18 August 2009

Game 118 • Red Sox at Blue Jays • 7 PM

BOS: Josh Beckett RHP (14-4, 3.10 ERA, 153 ERA+)
TOR: Ricky Romero LHP (10-5, 3.70 ERA, 118 ERA+)

Um, the Red Sox are better than the Blue Jays. They have a better record, better pitching, better offense, better everything. Right??? Who's with me!!!

This should be a walk in the park! We've got Beckett on the bump against some rookie lefty who nobody knows of. Plus, Romero is 0-2 against Boston this year! He gave up five runs in his first start in six innings, then in his second start he gave up four runs in just 4 1/3!

Beckett, on the other hand, has not faced the Bluebirds yet this year. Also working in his favor are his last three starts. Seven innings each time out, and a TOTAL of two earned runs - in 21 innings!

I'm confident.

Last night the Red Sox were idle, but the Rangers and Yankees weren't. The results were... mixed. Texas won, New York lost. That puts us 1 GB in the wildcard and now only 7 GB of the Yankees! Doable! Got 'em right where we want 'em!

Kevin Youkilis is done serving his suspension and is back in the lineup. Ortiz gets the night off.

Dustin Pedroia is headed back to Boston to be with his wife, Kelli, as she's set to give birth to their first child. Congratulations to the Pedroias!


***

*UPDATE* Varitek has been scratched from the lineup with a sore neck. Who'd have thought we'd see the day when David Ortiz is inserted into the same spot in the lineup Jason Varitek was scratched from? The Cactus' absence shuffles things up quite a bit.

1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. J.D. Drew, RF
3. Victor Martinez, C
4. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
5. Jason Bay, LF
6. Mike Lowell, 3B
7. David Ortiz, DH
8. Nick Green, 2B
9. Alex Gonzalez, SS

274 comments:

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Amy said...

Yes, SoSock, this does seem painfully familiar.

Rob said...

Muting the TV. I don't enjoy this doom and gloom from Castig.

9casey said...

Ish said...
Francona's calling the bullpen.

The Playoff Assassin is alive... It's just that he might have made one move too many tonight.





I disagree , we would be calling for the bot with 2 outs in the 8 th , any time in the season , Why not tonight?

Amy said...

Phew

Zenslinger said...

I'm doing other things. I check back on the game. I am now shitting bananas.

Unknown said...

About fucking time

Rob said...

Now you wonder what happens in the bottom of the 9th! Would Papelbon go back out there?

Dear, Red Sox bats: Please make that question not matter.

9casey said...

Zenslinger said...
I'm doing other things. I check back on the game. I am now shitting bananas.



Bananas, is really out of the realm of posibillity, canteloupes on the other hand....

9casey said...

Ish said...
Now you wonder what happens in the bottom of the 9th! Would Papelbon go back out there?



YES

Rob said...

9C, I agree with your disagreement... I know that sounds funny but I definitely understand the reason, I just like Bard so much, I felt like he could have gotten out of it.

SoSock said...

Hey, he sucked but at least he didn't cough it up. That's an improvement over a few of his recent outings.
Now for a 15-minute phone call.
(insurance)

9casey said...

Ish said...
9C, I agree with your disagreement... I know that sounds funny but I definitely understand the reason, I just like Bard so much, I felt like he could have gotten out of it.



He's been a little shaky in August, who hasn't?

Rob said...

Yeah, I guess have Bot go back out there and have someone warm behind him? I have no idea.

Probably just going to have to live and die by Papelbon. And maybe he didn't get warm quick enough. Now he's definitely warm...

One of those times you just shut your mind up, sit back, and watch what happens.

9casey said...

Ish said...
Yeah, I guess have Bot go back out there and have someone warm behind him? I have no idea.


It's 10-9 chances are if he stay out there he gets the save or the loss..or its tied..its in his hands

Unknown said...

I'd like some insurance here

Rob said...

WHOA.

Twins tie it!

MIN: 000 104
TEX: 104 00

9casey said...

Kevin said...
I'd like some insurance here



who wouldn't ......I also would like to see Pap nut up in this situation...

SoSock said...

A start

Rob said...

Among other things, Joe Mauer hit a dong.

9casey said...

77 walks...

9casey said...

Ish said...
Among other things, Joe Mauer hit a dong.



Might just be the best player in the AL

SoSock said...

