“MVP”edroia, “KC”oco and a Requiem for My Dream

Let’s do things in order of importance here. First things first… Dustin Pedroia has finally finished his “I told all you doubting Mother#&%#s” tour around the MLB. The 2007 AL rookie of the year now has a gold glove, silver slugger and the 2008 AL MVP to place in his already crowded trophy case. No longer the Wonderboy… Dusty P is the prime time, Alpha dog that combines that amazing talent with a powerful will and a heaping pile of grit. He must have all these qualities… because why else would a 5 foot nothing bald guy be the MVP of ANYTHING?

Thinking back on his season, there are so many moments when I thought “what the hell is he going to do next?” His cockiness is hilarious, his energy is infectious and his hair was ridiculous. There were also hundreds of moments when I though he was going to have to carry this team himself. My favorite was that series with Chicago at the end of August when Dustin forgot how to make an out. Seriously, for 2 games the Sox second baseman was a wrecking crew. 8 for 8 with 2 walks!!!! They needed to douse him in ice water for fear he would light the rest of Fenway on fire.

So even though it was a weird year for MVP choices, I think Pedroia was just a valid as the others. The twin Twins had a good season and Youk was just as much as a banner carrier, but that scrappy (a hot button word I know) bastard deserved the award. Now I am excited to see what he is going to do to prove he’s even better than this.

Second order of business: wishing Coco Crisp a fond farewell. This needed to happen and the returns were nearly exactly what the Sox needed. Ramon Ramirez is a solid set up pitcher and fills a pretty big hole in the bullpen. As for Coco, her really went above and beyond this year and really helped along the Jacoby rebuilding process. He is a defensive wiz, a speed demon and really a hell of a guy… and will continue to be so in exile on the island of Kansas City. Thanks a lot Coco! Have fun on that perennial last place team. Really… hell of a guy.

Finally, the lame news. I am taking a step back from this blogging thing. Yeah big shocker if you looked at my last few weeks… but anyway this isn’t me giving up on the team or anything… I just don’t have the same need to freak out anymore. Let me explain…

When I was living in Brooklyn, if I talked about the Red Sox to a guy in line at a deli, first he would beat me senseless, then he would scream “GO YANKS”… not exactly the way to get things off my chest. But now that I’m back in Boston, I regularly accost hapless misanthropes about hot stove deals and they are happy to receive my insane ramblings… hell… they have some of their own! It is a relief that I cannot describe. Unfortunately, this leaves me at a loss for my venting in this forum or I feel like I am repeating myself. Now combine that with an added work load from my real job (and other normal excuses) and there isn’t much time or energy left for the blog.

So no more regular posts for me. I’m sure I’ll be back in some crazy form or another eventually (sooner if the Sox get Teixeira), but until then let me leave you with GO SOX and KEEP YOUR SOX ON. You know the deal.

Coco No More

The Sox confirmed that they traded Coco Crisp to the Royals for reliever Ramon Ramirez. Unless you're far more familiar with the ins and outs of the Royals bullpen than I, I'm sure you had a similar first reaction: who? Fear not: once you take a look at the numbers, dealing Coco straight up for a no-name reliever makes sense. At 27, the right-handed Ramirez has three calendar years' experience in the majors - two in Colorado, one in Kansas City - with phenomenal numbers (ERA+ above 140, K:BB ratio of about 2:1, WHIP and ERA that have both fallen over time) over sixty-plus appearances in both 2006 and 2008. The catch is 2007, when Ramirez hurt himself twice: a sprained right elbow in April and a right elbow inflammation in September, and spent of the rest of the time sucking wind. Clearly he healed well enough to continue his march forward this past year, but a guy with a damaged wing who relies on low-90s hard stuff to make his living is a potential liability as he gets older. The Herald believes there's a possibility of Ramirez figuring as a set piece in a larger trade later on.

In addition to confirming the long-term decision to support the Jacoby Ellsbury Project in Boston, this move means happy trails to Covelli Crisp, the little engine who never quite could in Boston. To be sure, he had his hot streaks, particularly in the second half of this season, when he picked up the slack from Ellsbury's rookie/sophomore struggles, but the guy who came to Boston to replace Johnny Damon never really established himself after breaking his finger in early April, 2006 in Baltimore. Best of luck to you in KC, Coco; I hear they're big into OBP now. We'll always have 2007 and the time you almost broke your wrist sliding into the triangle.

