping they're up to the challenge.

5. I very much admire Jed Lowrie. This is a bit off-topic, since it's hardly baseball-related, but Lowrie is doggedly completing the last few requirements for his degree in political science from Stanford. Lowrie left in 2005 to play baseball, and though it would be easy to decide that he could go back when his playing career is over, he's opting to get it done now, even as he's fighting for playing time in a camp full of All-Stars. Full disclosure: one of my majors is poli-sci, so I have a soft spot for fellow students of politics.

6. I don't buy the whole "Yankees are the underdogs" thing. No, the Yankees did not have the high-profile acquisitions that the Sox did this offseason, but they are NEVER the underdogs. All you need to do is read their lineup to understand that, and though they are most definitely getting old, they are also a roster full of superstars. Add to that the ever-present potential for Brian Cashman to go out and make a big splash with Yankee dollars and prospects, and I'll most definitely be keeping an eye on the Bronx Bombers this season (hopefully in the rear-view mirror).

7. The kids are alright. Okay, so I didn't much like that movie, but the Sox prospects are performing well this spring. Though Lars Anderson is most likely trade bait, and Felix Doubront is destined for the bullpen for the time being, I'm always excited to see some young kids do well. Jose Iglesias is making me long for 2012 despite the enormous potential for this season's squad. According to more than a few people, he has the potential to be a star AND the solution to the revolving door at shortstop.

8. I'm [more than] slightly concerned about Daisuke Matsuzaka. Hardly groundbreaking news, but Matsuzaka's spring has been less than inspiring, and he's as much of an enigma as ever. Luckily, no one is counting on him to be anything more than a serviceable fifth starter - hopefully he can live up to that, at least.

9. No news is good news on Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis. I was always a believer in the Sox last season, but when Pedey and Youk were officially down for the count I started to lose hope. Both are back for 2011 with no limitations, and we haven't heard much from them, which to me must mean that they are going to be A-OK - hopefully that's the case.

10. I'm both excited for and dreading April 1st. I'm going to be in Dakar, Senegal when the Red Sox open up their season against the Texas Rangers, and internet there is a great unknown. If I have a fast, reliable connection (and time - unlikely, but I'll try to make some) I'm going to buy MLB.tv and try to watch as many games as possible. If not, I'll be reliant on sporadic emails and access to internet cafes. Here's hoping it's the former!

[All factual info in this post was gathered from boston.com - fantastic coverge, especially for a baseball-starved student stranded in Delhi, India.]

Photo Day Outtakes

2011-03-02T07:34:00.002-05:00

I'm sure most of you have seen this, but I thought I should post something quick before I lose the internet - yet again.

When I have a more reliable connection, I'll be posting about my Cricket World Cup experience. I only was able to go to West Indies vs. the Netherlands, but I was unimpressed with fan turnout... Red Sox Nation has more fans for Truck Day!

Red Sox fan in a foreign land: Part 1

2011-02-14T09:50:00.003-05:00

For me, the day pitchers and catchers report for Spring Training is the first signifier that the snow will eventually melt, my extremities will begin to thaw, and there will be baseball once again. This year is a little different, as I'm currently studying abroad in Delhi, India. There's never been any snow here, and I've been overheated since we arrived, so it's not the coming of spring I'm most excited about this time around, but the long-awaited arrival of baseball season.

Thankfully, my host family has WiFi, so I've been able to keep up with the (scarce) Sox news for the last few weeks, but I'm not sure if that will be true in Dakar, Senegal, or Buenos Aires, Argentina, so I'll try to post as much as time allows while I have the luxury of internet.

Until actual practices get underway, there's not too much to talk about, so I thought I might share some of my stories as a traveling Red Sox fan, far from home. The program started in New York, and so I naturally had a few run-ins with Yankees fans before we left the country.

In Harlem we met a 14-year-old boy named Elijah, who claimed to the biggest Yankees fan ever. He proceeded to berate me about Manny and Papi's "steroid use," and exalted Andy ettitte and A*Rod for coming forward. "After they got caught," I scoffed, "That's hardly admirable." He clammed right up.

Perhaps the best anecdote occurred in the Newark airport. I (naturally) had worn a Red Sox shirt, and when I took off my jacket to go through security, the metal detector attendant announced that she didn't let Red Sox fans through. I decided to plead with her better nature, turning around to display "WAKEFIELD: 49" on the back, and asserting that no one can dislike a gamer like Wake. She laughingly agreed, and let me through - because, as she said, I was "a nice Red Sox fan."