C'mon Flo - make Allan's day!
Of course, it wouldn't hurt the feelings of any of the rest of us either

Unknown said...

I don't think Pap will have trouble in two consecutive innings

But then again I thought Beckett wouldn't give up seven runs...

Amy said...

Viola may be the most useless announcer ever. Good news: I barely know he is there since he says so little.

SoSock said...

How long has THAT been?

Amy said...

OK, can Papelbon not give up any runs? What are the odds?

Unknown said...

Oh look, a Red Sox player grounds into a double play...

SoSock said...

Ugh....

Jeff Polman said...

PAPELBON DOES NOT HAVE TO PITCH THE 9TH. DO YOU HEAR ME, TERRY? HE STINKS TONIGHT. HE HAS NOTHING. GIVE US SAITO OR GIVE US DEATH!

Amy said...

Saito may be death. Who knows what he is throwing tonight? Not that I have much faith in Papelbon.

Amy said...

Uch.

Jeff Polman said...

I rest my case.

Unknown said...

Dammit Pap

Double play would be great here

Unknown said...

There's one

SoSock said...

That 1st out always make me feel so much calmer, especially with no advance by the runner.

Rob said...

I'm in agreement about Saito. I'd rather stick with Pap here. Saito is death these days.

Unknown said...

I don't mind Saito, but I really doubt Pap will have two shit innings in a row

Jeff Polman said...

Ain't this fun?

Amy said...

That's two. Long time between outs, it seemed,

SoSock said...

wow - pounding the zone baby!
If GDGD is accurate he's hitting GREAT spots, just gotta get that miss.

Jeff Polman said...

Geez freaking louise...

Unknown said...

There's two

Rob said...

Lotta guys woulda hit that pitch out. Hanging slider YUCK. Lucky us!

SoSock said...

OK, wtf happened to pounding the zone!?

Unknown said...

Bot...

Jeff Polman said...

Okay, our "closer" just walked the worst hitter in their lineup...

Amy said...

Thank God for Youk!

Jeff Polman said...

YOUUUUUKKK!!!!

Over and out.

Unknown said...

Dirty, heart-attack inducing water

Zenslinger said...

Holy Christ.

Corpse of Papelbon breathes a sigh of relief.

RS Nation, happy for the win, but still left wondering a bit.

Amy said...

Dirty water, Allan and Laura get to see a W, but I think we have trouble when both Beckett and Pap don't do well.

Rob said...

Dirty water... But goodness. They should make a movie called The Curious Case of Jonathon Papelbon.

Unknown said...

Hey, when did the Twins tie it in Texas?

Rob said...

Still tied at 5 in Texas, Bottom 6th.

If the Rangers lose the wildcard is tied.

Amy said...

Good night, all, and thanks again, Ish, for being such a good host!!

Rob said...

They tied it in the top of the 6th...

SoSock said...

Whew!
Bailed out by 1st pitch hacking.
I am really, really glad Allan got see this game. He has defended Flo more than almost anyone. Of course even he called for the move to the 7 hole. But Flo went 2-3, 2BB, HR, Dbl, 3RS, and 3 Ribbies. And, most importantly - a win!

Unknown said...

And as soon as I say that the Rangers un-tie it

Rob said...

Cabrera Single, E7
Mauer F7
Harris Single, Cabrera scored
Cuddyer Single
Crede Single, Harris scored
Young Double, Cuddyer and Crede scored...

Buncha other stuff happened but that's the 4 runs right there the Twins scored to tie it.

Rob said...

Oh jeez. Yup. It's 6-5 now.

Zenslinger said...

Yes, thanks, Ish.

Sorry if I struck a sour note at the beginning re: B.R. He did piss me off. I try not to. And ordinarily I don't respond to anyone on the Internet that pisses me off, but this is our place.

Anyway, sorry about it.

Rob said...

Heh. ESPN's play-by-play showed this as what scored Texas' sixth run:

M Young reached on infield single to pitcher, O Vizquel to third, J Borbon to second, O Vizquel scored, J Borbon to third, M Young to second on throwing error by pitcher P Humber.

Rob said...

Zen, no worries at all. It is our place and I'd want to know if others are bothered by stuff like that.

And since then all has been quiet, which is very good. Probably because we were winning. :)

Rob said...

