Boston Red Sox - 2005 Season

[Jables]

Inning ovah... we got Ortiz, Millar, and 'Tek due up...

Time to test the powers of the rally cap:

http://ned.suckahs.org/junkie/rally-cap.jpg

[Hagbard Celine]

Can Millar do it 2 days in a row?

[Jables]

Ortiz gets a huge leadoff wokka, wokka, wokka!

http://www.action-performance.com/Muppets/images/fozzie.jpg

[Jables]

Can Millar do it 2 days in a row?

Not today... Varitek and Payton still have a shot though

[Hagbard Celine]

Can Millar do it 2 days in a row?

No

[Jables]

Whoooo's it's 'Tek's turn today!

Sox win another wild one! 6-5!

:wav:

[Hagbard Celine]

VARITEK!

WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[Hagbard Celine]

El Capitain!

[Triangle Man]

O Captain My Captain!

[Macavity]

:clap:

[Jables]

Holy crap, I was friggin' worried big time about this one today.

Let us all bow before the mystique of the rally cap!

http://ned.suckahs.org/junkie/rally-cap.jpg

:notworth: :notworth: :notworth: :notworth: :notworth::notworth: :notworth: :notworth: :notworth:

[Hagbard Celine]

:clap:


WHOOOOOOOO!

[Hagbard Celine]

Holy crap, I was friggin' worried big time about this one today.

Let us all bow before the mystique of the rally cap!

http://ned.suckahs.org/junkie/rally-cap.jpg

:notworth: :notworth: :notworth: :notworth: :notworth::notworth: :notworth: :notworth: :notworth:

How many succesful uses does the rally cap have in a season?

[Jables]

How many succesful uses does the rally cap have in a season?

I don't have any stats on it, but I think it's been pretty good so far ;)

[Jables]

Just another day at the office... :)

http://www.animatedideas.net/broomstick.jpg

Time to hit the road, see if we can't win our series against Seattle and Oakland again...

[Hagbard Celine]

2 walk of homers in 2 days must have boosted clubhouse morale a bit, huh?

Except for Clement who's pissed at Foulke for blowing his win and Foulke who just feels bad that he's pitching like crap.

[Mike and Maddog]

Another blown save. 4 runs given up!

[Jables]

Check out the sponsor for Dotel's page....

http://www.baseball-reference.com/d/doteloc01.shtml

[Wannabe Actuary]

Check out the sponsor for Dotel's page....

http://www.baseball-reference.com/d/doteloc01.shtml
Oakland Committee to Impeach Dotel....:rofl:
"It is our belief that Octavio Dotel is the worst closer of all time"

[Wannabe Actuary]

Another blown save. 4 runs given up!
Sox still won, that's what matters.

Mind you, your starting pitcher only went 4, giving up 9 runs, 5 earned.
The Sox starting pitcher did considerably better, only giving up 1 run in 7 innings.

[Wannabe Actuary]

O's begin a 4 game series against the other Sox (CWS) tonight. Perhaps the other Sox can help out our Sox by taking out the O's a few times and perhaps enabling the Red Sox to catch or pass the O's.

[IAm@Work.com]

O's begin a 4 game series against the other Sox (CWS) tonight. Perhaps the other Sox can help out our Sox by taking out the O's a few times and perhaps enabling the Red Sox to catch or pass the O's.Or perhaps our Sox could actually beat Baltimore once or twice when they play during this year, making this season different than last. :wink:

[Wannabe Actuary]

Or perhaps our Sox could actually beat Baltimore once or twice when they play during this year, making this season different than last. :wink:
season series is 2-2 with 1 game postponed

[Dookie]

Raise your hand if you predicted that the series between the O's and White Sox would be a series between the teams with the 2 best records in baseball?
:wave:


Go O's!!

[Triangle Man]

Raise your hand if you predicted that the series between the O's and White Sox would be a series between the teams with the 2 best records in baseball?
:wave:


Go O's!!If you're going to troll, could you at least mention something about the Red Sox?

[Dookie]

I've said before that the Red Sox are my second favorite team behind the O's, mostly because they are the Yankees #1 enemy. The O's and the Red Sox are battling it out right now for the top of the AL East. Meanwhile, the Yanks are trying desperately to catch Toronto for 3rd.

You want me to say something about the Red Sox. No problem...I hope that they (and the O's, though over the long haul, there's less of a chance) keep putting games between themselves and the Yankees. I'd like nothing better than to see the Sox and O's ahead of the Yankees.

Keep in mind that someone else brought up the O's vs. White Sox series. If there was a rule that you couldn't respond to something like that, the Yankees thread would be half its current size. I think Red Sox fans make up half the posts.

[Triangle Man]

Keep in mind that someone else brought up the O's vs. White Sox series. If there was a rule that you couldn't respond to something like that, the Yankees thread would be half its current size. I think Red Sox fans make up half the posts.I guess I missed that part. Nevermind.

[Jables]

'Tek saved Foulke's ass yesterday...

http://cache.boston.com/bonzai-fba/AP_Photo/2004/10/28/1098961153_3691.jpg

[Triangle Man]

With no Sox game to post about, let me say,
:love: Hazel Mae :love:

[Jables]

Would you rather have Hazel Mae? Or Michelle Damon (on the left)? :wink:

[Wannabe Actuary]

Keep in mind that someone else brought up the O's vs. White Sox series. If there was a rule that you couldn't respond to something like that, the Yankees thread would be half its current size. I think Red Sox fans make up half the posts.
Here was my post, which did include the Red Sox as well...
O's begin a 4 game series against the other Sox (CWS) tonight. Perhaps the other Sox can help out our Sox by taking out the O's a few times and perhaps enabling the Red Sox to catch or pass the O's.

[Triangle Man]

Would you rather have Hazel Mae? Or Michelle Damon (on the left)? :wink:Only one of them is on my TV every day.

[Hagbard Celine]

Would you rather have Hazel Mae? Or Michelle Damon (on the left)? :wink:

I'd rather have the blonde on the right!

[Hagbard Celine]

5.12.05 Peter Gammons on WEEI's Big Show: "One thing I find interesting, that... and I think he gets, after his early days in Boston, he gets a wonderful ride, but the complete disappearance of Manny Ramirez as a real player. Yeah he hit a home run on the breaking ball yesterday, but he's a .260 hitter with a .880 OPS since the All-Star break last year. Doesn't there come a point where that becomes a little bit of a concern, he gets hit on the leg and doesn't play two games. I don't know. I find him as distracted as any time I can ever remember him... He just doesn't seem to be into the games at all. There was a time when he was a dominant offensive force at the end of games."

Steve Buckley: "And his defense is as lacking now as it's ever been."

Gammons: "I just wonder, this is a long time, same OPS since the All-Star game as Mark Loretta. Is that what you want for $20 million in a left fielder who's a defensive and baserunning liability?...Then they had him traded to the Mets this winter too... There are lot of things, just the way he walks and so forth, they wanted him to hit fourth and not third and he wouldn't do that. I don't know... I'm amazed a little bit that he gets the pass that he gets... maybe it's resignation. I had a fan come up to me at the ballpark and say "how in the world could you not pick Manny as one of the 5 best players in baseball? And I went "umm what?!? Kidding me?" I mean there were other priorities, the qualifications for the other selections were defense, baserunning, accountability, leadership. But I was just amazed, the guy was really angry about it. ...Their best player is their catcher."

(Michael Felger; "Because he brings all those intangibles) "Well he produces too."

