Paul Byrd and the Survival of the Fittest

Does Bobby Kielty know something we don't? Last August, he signs a deal with the Sox and ends up a hero in the World Series. This year, after obtaining his release from the Paw Sox in July, he resurfaces a month later by signing a deal with the AL Central-leading Twins.

Word just came out that the Indians dumped Paul Byrd on the Sox for cash or a player to be named. Byrd's 37 and having a subpar year, but as ESPN points out, he's won his last four appearances - with an average Game Score of 62.5 (which is excellent) no less - and he's got a solid 4.06 ERA in Fenway over 31 innings. In other words, I like where this idea: cheap acquisition who might do some good in the back of the rotation.

Next question: Does the Byrd acquisition mean Buchholz is finished in the majors for the season, or that the Sox think Wakefield has more shoulder damage than they've let on? I don't think so; I think this trade is part of a larger strategy. With Wakefield's injury and Clay's spate of ineffectiveness, Boston has two open rotation slots in the middle of a playoff run. Wakefield is out for two starts, but Buchholz has the opportunity to redeem himself, Byrd has the opportunity to establish himself, Colon has the chance to return to form, and one of the many minor league callups (be it Zink, Pauley, Bowden, or Hansack) has the chance to step up and make a mark in a fluid situation. It's more of a survival of the fittest type of pitching arrangement that gives Boston some options in a time of weakness, the opportunity for retreads to put up solid numbers for a future a contract hunt, and for the Sox to show off younger talents to up their trade value rather than a definitive changing of the pitching guard.

Bobby's Back

You know why I love following baseball? It's not the big stars; while they're fun to watch, their exploits are everyone's fare, including the uninitiated and the bandwagoner who wouldn't know a utility infielder or an unsung clubhouse hero from a hole in the wall. No, I love following baseball for the moments when I'm talking to a long-time Red Sox fan and make a reference to Troy O'Leary or Tom Brunansky or Jody Reed or Lou Merloni and the moment of recognition, where the long-forgotten name surfaces back to the consciousness and brings back a flood of memories that hit the face like a sledgehammer. A slow smile spreads across their face (or doesn't, if we're talking about someone like Jose Offerman), and they say, "oh yeah...I remember [that guy]..." and we've bonded over something.

Bobby Kielty fits into that class of players - a guy who came to Boston to fill a backup role, had enough success to make him a bit of a go to guy when the outfield fell apart in August, motivated Robin to talk in a Jamaican accent when speaking of his exploits, and established a cult hero legacy amongst those of us who know best by pinch hitting the home run that won the World Series. Rest assured: Bobby Kielty will be one of those guys we remember 20 years from now during a night of drinking and BSing about the Sox.

And now he might be coming back for another go, backing up Ellsbury in what will hopefully the young outfielder's triumphant rookie season. Non-guaranteed $800,000 contract, fighting for a roster spot with Coco Crisp? Sounds like Bobby's got a good chance of making his Boston legacy grow.

What to Do...What to Do

It wouldn't be a hot stove season at Keep Your Sox On unless our pal DC had a few pearls of baseball wisdom to dispense to the fortunate masses. Here's his take on how the front office is doing as they gear up for the 2008 campaign. Enjoy...

I've been promising to give my opinion of the off-season needs of the Old Towne Team ever since the World Series ended. So why am I so late in doing so? Well, let’s just say that living with Robin can apparently make you lazy through osmosis. So yeah, I know Theo and the boys have already done some things but its never too late to chime in. So without further ado, we might as well start with what’s already happened...

Moves Made:

• Schilling Re-signed – I would have approached this exactly as the front office did. The pitching market this off-season is as dreadful as Ron Jeremy’s physique, so why wouldn’t you throw a one year deal at Schill? Even if he’s no longer a top two guy, he's still a workhorse who competes, drives the rest of the pitching staff, and wants to win. Maybe he can even teach young Clay how to put a little meat on his bones.
  
  
• Lowell Re-signed – This too was ideal in my eyes. I was saying during the World Series that they should offer the Cuban George Clooney a 3 year deal with a club or mutual option for a 4th. Turns out, they got the man with the golden glove for 3 years without the option. So now we all win, Lowell gets paid, the Sox get a World Series MVP, we all get to enjoy his flawless defense and my girlfriend still has someone to think about while we’re in bed...yeah, don’t ask.
  
  
• Wake’s Option Picked Up – This was a no-brainer! Timmy Knuckles continues to be one of the biggest bargains in the league. The guy gives you quality innings, saves your pen, and is one of the vets who keeps things loose. Wake’s option will be picked up every year until he decides to hang it up...and then hopefully he’ll go teach the knuckleball to our A and AA squads.
  