When we finally arrived in Delhi, a friend turned to me and quipped "I feel much better about you wearing that Boston hat now that we're safely out of New York." It's pretty easy to be a baseball fan of any type here and stay virtually incognito, as the entire country is gearing up for the Cricket World Cup, and no one has a moment to spare for a silly American sport like baseball. I am determined to gain at least a cursory understanding of cricket before I leave, but I will (obviously) remain a loyal baseball fan for life.

Idiots Remix: Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon to the Rays

2011-01-23T08:48:00.007-05:00

[Screengrabbed from tampabayrays.com]

Yes, you've been hearing correctly. The Tampa Bay Rays have officially signed Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez for the 2011 season. Manny, of course, will spend the majority of his time as the designated hitter, while Damon will play left field, DH, and add some leadership to a club that's full of very promsing - but very young - talent.

As you all know, Ramirez and Damon were key pieces of the 2004 World Series Champion Red Sox, and while Damon skipped town for the Bronx in 2005, we had to put up with Manny being Manny until mid-2008, when he took his act out to "Mannywood" and the Dodgers.

Since being suspended for use of the women's fertility drug human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) early last season, Manny's power has been somewhat diminished, but it is also worth noting that the once-feared slugger is now 38-years old, and he wouldn't be the first hitter to lose some power as he ages. [Personally, I always thought that of all the players in baseball, Manny was the one who could get caught with a women's fertility medication and actually claim he wanted a baby - it's just Manny being Manny, right? But I digress.]

No doubt Ramirez's presence in the clubhouse will present Manager Joe Maddon with a new set of challenges, starting with Spring Training, when Manny's grandmother will develop yet another illness that will result in his tardiness. Maddon has certainly proven his mettle at managing teams full of the ambitions and egos of young budding stars, but Manny Ramirez is another enigma altogether. Surely the manager will look to Manny's former teammate Damon for some pointers, and possibly even to keep the aging Ramirez in line.

Besides his admittedly useful leadership skills, Damon's biggest value at this stage in his career comes from his ability to get on base consistently. Now out of the friendly short-porch confines of Yankee Stadium for a season, Damon's home runs have fallen from 24 in 2009 to just 8 in 2010 - a steep drop-off, even for a 36-year-old. Of course, Damon's arm strength is as questionable as ever, so it's likely that a good portion of the $5.25 million Damon will be paid next season is for his clubhouse presence.

Ramirez, on the other hand, has nothing to offer but his bat - his defense has never been impressive (and it's worsened with age), and he's more of a detriment than a help to most clubhouses, so he'll only be getting $2 million in 2011. Oh, how the mghty have fallen: Ramirez once demanded that the Sox not pick up his option for 2009 because $20 million dollars was not enough (TWENTY MILLION DOLLARS!), and now three years later, he's a bargain-basement pickup.

All said, I think this is an excellent move by the Rays, who have watched a huge chunk of their young talent walk away to greener pastures this winter. Manny and Johnny could fit in nicely in Tampa Bay (Maddon will likely let Manny leave his famous dreadlocks be, after all), and the two have tremendous upside. Plus, we'll get to see them at Fenway eleven times this season.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For any of you wondering about my travels thus far, I'm currently deep in enemy territory in New York City for the start of my abroad program. I (of course) brought mostly Red Sox clothing, and so I've been getting the evil eye from more than a few New Yorkers. Last night at dinner, one even jokingly refused to serve me! I laughed, he laughed, and we both took our differences in stride, but I won't be surprised if I get some actual vitriol soon enough.... After all, they all must be pretty jealous of our stellar offseason, especially after the infamous Cliff Lee snub!

It's not New Year's, yet!

2011-01-05T19:26:00.003-05:00

Sorry to burst your collective bubble, but New Year's Day isn't until Friday, April 1, 2011 - just three months after the rest of the world celebrates!

This seems like as good a time as any to warn you that posting will be EXTREMELY sporadic in the coming months. I'm about to embark on a semester long adventure to India, Senegal, and Argentina, and I won't be returning until the end of May.

[Interestingly enough, I had the choice between studying abroad for fall semester 2010 or spring semester 2011. I chose spring 2011 because I didn't want to miss the playoffs... that worked out well.]

Anyway, my internet access will be limited and spotty, so I'll update whenever possible. In my absence I humbly suggest you turn to the articulate and informed blogs listed on the blogroll to the right, as well as the fantastic coverage provided over at Boston.com.

