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
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1 – 200 of 274 Newer› Newest»Let's win this fucker.
Varitek comes out of the lineup according to Extra Bases, which you might think improves things. But the domino effect that puts Lowell in the game at 3B, with his defensive range weakness, makes you wonder if it's an improvement or not.
Also makes you wonder what the fuck we would have even done without VMart on the team at this point.
Roster expansions can't come soon enough.
Red Sox
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
-- Josh Beckett, SP
Have fun, all! Tim is at tonight's game too, we're hoping to meet up before the game.
GO SOX
Thanks for the updated lineup, Zen.
Enjoy the game, L and A!
How excited are you guys that the Yankees lost 2 in a row....no, really???
Things should be interesting this weekend in Fenway.
I think we'd be even more excited if the Rangers lost two in a row.
A couple of tweets from Amalie Benjamin, first some good news!: "Dylan Pedroia arrived today. 7 lbs, 20 1/2 inches. He was born today in Boston, and Dustin made it in time."
I like the name too. :)
Also from Amalie: "John Farrell is also not here. He's dealing with a family matter in Cleveland. Gary Tuck is pitching coach tonight."
Ish...thank you for not censoring my post. It seems as if RedSock got a little pissy way back 2 weeks ago during the Sox/Yanks (or MFY) series following the 3rd game. L-Girl posted randomly around the 9th inning: "Alan, please don't let that troll back...if he likes the blog so much he can read without commenting"....it came outta nowhere. I had been respectful by not posting one bit during the games as its a Sox blog, and there is no need to have posts from Yankees/Rays/Rangers etc. fans during those games. I posted: "L-Girl, stop being such a bitter betty.....followed by objective baseball commentary" and her partner wouldn't post it....then I tried to post again and he wouldn't post it.....
Listen, I know these are your fellow Red Sox fans, but from what I have gathered from the JOS blog...they are older people (me being mid-20's) but they act like 5 year olds when one thing is taken out of context about the Sox. 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.
Ish...I know you don't need to hear this....'nor do the other Sox fans want to with a game around the corner..but I had to vent. Your response to my little dig in my first post is what it's about man...it's playful, a joke....no bashing anyone...but rest assured if this was JOS, out would come RedSock or his fearless partner L-Girl...with a stream of profanities, and then my post getting erased.
I perfectly understand. They've had problems in the past with people trashing the game threads and the blog, so I can't blame them for their response. The point of these game threads are for Red Sox fans to chat about the game as it happens and to have a place to discuss the season and everything that goes on.
Things get complicated when fans from other teams comment, even if it's perfectly benign and friendly. I hope you can understand their philosophy that it's not about trying to make friends with fans of other teams, but a place where fans of the same team can discuss the games together.
Automatically it's a short leash when you're a fan of another team, and from what you said it was an insult to L-Girl and to Redsock and it's their decision to allow your comments or not. Luckily for you this is the World Wide Internets! There are probably hundreds of other Red Sox blogs out there.
That being said, I don't have a problem with you personally, but I'm not going to take any shit from people.
And no, it's not a generation gap. I'm 21 and I share their sentiments.
*Deep breath* Having said all of that, B.R., I won't block your comments unless you give me reason to.
OK, now I know where FY is. I thought this baby was due during the ASB, but I guess I am misremembering, as they say.
It seemed to me that Redsock was being a little pissy, too, until I saw your anti-Sox rant that RS let through.
I don't give any shit to Yankee fans except in the mildest terms, and that to people that I know well. So I don't appreciate getting any back. Redsock and L-Girl's anti-troll stance was vindicated -- by you.
"Older people"...if only you knew how ignorant that sounds.
If there was an Ignore button with your name on it, I would mash it while employing my "potty mouth" to its filthiest extent. Since there isn't one, I'll have to pretend.
This might be my blog but this is our space. If you guys would rather me block the comments, let me know.
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.
Hello. The "semi-regular" guy from London signing in for the first part. As I am signed off from work for the week, I have the chance to watch more of the game than normal tonight.
Hi, Lord.