  
• JT’s Option Picked Up – Much like signing Schilling, this makes total sense. The free agent relief pitchers this year are like a who’s who of crap. The devil that you know is much better than the devil that you don’t...particularly when the devil that you know is nuttier than squirrel turds and a quality relief option.

Work To Be Done:

I like the strategy that Theo and the moneymakers seem to be following. In short, secure the starting line up, re-arm the bullpen and then fill in the bench. So let’s look at these three tasks in order:

• Starting Lineup – With Lowell signed, the only decision to be made is who’s in center field. Personally, I like Coco. The guy is a freaking vacuum in center field, only if a vacuum was jet-propelled and was able to fly through the air like Bobby Orr. That being said, Jacoby is clearly the talk of the town and is clearly talented. Sounds like a no lose situation to this guy.
  
  
• Bullpen – As of right now we have a pen of Paps, Okie Dokie, MDC, JT Killer, Javier the Lesser, and Franken-Bronson. Unfortunately a quick perusal of the free agent market leaves you feeling like you just ate a crate of Hot Pockets. While optimistic Sox fans may have faith in the emergence of Bryan Corey and Brendan Donnelly, the reality is we’re talking about a 34 year old with only 3 years of experience in the bigs and a guy coming off Tommy John surgery. So, the front office is going to have to rescue some arms off of this year’s free agent scrap heap and they already missed out on the likes of Kerry Wood, David Riske and Scott Linebrink. Here are some viable options:
  
  
• Mike Timlin – This guy is quickly becoming the ageless wonder. Just when we were all writing him off this season, he came back and cut through more lumber than Paul Bunyan. As long as Tito doesn’t overuse him, he'll be great for 2008.
  
  
• Jeremy Affeldt – Managed to rejuvenate his career for this year’s NL Champs and he’s one of the few free agents who’s actually under 30.
  
  
• Ron Mahay – I don’t know...why not? I trust him more than LaTroy Hawkins.
  
  
• Bench – At this point our bench consists of Alex Cora and the aforementioned Ellsbury. That means we probably have 3 spots that need to be filled and they most likely need to be an outfielder, catcher and utility guy...
  
  
• Catcher – I know somehow Belli fell out of favor with the Boston fans. But here’s the deal, no other guy in the league is a sure thing when it comes to catching Timmy Knuckles. There is no youth available so you’re not getting Tek’s future replacement this off season. So why not go with the sure thing?
  
  
• Outfielder - Bobby Kielty: that huge home run in the World Series has got to be worth something right?
  
  
• Utility - Rob Mackowiak, Eric Hinske, Mike Lamb – None of them are going to carry a team any time soon. But each will give you innings at multiple positions and they all have experience starting games if need be.

Irons in the Fire:

You didn’t think we could go through this roundup without discussion of the blockbuster trade rumors, did you? Honestly, the Santana trade makes me uneasy because of the size of the contract that it will take to complete this deal. $25 million a year is a lot of money for any pitcher. At this point, making a trade for Erik Bedard is more enticing. This trade will cost the Sox fewer prospects and less money. In fact, the ideal move here would be something along the lines of Lester, Coco, Jed Lowry and a mid-to-low level prospect for Bedard and Kevin Millar. This gets Theo the splashy pitcher that he wants, solves the need for a utility guy and makes Boston the most fun-filled clubhouse in the league again. Everybody wins! Regardless of who the Sox trade for (Santana, Bedard, Haren) the real concern here is what does this mean about Dice-K? Do Theo and the boys no longer see him as Schilling’s replacement as 1A to Beckett’s 1?

World Series Game 4: We Are The Champions

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 4, Colorado Rockies 3

I've paid my dues/Time after time/I've done my sentence/But committed no crime

I've been trying to figure out what to write about last night ever since Papelbon threw that final strike and leaped straight up in the air like a caricature of a celebration, as the people all around screamed and shouted for joy, as I jumped from my seat like I was shot from a gun. Three years ago, I couldn't process it all at once; bits of happy kept leaking out and I'd start grinning for no good reason. This time around, the feeling is different; I'm satisfied, like I've just eaten a good meal with a fine wine, and I'm sitting on a screen porch watching the sun go down on a warm summer evening. This Red Sox team was the team intended to win it all, with a catalyst for winning hidden like genetic coding in Pedroia's swing and Ellsbury's feet and Lowell's glove work. That catalyst finally ignited when the Sox had their backs to the wall in Game 5 of the ALCS, but looking closely you could see that ability to win everything was there from the start.

