Channeling My Inner RedSock

Maybe it's the prospect of meeting Allan for the first time later today, but reading Peter Abraham's Extra Bases stuff today is sending me into a minor rant.

Abraham seems like a smart guy, consistent in his approach. I have read a lot of his stuff on EB, including chats. He's sometimes criticized for taking a condescending tone toward fans who panic too easily, propose unreasonable trades, or speculate about next season before this one is over. I've been OK with that tone for the most part.

But yesterday he pissed me off. Before the game, he dedicated a post to Drew's coming out of the lineup, writing, "J.D. Drew has added to his MLB record of most times scratched from the lineup because of a hamstring strain."

I suppose he's trying to be a bit funny, and I suppose he's referring to the fact when Drew misses games, he often is scratched at the last moment. But as RS has pointed out, Drew's right up there in terms of games started for the year. Why should Abraham, whose calling card is skewering boneheaded fan notions, encourage the notion of Drew as fragile? Many the Sox fans in the Oakland stands last week were loudly calling him "Nancy". It's probably too late -- the label's not going away.

Having said all that, DJ is not in the lineup for today's game (12:35 PST / 3:35 EST).

RED SOX (57-44)
Scutaro SS
McDonald RF
Youkilis 1B
Ortiz DH
Martinez C
Beltre 3B
Hermida LF
Hall 2B
Patterson CF

Pitching: RHP Josh Beckett (1-1, 6.66)

ANGELS (52-51)
Aybar SS
Izturis DH
Callaspo 3B
Abreu RF
Matsui LF
Kendrick 2B
Napoli 1B
Wilson C
Willits CF

Pitching: RHP Joel Pineiro (10-7, 4.18)

In other news, Edes has a good article on Okajima's social and language issues, and Sons of Sam Horn a good discussion on the same.

The Return of Big John

John Lackey has been healthy but unspectacular as a Red Sox (9-5, 4.36, 1.51 WHIP). His recent couple of strong starts have inspired hope that down the stretch he'll be a credit to the rotation. The career numbers (3.86 ERA / 1.32 WHIP) he earned as an Angel are closer to what Boston fans would like to see.

For those who tend to mix up the Weaver brothers, Jered is the better one. He's 9-6, 3.22, 1.09 in 2010.

RS and L-girl are traveling. I'll see them tomorrow.

LBJ was 1-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base in Fort Meyers today.

RED SOX (56-44)
Scutaro SS
Drew RF
Youkilis 1B
Ortiz DH
Martinez C
Beltre 3B
Lowrie 2B
Cameron CF
Hermida LF

Pitching: RHP John Lackey (9-5, 4.36)

ANGELS (52-50)
Izturis SS
Callaspo 3B
Abreu RF
Hunter CF
Matsui DH
Napoli 1B
Kendrick 2B
Rivera LF
Mathis C

Pitching: RHP Jered Weaver (9-6, 3.22)

Playin' with the Angels

Buchholz vs. Pinero

Attention, shoppers: VMart is back in the lineup. But as the Rays and Yanks continue to play well, is a West Coast trip full of its share of miscues going to derail us altogether? The question will be answered the way they always are in baseball: game by game.

East coasters may be looking forward to the end of baseball after midnight. As a West coaster, I feel like 7:00 is the perfect time for games to end, not to begin. But we're in Orange County regardless, playin' with the Angels.

Sox @ Baltimore: Revenge on the Birds

Boston 11 - Baltimore 0

Buchholz threw a 5-hit complete-game shutout, and Scutaro, Beltre, and Youkilis hit homers. There was never much doubt about this one.

Failure to dominate bad teams, including the dreadful sweep we suffered from Baltimore a month ago, has cast a shadow on our record so far in 2010. To move firmly out of our tie with Toronto, we need to do well in this series. And let the Jays (Cecil 5-2, 3.81 ERA, 109 ERA+) and Yanks ("Butt-head" Burnett 6-2, 3.28 ERA, 124 ERA+) beat up on each other tonight.

According to Extra Bases, Francona commiserated with Dave Trembley before the game. The Orioles' manager was fired this morning, and Terry knows what that's like. 3B coach Juan Samuel takes over; maybe ours should have.