Is it Wednesday yet in the UK? If so, can you tell us if we win the game today or not?
Hey, Lord! I have an over/under for everyone... What inning Lord conks out in! :) Middle of the 6th. Over or under?
Ish, some info...
I have had a shoulder injury (playing cricket) and for the whole of last week, I couldn't sleep. So my patterns have gone to hell. I went to bed at 4 last night, and the painkillers zonked me out this afternoon. I'm pain free at the mo, so good to go (as my wife would say).
So I might be around a while...
Zen.
Not Wednesday yet...
Ish, I love your in depth sabermetric overview of this game.
Lucky Us.
Braves at Mets on the TV...
Lord, very sorry to hear about your shoulder. I've been very active this past year, lost a lot of weight and I can't imagine what it'd be like to get injured and be on the shelf for awhile. Hope you get better soon.
But putting all of those mundane details aside... Good to go sounds good to me! :)
Patrick, it took me literally minutes to compile the research necessary to complete such an extensive game preview post.
It's hard work!
Well, I'm going to miss the first pitch but I'd rather do that and have a quick shower than to sit around in a pool of my own sweat tonight. We'll leave the sweaty dongs to Youk!
God, if this lineup included Pedroia and a healthy Lowrie, I would be popping boners.
Probably more so if Ortiz sat, Lowell DH'd, and The Kotch Rocket manned first.
MARCO!...
Scutaro!
The Drew brothers are 2-2 with a single and a HR in the first couple at-bats of tonight's games.
We do that WAY to fucking often...
Yeah, because we run like a bunch of snails with turds in their pants.
That's what I call quick. Missed only a half inning. And, from the sounds of it, I didn't miss much.
lmao That's a new one! Snails with turds in their pants. :)
I see Drew has hit a dong off Pedro to lead off.
As for the all too predictable GIDP... groan...
Of course I am half an hour behind, this side of the Atlantic..
Broadcast dark ages tonight... Frank Viola there for the series on NESN, and Jon Rish is with Castig on the radio... Dave O'Brien was in Los Angeles last night doing the Cardinals/Dodgers.
Wait a tick! Obie's back! THAT'S dedication. He flies out to LA, does the game that ends after midnight our time, then flies to Toronto! Nice.
Yeah, ish, Viola is a big lug, but at least when NESN is on the road they don't clog up the play-by-play drama with players wives and boring charity guys visiting the booth. And Eck needs his own show, he is the BEST.
Sit
Time for some runs
Half-dong!
Way to work an AB, Bay.
Red Sox "have something going"
Loaded with none out!
I call for a two-run minimum scoring barrage!
Okay, time for the Big Papi Poll:
1. whiff
2. Grand slam
3. Pop out
Romero's interesting because he's got a 3.70 ERA but he just SUCKS against the Red Sox.
Two-run single, come on!
Flo!
And still runners on second and third with none out!
Ha ha!
Yay. Flo.
OMG--
Nick Green just STRUCK OUT???
When has this ever happened?
The problem with this lineup is Green and Gonzo are GONNA come up in situations like this. At least it's not Brian Anderson again!
I think his bat actually repelled the baseball.
Now THIS is what I call an inning!
Hope I didn't jinx it.
Better than a whiff.
RBI groundout for the Sea Bass
I'll consider that a good outcome
Lyndon!
I'm liking this inning
Makin' the young man throw some pitches out there as well.
WOW!
Laura and Allan have got to see -
Ortiz double in 2 runs and then score from second on a single.
LBJ driving in a run with a 2-out hit.
And it's only the top of the 2nd!
They're both giddy right now I'm sure.
Bet Dusty's enjoying this on the maternity ward big screen!
Hope they're enjoying it, yeah.
I kept Romero on the bench of my fantasy team. I had a feeling (or just a hope) that we'd tear him up.
I loved that inning!
All right.
Glad I popped in when I did.
Out to try to get a rose planted before it gets too dark.
Back later
Romero: 54 pitches through 2 IP
Hometown homie Lincecum gives up a bases-loaded walk -- and a two-RBI single to the pitcher. Wonder if both are firsts in his MLB career.