And bad mistakes/I've made a few/I've had my share of sand kicked in my face/But I've come through

As for the game itself, well...before last night, Jon Lester hadn't thrown a ball in anger about a month, a length of time that seems inconceivable in a World Series starter until you look at his opponent, Aaron Cook, who hadn't pitched since August. Lester's reputation for high-risk, five-run outings with low inning totals and high pitch counts made a loss a very real possibility, but the results were otherwise: nearly six innings of scoreless, three-hit ball, a night spoiled only by losing the plate before he departed to Terry's wonderfully quick hook. The overused Okajima might regret the placement of the pitch that Garrett Atkins smashed over the wall in left, but excellent bullpen management and the sheer awesome factor embodied by our godlike closer (no runs, two hits, three strikeouts, and three saves in four and a third innings? There is no stopping the Cinco Ocho!) meant that we can now define a "Colorado Rally" as "not quite good enough."

I've taken my bows/And my curtain calls/You brought me fame and fortuen and everything that goes with it/I thank you all

On the hitting side, there was plenty to enjoy, too. Draw first blood? Check: Ellsbury and Papi connecting in the first for a double/single combo to score Boston's last first run of 2007. Contributions from the all-pistons firing lineup? Check: solo shot from MVP Lowell, RBI single by Varitek, a .333 batting average and a .936 OPS as a team through the Fall Classic. Random off-the-bench contributions? Check: Bobby Kielty, coming off the bench to hit the home run that made the difference in one of those odd baseball events that make great trivia and stories for the grandkids ("I remember when Bobby Kielty hit that home run that won the Red Sox the championship in 2007...no one expected it to make a difference...").

But it's been no bed of roses/No pleasure cruise/I consider it a challenge before the whole human race/And I ain't gonna lose

All in all, this game, this series, and the championship with it are confirmation of the transition of the Red Sox from hard-luck underdogs or misguided over-spenders who tinkered with their winnings to winners, pure and simple. As the winter progresses and you pine again for Spring and baseball, remember: the Red Sox have a built a powerhouse in Fenway; a group of guys capable of going the distance for years to come. It's time to revel in what they've put together. GO SOX!!!

We are the champions - my friends/And we'll keep on fighting - till the end/We are the champions/We are the champions/No time for losers/'Cause we are the champions - of the world

Game 158: Back in the Saddle Again!

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 11, Oakland Athletics 6

YOUK! MANNY! I remember these guys! These are guys that get on base. Guys that score runs. Guys that have weird hair. These are the Red Sox I remember. Enough of this Hinske, Moss, Kielty garbage. Those guys are fine in small doses, but this is the stretch run and we need to dance with the boys that brung us.

Jon “The Molester” Lester brought his “A” game when it comes to strikeouts (9) but not his best night on everything else. 4 earned in just 4.2 innings from the golden boy. Might not make the playoff rotations with outings like that, buddy.

So it was up to our offense (remember that struggling thing?) to cap off the night. Lowell was ready, Pedroia was ready, and yes Manny was ready! Lowell got his 115th RBI giving him more than any Red Sox third baseman EVER! Pedroia got his 8th homer and 2 doubles pretty much locking up the AL Rookie of the Year Award. Finally there was Manny again batting second and hitting like he has been here all month. We’re back baby and ready to restart the Red Sox Nation of Domination.

With the magic number at 2, the best news of the night might be the realization that the Sox don’t have to face Johan Santana in this 4 game clash with Minnesota. Come on you Great Lake jokers… drop a few for your Boston buddies. We need this.

Oh… and the Yankees clinched a playoff birth. Good for them… have fun with the Wild Card.

Game 153: Rehab

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 1, Toronto Blue Jays 6

That’s where the Red Sox are gonna send me. To freaking rehab. I am gonna be a burnt out shell by the time this season is over. The daily stress from being a fan of this up (the highest heights) and down (getting swept by the Blue Jays) baseball team is turning me into a zombie. I can’t believe how hard this team is trying to choke the season away.

And this isn’t even the real freaking team! Are they planning on starting Hinske and Kielty in the playoffs? Youk (wrist), Coco (back) and Manny (who freaking KNOWS anymore) not being in the lineup is as good a reason as any for only scoring 5 runs in this series. It’s a nightmare.

What’s happened to our bullpen? Once a mighty force, now it’s a sick joke. Oki is worn down and finally resting, Timlin and Delcarman are inconsistent and Gagne needs to be locked in a dungeon underneath the monster. The only guy I had ANY faith in was our boy Papelbon… and after the grand-slam he gave up today… I got nothing. He looks a worn out and beat as everyone else.

