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By Jimmy, 7/29/2010 9:27 am

7/28/10: Red Sox 7, Angels 3

The 2010 Red Sox have had some difficulty against unlikely teams: 6 losses to Baltimore, 3 losses to Kansas City, and 3 losses to Oakland.  However, they have had no trouble at all against the team that eliminated them from the playoffs last season, defeating the Los Angeles Angels of Anahiem in all seven of their contests (with three left to play in September).

Josh Beckett was once again effective, pitching seven strong innings to record his first victory since April 10th.  However, the story of the game was Marco Scutaro’s spine-breaking grand slam off of Fernando Rodney in the 8th inning.

When I look back at my season, there’s not going to be enough wins to really worry about it.

-Josh Beckett, after winning his second game of the year on July 28th.

Notes & Takeaways:

• Minor League Rehab Update #1:  Mike Lowell (remember him?)  continues to take a dump on AAA pitchers, now with 4 home runs and 4 doubles in 22 at bats.  His OPS is 1.727.  The Sox will probably option Jeremy Hermida to Pawtucket to make room for Lowell, as they need all of their “defensive” outfielders now that J.D. Drew is having hamstring issues.
• Minor League Rehab Update #2:   Now, the other side of the spectrum: noticeably missing from yesterday’s minor league box scores was Jacoby Ellsbury.  I can’t seem to find any news on him, and he is still listed on the GCL roster.  Stay tuned…

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By Jimmy, 7/28/2010 9:29 am

7/27/10: Red Sox 4, Angels 2

Despite being booed upon his return to Anaheim, John Lackey was able to keep his chin up (through the use of a complex system of pulleys and cables, most likely) and hold his former team to two runs over 7.1 innings of work.  Lackey gave the Angels a taste of what he provided them over his eight years in Anaheim; a high pitch count with very few mistakes.

That won’t be forgotten, for sure.

-John Lackey, on the boos he received from the Anaheim fans

Don’t worry, John.  The problem with Angels fans is that they simply care too much about baseball.  They really put their heart and soul into the historic Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim franchise, and display their passion for America’s pastime via the use of stuffed primates and large pieces of plastic.  Every night.  Right up until the 6th inning.

Notes & Takeaways:

• We’re now three days away from the trading deadline, and the Blue Jays are asking for either Casey Kelly or Jose Iglesias from the Red Sox (the organization’s best pitching prospect and best infield prospect, respectively) in exchange for reliever Scott Downs.  If the Sox were to acquire Downs, he would be the third reliever on the depth chart and would throw maybe 30 innings.  Not really worth it, in my opinion.  Then again, as a child of the late 80’s /early 90’s, I’m still a little gun shy over Jeff Bagwell for Larry Anderson.
• Dustin Pedroia, still two weeks from a rehab stint (at least) is having a CT scan on Friday.
• Dan Shaughnessy displays a fundamental lapse in logic when he proclaims that there is no reason for the increase in no-hitters.  It can be attributed to the increase in strikeout rates.  Simply put, it’s easier to prevent hits when you prevent contact, thereby removing the risk of lucky bloops and seeing-eye ground balls.

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By Jimmy, 7/26/2010 9:36 am

There hasn’t been a whole lot to smile about in the past few weeks.  It appears that Hideki Okajima, who has had a very nice run as one of the better left-handed set-up men in the majors these past few years, is hitting the obligatory wall that all athletes in their mid thirties eventually hit.

However, there might be a few small glimmers of hope of the horizon for the 2010 Boston Red Sox, now 5 games back in the wild card race.

Josh Beckett:

Beckett was considered to be 1A or 1B on the Red Sox rotation before the season began, but after a very dissapointing start to the season, he landed on the DL for 2 months.  Here is how he looked before and after his DL stint.

Beckett’s game looked better than before in just about every facet; velocity, command, and pitch selection.  With all 2010 interleague games now in the rear view mirror, Beckett will have no reason to get within 60 feet of the batter’s box and risk another “tweak” (until the playoffs, at least).

