Pan Mass Challenge Break

With all the excitement going on in baseball, I have been too busy getting ready to ride in the Pan Mass Challenge this weekend to write about it.

The Pan Mass Challenge is a 192 mile bike ride from Sturbridge to Provincetown, Massachusetts. This will be my fourth year riding on Team LEGS. This year we are riding for a 5 year old girl whose name is Kayleigh. Kayleigh was diagnosed with hepatoblastoma, a cancer of the liver. She has undergone a liver transplant, and a few rounds of chemotherapy, all at the age of 5. But, because of the money raised by the PMC, great strides have been made towards a cure, and today she has hope that she will survive.

If you have a kind heart, and are feeling like you need another tax deduction, please consider contributing to my ride!

Meanwhile...

Brief thoughts on Manny Ramirez...

When I heard about the trade, I wondered how many players they got in return for a certain hall of famer like Manny. I was shocked to find they had to throw in Craig Hansen, Brandon Moss, and $7 million just to get Jason Bay! Wow! Jason is a good player, but, as of yet, he is not the RBI machine that Manny is. I am hoping that Jason knows he is good, and has been wallowing in last place with the Pirates dreaming about playing for a top team. If so, this is is chance to shine.

Meanwhile, Manny joins forces with Joe Torre and the other unhappy Sox player of note, Nomar Garciaparra. Interesting. Now, Manny's options for next year are gone, and with Scott Boras running things for Manny, he may not even be with the Dodgers next year. Probably one of the reasons the Sox had to up the offer. The Pirates made out well - 4 new young players!

Lastly, it is really a shame, just like with Nomar. We have a superstar who is loved in town, but somehow he just can't do the Jason Varitek and Big Papi thing and enjoy it. Instead he has to go and rock the boat, whine and moan, and get run out of time. Now the Sox have clearly degraded to rid themselves of a growing problem in Manny. Yes, they are worse for the trade having lost a premier slugger, a good young relief pitcher, and a solid young outfielder. Jason Bay has big shoes to fill. Will be freeze up like a deer in the headlights, or cut loose to show the world his stuff?

Jon Lester Rights the Ship

Amid all the new found Manny Ramirez controversy, there was an actual game played yesterday. Not just any game, but a pivotal game against an historic rival who had just taken two straight games in Fenway Park. A loss would have allowed the Yankees to move into a tie with the Red Sox for second place in the AL East.

Boston went on the attack early and often, scoring runs in 5 out of the first 6 innings. Big Papi got his groove back and led the offensive charge with a 2 for 4 night, driving in 3 runs, 2 of them coming off of a home run with Dustin Pedroia on base and two outs in the 4th inning. Manny Ramirez, who even now is being escorted out of town by radio talk show callers, paired up with Papi, just the way it is supposed to work, going 3 for 5, driving in 2, and scoring 2 runs. In fact, every Sox starter had at least one hit, except for JD Drew who went 0 for 2, but did walk twice. Even Jacoby Ellsbury, relegated to the bottom of the order to work on getting his swing back, went a cool 3 for 4.

But, what would all that offense be without some good pitching to go along with it? It would be like lobster without butter, Laurel without Hardy, Charlie's Angels without Cameron Diaz. Playing the part of butter, Oliver Hardy, and Cameron Diaz yesterday was Jon Lester. Lester has truly become the cornerstone of the starting rotation. This season he has been more steady than even Josh Beckett. Nothing seems to rattle Lester anymore. His steely gaze shines across the plate when he looks in for the sign. Most times he looks like a cat toying with a helpless mouse. Yesterday, he went 7 innings (again), allowing 9 hits and a walk, but struck out 8 batters, holding the Yankees to just 2 runs. He would bend, but he would not break.

Manny Delcarmen and Mike Timlin pitched a scoreless inning each to secure Lester's 9th win of the season. Meanwhile, the newest Yankeee starter, Sidney Ponson, got knocked around like a judge on an Aruban beach. Ponson only lasted four innings, and left the game trailing an impossible 7-0. But, the games must go 9 innings, so the Fenway faithful were treated to 4 1/2 more innings of watching the Red Sox chase the Yankees around the boxing ring before the inevitable TKO in the 9th, and a 9-2 victory.

What about Manny? What about him? Am I surprised Manny has, yet again, turned into a petulant child? No, quite the contrary. After 4 seasons of Manny loving the Red Sox, wanting to be traded, being so happy in Boston, demanding to be traded, so thrilled to be part of baseball in Boston, etc., etc., I have simply been waiting for the next shoe to fall. Manny is on a part of this team right now, and a critical part of the team at that. As long as he is here, under contract, he will play hard, and do his best to win ball games. When he does not, I will shout down to him how he is letting us down. Will he be here next year, does he want to be here next year? We'll see.

As far as everyone was concerned, Manny was gone years ago. He asked (through his agents) to be traded before. The Red Sox even put him on waivers, and offered him in a possible deal for Alex Rodriguez. Yet, he is still here. So, will he be here next year? Who knows. I do not think Manny has planted deep roots in Boston (ala Johnny Damon). He is pretty happy here, has good friends on the team, and has had a supportive fan following to go with all of his success (including being named the MVP of the 2004 World Series). So, you would think Manny would be happy here.

But, I think Manny was actually much happier in Cleveland, and look where that got him. Manny has the evil Scott Boras as his agent. The Red Sox will not be stupid. They want Manny here, playing hard, batting 4th, and anchoring the offensive lineup. But, they will not keep him here at all costs. They'll wait until the end of the season to decide what to do next in terms of exercising Manny's option for next year.

Will they trade Manny before the deadline? Not likely, but maybe. Same as every other player on the team. If, and only if, there is a deal that Theo feels will improve the team, give them a better shot at another championship, without costing the team too much, then he will swing that deal. I am doubtful that deal will present itself with regards to Manny, but you never know. For a trade to take place, you need both side to like the deal. Many teams would love Manny's bat, but he's expensive and the Red Sox will want significant compensation in return. They would be foolish to do anything else. My guess is that no other team will be able to come up with the right offer, nor will they want to take on the risk that Manny walks once free agency hits. I think they'll all wait until the end of the season and make a run for him in free agency if the Sox do not lock him up.

Meanwhile, what happens the rest of the year? Same old thing. Manny will go on a hot streak, he'll forget about the contract stuff for a while, and he'll contribute. The fans will steam and yell, then they'll cool down and watch the games. We'll enjoy a fun playoff run, and then we'll rejoin the debate after the season. Manny's performance, overall, will be no different. If he stays, let's enjoy watching the guy hit, and hope he minimizes the childishness.

(Photos Courtesy of ESPN)

Exciting New Prospect in Pawtucket

The start of the second half of the season always brings with it a host of trade talks. The trade deadline is July 31st, and fans everywhere will be inventing some pretty incredulous trades to either attempt to jettison players they don't like, or bring in players they'd love to have (very often both in the same trade).

This year, there is not big need to look outside the organization if you are in the market for a power hitting left-hander. Watching the Pawtucket Red Sox the last two days, I couldn't help but notice just such a player. He is big, strong, and looks locked in. He homered in both of the past two games, and one of those home runs was on an outside fastball that he was able to stay with and drive the other way to left field. That is the sign of major league material.

The one drawback that I can see is that the guy is a bit slow afoot and seems to have the most value as a DH. He can play some first base, but I sure wouldn't worry about his job if I were Kevin Youkilis.

The guy's name is David Ortiz, and you need to keep your eye on this guy. I assure you, he'll be called up before you know it, perhaps as early as the upcoming series against the Yankees when the Sox return to Boston. This guy would be perfect in the number 3 hole batting in front of Manny Ramirez. I know, you are now saying, "but we already have a power hitter in front of Manny - JD Drew". That is true, and JD Drew did win player of the month honors for the month of June. But, I'm telling you, this Ortiz guy can be even more effective. Imagine a guy like that in front of Manny, and then you bat JD Drew in the #5 hole behind Manny! That is what a lineup should look like. Instead of simply being in first place in most team offensive statistics, the Red Sox would be in mega-first place!