We will continue to operate with a makeshift outfield. With Hall, Hermida (and McDonald) showing signs of life at the plate, that's not such a bad thing; maybe Hermida is more comfortable in left for away games. Apparently, Cameron's available to pinch hit.

RED SOX (31-24)
Marco Scutaro SS
Dustin Pedroia 2B
David Ortiz DH
Kevin Youkilis 1B
Victor Martinez C
J.D. Drew RF
Adrian Beltre 3B
Jeremy Hermida LF
Bill Hall CF

Pitching: RHP Clay Buchholz (7-3, 2.73).

ORIOLES (15-39)
Corey Patterson LF
Miguel Tejada 3B
Nick Markakis RF
Ty Wigginton 1B
Luke Scott DH
Matt Wieters C
Adam Jones CF
Scott Moore 2B
Cesar Izturis SS

Pitching: RHP Chris Tillman (0-0, 3.18).

Buchholz is looking great lately, and of course Baltimore was the victim of his 2007 no-hitter...but we know that's not much of a factor.

Get Thee Behind Us: Red Sox at Blue Jays, 7:07pm EST

Oatmeal from Extra Bases:

RED SOX (8-11)

Scutaro SS
Pedroia 2B
Youkilis 1B
Lowell DH
Drew RF
Varitek C
Beltre 3B
Hall LF
McDonald CF

Pitching: RHP Josh Beckett (1-0, 5.26)

BLUE JAYS (10-9)
Lewis LF
Hill 2B
Lind DH
Wells CF
Overbay 1B
Gonzalez SS
Bautista 3B
Buck C
Snider RF

Pitching: LHP Dana Eveland (2-0, 1.93)

It'd be a bit daunting to know back on Opening Day that we'd be fielding this kind of lineup in April -- not to mention that Beckett's not the only starter with an ERA above 5 (Lester, Lackey, and Wakefield are flying high as well.)

There's no doubt we'll recover, but enough to compete with the MFY and Tampa?

First things first. A sweep will put the Jays behind us, and us in third place.

Game 139 • Orioles at Red Sox • 7 PM

Baseball-Reference Preview

BAL: Jason Berken 6.07 ERA, 77 ERA+
BOS: Paul Byrd 7.56 ERA, 63 ERA+

I'd love to see the Red Sox do a little jerken-the-Berken tonight. Hit a few dongs their way. Make Massachusetts the Show-Me-Your-Dong state...

V-Mart gets the night off.

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

***

Ranger 10, Indians 0.
7 PM • Rays at Yankees • Niemann v. Chamberlain

Currently Texas is 1.5 GB.

Game 138 • Orioles at Red Sox • 7:10 PM

Baseball Reference Game Preview

David Hernanadez (4.54 ERA, 102 ERA+)
Clay Buchholz (4.40 ERA, 108 ERA+)


The Sox should have a clear path to the Wild Card spot -- all others have fallen out of competition, and our schedule appears so much easier than Texas' (Cafardo pg 2), who starts their double header today 2 1/2 games out.

But doubts about the rotation after Lester and Beckett remain. Who's our #3?

There's hope that everyone from Daisuke Matsuzaka to Michael Bowden will be able to help. But more than one commenter on Sons of Sam Horn has pointed to Clay Buchholz as the key to the rest of our season, and perhaps the postseason as well.

He was amazing last time out. Let's see how his maturation as an MLB pitcher is coming along tonight.

Red Sox
1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. Victor Martinez, C
4. Kevin Youkilis, 3B
5. David Ortiz, DH
6. Jason Bay, LF
7. J.D. Drew, RF
8. Casey Kotchman, 1B
9. Alex Gonzalez, SS
SP -- Clay Buchholz, RHP

Orioles
1. Brian Roberts, 2B
2. Felix Pie, CF
3. Nolan Reimold, LF
4. Nick Markakis, RF
5. Melvin Mora, 3B
6. Matt Wieters, C
7. Luke Scott, DH
8. Ty Wigginton, 1B
9. Cesar Izturis, SS
SP -- David Hernandez, RHP