Comments (3)

By Jimmy, 6/16/2011 9:23 am

The Gem That No One Witnessed

Box Score

It’s completely understandable and justifiable that the Red Sox game was pushed to the back burner last night, but it’s a shame that Josh Beckett’s outstanding performance went largely unnoticed.  He allowed only one baserunner, and that was on a weak dribbler down the third base line by Rays shortstop Reid Brignac.  The word “dominant” doesn’t begin to describe his mastery of the Tampa Bay lineup.

It took Beckett only 96 pitches to shut out the Rays.  Pete Abraham described his performance as one of the best games he’s ever seen pitched.

Top 5 Heroes

Notice the negative WPA from the bottom two guys on this list?  That’s a first for me; never before in a win have I seen any of the top five performers actually detracting from the game (at least, not since I’ve been doing this). It really underscores how crucial Beckett’s performance was.  The Red Sox offense wasn’t able to do much against Rays starter Jeremy Hellickson, aside from the clutch 3-run home run from Kevin Youkilis.

Buzz Kill

Jed Lowrie continues to plummet from the lofty heights he reached early in the season.  After another 0 for 3 performance, he’s down to .220/.287/.315 since May 1st.

Quote of the Day

“It’s a bloodbath”

- Dustin Pedroia, watching the Boston Bruins score their third goal during their Stanley Cup clinching victory

Prospect Watch

• Low A – It wasn’t really an eventful day in the minor leagues, but an interesting prospect did go 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored for the Greenville Drive.  Xander Bogaerts, a tall, lanky shortstop signed as an international free agent out of Aruba, is getting his first taste of American pro ball after he excelled in the Dominican Summer League last year.

Side Note:

Ever since I’ve been old enough to form coherent thoughts, I’ve been a compulsive Red Sox fan.  This fandom has spanned some good times, but also some very bad times.  Over this 25-year period, I’ve seen the fan base increase exponentially, and the increase includes lots of people who aren’t quite as knowledgeable about the game as I am (naturally, a new fan will not be quite as up-to-speed on the sport as an old one).

Although I’m sometimes annoyed by the difficulty in acquiring Red Sox tickets these days due to increased demand, I’ve always embraced new fans.  Personally, I could never understand the old-timers who were xenophobic towards people who just began to notice the experience that is Red Sox Baseball.  You have to look at the big picture.  The “Pink Hats” spend money, they increase ratings, they provide an incentive for ownership to spend that extra million or two on the team.  Why would that ever be a bad thing, from a fan’s perspective?

The reason I say that is this: I’m a Bruins Pink Hat.  During the playoffs, I would get to the bar extra early just to get a stool for the game, yet I couldn’t pronounce “Paille”.  Until a few weeks ago, I did not know the name of the guy who siang the National Anthem at the Garden.  The bottom line is: I don’t know shit about the Bruins, and I didn’t give a shit about the Bruins until maybe 14 months ago.  All I know is, I’ve enjoyed the hell out of watching them recently.

So, yes, I’ll probably show more interest to the team now that they’ve encountered success.  As a follower of the Golden Rule, I hope I won’t be looked at with too much disdain.

Congrats to those of you who have been a fan for years.  I went through a similar experience 7 years ago, and I’m happy that the ecstasy of that type of moment can be shared with others.

Comments (2)

By Jimmy, 6/15/2011 8:25 am

Surging Sox Stopped in Tampa

Box Score

In the words of Pat Summerall: “And we’re back!”.

Top 5 Goats

Silver Lining

Tim Wakefield again had a decent start, with a line that could only be described as “Wakefieldesque”: 7 innings, 5 walks, 2 Ks, 1 earned run.  The story of the night: the Sox ran into a very good pitcher; Jamie Shields is now 4th in the American League in ERA.

Quote of the Day

“You know, it was cool. There were a few cheers, a few boos, I guess it was mixed emotions out there.”

- Carl Crawford, on his first return to Tropicana Field

What kind of Rays fan would boo a guy who (arguably) is the best player in the history of their franchise? It’s at least reassuring to know that the idiot gene is not isolated to Boston.