I've done the math, and I'll be missing a grand total of 48 games - nearly 30% of the season including Opening Day, plus all of Spring Training. I'm hoping some of you will be able to help keep me updated either via comments here, Twitter, email (mine is listed in my complete profile), or by comments on the Off the Monster Facebook page.

If and when I manage to update, I'll post links on both Facebook and Twitter - so if you aren't a follower of those pages, click the links above (I promise not to spam you).

Memorable Moments of 2010: Part 4

2010-12-30T17:50:00.005-05:00

You had to see this one coming. Despite the fact that Dustin Pedroia missed most of the second half due to injury, he had a no-doubt laser show game just one day before he broke his foot.

On June 24, 2010 in Denver, Colorado, Dustin Pedroia had a game for the ages, going 5-for-5 with three home runs, and 5 RBIs. The Laser Show was in town, indeed. The diminutive second baseman was his usual exuberant self after the game, never once seeming to lose his swagger.

I couldn't find a video of the actual home runs, but here's a link to NESN's postgame interview with the man of the hour. One of Pedroia's bombs was the game-winner, after heart-attack Papelbon blew his second save in a row.

The very next day, Pedey fouled a pitch off of his own foot, breaking it and landing him on the disabled-list for the rest of the season - excepting a two-day stint when he erroneously believed he was better.

Needless to say, the absence of my future husband severely diminished my enjoyment of the Sox for the rest fo the summer, and I can't wait to have him back next season.

Memorable Moments of 2010: Part 3

2010-12-29T22:02:00.002-05:00

On June 6, 2010, Red Sox Nation witnessed rookie Daniel Nava make history. On the very first pitch of his very first at bat in the major leagues, Nava deposited the ball out in the bleachers. With one swing the twenty-seven-year-old rookie recorded his first hit, first home run, and first FOUR RBIs, because his homer came with three men on base.

This moment holds a special place in my heart because I was at Fenway Park when it occurred. It was a rainy, miserable day, but I had tickets in the bleachers, and I didn't care how soggy I would get, I was going to watch some interleague baseball.

I specifically remember how obnoxious the Phillies fans in our section were acting - but Nava shut them right up. Perhaps what made it so special was the amazing backstory that came with Nava's grand slam - he truly is a study in perseverance.

Currently, Nava is on the 40-man roster, but I hope the Red Sox give him an opportunity to play next season... Even if it's not necessarily for them. Nava's waited a long time for his break, and he deserves to make the most of it.

Memorable Moments of 2010: Part 2

2010-12-27T18:46:00.006-05:00

Ryan Kalish's arrival was one of many unexpected highlights of the 2010 season. The outfielder has been one of the most highly touted prospects in the Red Sox system for a few years now, and the folks over at Sox Prospects currently lists him at #1 (a no-brainer after Casey Kelly got shipped off to San Diego). Apparently, there is very little downside to Kalish, as Sox Prospects absolutely RAVES about him:

"Excellent athlete with a solid build, good bat speed, and lots of quickness. Plays the game at full tilt. The organization has worked with Kalish on his plate patience, and over time he has come to demonstrate an excellent approach at the plate. Average to above-average present power, has potential to add more. Makes solid contact and hits to all fields. Above-average speed. Steals a lot of bases due to his quick acceleration and high intelligence on the basepaths. In the field, he has a reliable glove, excellent range, an average arm, and average accuracy. Tough competitor with a mature demeanor. Kalish tends to be a very popular player with coaches, teammates, and fans."

Bill James sees a lot of promise in the 22-year-old, projecting a line of .271 BA, .791 OPS, 43 SB, and 20 HR... for 2011... in Boston. I'm not sure where James sees all of this playing time coming from, unless the Sox employee can sense a Jacoby Ellsbury trade in the works. [For comparison's sake, Kalish boasted a .252 BA, .710 OPS, 10 SB and 4 HR in 53 games last season with the big club.]

Kalish's most memorable moment last season came at Tampa Bay on August 28th, when he managed to make the spectalular grab and rob BJ Upton of extra bases, and it earned him ESPN SportsCenter's Top Play honors.

Hopefully, we see a lot more of Kalish (though he'll likely start the year at Pawtucket) - and not just because of his uncanny resemblance to Channing Tatum.

Memorable Moments of 2010: Part 1

2010-12-26T15:03:00.005-05:00

During what are historically the slowest days of the year for baseball there's not too much to write about. Instead of waiting for news, I decided to look back on some of the spectacular plays from 2010 - there were more than I thought.