Michael Felger: "You can't say he (Varitek) produces on the level of Manny Ramirez, Manny's the best right-handed hitter in the game when he's Manny Ramirez, you can't compare the two..." (talk about great Tek is)

Gammons: "Well he (Tek) understands and accepts responsibility. He's a very intelligent man. And accountability is to me something that's very important in baseball. And I think David Ortiz is an extremely accountable person. He got his contract although he is obviously one of the most underpaid guys in terms of his contract. Doesn't seem to be a problem. Goes out, doesn't brag about it, he's a leader in his own way. He is their, not Manny Ramirez, excuse me Michael you're wrong, David Ortiz is their best offensive player. NO question about it. No comparison. He is a dominant force in the lineup."

Felger: "Because he's hitting better right now but you're saying..."

Gammo: "HE's been better for two years Michael, watch the games. Watch what happens when good pitchers are on the mound. Watch against guys who throw hard, who throw inside. And watch what happens. I'm not talking about garbage time numbers, I'm talking about numbers that mean something."

Felger: "Pete, I'm with you, I'm just.. I'm just saying that I've heard people say it time and time again 'the best right-handed hitter in the game,' that's all I hear about Manny Ramirez, the best right-handed hitter in the game..."

Gammo: "WHO SAID THAT? Who said that?

Felger: "About Manny Ramirez? That's his title. That's all I hear about Manny Ramirez."

Gammo: "Oh, have you ever heard of Albert Pujols? Don't, don't make a fool of... please that's foolish to say that, that's... it's not worth a discussion. There are only two players in a comparable period of time in HIStory who have the numbers that Puljols does and that's Williams and DiMaggio in their first 4-1/4 seasons. He's the dominant right-handed hitter in baseball."



Gammons comes down pretty hard on Manny here. What do y'all think? First he mentions Manny's stats and how bad they've been since the All Star break last year, then he finishes by saying you can't look at stats when comparing Ortiz to Ramirez (he thinks Ortiz is better) because the stats are misleading due to "garbage time numbers." Talk about twisting facts to suit your current argument. :roll:

Anyway, it seems like he thinks Manny is dogging it...I don't see it like that. Manny's doing what he always does, but he happens to be in one of his slumps (happens every year). When he catches fire and hits .450 over the month of June (or July or whenever it happens), Gammons will be all over his jock again.

Gammons is so down on Manny, it almost seems personal.

[Triangle Man]

Gammons is so down on Manny, it almost seems personal.It's just Gammons being Gammons. He doesn't know anything about baseball except what the three GMs who will talk to him tell him to say. I can't remember the last time he's correctly predicted a trade, or the last time he had a column without at least one sentence with grammar from Bizarro World.

[Jables]

Checking in mid-game...

Sox got off to a rough start, quickly falling behind 3-0... Bellhorn got his first homer of the year (leaving Bill Mueller the lone homerless starting infielder), a solo shot in the 3rd. Sox plated 3 more in the 3rd on singles from Damon, Ortiz, Renteria, and Mueller, and walks by Ramirez and Varitek. With the Sox up 4-3 after 2.5 innings, Seattle regained the lead on back-to-back homers by Sexson and Ibanez to open the 3rd inning. Sox took the lead back in the top of the 4th on a 2-run homer by Trot...

Currently Sox up, 6-5...

[Jables]

How about Johnny Damon? Dude's on a tear and a half! Contract up!

Now up to a 17-game hitting streak... :)

18 games... :)

[Jables]

With men on 1st and 3rd with one out in the 4th, Gonzalez is pulled...

And on the first pitch, Beltre says hello to John Halamalama ding-dong!

http://www.sunphonix.co.jp/rental/inst/gong.gif

Sox trail, 8-6... :shake:

[Jables]

Boone doubles and Reed HBP to open up the 5th for Seattle...

[Jables]

Gonzalez follows up with a double... Seattle up 9-6, men on 2nd and 3rd, nobody out! :evil:

[Jables]

Nixon charges in and makes a nice sliding catch near the foul line, avoiding a collision with Bellhorn, runners stay put...

Ichiro intentionally walked, gonna hope for a DP from Winn...

[Jables]

Ichiro intentionally walked, gonna hope for a DP from Winn...

But get a bases clearing double instead... Seattle up 12-6... :exams:

[Jables]

Trot makes another great catch on a sinking line drive to end the inning... let's hope the bats can keep us in this game, 'cause it certainly isn't going to be the pitching!

[Jables]

1-out double for Manny...

[Jables]

Ortiz flies out and Millar strikes out. Le sigh.

[Jables]

Cla Meredith time! :roll:

[Jables]

Cla Meredith time! :roll:

Cla plunks Boone with a 2-strike count... retaliation for Manny being hit?

Or just Cla being Cla?

Both teams warned by the umps...

[Jables]

Another Gonzalez double scores Boone from first... :mad:

[Jables]

Ichiro triple, Seattle up 14-6... This is painful, why am I still posting? Is there still hope?

[Jables]

Damon walks, Payton gets a ground rule double... Manny up, could close the gap a bit...

[Jables]

Manny flies out, but Damon tags up and scores... 14-7...

[Jables]

Ortiz walks... 1st and 2nd for Millar...

[Jables]

Ortiz walks... 1st and 2nd for Millar...

Millar strikes out... any chance of making a comeback is ovah!

[Jables]

Well, Foulke says part of his problem is he's not getting enough work... might as well let him finish the blowout...

[Jables]

Ech. Even the ol' interview the crowd segment sucked tonight... :lol:

[Jables]

Sox didn't go quietly... No runs, but they did load the bases, only to have Payton line out to first (after just missing a long double in foul by a few feet)

Oh well, can't complain too much, having come off of back-to-back walkoff wins... Baltimore lost today too, so no ground lost...

[RedSoxFan]

On Wednesday afternoon, an exciting conclusion to the Sox's sweep of the A's. Manny's HR put the Sox up 4-0 in the 3rd, and in the top of the 4th Clement allows his only run in 7 innings. Surely the 3 run lead is cushy enough for Foulke, who had rebounded from shaky outings earlier in the season to have converted his last five save opportunities. He allowed a walk to the second batter but got the other two of the first three out. Needing just one more out to finish off the game, he allowed a double, a 2-RBI single, and then a home run to put the A's up by 1. Dotel came in to pitch the 9th. Ortiz walked, and Millar strolled to the plate. He just got his second career walk-off home run the previous night, could he get his third in the very next game, also making it 3 home runs in 3 games, all the first three of the season? Nope, he flew out several feet in front of the Monster. But what about Varitek? He got it done. His home run near the Pesky Pole gave the Sox two walk-off homers in two games. Captain Tekkie went 3/4 with a walk, 3 RBIs, and 2 Rs in the game for a well deserved POG honor.

Last night the Seahawks beat the Patriots 14-7. No wait, it was the Mariners and the Red Sox. Jeremi Gonzalez had been pitching too well in his fill-in starts, and the other starters had been even better, that the Sox were due for a poor starter outing. Jeremy lasted 3.1 and gave up 7 earned runs. Halama went 1.2 and gave up 5. Cla Meredith gave up 2 runs in 1 inning (but on the other hand he reduced his ERA to 27.00. Damon went 2/5 with 2 runs, Trot went 2/4 with 2 RBIs and a run. Papi went 1/2 with 3 walks. Foulke got some extra work pitching the 9th, striking out 2 and giving up just a walk. Though one could argue for Nixon (who also made a neat sliding catch), POG honors go to Matt Mantei, for pitching the 8th perfectly on just 13 pitches as nobody else really stood out.