Prospect Watch

• AAA – The big story on the farm is Andrew Miller, who struck out 10 hitters with only 1 walk in 5.1 innings.  Opposing batters are hitting only .181 against him this year, and he likely will be called up to join the rotation in Boston for his next start.  There are contractual reasons that factor into the decision.  More on that later.
• Low A – First baseman Miles Head went 4 for 5 with a double, and is now hitting .338/.407/.596.

Other Notes

• On Andrew Miller: he has a clause in his contract that allows him to become a free agent if he if not promoted today.  Obviously, with his stellar AAA numbers, there would be lots of teams interested in adding him to their major league roster if Boston were to let him go.  While nothing is decided yet, it looks like he’ll be in the Red Sox rotation next week.
• Given the above news, it appears that Tim Wakefield will find himself back in the bullpen for the time being (assuming Terry Francona actually follows through with this plan).

Comments (3)

By Jimmy, 6/14/2011 8:43 am

Just a few quick thoughts as I try to get back on my regular schedule after a few grueling weeks.  Yes; recaps, previews, and rankings will continue here posthaste.

• HBO’s Game of Thrones is currently the best show on television, and last Sunday’s episode left me unable to sleep.  With all the different versions of “NCIS”, “Top Chef”, and “30 Yuppies Fighting Over an Expensive Prostitute” (or whatever that show is actually called), it’s great to once again have something worth using the DVR space on.
• If the NBA Finals had gone a different way, I probably would have lost 100% of my interest in the league.  Lebron James is simply too despicable.  This guy actually made statements after the game to the effect of “It’s God’s plan for me to eventually win” and “My critics are just bitter because they’re poor and miserable”, and such.  Sure, I am poor and miserable, but correlation doesn’t equal causation, Bron!
• Before the 2010 season, I predicted a bust-out All Star campaign from Jacoby Ellsbury that included a modest increase in power to go along with his high batting average and dominance of the basepaths.  Of course, he had his collision with Adrian Beltre and that never happened.  However, I feel somewhat vindicated considering his torrid play this season.  Right now, he is one of the best lead-off hitters in the game.
• Beer recommendation: this is something that I imagine would be very difficult to get outside of the Boston area, but there is a local craft brewery called “Pretty Things” that has a few outstanding selections.  Yeah, the name is a little dainty and they’ll likely serve it to you in a tulip glass, but once you swallow your pride and have a sip or two, you’ll thank me.
• While it seems like just about everyone on the Red Sox roster is on fire, the one guy who was hitting back in April has cooled down considerably.  Jed Lowrie is hitting .226/.293/.323  since May 1st.
• J.D. Drew has also been quiet this year, but sadly, I think it’s a function of him getting old.  Drew, of course, was always injury prone, but when you hit your mid thirties, the tightness and the soreness that once would go away in a 24 hour span now lingers for quite a bit longer.  It’s not a fun thing to encounter.
• Catching prospect Ryan Lavarnway, a guy who has shown an improvement in his defense this year, has been promoted to Pawtucket.  He is certainly someone to keep an eye on.
• The one thing that will get me out of my seat quickly: seeing Sarah McLachlan appear on the television.  As soon as her Canadian face pops up on my screen, a frantic scramble for the remote ensues.  I swear, I’m like Vince Wilfork going after a loose ball; my lightning-quick hands and feet propelled by immense fury and hunger as I grab that piece of plastic and push either the “Channel Up” or “Channel Down” button (it doesn’t matter which).  I have nothing against Sarah or her music, but I just don’t feel like seeing any more footage of a one-eyed puppy, you know?
• A re-worked prospect list will be published shortly, however, I’m not going to include any of the draftees until they actually sign.

Comments (4)

By Jimmy, 5/24/2011 8:28 am

Bard Sings a Sad, Sad Song

Box Score

With both Tampa Bay and New York losing last night, the Sox were 2 innings away from claiming sole possession of first place.  In late May, a the benefit of a .5 game lead in the division would be purely symbolic.  After the hideous start to the season and this historically awful weather, it would have felt pretty good, that’s all.  They’ll have another crack at it tonight.