Victor Martinez:

Terry Francona mentioned that Martinez might be ready to play in this series against the Anaheim Angels.  This is huge news, considering the fact that the three-headed abomination of Kevin Cash, Dusty Brown, and Gustavo Molina have reached base only 14 times in 70 plate appearances, and have had zero extra base hits or RBI during that span.  The variance in offensive productivity between Martinez and these other guys is mind-blowingly vast.  It’s simply a completely different team without him in the lineup.

Jacoby Ellbury:

Take heart, drunken 25-year old women smoking butts while double-fisting Coors Light on Yawkey Way: you will soon have another reason to let your gravelly voices be heard amongst the other cheering fans.  Your enigmatic heartthrob should return in a week or two.  Jacoby Ellsbury will begin his minor league rehab assignment this week.

Dustin Pedroia

Pedroia still has at least 3 weeks to go before we see him back on the major league roster, but it appears that he is progressing nicely.

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By Jimmy, 7/20/2010 6:40 am

7/19/10: Red Sox 2, Athletics 1

Daisuke Matsuzaka set the bar incredibly low in 2009 after a season plagued with injury, ineffectiveness, and a general communication breakdown between player and  management.  After that disastrous season, I would have been happy with him in 2010 if he was even league average.

Believe it or not, but as of July 21st, Matsuzaka is actually having a decent season, clearly better than average.  He hasn’t allowed 5 or more earned runs in over two months (May 17th in The Toilet was the last time that has happened).  His FIP is currently 3.86, which would put him in the top 20 of AL pitchers had he qualified for the league lead.

As odd as it sounds, this guy is the third best pitcher in the rotation right now.

Notes and Takeaways:

• Matsuzaka credits his recent run of success with a new pre-game routine (namely, getting to the park early).
• The guy the Sox are missing most right now is Victor Martinez.  The difference between him and Kevin Cash in the lineup is a major game-changer, and the team hasn’t really been the same since his departure.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem, like much of a timetable has been determined yet.
• Jed Lowrie has been tearing through the minors during his rehab stint, hitting .367/.447/.600 with 5 extra base hits in 30 at-bats.  This will soon will put a merciful end to the Eric Patterson era, hopefully.

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By Jimmy, 7/19/2010 9:02 am

Tim Wakefield has allowed 12 earned runs in his last 7.2 innings of work, but thankfully, we shouldn’t be needing him in the rotation after tomorrow night.  Of course, they’ll need him to start again once a piano inevitably falls on the head of Jon Lester or John Lackey, but until then, the Red Sox rotation will feature 5 guys who can throw a baseball faster than 75 MPH.

The Projo lays it out for us:

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By Jimmy, 7/14/2010 7:18 am

For the first time in 14 years, the inferior National League has won the MLB All-Star game.  Shockingly, there were questionable decisions made on the American League side.

Paul Konerko: 0 for 2 with a K, in case you were wondering.

It’s time to go back to chasing ice cream carts around the clubhouse, Sport.  Leave the roster construction to the experts.

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By Jimmy, 7/13/2010 3:58 pm

After filling out my personal All-Star rosters for both the AL and the NL and comparing them to the actual rosters, I came up with my list of the top 5 Snubs (players who should be All-Stars, but are not) and Scrubs (players who are All-Stars, but should not) in each league.  Here is what I came up with:

Most of the glaring selections / omissions can be blamed on one of two flaws in the system: 1) the rule requiring leagues to select one player from each franchise (hello, Ty Wigginton), and #2) fan voting (hello, Derek Jeter).

Rios, Gonzalez, Zimmerman, Olivo, and Pagan should all be starting for their respective leagues tonight.

A-Rod is on the team because he leads the league in sexual encounters with aging, sinewy, unattractive blonde women (SEWASUBW), which is one of those hip new sabremetric stats.

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By Jimmy,

Just one thing to note here; the players I chose at DH were simply the two best hitters after every other spot on the roster had been filled.

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By Jimmy,

It’s the day of the 2010 All-Star Game, but in baseball circles, 7/13/10 will now be known for something else entirely.  According to radio reports, iconic New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner has died of a heart attack.

I have a feeling that the “never speak ill of the dead” rule will be violated quite a bit in this part of the country, and to an extent, a lot of that will be deserved.