But, what about pitching and defense? Well, good point. Clay Buchholz sure did not have a game to remember yesterday, getting clobbered right out of the gates by the Angels in an 11-3 loss. In two starts since returning from Pawtucket, Clay has only proven that sending him down to Pawtucket was a good idea, and maybe they brought him back a bit too soon. Reworking a guy's delivery and arm angle is not something that takes root overnight! If it were not for Clay's past success and his amazing no-hitter, we'd all be shouting for him to be not only sent back, but including in some blockbuster trade deal.

Defense? If your goal for defense is to have a few laughs, then there is no need to worry about defense! Last night Manny provided plenty of laughs in left field. He got a terrible jump on a weak fly ball, feebly dove for it in a last ditch effort, but came no where near the ball. As the ball rolled past him he tried to quickly get up and chase it down, but in getting up he tripped, stumbled, and fell over the ball. As he rolled, the ball ended up under his butt, and he had to arch his back to reach under and retrieve it. Of course, by then, the batter was on third base, trying to suppress a good belly laugh. Did anyone really ant to catch the ball after watching where he had to retrieve it from?

Okay, so the Sox lost their opener against the California Angels of Los Angeles who play in Anaheim. Fear not, for a well rested Josh Beckett will make everything right today. Look for Jed Lowrie to make a significant contribution, and for some small ball to come into play. The home runs did not work yesterday (Youk and Manny), so let's do it with singles, stolen bases, and timely doubles today.

(Photos courtesy of ESPN)
(David Ortiz Photo courtesy of Yahoo Sports)

Red Sox Steal Another One Run Game From Twins

The Twins sure do make for exciting baseball. Two games into the three game series have featured excellent pitching, terrific defense, smart base running, strategic managerial moves, and (thankfully) two one run wins for the Red Sox.

One of the most frustrating areas for the Red Sox recently has been the ineptitude of the bottom of the order. In tough situations, the 7-8-9 batters have not been getting it done. So, Terry Francona mixed things up a bit last night. Rather than Crisp, Varitek, and Lugo at the bottom of the order, last night's lineup featured Brandon Moss, Julio Lugo and Kevin Cash. Lugo was typical Lugo, and Cash mostly served to give Varitek a night off. However, Moss was able to provide the spark at the bottom of the lineup that had been sorely missing.

In the 7th inning, with Kevin Youkilis on third form a well hit triple and one out, Moss came through with a sacrifice fly to plate Youk for Boston's second run of the game. Then, in the 8th inning, after Manny Ramirez had already tied the game with a much needed 3 run home run, Youkilis hit a two out double to keep the rally alive. Recently, we would have expected You to get stranded on 2nd base with a strikeout or a weak ground out. But, Moss was batting with confidence and sliced a single back up the middle to score Youk for the go ahead run.

Yes, Manny Ramirez is starting to look like he's breaking out of his recent slump. When Manny keeps his head down and drives the ball solidly to right center field, you know he's starting to get locked in. That is exactly the type of hit he has been starting to reconnect with. His two run homer in the 8th to tie the game was a breath of fresh air to Boston fans. Just what the home crowd needed to see.

It got Jon Lester off the hook for the loss. Lester had a decent night, pitching into the 8th inning. His one big blemish was the 4th inning when it seemed like no matter what he threw, it got hit. The Twins hitters just looked locked in in that inning. Lester's pitches were not that bad, but the Twins were able to make contact and put three runs on the board. Lester battled through it and, again, went deep into the game to take the pressure off the bullpen.

How about poor Sean Casey? I'm starting to wonder if Tito wants to get a left handed reliever into the game. It seems every time Casey steps out of the dugout to pinch hit, the opposing manager yanks his righty off the mound and sends in a lefty. Then, Tito sends Casey back to the bench. Casey shouldn't even bother grabbing a bat or helmet, just step onto the field, wave to the opposing manager, and take a seat. And by the way, does anyone else see a strong resemblance between Dennys Reyes and El Guapo (Rich Garces)? Must be long lost brothers!





The Yankees were helpful last night in beating the Rays 5-0 behind a terrific outing from Andy Pettitte. The Rays are having a strong season, but at some point, they will need to win the big games on the road. The Rays' loss moved the Sox up to 3 games out of first place. Can the Yankees take another from the Rays behind the drunken Aruban (Sidney Ponson) tonight to give the Sox a shot at moving up to 2 games out? To do so, the Sox will have to do their part by beating the Twins this afternoon behind ace, Josh Beckett. Sounds like a plan!

(Photos Courtesy of Yahoo Sports)

Dice-K Leads The Way

That's the type of game we like to see from Daisuke Matsuzaka. But, in the first inning, were you thinking what I was thinking? "Here we go again" were the only words that made sense. Dice-K retired the first two batters of the game on infield pop-ups, and then proceeded to make it exciting by loading the bases on two walks and an infield hit. He got out of the inning by getting Delmon Young to ground out to Kevin Youkilis, but thoughts of walks and high pitch counts were already dancing in my head.

I'm not sure what Dice-K did after the first inning to right the ship, but form there on he pitched very sharp, lasting into the 8th inning, and only giving up one more walk along the way. Perfect timing for a dominating outing, since the Twins' starter, Scott Baker, was also spinning a gem. Baker looked just as good as Matsuzaka, neither one of them allowing a single run to be scored against them.

Hideki Okajima came in to replace Dice-K in the 8th inning and did his job to raise tensions and keep fans interested. Dice-K was tiring. He got the first batter out thanks to a diving catch by Jacoby Ellsbury in left field, then gave up a bunt single, and a single to right field to put two batters on. He was done and Terry Francona needed to bring in a reliever. So, the game is knotted in a scoreless tie in the 8th inning with one out and two runners on base, and Justin Morneau coming to the plate, the Twins' outstanding cleanup hitter. Hmm, who can we bring in to relieve Dice-K who can really hold inherited runners on base? Oh, I know, Hideki Okajima! As my daughters are prone to say, "wait...what?". Okajima has been abysmal when brought into an inning with runners on base. It has been almost a sure thing that at least one of those runners would score, and yet that's who was coming in. Well, Morneau, and the on deck batter, Jason Kubel, are both left handed. At least we have that going for us.

I have to say, Okajima waged a valiant battle against Justin Morneau, but in the end, Morneau was able to draw a walk to load the bases. Rather than send another lefty up to bat, the Twins sent in Craig Monroe to pinch hit. Okajima buckled down and got Monroe to pop out to Youk for the second out, and then got Delmon Young to harmlessly ground out. Can you believe it? That was the game right there. Right then, you knew this one was ours.

Sure enough, in the bottom of the inning, Dustin Pedroia hits a double, and with one out, Manny Ramirez (finally) gets a clutch hit single to right to score the game's only run. Jonathan Papelbon made short work of things in the ninth, and with Tampa Bay finally losing a game, the Sox managed to creep one step closer, now 4 games behind the Rays.

The Rays will now be facing off against the Yankees in New York. Can you bring yourself to cheer for the Yankees to win to help us get closer to the Rays? That's a tough one, isn't it?

An interesting move on the horizon, as the Sox are ready to bring Clay Buchholz back up from Pawtucket. To make room for Clay, Justin Masterson has been sent back to Pawtucket, however he will begin working on coming out of the bullpen rather than starting. The Sox do have extra starters, with Bartolo Colon still waiting to rejoin the team, Masterson might have a tough time getting back into the rotation this season. However, as a reliever, he can surely contribute. I like the idea.

Now get out there and cheer for those Yankees (boy it hurt to type that).

(photos courtesy of Yahoo Sports)

Astros Shoot Red Sox Out Of First Place

In a surprise turn of events, the Houston Astros stole a close game from the Red Sox, winning by the score of 3-2 on a night when the Sox had their ace, Josh Beckett, on the mound. Beckett pitched a decent game, going 7 innings and only allowing 2 runs, but was unfortunate to be pitching on a night when the Sox offense was unable to get anything going.