So now only 1.5 games up on the Yanks (who are hotter than the sun right now), must we look to the wild card? Detroit is sucking just as badly as the Sox, so it looks like we will make the playoffs… but man… this is ugly and sad. The Sox need to win some of these “must-win-games” or my head (and liver) might literally explode.

Game 139: Manny Who?

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 5, Toronto Blue Jays 3

Two series ago, I conjured up the frightening specter of Manny-less Red Sox as the reason for the dead bats in the Bronx. Take away Manny, it seemed and you took away the run-scoring hits the Sox so desperately needed to win. It was a frightening thought when you contemplated the future in all forms: the immediate future (winning the AL East), the near future (the playoffs) and the far future (the expiration of Manny's contract in 2008). What were we going to do while that oblique healed itself?

At the risk of making a tenuous connection, the answer now seems clear: we were going to wait for the September 1 call-ups and the triumphant return of Jacoby Ellsbury. The speedy rookie is tearing the cover off the ball on his third trip up to the majors in 2007, hitting well over .500 in his first four games and knocking in at least one run a day. In the field he's made some excellent catches, mixing well with the speed of Coco and Drew in the other parts of the outfield. He's taken the pressure off of Hinske's weat bat and Kielty's sore back, not to mention Manny, turning our bated breath for the return of our slugger into
consideration for a measured return. Last night Ellsbury opened the first major wound in Doc Halladay's armor with his second home run, a first-pitch blast that came right after a close play at first (thanks to a speedy Coco) broke up an inning-ending double play. It's not enough to say the kid's for real; he's at a higher, sublime level, burning off the rarefied gas of his ascent into our collective consciousness and begging the wonderful question, "Manny who?"

However, all of Ellsbury's success makes me wonder about his future. Making the (dangerous) assumption that he continues to hit at an even a reasonable level after he's faced the same clubs a few times, there's no room for Ellsbury in the outfield in 2008 without a trade or the decision to risk of making him a fourth outfielder for the next year or two. Alternatively, does he become part of a massive trade; something that brings a high-powered first baseman to the Sox while Youkilis moves back to third in place of Mike Lowell? Or does Ellsbury go back to Pawtucket again for another year to continue to post massive numbers against Minor League pitching? I'd hate to see Ellsbury depart, but I'm a bit of a sentimentalist when it comes to ball players and I could see Ellsbury becoming a big fixture in the mind of Sox fans everywhere.

Game 135: Ouch Ouch Ouch

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 8, Baltimore Orioles 9

Days of pain are among us. With Belli and Manny already down with injuries, it was only a matter of time before other players would follow suit. Wake (tonight’s original starter) was scratched with a sore back (could mean anything) and the long over due for an injury winner J.D. Drew bounced a foul ball off the top of his foot, managed to finish the at-bat, and then cried like a girl as he limped his way back to the dugout. Wuss. Other potential trouble in this game happened to Coco (banged into a wall), Ortiz (hit in the ribs) and Youk (hit in the arm).

Anyway, so that means we have Tavarez starting, Hinske in left and Kielty (who’s ALSO hurt) playing right. This has all the makings of a disaster. If I only knew.

It was a travesty. Apparently nobody told Tavarez that he was pitching past the 3rd inning and fell apart like Brittney Spears career. Now I remember why this guy is a reliever. And speaking of relievers, Timlin’s 1,000th appearance was one I wish he didn’t make. He came in, looked tough, and sucked hard. I just cry when I remember how money this guy was for us over the years… and what he’s become now. PLEASE RETIRE after this year. It’s time to bow out gracefully.

To add some salt and lemon to these wounds, the Sox almost managed to WIN this embarrassment. In the 9th, the ALWAYS atrocious Danny Baez tried to throw the game away, but Tek wouldn’t let him. He hit into a double play to end it with the tying run on 2nd. Where is the clutch? Where are the walk-offs? Where are the heroes? The pain… the pain...

Game 133: Don’t Get Any Ideas

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 3, New York Yankees 4

Now before anyone starts jumping off bridges or “waiting till next year” or burning J.D. Drew jerseys (oh too late?) let’s put this whole thing into perspective. The Yankees are still 6 games back. Even if they win tomorrow and sweep the series they are still 5 games back. That’s a lot of breathing room. There is no reason to go all Owen Wilson just yet.

Yes these games are high tension and they have a slight scent of the playoffs… remember that they’re not. The Yankees are a dangerous team because of a scary potent offence and the front of their rotation. Once you get to the 4/5 starters… they are garbage or unproven at best!

Look, I can’t say that I’m happy Beckett pitched as bad as he did (and was still super lucky) and Clemens cherry picked his way through a free swinging Sox lineup… but it’s not the end of the world… or even the season.

