Good to be back! Yeah the Rays really kill me. They lost again tonight to a team they are much better than. I don't understand. UGH!!! Maybe not a perfect throw but he should have had it. I mean its was very catchable. However the sad part is I am sure he will make another play like that soon. Oh we have 15 straight wins with Nick Green starting. I know its not just because of him but he brings alot to the line-up with his bat. Anytime you can put speed on the base paths it will really help you. One of the reasons the Rays are so good. Ellsbury has done a great jjob and hopefully he will improve even more. David Ortiz hit 2 doubles but I still think he should be moved from the #3 hole. His bat speed is still really bad and his average and base running are terrible at this point. I know this is a long way away but what do you think about.... Getting Joe Mauer in 2011? Varitek is not getting any younger and can be servicable this year and maybe next. We don't have really any "hot' prospects in the minors at catcher plus David Ortiz money will be coming off the books. Problem is the Yankees will need a catcher and the Twins will do everything they can to resign hm. Whatcha think? Great win tonight v.s. the Yankees. Lester looked very good for the most part. Sucks that we could not get Tex and I hope Youk is alright
I wouldn't touch Joe Mauer. He's a great player but for the amount of money and years you'd have to lock him up for (and around that exact time the Yankees will be looking for a new catcher too and there's no way we out spend them like you said) it won't be worth it. Especially since he hasn't exactly been Cal Ripken behind the plate and always seems to get hurt each year. Good win last night. Lester looked very much like the 2008 verison of Lester which is very good. And actually so did Papelbon who was just blowing pitches by the Yankees. Sure he made the 9th very interesting but remember he gave up an excuse me infield single and followed by a ball that barely hit Jeter. I really think any closer in baseball not named Paps or Rivera ends up blowing that game last night. Hopefully Youkilis' back is ok and yeah even Ortiz had a good night. I really liked Dave Roberts in the board cast booth, he really knows the game and was a good listen. Hopefully he does it a few more times even when Remy gets back. I'm not impressed with Hughes and I was really high up on him. He's throwing in the high 80s and besides from a pretty good curveball doesn't really fool anyone. Maybe it was an off night for him though. And the home plate umps strike zone was unreal. But it made it interesting to say the least. The Sox are playing with house money tonight but hopefully Beckett pitches a good game and the Sox win another one, they can't let up right now.
Good luck with the Rays. Dice K had a good start Tuesday going 2.2 Innings with 5 K and no runs I still think there is something wrong with Ortiz and he needs to be moved down. However his average is getting better and he is still drawing walks
The Red Sox have activated Rocco Baldelli from the disabled list and optioned Jonathan Van Every to Triple-A Pawtucket. [ame="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4150128"]Rocco Baldelli activated by Boston Red Sox, Jonathan Van Every sent down - ESPN[/ame]
Jason Bay comes through again. This guy has done nothing but be productive since the Sox acquired him..
Thank god for Canadians huh? Imagine how good this team would be if Ortiz was on track. I bet by June 1st the line up will be Ellsbury, Pedroia, Youkilis, Bay, Ortiz, Lowell, Drew, Varitek, Lugo/Green.
Sox are officially calling up Daniel Bard for tonights game. No word on who's getting sent down or release since Bard isn't on the 40 man roster. My guess and the most logical move would be to get rid of Lopez. If not Jones will be sent down I'd say.
Sweet, I can't wait to see the heat. I am with you now that Lopez needs to go, but they haven't gone that direction yet, so Jones will most likely be sent back down. He is dominating at AAA, his numbers look Strasburg like except he isn't pitching against Southern Utah, Air Force, or Santa Clara.. 16.0 innings, 6 hits, 2 ER, 2 HR, 5 BB, 29.0 K's, batters hitting a cool .155...
