Buchholz vs. Oliver again. It's 2-0 after 1 1/2 innings. Ellsbury doubled and stole third, and Evil Bert got him in with a sac fly. Oliver escaped further damage, but Cameron hit a solo HR in the second (an encouraging sign).
Beckett will take on Verlander at 7:05pm.
29 May 2011
28 May 2011
Game 52 @ Detroit (7:10 pm)
Clay Buchholz (3.30 ERA) vs. Andy Oliver (first 2011 appearance)
Believe it or not, it's nearly June and we're nearly a third of the way through the season. But there is no better place to be, looking down at the Yankees (who face Felix Heranandez tonight at 10pm) and the rest of the AL East.
In his last five games (since the Sox began this roadtrip), Carl Crawford is 11 for 19 with 2 doubles, 2 triples, 3 home runs and 9 runs. His batting average has jumped from .215 to .245, and his OPS from .547 to .664.
Believe it or not, it's nearly June and we're nearly a third of the way through the season. But there is no better place to be, looking down at the Yankees (who face Felix Heranandez tonight at 10pm) and the rest of the AL East.
In his last five games (since the Sox began this roadtrip), Carl Crawford is 11 for 19 with 2 doubles, 2 triples, 3 home runs and 9 runs. His batting average has jumped from .215 to .245, and his OPS from .547 to .664.
27 October 2010
World Series Game 1 - Rangers vs. Giants, 7:50 PM
The epic pitching matchups haven't really lived up to all the hype this postseason - close, but not totally there. But this is Tim Lincecum against Cliff Lee, and I think it'll be a dandy.
Yes, I said dandy.
Thread on!
Yes, I said dandy.
Thread on!
23 October 2010
MLB Playoffs Day 18: NLCS 6 - Giants at Philles, 7:50 PM
Edit: Game starts at 7:57 PM ET since the ALCS has finished.
***
Phillies Elimination Day, Take Two!
Game 6 worked out for the Rangers, but the Giants are on the road where they split the first two games of the NLCS.
It's a rematch of Game 2's matchup between Jonathon Sanchez and Roy Oswalt. The Phillies won 6-1. Pitching lines:
Sanchez: 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 7 K
Oswalt: 8 IP, 3 H, ER, 3 BB, 9 K
Oswalt also pitched the bottom of the 9th inning in Game 4 (0.2-2-1-0-0), and lost the game for Philadelphia.
For today's game, I am predicting the Giants win 1-0 in 31 innings.
***
Phillies Elimination Day, Take Two!
Game 6 worked out for the Rangers, but the Giants are on the road where they split the first two games of the NLCS.
It's a rematch of Game 2's matchup between Jonathon Sanchez and Roy Oswalt. The Phillies won 6-1. Pitching lines:
Sanchez: 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 7 K
Oswalt: 8 IP, 3 H, ER, 3 BB, 9 K
Oswalt also pitched the bottom of the 9th inning in Game 4 (0.2-2-1-0-0), and lost the game for Philadelphia.
For today's game, I am predicting the Giants win 1-0 in 31 innings.
22 October 2010
MLB Playoffs Day 17: ALCS 6 - Yankees at Rangers, 8 PM
Yankees Elimination Day, take two!
This time back in the Rangers' barn, it's a rematch of the Game 2 matchup of Phil Hughes and Colby Lewis. Here were their lines from G2 (Texas won 7-2):
Hughes got shelled, Lewis couldn't go deep into the game, so both bullpens saw significant action.
Since I was completely wrong about guessing last night's NLCS 5 was going to be a pitcher's duel for the ages, tonight I'm guessing the Rangers will score 38 runs and the Yankees will score 2.
This time back in the Rangers' barn, it's a rematch of the Game 2 matchup of Phil Hughes and Colby Lewis. Here were their lines from G2 (Texas won 7-2):
Hughes: 4 IP, 10 H, 7 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
Lewis: 5.2 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
Hughes got shelled, Lewis couldn't go deep into the game, so both bullpens saw significant action.
Since I was completely wrong about guessing last night's NLCS 5 was going to be a pitcher's duel for the ages, tonight I'm guessing the Rangers will score 38 runs and the Yankees will score 2.
21 October 2010
MLB Playoffs Day 16: NLCS 5 - Phillies Elimination Day? 7:50 PM
Will today be Elimination Day for the Philadelphia Phillies? Their backs are against the wall after the Giants won Game 5 on a walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 9th by Aubrey Huff. Roy Oswalt volunteered to pitch the 9th on two days rest, with his next start coming on Saturday's Game 6, if there is a Game 6.
Tonight's game is a rematch of the highly anticipated matchup between the 2009 Cy Young, Tim Lincecum, and the favorite to win the award in 2010, Roy Halladay.