[Jables]

On Wednesday afternoon, an exciting conclusion to the Sox's sweep of the A's. Manny's HR put the Sox up 4-0 in the 3rd, and in the top of the 4th Clement allows his only run in 7 innings. Surely the 3 run lead is cushy enough for Foulke, who had rebounded from shaky outings earlier in the season to have converted his last five save opportunities. He allowed a walk to the second batter but got the other two of the first three out. Needing just one more out to finish off the game, he allowed a double, a 2-RBI single, and then a home run to put the A's up by 1. Dotel came in to pitch the 9th. Ortiz walked, and Millar strolled to the plate. He just got his second career walk-off home run the previous night, could he get his third in the very next game, also making it 3 home runs in 3 games, all the first three of the season? Nope, he flew out several feet in front of the Monster. But what about Varitek? He got it done. His home run near the Pesky Pole gave the Sox two walk-off homers in two games. Captain Tekkie went 3/4 with a walk, 3 RBIs, and 2 Rs in the game for a well deserved POG honor.

Last night the Seahawks beat the Patriots 14-7. No wait, it was the Mariners and the Red Sox. Jeremi Gonzalez had been pitching too well in his fill-in starts, and the other starters had been even better, that the Sox were due for a poor starter outing. Jeremy lasted 3.1 and gave up 7 earned runs. Halama went 1.2 and gave up 5. Cla Meredith gave up 2 runs in 1 inning (but on the other hand he reduced his ERA to 27.00. Damon went 2/5 with 2 runs, Trot went 2/4 with 2 RBIs and a run. Papi went 1/2 with 3 walks. Foulke got some extra work pitching the 9th, striking out 2 and giving up just a walk. Though one could argue for Nixon (who also made a neat sliding catch), POG honors go to Matt Mantei, for pitching the 8th perfectly on just 13 pitches as nobody else really stood out.

Just to clarify... Seattle didn't bat in the 9th. Mantei pitched the 7th and Foulke the 8th...

[Jables]

Tonight:

Sox trailing 3-1 going into the 7th inning... Mueller singled and Bellhorn doubled, scoring Mueller...

[Jables]

Damon grounded out to the pitcher... reached base earlier in the game on a fielding error, but still hitless for the game (0/4)... if the Sox can get a few on base he should get to bat again in the 9th...

[Jables]

Renteria singles, Bellhorn to 3rd... 1 out, Ortizzle up...

[Jables]

Ortiz HBP, loads the bases... Manny up, already hit a solo homer tonight

[Jables]

JJ Putz relieves Ron Villone for Seattle...

[Jables]

Putz brings the heat, Manny strikes out...

Trot up to keep the inning alive...

[Jables]

Trot up to keep the inning alive...

Grand slam! w00t!!

Sox up 6-3... :D

[Jables]

Trot went 2/4 with 2 RBIs and a run....

Though one could argue for Nixon (who also made a neat sliding catch), POG honors go to Matt Mantei, for pitching the 8th perfectly on just 13 pitches as nobody else really stood out.

That's ok, Trot probably has a good shot at POG for today ;)

[Jables]

5th grand slam for the Sox on the year.... they hit a total of 6 all of last year...

[Jables]

Damon grounded out to the pitcher... reached base earlier in the game on a fielding error, but still hitless for the game (0/4)... if the Sox can get a few on base he should get to bat again in the 9th...

Damon will definitely get one more chance :)

[Jables]

Damon flies out to open the ninth, and the streak ends at 18 games.

Still batting a respectable .371 though...

Next best streak for the Sox now is 10 games (including tonight) for Renteria, but in all fairness, it's a pretty weak streak, batting .300 during those 10 games

[Jables]

Git-r-done Foulke on 9 pitches! :D

Sox win 6-3...

[RedSoxFan]

Trot was dropped to fifth in the batting order and it came at the right time in the top of the 7th. Ortiz was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out, but Manny struck out. Soon thereafter Trot caught up to a 98 MPH fastball from JJ Putz and hit it out of the park for his 8th career grand slam. It was actually the fourth homer in the last inning and a half. Manny hit a homer in the top of the sixth to tie it at 1, and Sexson and Ibanez went back to back in the bottom of the inning (and for the second game in a row), to make it 3-1. Trot went 2/3 with a walk, Renteria extended to a 10 game hitting streak and raised his average to .258 going 2/5. Damon's hit streak ended at his uniform number, 18. The scorer could have given him a hit on a sharp grounder he hit to third that bounced off the heel of Beltre's glove, but it was scored an error. Wade Miller gave up those 3 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks in 5.2 innings. Foulke saved the game perfectly.

[RedSoxFan]

After being switched to 4th in the lineup, Manny has now hit 2 homers, and in yesterday's game, it was his 400th. The three-run homer in the 5th pulled the Sox within 5-4, but they couldn't score again. Their best shot was consecutive 2-out hits by Manny and Trot in the 7th, but Millar flied out to the warning track in left. Millar also did the Sox in in another way: he gave some advice to his friend Miguel Olivo, Mariner catcher, before the game, hitting .150 on the season, who went 3/4 with 2 runs and 2 RBIs. Wakey gave up 5 runs on 11 hits in 7 innings, Embree gave up a walk in one inning, as the Sox split the season series with Seattle 3-3.

[RedSoxFan]

Additional Sox notes:
- Trot went 7 for 11 in Seattle. It was the first series loss in May for the Sox.
- Sox open three game set against Oakland. Some speculation was Wells would start on Wednesday, but now it looks like Jeremi Gonzalez will make another start.
- The Yankees have won 8 in a row, but are still at .500 (19-19) and are 3.5 behind the Sox.
- Manny was the fifth fastest in terms of ABs to get to 400 homers, after Mark McGwire, Babe Ruth, Harmon Killebrew, and Jim Thome. He's also just the fourth since Killebrew in 1969 to hit 400 before his 33rd birthday.
- After recent comments from Gammons who thought Manny seemed more distracted than at any other time during Manny's career, Manny said he has been distracted by family health problems, such as his mother, who is suffering from arthritis.

[Hagbard Celine]

Sox split the season series with Seattle 3-3.

Seems strange to me that the season series with the Mariners is over before June....

[RedSoxFan]

I also meant to mention that before Damon's hitting streak ended, he had vaulted to the #1 spot in the AL, at a .384 mark. Don't know if he is still leading now.

[Ray Finkle]

I also meant to mention that before Damon's hitting streak ended, he had vaulted to the #1 spot in the AL, at a .384 mark. Don't know if he is still leading now.

Nope, down to 5th now at .372.

[Jables]

Shiat... poorly played ball by Trot turns a double into a bases clearing triple, Oakland moves ahead 3-2 after being held scoreless through 4...

[Jables]

Kendel grounds out, Kotsay scores from 3rd... 4-2...

[Jables]

Another single, and a hit batter in the 5th, but no more runs for Oakland...

[Jables]

Sox went quickly in the 6th...

Varitek singled, Youklilis flew out, and the Mueller grounded into a double play...

[Jables]

Oakland too goes quick in the 6th... 1-2-3 on 11 pitches...

[Jables]

Leadoff double for Bellhorn! :)

13th on the season, good for a tie among AL leaders...

[Jables]

Followed up by a Johnny Damon wokka, wokka, wokka!

[Jables]

Renteria singles, bases loaded with nobody out...

[Jables]

Sox had the bases loaded in the 4th with nobody out, but failed to score...