The only runs the Sox were able to generate were on 2 solo home runs, one by Dustin Pedroia, and one by Manny Ramirez. Manny has been in a bit of a slump the past few weeks, so it was good to see him go deep. But, the National League format with no DH seemed to hinder the production last night. In particular, in the 6th inning the Sox were able to put runners on 1st and 3rd with only one out. However, the next batter was the pitcher, Josh Beckett. Terry Francona had two choices. He could pull Beckett and send a pinch hitter up to hopefully bring in the man from 3rd. But, this would force them to go to the bullpen 2 innings sooner than planned. the other choice was to allow Beckett to hit, and hope for a little luck - perhaps a walk or a fortunate hit. But, Houston starter, Brian Moehler, was pitching a nice game and was not about to let an AL pitcher ruin his night. Beckett tried to at least bunt the runner over to second base, but Moehler threw nasty tailing sliders to keep that from happening. With two strikes on him, Beckett had little choice other than to swing at the next good pitch, which he did, and struck out.

Even though the Sox could not generate a real rally, they were tied 2-2 going into the bottom of the 8th. David Aardsma went in to replace Beckett. Aardsma got Carlos Lee to fly out, but then gave up a single to Miguel Tejada. For some reason, Francona opted to pull Aardsma at this point and send in Hideki Okajima. I He may have been trying to keep Aardsma's pitch count down, but other than that, I'm not sure what the logic was. The next batter, Jeff Blum, is a switch hitter, so no lefty match up there. The batter after that was the pitcher, so you could be sure there would be a pinch hitter. But, Francona went with Okajima, who continues to prove he cannot keep inherited base runners from scoring this season. I am wondering if he is somehow tipping his pitches? Just seems like a big change from last year for him.

Okajima threw a curve ball in the dirt that got past Jason Varitek sending Tejada to second base. He then got Blum to ground out for the second out of the inning, only to bring up pinch hitter, Mark Loretta. Loretta has been a thorn in the side for the Sox in this series, and continued to pester last night, sending a single to center on a very ineffective change up to score Tejada for the winning run.

Losing last night dropped the Sox out of first place, a half game behind tonight's opponent, Tampa Bay. The Rays are still looking strong, and in the fight longer than most people thought they would be already. The Red Sox have beaten Tampa Bay 6 games straight in Fenway Park, but lost three straight to the Rays on the road. This will be an exciting series. The Rays need to win to prove they are real, and solidify their hold on first place. The Sox need to step it up, and show who the true World Champs are. Having been watching the Rays over the past few seasons, I do not think they are wise enough to put the past confrontations with the Sox behind them. I don't expect them to come out fighting, but I do expect them to over-react to any little incursion, like a hit by pitch or collision on the base paths. Tune in to this series, should be exciting.

Lastly, if you have not heard, Manny has been causing more trouble in the clubhouse this week. On Saturday, he asked traveling secretary, Jack McCormick, for 16 tickets for Saturday's game. Who knew Manny had so many friends in Houston, but since Manny was asking for so many tickets on the day of the game, Jack told him he might not be able to fulfill his request. Manny did not want to hear that and shouted at Jack to "just do your job". That started an argument, Manny pushed Jack, Jack fell, nearby players jumped in to break things up.

So, what do we make of this? Hard to say. Manny is generally very laid back. Has there been bad blood between these two before? Was Manny in a bad mood for other reasons and took it out on Jack? For whatever reason, Manny snapped, which is unusual for him. He has since apologized, Jack has accepted the apology, and the team has moved on. Sounds like a good idea. But, Red Sox management need to have a chat with Manny to understand what's going on there. He may be having personal issues which have him stressed. In any respect, flare ups within the team like this do not help pull everyone together for a playoff run. Terry Francona would be well advised to understand what's going on, and try to help, if possible, to keep the close camaraderie in the clubhouse going. No need to suspend anyone over a brief spat, just get to the bottom of the real issue, ease the problem as much as possible, and play ball.

(Photos Courtesy of Yahoo Sports)

Reds Beat Red Sox in Opener

The Cincinnati Reds took the first game of the three game series by the score of 3-1 yesterday. The game featured a good pitching match-up with Justin Masterson starting for the Red Sox against Aaron Harang for the Reds. Masterson has been terrific in his 5 starts for the Red Sox, and continued that excellence yesterday. He lasted 6 2/3 innings only allowing 3 runs, which is normally good for a win when you are a starter on the Red Sox. Unfortunately, Harang was just a bit better as he went 7 innings allowing only one run, an RBI single by Manny Ramirez to score Jacoby Ellsbury who had doubled in the fourth inning.

Reds' fans must feel encouraged today. Harang entered the season as the ace of their pitching staff, but has had a rather disappointing season thus far. Going into last night, Aaron had a record of 2-9, and had not had a win since May 12. Since then he has been struggling right up until his last start against the Marlins on June 8, when he gave up 7 earned runs in a 9-2 loss. But, last night, Harang pitched like the pitcher the Reds had expected him to be. Harang held the Red Sox to 4 hits, struck out 7, and did not walk anybody. The Red Sox do have a history of faring poorly against pitchers they have never faced, and that may very well have played in Harang's favor. Whatever the reason, he simply kept the Red Sox from getting any momentum, and spoiled a fine outing by Masterson.

Manny Ramirez had proclaimed that his leg felt good enough to play left field, and it was a good thing as he drove in the Sox' only run. But, late in the game he tweaked the hammy again and was replaced by Coco Crisp. Manny will sit out today's game, and the timing is not great with the Red Sox going up against Edinson Volquez (try saying that 5 times fast). Volquez is having a super season boasting a 9-2 record with a minuscule 1.56 ERA. That is not the type of pitcher you want to face with both Manny and David Ortiz out of the lineup. Not only are both of the Sox marquis sluggers sidelined, but there is no DH while playing in a National League park, so Tim Wakefield will be batting ninth. The Sox lineup will be significantly weakened.

The key to the Red Sox scoring runs today may be to leverage the speed this lineup can offer with both Ellsbury and Crisp in the outfield, and Julio Lugo at short. Those three can all create trouble on the bases. If they can get on, steal bases, get in scoring position, the Sox may be able to squeeze in a run here and there - particularly if JD Drew, Mike Lowell, and Kevin Youkilis decide to wage another game of who can hit the most home runs this year. All three are currently tied with 10 a piece. If the speedsters can get on base, the sluggers may be able to do some damage.

The last piece of the puzzle will be shutting down the Reds' offense. The Sox will have an excellent defensive alignment today, so it will come down to how effective Tim Wakefield's knuckle ball is. The Reds probably don't see very many knuckle balls, so if Wakefield can make it dance, he ought to have a solid outing.

Now get out there, get the lawn mowed, get your chores done, and head back in at 3:55 to watch the battle begin!

(Photos Courtesy of ESPN)

Red Sox Bullpen Stumbles in Loss to Orioles

The Red Sox bullpen had recently been on a good run of solid, consistent pitching. Until last night. Josh Beckett had an okay outing, but was far from stellar. He lasted 6 innings allowing 4 earned runs, and left the game holding on to a 6-4 lead. Hideki Okajima came in and looked terrible. He simply did not have his command last night. After striking out the lead-off batter, he issued a walk, gave up a double, and another walk to load the bases. Terry Francona left him in, hoping he could work out of the jam. He could not. Instead, he gave up a well hit single to Aubrey Huff that drove in 2 runs, tying the game at 6 runs a piece. Okajima has been a mystery this year. He'll go an outing or two looking just fine, and then blow up like last night. What seems to be coming clear, is that, when he is off his game, he is off. Therefore, Francona should have him on a shorter leash, at least for a while. If he gets in a serious jam, get him out, he does not have his stuff.

Manny Delcarmen did a very nice job of getting the Sox out of the 7th inning, and pitched a scoreless 8th inning. Then, Craig Hansen followed Okajima's lead and had a sloppy ninth inning, also giving up 3 runs (only two were earned) and putting the game out of reach. So, not a proud day for the bullpen.

The offense fared well, particularly JD Drew and Manny Ramirez who hit back to back home runs in the 5th inning. JD Drew has been doing a fabulous impersonation of David Ortiz ever since Ortiz went on the DL. Drew has been so dangerous, that Orioles' manager, Dave Trembley, had to make moves to the bullpen in the 7th inning to try and contain JD, sending in the left handed pitcher, Jamie Walker, who was able to strike Drew out. Manny has also been on a tear ever since hitting his 500th home run in Baltimore. Yesterday, the Red Sox honored Manny's historic home run in a pre-game ceremony, and Manny later sent home run number 505 over the Monster.