Daniel Bard‘s been a little inconsistent this year, and his lapse tonight was particularly untimely.

Top 5 Goats

One of the biggest reasons for the success of guys like Justin Masterson and Fausto Carmona (the pitcher facing the Sox tonight) is their ability to induce double plays with their sinker.  This particular tool really came in handy for the Tribe last night.

Silver Lining

Clay Buchholz pitched a masterful game tonight, and you really have to question the decision to pull him after only 94 pitches.  While Tito was concerned about overusing bard this weekend against the Cubs, the decision to use him after he pitched an inning in the previous game is a bit odd, in my view.  Of course, it wouldn’t be on any of our radar screens had Bard successfully held the lead.

Also, Carl Crawford hit very well against Masterson, as I thought he might.  If only he could face a side-winding righty in all of his plate appearances.

Quote of the Day

“Who would’ve thought that you could get a double play out of Carl Crawford?”

- Indians manager Manny Acta

Prospect Watch

• AAA – Starter Kyle Weiland went 7 innings for the victory, giving up only 1 run on 5 hits.  He now has 49 Ks in 47 innings, and his ERA is down to 3.45.  He’s not on the 40-man roster, but if Daisuke Matsuzaka requires surgery and goes on the 60-day DL, I imagine that this is the guy they’ll add.
• AA – Third baseman Will Middlebrooks went deep for the Sea Dogs, his sixth of the year.  He’s now hitting .295/.327/.500.

Other Notes

• Francona emphatically denies that Matsuzaka will require surgery on the torn ligament in his elbow.  Matsuzaka is headed back to Japan, and will seek a second opinion with Dr. Lewis Yocum when he returns.
• Dustin Pedroia is OK after experiencing a “stinger” on the basepaths last night.  He has a scheduled day off tonight.

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By Jimmy, 5/19/2011 9:36 am

Salty Plays Hero for a Day

Box Score

The subtitle above might seem like a back-handed swat at the primary catcher for the Red Sox, but last night’s RBI double wasn’t the first big hit Jarrod Saltalamacchia has had this season. He certainly hasn’t been the most consistent hitter on the team, but it cannot be said that he wilts under the spotlight.

If you need some quantitative evidence of this, here are the top 5 American League catchers in Fangraph’s “Clutch” metric, as of this morning (click the link for a description of what that means).

Top 5 Heroes

Buzz Kill

After going 0 for 3, Mike Cameron is now hitting .163/.217/.302 on the year.  However, a .156 BABIP indicates that the baseball gods have chained him to a rock and allowed vultures to feast on his entrails.  His fortunes should reverse at some point.

Quote of the Day

“I know summer has to come soon, where the sun comes out eventually — every day.”

- Mike Cameron, ever the optimist

Man, I hope he’s right.

Prospect Watch

• AAA – The Pawsox played a double-header, and Lars Anderson had quite a day, hitting a HR in each of the two games.  These were his first of the season.

Other Notes

• As I’m sure you’ve heard, both Daisuke Matsuzaka and John Lackey have been placed on the DL with elbow issues.  Dice-K’s injury appears to be a bit more serious than Lackey’s, as it’s been reported that he’ll miss at least one month.
• In related news, Peter Gammons is reporting that the Sox are kicking Kevin Millwood‘s tires.  He last pitched in Baltimore’s rotation in 2010, where he posted a 5.10 ERA in 190.2 innings.  While he can still apparently throw plenty of innings, I’m not really convinced that he will be a more effective pitcher than Alfredo Aceves, Tim Wakefield, or Felix Doubront.

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By Jimmy, 5/16/2011 9:20 am

Even Steven: Sox Reach .500

Box Score

It’s been an odd season, hasn’t it?  The Red Sox, now 5-1 against New York, have lost more games to the Baltimore Orioles than they have against the Yankees.  All five teams in the AL East are now clustered within 4 games in the loss column.

Top 5 Heroes

Buzz Kill

There’s no real significant negatives to point out after the Sox cemented a three-game sweep in the Bronx, but Jon Lester does have a 7.15 ERA in his last two starts.