[Jables]

Ortiz doubles off the outfield wall, scoring 2 runs, and taking the AL lead in doubles with 14...

Sox tied up 4-4, men on 2nd and 3rd, still nobody out... :D

[Jables]

Manny strikes out, Trot given the intentional walk... taking their chances pitching to Varitek with the bases juiced...

[Jables]

Damn, Varitek strikes out... Youkilis still has a chance to bring more men home...

[Jables]

Youk grounds out to SS... could've been a bigger inning, but at least the deficit is erased, and Arroyo isn't on the hook at the moment

[Jables]

Arroyo battles back from 3-0 to strike out Charles Thomas...

[Jables]

But Arroyo does walk Kotsay on a full count...

[Jables]

Sox get a double play, inning over... onto the 8th!

[Jables]

Leadoff single for Mueller...

[Jables]

Kendall runs down a pop foul, but drops it... Bellhorn strikes out anyway :duh:

[Jables]

4-pitch walk to Damon... 1st and 2nd, one out, Renteria at the plate...

[Jables]

Renteria strikes out... it's up to Ortiz

[Jables]

Ground out to first... :roll:

[Jables]

Arroyo done for the night, leaves the game tied... Mike Myers comes in for relief...

[Jables]

Chavez leads off with a single...

[Jables]

Durazo hits a weak grounder down the first base line, Myers fields it and makes a wide underhand toss to Youk @ first, Youk wisely comes off the bag to cover the throw to prevent any extra bases. 2 on, nobody out, Myers is done, Timlin coming in...

[Jables]

Ginter bunts down the third base line, Mueller throws him out at first, runner advance... intentionally walking Hatteberg to try and force the DP out of Watson...

[Jables]

Watson gets a ground ball through the infield, just out of Bellhorn's range, 2 runs cross the plate, Sox trail 6-4... :exams:

[Jables]

Timlin strikes out Scutaro, and Thomas grounded out...

It's time for the Sox bats to face off against Dotel in the 9th, I would guess. Manny, Trot, and 'Tek expected in the inning, followed by Youk if any of them can get on base...

[Jables]

Manny strikes out...

[Jables]

Trot gets a single!

[Jables]

'Tek flies out... Millar, who hit a walk-off homer off of Dotel last week, bats in place of Youkilis...

[Jables]

Millar hit a weak grounder, looked to be a sure out at first... Dotel covers the bag at first, and "pulls a Millar", failing to actually touch the base. Millar reaches, and Jay Payton enters as a pinch runner.

All up to Bill Mueller!

[Jables]

Down 0-2, Dotel has a wild pitch, runners advance to 2nd and 3rd... :tfh:

[Jables]

Bah, Mueller flies out to left... Sox lose.This will be only the 2nd game the Sox have lost as a team in Arroyo's unbeaten streak. Arroyo stays unbeaten as Myers (who had yet to be scored on this year) picks up the loss...

[Jables]

Sox announcers in the 8th inning (after Sox batters had already walked 8 times): "Oakland is trying to give Boston this game right now"

8th inning
---------
- J. Varitek hit by pitch
- B. Mueller walked, J. Varitek to second
- J. Payton walked, J. Varitek to third, B. Mueller to second
- R. Rincon relieved J. Cruz
- M. Bellhorn struck out swinging
- J. Damon safe at first on first baseman S. Hatteberg's fielding error, J. Varitek scored, B. Mueller to third, J. Payton to second
- H. Street relieved R. Rincon
- E. Renteria singled to right, B. Mueller and J. Payton scored, J. Damon to second, J. Damon scored, E. Renteria to third on right fielder E. Byrnes' fielding error
- D. Ortiz struck out swinging
- M. Ramirez struck out looking

Sox rally from behind in the 8th to take a 7-5 lead... 4 hits, 10 walks and a hit batter...

[Jables]

Git-r-done Foulke in the 9th!

Sox win 7-5. :D

[Jables]

Wokka, wokka, wokka's

http://www.action-performance.com/Muppets/images/fozzie.jpghttp://www.action-performance.com/Muppets/images/fozzie.jpghttp://www.action-performance.com/Muppets/images/fozzie.jpg

hurt Macha, Macha, Macha!

http://tinypic.com/555xyfhttp://tinypic.com/555xyfhttp://tinypic.com/555xyf

[Hagbard Celine]

Git-r-done Foulke in the 9th!

Sox win 7-5. :D

Have you been watching these games?!

You're more dedicated than me! I can only do these late games during the playoffs (or if the games have direct playoff implications).

[Jables]

Have you been watching these games?!

You're more dedicated than me! I can only do these late games during the playoffs (or if the games have direct playoff implications).


Yeah, I've been a bit groggy at work lately. :sleep:

[Triangle Man]

Wells retuns tonight. :exams:

[Jables]

Wells retuns tonight. :exams:

Your wrong.

It's a day game ;)

[Triangle Man]

:exams: :exams: :exams:

[Jables]

:exams: :exams: :exams:

You were right about that part... :exams:

[Triangle Man]

I'm only going to say this one more time:

THE RED SOX MUST NEVER HAVE A PLAYER ON THEIR ROSTER WHO USED TO BE A YANKEE. NEVER. EVER. EVER NEVER. EVER.

[Triangle Man]

Let's go bats! Four runs is a piece of cake.

[Jables]

Let's go bats! Seven runs is a piece of cake.

Fixed it... :exams:

[Triangle Man]

Let's go bats! Four runs is a piece of cake.I was not talking to you, Oakland bats! :swear:

[Wannabe Actuary]

9 runs...at least o captain my captain homers to narrow the lead to 9-1

[Wannabe Actuary]

:notworth:
a 1-2-3 inning in the 3rd...
:wav:

[Judge Dredd]

:notworth:
a 1-2-3 inning in the 3rd...
:wav:

Wow. What an ACCOMPLISHMENT!

[Triangle Man]

Wow. What an ACCOMPLISHMENT!Do I have to go get the Brookyn Brawler?

[Triangle Man]

With nothing else to talk about on an off-day, allow me to mention that the Red Sox have played the fewest home games of any major league team so far this year. For a team so uniquely built to be dominant at home, this is significant.

[RedSoxFan]

Time to catch up...

Monday night was the first of the three games in Oakland. The Sox took a 2-0 lead in the 2nd when they loaded the bases with two out and Bellhorn hit a single. But the A's loaded the bases with one out in the 5th, and Kotsay tripled. Then Kotsay scored on a sacrifice, and it was 4-2 A's.

Now the Sox had loaded the bases with none out in the fourth on three singles, but then Bellhorn and Damon struck out, and Renteria lined out. In the 7th, those three who failed in the 4th loaded the bases with none out. Papi scored two on a double. But then followed a Manny strikeout, Nixon intentional walk, Varitek strike out, and Youkilis (playing first for Millar) ground out. Myers replaced Arroyo in the 8th and allowed two singles, and Timlin ended up allowing both runners to score to produce the final 6-4 margin. The Sox tried a comeback in the 9th, Nixon having singled with one out, and with two outs, Millar was safe on an error, and both runners moved over on a wild pitch, but Mueller flied out to end the game.