The Sox did get rid of Lopez. Kudos to them, it was the obvious and right choice here. Hopefully the Sox have a big lead and can ease him into action. And here's to hoping he doesn't pull a Craig Hansen. EDIT: Just watching Sports Center and saw Huff's HR off of Joba in the first and Huff does a 'Joba fist pump' after he touches first base and then again after he crossed home plate. It was very funny, I was laughing my butt off, too bad it couldn't have been a Red Sox. Should be interesting to see if Joba hits him later this year. But I have new respect for Aubrey Huff for that one, just classic.
Wow that 9th inning by Papelbon was balls out. I admit I was mad after the first 2 guys got on base because I figured the Sox would blow it but man did Papelbon just blow the Rays away after that. And it was a really big win tonight, especially headed out to our last West Coast trip in '09. I won't lie Papelbon is very shakey this year along with both Beckett and Lester. Hopefully those guys can get right because we won't win anything if they're not good.
Ya that was a very scary 9th, Papelbon seems to never just 123 teams anymore. Watching those Rays chase all those high fastballs was nice though. Bay comes through again with a big hit, the guy can flat out hit.
Joba got the last laugh with the W. I was impressed Joba didnt plunk him in the following at bat. Thats a huge step for him. Keep your composure..you are trailing, take care of business and in the end get the W. P.S. I was at the game, and Huff's HR was a line drive bullet that went out faster than it came in....Sportscenter doesnt do it justice..he flat out tagged it. Regardless of the "antics"; Joba did what he should do...forget it and bear down for the rest of the game.
I was shocked Huff didn't get hit too. Joba is really disliked around baseball right now. I have no problem with players showing emotion but Joba really should have beeb embarassed for his antics in last Tuesdays start against the Sox. The kid has a boat load of talent but he's quickly turning into a Roger Clemens clone ego wise and that's not a good thing.
really wanted the Braves to snag Bay last year, though if he ain't in Atlanta, i'll take him in Boston. Manny who? nice comeback by Papelbon after a shaky start in the 9th.
Figured I'd post this here but Bobby Jenks over the weekend threw a pitch behind Ian Kinsler and admitted although he wasn't trying to hit him, he did mean for it to a be purpose pitch and meant to throw it behind him. So what does Yankee Bob Watson do? Suspend him for a few games? Nope, he was just fined $750 dollars. Are you kidding me? How does Bob Watson still have a job? I mean at least give Jenks a 1 game suspension and fine him like 5k or so.
I thought that was a misprint or something, Jenks may bust another off next time, why not take up a hat in the dugout. Maybe Masterson will get a $750 for that one he let loose last night. Sox looked awful against Weaver but got to the Angels bullpen when it counted and notched another win. Arrenondo and Sheilds came to the rescue last ngiht.
Ugly game today. The Sox had tons of opportunities to score yet couldn't drive in a run. They didn't deserve to win it. On the plus side Ramon Ramirez is really a stud, great find by the Sox brass. On the negative David Ortiz is done. I think it's his wrist, I don't think he can drive the ball because of it. Also Clay Buchholz has been just dominating in the minors, I'd hoping the Sox can trade Penny and give Clay the call up.
Haha you guys certainly do the past 2 years. Nothing for more frustrating than seeing Palmer throw a CG against us on Wednesday with a 85 mph fastball, especially after the Sox jumped in front 4 to 0. Oh well. Today was just brutual.
Watching Ortiz bat in the 12th was painful. He looks overmatched vs everyone. He looks like Mo Vaughn circa 93' at 35 only he is 33.
I'm telling you his wrist isn't healthy. He just has no drive in his swing. I think Francona still let him bat 3rd for a few more weeks and then once Youkilis comes back you'll see a line up of Ellsbury, Pedroia, Youkilis, Bay, Drew, Lowell, Ortiz, Varitek, Green/Lugo.
Terrible road trip with the only good news is the Sox don't go to the West Coast anymore this year while both the Rays, Yankees and Blue Jays haven't yet. Seattle historically has always given the Sox trouble but the Sox should have won both Friday and Sunday's games. The offense without Youkilis and getting any production out of the DH spot is really starting to hurt the team. So is a decent short stop. It would be one thing if Nick Green was either a solid hitter or a good glove man but he's neither. He played well in April but he is what he is. The Sox need a real SS and soon.