The bottom line is, this asshole bought a 79-win team for $8.8 million dollars in 1973.  The franchise he leaves behind is now…no longer a 79-win team worth $8.8 million.

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By Jimmy,

Timing is everything, as they say.

What better time to ask for a contract extension after putting on a mammoth exhibition of power in front of millions of viewers, after hitting .317/.467/.671 in your last 25 games?  The problem is that the Red Sox have a one-year team option on him for the 2011 season, and it is really not in their best interests to discuss a long-term deal with an overweight 35-year-old DH.

Perhaps if Bud Selig agrees to ban left-handed pitchers from the game of baseball?  You know, since Ortiz is hitting .192/.277/.301 against them.  Just ask a nun at any Catholic school: left-handed people are the spawn of Satan.  The Italian word for left is “sinistro”, not coincidentally sounding a bit like “sinister”.

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By Jimmy,

For comparison, the actual MLB All-Star rosters can be found here.

Just a couple of notes on how I chose the All-Stars:

• I’m disregarding that idiotic rule requiring every team to send at least one representative.  Oddly enough, I still managed to pick an Oriole for my AL team (and it’s not Ty Wigginton).
• Injured players worthy of selection are not replaced.
• For position players, it’s one starter at every position, one backup at every position, plus a 3rd string catcher, a flex middle infielder, a flex corner infielder, and a flex outfielder.
• For pitchers, it’s 12 starters and 8 relievers.
• Outfielders will be selected at their true position.  No Carl Crawford in right field, etc.

Here are your American League Dewey’s House All-Stars:

Pitchers:

The National League is coming later today.

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By Jimmy, 7/12/2010 9:22 am

When I heard that Minnesota Twins first baseman Justin Morneau would be missing the All-Star game due to a concussion he recently sustained, I all but assumed that Kevin Youkilis (currently with the 4^th highest OPS in the league) would be rightfully appointed to take his place.  Sadly, I underestimated the unknown variable: incompetence.

What was Joe Girardi’s logic for selecting White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko over Youkilis?  Read it and weep, or laugh.  Your choice.

It’s a hard choice to make. I could have taken him or Youkilis Konerko’s hitting slightly higher, has a couple more home runs and couple more RBIs.

In other words, Joe Girardi, the manager of the most expensive sports franchise in the United States, evaluates baseball players the same way I did when I was nine-years-old.  Luckily for the Yanks, Brian Cashman and the Steinbrenners have given Girardi a quarter-billion dollars of talent to work with (and most of that money has been very wisely-spent), but imagine if this guy were managing the Royals or the Pirates?  Yikes.

For the record:

If both guys were terrible defensively, this would be more of a coin flip.  However, that’s not the case: Youkilis is among the best defensive first basemen in the game while Konerko is on the other side of the spectrum.  There really is no other way to justify this decision other than “more home runs and RBI”.

In the end, this is a good thing for the Red Sox.  Youkilis is playing hurt as it is, and he has shown a tendency to slow down in the second half of the season.  A three day rest is definitely the best thing for him at this point.  However, if this post comes off as bitter, that’s because it is.  The fan in me wanted Youkilis to get the honor he deserves, regardless of the big picture.

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By Jimmy, 7/7/2010 9:29 am

7/6/10: Rays 3, Red Sox 2

The Sox had another massive injury scare last night when Kevin Youkilis, one of the last few regular position players not on the DL, had to leave the game with pain in his right ankle.  The team’s loss to the Rays can be directly attributed to Youkilis’ departure, as Tampa Bay was then able to intentional walk David Ortiz to pitch to Youk’s replacement (the offensively-anemic Niuman Romero).

Fortunately and surprisingly, it appears that Youkilis is fine, and should be ready to play today.