Good game, good thread... Allan, Laura and Tim most definitely got their money's worth tonight! I'm not sure if they're going to anymore games at Skydome, so we'll see tomorrow where the thread is.

Goodnight! I'll put mod on in a little bit.

9casey said...

Jeff Polman said...
PAPELBON DOES NOT HAVE TO PITCH THE 9TH. DO YOU HEAR ME, TERRY? HE STINKS TONIGHT. HE HAS NOTHING. GIVE US SAITO OR GIVE US DEATH!

Jeff Polman said...
I rest my case.

Jeff Polman said...
Ain't this fun?






Dude, xanax.

9casey said...

Ish said...
Good game, good thread...




For not having the MVP and our pitching coach.......I'll take it...

SoSock said...

This may not make it before time out but....
Glad to hear others think of it as "our" place. I feel the same. It's like the old neighborhood "hangout". All of my friends, well all my GOOD friends, know exactly who I'm referring to when I say, "yeah, I was telling the guys last night that....."

Unknown said...

Hey, the Twins have a lead!

Rob said...

It's been made even more special by JoS1, being able to meet a lot of you in person, watch the game, then shoot the shit at an UNO until 1 AM. I still look back on that as the highlight of the summer - perhaps of the whole year so far.

Zenslinger said...

Rangers lost. Even Steven.

allan said...

BR: You are a liar.

You attempted to post numerous comments at JoS that were nothing but insults directed at me and my partner.

"Out of context"? My fuckin' ass! If you believe that, you are either senile, insane or full of shit.

Are why are you so obsessed with how old I am? Every fucking post now you mention it ... It is beyond bizarre.

The fact is you acted like an asshole -- MANY, MANY TIMES -- and finally got banned. From a little baseball blog. Maybe some day you'll get over it. Maybe when you are "middle-aged".

allan said...

I guess RedSock didn't read his own little interview today when one of his subjects said he has fans from all different teams posting on his boards...and they welcome them.

Are you really this stupid?

See if you can follow this:

(1) I have my own rules for my blog.

(2) Another blogger has his own set of rules.

(3) A third blogger has her own set of rules.

There. Was that so hard to figure out?

Non-Red Sox fans can still post at my blog. I welcome them. As long as they can follow the very simple rules, which boil down to:

Act like an adult.

You couldn't manage that, though. ... And you are such an idiot, you repeat some of your insults here.

laura k said...

I guess my Next Day Comment belongs here today!

I had a great time at the game yesterday, despite the drama (and no thanks to Papelbon). We went with three friends from the war resister campaign, including one person at her 1st ever baseball game. Sitting in front of us were two little boys cheering their hearts and lungs out for the Jays - also their 1st game. We all had a lot of fun together - since we came away with a win.

With everything that's going on with me right now, it was so great to be at a game with friends and beer and a Sox win. Just what I needed.

After the game we met up with Tim and Stephanie, and drove them back to their car parked at a train station in the suburbs. It was great to meet them - hopefully we'll see them again at our house during playoffs.

Because you know, every time a gamethreader watches a playoff game at our house, the Sox go on to win the World Series!*

Tim and I were also texting during the game - a mini-gamethread. :)


[* sample size = 1]

laura k said...

About the BR situation, I did want to note two things.

Up to you, of course. I'd rather have this particular guy blocked, based entirely on one JoS posting he made. Redsock was selective in letting it through, true, but it was still pretty vile.

Zen, thanks for this. Allan actually didn't mean to let that comment through. He was away at the sleep apnea clinic, and I was taking a break from watching the thread - and BR slipped through.

I deleted it as soon as I saw it, but obviously gamethreaders saw it before I did.

That turns out to be fortuitous, because people saw the real BR.

Also, I find the constant references to our age both bizarre and, as Zen said, telling of BR's ignorance. It's as if he imagines that after a certain age in life, people shouldn't enjoy certain pastimes or behave in certain ways. I've heard 20-somethings express surprise that 40- or 50-somethings go to rock concerts, or curse, or argue with their parents - or blog. And of course anything a 60-, 70- or 80-something does, well that's just hilarious! Imagine an old person having fun, ain't that crazy. Don't they know fun is owned by us young folks.

We're a multi-generational bunch at JoS. For me, that's part of what makes us such a fun and interesting group. That BR can't just go with that, that it's always an issue for him, says a lot.

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