Anyway, if you WANT to freak out about something, focus on Manny’s strained oblique that might keep him out 10 games. Yeah it’s the stretch run and we are short our cleanup hitter. And with Bobby Kielty having back problems, it’s up to Eric Hinske to hold down the fort. So much for run production.

So remember… 5 game lead no matter what happens with the Yankees. Then it’s a bunch against Baltimore, Tampa Bay and other dregs of the AL. Calm down… take deep breaths.

Game 131: I Almost Feel Bad (almost)

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 11, Chicago White Sox 1

Was this like taking candy from a baby? Not really. It was more like taking candy from a baby, then beating up the baby’s dad right in front of the play pen and nailing his mother on the jungle-gym just for fun. This was a pants down spanking. A brutal butt kicking with some embarrassment sauce. Every Red Sox hitter was firing on all cylinders and kept the dominance that was rolling all weekend. 4 win sweep, 10+ runs in every game and 46 total. I mean the White Sox are BAD… but the credit has to go to the Red Sox bats. I mean EVERYONE has been hitting well. Papi, Pedroia, Drew, Kielty, Theo and the hotdog vender hit like gangbusters in this assault on Chicago. To put this beating into perspective, the last time the Sox had an offensive explosion like this was in the 1950’s.

With all these runs (46!! Ha Ha) it’s easy to lose track of what the pitching has done. Tavarez has been crazy good (and just plain crazy) for this team. His 6 awesome innings killed any chance that this DISMAL White Sox team could crawl back into this game. They never had a chance with J.T. Killer and the bullpen super crew running things. MDC (good), Gagne (better), Papelbon (masterful). I mean come ON! Paps in an 11 run game? That’s like using a rocket launcher to swat a fly. He struck out the side just to put the final touch on this crap fest.

This was a great warm up for the Yankees this week. It was like playing a junior varsity team right before you play the state champs. Oh, and those champs? Well, they lost their game with the Tigers and now sit a cozy 7.5 games back. With the Sox having an off day on Monday and the Yankees finishing off their series in Detroit, we could be 8 games up before the Yankees even throw a pitchI hope we can have that 11 game back lead by the end of the week. So much for the sky falling.

Game 128: The Right Way to Start

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 11, Chicago White Sox 3

Not a particularly inspiring start for Josh Beckett - seriously, how many 16 game winners/staff aces start out a game by walking in a run - but despite the 70+ pitches over three innings Beckett finally settled down and held on long enough to pitch five and two-thirds, surrendering three runs (including a two-run shot that brought the Other Sox back within striking distance), seven hits and three walks while striking out four. He won't look back on it as his best work, but a win's a win's a win, or something like that.

Jon Garland, on the other hand...one lucky SOB, although in the end his escape act ways didn't mean anything more than a loss. Still, he last for seven innings and while he didn't exactly keep his team in the game, he did keep the pot from boiling over with Red Sox runs. In many ways I'm grateful for that; Texas aside, blowouts, especially early blowouts, always seem to guarantee offensive failure in the second game. By keeping the Sox bats relatively quiet, Garland might have done Boston a big service. I guess we'll see in about an hour.

His successors, though; well, they were the gift that kept on giving. Two innings, four pitchers and none of them managed to record an out with letting at least one man on base. Mike Lowell especially had a field day: 3 for 4 with two runs, two RBI and a walk. In the eighth inning, Francona started making replacements - Youkilis and the now very intriguing Bobby Kielty - and they knocked in runs. The revolving door on the mound had another bonus, too: as the game quickly moved out of Papelbon zone and then out of Gagne zone, the potentially big problem of three innings of bullpen use in the first game of a doubleheader became a non-issue, leaving plenty of big guns on standby for tonight. I'm liking our chances.

Game 124: A Bad Finish

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 1, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 3

Sunday afternoon game right before the road trip… why not rest everybody? Sox debut for Bobby Kielty cause our expensive left fielder can’t hit lefties, Sox debut for Kevin Cash cause our backup catcher is a hurt fat ass and the return of Tavarez cause we need more crazy in our lives.

Cash (a defensive specialist) had nothing that resembled a good at-bat, while Kielty had 2 hits and an AMAZING catch to rob Kotchman of a 2 run homer. Must be that ginger-kid luck. Those guys freak me out.