Today, we'll reexamine the heroics of Darnell McDonald:

I'm sure you guys remember it... McDonald had just been called up from Triple-A - for what was supposed to be a short stay. He prompty hit a game-tying 2-run home run in the late innings, and went on to win the game with a walk-off single.

At the time, I think we were all pretty confident that McDonald would be a passing blip on our radar, but he managed to stick around and be a solid contributor all summer. He was consistent in the field and at the plate, and while he was fall from an all-star, he certainly earned his pay.

The thirty-two year old outfielder has been bouncing around the minor and major leagues since 2004, when he made his debut with the Orioles, but the most games he's played for a major league club in a season was this year with the Sox, and it wasn't close. It was nice to see McDonald get a real shot in 2010 - he certainly made himself memorable.

Merry Fricken' Christmas, Red Sox Nation!

2010-12-25T10:39:00.000-05:00

Josh Beckett is the key to 2011

2010-12-23T16:43:00.006-05:00

I'm finally home for break, and I have to say that the thing I consistently look forward to about getting out of Hartford is renewed access to MLB Network. I've been watching it whenever I can commandeer the remote (pretty easy to do now that my older sister has her own house), and last night on Hot Stove, the analysts were asked to rank their top five teams of 2011, as they were constructed at airtime. That means no assuming the Yankees will flex their financial muscle, and no calculating the Rangers chances if Vlad Guerrero is back - the analysts agreed that both scenarios are all but certain.

However, of the three personalities asked to rank their five, all three had the Red Sox as the best American League team (one ranked the Sox first overall, with the Phillies second, while the other two ranked Philly first and Boston second). It's easy to understand Philadelphia's appeal: they have four legitimate aces in their rotation. Boston, on the other hand, has made a few MAJOR moves to add to an already formidable roster.

However, all three analysts - and the host - agreed that there was one thing that the Red Sox absolutely needed if they wanted to live up to their potential, and that was a rebounding Josh Beckett.

I'll spare you the ugly details, but if you're any kind of red Sox fan, you already know how bad Beckett's 2010 went: when he wasn't on the disabled list, he was floundering horribly. This was even more disappointing than it would normally be, because the fiery Texan had signed a very lucrative extension in the spring, and then immediately went out and sucked all season.

Next year, Bill James expects Beckett to make 26 starts (just five more than last year), with a 10-9 record and a 3.86 ERA. No offense to James or Becks, but we need better than that, and I think we can reasonably expect better. First of all, wins are dependent on the team's offense at least as much as they are dependent on the actual pitching performance, and the 2011 Red Sox should be an offensive force.

Also, Josh Beckett is a very proud man. I'm certain that he's all but ashamed of his fail-tastic performance last year, and he's apt to come out swinging.

If Josh can figure out his life and make this work, 2011 should be one for the ages.

Five-Minute Musings: Jenks, Paps, Greinke, Wheeler, and Hall

2010-12-19T09:41:00.008-05:00

I know I have been terrible at updating this week... in my defense, it's finals AND I'm trying to pack up my whole room because I'm going abroad next semester. But I do have five free minutes this fine morning, which I will use to debrief the last week in Red Sox Nation (scope expanded due to the offseason).

1. Bobby Jenks to the Red Sox. The bullpen sure looks a hell of a lot better than it did before this signing, as we now harbor three power lefties, all potential closers. Jenks is a solid player, even if his ERA was up pretty high last season (4.44), and he provides much needed security in a bullpen that was a bigger hindrance to the Sox than the injuries last season. (I know, you don't believe me - but we lost too many games as a direct result of a faulty 'pen.) Jenks' career line can be found here at baseball-reference.

2. The status of Jonathan Papelbon. Everyone is freaking out, talking about how this trade means Paps is on the trading block, that we can't possibly keep three possible closers in the bullpen, and that somehow this is some great catastrophe. Calm. Down. Paps was always on the block for this year, because he will be a free agent next offseason. Cinco-ocho has been boasting about how he wants to "set the market for closers" for years now, and Theo never had any intention of paying him. If the presence of Jenks means we can get some impact talent for Paps (now or at the deadline) beyond the draft picks if we let him walk as a FA, I can support that. It's a smart move, and Theo knows what he's doing.