Speaking of Baltimore: glad to hear the Orioles are acknowledging their home city now.

Princes of the Universe

Presenting! Terry Francona's The Highlander! Watch, as one man from Georgia, supported by a cast with such dashing and daring characters as Youk, Pedey, Big Papi, Bay State (does anyone actually call him Bay State?), Coco, and Rat Boy, fights to keep his dreams of a 2008 World Series berth alive - or at least give the Rays a run for their money - in the face of Terrible Aggression, Rayhawks, female Rayhawks, and B. J. Upton!

With:

• J.D. Drew as Connor McLeod of the Clan McLeod, the Scottish warrior with the bat and excitement response of steel!
  
• David Ortiz as Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez, the Spanish swordsman who looks Scottish but is actually, in fact, Dominican.
• Evan Longoria as The Kurgan, the bad guy so bad ass he needs no introduction - nor pitch high in the zone.

Holy crap, what a way to end a game. I will admit without shame that while I headed into tonight with at least some hope of a good showing to brighten what had been an otherwise abysmal stretch of baseball, by the seventh inning I was reduced to praying for a run, making and burning small sacrifices of peanuts and crackerjack on my living room floor in the hopes that the baseball gods might let us live without the indignity of a skunking.

Then came the bottom of the seventh inning. Remember the feeling you had before Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS, where you basically declared "$#&% it" and decided to watch just to see how things turned out? That's how I felt when I wrested control of the TV at the start of the bottom of the seventh. Then things started happening. Pedroia comes up with two outs and a man in scoring position and does what almost no other Red Sox has done this series: he knocks him in. Papi comes up: we're all thinking "big spot, big spot, 2004, Mr. Clutch Hit," but we're all thinking about that wrist, too, about that sub-.200 batting average and the deadfish way his hits seem to have these days. And maybe we're thinking about that triple from last night, too, because somehow hard-cursing Grant "Lord" Balfour decides right now would be a perfect time to challenge Big Papi with a fastball in the heart of his ball-crushing zone. And like J. D. Drew last year, the totally improbable happened: easy as pie, Ortiz dropped that ball right into the grandstand and cut the Rays' lead in half.

Bottom of the eighth: we have our runs now. Now I'm starting to get greedy. I want that tie game, I want that win. I want to go back to Tampa and show these Rays why this decade belongs to the Boston Red Sox. I want J. D. Drew to hit a two-run homer. Surprisingly, so does Dan Wheeler, because he gives Drew a pitch about as fat as the one hit by Ortiz and suddenly, we're a run shy of the biggest comeback the Rays have allowed all year. Kotsay doubles on another fat offering and now it's up to Coco: two outs, momentum on the line. His battle with Wheeler is the stuff of legend and hitting instructional videos - ten pitches, fouling fastball after fastball after fastball until he finally got the perfect offering - but his result is what truly mattered: a smash down the right field line that was enough to score Kotsay and tie the game.

Francona, in a move that walks the line between genius and idiocy (and seems like genius because they won), had brought in Papelbon in the seventh and eighth, so he turned to Masterson for the ninth. Masterson, being the fine, upstanding citizen that he is, decides a collective heart attack is what's best for all and proceeds to put men on first and second before finally inducing a double play to escape. The heart of the order is up for the Sox now, but I'm pretty close to panic, with visions of Javier Lopez or - saints preserve us - Mike Timlin coming in to protect the lead in the ninth. All around the country, Red Sox fans jacked up on adrenaline are pleading for the same thing: no extra innings.

We almost got 'em. Watching Longoria make that grab on the third base line was like watching a ninja eviscerate a kitten: you admire the form, but you don't feel too good about the result. A long night looms...and then the throw sailed wide. Just like that. Youkilis goes to second and we're seeing the third example in as many innings of the type of breaks grabbing we've enjoyed so much in the past four years. Bay walks, Joe Maddon decides to play the odds of a lefty/lefty matchup with Drew despite the history and once again, a battle ensues. Howell can't throw anything but junk and Drew's seeing the ball so well he'll keep fouling off pitch after pitch until he finds the one he wants...until he hits the ball to right field. Until we win. Pandemonium. Dancing in the streets. Princes of the Universe. Go Sox.