Notes & Takeaways:

• Imagine what the general reaction would be if it were J.D. Drew who left the game and allowed the Rays to ILBB their way to victory, only to shrug off the injury immediately after the game ended.
• It looks like the final AL All-Star roster spot is down to Youkilis and Yankee outfielder Nick Swisher.  Here, let’s be objective: Player A is hitting .296/.375/.509 in 332 plate appearances, and plays mediocre corner-outfield defense.  Player B is hitting .299/.416/.589 in 339 plate appearances, and plays excellent 1B defense.  Oh, I almost forgot to mention: the American league currently only has 2 first basemen on the roster.  Who would you pick?
• David Ortiz will participate in this year’s Home Run Derby.  Not something I would have predicted in April.
• Josh Beckett will make his first rehab start in Pawtucket on Sunday.
• Just a quick note on the insanity that is the Lebron James sweepstakes: I’m predicting that he ends up with the Chicago Bulls.  Assuming that the Bulls and the NY Knicks are the two finalists, Chicago has too many advantages over NY:

1. The obvious reason is that the Bulls are a much better team than the Knicks, and their future is much brighter.
2. In NY, Lebron would have to play second fiddle to Derek Jeter’s rapidly expanding forehead.  The Jets and the Giants also get much more love than the local hoops team.  In Chicago, the Bulls are much more appreciated.  Lebron is revealing himself to be a bit of an egomaniac, so these things will definitely be a factor.
3. Chicago is a nicer city than NY.  NY has the advantage of scale, but that’s about it.
4. Chicago is closer to where he grew up.

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By Jimmy, 7/2/2010 4:12 pm

Meet your new backup infielder,  Niuman Romero.

Angel Sanchez was traded for catcher Kevin Cash, which created a dire need for an infield glove on the bench.  Niuman, listed at 25 years of age, is hitting .268/.346/.351 for Pawtucket this year.

If the Red Sox win anything over 85 games in 2010, Terry Francona is a lock for AL Manager of the Year.

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By Jimmy,

Jason Varitek, apparently feeling left out, is headed for the disabled list with a broken foot (an injury similar to Dustin Pedroia’s, it would seem).  During a normal circumstance, this is one injury I think the team could shake off without much difficulty.  However, when just about every other MLB ready or near-MLB ready catcher in the organization is injured, it becomes a serious problem.

The Sox have made an emergency trade for Kevin Cash.  Yes, he of the lifetime .188/.250/.291 averages.  Cash was here in 2008 and had his “best” offensive season with the Sox, and he is a good defensive catcher, but he is not a guy you want behind the plate for the majority of your games.

Unfortunately, as of July 2nd, 2010, Kevin Cash is the starting catcher for the Boston Red Sox.

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By Jimmy, 7/1/2010 7:03 am

As promised, here’s an inventory of the injury problems currently plaguing the Boston Red Sox, after last night’s loss against Tampa Bay introduced a couple of new problems.  At first, all of this was frustrating, but now, watching each new injury appear is like watching a Three Stooges episode; brutal yet comical.

• Manny Delcarmen: The relief pitcher who began the season on fire has recently watched his ERA explode from 1.80 to 4.59 in one month.  After giving up 5 earned runs without getting one out last night, it is revealed that the right-hander is experiencing elbow pain, and the DL is a possibility.
• J.D. Drew: I know, it’s odd seeing J.D.’s name amongst the injured, but try to suspend disbelief for a moment.  Drew was a late scratch last night with a stiff neck.  As always, he’s day-to-day.
• Clay Buchholz: His injury sounds more serious than it is (”lower hamstring tear”), since Clay was able to throw off of a mound yesterday, and plans to throw a side session on Saturday.  He could be back on the hill on Monday, and if all goes well, he might very well be the starting pitcher for the American League in the All-Star game on the 13th.
• Dustin Pedroia: I’m sure you know the story here.  Pedroia broke a bone in his foot, and while there hasn’t been any time frame officially announced yet, the conventional wisdom states that he will be out for roughly six weeks.  This is a potential season killer, as the Red Sox do not have many option to fill in for him.  Angel Sanchez was called up to take the roster spot, but the guy who you will see penciled in at 2B most nights is Bill Hall.  In his last 20 games, Hall has hit .290/.397/.532, and is a huge reason that the Red Sox currently have one of the best records in baseball despite all of the issues mentioned here.  I do not expect Hall to continue this pace, if anything, he’s already far outperformed his pre-season expectations (or, my expectations of him, at least).  On a related Note, Jed Lowrie will begin a rehab assignment in Lowell this week, per Terry Francona.
• Victor Martinez: Martinez was sent to the DL after fracturing the tip of his thumb, but he is expected to return shortly after the All-Star break.  Gustavo Molina, hitting .239/.292/.418 in Pawtucket, was summoned to take his place.
• Jacoby Ellsbury: Roll a 20 sided die, and add 6.  That is how many more games Ellsbury will miss.  Seriously, nobody knows.  I think he joined a cult in Arizona or something.
• Josh Beckett: Beckett will face hitters today, and could begin his rehab assignment after that.
• Jeremy Hermida: He’s going to begin his rehab assignment soon, after which a decision will have to be made: will he replace Daniel Nava, who appears to have a MLB-ready bat, or will he be traded?