Nick Green got exposed quickly. The Sox struggled to score runs all weekend, the bottom of the order is starting to feel a bit like the end of last year.
Timmy Wakefield with a huge game tonight. Scary to think where the Sox would be without him. I like how the Sox took game 1 to really set the tone for the series. Penny better have his pitching shoes on tomorrow. We need another W.
Great pitching from Wake leads us to victory. Youk will be back Weds, so hopefully the offense will pick up. If Penny continues to pitch even just ok, at what point to we insert Buchholz or Bowden, both are tearing it up at AAA. Bowden has given up only 19 hits in 42.0 innings, that is sick.
The problem is Smoltz might also be back in June so there's really no room for either Buchholz or Bowden even in the pen. I'd bet one of them gets traded for a big bat at the deadline. But I could see Penny being traded too. NL teams would probably jump on him since he's cheap and on a 1 year deal.
Another good win for the Sox. It was great to see the fan supporting Ortiz and giving him standings Os before each at bat. It was also great to see them give him a curtain call. Ortiz swung the bat well tonight. Maybe it was just one game but at least he got the monkey off his back and can hopefully relax a bit from here on out. I'm hoping for a Delgado '08 type return for Ortiz that might be wishful thinking but hey for one night the Sox don't have anything to worry about. Good to see Youk back in the line up and collecting 3 hits. Lowell, Bay and Tek go yard. Big start for Lester tomorrow. He hasn't been pitching well and needs a strong outing, a sweep of the Jays would be huge.
I went to the game last night, sat up in the right field roof deck, and when Ortiz went "bridge" as Eck would say, the place went freakin' nuts. It was like the Sox just wrapped up a division title or something. All that said, I still think Ortiz is done and what we've seen through the first month and a half is what we're going to get throughout the rest of the year, with perhaps a little more power sprinkled in (not quite as bad, it would be virtually impossible to have an OPS in the .600 range for an entire year). Although, he did look overmatched (in his 2nd at-bat) against Cecil, who blew a 90 +/- mph fastball by him before going deep in the 5th inning.
Earth meet the Blue Jays. Blue Jays meet earth. Small sample size for sure but the Jays going 1-5 against the Sox and Yankees aren't a big surprise. Halladay is their only pitcher, everyone else is either a rookie or a 4th or 5th starter. Granted Halladay is great and guys like Cecil and Romero have a lot of upside I just don't think they can keep up with the big boys, not this year anyway. But next year with a rotation of Halladay, McGowan, Marcum, Cecil and Romero might be a different story. Don't look now but the Rays are slowly creeping up too.
Great start by Lester last night, nice to see him put down a great offense. Ramon Martinez once again is just rock solid in the pen, and Youk and Bay are really swinging the bat well while Ortiz still plods along. Dice K is back tonight, I hope he can go atleast 5+ tonight and shake off the arm fatigue.
Is he related to Manny Ortiz? Just kidding. I see Hunter Jones was optioned to Pawtucket to make room for Daisuke. Let's hope that Bard learned from his first home appearence that he's going to have to locate his pitches because he won't be throwing everything by major league hitters. Hopefully we put a hurtin' on the Mets this weekend.
Yeah the scouting report on Bard is definitely swing at the first pitch because it will be a fastball. He does have a pretty good slider and curve but doesn't throw it for strikes consistently. I don't like the pitching match up of Johan vs. Dice-K but that Met line up tonight is pretty bad, hopefully we can keep it close and win with the pen. I think I read today that the Sox are 17-0 when leading after the 6th. By the way Gammons is reporting the Nationals offered up Nick Johnson for Manny Delcarmen. I hope the Sox say no to that. I'd rather have Delcarmen than a buddy for Mark Kotsay, Rocco Baldelli and J.D. Drew to hang out with on the DL together.