Jacoby Ellsbury was back in the lineup, playing left field, for the first time since spraining his wrist last week. The wrist was still tender, and you could see him wince when we would swing and miss at the plate. I would not be surprised if he gets tonight off to ensure he does not suffer a setback. In the past, my only criticism of Ellsbury has been that he has not yet gotten comfortable playing fly balls right up against the wall. Based on last night, that is still the case as he jumped up in front of the Green Monster to try and snare a fly ball. The catch would have ended the inning, but, while it was catchable, Ellsbury missed it by a foot and two runs scored. It was certainly a tough play, but one he has yet to get comfortable making. Coco Crisp, on the other hand, is quite adept at snaring balls up on the outfield fence, and did so in center field last night to end the 4th inning in dramatic style. Maybe he can work with Ellsbury to help fill that last gap in the kid's development.

Tonight, the Sox will have their work cut out for them as they face the left handed Garrett Olson tonight. Olson has been the Orioles' toughest pitcher this year. He faced the Red Sox once this year on May 31 out in Baltimore. He gave up back to back solo home runs to Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz, but allowed only one other hit in the 5 innings he pitched. If he is able to keep the Sox run production down, Bartolo Colon will have to pick up his game and keep pace. A native of the Dominican Republic, I imagine Colon is comfortable in hot weather. Tonight, he'll certainly have hot weather on his side. We can certainly use a solid outing from the big guy.

(Photos Courtesy of ESPN)

JD Drew Leads Red Sox to Victory

JD Drew continues to swing a hot bat, and has done so ever since David Ortiz headed to the disabled list. While (some) fans instantly began formulating crazy plans to replace Papi (Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, and others were bantered about), JD Drew has been picking his game up and making those discussions irrelevant. Last night Drew was a double shy of hitting for the cycle. He went 3 for 5, with a home run, a triple, and a single. The two outs he made were hard hit line drives right at people. Fans got on Drew's case last year, when he clearly underperformed. However, we all know he was dealing with some pretty stressful personal situations, with his wife being pregnant, and his son going through serious medical issues. This year, it appears that is all behind him, and we are seeing what he can really do.

But, last night was not only the JD Drew story. Tim Wakefield pitched a nice game, getting the win as he went 7 solid innings, only allowing 2 runs in the third inning. Craig Hansen is also settling into his role well, and pitched a scoreless 8th inning before handing the ball to Papelbon with an 11-3 lead in the 9th. Papelbon pitched the ninth to get some work in, not because he was needed to close the door. He started the inning looking as if he knew this was no biggie. But, that's the mentality that gets closers in trouble. After a rare error by Kevin Youkilis at first, who misplayed a throw from Alex Cora at second, Papelbon gave up a single that allowed a run to score. Papelbon seemed to realize he was in danger of getting too sloppy, and quickly bore down and got the next 3 outs on a pair of strikeouts, and a fly ball to JD Drew in right.

Kevin Youkilis finally committed an error at first base, his first error at the position since July 4, 2006. 238 games later, Youk finally drops a ball. Congratulations to Youk, as his streak set a major league record. Since moving from third base to first base, he has really proven himself to be a solid, versatile infielder.

Manny Ramirez also kept up the heroics with home run number 504. Manny is still resting a tender hamstring, but was back in the lineup at DH. Coco Crisp was also in the lineup again, and added two stolen bases. With Jacoby Ellsbury out nursing a sore wrist, Crisp has been filling in as a terror on the bases. All in all, the Sox earned a convincing win yesterday, which is needed to shake off the crazy Rays series.

This afternoon, the Sox play their last game of the DVD Giveaway Contest. This is still a close battle, and with Jacoby Ellsbury not in the starting lineup, the lowest base stealing guesses will earn the most points. A win or loss will also make a difference. With many people guessing 4 wins, a loss gives them all 5 points, but a win today gives the few people who guessed 5 wins an edge. Runs and home runs are both settled in the middle. A high scoring game today could produce a dramatic swing in the final standings! Good luck to you all!

(Photos Courtesy of ESPN)

Sox Sweep Rays as Emotions Boil Over

Yesterday I wondered if Joe Maddon would follow in Lou Piniella's footsteps and retaliate for Coco Crisp's hard slide into second base the night before, or if Joe would keep a level head and focus on leading his Rays to a win over the Red Sox to regain first place in the AL East. That question was answered quickly last night when Coco came up to bat in the second inning. Tampa starter, James Shields, fired his first pitch right at Crisp, grazing his leg as Crisp jumped out of the way. Crisp was waiting for that, and charged the mound setting off a bench clearing brawl. Thankfully, no one was hurt in the scuffle that ensued. Who is right and who is wrong in all of this? I'll tell you. Everyone was wrong, no one involved was right.

Let's start with Coco. When he slid into second base last night and shortstop, Jason Bartlett, blocked the bag with his leg, Coco jammed his thumb. Bartlett's blocking of the bag with his leg was not incredibly honorable, but not illegal. If the runner slides in feet first, you won't see it happen. However, I don't believe Jason was trying to hurt Crisp in any way, he was only trying to ensure the out. Crisp over-reacted, and for some reason let that mild offense just eat at him. Later in the game, he had set his mind on revenge. Now, on his next attempted steal, if Bartlett was again covering the bag, and Crisp slid in hard to take him out, that would not be so bad - eye for an eye. I don't even think Bartlett would have been surprised, and as long as no one got hurt, it probably would have ended with a few choice words. But, Iwamura covered that bag, not Bartlett. This did not matter to Coco - he jammed his thumb - someone was going to pay. First big mistake. Coco did slide in hard, and the Rays took offense, BUT, no one got hurt, Crisp made his point, and the Rays got to tell the world what a jerk Crisp was.

That brings us to last night. Joe Maddon obviously gave the green light to plunk Crisp. A win last night would have put the Rays in first place. Perhaps Joe thought back to the battle between Jason Varitek and A-Rod a few years ago and how that seemed to spark the Red Sox. Maybe. But Joe, throwing at a batter intentionally, and knowing it would incite a riot, would surely get your starter ejected from the game. Why do that in the second inning? Why not wait until late in the game? As it went, Shields did get ejected, and Maddon had to use 6 pitchers to get through the game - a convincing 7-1 spanking. Lucky the riot did not injure anyone Joe! Shields did do one thing right. He threw at Crisp's thigh area - not his head.

Why Crisp got so hot headed over all this is a mystery. He has generally been very calm and rational since joining the Red Sox. Crisp let it eat him up the day before and carried in to last night's game, just waiting for the fireworks to begin. Either he has a bad temper that rarely comes out, or he has some pent up issues that have been waiting to burst out (sharing time with Ellsbury maybe?). Crisp also knew that he'd be ejected. With Big Papi already out, and Manny Ramirez nursing a sore hamstring, why get yourself thrown from the game? He could have taken the first base, stolen second (feet first) and third and scored. At that point you glare back to say - "take that!". But, no, he goes and gets thrown out of the game, and will likely be suspended.

The bizarre night continued when Manny and Kevin Youkilis got into some kind of fight between innings in the Red Sox dugout and had to be separated. We may never learn what incited that one, but something odd is going on here. If not for that foolish incident, I may have crowned Manny the hero of the game. He did go 2 for 3, hit a 3 run home run, and a two RBI single filling in for Big Papi as the DH. But, fighting in the dugout strips you of that award. Manny was also removed in the 7th inning when he tweaked his hamstring jumping back from an inside pitch. He went to first and wanted to stay in the game, but Francona wisely pulled him, just to be safe. Apparently, he is doing okay, and I expect he'll be in the lineup as DH again tonight.

But the hero of the game, in my book, was Jon Lester. Lester pitched a very nice game, allowing only one run in 6 1/3 innings, giving up 8 hits. but no walks and 5 strike outs. Lester wins the hero award, not only for pitching well, but for playing with intensity, but appearing oblivious to all the craziness around him. Case in point...in the fourth inning, Cliff Floyd came up to bat. Lester threw a pitch inside that came close to hitting him. Floyd jerked back and avoided the pitch with relative ease, but with tensions already stretched, that was the sort of thing that could set another melee in motion. Floyd squared his shoulders, puffed up a bit, and glared at Lester taking a slight move towards the mound - trying to judge Lester's intent. Lester was a rock. He stood his ground, stared right back, but not with an malice whatsoever. He stared back as a competitor, as if to say, "are you done now, can you get back in the box so I can strike you out?". Lester was not to be intimidated, and Floyd saw that. He crawled back into the batters' box and did indeed strike out. On his return to the dugout, he glared at Lester the whole way. Lester did not even notice - he had a game to play. "This is not hockey", he thought, "this is baseball. I'll do my talking with my pitches". He kept up his intensity all game. He even hit two batters as the game progressed, but made it clear through his demeanor that neither was with intent. Hero of the game, Jon Lester.