Tuesday night it looked for a while like the Sox would lose yet again. Down 5-3 in the top of the 8th, the Sox loaded the bases with none out when Varitek was hit, and Mueller and Payton both walked. Though Bellhorn struck out, Damon grounded it tough to Hatteberg, who failed to come up with the ball, and Damon was safe and a run scored. Finally the Sox got a hit in the inning, and it was a double by Renteria that ended up with all three baserunners scoring, and the Sox having a 7-5 lead, that they kept for the rest of the game. After having scored just 4 runs on 12 hits in the previous game, in this one the Sox scored 7 runs on just 4 hits. Half of the hits were produced by POG Renteria, who also earned one of the 11 walks (Bellhorn had 3).

Wells came off the injured list, starting for the Sox without a rehab assignment, as he did last year. That time Wells pitched very well (against the Sox, incidentally). The same did not happen this time, however, as he gave up 7 runs while recording just 3 outs. Varitek gets POG honors for going 2-2, including a solo homer for the first run, before being lifted in the blowout so that Mirabelli could get some extra work. The final margin was 13-6, and the Sox allowed 19 hits.

[RedSoxFan]

The Sox played against the Braves over the weekend:

Friday: Varitek has now hit a home run on May 20 five years in a row. But POG goes to Bill Mueller, who went 2/3 with a walk, including a 2-run home run in the 2nd (just two batters after Tekkie hit his homer) that put the Sox up 4-1. It is Mueller's first POG of the season, and he's the last regular position player to get his first POG. Wade Miller was awesome, giving up 1 run on 3 hits and 2 walks in 6.1 innings. Foulke allowed three of his first four batters to hit, which produced 2 runs and closed it to 4-3, but got the next batter to ground into a game-ending double play.

Saturday: Braves leadoff man Furcal went 0/4 but nevertheless reached base 4 times, three times on errors. The Sox had 4 errors overall and though they outhit the Braves 11 to 9, got outscored 7-5. Wakefield gave up 6 in 5, but Halama kept the Sox in the game, allowing just one unearned run in 3 innings of work to get POG. The Braves threw out Kyle Davies to make the start - it was his first major league appearance, and he allowed just 4 hits in 5 innings, and left with a 7-0 lead. The Sox picked at the relievers and closed it to 7-5 on a Nixon groundout sacrifice in the 9th, and Tekkie was up with one on and 2 out and could have tied it with a homer but he flied out to left.

Sunday: The Sox got 7 hits and 2 walks in the first 4 innings but couldn't push across a run! They finally got to Smoltz in the fifth, as with two out and men at the corners, Youkilis and Mueller both singled to tie the game at 2. In the bottom of the sixth, Damon led off with a single, and after Renteria grounded out, Ortiz doubled and Manny hit a homer to make it 5-2. But the big star of the game was Matt Clement, who gave up 2 runs on 3 hits and no walks in his complete game. If you remove the fourth inning, he gave up no runs and just one hit (in the 9th) in 8 innings of work.

[Mike and Maddog]

Fuuny how your spin hides the facts that Smoltz gave up no earned runs and Clement gave up 2.

[Wannabe Actuary]

Fuuny how your spin hides the facts that Smoltz gave up no earned runs and Clement gave up 2.

But the big star of the game was Matt Clement, who gave up 2 runs on 3 hits and no walks in his complete game.

Looks like he says Clement gave up 2 pretty loud and clear.

[Mike and Maddog]

If you remove the fourth inning, he gave up no runs and just one hit (in the 9th) in 8 innings of work.


Yeah loud and clear.

[Last Train to Skaville]

Fuuny how your spin hides the facts that Smoltz gave up no earned runs and Clement gave up 2.

Funny how your spin hides the fact that the Red Sox won. And at the end of the day, does anything else matter?

[Triangle Man]

Funny how your spin hides the fact that the Red Sox won. And at the end of the day, does anything else matter?Well, there are a few things. But the list is awfully short.

[RedSoxFan]

Fuuny how your spin hides the facts that Smoltz gave up no earned runs and Clement gave up 2.

If that's the best you can do to poke fun at the Sox, that's pretty funny!

[Wannabe Actuary]

On a Sox minor league note, John Olerud (http://www.baseball-reference.com/o/olerujo01.shtml) played in his first minor league game ever (he went straight to the bigs) and hit a homerun.

[RedSoxFan]

Kind of like the previous game with Clement, the fourth inning of work was the dreadful inning for two pitchers last night. Other than the fourth inning, Wells allowed one run on 3 hits and a walk, and that one run was an inherited runner, as when Timlin relieved Wells in the 7th with one on and none out, he allowed a home run to the next batter. Wells had allowed 4 runs in his 4th inning, erasing a 3-0 early Sox lead. The Sox then took the lead in the top of the 7th. Bush only went three innings starting for the Jays, and Downs had gotten through the order perfectly in his first three innings of relief, but in his fourth inning the Sox got to him on a Mueller home run. The Sox were up 5-4 at the time, but the 2-run homer Timlin allowed put the Sox down 6-5. Then in the top of the 8th, Renteria led off the inning with a triple, and Ortiz followed with a single. Manny lined out, and Nixon grounded Ortiz to second. Could Ortiz redeem himself for the 3rd inning, when Ortiz tried to score from 1st on a Manny double but got thrown out in a close play at the plate? Not this time, as Varitek struck out. The game remained tied at 6 until the bottom of the ninth, when the Sox avoided going to extra innings for the first time this season when Embree allowed a 3-run walkoff home run.

[Triangle Man]

On a Sox minor league note, John Olerud (http://www.baseball-reference.com/o/olerujo01.shtml) played in his first minor league game ever (he went straight to the bigs) and hit a homerun.
NO MORE FORMER YANKEES EVER!

[RedSoxFan]

Lilly continued his mastery of the Sox last night, allowing just one run on 4 hits in 6.2. Three of the hits came in a row in the 7th with one out: Mueller, Nixon, and Bellhorn all singled. Damon sac-grounded to cut it to 5-1, but Renteria grounded out for the last out. Ortiz, Ramirez, Varitek, and Millar were a combined 0/14. After the game Damon said, "We're a really bad team right now" and not only did the Sox fall 4 behind the O's, they're just a half game ahead of the streaking Yankees, 14-2 in their last 16, with a 3 game series against them this weekend. With no batter deserving POG, Arroyo giving up 5 runs (but just 2 earned) on 6 hits in 6 innings, for his first loss in 18 appearances, Halama giving up 1 run and getting just one out, and Mantei getting 2 outs but allowing a hit, POG goes to, surprise!, Keith Foulke, for pitching the 8th perfectly, garnering one strikeout. It is Foulke's first POG of the season.

[Last Train to Skaville]

NO MORE FORMER YANKEES EVER!

Except he's really not a former Yankee in the same way Wells is. He was only with them for half a season and will be remembered more as a Blue Jay and a Met than as a Yankee.

And besides, Millar has just been plain awful so far. You can balance his crappy defensive play with his bat when he's hitting, but he has yet to break out offensively. At least with Olerud, you have one of the best defensive first basemen who has ever played. He's incredibly slow (Ortiz would probably beat him in a 50 yard dash), but his knowledge is vast and he sets up differently for every batter with every count. He's the best I've ever seen at screening the runner at first from the pitch/batter and he'll dig out more errant throws from the other infield positions. When SI called the 1999 Mets' infield of Venture, Ordonez, Alfonzo and Olreud perhaps the best defensive infield ever, it was largely due to Olerud's skills.