Kotsay Goodbye, Sox Say Hello?

Yeah a bad pun on a Beatles song… but I really didn’t have much else and it’s late.

Anyway, the Sox may have landed (or are still in talks depending on who you ask) Mark Kotsay from the Braves for an (as of yet) un-named minor league pitcher.

No bad news here. With Drew now on the DL, Kotsay is a MUCH better option that Joe Thurston as long as his much maligned back holds up. Also, if they ever need to give Bay the day off, Kotsay, Coco and Jacoby could be the fastest outfield ever. Bottom line is that the Sox just got an outfield band-aid that can hit a bit and field a bit. Not bad for a steal after the trading deadline.

Damn… maybe I should have gone with “Kotsay Up in the Moment”.

Does the Color of Your Sox Matter?

With Lowell going on the DL, the Red Sox are put in an interesting situation. I’m not talking about roster moves or who is going to pick up the offense… I’m talking about the lack of racial diversity in the lineup. Wednesday night, the Red Sox had a 100% white infield. That’s almost unheard of in the diverse landscape of today’s Major League Baseball.

Think about it. The Sox have Ortiz, Lowell, Coco, Lugo, Cora and Ellsbury as the only non-white (fully white… I think there is some mixing in there) position players on the Red Sox roster. The pitching staff isn’t any better with only Delcarmen, Lopez, Oki and Dice-K fitting the diversity criteria.

Race is a touchy subject and as a New Englander, I approach the issue with some trepidation and a whole ton of liberal guilt. However, that doesn’t mean I can’t make an observation right? I mean look at this team and the moves they have made over the last few years: replacing Pedro with Schilling, Hanley Ramirez for Beckett, Lugo gave way to Jed Lowrie and most recently Manny was traded for Bay. You could make the argument that Theo was trying to create the master race on Yawkey Way!

But only if you were an idiot.

This doesn’t mean ANYTHING really. I just thought it was interesting that a town (Boston) that gets a bad rap about racism suddenly has a team that looks like they could have come over on the Mayflower… ok maybe not… but you know what I mean. Boston has some race issues in its past that it is still trying to get over and maybe having a team that looks like the Anti-Celtics racially isn’t the best idea marketing-wise.

I guess my biggest (and only serious) criticism is that the front office has lately taken some big steps in the Asian markets (getting Dice-K for big bucks) while neglecting black and Latin fan bases. Is this a purposeful act? Absolutely not, but I still think some of the Sox management should tap into an ever growing fan base. And isn't baseball the game that brought all peoples together? Can't we bring that back?

Besides, it’s kinda sad to see Papi have nobody to complete is 7 step hand shakes with after a big homerun.

Can Someone Explain This Brian Giles Mess to Me?

This whole Brian Giles thing was fun, wasn't it? Even if it did seem to come out of left field. Yesterday, we had the report that the Sox had claimed Brian Giles from the waiver wire, causing all kinds of speculation: why would Boston want a solid-hitting outfielder when they have a full lineup and a full bench? Were there plans in the works to replace Coco? Is there really something going on with Papi's clicking wrist? The Providence Journal hit a conspiracy nail on the head yesterday and today when they speculated that the move might be a block to keep Giles from ending up in Tampa Bay or LA, citing Giles' partial no-trade clause to Boston as a block; presumably the clause would be a sticking point that would keep the Sox from having to worry about doing a deal they didn't like.

ESPN now reports that Giles is likely to veto the trade, which I guess means the strategy worked: as long as the status quo doesn't change, Giles will remain with the Padres, no matter how many times they dangle him on the waiver wire. But I'll admit that the first thing I thought of was some sort of complicated flipping where the Sox acquire Giles just to shoot him off to somewhere else (Kansas City, maybe? For Mahay?) to get some more relief pitching. Not sure if it'd even work - I suspect there's something about waiver rules that would complicate things - but it's a slow day between games...

Game 99: Complete (game) Disaster

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

99 times out of 100 when you see complete game by Beckett in the box score, you jump for joy at the big win he laid down on some poor bastard. Well Saturday, Beckett went the distance but the poor bastards were from Boston.