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By Jimmy, 6/29/2010 1:38 pm

My apologies for the lack of posts in the past week.  I was actually in the Bay Area, and managed to attend one of the Sox games at AT&T Park (the game the Sox lost, of course).

Once I get through the obligatory shit storm that one must face upon returning to the office after a vacation, I’ll add a few things:

• An update on “ER: Boston”, a.k.a the Red Sox roster
• A ranking of the MLB stadiums (stadia?) I’ve attended over the years.  A dozen, roughly, after my latest conquest in SF.
• The Dewey’s House All-Star teams
• Draft update (signings, early statistics)

Stay tuned.

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By Jimmy, 6/18/2010 1:51 pm

A lot of the media buzz today is centered around the mystery of what type of reception Manny will receive from the fans, and what type of reception he should receive.

Here are my thoughts on the matter:

Look, I’m not saying there’s a right or wrong answer. Actually, screw that.  That’s exactly what I’m saying.

If you are at the stadium, or in your living room, or in an automobile with the radio on, and you boo Manny during his first at-bat tonight…you are wrong. It really is that simple.  Your opinion is incorrect.  This is what President Obama might call “a teaching moment”.  Grab a chair and pay attention.

You have to ask yourself, as a fan, what brings you more happiness: the events that happen on the field, or those that happen off it?  Now, if for some odd reason, your answer is the latter, then fine, go ahead and throw Duracel batteries at Manny from the bleachers tonight.  However, my guess is that 99.999% of Red Sox fans (even those primed to shower Manny with boos) are more interested in the win-loss column than anything that happens in the clubhouse.  If this is the case, then you would be dishonest to yourself by booing.  Your boos would be nothing more than a cartoon sound effect, something that you don’t really believe, but what the hell, it’s fun to feign outrage at something we know or care very little about.

I know what you’re thinking.  “It’s not black and white”.  Yes, it is black and white.  It’s as black as the ink used to print Manny’s league leading 43 HRs in the 2004 baseball almanac.  It’s as white as the gleam off of two World Series trophies.

The line is drawn.   Are you a fan, or a poseur?  Your actions tonight will determine this.

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By Jimmy, 6/16/2010 9:22 am

According to multiple sources, left-handed pitching prospect Felix Doubront (currently the #2 pitching prospect in the organization per soxprospects.com) will most likely make his MLB debut on the mound on Friday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Doubront is a 22-year-old who has been in the Red Sox organization ever since he was signed out of Venezuela at age 16.  He’s had consistent success throughout most of his minor league career, combining excellent control with decent (though not overpowering) stuff.  Here is what he’s done over the past 3 seasons:

Perhaps most impressive has been his ability to induce ground balls and keep the ball in the park at Pawtucket this year.

Unfortunately for “Prince Felix”, this will be a one-and-done situation, as Daisuke Matsuzaka is only expected to miss one start.

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By Jimmy, 6/14/2010 9:18 am

6/13/10: Phillies 5, Red Sox 3

Cole Hamels might be my least favorite pitcher in the National League, due mainly to the strong West Coast Douchebag aura he seems to eminate, but also due to his 3-0 record and 1.71 ERA in his three games against the Red Sox.  I didn’t stick around to hear Heidi Watney’s interviews after the game, but I’m sure that Hamels believes that he pitched “hella good” and that this is “how they roll in the six-one-nine”.

Notes & Takeaways:

Still working on the draft recap.  It will be up soon.  Also, a few words on the guy who is now a walking trivia question, Daniel Nava.