But wait, there's more. Also in the 4th inning, Jacoby Ellsbury made a sweet diving catch of a ball hit to center field. As he slid, his glove rolled under, much like what happened to JD Drew earlier in the season, and he sprained his wrist. Ellsbury came out of the game. His wrist is sore but seems to be structurally intact. I expect he'll get a day or so to rest it, depending on how it feels each day. With Manny's hammy hurting, Crisp ejected, and now Ellsbury out, Francona looked down his bench and did not see any outfielders he could send in. So, for the second time this season, Kevin Youkilis was recruited to play right field, Chris Carter (also primarily a first baseman) was already playing left field in Coco's absence. I wager that may be the first time in Sox history the outfield corner positions were both being manned by first basemen.

With the outfield situation looking questionable, the Sox had to, unfortunately, send Chris Carter back to Pawtucket after the game in order to call up Brandon Moss, an actual outfielder. Carter enjoyed his first games ever in the majors. Last night he had two hits and scored two runs, and will hopefully get a chance to contribute some more in the future.

Tonight, our Great Hispanic Hope, Bartolo colon, goes for his fourth win for the Sox. I'm not sure I feel confident about this one. There are a couple of things that worry me. The first is the mental and physical state of the Red Sox. Can they mentally settle back down and get back to solid baseball tonight? And how will Manny's hamstring and Ellsbury's wrist affect the lineup? If they are both out, it will hurt quite a bit. Also, the Mariners are on a 4 game losing streak, and have their best starter, Felix Hernandez, going tonight. Losing streaks always end, and number one starters are usually the ones to end them. Hopefully, the Sox got a good night's sleep, and Brandon Moss comes up with energy to give them a spark to get right back on the attack. The Mariners are in possession of the worst record in baseball right now. Let's keep it that way!

(Photos Courtesy of ESPN)

Red Sox Inch Closer to First Place with Win over the Rays

I was incredibly fortunate to get the opportunity to attend the game last night in one of the corporate luxury boxes on the EMC Level (a million thanks to Jen for the invitation!). It was my first time in a luxury box, and I have to say, it is pretty darned nice! Plenty of great food and drink, comfortable seating indoors with a 50" flat screen TV, and cushioned seats outside with an incredible view that makes you feel like you are hovering right over the field. I could get very used to watching games there! Especially well played games in perfect weather!

Heading in to the game, Tampa Bay was all alone in first place in the AL East, 1 1/2 games ahead of Boston. Today, they are still in first place, but clinging to a scant 1/2 game lead and having to face Red Sox' ace, Josh Beckett tonight. Many people have been doubting how long the Rays can stay in the hunt for a playoff spot, and expect them to begin to fade - but when? To me, it looked like the fade began last night.

Justin Masterson took the mound in place of the injured Dice-K for his third call up from the minors this season. Masterson was not quite as sharp as he had been in his previous two outings, but he was good enough to earn his second win, lasting 6 innings and giving up 4 runs. If it were not for Carlos Pena, Justin's stats would have looked much better. Pena doubled in the 4th on a hard hit to deep right field that hopped the wall and drove in a runner from second base. That was just a prelude to the 6th inning when Pena let loose with an incredible upper cut swing that cleared the right field fence for a two run home run. The only other damage that Masterson allowed was a lead off home run to Akinori Iwamura - the fourth lead off home run of his career - three of those coming against the Red Sox!

The Game had been a back and forth battle until the Sox took charge for good in the 6th inning. In the second inning, Mike Lowell sent a drive into the Green Monster seats with Manny Ramirez on first base to take a 2-1 lead. The Rays tied it at 2 on Carlos Pena's double in the fourth, but JD Drew answered right back with a solo home run that was crushed to right field. The fun thing about that home run is that, after carefully reviewing the replays, I saw that the ball landed right in my usual seats in right field! Doesn't that figure? Pena's homer in the 6th put the Rays back on top, and it looked like Masterson would not get a win for his efforts.

But, the Sox came through in the bottom of the 6th scoring 4 runs. Kevin Youkilis had reached first after being hit by a pitch. Then Manny Ramirez hit a hard grounder to short. We watched in amazement as Manny charged hard to first. His effort must have startled shortstop Jason Bartlett who bobbled the ball before firing to first. The hustling Manny beat the throw by half a step! Rays' starter, Matt Garza, had pitched well, but was tiring. We could see that, but manager Joe Maddon apparently could not. He watched from the dugout as Garza walked JD Drew to load the bases with one out for Jason Varitek. 'Tek singled up the middle to drive in Youk, and Coco Crisp stepped up to the plate. Still no movement from Maddon, but Garza was clearly done. Crisp took advantage and laced a drive the opposite way, down the left field line and off the wall. Two runs scored as Crisp settled easily into second base for a double.

Finally, Joe Maddon (a student of Grady Little no doubt?) decided to go to the bullpen. So, who does he bring in to pitch? Grant Balfour! Of all the unfortunate last names for a pitcher to inherit. you know he asks himself all the time, "why can't our surname be Strikethree?". True to his heritage, Balfour tossed four straight bals (European spelling) to Julio Lugo for a walk to load the bases. Jacoby Ellsbury hit a deep fly to center that allowed Varitek to easily tag and score from third. The score was now 7-4, and would remain that way until the end.

We also got to witness some managerial chess moves in the 8th inning. Joe Maddon saw Jonathan Papelbon warming up in the bullpen and knew the 8th inning would be his last chance to score, so he pulled out all his moves. Terry Francona had sent in the left handed Javier Lopez to start the 8th. Evan Longoria, a right hander, was leading off the inning, but Maddon's lineup had three straight left handed batters up next. Perfect time for Terry to take advantage and send a lefty pitcher in. Lopez walked Longoria, and Maddon made his first move. He replaced Cliff Floyd with switch hitting Willy Aybar to bat right handed. With two more lefties coming up, Francona stuck with Lopez. Maddon's move worked as Aybar hit a single off Lopez. Then, Maddon made his next move, sending the right handed Jonny Gomes to bat for Eric Hinske. By now, Francona had caught on to the pattern, and replaced Lopez with the right handed Craig Hansen. Maddon had one more move to make. Before Hansen could throw a single pitch, Maddon sent in the left handed Carl Crawford to hit for Gomes. With only one player left on the Tampa Bay bench, the moves ended, and so did the inning as Hansen collected three straight outs to get the game moving again.

Maddon was right to fear the ninth. Papelbon came in like Zeus throwing lightning bolts from Mount Olympus. He struck out the pesky Iwamura on four straight pitches of 99, 98, 99, and 99 miles per hour! He followed that up with three pitches to Dioner Navarro that hit 100, 99, and 99 miles per hour. The ball was nearly invisible as it sped to the plate - amazing the hitters could see it at all. Navarro grounded out, and B.J. Upton struck out swinging to prompt Dirty Water to start playing across Fenway and send the crowd home happy.

Late in the game, we got to see a potential NFL running back candidate display his talents. A (foolish) fan leaped the fence near the Pesky Pole in right field and came running across the field. Security guards immediately took off in pursuit, but the fan was fast and had moves. Every time they were about to grab him, he'd zig, zag, and speed out of harm's way. Of course, there is a limited amount of space to run, so as he approached the fence along the third base line (he made it that far!), he leaped the fence, but right into the waiting arms of the law. Hopefully Bill Belichick got an opportunity to review the film so the night in jail was not a waste.