Quote of the Day

“It seems like when things are going bad, they’re going bad,”

- Joe Girardi, trying very hard to sound like another former Yankee catcher

Prospect Watch

• AAA – After another scoreless 2-K inning, closer Michael Bowden has a 1.59 ERA with 28 strikeouts in 28.2 innings on the year.
• Low A – I should really just create a macro that automatically types “Bryce Brentz” whenever I begin a post, but yeah, he homered again and has now hit in 26 straight games, with a franchise-record 35 game on-base streak.

Other Notes

• How can anyone in the media blame the Yankees management for what happened in the Posada fiasco?  Imagine if all aging All-Star catchers threw this kind of tantrum when dropped in the batting order?  The Red Sox in particular would have had serious problems over the years, between Tony Pena and Captain Pitch Caller.
• Jimmy’s BBQ (no relation) in Grand Central Station is the best train station food I’ve ever had.

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By Jimmy, 5/12/2011 9:12 am

$82,500,000 Worth of Excrement

Box Score

Top 5 Goats

Silver Lining

The bullpen got a rest, I suppose.

Quote of the Day

“Everything in my life sucks right now, to be honest with you.”

- John Lackey

Lackey is usually good for a quote or two beyond the usual cliched script, as we see here. Note: I’m not at all reveling in his misery, I genuinely feel bad for the guy. Us large goofballs have to stick together.
Prospect Watch

• Low A – The Sally League has nothing left to offer Bryce Brentz.  He extended his hitting streak to 24 games by going 4 for 5 with a 3-run HR and a double.  He’s hitting .381/.439/.679.

Comments (1)

By Jimmy, 5/5/2011 6:50 am

Good Morning!  Yeah, They Lost.

Box Score

I happened to turn on the radio early this morning, around quarter to five or so, and I hear a caricature of a Boston sports fan call in to the JT The Brick Show (ugh…) and demand that Terry Francona “get rid of Daisuke Matsuzaka”.  He also mentioned that despondent Los Angeles Lakers fans need to “put on their brass knuckles and go get it”, whatever the hell that means.  Thank you, JT The Brick, for propagating the Saturday Night Live parody of Bostonians as reality.

Even though most of us possess at least a small amount of critical thinking skills unlike the caller mentioned above, I feel the need to defend Dice-K here.  After pitching well in three consecutive outings and leaving prematurely due to a minor injury in his most recent start, Matsuzaka was thrown into the 13th inning of a rain-soaked 7-hour marathon, and promptly surrendered the game to the Angels.  Now, one thing we learned about Matsuzaka is that he loves routine…his routine.  If there’s one starter that you do not want to put in a crazy situation like the one last night, it’s him.  It just so unfortunately happened that he was the only viable choice.

Top 5 Goats

A mathematically inclined person might balk at these numbers (how can the Red Sox have a 145% chance of losing?), but keep two things in mind:

1. Total WPA doesn’t necessarily add to 100%, since it’s taking a snapshot of the odds of winning at the time of each at-bat, and…
2. Several Red Sox players had positive WPA (for example: Josh Beckett had a WPA around 25% or so).

Silver Lining

Beckett was good again, and likely would have pitched deep into the game were it not for the rain delay.

Quote of the Day

“When I showed up today, I didn’t think I’d be talking to you guys at three in the morning. And if I did, I wish we’d have won.”

- Terry Francona, to reporters after the game

Prospect Watch

• AA – After losing again last night, prospect Stolmy Pimentel is now 0 and 4 with a 7.06 ERA.

Other Notes

• You live by the Monster, you die by the Monster: Kevin Youkilis hit a ball in the 12th inning that would have been a walk-off home run in literally every other baseball stadium on the planet.

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By Jimmy, 5/4/2011 1:34 pm

Lester Carries April Success Into May

Box Score

My apologies for the period of virtual silence over the past couple of days here, as I was busy hunting down and killing a notorious terrorist. And by “notorious terrorist” I mean the centipede that lives in my kitchen.

Top 5 Heroes

Buzz Kill

After going 0 for 4 last night, Dustin Pedroia in now hitless in 17 career plate appearances against Dan Haren, and he’s now hitting .135/.236/.135 in his last 11 games.