3. Zack Greinke to the Brewers. This is fantastic news for the Red Sox, as it means that a great pitcher is (a) not going to New York, Tampa, or another division rival, and (b) that he'll be in the National League. Honestly, if Greinke had ended up in New York, I wouldn't have been too worried, as his struggle with anxiety would not have boded well in a high-pressure place like the Bronx. However, this is the second time in a week that one of the game's premier pitchers jumped ship from the AL to the NL. Though the Sox play both the Phils and Brewers in interleague this season, I'll take it... the fewer top-tier pitchers my boys have to face, the better.

4. Dan Wheeler signs a one-year deal. The Rhode Island native professes to be thrilled that he'll be playing in Boston next season, even though he's making the switch from our division rival, the Rays. At least he'll have some familiar faces around, what with Carl Crawford (for whom Wheeler had nothing but praise), and the fact that his family still lives in the Ocean State. Wheeler has a 3.84 ERA in his career, and will most likely take the role of primary middle-innings guy in the bullpen.

5. Bill Hall is headed to Houston. Yes, Brad Mills (former Red Sox bench coach, and close friend of Terry Francona's) will finally get to enjoy the Bill Hall experience. Hall will be the club's starting second-baseman. I understand that, as a rule, a starter is more valuable than a sub, but the Red Sox would have been completely lost last season without Hall's super-utility abilities. The man played seven out of the nine positions (everything but first base and catcher), including a flawless inning pitched, and you just know he could have (and would have) played first base if he had been asked. Hall was a classy guy, always willing to fill in where he was needed, and I'm glad he's getting the chance to start if that's what he wants.

That's all for today, folks, but I am heading home for winter break tomorrow, so posting should be much more consistent for the next month or so. As always, thanks for reading!

It's beginning to look a lot like Cliff-mas...

2010-12-14T10:31:00.003-05:00

Yes, the rumors are (apparently) true. Clifton Phifer Lee has turned down offers from the Rangers and Yankees to sign with that "mystery team" we've been hearing about all along: many fans assumed it was a ploy from agent Darek Braunecker, but it turns out that the mystery is for real, and it resides in Citizens Bank Park In Philadelphia.

This is literally the best-case scenario for Red Sox fans. I've been saying for weeks that I wanted Lee to go to the Rangers if given the choice between his two suitors, despite the fact that I was SURE he would be in the Bronx - and that what I wanted most of all was for him to end up in the National League.

Generally, I'm a giant skeptic, but Santa has really made a believer about of me this year, first with Gonzo and Crawford, and now this fantastic outcome in the Lee fiasco. Seriously, we Red Sox fans should be kissing Cliff Lee's feet, both for distracting the Yankees for long enough for the Sox to sign Crawford (surely he was their Plan B heading into the offseason), and for ultimately spurning the Yankees offer to return to Philadelphia, thus ensuring that our batters won't see him until the World Series or during interleague play in June.

Apparently, the Yankees had offered Lee $138 million over six years, with an option for a seventh year (for another $16 million), the Rangers offered "a menu of contract options," but it was the Philly's offer of five years, $120 million, with a vesting option for a sixth year for a whopping $27.5 million if he pitches 200 innings in 2015, or 400 combined between 2014-15.

It is interesting to note that the Lees turned down New York, not in favor of being closer to their Arkansas home while playing for Texas, but to go back to someplace Cliff felt comfortable. Lee is really a stand-up guy: we all heard about how uncomfortable Mrs. Lee was in New York for the ALCS, with Yankees fans apparently spitting and throwing beer from the upper decks into the visiting family section, and it seems the couple has taken that into consideration.

It certainly wasn't the money that sent Lee to Philly, so it seems we have no choice but to take it at face value when he claims to simply feel like he belongs there. Lee's former teammates in Philadelphia from the 2009 title run are thrilled to have him back, and rightly so, as he brings the number of aces in their rotation up to four.

I don't know about you, but I'm very glad Cliff Lee will be in the National League for the foreseeable future. Usually I'm a secularist when it comes to holidays, but this year I'll be celebrating Cliff-mas with all of Philadelphia.

2011 Bill James Projections - Red Sox Lineup

2010-12-13T10:19:00.013-05:00

I know, I know, this is what you've all been waiting for - and I have kept you waiting. In my defense, had I done this any sooner, I wouldn't have been able to include Adrian Gonzalez or Carl Crawford, and their presence certainly changes things in a big way. Two weeks ago, I presented the Bill James projections for the rotation (58-48 from the front five), and it's high time I did the same for the lineup. Keep in mind, this batting order is just my guess - I'm sure it will change based on who the other team has pitching, who needs rest, and how everyone is doing, so take it with a grain of salt.