And how about our friends from the Bronx? Last night they opened a new chapter in their storied pitching history as they sent young phenom Joba Chamberlain out to the mound for his first start in a Yankee uniform. Joba has been quite impressive pitching in relief out of the bullpen, but Yankees owner, Hank Steinbrenner, insisted that he would be better served helping out the Yankees' struggling starters. The new chapter turned out to be a short one. Joba the Hut needed 38 pitches to get through the first inning and was removed not too long after, with one out in the 3rd. He gave up 2 runs, and left with the game tied, but did not do much to worry the Blue Jays, who proceeded to stomp on the Yankees' relief squad on their way to a 9-3 victory that give the Yanks sole possession of last place. Tough luck guys. And no, Bartolo Colon is not for sale.

Weather permitting, the Sox will look to jump over the Rays tonight to re-take first place. With Beckett on the mound, the chances look good. Manny Ramirez had been dealing with some hamstring soreness, and took over the DH spot last night in place of David Ortiz. If Manny's legs need more rest, expect more of the same tonight. But, Francona likes to get new guys into the lineup quickly, so I would not be surprised if Chris Carter gets in the game tonight. Carter is not much of a defensive player, but swings a big bat. If Manny is up for playing left field tonight, Carter will likely DH.

Finally, thanks to all the contest entrants, and there are a number of you. Look to the top right of this page to track progress. Although it is meaningless, if we scored the guesses as of today, our pal, Insight would be the winner. We'll see how long he can hold that lead.

(Photos Courtesy of ESPN)

Orioles Avoid Sweep - Knock Out Okajima in 8th

Last night, the Orioles saved some face in front of the home town crowd by beating the Red Sox 6-3. With Tim Wakefield on the mound for Boston, Baltimore decided to steal a page from Jacoby Ellsbury and come out running. With one out in the first inning the running started. Brian Roberts, who had reached first base on a single, stole second base, and quickly proceeded to steal third base, setting himself up to score. Melvin Mora ended up walking and Orioles' clean up batter, Aubrey Huff, stepped in. Huff worked the count to 2-2, and then struck out looking at the next pitch. But on that very pitch, Mora took off for second and was gunned down by Kevin Cash for the third out. The running game was putting pressure on the Sox, but it was not effective at scoring runs yet.

In the second inning, Luke Scott hit a single to right field, and thought he'd avoid the whole steal situation by stretching the single into a double. But, JD Drew is no longer suffering the effects of vertigo has had last week and gunned down Scott at second base. The O's manufactured two runs in the 4th inning, but that is all they would get from Tim Wakefield, who had a good night, lasting through the 7th inning, kindly giving the bullpen a much needed rest.

Meanwhile, the Sox had slowly managed to inch their way back into the game. Manny Ramirez got the first run on the board when he hit a solo home run in the 6th inning (didn't I tell you Manny would go on a tear for a while?). In the 7th, Kevin Cash hit a double that scored Alex Cora from first to tie the game. The Sox threatened to blow the game open in the 8th inning. Kevin Youkillis started the inning with a walk, Manny singled, and a passed ball moved them up to second and third. A Mike Lowell single scored Youkilis and sent Manny to third base. Then, JD Drew hit a ground ball to short, and Manny took off for home, only to be gunned down for the first out. Coco Crisp walked to load the bases for Alex Cora, but Alex ripped a ground ball to third base that Melvin Mora converted into an inning ending double play.

With the Sox now on top 3-2 heading into the 8th inning, it looked like a good situation. Hideki Okajima will pitch the 8th, and Papelbon will get a save in the ninth, right? Well, games are played on the field, not on paper, and this one did not look like it did on paper. For whatever reason, Okajima just did not have his stuff last night. He started off the inning surrendering back to back to back singles to load the bases with no outs. Kevin Millar followed with a sacrifice fly to center field that tied the game at 3. The next play was interesting. Luke Scott hit a grounder to Youk who fired to third baseman, Mike Lowell to trap Melvin Mora between home and third. Mora was out, the score was still tied, and the Sox now had two outs. Just one out away from keeping the score tied. Unfortunately, Okajima was not up to the task last night, and Terry Francona was unable to recognize that. Okajima walked the next batter to load the bases for Adam Jones. Jones launched a screaming double that cleared the bases and ended the Sox hopes to come back to Boston 5-5 on the road trip.

Instead, they return 4-6 on the trip and find themselves 1 1/2 games behind tonight's opponent, the Tampa Bay Rays. The Sox now get to battle the Rays in a fight for first place on their territory. The Sox, without Daisuke Matsuzaka, will turn once again to Justin Masterson, hoping he holds on to his rookie magic. Masterson has been called up twice for the Sox this year, and has pitched well in both starts. But, Tampa will counter with Matt Garza, who is having himself a very nice year, currently boasting a 4-1 record.

The Sox will also be without their slugger, David Ortiz, who will be sent to the Disabled List (DL) for the first time this season. Ortiz had an MRI on his strained wrist and doctors discovered a partial tear in a tendon sheath. Not good news, and tendons are slow healers. The optimistic expectation is that Papi will be out for two weeks, but could be a month. With Dice-K currently on the DL, the Sox had called up Jeff Bailey from Pawtucket to add some batter power to the bench. Bailey would have been sent back to the PawSox tonight to make room for Masterson. However, with Papi out, the Sox can keep Bailey in Boston, or they could opt for another swap and call up Brandon Moss, who has had success with Boston earlier this season.

We'll find out about those moves prior to tonight's 7:05 start time, which is also last call for the DVD Giveaway Contest! So, if you want a shot at winning this great DVD, get an entry in before the first pitch.

(Photos Courtesy of ESPN)

Red Sox Power Past Orioles 9-4

In yesterday's post, I speculated that Manny Ramirez would be able to relax and start terrorizing pitchers after finally getting home run number 500 behind him. It only took one day for Manny to back that up, going 3 for 5 with a single, an RBI double, and a two run home home, his 501st. Once Manny gets comfortable and just focuses on hitting, he is dangerous. Mike Lowell rode on Manny's tailwind in the 4th inning following Manny's home run with one of his own.


The other offensive surge came from JD Drew. Drew had been out for a couple of games trying to shake off a case of vertigo. It appears he shook it off just fine going 2 for 3 with a 2 run home run of his own in the 7th inning to seal the game for Boston. JD also drove in the first run of the game in the second inning with a sacrifice fly. I hope Red Sox nation has put JD Drew's sub-par 2007 season behind them and noticed that he has been very steady this season and a key contributor, both offensively and defensively.

I also speculated yesterday that Bartolo Colon would be allowed to reach 100 pitches. In fact, he went to 103 pitches before being relieved in the 7th inning, and earned his third win in three starts this year. His stuff was not quite as electric in this outing, and he had some trouble keeping the ball down in the zone. But, the results were good, and if he bounces back with no ill effects from the 103 pitch outing (his longest of the year, including in Pawtucket), then the signs are good that he may be able to contribute at a high level all season. Let's keep our fingers crossed, because we all know how valuable a solid starting rotation is - just ask the Yankees.

Through all of this, the Red Sox are still stuck in second place behind the surging Tampa Bay Rays. Who would have predicted that the upcoming series against Tampa would be so meaningful? Good time to remind you to join in on the contest to win a free Red Sox DVD - but your entry in the contest must be received by the first pitch of the Tuesday night game against Tampa Bay. It is a fun set up, so I hope you join in! The DVD is well worth it too!

Tonight Tim Wakefield gets to prove, yet again, why he belongs in the starting rotation. The Red Sox have the Orioles against the ropes. It is always hard to sweep a four game series, but this one feels ripe for the sweeping!

(Photos Courtesy of ESPN)

Red Sox Win with Power and Speed

The Red Sox won their second straight game, 6-3, over the Baltimore Orioles last night. Manny Ramirez stole all the headlines in the 7th inning when he launched a 410 foot home run, the 500th of his career. Manny has been anxious about getting past this historic milestone, and admitted he has been swinging for the fences to get it over with. Now that he has accomplished the feat, I assure you, he will relax, settle in to his swing, and start terrorizing opposing pitchers for a while!

The game had been an interesting back and forth battle. The Orioles scored first, squeezing in two runs off of Red Sox starter, Jon Lester. The Red Sox countered with back to back solo home runs by Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz in the top of the 3rd inning. Brian Roberts hit a solo home run off of Lester in the 5th inning to regain the lead for Baltimore, but the Red Sox answered right back when Jason Varitek singled home Kevin Youkilis in the top of the 6th inning to tie the game at 3.