Zen, did you watch the Dodgers/Cardinals game last night? Knuckleballer Charlie Haeger went 8 up, 8 down... First hit was to the pitcher Chris Carpenter! Carpenter, a local guy from around here! Southern New Hampshire.
Dang
whoopsie
That was quick
Zen, did you watch the Dodgers/Cardinals game last night? Knuckleballer Charlie Haeger went 8 up, 8 down
No -- I didn't even know another knuckler was in MLB. Guess the Dodgers like him better than Smoltz.
Yeah, HR or no, Beckett gets through the inning without too much fuss. 25 pitches, 16 for strikes.
Romero heaves himself off the bench..."Ugh, back to it."
LaRoche has hit his fifth HR for the Braves in his 15th game back in the NL. Guess he really is a second-half hitter.
I'm not complaining. It was an interesting trade, and both teams got what they wanted.
We REALLY hit into way too many of those
Haeger was a spot-starter for the Dodgers... Chad Billingsley had a sore hamstring I guess.
Remember he was with the White Sox and a couple years ago he was pitching against the Sox out of the bullpen in the same game that Wake was pitching?
Not liking these solo dongs...
I don't remember.
Wait -- does he throw a mix of knucklers and also conventional pitches? It seems like I remember some game from last year with a knuckler pitching.
"Remember he was with the White Sox and a couple years ago he was pitching against the Sox out of the bullpen in the same game that Wake was pitching?"
I think that happened last year as well against the Mariners with R. A. Dickey
Still here. Rigged laptop up to tv, so comments sparse.
Dickey threw a mixture of other pitches... Haeger throws a lot more knuckleballs. His are low 70s and he can throw a low 80s fastball. But that's about it.
He gave up 3 runs in 7 innings - pitched great except for a mistake to Pujols and a mistake for a two-run dong to Ankiel. Ended up with the loss.
I don't know if anyone else has noticed it but, it seems as though V-Mart and Beckett are having a little trouble getting on the same page, understandable....It looks like a first date..
HOT DAMN that's a BIG DONG.
FLO!!!
Love when NESN stays at commercial long enough to miss a home run at bat.
Ish said...
HOT DAMN that's a BIG DONG.
I'd pay my wife a thousand bucks to say that to me once.....
Fenway scorer scores it a double. Ok.
I think we should all see the sports shrink.....
Comment of the night (so far) goes to... 9Casey! That's hilarious.
Sea bass bunt hit!
I'm really liking this game
This is a REALLY fun game to watch.
I'm so happy that Laura, Allan and Tim are at this one.
Drew bunting?
That's...really unconventional
Into the bullpen already!
MIN: 0
TEX: 1
Hi, everyone. Ish, thanks for hosting. We need to share the good times. I also am happy that Allan and Laura are getting to be at this game.
Varitek being lauded on the radio even while he sits on the bench.
Hey, Amy!
Everything's good with the Sox are winning. :)
Ahem.
Love when NESN stays at commercial long enough to miss a home run at bat.
Thunder Bay!
Ladies and Gentlemen...
Welcome to THUNDER BAY.
Too bad those windows were closed! Someone was gonna get a baseball in their pasta!
THUNDER!!!
Castig said Bay is 4th all-time on the Canadian HR list.
Also known as the DOUNG list!
Hearing all the boos for Ortiz... I can see Allan and Laura being like "SHUT THE FUCK UP!"
BAL: 002 00
TBR: 010 2
They're not saying boo. They're saying Booo-rtiz.
Come on, Josh. Get these guys out.
SHIT
RUT ROH.
It's getting cozy...
WTF Josh?!
Get your shit together
MDC up with some urgency.
Uh...wild one tonight.
We're already into their 'pen and should score more. But sorry to see Beckett without his best tonight.
Tough night for D-Lowe as well. Was cruising, then gave up NINE hits and eight runs in the fourth.