[DW Simpson]

And besides, Millar has just been plain awful so far. You can balance his crappy defensive play

Mientkiewicz may be available http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/25/sports/baseball/25shea.html

[Triangle Man]

Except he's really not a former Yankee in the same way Wells is. He was only with them for half a season and will be remembered more as a Blue Jay and a Met than as a Yankee.One day in pinstripes is one day too many. The first time you cash a check with Satan's John Hancock, you've lost your soul. Perhaps Clemens can be turned back from the Dark Side, but I doubt it, and I doubt he'd consider a return to Boston anyway.
And besides, Millar has just been plain awful so far.1B needs a major upgrade, true. But not defensively. This has got to be Theo's #1 priority at the trading deadline. Get Aubrey Huff, or Sweeney, or someone else who can make a major impact.

[yankeetripper]

Are we hearing foot steps yet? 4th place defending World Champs, kind of has a nice ring to it. Well the 4th place part anyway. Was 11-19 just a bad dream, who would have thought going into Memorial day weekend the Yanks would have a chance to move into 2nd?

[Triangle Man]

Are we hearing foot steps yet? 4th place defending World Champs, kind of has a nice ring to it. Well the 4th place part anyway. Was 11-19 just a bad dream, who would have thought going into Memorial day weekend the Yanks would have a chance to move into 2nd?By Monday, the Yankees will have played ten more games at home than the Sox. The only team with a bigger home park advantage than the Sox is that team that plays in zero gravity.

If the Yankees and Sox both maintain the same home and road winning percentages as they have right now, the Sox will finish five games ahead of the Yankees.

[DW Simpson]

If the Yankees and Sox both maintain the same home and road winning percentages as they have right now, the Sox will finish five games ahead of the Yankees.

Are you an actuary?

[Triangle Man]

Are you an actuary?No, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

[yankeetripper]

Looks like Wade Miller could be the answer to Boston's 4th starter question after all. :party:

[JustASix]

May 25, 2005
ESPN Quarterly Newsletter
To: All ESPN employees

The following are the notes from our most recent annual meeting in Hartford, CT.

The primary order of business this weekend was the further clarification of the ESPN company mission statement. We are excited about the future of the network as the ESPN Board of Directors has unanimously agreed to redefine “Worldwide” as it appears in our slogan and mission statement to incorporate only those sporting events taking place northeast of the Philadelphia metro area. More specifically the “World” shall refer to the cities of Boston and New York and include not only their professional and collegiate sports teams, but also their fans, owners, Internet chat rooms and anything written about and/or by Curt Schilling.

As a result of this company policy, every employee is asked to go out of their way to ignore sporting events or teams of an inferior nature, i.e, not revolving around New York and Boston or as it shall be known from here on “the Beacon of the Sports World.”

Producers of each series on the ESPN family of networks have been instructed to dedicate at a minimum 87% of all summer programming time to Yankees and Red Sox games with said percentage to be increased to 97% should the Yankees and Red Sox be participating in a mutual game. Gratuitous clips of Alex Rodriguez and his frosted hair are not only encouraged, but will be rewarded with monetary bonuses.

Bonuses will also be awarded for any coverage of Derek Jeter, Gary Sheffield’s mustache, Brian Cashman appearing as if he is going to cry, an intoxicated Ben Affleck, Stephen King anytime he has nacho cheese on his face, and Kevin Millar’s facial hair.

Those violating the “Nexus of the Athletic Universe” clause, as it will be known, shall be reprimanded by designated company sergeant-at-arms, The Schwab. http://www.phat5.com/features.asp?SectionID=2&StoryID=750&LayoutType=1

With another Red Sox - Yankees series almost upon us, I thought this would be appropriate to share.

[Mike and Maddog]

Are we hearing foot steps yet? 4th place defending World Champs, kind of has a nice ring to it. Well the 4th place part anyway. Was 11-19 just a bad dream, who would have thought going into Memorial day weekend the Yanks would have a chance to move into 2nd?


4th place. LMAO.

Max Kellerman on ESPN radio was saying yesterday that the socks still have to prove themselves by winning the division and WS in the same year.

[Triangle Man]

Max Kellerman on ESPN radio was saying yesterday that the socks still have to prove themselves by winning the division and WS in the same year.Max Kellerman is a moron. A Championship is a Championship, and that's all that matters. 2004 is over, and the Sox have to prove themselves again, but "only" winning the wild card again would be more than fine with me.

[Triangle Man]

Just in time for a visit to The Toilet, Olerud is called up. Wells is scheduled to start Sunday. :exams:

[Mike and Maddog]

Who was saying that socks fans post regardless of how the team is doing, but Yankee fans post only when winning? Hmmm.

I guess 4th place is too embarrassing for most sock fans to face up to.

[Triangle Man]

Who was saying that socks fans post regardless of how the team is doing, but Yankee fans post only when winning? Hmmm.

I guess 4th place is too embarrassing for most sock fans to face up to.Whatever. None of the Yankees can hit a knuckleball, and our ace goes Saturday, so you're going to be hoping for the Fat Man to lay another egg to avoid getting swept this weekend, bub.

[Wonder Boy]

None of the Yankees can hit a knuckleball

that is so true. the Yankees cannot hit Wakefield to save their lives.

A-Rod will take him deep though.

[DW Simpson]

Sheffield went 2 for 3 with a walk the last time he faced Wakefield. One of those hits may have been against Mantei. Even so, Sheffield was either on base 3 out of 4 times, or 2 out of 3 times, at his last Wakefield experience.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/boxscore?gid=250411102

The dude can't hit the knuckler, though.

[yankeetripper]

[QUOTE=Triangle Man]Whatever. None of the Yankees can hit a knuckleball

Too true, where's Aaron Boone when you need him!

[Triangle Man]

Too true, where's Aaron Boone when you need him!Silly Yankees fan. 2003 doesn't hurt us anymore, since the 2004 Yankees choke was way worse than the 2003 Red Sox choke.

[yankeetripper]

Too true Triangle Man. :-( I'm still bitter that for the first time in my lifetime the Sox got the better of the Yanks. Yanks still hold 26 - 6 lead in World Championships (6 -1 in tripper's lifetime) :)

[Jables]

Who was saying that socks fans post regardless of how the team is doing, but Yankee fans post only when winning? Hmmm.

I guess 4th place is too embarrassing for most sock fans to face up to.

I'm here... (I had an exam this week, a little less posting than usual). It's true, we suck right now. The 6th inning tonight (both halves) were brutal.
Sveum! :swear:

Hoping to bounce back tomorrow...

[RedSoxFan]

Tough week for the Sox.. they've now lost four in a row, and only 3 of 11, while the once hapless Yankees of 11-19 have won 16 of 18, and are looking 1.5 games up at the Yankees.

Thursday night the Sox and Jays both got 9 hits, yet the Jays outscored the Sox 8-1. It was the second straight game the Sox managed just one run. Six of the Jays runs came in the first inning. Wade Miller allowed a leadoff triple, and a sac-fly scored the run. Wade got a ground-out of the next batter, and saw Shea Hillenbrand foul off three with two strikes and managed to draw the walk. That was the turning point, as he then allowed a home run, a walk, a single, another walk, and a double before getting a lineout. Shea got an RBI single in the 2nd to make it 7-0, and though Wade got out of the inning, he didn't come back, and gave way to Gonzalez, who did much better, as he gave up just one run in 4 innings of relief. Both Renteria and Millar went 3/4 but without runs or RBIs, but POG goes to Renteria, as Millar was picked off of 2nd in the 8th inning.