Jacoby Ellsbury was, once again, a terror on the bases. Unfortunately, the Red Sox have been failing to take advantage of the opportunities Ellsbury has given them. I have the feeling that Baltimore starter, Garrett Olson, had been obsessing about Ellsbury's speed prior to the game. He was so worried about Ellsbury getting on, that he walked him on four straight pitches to start the game. Once on first base, the left handed Olson could hardly focus on the batter, staring down Ellsbury, and firing pick off attempts to first. Olson's fourth pick-off attempt sailed away from Kevin Millar and Ellsbury was handed second base on the error. Having Ellsbury at second changed the defense for Baltimore. With David Ortiz at the plate, Baltimore will shift the defense towards the right, with the third baseman basically playing shortstop. However, with the threat of Ellsbury stealing third, the third baseman had to cheat back to third, leaving a huge gap at short for Ortiz. Additionally, the shortstop had to hover around second base to try to keep Ellsbury from getting too big of a lead. None of this would end up mattering, as Ortiz watched the next pitch go by for a (terrible) called strike, and Ellsbury took off with the pitch and stole third base easily. After all that work to get to third base, Manny Ramirez flied out to (deep) center field to end the inning.

Fast forward to the 5th inning. With one out, Olson again walks Ellsbury, and this time Ellsbury swiped second base. With Ellsbury now in scoring position, Dustin Pedroia flied out to left for the second out. Big Papi came up to the plate, and Ellsbury wanted to increase the odds of scoring, so he quickly stole third base. The kid can sure fly out there! But, alas, Papi followed Pedroia's lead and ended the inning with a fly ball to left.

But, Ellsbury is not one to give up. In the 7th inning, Ellsbury lead off with a long line drive to the right-center field gap that one-hopped the wall. Orioles' outfielders were on the scene instantly, and most mortal players would have held up for a double. But, Ellsbury never even slowed down, leaving a cloud of dust as he passed over second base. He slid into third base, but there was no need. No throw would be coming from the Orioles - Jacoby was safe on third, with no outs. Ellsbury had been stranded on third twice so far, would this be a third time? Dustin Pedroia hit a soft grounder to Alex Cintron at shortstop. Cintron looked Ellsbury back to third and fired to Millar for the first out. Ellsbury began to get concerned. The Orioles sent in left-hander, Jamie Walker, to pitch to Ortiz. Ortiz got a piece of a slider and sent it high into mid-left field, drifting towards the foul line. Left fielder, Jay Payton, had plenty of time to get to the ball, position himself well, and prepare for a throw home. Not a good situation for a base runner. Ellsbury, fearing this may be his one and only chance to score, decided to trust his fleet feet. Payton caught the ball, Ellsbury sprinted home. Payton, in perfect position, threw a perfect throw home that took one short hop to the waiting glove of catcher Ramon Hernandez. 99.9% of players would have been out by a mile, but Ellsbury, somehow, was arriving at the plate at the exact same time as the ball. Just as the ball tried to settle in to the glove, Ellsbury was sliding in. Knowing he had only a fraction of a second to apply the tag, Hernandez rushed, just a bit, and the ball slipped away. Ellsbury was safe - he manufactured his own run, and the Sox now lead 4-3.

Enough drama for one night? Not really. It turns out, Ellsbury could have just waited one more batter and jogged home on the back of Manny Ramirez' 500th home run! Chad Bradford went in to pitch to Manny. He only threw one pitch - an 82 mph fastball right down the middle. Manny's eyes lit up, the bat roared through the zone, and for one split fraction of a second, the round ball was hammered flat. A second later it was on its way to history as Manny sat back and watched it sail through the night sky into the outfield seats. Manny was fortunate to hit the historic home run in front of the Red Sox faithful. That's right, 48, 281 fans were at the game last night, and my rough estimate is that 30,000 of them were Red Sox fans. There were "let's go Red Sox" chants all night long echoing through downtown Baltimore. And when that home run landed and became official, the crowd went crazy - just as loud as it would have been at Fenway Park.

This afternoon, the Red Sox go for three in a row behind the third outing of the season for Bartolo Colon. Colon has looked terrific in his first two starts, both of them wins. As his strength builds, we should see Francona letting his pitch count get higher - possibly nearing 100 pitches tonight, presuming he keeps the Sox in the game.

The one case of bad news for the Sox came in the ninth inning last night as David Ortiz strained his wrist on a swing and had to be replaced by Sean Casey. The injury appears to be mild, but expect Papi to get a day or two off to let the wrist heal.

(Photos Courtesy of ESPN)

Red Sox Road Woes Continue

Yesterday's 4-3 loss to the Seattle Mariners was somewhat inevitable. If you follow baseball long enough, you come to understand that everything likes to settle into its place over time. Streaks do not last, neither the positive ones nor the negative ones, and patterns will develop over time. That is why so many people get obsessed with baseball statistics and numbers, because they do ultimately have a story to tell. Last night was no exception.

The Seattle Mariners were on a 7 game losing streak, holders of the worst record in baseball, and facing the World Champion Red Sox. What happens? They win, and break the losing streak. The Red Sox had Daisuke Matsuzaka starting the game. Dice-K was undefeated at 8-0 in 10 starts prior to the game. Pattern? No decision - 4 straight wins - no decision - 4 straight wins. So what happens? No decision. Manny Ramirez had been on a streak of 45 at-bats without a home run, and broke the streak with a 3 run bomb to tie the game in the 6th inning. Manny's home run was the 499th of his career. He hit home run #400 in May of 2005 at Safeco Field, and has a chance to hit #500 there tonight. Stats all settling in to their resting places.

But, not all streaks were due to expire last night. Mike Timlin entered the game with a record of 0-5 at Safeco Field, and left the game with a record of 0-6. The Sox and Mariners battled to a stalemate 3-3 tie until the bottom of the ninth inning. Timlin did not really pitch too badly, but the Mariners clawed their way to a run anyway. Wladimir Balentien started the inning with a ground ball that Alex Cora, at shortstop, was able to stop but had no play on. Miguel Cairo bunted him to second for the first out, and Jeremy Reed grounded to Dustin Pedroia for the second out, which moved Balentien to third base. With two outs, Ichiro Suzuki stepped up to the plate. Ichiro was already 2-4 on the night, and has been giving the Red Sox fits so far in this series. The Red Sox wisely opted to intentionally walk Ichiro, only needing one out to send the game into extra innings. But, Jose Lopez was not willing to cooperate. Timlin left a fastball a little too high on the inside part of the plate, and Lopez ripped it down the third base line for the game winning hit.

Other than Manny's home run, the Red Sox offense was silent. Seattle starter, Miguel Batista (who eerily resembles Bernie Williams), was expected to be clobbered by the relentless Red Sox lineup. But, Batista pitched his best game of the season lasting 7 full innings surrendering only 5 hits, the only runs coming on Manny's home run. Sean Casey, filling in for the injured Kevin Youkilis, was the exception as he went 3-4 last night. But, while Casey did his best to get on base, he had absolutely no help from his pals. There was no one for Casey to drive in, as the three batters before him went a combined 0-12, and there was no one to drive him in as the two batters behind him went 0-8.

The concern last night is for Matsuzaka's shoulder. Dice-K reported that he felt "wrong" all night, even prior to the game. Terry Francona removed him after 4 innings, and it is being reported that he has a "tired shoulder". Well, with all the walks he's given up, of course he has a tired shoulder! There is no word yet on what this will mean. Dice-K is to be examined today and determine a course of action. As we've spoken about here, it is a good thing to have extra pitching. If Dice-K needs time off, you can expect Clay Buchholz will be called back up to take his next start. That is a good situation for the Red Sox. One starter goes down, another quality starter can step up.

Speaking of starters, tonight Tim Wakefield will try to turn his own fortunes around. Wake has been shaky in two of his last three starts. Wonder about stats and streaks? Wakefield has never won a game at Safeco Field, going 0-2 in 6 outings there. A streak is like fruit. When it is ripe, it will fall. Is Wakefield's winless streak at Safeco ripe yet? Let's hope so!

Predictions for tonight - all on gut feel...

Wakefield goes 6 2/3 innings, gives up 3 runs, gets the win.
Manny hits HR #500 prior to Wakefield's departure - ensuring him the victory.
Jacoby Ellsbury starts the game - goes head to head with Ichiro to see who can steal the most bases.