Come on Josh, get a DP
Alright, K works too
Now get the third out
It's a good thing Vernon Wells sucks
No way he should be pitching the 6th
I hate the KGB text service idea and I don't like their commercials. Except for THAT one. The one where one guy is across the street and he's doing baseball signs to the girl he works with.
And what an outfit! For the girl. And that's about the only part of the commercial I liked, so, nevermind.
Oh, what it is to be a guy...
still awake, although not for long!
Shit, leadoff walk
Pull him
Well, anyone who guessed OVER for Lord.. Good guess! You've made it past the middle of the 6th.
Arggh
FUCKING HELL.
Come on Josh
You only need to get two more outs
Un-f-ing believable. I hate this team these days.
Nice fucking job Tito
Nice fucking job...
Solo dongs by Jays - bad.
Solo dong by Papi (after the double) - good
Lead cut to 2 - bad
Still ahead - good.
Kinda mixed news.
Rose is planted.
eeeeewwwwwww........
a little too late there boss.
Beckett's gone from 6th in the league in ERA to 9th
Fucking hell, man!
I hope the fucking Sox bats have some runs left in them
I'm not sure but I think I heard Allan curse all the way down here
Beckett has been so good lately that even at this point in the season, Beckett deserved to keep going, but his pitch count was getting right up there and I really don't like that he wasn't pulled after the lead-off walk.
But oh well. We are where we are. At least we've scored 7 runs and our bats are still hot.
Jeemer warming.
Obie: "Looks like somebody else jumped inside Beckett's uniform tonight."
I really want to see more changeups like that by MDC. It was ball 4 but guys love to swing at that pitch.
Nicely done Delcarmen, nicely done
Coulda used that performance about 1 bat earlier than we got it, Preseason Tito.
Ish, I don't know how you stay so calm.
I am beginning to think this team is not good for my health.
HAHA oh so sad. There was a local commercial for a bowling alley/arcade... A bunch of 13-15 year old kids were shown bowling...This one girl threw a strike, turned around and was cheering and jumping up and down. Then she prances back to the group of kids she was with and high-10s another girl sitting down.
There was this fat kid sitting next to the other girl who put his hands up too for a high-ten, big smile on his face, and she just turned around and pranced away. SO SAD! But oh so funny. And you could TELL the commercial wasn't SUPPOSED to show that.
Oh, local commercials...
Amy, I think the reason I'm so calm is I don't find myself having so much riding on the games as I used to, mentally. Probably other things happening in my life help that.
But trust me. I am NOT pleased by any of this. At the same time I find myself thinking "Oh well" most of the time.
Speaking of NOT pleased... GUESS WHO just hit a three-run dong for the Rangers.
Kinsler. Mama there goes that man.
Great, the bats decide to die now...
Well, Ish, you may have a more mature attitude than I do (as an "older person," as the Yankee troll said). I am not as emotional as many, but I do sometimes have to remind myself to calm down.
I get pretty bad in the playoffs, trust me. In 2007 when the Red Sox were down to their last game to Cleveland, I was just freaking out all the time between those games. It felt like the world was going to end!
Then now I'm thinking, why the hell was I like that?? Haha.
I think even though things are going the way they are, I'm not feeling the real mortal fear of the season yet. I'll start freaking out when the End is Near. Whether they make the playoffs or not. I know we still have what, 44 games left? Still LOTS of baseball left to be played.
So now it's 5-1 Rangers.
So, the "meat" of our order makes the guy with the 5.7 era look like Nolan freaking Ryan.
AFTER we cough up the lead like a cat with a hairball.
ech....eeech......bleck!
There it is...now clean it up.
Obie: "It'll be fascinating to hear Josh Beckett's explanation about his very rocky outing tonight..."
Not really. I don't give a shit why he pitched badly. It happens. Just as long as this is an anomaly and he has a good next outing.
Was that the first OTT of the game for our pitchers?
Yup. First OTT of the night for Red Sox pitching.
Alright Green, do something useful here.
A 9-pitch OTT!
Hey Tito, we DO have a pen, coulda used it earlier!
OK, I'm through now. Actually I fully realize our pen has NOT been that reliable and don't really fault him for having more faith in Joshua. Sometimes you just have to rag on someone, and who better?