Quote of the Day

“I thought I pitched better than my line score would say. I kept us there. Once we gave up the lead, they’ve got a good pitcher on the mound. You know it’s going to be hard.”

- Angels pitcher Dan Haren, absolving himself of responsibility like the dirty hippie he is

Prospect Watch

• AA – Outfielder Alex Hassan, born in Milton, Massachussets, is starting to put himself on the map after going 3 for 4 with a double last night.  He’s hitting .427/.510/.573 on the year, and may or may not creep into our top 25 this week (haven’t quite decided yet).
• Low A – Bryce Brentz is still tearing a hole through opposing pitchers, now hitting .363/.440/.657 after having a perfect night: 1 HR and 3 walks in 4 plate appearances, scoring 3 runs and driving in 1.  As a whole, the Greenville Drive can flat-out rake.  They average 6.4 runs per game, tops in the Sally League.

Other Notes

• Not that you needed another reason to hate the Pittsburgh Steelers, but here’s one anyway.
• The craziest thing about Francisco Liriano’s no hitter: he was one bad start away from being removed from the starting rotation.

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By Jimmy, 4/29/2011 9:25 am

Sox Avoid Embarrassment at the Hands of Showalter’s Orioles

Box Score

Top 5 Heroes

You might be asking, “How can Pedroia have such a high WPA with only 2 infield singles, while Jacoby Ellbury was 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI?”.  Major League baseball used to have an official stat called Game Winning RBI (GWRBI).  It was actually on the back of each player’s baseball card when I was a kid.  Sadly, they decided to get rid of it at some point in the 1990′s.  Anyway, if this were 1989, a) I would have spiked hair and a mullet, and b) Dustin Pedroia would be awarded a GWRBI for his hit in the 7th inning.

Buzz Kill

It was a good day across the board for the Sox, and there wasn’t really one negative that stood out.  A near catastrophe occurred when both Kevin Youkilis and David Ortiz struck out with men on 2nd and 3rd, but the big inning in the 7th negated that earlier squander.  Marco Scutaro went 0 for 4 and is now hitting .189, but his role seems to be diminishing anyway.

Quote of the Day

“I’m glad that’s over with. I don’t know what was different.”

- Jon Lester, on his notorious April struggles every year prior to this one

Prospect Watch

• AAA – A big night for Josh Reddick: 3 for 5 with 2 HRs.  He now has 8 HRs on the season.
• AA – Several of the SeaDog hitters had a good night, but I’ll point out Will Middlebrooks in particular: 3 for 4 with 2 HRs and a double.  He’s now hitting .365/.400/.677.
• Low A – I’ve been waiting for Brandon Jacobs to come down to Earth, but it hasn’t really happened yet.  After another 3 hit night, he’s at .377/.456/.610 with 7 stolen bases.  Note: he has struck out 25 times in 77 at-bats, so I’m still betting on a BABIP-fueled crash at some point.  Even so, his performance has been impressive, given his age and rawness.

Other Notes

• Former Sox pitcher Derek Lowe, now an Atlanta Brave, was arrested for DUI yesterday.  Not really shocking news to those of us who remember Derek during his Red Sox days.

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By Jimmy, 4/28/2011 3:46 pm

It seems like this is a good opportunity for Jon Lester and the Red Sox to avoid the sweep, as they face a right-handed pitcher who is not particularly overpowering. Brad Bergeson does throw strikes and features a decent sinker, but he’s a guy who doesn’t miss many bats, and a lineup stocked with left-handed hitters could score a run or two in that sort of environment.

On not. Who knows. I thought the Sox would explode for a few against Jeremy Guthrie yesterday, but that didn’t happen. Baseball’s a funny game like that.

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By Jimmy,

“This is a Hockey Town”

Box Score

The Reverse Lock Theory was applied at Camden Yards last night, as Red Sox hitters were not able to generate any offense against the awesomely mediocre Jeremy Guthrie, while Josh Beckett gave up four runs.  I suppose I deserve this after mocking Luke Scott yesterday.  He did not seem to be phased by the thick coating of egg on his face, hitting a 2-run blast in the 4th inning, and proudly flipping his bat (much to Beckett’s chagrin).  You might call the move a “Freedom Flip”.