All it took was one bad inning (the 7th) and the Sox fell hard to the Angels again. The offense had it’s chances but couldn’t put up more than 2 runs on the LA pitching. Meanwhile, Beckett looked solid, but ran into some trouble when Vlad homered and then some back to back singles in the aforementioned 7th (one should have been an error on Lowrie) ended with a 3 run double. It might have even been worse if not for an AMAZING catch by Coco.

But enter the soon to be free agent K-Rod and the game was over. Ugly. I hate losing these close games. Tonight the Sox try to prevent the sweep. Honestly, I’m not that hopeful.

Game 88: A Chance to Refuel

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 7, New York Yankees 0

I never thought I’d say this: Thank God for the break the Sox got here playing the Yankees. Going head to head against bruisers like the Astros and Rays really can take it out of you. It takes a team like the Yankees to sure up your bullpen and let some energy drain. Goodness knows there isn’t much drama in the Bronx…

Look I’m taking the high ground here. I’m not doing any Madonna jokes, no Lenny Kravitz comments and nothing at all on awful mustaches. I’m not even bashing the Yanks for blowing it in the last season in their historic park. But please excuse me while I give them one in the ribs for not showing up to the rivalry.

Pettitte vs Lester looked like a mismatch, but I guessed the wrong way. While the Yankee ace got tagged fro 6 runs, Lester held fast for the duration. He remained low on the pitch count, only walked 2 (both in the first) and blanked the Yankees in his first start in New York with an amazing 9 inning performance.

On the other side of the scoreboard, Pettitte looked very hittable and the Sox jumped on him early and often. Lugo was the only Boston starter without a hit and big nights from Jacoby, Drew and Crisp allowed the Sox to coast into victory lane.

Am I a little disappointed that the vitriol and fury has diminished a bit from this rivalry? I guess. But honestly, with the way the Red Sox have been playing and the position they are in right now, I am just relieved they have a chance to get a little break.

Game 72: I Love Me Some Interleague Play!

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 9, Cincinnati Reds 0

The Red Sox have some awful numbers on the road this year. They are just terrible away from Fenway. On the flip side, since 2006 the Sox have gone 28-8 in interleague play. It looks like that fact alone might be enough to cancel out the homesickness.

Beckett was dealing today. He had a little trouble with walks in the first 2 innings, but settled down for 7 scoreless and 6 K. He is and remains the ACE of this staff. Great showing from Aardsma and Timlin too. Did Mike Timlin see that I called him out and now wants to step it up and prove me wrong? Well he closed out a 9-0 game… so I won’t freak out about it just yet.

Meanwhile, Reds pitcher Homer Bailey lived to his name and gave up 3 long balls in this blowout. Who needs Manny and Papi? This was a great display from the crew of red hot Sox hitters. Drew (who needs SPF 600 at this point) went deep and had a couple of runs. Crisp (who seems energized after the fight game) had another homer and 4 RBI. Finally, Jacoby (who is a freak of nature) had homer to his name and 2 SB brining his league leading total to 33 and he now holds the Red Sox rookie record.

Sox win the series and now move on to Philadelphia. Yeah, unlike the awful Reds, the Sox now face a NL division leader. I hope the inerleague record can hold up.

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!

Game 62: Home is Where the Heart is

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 5, Tampa Bay Rays 1

So what is it about being in Fenway that makes the Sox so good? The offense just clicks here in Boston and it doesn’t seem to be centered around one player. EVERYONE looks good at home… and yes, even the people I always complain about.

Crisp and Drew got some big hits tonight and I can say that without the shock and awe that usually comes with a statement like that. Crisp has had two good games in a row and is making a case to be an every day player. Sure I know he isn’t going to replace Jacoby (who also had 2 hits today), but maybe he can be an every day player on ANOTHER team. Until then, glad to have the super sub. Also, loved the hard slide and "talk" with the Rays skipper Maddon. Just classic hard nosed baseball.

Drew on the other hand has been hot for a week now. He suddenly is living up to the potential he is getting paid for. Will he keep this torrid pace up? I have no clue. This guy is hotter and colder than any player I have seen wearing the scarlet “B”. I would like to see him end with 20+ HR and around a .300 average… but I want to win the lottery too, it doesn’t mean it’s in the cards.