Sox remain on the road and go to the Bronx. It looked early like the Sox, who had just fallen a half game behind both Toronto and the Yankees, were going to turn things around at just the right time, as they had taken a 2-1 lead going into the momentum-changing 6th inning. Mueller grounded out to start the inning, and the next five Sox all got hits. But there the half-inning ended: the Sox managed just one run, and two players got thrown out at home, neither play being all that close. In the bottom of the inning, Wakey allowed a walk, a homer, and a single, Embree then allowed a single and a 3-run homer, and it was 6-3, a score that stood to the end, though the Sox out-hit the Yanks 11-7, with 9 off of Randy Johnson in his six innings of work. Renteria gets POG for the second game in a row with another 3/4 effort, this time including a walk. Amazingly, he is 6/8 with a walk in his last two games, but hasn't scored or hit a run in. He probably hasn't scored because Ortiz and Manny combined to go 1/17 in the two games, and he has only left a total of two in base in the two games.

[Pseudolus]

Who was that doing a Wendell Kim impression in the 3B coach's box last night?

[RedSoxFan]

Sox beat Yankees 17-1!

[Jables]

Followed by a 7-2 victory with 'tizzle going deep twice (once to the third deck, once to the black seats in center field)... Rent went deep too, finishing the series 10/12. He should get a nice welcome back home at Fenway ;) He went 16/24 on the road, rasing his average from .239 to .295. Manny and Ortiz are heating up too, Trot's been staying solid...

[Sox34]

Followed by a 7-2 victory with 'tizzle going deep twice (once to the third deck, once to the black seats in center field)... Rent went deep too, finishing the series 10/12. He should get a nice welcome back home at Fenway ;) He went 16/24 on the road, rasing his average from .239 to .295. Manny and Ortiz are heating up too, Trot's been staying solid...

Papi's bomb to the black seats was SICK

Glad to see Renteria picking it up.

And let's not forgot E-Rod's 2 great plays :)

[Triangle Man]

Ugh. Not a good night for Arroyo.

[RedSoxFan]

Tough week for the Sox.. they've now lost four in a row, and only 3 of 11, while the once hapless Yankees of 11-19 have won 16 of 18, and are looking 1.5 games up at the Yankees.


Quite a turnaround! Including the above, the Sox had also scored just five runs in the previous six games, and 16 in the previous 5, they scored 17 in the Saturday afternoon game against the Yankees! They managed 27 hits, just 1 shy of the franchise record, which was set in a 25-8 victory against the Marlins two years ago. The eerie thing in common: Pavano was the starter for the opponent in both games. 28 is also the record for most hits against the Yankees, but the 16 run victory was the biggest for the Sox over the Yankees. It's hard to award POG in a game like this, especially when Clement was very good, allowing no runs but 5 hits and 4 walks in 6 innings. Damon went 4/7 and Manny 4/4, but both with just 1 RBI. Nixon went 3/6 with 5 RBIs, 3 coming on a 5th inning home run. POG goes to Renteria for the third straight game, for going 3/3 (and was given a break by Vazquez) with 2 R and 5 RBI, 4 of them coming on a 5th inning grand slam. Also, Olerud, in his first major league game of the season, went 3/6. As a team, the Sox amazingly batted above .500: they were 27/52.

Wells was 0-2 with a 13.89 in his previous three starts. He allowed solo homers to two of the first three batters he faced in this outing that tied the game at 2 after Ortiz had homered Renteria in in the top of the first. Wells settled down after that, however, allowing just 4 hits and no runs the rest of the way, not even a walk, with 2 strikeouts. He got the first out of the 9th but then allowed a single, and either Francona was not comfortable enough with the 7-2 lead, or he wanted to give Foulke some work, or he wanted Wells' comeback outing to end on a good note, as Tito did make the switch, and Foulke got two flyouts to end the game. After an uneventful second, Renteria and Ortiz homered to lead off the 3rd, and after Manny singled, Trot doubled him in. Then with two outs in the 4th Renteria and Ortiz singled, and Manny singled in a run. The final run came on a single by Ortiz in the 8th. Renteria, Ortz, and Manny were 9 for their first 9, and Ortiz and Renteria both ended up 4/5. Papi gets POG, however, as he had 4 RBIs and 2 R to Renteria's 3 Rs and 1 RBI. With all those hot players, the Sox could have scored a lot more runs, but the production from the bottom five spots in the order was 0/16.

Renteria went 10/12 in the Yankees series and went 16/24 during the road trip. The Sox hit .406 in the Yankees series. Sox catching prospect Kelly Shoppach made his major league debut on Saturday and his first start on Sunday but is still looking for his first hit. Before the Sunday game, Renteria finally convinced Wells to give up the number 3: the number Renteria had used during his entire baseball career, and the number Wells picked when he joined the Sox in the offseason because it was Babe Ruth's number. Wells took Renteria's number 16.

The Sox move back into 2nd place.

[Jables]

Blech, what happened out there today? :shake:

[Hagbard Celine]

I didn't get to see any of the Yankees' games. :(

I come home and watch yesterday's game. :lol:

:exams:

[Wannabe Actuary]

I had my exam on Thursday and then was moving all weekend...missed the whole yankee v sox series because of no tv/internet yet....

:exams:

[RedSoxFan]

Back to the glass is half-empty look: after last night's let-down against the O's, the Sox have won only 6 of the last 16 and 2 of the last 7, and had four games coming up against the divison leading O's, just 3 games back, but lost the first of them. Bronson now has a two game losing streak, giving up 7 runs (including a grand slam) in just 2.2 innings. Halama gets POG for going 4.1 hitless innings, imperfect only because of a single walk. Damon went 2/2 with a walk (and a steal). Rodrigo Lopez went 8 innings giving up 6 hits. Boston is now tied with the Yankees at 27-23 for 2nd place, and the Jays are just a half game behind them.

[Mike and Maddog]

Whatever. None of the Yankees can hit a knuckleball, and our ace goes Saturday, so you're going to be hoping for the Fat Man to lay another egg to avoid getting swept this weekend, bub.


Not.


Looks like I was right. No one posts until socks get a few wins this weekend.

[PK]

No one posts until socks get a few wins this weekend.You don't pay attention much, do you?

"No one posts on weekends" is pretty much a universally true statement.

All of the posts today, except yours, are about the loss last night.

[Mike and Maddog]

You don't pay attention much, do you?

"No one posts on weekends" is pretty much a universally true statement.

All of the posts today, except yours, are about the loss last night.

Talk about not paying attention. Go back and read the posts from last week.

[RedSoxFan]

Talk about not paying attention. Go back and read the posts from last week.

Let's see, the only date last week without at least two posts was Tuesday, they day of the first game of the Sox' four game losing streak.

Don't worry PK. Go back and read all of M and M's posts. You'll be hard pressed to find any that make any sense. M and M is just a troll. The only purpose to his posts is to aggravate others.

[RedSoxFan]

Good win against the O's last night to cut the division lead to 3. The Sox were no-hit by Cabrera for 4.1 innings but then strung together 4 hits from Bellhorn Olerud, Renteria, and Ortiz that produced 4 runs. The last run came when the Sox loaded the bases in the 7th off of Parrish with a Renteria single, Ortiz single, and Nixon walk. Varitek hit a sac-fly, but the struggling Millar grounded into a double play. The lone run for the O's came in the third when they led off the inning with a triple and a double. Damon had attempted to catch the triple on the fly but missed and right after slammed into the side of the Boston bullpen, hitting his head on the steel screen. He came out after that half inning and got 4 stitches and is day-to-day. After throwing two O's out at the plate early in the previous game, two O's were caught off base early in this one. In the top of the first Roberts had singled, and was later caught leading off of first too far by Miller. In the top of the 4th Surhoff lined into a double play, with Tejada doubled off of second. Wade Miller earned POG by going 7 innings giving up 1 run on 5 hits and 3 walks, with 3 strikeouts, rebounding nicely from his previous start.