Top 5 Goats

Silver Lining

Jacoby Ellsbury, again, looks to be hitting line drives much more often that what we’ve seen since his injury.  However, his defense is another story…

Quote of the Day

“Those things have a way of working themselves out.”

- Josh Beckett, implying Luke Scott will experience four-seam retribution for his post-HR bat flip.

Whenever Josh Beckett is angry, there tends to be a few of these to choose from.  It was a difficult decision, but the above quote wins by a narrow margin over “Is this TMZ?!“ 

Prospect Watch

• AA – Miguel Tejeda again had a good night, going 2 for 2 with 2 walks.  Just like that, he’s now hitting a respectable .296/.345/.426 on the year.
• High A – Salem scored 16 runs on 17 hits in the first game of their double-header, and were shut out on 4 hits in the second.  Most of the regulars had at least two hits in the first game, but catcher Dan Butler in particular continues to shine, now hitting an other-worldly .362/.455/.745.

Off-Topic Rant:

I’m a 98.5 FM “The Sports Hub” listener.  The night guy, Damon Amendolara, is OK in my opinion.  He’s listenable and seems to be knowledgeable enough, he seems like a decent guy, and he’s a paisan so I give him the benefit of the doubt.  However, he never really keeps my attention or adds any insight beyond what most dedicated sports fans already know.

Now, let me add that I don’t know very much about hockey, so I could be talking out of my ass here.  In a late-night Tweet after the Bruins won in OT, Amedolara wrote this: “B’s proved they are a different team than last year’s el choko. Thank God.” Given how easily they could have lost that game, and how easily they could have won Game 7 against the Flyers last year, is this really true?  Does that OT goal suddenly prove that this team is much different that the one we watched last year?  This seems like sports radio cliche-ism at its worst.  And I don’t mean to pick on D.A., because he’s certainly not the only guy who says this type of thing on air or in print.  I read and hear statements like this quite a bit (regarding all four major sports), and it annoys me each time; absolute proclamations about a team or player’s make-up based on one isolated moment that could have easily gone in either direction.

Again, I don’t know hockey, so somebody school me if I’m off base here.

Comments (2)

By Jimmy, 4/24/2011 8:21 am

Daisuke Matsuzaka’s last two starts: 15 innings, 2 hits, 4 walks, 9% line drive rate. In a span of 5 days, he’s resurrected his season.

Happy Easter.

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By Jimmy, 4/20/2011 6:37 am

Brett Anderson Continues his Reign of Terror over the Red Sox

Box Score

Boston finds themselves in the highly unexpected position of being 0 and 7 on the road, as Oakland’s man-child lefty once again dominated the Red Sox lineup, yielding 4 hits and striking out 8 over 8 scoreless innnings.  While John Lackey pitched very well against his old nemeses, he can thank his teammates’ offensive impotence for his second loss of the season.

One thing I should note as I go on: I’ve decided to scrap “Victory Shares / Pie of Shame / etc.” since Fangraphs.com and BaseballReference.com both have the tools and the capacity to track this sort of thing much better than I ever can.  I think it would be best for everyone involved to just summarize the key players here by listing their daily WPA (Win Probability Added).  FG and BBref both have their own unique calculations for this metric, and while I like BBref’s version a bit better (they use park factors in their analysis), on most days I’ll be using the Fangraphs version only because they typically publish their numbers earlier in the morning.  In any case, I’ll always let you know which version I’m using.

Top 5 Goats (Fangraphs WPA):

The Ellsbury WPA is very questionable, since the official MLB box score (the one I’m linked to up top) list the “Ellsbury CS” as a batter interference on Cameron.  It appears that the umpires weren’t exactly sure what had happened themselves.  The replays do show that Ellsbury was in fact safe, so if it actually is an interference call on Cameron, his name would jump to the top of the Goat list with a whopping -21.4% WPA.