Meanwhile, Julian had trouble in the first (the kind that scored 2 runs) and then trouble in the 3rd (the kind that clears benches). In the 3rd J.T. Killer hit O-Cabs on what looked like innocent wildness. Lando didn’t think so as he and Julian exchanged pleasantries. Everyone joined the discussion but no pushes or punches were thrown. I honestly think this wasn’t intentional. Why would he hit a guy loved by every other person on the Sox? Looked like it was just frustration from O-Cabs because he’s been so hot lately.

But he couldn’t have been as frustrated as the Sox were against Joe Saunders. Tavarez actually pitched a good game, but he had no support due to Saunders (rhymes with squanders) shutting the Sox down all day. By the time they got to him, it was already the 8th and Angels bullpen limited the damage to 1 run.

Enter Gagne (oh God no), who sprinkled 2 hits around striking out the side in the 9th. Good job you Canadian jerk. Where were you Friday night?

Didn’t matter cause the Sox couldn’t get to K-Rod and the series ends in a split. Now only 4 games up on the Yankees. Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em.

Game 121: Let’s Play 2!

I will be live blogging BOTH games today! That’s right… I will distract you at work AND at home on this fantastic double-header Friday. I will be updating inning by inning (maybe?) and I wait with bated breath for the debut of Clay Buchholz. Wait… he has a double “H” in his last name? Clay desperately needs a nickname… I vote “Butch” but I am willing to hear some other alternates. I’ll be back with more before game time.

…….

Good morning everyone (or afternoon? I gotta stop drinking). Well, whatever time of day it is, I am more than ready for the all-day 2 game Sox explosion. However, before they can play ANYTHING the Sox need to change the roster a bit and it looks like Wily Mo is the odd man out. He has been given his walking papers to make room for Buchholz who will in turn be sent back down to AAA before the second game so Jacoby Ellsbury can start in the outfield. Now this means that new pickup Bobby Kielty might be out of luck for the time being, but he looked unready anyway. Interstingly the big problem with this move is WHAT is happening to Wily Mo. Is he DFA’ed? Has he been traded? It hasn’t been announced yet, but he is NOT in the park and his locker is empty.

ADIOS Wily Mo… I hope you get the at-bats you need, want and have been asking for. I just hope curveballs don’t make you go insane. Godspeed.

So let’s get this party started. I’ll be back with a little hair of the dog, first inning insights and thoughts on the man with the pending nickname: Clay Buchholz.

See you in 30.

First Inning:

Mmmmm. That first beer is always the smoothest. Anyway, Clay looks like he’s 12 years old. It’s Jimmy Fund Day at the ballpark and I thought Clay was gonna be one of the little kids that reads off the lineups and calls everyone “Mr.”

Clay is having trouble finding the strike zone and his first 4 pitches were balls to Figgins. Great… not like this guy can run or anything. After a popup from O-Cabs, J.D. Drew just gave me another reason to hate his guts. Vlad hit a LAZY fly ball and Drew just dropped it. No excuses, he just freaking dropped it. If Clay could shoot lasers out of his eyes, I know who he’d be looking at. Figgin scores on Andersons groundball out. He strikes out Gary “I have a contract cause I had one good catch” Mathews Jr. to end the threat. Angles got a run… but they didn’t get a hit? Gimme a break.

As for the Sox turn at the plate, Don and Jerry were JUST saying how good Lackey is when Pedroia lines one into the corner. It was going to be a double anyway but some moron touched it. DON’T TOUCH BALLS IN PLAY JERKS!! Youk struck out (weakly) but it didn’t really matter… cause Papi had the tomahawk chop and BLASTED a homer off Lackey. Then Manny singled deep, then Drew redeemed himself with a mighty triple (?!?!?!?!) and then Lowell singled him home. After Coco popped out, Belli ALMOST was a stud who hit a bomb, but settled with a DEEP RBI double. Cora doubled him home… but he comes up lame! Oh man… I hope we got enough runs cause Belli looks really hurt. If your keeping score at home, the Sox have batted around and hit for the cycle in the first inning… fun fun fun.

Almost lost in all this fun was the destiny of Wily Mo Pena. Sox just announced he is going to the Nationals for a player to be named later. I hope that player isn’t Wily Mo Pena.

Sox 6, Angels 1

Second Inning:

ANNNNND Belli is done. Tek (who might be catching BOTH games?) is now behind the plate. This could get ugly later. More bad news… the no hitter is now over as Kotchman lines a single into center. Another walk and Clay looks like he is having some location troubles. Tek and Lowell hold a mound meeting to tell him that he better throw strikes or he is getting the WORST pink belly ever. It works. He gets a big double play to end the inning.

After Ortiz gets a single through the shift, Manny steps in and has some choice words for himself or Lackey or SOMEBODY after a powerful foul ball. Lackey gets mad and puts one on his jersey. Smart move for a guy who is letting everyone hit EVERYTHING… why not put another guy on base? Drew quickly gets a single up the middle and loads the bases.