Neither pitcher was on his game in Game 1, with Lincecum slightly out-dueling Halladay:
With Halladay trying to prevent elimination for his team and Lincecum trying to pitch his team to the World Series, tonight should be the pitcher's duel we all expected in Game 1 - perhaps even better than expected
I think the final score to be 1-0, but who wins? I don't know.
***
Also: Boston Bruins home opener at 7:00 vs. Washington Capitals
Tonight's game is a rematch of the highly anticipated matchup between the 2009 Cy Young, Tim Lincecum, and the favorite to win the award in 2010, Roy Halladay.
Neither pitcher was on his game in Game 1, with Lincecum slightly out-dueling Halladay:
Lincecum: 7 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 8 K
Halladay: 7 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 7 K
With Halladay trying to prevent elimination for his team and Lincecum trying to pitch his team to the World Series, tonight should be the pitcher's duel we all expected in Game 1 - perhaps even better than expected
I think the final score to be 1-0, but who wins? I don't know.
***
Also: Boston Bruins home opener at 7:00 vs. Washington Capitals
20 October 2010
MLB Playoffs: Day 15 - ALCS 5 (4 PM) & NLCS 4 (7:50 PM)
It's an elimination game for the Yankees!!! C.J. vs. C.C.
They send Big CC on regular rest to try to right the ship, and to their credit their pitching is decent enough to get back into this series. CC, Hughes, and Pettitte, but so far all three have been out-pitched.
The Rangers send out C.J. "Cliff Lee, Jr." Wilson, who had little to do with the Ranger collapse, venturing into 8th inning, getting into some trouble and couldn't be bailed out by his bullpen.
Let's not forget the Yankees have been outscored in this series 22-5, and the only reason why they weren't swept was one bad inning by the Texas bullpen.
I'm not doing any celebrating until the final out is recorded. 2004 and 2007 reminded me of that, as did last May. Different sport, but similar idea of momentum and confidence: The Boston Bruins were leading the Philadelphia Flyers three games to none in the 2nd round of the playoffs, only to see the Flyers storm back and win the series.
...but I've got a good feeling about this evening. The action begins at 4:00 PM.
***
Game 4 of the NLCS is tonight and I have absolutely loved this series. The baseball has been entertaining, the pitching fantastic, and there's been a lot of respect on both sides and a lot of good characters. How about Cody Ross, eh? He's been RAKING in October. He's batting .348 this postseason with 4 dongs (3 in the NLCS) and a 1.336 OPS in the playoffs (1.990 in NLCS).
Cole Hamels was asked after the game what he does when a hitter is "hitting differently" (aka RAKING). Hamels said, "Hit him! Nah, I'm just kidding."
Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel said, "Matt Cain was too good. He didn't give us any runs!"
It'll be Joe Blanton for the Phillies and Madison Bumgarner tonight. Blanton didn't pitch in the LDS so he's had a ton of rest. Bumgarner pitched Game 4 of the LDS against Atlanta (6-6-2(2)-2-8).
Like in the first three games of the series, Game 4 is one giant toss-up. I don't think this series ends in 5 games.
First pitch at an incredibly accurate 7:57 PM ET.
They send Big CC on regular rest to try to right the ship, and to their credit their pitching is decent enough to get back into this series. CC, Hughes, and Pettitte, but so far all three have been out-pitched.
The Rangers send out C.J. "Cliff Lee, Jr." Wilson, who had little to do with the Ranger collapse, venturing into 8th inning, getting into some trouble and couldn't be bailed out by his bullpen.
Let's not forget the Yankees have been outscored in this series 22-5, and the only reason why they weren't swept was one bad inning by the Texas bullpen.
I'm not doing any celebrating until the final out is recorded. 2004 and 2007 reminded me of that, as did last May. Different sport, but similar idea of momentum and confidence: The Boston Bruins were leading the Philadelphia Flyers three games to none in the 2nd round of the playoffs, only to see the Flyers storm back and win the series.
...but I've got a good feeling about this evening. The action begins at 4:00 PM.
***
Game 4 of the NLCS is tonight and I have absolutely loved this series. The baseball has been entertaining, the pitching fantastic, and there's been a lot of respect on both sides and a lot of good characters. How about Cody Ross, eh? He's been RAKING in October. He's batting .348 this postseason with 4 dongs (3 in the NLCS) and a 1.336 OPS in the playoffs (1.990 in NLCS).
Cole Hamels was asked after the game what he does when a hitter is "hitting differently" (aka RAKING). Hamels said, "Hit him! Nah, I'm just kidding."
Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel said, "Matt Cain was too good. He didn't give us any runs!"
It'll be Joe Blanton for the Phillies and Madison Bumgarner tonight. Blanton didn't pitch in the LDS so he's had a ton of rest. Bumgarner pitched Game 4 of the LDS against Atlanta (6-6-2(2)-2-8).
Like in the first three games of the series, Game 4 is one giant toss-up. I don't think this series ends in 5 games.
First pitch at an incredibly accurate 7:57 PM ET.
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