Games 39, 40, and 41: Dome Divers

Final Scores: Boston Red Sox 5, Minnesota Twins 2
Boston Red Sox 8, Minnesota Twins 9
Boston Red Sox 3, Minnesota Twins 7

The Boston Red Sox have NEVER played well in Minnesota but now it looks like Eric and I aren’t the only ones leaving the weekend with a hangover. Maybe it’s something about that trash bag that sucks all hope out of the Beantown crew. The results are usually ugly, but there were some bright spots in this 1 for 4 stretch in the land of 10,000 lakes.

Although Dice-K got the win (his 6th) the victory on Saturday was a redemption of sorts for Papelbon. After 2 consecutive blown saves, Paps got a gimme save and did so with gusto. A nice bounce back for the most valuable arm in the bullpen. Also back to back shots from Lowrie and Coco. Wow that’s even hard to type.

Sunday was a big tease. After going down big early (Wake looked awful), the Sox kept it close even with Manny on the bench nursing his hammy. So why did he pinch hit in a clutch situation in the late inning (only to line out)? No clue. Sox fell short in the 9th. Not pretty, but a good showing for the return of Cora. Lugo sat as Cora got some big hits and so great plays with the glove. No win to show for it though.

Monday night was the return of Casey and the return of the inconsistent Buchholz. Manny got his 498th round tripper, but that was the extent of the offence. Buchholz gave up some big runs early and the Sox never came close to recovering. Lets get out from under the dome before anyone gets smothered.

The biggest stories of the weekend are the moves and shakes in the bullpen. Bryan Corey was traded to San Diego for a player to be named later. I only hope the PTBNL isn’t Bryan Corey.

Also, I am sad to report that the Sox have parted ways with a man I have gotten some great laughs from over the last 2 seasons. Like a psychotic on lithium, the Red Sox have gotten a lot less crazy… Julian Tavarez has been designated for assignment in preparation for a trade to Colorado. No more balls being rolled to first base, no more Freddy Kruger jokes, no more human sacrifice scares. I’m tearing up just thinking about it. Sigh… at least I can take solace in the fact that he was a terrible pitcher. Yep, I feel better already.

Game 9: Can’t Lose Em All

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 2, Detroit Tigers 7

Maybe it’s Detroit Walk City. The Tigers pulled 8 free passes between Lester, Aardsma, Corey, Tavarez and Lopez. Every one made me want to pull my hair out. Lester continues to frustrate. He takes forever on the mound, he throws ten thousand pitches and manages to walk a guy an inning. He gave up a 2 run double to the detestable Renteria and a SHOT into the monster seats for Thames. Not a good start...

After a pretty good 2 inning band aid from Aardsma, Corey pretty much pitched himself onto waivers. To save a roster move, DC suggested that when Timlin comes back he should just shoot Corey and bury him under the backstop.

Tavarez added some excitement by loading the bases, but with a slow tapped back to the mound from Sheffield, he and Tek combined for a 1-2-3 double play. Tavarez celebrated by eating a fetal pig. Good times. Oh and Lopez gave up a solo shot in the 9th. Bad times.

The Red Sox bats looked patient and hot to start (Bonderman looked ripe for a shelling) but the could get nothing done with men on. After a bases loaded walk, Lugo (who had a good night) muscled in a single for another run in the 2nd… but that was as good as it got. Lots of guys left on, lots of bad breaks, lots of squanders. Now factor in Mike Lowell’s thumb injury (just a sprain, Casey filled in) this was pretty much a downer all the way around.

The biggest disappointment at the plate HAS to be Ortiz. He is now 1 for the last 19 and is making everyone wince a little when he comes to the plate. Besides the fact that he is getting nothing to hit, he just looks uncomfortable out there.

So the Tigers finally get one in the win column. You had to figure they weren’t going to lose 162 games… I’m just pissed the drought happened to end in Boston.

Anyway, tomorrow it is the return of Wake to Fenway and a special guest game blogger! Our own angry commenter DC will be in attendance and will bless us with his first-hand recap. Couldn’t be more excited!

Game 6: Happy Trails, Franken-Bronson?

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 2, Toronto Blue Jays 10

The sign in the Fenway home clubhouse could read: "Truly Bronson-Free Since 2008," after the news today that Kyle Snyder may be not only out of a long relief job, but out on the waiver wire with a DFA to make room for the return of Josh Beckett. It's sad, really, that a man can't be giving up four runs in one and two-thirds innings without getting packed off to the nearest desperate team for a draft pick, especially when that man has such a wonderful resemblance to the much-loved (by college girls and Sox fans alike) Arroyo. But it was do or die time as regards to Beckett, and Snyder had the misfortune of opening the door for the Jays to change today's midday contest from close through trailing to blowout. Giving up two runs per appearance probably didn't help, either.

But I do have to wonder: why Snyder over Bryan Corey? Actually, that's a foolish question; Corey's not only been Francona's go-to guy this far (his four appearances topping anyone else on the staff), but he's tied with Delcarmen as second most effective reliever in the pen. Or at least he was until today, when he let Snyder's two base runners and four of his own cross the plate over the course of a third of an inning, making his own case for a demotion - or at least a cooling off period. I guess my point is that Snyder's DFA seems a little arbitrary, or maybe I feel like it's a gut decision (though I'm having a harder and harder time justifying it as I look at the relative numbers) because I enjoyed seeing him pitch. If he's really gone, though, good luck on the market. Thirty seems too young to let a career come to an end.