This was also a good game for the bullpen. After Beckett left in the 7th (just slipped on the mound, he’s fine) Oki, Delcarmen and Hansen pitched 3 really good innings to close it out. I am happy to see Oki come back to form (did my anger motivate him?) and it’s great to see MDC and Hansen put together some back to back quality relief appearances. If THIS is the bullpen we can expect (much better than the crap we’ve been seeing on the road) then the Sox are going to be tough to beat this year.

Oh, and by the way? First Place!!!

Game 42: Blame the Umpire

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 4, Baltimore Orioles 5

A disclaimer: I'm not usually one for blaming external circumstances on the failings of my team. Generally, if they did poorly, I'm happy to call them out in the vitriol that is the province of the self-righteous fan, stewing in his (or her) impotence at the reality of trying to influence events from the sidelines.

All of that aside, tonight's contest was so poorly umpired by home plate umpire Laz "Rockit" Diaz that I have no choice but to place the blame for this ill-inspired disaster at his feet. Maybe rub his nose in it, too, for good measure. Diaz's strike zone wobbled - for both teams, mind you - as much as a guy driving home from the bar at 2 AM on a Saturday morning after about fifteen too many. He pissed off Varitek, who had a few words with Diaz after a called strike three to start out of the fourth, even though Tek - consummate professional that he is - would know full well not to risk calls for his pitcher by complaining to the umpire. He even ejected David Ortiz after Ortiz had the audacity to argue the worst check swing call I've ever seen, killing a rally that might have won the Sox the game. This guy sucked.

Astute box score watchers among you might point out that the Sox left ten men on base, that half of those men were stranded in scoring position, and that no team wins ballgames by squandering runs. You might also point out that Josh Beckett pitched like crap mixed with dookie and gave up eleven hits, or that Drew left the game (and the series) with a strained wrist after trying to land 200 pounds on one hand, or that Coco Crisp retired early with an upset stomach (bad crab cakes?). In pointing these things out, you might ask why I'm not blaming the players who didn't perform. I'll tell you.

Baseball works on consistency: consistent mechanics, consistent velocities, consistent defense, consistently seeing the ball in a certain way. Lock in consistency and you'll get a perfect game, a 5 for 5 game, a 20+ game winner, a batting title. True consistency is perfection and 99% of baseball is athletes trying to achieve that perfection through the achievement of consistency. Lose your consistency as a batter from poor concentration and you'll have a bad night at the plate; maybe even go into a slump. Do it as a pitcher and you'll leave a pitch out over the plate, get shelled, maybe get demoted to the bullpen or off the team. Lack consistency as a defense and you'll get Derek Lowe through most of 2004: afraid to use his sinker because he couldn't trust the guys behind him to do their jobs.

But be inconsistent as an umpire and you're creating the biggest granddaddy problem of them all: no one knows how to pick their pitches. Will that borderline pitch be a ball or a strike? Should I swing here, or should I let it go by? Suddenly, players have no past data to rely on, they make mistakes, opportunities are squandered, pressure builds on pitchers to make even more perfect placement, and all of the sudden you blow a three run lead and can't seem to string the hits together to come back. For tonight's game, the Orioles had the better time of it and they won, but by his actions, Laz Diaz made sure this contest wasn't about Baltimore versus Boston; it was about his poor performance behind the plate. And for that, he should be sorry.

Game 33: A Sweep For A Sweep

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 7, Tampa Bay Rays 3

You may remember last week when the Sox were struggling against a frisky Rays team that held them to 5 runs in the series and had a “We are the real deal” swagger. Well payback is a bitch.

The Red Sox capped off this three game sweep with a gutsy big bat game backed by another great start from Jon Lester. He still threw a lot of pitches early, but you have to love the turnaround this guy has had. I was calling for his head early in April… and he now seems to be a decent part of the rotation. Refreshing.

And once again the bats showed up. Big hits from Manny and Youk and some killer speed from Lugo, Coco and of course Jacoby Ellsbury. The Sox completed 2 double steals in this game and Jacoby was part of both of them. Everyone on the NESN broadcast is looking around and asking when the last time that happened… and nobody has a clue. Sox and speed is such a foreign concept.