CENTER FIELD: Jacoby Ellsbury: 2010: 18 games, .192 BA, .241 OBP, .244 SLG, 0 HR, 5 RBI
2011 projection: 157 games, .300 BA, .355 OBP, .409 SLG, 8 HR, 58 RBI

If Goldenboy lives up to these numbers, I promise to stop calling him D-Ellsbury, and maybe even become a fan. In all seriousness, you could ask for more form a leadoff hitter, but it would be pretty demanding. I could definitely live with this line from Ells.

SECOND BASE:Dustin Pedroia: 2010: 75 games, .288 BA, .367 OBP, .493 SLG, 12 HR, 41 RBI
2011 projection: 158 games, .297 BA, .372 OBP, .462 SLG, 17 HR, 77 RBI

Hubby is expected to be back to his old voracious, impressive, and loudmouth self in 2011, after a season that was a wash due to injury. Pedey hits best when he's batting second, and he seems to like it, so I expect Tito to keep him there.
LEFT FIELD:Carl Crawford: 2010: 154 games, .307 BA, .356 OBP, .495 SLG, 19 HR, 90 RBI
2011 projection: 149 games, .300 BA, .350 OBP, .453 SLG, 14 HR, 93 RBI

Let's deal with the elephant in the room first: is Crawford worth $20+ million a year? Probably not, but I'm thrilled he's coming to Boston at any cost. I REALLY wish he was willing to bat leadoff, but apparently he hates it, and Tito's not one to go against a player's wishes, but he'll definitely be somewhere near the top. His numbers might be slightly better at Fenway than the Trop, but the difference won't be anything crazy.

THIRD BASE:Kevin Youkilis: 2010: 102 games, .307 BA, .411 OBP, .564 SLG, 19 HR, 62 RBI
2011 projection: 151 games, .294 BA, .398 OBP, .507 SLG, 25 HR, 95 RBI

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Kevin Youkilis is under-appreciated by this fanbase - and that's hard to do. He's wildly consistent, and his willingness and ability to slide across the diamond to third base next year is huge.
FIRST BASE:Adrian Gonzalez: 2010: 160 games, .298 BA, .393 OBP, .511 SLG, 31 HR, 101 RBI
2011 projection: 161 games, .285 BA, .378 OBP, .512 SLG, 33 HR, 102 RBI

Keep in mind that Gonzo's numbers are likely to improve due to the Fenway effect. He spent last season playing in Petco Park, where doubles go to die, but even if we only (ONLY!) get the numbers predicted by James, I'll be happy.

DESIGNATED HITTER:David Ortiz: 2010: 145 games, .270 BA, .370 OBP, .529 SLG, 32 HR, 102 RBI
2011 projection: 151 games, .261 BA, .366 OBP, .509 SLG, 33 HR, 112 RBI

Expect the usual from Papi: he'll struggle mightily in April, and then find his stroke sometime in May, just as the howling about his $12.5 million salary reaches fever pitch. In the end, he'll produce what we've come to expect from him, which isn't too shabby when you really look at it.

RIGHT FIELD: JD Drew: 2010: 139 games, .255 BA, .341 OBP, .452 SLG, 22 HR, 68 RBI
2011 projection: 145 games, .263 BA, .370 OBP, .460 SLG, 22 HR, 77 RBI

Mike Cameron: 2010: 48 games, .259 BA, .328 OBP, .401 SLG, 4 HR, 15 RBI
2011 projection: 121 games, .239 BA, .327 OBP, .425 SLG, 18 HR, 58 RBI

Because the outfield is so lefty-heavy, I expect Cameron to get more than enough playing time. I'm coupling him with Drew for the purpose of these projections simply because Drew tends to miss significant time with injuries each year. On the other hand, it is a contract year for Drew, so maybe he'll surprise us.
SHORTSTOP:Marco Scutaro: 2010: 150 games, .275 BA, .333 OBP, .388 SLG, 11 HR, 56 RBI
2011 projection: 153 games, .266 BA, .339 OBP, .374 SLG, 10 HR, 60 RBI
Jed Lowrie: 2010: 55 games, .287 BA, .381 OBP, .526 SLG, 9 HR, 24 RBI
2011 projection: 144 games, .270 BA, .361 OBP, .467 SLG, 17 HR, 75 RBI