Oh man… they just showed the pizza throwing thing again on NESN. I’m laughing so hard I’m ALMOST ok that the Sox just squandered the bases loaded situation. Almost.

Sox 6, Angels 1

Third Inning:

Official word is that Belli has a strained right calf and may not be available for the second game tonight. Who knows what this really means. They might have to amputate his leg for all we know. The problem now is what do we do for a backup? Is Cora gonna catch?? Yikes.

Anyway, Clay is STILL having control issues. He’s not missing by much, but he IS missing. Seems like a nibbler type of pitcher. I hate that. One thing he does have going for him is that his location creates some awesome opportunities for double plays… and he gets another one here. Another thing he has is a nasty changeup that makes hitters looks silly when they expect a low 90’s fastball. The kid looks a little rough… but has a very high upside. Another walk to Figgins and a single to Vlad don’t amount to anything as Clay wiggles his way out of trouble.

Now, who’s this guy pitching for the Angels? He looks like Lackey and is wearing his uniform, but he actually looks like a good pitcher! Shocking! The Sox go down in order. I hope we aren’t letting these guys off the hook.

Sox 6, Angels 1

Fourth Inning:

Wow… Gary Mathews has NO answer for Clay’s changeup. It’s just a nasty pitch that fooled the overrated outfielder for the second time today. A double from Kotchman spoils the perfect inning, but Clay is unfazed. If his wildness today is just nerves then this guy is gonna be really good. His fastball, curve, slider and changeup all look like major league stuff.

Reports of Youk’s demise were false indeed as he gets in on the hit parade and singles into center to start off the top of the fourth. Then something I never seen occurred. After Papi and Manny pop up, Drew hits a soft single to Vlad in right. Vlad quickly throws into third to try to get Youk… and he gets him alright… gets him right in the shoulder. The ball bounces into the dugout and Youk is given home plate and Drew stands on third. Really weird way to get a run. Whatever, I’ll take it.

Sox 7, Angels 1

Fifth Inning:

Clay seems to be coming apart a bit. Single, single, single, single and the Angels get 2 more runs on the board before I get a chance to open another beer. He struck out Willits to start the inning, but has looked like a T-ball pitcher since then. Thankfully Gary Mathews Jr. is his bitch and lines into a prefect double play to end the inning.

Awww… Lackey is cut loose and Chris Bootcheck gets the mound and mop-up duty. Coco greets the new pitcher with a single into left and now every Sox starter has a hit in this game. Little stats like that are why I get up in the morning. Coco moves to second on a questionable balk from Bootcheck, but the Sox can’t manage to get him home. I hope the bats wake back up because I have the feeling we are going to need some more runs in this one.

Sox 7, Angels 3

Sixth Inning:

Clay (82 pitches) is still in but Oki is now warming. Kotchman (kinda owns this kid) doubles and Aybar bunts him over to third (nice slide to first from Youk to beat Aybar). Sac fly plates Kotchman and I’m stating to get pissed. The Angels freaking small ball makes me sick to my ass. Just hit the ball like a normal team and pick a city to call your own while you’re at it. Can you imagine the Harford Red Sox of Boston? Yeah… it sounds stupid. Willits strikes out and that should be the end for Buchholz. His line is a solid 6 innings, 8 hits, 4 runs, 3 earned, 3 BB and 5 K. Good job kid.

Eliza Dushku in the booth with Don and Jerry. Sooooooo hot. She’s talking about cancer and the Jimmy Fund (good cause… call the telethon line at 1-877-738-1234), but wow… really hot. Watching Don and Jerry flirt (LOL) is just distracting enough to almost miss Youk and Ortiz go down quickly. Manny singles, but is left on when Drew lines out. Mmmm Eliza Dushku…. but she's dating Brad Penny? Ewwww.

Sox 7, Angels 4

Seventh Inning:

Oki is in and Oki is freaking amazing. 2 K’s (made O-Cabs look BAD with an Oki-dokie) and the first 1,2,3 inning of the day for the Sox. We need to see this guy in the 8th. I am calling it right now… he MUST pitch the 8th inning. He only threw 10 pitches! Don’t screw this up Francona.

Bootcheck is back for a 3rd inning. The more I look at this guy, the more I realize his name is stupid. I guess his family comes from a long line of cobblers. Well shoemakers or not… he shuts the Sox down in order. Somebody tell Don and Jerry. They were too busy laughing about losing Bill Simmons registration for Sox Nation President to watch the game. I haven’t really commented on the whole President of Sox Nation thing… because I don’t care! It’s a marketing thing and a silly one at that. Great… now I sound like a stick in the mud. Damn you Sox Nation.