So now the Sox start a big 10 game road trip. The sweep is a great way to leave Fenway and I hope they are able to take that momentum with them.

Out Damn Outfielders! OUT!

This is getting crazy. First, Coco starts the season with a sore knee. Then Jacoby sits with a stiff groin. Then Drew misses a week with a tight quad.

NOW Brandon Moss (see the HERO of Friday’s game) had to have an emergency appendectomy on Saturday. That’s right: our back up back up outfielder almost died.

This is really out there. We are getting to the point where I think the Red Sox should make Osama bin Laden the starting centerfielder so he will immediately spontaneously combust.

Stay healthy out there guys.

Game 15: Hit 'em Up

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 5, Cleveland Indians 3

Despite the absence of Mike Lowell and the relative absence of David Ortiz (and his two game hitting streak) I've started to develop a genuine affection for how this year's offense works when it clicks. Partially it's the overwhelming effectiveness, where last night, for the second time this season ,the offense picked up the pitching and returned runs lost to the opposing team with vicious interest, scoring two for one, four for two, etc. You can't help but like the hitting on a team that stays that effective under pressure. But my affection also stems from how the Sox are stringing together hits - or how they seem to be stringing together hits - and how that differs from past teams. Let me explain.

Note: the following is based only partially on statistics and partially on impressions, and as is such is quite possibly wildly inaccurate. Bear with me. In the past (say 2003 to 2005), when Boston wanted to score runs, they'd do the baseball equivalent of filling up the power meter (yes, a video game metaphor) and then try and clobber the opposing pitcher. For the most part it worked, and the team enjoyed winning records, even in 2005 when the pitching wouldn't have scared (or stopped) a little leaguer. More recent teams have flirted with speed, courtesy of first Coco Crisp and then Julio Lugo, but - so far - the 2008 edition mixes speed, hitting, and plate patience in a way that opens far more offensive options. The mix of hitting and plate patience (and here's where statistics come in) is particularly interesting: most of Boston's hits come in more aggressive counts (the twenty hits on the first pitch exceeds hits on any other count, and hitters are more likely to swing and connect with two strike counts), but as the number of balls increase, so do the likelihood of walks.

The end result: the team has an sOPS+ (a measurement of the team's offensive ability relative to other teams) of 110 (100 is average). We're on a hot streak, and that helps, but I think what we've seen in the past few games is how the 2008 Boston offense is supposed to work, and not a case of luck. The pitching may still be a question mark, but the offense looks championship-worthy.

Game 14: The First “How Did We Win That Game?!?!” Of The Year

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 6, Cleveland Indians 4

I’ll give one thing to Jon Lester: He has balls (usually four per batter). I mean he is as inaccurate as I have seen from a pitcher. He has good stuff, but can almost NEVER get it over the plate. It is excruciating how he labors with every batter and it makes every start a white knuckled affair for any Sox fan. Don’t get me wrong, I love the guy and his story as a cancer survivor is amazing, but sometimes I wonder if I am gonna survive him.

So even though the Sox got the early lead on a cold Cleveland night, Westbrook looked good and kept them to one run while Lester fell apart in the 4th and 5th. It looked grim.

Then in steps Tavarez. Yes JT Killer was a strikeout machine and kept it close for the remainder. He was a baby stomping scarefaced monster… only in a good way. It’s kinda hard to describe. Timlin looked good too (bout time) and kept the game in reach.

So down by 1 in the 9th (after a big fly from Youk) Tribe closer Borowski comes in to lead Cleveland to a one run victory. At least that’s what I figured. Isn’t it too early in the season for late inning drama? Shouldn’t we get settled into summer before the heroics grip us again? Hmmmm… maybe not…

After Lugo (big double), Coco (sac bunt) and Pedroia (sac fly) get the run across to tie it, Big Papi steps in and hits a TALL bloop the opposite way… and I couldn’t be more happy. The second hit of the night for the big guy who got a weird ceremony before the game from the rest of the team. It seems to have worked cause Ortiz was taking some very good swings….almost as good as Manny’s last swing. The Bad Man Manny deposited his 493rd homerun in the Cleveland stands to give the Sox a hefty 2 run lead.