Silver Lining:

John Lackey is the obvious bright spot here, throwing 6 quick, clean innings against a relatively tough opponent.  According to PitchFX, the main difference between last night and his previous start (the 4/8 bombardment from the Yankees where he actually got the “win”) was that he relied much less on his curveball.  Only 17 thrown out of 93 pitches last night, compared to 38 thrown in 93 pitches against New York.

Quote of the Day:

“I just work here” – John Lackey, on the staff’s decision to pull him after 6 innings.

Prospect Watch

• AAA – Not a prospect, but Matt Albers threw 2 scoreless innings of relief in his rehab outing.  He’s heading to Anaheim to join the team on Thursday, which means that Alfredo Aceves is most likely on his way back to Pawtucket.
• High A -  One of last year’s 1st round picks, Kolbrin Vitek, went 3 for 4 with 2 doubles and a triple, while pitcher Chris Hernandez gave up 1 unearned run over 5 innings.
• Low A – Anthony Ranaudo, the organization’s top pitching prospect, continues to toy with Sally League opponents.  He gave up 3 hits and one run while striking out 6 in 6 innings.

Comments (1)

By Jimmy, 4/13/2011 9:58 am

It’s a good thing Charlie Sheen brought his circus to town last night (performing about 100 yards from where I currently sit), if only to serve as a temporary distraction from the atrocities taking place on Yawkey Way.

Quote of the Day:
“It’s a long season and there’s a ton of talent there and a really bitchin’ hitters park they play in. Relax.”
-Charlie Sheen

Pie of Shame:
.25 – Lester
.25 – Cameron
.25 – Crawford
.25 – Gonzalez

Silver Lining:
Their Pythagorean record is 3-8.  Why must the baseball gods smite us?!

Minor Threat:

• High A: Chris-Balcom Miller, the guy Boston stole from Colorado in exchange for Manny Delcarmen, pitched 5 scoreless innings, giving up 2 hits and striking out 5.  I have him ranked #15 on my prospect list.
• Low A: Bryce Brentz continues to rake, going 2 for 4 with a HR and a walk.  He’s a 22-year-old sandwich draft pick, so he should be expected to tear up Greenville pitching, but it’s good to see this actually happening.

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By Jimmy, 4/12/2011 8:54 am

It’s not a good sign when you watch a starting pitcher go up in flames in the second inning and you find yourself not surprised in the slightest.

To those who have asked why Dice-K “nibbles” so often with his pitches, last night was a very blunt answer to that question.  He wasn’t nibbling, and as a result, the game was over within 20 minutes.  It’s clear that Matsuzaka is at his best when he is walking the fine line between balls and strikes, not trying to toss two-seam fastballs down the heart of the plate.

I honestly felt bad for the guy as he walked off the mound amidst heavy boos.  Matsuzaka isn’t one to show emotion, but in this case, you could tell he was extremely embarrassed.

Quote of the Day:
“The good news is that [Jon] Lester is tomorrow.’’
-Terry Francona

Pie of Shame:
1.00 – Matsuzaka

Silver Lining:
Jacoby Ellsbury, a guy who was in serious need of a decent game at the plate, went 2 for 4 with a HR.  It wasn’t a cheap HR, either.  He legitimately cranked it into the RF bleachers.

Minor Threat:

• AAA: The Pawsox offense ran wild for 15 runs, highlighted by Juan Carlos Linares going 3 for 5.  Linares turned quite a few heads during spring training, and will probably be seen in Fenway at some point this year.
• Low A: DH Miles Head (settle down, Beavis) went 4 for 4 with two home runs.  He only had one home run in 229 at-bats last season in Lowell.

Odds & Ends:

• Jarrod Saltalamacchia’s wife gave birth to a daughter last night.
• For those who are into such things, Curt Schilling’s first video game is on display.  As a casual RPG fan, I’m pretty impressed.

Comments (5)

By Jimmy, 4/11/2011 3:06 pm

Lost in the smoke of the Sox/Yanks series was the news that the Red Sox have signed pitcher Clay Buchholz to a new 4 year deal (plus two team option years).