Sox 7, Angels 4

Eighth Inning:

YES! Oki is back! And he gives up a lead off single? Whoops… my bad. After a pop out, Kotchman gets his 4th hit today and now the tying run is at the plate. Oki gets Aybar swinging and then Francona goes to Papelbon for the 4 out save. Well, he got the first one with no problem. It only took 2 pitches to get pinch hitter Izturis to pop out and to get me to spill a beer with a yelp of joy.

Angels switch things up with pitcher Greg Jones. Good thing too cause we couldn’t touch Jackboot or whatever his name was. Pedroia is particularly thankful cause he takes Jones deep with a big ‘ol swing over the Monster. Then he couldn’t find the plate. Walked Youk and hit Manny (not intentional), but reclaimed his composure and K’ed Drew. They got the one run, but I think Francona is still gonna stay with Paps to close it out.

Sox 8, Angels 4

Ninth Inning:

Jerry Remy just called out Bill Clinton and Kevin Garnet for not getting anyone in Arkansas or Minnesota to call in and donate to the Jimmy Fund. That was a little surreal. Anyway, Papelbon hasn’t been donating money… he IS money. He K’ed Willits then punched out Figgins on a nasty pitch on the outside corner. O-Cab singled to Manny, but Vlad pops out to the triangle to end it.

So a good win for the Sox and the first for Clay Buchholz. Still working on a nickname for this guy. So far “Butch”, “Buck”, “Clay” and “Double H” are on the board, but I am willing to hear others.

Next game starts at 7, so I am gonna take a little break. This got kinda long so I’ll split the second game into another post. Great job taking the first one guys… I want to see Beckett go 8 strong in the second match-up so our bullpen isn’t too taxed. Hopefully we will have more info on the catcher situation soon. I would really hate to see Tek catch both games… but what are the other options? See you at 7.

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 8, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 4

Game 112: Treated Curt-Ly

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 2, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 4

Fresh off a dominating stint in rehab (honestly who dominates rehab? Well besides Lindsey Lohan?) Schilling took the mound against the mighty City Winged Humans of Another City. It was good to see him back, he seemed to have command on all of his pitches… but honestly I’m not sure how he did. Keep in mind that I watched this game from beginning to end, I looked at the stats and the box score, I was aware of his mound presence... and yet with the inconstancy and awful umpiring from James Hoye in this game, you could make an argument that Schilling was WORSE than he appeared. The same argument could be made for Weaver. They (and the bullpen) got some head scratching strike calls that borderline on criminal offenses.

Assisted pitching lines aside, Schill did look ok in his return. His shoulder looked as strong as advertised and he seemed to be making his pitches. Unfortunately, the hits came so quickly it was almost as if they were just subtle mistakes during an otherwise well pitched game. It just so happens that he made a few more mistakes than Weaver. In the 7th, things really started to fall apart and Tavarez came in to… I dunno… prove his near worthlessness? Just an ugly inning full of homeruns, weird plays and distraught looks from me. Combine that with the dozen or so wasted opportunities the Sox had batting and this makes for an awesome pile of puke.

Going back to what I was talking about before, there was some really odd officiating in this game. Well I guess it’s only “odd” if you think a “totally rage inducing event” is “odd”. On an 0-2 count, Manny held up (and replays show he HELD UP) on an inside pitch, James Hoye said he swung and then tossed him after less than 5 seconds of arguing as he walked back to the dugout. This forced roster move meant that it was call up Brendan Moss facing K-Rod in the 9th inning as the go-ahead run. Guess how that turned out. It was HOGWASH all around and it wasn’t the first time it’s happened this season. Add this to all the OTHER awful calls he made (Lowell’s phantom strikeout comes to mind) and I think this game should be protested by the Sox management… I’m not even kidding.

Maybe umps are getting power hungry or something because they wield the “I’m tossing you!” penalty like a 7 year old with his dad’s gun. These zero tolerance ejections are counter intuitive, counter productive and seem to be for the sake of the umpire’s ego. There needs to be a serious investigation into the conduct of these “eject first, ask questions later” umpires. But lord knows I don’t expect Bud Seilig to do anything worthwhile as he’s busy following those record breakers around… somehow that’s the true priority with this messed up sport.

Please excuse me as I step down from my soap box. Didn’t mean to make things uncomfortable. Kinda awkward huh? Good thing we signed that Carrot Top looking freak Bobby Kielty to lighten the mood.

Yeah… it’s not working for me either.