Cue Papelbon (5th save), exit drama, enter the win. I love me a comeback victory. Now instead of being mad at Lester before I go to bed, I get to sleep well and worry about him tomorrow. Not too shabby.

Coco Crisp: Soggy From Tears

So the Red Sox have this guy right? This guy called Coco...and Coco makes the catches...really he does. We love him for it. Did you see that catch Coco made? Sure you did because it was on goddamn SportsCenter.

Well it turns out that Coco has a problem. A problem he didn't have in Cleavland. It's a problem you could blame on "injuries" or "big city jitters" but it doesn't change the fact he still has the problem. You see, the problem is that Coco doesn't do that thing where you take the bat and put it on the ball in a good way.

You know...hitting.

Anyway, now the Red Sox have this OTHER guy. This other guy Jacoby...who can catch the ball...and run like the wind...and did all this awesome stuff in last year's playoffs. He's a young guy and a fan favorite and he's even a goddamn Indian (for true!).

And it just so happens he doesn't have that same problem Coco does.

You know...hitting.

So the Sox find themselves at a crossroads. Coco is the vet and "earned" the starting center feilder spot, but Jacoby is a super-rookie that should be playing there for the next 10 years if he is as good as we all think. Now Coco isn't happy and doesn't want to ride pine. He says he'd rather be traded...

Huh... good idea! So much for the crossroads. I guess you can put me in the "Trade Coco Quick" group of fans. Thanks for all the catches, Mr. Crisp. Thanks for staying crunchy in milk.

Spring, Spring, and Other Things

I'm going to break a blogging rule and talk about three different things in one post. I'm such a rebel.

Item the first: Spring Training starts tomorrow! Officially! Now we can start obsessing over the important things, like whether or not Schilling's career is over or he's just the victim of the rumor mill (oh, the irony), if Josh Beckett became a fat sack of crap over the winter or if photographer Matt Stone is a just a vindictive SOB, how Craig Hansen's sleep patterns just matched J.D. Drew's sick kid as the "don't we feel like dicks for giving up on you" illness of the year, and whether or not they believe in business in the front, party in the back in Japan, too. That's not even taking into account the Coco/Ellsbury competition, Lester and Buchholz fighting for roster spots, Pedroia avoiding a sophomore slump, showing off the next class of Red Sox rookies, and seeing whether or not standing pat on a championship team will lead to massive ass bitings later on. I'm getting worked up just thinking about it.

Item the Second: We'll be running season previews in the coming weeks, detailing our predictions for all six major league divisions. Joining us in a reprise of our ego and superego feature will be guest columnists DC and Yankee Mike, along with Mets superfan Dave. We promise to be coherent and entertaining, which is almost too much to ask.

Item the Third: I don't like Roger Clemens. Robin doesn't like Roger Clemens. But that doesn't mean either one of us want the government running show trials in the name of finding facts about baseball. Look, guys: we understand you all love baseball as much as we do, and that as fans you want to know as much as anyone else how deeply the poison of HGH and steroids runs in the veins of the game. But the harsh light of Senate scrutiny isn't particularly illuminating when murky he said, he said statements are the name of the game and it's clear that the truth will remain buried somewhere in the darkness. Maybe Clemens is guilty, maybe he isn't, but it's a dead issue: he's out of baseball, the culture of steroids has begun to evaporate, and we've all accomplished the greater good by vilifying performance enhancements. Running an inquisition is just boring overkill.

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.

Casey At the Bat

NICE! A 34 year old non-mobile 1st baseman that can't play any other position and is an injury risk! Sign me up!

Naw I'm just kidding. Sean Casey for $800,000 and 1 year is a good deal and it gives us an option when Youk or Lowell need to sit. The guy hits for good average (but no power) and can KILL lefties. I love that. Anyone who can do that gets a special gold star in my book (it's a picture book).

Also, this is a premium clubhouse guy. The Mayor already has an established following, a great nickname and he is gonna mesh really well with this group of goofballs and headcases.

So that's the corner bench guy, Cora has the middle infield, Coco and Jacoby backing each other (and Manny and Drew) in the outfield, and Beilli and the alternate backstop. So is that the bench? This what we're going with?

I like it... I'm hip.