(Photos Courtesy of Yahoo Sports)

What Manny was Really Doing

In last night's 6-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles, Manny Ramirez provided the entertainment with another memorable "Manny Moment". In the fourth inning with runners on first and second and one out, old pal, Kevin Millar, hit a deep fly ball to left that looked like a sure double. Both runners took off, confident the ball would drop in for a hit. Manny raced back and to his left and somehow managed to catch up to the ball, catching it at full speed heading towards the outfield wall with about three strides to go before reaching it. Manny let his momentum carry him to the wall, planted a foot on the wall and pushed off, propelling high up enough to reach the fans. In fact, sitting in the front row, right in front of Manny, was a fan in a Red Sox shirt. While he was there, it appeared that Manny gave the fan a quick "high five" before dropping back down to the field. Meanwhile, there was still a play going on, as that was only the second out. The runner from first was now between second and third and racing to get back to first base before Manny noticed. Manny fired a throw to Dustin Pedroia, who relayed the ball to Kevin Youkilis to complete the double play and end the inning.

Now, most people wonder what the heck Manny was doing high fiving a fan in the middle of a play, but the Rational Sox Fan has the inside scoop for you loyal readers. A "source" (who will not be named, but is the same source Boston Herald reporter, John Tomase, used for his piece about the Patriot's filming of the Rams pre-Super Bowl practice session) happened to be at the game and provided the information. Apparently, as Manny was chasing the ball down, the fan in the Red Sox shirt was heard yelling, "Manny, I'll give you ten dollars if you make that catch!!", and held a ten dollar bill in his outstretched hand. Manny apparently heard the shout, made the catch, and leaped up to snag the ten dollars from the generous fan. If you watch the replays closely, you can see Manny slip the bill inconspicuously from the fan's hand. Very clever move - and very entertaining. But, now you know the inside story.

Jon Lester pitched a pretty good game, holding the Orioles scoreless until the 6th inning when a single, double, and another single put two runs on the board for Baltimore. He got out of the inning, striking out Aubrey Huff and Millar, and had only thrown 86 pitches to that point, but Brad Mills, filling in for Terry Francona for the night, opted to go to the bullpen to start the 7th inning.

Javier Lopez started the 7th, and did a nice job. He got the first two batters out and induced Freddie Bynum to hit, what looked like, an inning ending ground ball to Pedroia. Pedroia, uncharacteristically misplayed the ball and Bynum was safe at first. Somehow the official scorer did not see the play as an error, but the play would be the beginning of the Sox' downfall. At this point, the Sox were holding on to a 3-2 lead, thanks to solo home runs by Mike Lowell and Jason Varitek and a single by Pedroia that plated Jacoby Ellsbury from second base in the 1st inning.

Now, cue up the funeral march music as it all unravels. The left handed batters had passed, so Brad Mills got Lopez out and sent in Craig Hansen in to get the quick out and hold the lead. But, Hansen instead gave up a single and a walk to load the bases and make things interesting. Mills apparently was uncomfortable with the situation, and decided to go for the "sure thing" and sent Hideki Okajima in to replace Hansen. What Mills failed to notice in making his decision was that Okajima has been awful this season when he enters a game with inherited runners. Going into that inning, He had allowed 8 of 11 inherited runners to score this year. Those runs get charged to the pitcher who put the runners on base, so Okajima's ERA stays nice and low. But, we've discussed here how Okajima does does not have the same success as when he comes in with bases empty. Well, Jay Payton liked the second pitch Okajima threw, an 85 mph fastball, and planted in the outfield stands for an Orioles inspiring, and Red Sox deflating, grand slam. Now that the bases were empty, Okajima felt more comfortable and got the final out of the inning, and pitched a 1-2-3 8th inning.

The Sox were out of time, out of energy, and done for this game. So, the Sox still struggle to find pitching relief that can handle the 6th and 7th innings effectively and consistently. Hansen may still be that guy, but not last night. And please, let's hold off on bringing Okajima into an inning with runners in scoring position for a while!

In other news, Clay Buchholz has been placed on the 15 day disabled list (DL) because of a split fingernail. Now, I know fingernails are important in controlling the ball on certain pitches, but 15 days to heal sounds excessive for a fingernail. There is a possibility that this move is partly to let Buchholz heal, partly to give him a rest and help him through his first full season, but could also be partly to set up a scenario to call up Bartolo Colon. If my sources are correct, Colon would get one more start in with the Pawsox, and then his next start would be set for Tuesday. The Sox would need a replacement for Buchholz on Tuesday. Coincidence? Maybe, maybe not.

So, the Sox head home having lost 6 out of 10 games on this road trip and get today off as they limp back to Boston. Tomorrow they kick off three games against their one-time AL East rival Milwaukee Brewers. They were a team we were used to kicking around pretty well, other than their one shining year in 1982 when they made their one and only World Series appearance, which they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals. In 1994, the Brewers left the AL East and joined the AL Central when MLB added the third division, and in 1998 the Brewers joined the NL, and have not been seen around these parts since. The Brewers are at .500 right now, and let's hope they play more like the hapless Brewers of the 70's and the Sox can get a couple of wins under out of them.

(Photos courtesy of Yahoo Sports) (Source shall remain nameless ;-)

Red Sox Crawl Out of Minnesota

The Red Sox lost by a score of 7-3 last night to the Minnesota Twins. After just having won three out of four from the Tigers, the Sox have now lost three out of four to the Twins to break even on the current 10 game road trip. Last night it was Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz who got things going in the first inning. Coco Crisp lead off the game with a double (and he was not even using his powerful pink bat), Dustin Pedroia bunted him over to third (what better player for some small ball than little Dustin Pedroia?), and David Ortiz singled to score Crisp. Manny followed Ortiz with a long shot over the 'Hefty Bag' right field wall for his 498th career home run. When Manny is hitting with power to the opposite field, it is a sign he is getting in a groove. Watch for him to have a hot week or so.

With the Sox opening the game with a 3-0 lead, things looked promising for the Boston nine. But, unfortunately those were all the runs the Sox would score, as Minnesota was able to keep the Sox off the scoreboard behind the crafty pitching of Livan Hernandez. Livan did not use blazing speed, he simply dazzled with good location, lots of off-speed breaking stuff, and kept the Sox guessing all night. Clay Buchholz looked more dazzling, and also more predictable to the Twins hitters. For the second straight night, the Red Sox got a sub-par performance from their starter as Clay only lasted 4 1/3 innings giving up 7 earned runs on 8 hits, 5 walks, and 4 strike outs. No surprise that Clay remains a work in progress. He clearly has talent, and occasionally throws a gem of a game, but can easily follow that up with a few mediocre games. He is in a good place to grow, learn, and evolve as a big time pitcher. We'll just have to accept that we'll be on a bit of a roller coaster this season with him.

The Sox bullpen looked great last night with Javier Lopez, Craig Hansen, and Mike Timlin combining to hold the Twins scoreless over the last 3 2/3 innings allowing only 3 hits and no walks. Shame to waste such a solid effort on a night where the offense could not keep up. The bullpen morphed again last night as Julian Tavarez was designated for assignment to make room for the return of Sean Casey from the DL. I like the move as it shows Hansen the Sox have confidence in him and want to see him stick in Boston and make this his true debut season. They may miss Tavarez, as he provides reasonably dependable long relief, but with the quality of starters, and the tendencies they've noticed this season, the Red Sox just did not feel like they'd be taking a big risk by letting Tavarez go. Hansen seemed to get a lift from the news and channeled the excitement into an impressive 7th inning, feeding the Twins a steady dose of fastballs and sliders to induce two ground outs and a strike out. If Hansen is truly ready, he can be an important part of this bullpen, providing the critical bridge to Okajima and Papelbon - a role that Manny Delcarmen was expected to fill, but has so far fallen short.

The Sox head east to play two games in Baltimore. Josh Beckett faces off against Jeremy Guthrie tonight. You can count on Beckett halting the current two game losing streak. Wednesday it will be Jon Lester facing Daniel Cabrera in a more evenly matched game. If Manny stays hot, stealing two from the Orioles will be within reach, and a great way to wrap up the road trip.