Either James is predicting that Lowrie will be a utility guy and get a lot of games at other positions, or he's guessing one of these two will be traded. Either way, both players have respectable lines - though Lowrie's are a bit better across the board. If Lowrie can manage to keep himself healthy (I know that's a big "if" given the history) he'll probably play more, but let's face it: they're both just place-holders until Jose Iglesias is ready.
CATCHER:Jason Varitek: 2010: 39 games, .232 BA, .293 OBP, .473 SLG, 7 HR, 16 RBI
2011 projection: 72 games, .228 BA, .324 OBP, .386 SLG, 33 RBI
Jarrod Saltalamacchia:
2010: 12 games, .167 BA, .333 OBP, .292 SLG, 0 HR, 2 RBI
2011 projection: 110 games, .249 BA, .323 OBP, .422 SLG, 12 HR, 43 RBI

Not the best thing you've ever seen, but if Salty can come into his own defensively while Tek shows him the ropes, I think we can deal with this line. One more note: Salty hits righthanders better, while Tek is pretty good against lefties - I think that's what we'll see.

The very fact that I can plausibly design a lineup that has David Ortiz hitting sixth and JD Drew seventh makes me very excited. I'm sure Tito will figure things out, and his lineup will be fantastic - if we can just keep healthy (PLEASE?!?) this should be a fantastic team to watch.

It's all about the Benjamin$, baby.

2010-12-11T14:37:00.008-05:00

You know, just once I would like to see a press conference introducing a player contain some honest candor. When the press asks you why you are on the podium in Boston, New York, or Philly instead of Tampa, Pittsburgh, or Kansas, tell it like it is:

"Honestly, it came down to the money. This club was willing to throw buckets of cash in my general direction, and I just want to be super-duper rich. Sure, it helps that they win and stuff, but it's all about the Benjamins, baby."

Executives, agents, and players are always telling us that baseball is a business when something bad happens - when a player doesn't get resigned, unpopular trades occur, etc. - but when there's a cause for celebration, all that talk gets swept under the rug, and it's all sunshine and rainbows and the love of the game.

Sure, it's nice when players get up their and wax poetic about Ted Williams or Carl Yastrzemski, or talk about how much they're looking forward to playing with the current members of the team, or how the fans' passion was a deciding factor. I'm sure all these things are true to a fault, and maybe it is every young Californian's dream to play in Boston or New York, but in the end, we all know it's the money and years that get things done.

"I appreciate the history of the franchise, but I also really just want more watches like this."

There is the occasional player that is willing to look closely at things besides the dollars, like proximity to family, or a winning atmosphere, but no one in their right mind will take (hypothetically) an offer of $1 million for one year from New York over $25 million over three years to play in San Diego.

I would just like to state that there is nothing wrong with this. It is human nature to always strive for the most - and the best - of everything. If Carl Crawford is coming to Boston, I don't particularly care if it's true that he values the fan involvement more than the millions of dollars, so long as he'll work hard and help us win.

It is, of course, in the player's best interest to suck up to the fans and the media, because no one wants to get booed by their own home crowd, and the media controls public perception of them to a large degree. The smart players start this butt-kissing when they're first officially introduced to the team. for instance, Carl Crawford was introduced at 10am, and by 2pm, he was addressing Sox fans on Twitter.

I'm sure Crawford is legitimately excited to finally play in front of a capacity crowd for 81+ games, but I'm equally certain that if Tampa Bay or Anaheim or anyone else had been able to top the Sox's offer, we wouldn't be having this discussion.

So why the cynicism? I'm not trying to ruin this joyous occasion for Red Sox Nation, just offering up a realistic view of the process. The system is built so that players will end up with the richest teams, and then praise them like the money didn't have anything to do with it. True Red Sox fans should be able to look at this and appreciate how damned lucky we are, because it doesn't matter how passionate your fans are if the money isn't there to back them up.

Red Sox ≠ Yankees

2010-12-10T10:16:00.007-05:00

In the last week the Red Sox have dropped an estimated $300 million dollars on two players (estimated because the Gonzalez extension won't be announced until Opening Day, and the Crawford deal is pending a physical). The consensus among baseball-types is that Boston most definitely "won" the Winter Meetings, which is obvious to anyone paying a modicum of attention. Unfortunately, Boston.com Sox contributor Bob Hohler clearly isn't happy without something to gripe about.

Hohler penned a piece this morning entitled "Sox spend up a storm: Unprecedented deals put Boston in the Yankees' big-money league." The premise of the article seems to be that Red Sox fans can no longer complain about the behemoth budget of their neighbors to the south because Theo went on a "shopping spree" of his own this winter.