Depending on incentives and optionality, the deal could be worth between $7.6 million AAV over 4 years and $9.45 million AAV over 6 years (I’m not including 2011 in the calculation, which is why my numbers differ from Abraham’s in the linked article).

Unless Buchholz suffers a serious injury, which is always a possibility when dealing with young pitchers, he should have no problem performing up to the value of that contract.  For some perspective, Fangraphs.com estimates Buchholz’s 2010 season as being worth $14.7 million dollars.  He may not be that good ever again, but at $9 million a year (roughly half of John Lackey’s annual salary) he doesn’t need to be.

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By Jimmy,

The way things had played out before Friday afternoon, a lot of us were expecting the Yankees to storm into town and easily take two games out of three or even sweep the Red Sox.  The weekend went very well, considering the low expectations.

4/8/11: Red Sox 9, Yankees 6

Since the Sox managed to win their home opener, we can go ahead and praise John Lackey for “gutting it out” and being a “bulldog” or whatever, but in reality he simply pitched very poorly.  This game was carried by a stellar offensive performance and terrific bullpen work. There’s lots of praise to go around, but I don’t think any of it should necessarily be directed toward a starting pitcher who is unable to get through a single inning without giving up a run or two.

Pie of Honor:
.25 – Pedroia
.20 – Gonzalez
.15 – Drew
.10 – Saltalamacchia
.10 – Papelbon
.10 – Jenks
.10 – Bard

4/9/11: Yankees 9, Red Sox 4

Maybe I’m getting less tolerant as I age, but it’s simply impossible for me to listen to Joe Buck and Tim McCarver call Red Sox games now.  I’m forced to mute the television and listen to the radio broadcast on my computer.  Of course, there’s a 3 or 4 second delay between the internet radio and the television, but that minor annoyance is an acceptable alternative to the nonsense coming out of the Fox Sports booth.  Before Joe Morgan was let go by ESPN, baseball bloggers would tear him to shreds every week (deservedly so, in many cases).  I actually enjoyed Morgan 10 times more than I do both of these clowns.  Of course, my rage factor is amplified quite a bit if the Sox are getting destroyed on the field, as they were on Saturday.

Pie of Shame:
.70 – Buchholz
.20 – Doubront
.10 – Ortiz

4/10/11: Red Sox 4, Yankees 0

Last night was my first trip to Fenway in 2011, and given the 8:00 PM start time and the two teams involved, I was pleasantly surprised to be home by midnight. This is of course due to Josh Beckett’s Pedro-esque performance on the mound.  I was far back in the center field bleachers, but even from that distance of ~500 feet, we could see the sharp break on Beckett’s curve as it fooled many a Yankee hitter.

Pie of Honor:
.80 - Beckett
.10 - Pedroia
.10 - Scutaro

Next – previewing Sox/Rays.

Comments (2)

By Jimmy, 4/8/2011 4:24 pm

Some breaking news on the Red Sox radio broadcast: Manny Ramirez, on the roster of the Tampa Bay Rays, has announced his retirement from professional baseball.

More on this later.

Update: There’s been some murmuring regarding a drug-related issue.  If this is actually a second violation, and not some residual issue from the first time he was caught, then a) he’s officially pissed away his Hall of Fame chances, and b) he’s officially the dumbest player in baseball history.

Update 4:40 pm:  It is a new violation.  Manny failed another drug test during spring training.  He was facing a 100 (one hundred) game suspension, so he decided to instead retire. Sigh…

Here’s an old piece I wrote on Manny, ranking the top “Manny Ramirez Moments” during his time in a Red Sox uniform.

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By Jimmy,

Sometimes we take for granted how much the objective judgment of the home plate umpire can impact a baseball game.

For instance, courtesy of BrooksBaseball.com, here is a graphic representation of Brett Gardner’s first at-bat against John Lackey:

Lackey got two quick strikes against Gardner, and then threw two pitches up and away.  With the count at 2 balls and 2 strikes, Lackey’s 5th pitch was…well…see for yourself.  Anyway, it was called a ball, Gardner walked on the next pitch, stole second base, and eventually scored.  He should have been in the dugout, not running the bases.