If Green doesn't at least move Flo over I'm going to scream.
Don't bugger with PHing for Ortiz. There are 0 out and lumber's gonna have to get Flo home anyways.
Every Sox batter has a hit now
So, why no pinch runner for Ortiz??
Thanks, Ish. Your attitude is comforting.
AND WE TAKE THE LEAD!
YES!!!! SCROTUM BUNT TURNS INTO A KICK TO THE TORONTO BALLS.
Glad I didn't have to scream. Gage woulda probably freaked out.
Looky there!
And I was just getting set to call for a bunt.
Who'da thunk a BUNT would get Ortiz home!?
What a bizarre game.
Is Gage your dog, SoSock?
I knew the bunt would come thru..
Amy, I wish I could have the same attitude in other areas of my life. Haha.
Gotta love plays like that
Aha!
Now the explanation comes up and I see Tito agreed with me. We just got bonus bases out of it.
Advantage: Us. Good thing, too, because the Rangers may be just cruisin' tonight.
Scrotum FLY!!!
Gage is the grandson. Upstairs in bed, but not asleep.
Noah (the dog) is so deaf I doubt he would have noticed. And he's right beside me!
Nice job pulling it to right to get Seabass over to 3rd also.
Daniel Bard ready for the bottom half.
Sorry about that, SoSock. Don't tell your grandson I mistook him for the dog!
That was a DUMB SASAHE swing.
Well, last time Beckett had a shitty performance, he went on to go 5-1 with a 1.92 ERA in his next seven starts
EXTRA MART!
No prob - he would probably consider it an honor :)
When was the last time we used the term On-Fire with Drew.
(nostalgic sigh......)
psst. Don't look now but this game is sorta kinda fun to watch again!
GDGD hasn't caught up but I like Ish's comment!
Martinez > Cactus
RBI Double - nice.
Shouldn't there be a flashing blue light somewhere - "Attention V-Mart Shoppers"
Barajas' mask fell off when the ball hit him... Youk picked it up and gave it to him. Now drenched with sweat.
That's what I call gamesmanship.
Is that Frankie V talking like such a dork?
Drew K's and he says, "That means, 'My foot hurts I wanna go home.'"
Um...what the fuck?
hoping this is enough...
night all
Night Lawd.
Nice j......nevermind
Come on, Shakespeare.
Guess Bot is coming in.
Um, Bard, let's get the third out here...
G'night, Lord.
Ah. the Bot is in
That's better, Tito.
Make a move.
Honestly, I'm at the point where I'd take Dave Roberts over Viola.
But neither of them are any good.
I wish Tito would have stuck with Bard.
Oh, man, give me the old Bot.
Um, Bot, find the fucking strike zone
They're saying the gun is really slow in Toronto... I call bullshit on that because Bard hit 100 twice. I dono about radar guns but I've never seen Bard throw 101 or higher.
So either way, Bard's gone and Bot is throwing low 90s.
10-9.
Remember when our closer actually did not give up hits, let alone runs?
Holy Shit Papelbon.........
BOT, WTF are you doing?
It's so funny how unique different situations are. I really am pissed Bard wasn't able to stay in there. I said that the moment Francona came out. So I'm not saying that because two runs have scored.
Bard had a three-run lead and he wasn't gonna give up a dong. And he had 2 outs. More times than not, he's gonna get that third out.
"I dono about radar guns but I've never seen Bard throw 101 or higher."
I know he hit 101 in a game earlier this season
Regardless, Bot's velocity's been down all season
Walking the #9 man - never really works out well, does it?
I didn't remember 101 but it really doesn't matter. I don't think he was throwing 101+. 100 was fine.
How many pitches has he thrown already, and he still has to come out for the 9th?
Crap - I bet A & L are feeling a sinking feeling of deja vu right now.
Francona's calling the bullpen.
The Playoff Assassin is alive... It's just that he might have made one move too many tonight.
Saito warming.
Cock.
11, 8 balls
Saito up? Uh oh.
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