He goes on to point out that when it comes to financial clout, the Red Sox are much closer to the Yankees than the Rays, Royals, or Pirates. I have a simple, one-word answer to this allegation: DUH. I don't think you could find anyone whining that the Red Sox were among the underprivileged teams in MLB. I've said it here before: the Red Sox are upper middle class, while the Yankees are essentially Angelica Pickles.

The Yankees, simply based on their location in the biggest city in the United States, have a revenue stream that even a market like Boston can never hope to match. That said, the Sox have a lot more to work with than most teams, but because they have to compete directly with New York, they have to get creative. If Carl Crawford had been the Yankees priority this winter, there's no doubt he'd be getting measured for pinstripes at this very moment (yet another reason we should thank Cliff Lee for beating the Yanks in the playoffs).

The Red Sox landed Crawford because they had more money than the Angels. This is undoubtedly true, but we're only having this conversation because Brian Cashman has other players on his mind, and thank goodness Cliff Lee and his agent are dragging out the process. On the other hand, the Red Sox have not yet paid a penny in their acquisition of Adrian Gonzalez.

As I'm sure you're all aware, the Red Sox have NOT extended Gonzalez just yet, and the only thing they've paid is prospects - some of the top young players in the minors. Minor league players are something every team has to offer, and there are definitely issues with unfair financial clout in the draft, but the fact is that the worst teams are often the poorest, and thus get higher picks than either the Sox or Yankees.

So yes, while the Red Sox have presumably spent $300 million on players this winter, it is VERY different from the Yankees offseason of 2008. Don't believe me? Let's recap: New York acquired CC Sabathia through free agency, even bidding against themselves, because they can, and awarding him the richest contract ever for a pitcher. They then acquired AJ Burnett, again through free agency, risking more money and years on him than anyone else was willing to, because they can afford an $80 million blunder/injury machine. Lastly, they brought Mark Teixeira into the fold, through - you guessed it - free agency, awarding him the richest contract for a first-baseman.

So, to recap, the Yankees presumptive Opening Day starting lineup includes three players that are homegrown, Jeter (kept as a free agent), Posada (kept as a free agent), and Cano. The Red Sox presumptive Opening Day lineup includes Ellsbury, Pedroia, Youkilis, and Lester (none of whom have EVER been free agents), as well as Gonzalez, who was acquired through TRADE, not through throwing boatloads of cash around.

The Red Sox are, as they have always been, a good mixture of the homegrown, the traded for, and the free agents. The Yankees are more like a collection of mercenaries with a SINGLE cost-controlled homegrown player in Robinson Cano.

Tell me again how the Red Sox are just the same as the Yankees?

Pinch me, I'm dreaming.

2010-12-09T09:57:00.004-05:00

[Screengrabbed from Boston.com]

This was my thought in the wee hours of this morning. I had gone to be early for me, around 11pm, about 25 minutes before the Globe first reported the Crawford deal. At 4am I woke up to see my phone glowing. I got out of bed, picked it up, and read a text from a friend that said: "Carl crawford signs w/ Boston 7 yrs $142 mill". Since I was up already (and in a slight state of panicked excitement) I checked on the internet, and it was true.

My efforts to go back to sleep after the confirmation that Carl Crawford is now a Red Sox were pretty futile, but I managed to doze off around six. When I woke up for class two hours later, my first thought was that the whole thing had been a wonderful dream, but, as you know, it was true.

I have to be honest: I never thought Crawford would be coming to Boston. Especially after the Adrian Gonzalez deal, I assumed the Red Sox would stay in on the speedy outfielder simply to drive up the price for New York while they were still preoccupied with Cliff Lee. Like many people (Torii Hunter among them), I took it for granted that Crawford would be patrolling the field at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, but I'm certainly thrilled to have him in Boston.

Bill James predicts a typically good year for Crawford in 2011: 149 games played, .300 BA, .350 OBP, .398 SLG, 14 HR, 71 RBI, and 42 SB. Keep in mind that Crawford's power numbers will likely improve from those predictions because he'll be playing 81 games in the friendly confines of Fenway.

Perhaps the best part of the Crawford deal is the fact that he'll no longer swipe about a million bags on us every season (including six in one game) - he'll be stealing all those bases on our behalf. Coupled with a (hopefully) recovered Jacoby Ellsbury and the perennially discounted JD Drew, Crawford makes our outfield one of the speediest in baseball.

I can't believe this is real...