Fausto Versus Sheffield

Two things make me very happy about this video:

1. Watching Fausto Carmona tool on Gary Sheffield like Nolan Ryan on Robin Ventura. Sheffield can jaw about it all he wants after the fact, but he got beaten like a red-headed stepchild on a rented mule - and everyone knows it.
   
2. Everyone includes the Indians announcers, who make no secret of their home bias throughout the fight, and discuss in length about how much of a toolbag Sheffield's being through the whole thing.
   

Game 63: Some Big Distractions

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 7, Tampa Bay Rays 1

Good lord, where do I begin? The Red Sox might not have the fundamentals of baseball first thing in their mind this evening. First, all of Boston is focused on the Celtics and the NBA Finals starting tonight (BEAT LA!!!!) hence the hour earlier start time. There is so much green and red in the stands tonight you’d think it was Christmas.

Also, an interesting point brought up by friend of the site “Yankee Mike”. He said that this Sox team reminds him of the 1999-2000 Yankees. They know they are a good, well rounded team, have a superior lineup, but they play up or down to the level of their competition as they cruise towards the playoffs. What a compliment! Not sure I buy it just yet but it looks like this could be the case.

Injuries have been another issue for this team. In fact, today one of the scariest was Jacoby rolling his wrist after a GREAT catch in center. Ellsbury showed a lot of pain and was immediately removed. Luckily it’s a strain and not a break. Now this wouldn’t have been so problematic if it wasn’t for the biggest distraction…

Coco and the Rays turned Fenway into a MMA octagon.

This whole thing started last night when Coco got his thumb slammed while stealing second. On his next steal attempt he took out Iwamura pretty hard and Joe Maddon had a few choice words. I thought that would be the end of it. I’m a pretty silly fool.

In the third inning, Shields hit Coco right in the leg and Coco went right for Shields face. It was ugly. Catcher Navarro tackled him from behind and Gomes (the freaking DH!) took turns with Carl Crawford beating Coco to a pulp. Not the best showing for a Sox player in a fight. Coco gone (facing a suspension), Shields gone (same) and Gomes too (he better get a few games… come one he wasn’t even in the field). This was a BRAWL and it seemed to fire up… somebody? I don’t know, really. It looked like Coco was battling by himself. Now I’m not saying that the Sox weren’t behind him, but he was the only guy wearing red and throwing punches.

Look, I’m happy we came away with the sweep, but I’m concerned with the roster issues the Sox now face. Too many issues, too many problems and suddenly it could derail what is a great season so far.

(EDIT): Coco called the Rays players: "Little girls" in the after game press conference. I'm going to go out on a limb and say this might not be over...

Oh and Youk and Manny got into a fight with each other after the fight on the field because Manny took so long to come to Coco defense. Can't we all get along... and then fight the Rays? No infighting! I forbid it!

Gild off the Lilly

I love the spring. Birds chirping, flowers blooming, Training in full swing. So it must also be time for the Red Sox to get under the skin of some team we have no business feuding with. Something about the Scarlet ‘B’ rubs other teams the wrong way and it happens every year. The Yankees may be the charter member, but the Sox can find a way to piss any team off. Devil Rays, Phillies, Marlins, Oakland… whoever… we manage to ruffle feathers.

This year it was with Detroit. Beckett, not having the greatest command on his curveball on Saturday (was wild as hell), managed to tag Sheffield and Magglio with some less than precise pitches. None of this was intentional (as far as I can tell) but it was a little ugly (he looked freaking awful).

The bean ball barrage did not go unnoticed and Jim “Nails” Leyland made sure that someone on the Sox team paid. Well he tried to make sure. J.D. Drew was the supposed target of Todd Jones… but Jones couldn’t hit him! Dodge, parry, dodge and finally the one that flew behind Drew was noticed by the umpire who unceremoniously tossed Jones and Leyland for orchestrating the whole thing. Well this caused ‘ol Jimmy to go a little B-A-N-A-N-A-S as he made his way on to the field. This is where it got rough.

DeMarlo Hale vs Jim Leyland!!! It’s the battle of the old school shouters!

They jawed and got into it until the benches cleared and… well… nothing. That was it. It petered out without a punch or shove. Awww. Maybe next time you frisky Tigers.

The second awful showing came from our OTHER supposed ACE on Sunday vs the Orioles. This time the foreign wonder, the gyro dynamo, the tsunami mami, DICE-K… looked like Chan Ho-Park on a bad day. He got taken deep by Knott (1 run) and Dubois (3 run) and managed to throw away a double play ball into center field. Yeah… bad sushi.

On the bright side, Joel Pineiro did manage to have a good 2 innings and is slowly pitching his way back into the bullpen. But other than that… not a great weekend.

It’s still early in Spring Training so whatever happens, the good or the bad, has a big chance of changing before the season starts. But I hope these pitching problems can iron themselves out sooner rather than later… or it is going to be a long season.