[Mike and Maddog]

Let's see, the only date last week without at least two posts was Tuesday, they day of the first game of the Sox' four game losing streak.

Don't worry PK. Go back and read all of M and M's posts. You'll be hard pressed to find any that make any sense. M and M is just a troll. The only purpose to his posts is to aggravate others.


Not true. purpose is to point out hypocrisy and spin. if that aggravates you, so be it.

As to the posts last week, I called out the regular sock posters for not defending the 4th place team. Only 1 poster was brave enough to come to the board.

[Wannabe Actuary]

Not true. purpose is to point out hypocrisy and spin. if that aggravates you, so be it.

As to the posts last week, I called out the regular sock posters for not defending the 4th place team. Only 1 poster was brave enough to come to the board.
You can't look at it that way, as I had an exam on Thursday, and spent the weekend moving. I still have no internet at home and couldn't post or even find out the results of the games until I came to work on Tuesday. (no internet yet, no TV yet and no paper at home make it hard to follow anything)

[Jables]

Bah, too many wasted opportunities tonight... woulda like to have seen Varitek still in the game when his spot in the batting order came up with the bases loaded...

[Triangle Man]

Bah, too many wasted opportunities tonight... woulda like to have seen Varitek still in the game when his spot in the batting order came up with the bases loaded...Because we all know how great Varitek has been in his career with the bases loaded... :roll:

[RedSoxFan]

Wakefield allowed 7 in 5.2 innings last night, including 3 homers. The Sox rallied for their first three runs in the 7th, and had the tying run at the plate in Kelly Shoppach, but he grounded out. Varitek had started the game, but Tito had, in a way, given up on the game, choosing to give Varitek a little rest in wake of the day game tomorrow coming after tonight's night game. Papi gets POG for getting on base 4 times; he was 2/3 with 2 walks.

[Jables]

Because we all know how great Varitek has been in his career with the bases loaded... :roll:

I know, I know, but I still get a tingle every chance he gets for that elusive grand slam...

[Wannabe Actuary]

day game (make up with Baltimore)

[Triangle Man]

I like this new leadoff hitter they've got. Decent OBP, some power. Hope he can stick around a while.

[Wannabe Actuary]

Youk was around last year, but went back down so he could keep getting AB's and stay fresh.
any word on how long Damon will be out, I thought I read day to day, but can't recall?

[Triangle Man]

Youk was around last year, but went back down so he could keep getting AB's and stay fresh.
any word on how long Damon will be out, I thought I read day to day, but can't recall?He's just getting a day's rest since it's a day game after a night game. I heard it was more due to his knee than his eye.

[Wannabe Actuary]

He's just getting a day's rest since it's a day game after a night game. I heard it was more due to his knee than his eye.
Gotcha, no TV and internet (at home) is killing me. At least I can follow this game :D

[Atheist Man]

O Captain My Captain!

[Pseudolus]

O Captain My Captain!Um, you know how that poem ends, right?

[Atheist Man]

Um, you know how that poem ends, right?Probably not with a grand slam, I'm guessing.

[Triangle Man]

Bellhorn with the bases loaded! I feel something good about to happen.

[Triangle Man]

Nevermind.

[Triangle Man]

What a frustrating series this has been, even if this game gives us a split. How many bases loaded situations have there been, often with less than two outs, and how many runs have come from them?

[Wannabe Actuary]

What a frustrating series this has been, even if this game gives us a split. How many bases loaded situations have there been, often with less than two outs, and how many runs have come from them?
1. too many
2. too few

[MountainHawk]

1. too many
2. too few


Too many? I would think you could never have enough BL with 0/1 outs situations. The more the merrier. ;)

[Wannabe Actuary]

Too many? I would think you could never have enough BL with 0/1 outs situations. The more the merrier. ;)
edit....not enough that got cashed in on

[Triangle Man]

I would think you could never have enough BL with 0/1 outs situations.You would think that, not being a Red Sox fan.

[Triangle Man]

No decision for either starter this afternoon. Let's go bullpen!

[Hagbard Celine]

What a frustrating series this has been, even if this game gives us a split.

The last 20+ games have been pretty frustrating! :lol:

Keep plugging away.

[Jables]

What the Foulke?!?! :evil:

Bellhorn on with one out in the 9th... Youk and Rent due up...

[Jables]

Youk strikes out, all up to Renteria...

[Jables]

Renteria reaches on a bunt single! Tying run at 2nd for Ortiz!!

[Jables]

Baltimore has a huge shift on for Ortiz...

[Jables]

Ortizzle fo shizzle with the 3-run BOMB!

:wav:

Sox with 6-4! :p

[Triangle Man]

See. That wouldn't have happened if the bases were loaded.

:party:

[Jables]

:lol:

[Sox34]

damn gameday won't update... thank god for you Jables!!!!


WAHOOO!!

Papi strikes again! I wish I wasn't at work right now and I could see the huddle jump up and down at home plate around Tiz

[manny24]

You're telling me!!!!!!
BIG PAPI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Triangle Man]

Interesting tidbit:
The Red Sox remain the only team in the majors without an extra-inning game this season.

[Triangle Man]

Tonight the Angels return to the scene of their ALDS sweep, which ended with a David Ortiz walk-off home run. I wonder how many Angels watched highlights of last night's Ortiz walk-off, and if it got them in the mood for another three game sweep.

And, what's that on the radar? The Cardinals? Perhaps a dose of 2004 postseason will get the Sox out of their recent rut.

[yankeetripper]

You're telling me!!!!!!
BIG PAPI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nice of the Sox to bail out Folke again. How long before Manti is closing......

[r. mutt]

Johnny Freakin' Damon! Take that in the eye! (Mike Soscia, I mean)

[Pseudolus]

Frodo Lives!

[r. mutt]

Frodo Lives!

Actually, Frodo settled down in the Valley, and he hung his wild years on a nail that he drove through his wife's forehead.


Watching Foulke is very, very painful.

[r. mutt]

Like slowly pounding a nail through your hand.

[Jables]

Starting to get that feeling back from last year, each day a different hero... :)

[Triangle Man]

I hate pitch counts.

I hate Alan Embree.

I hate John Halama-lama-ding-dong.

[Jables]

I hate Alan Embree.

Today's special: a 3-run homer.*

*Today's special is the leftovers from when the same special was served up twice last week...

[Jables]

Afterthought from yesterday... when Millar finally got his first homer of the season about a month ago, he then homered the day after as well, and said they must come in bunches... Another month goes by homerless, and then he hits two yesterday :)

Oh well, at least today's game had a better result, Sox win 6-3, taking 2/3 from the Angels (with Mike Myers getting credit for both of the victories).

Next up, a National League road trip. World Series rematch! Drzy, I'll be looking for you to pop up in here ;)

[Drzy]

Drzy, I'll be looking for you to pop up in here ;)I'll be here tonight if there are others. :wave:

Did I move back to the East Coast or am I up at the :moon: of dawn?

[RedSoxFan]

An exciting weekend of games:

On Thursday the Sox evened the 4 games series vs. Baltimore at 2 each, despite Foulke blowing a 3-3 tie in the top of the 9th. With two on and one out in the bottom of the inning, Renteria laid down a surprise bunt towards third to reach base, and Papi followed with a full-count walk off home run. Clement pitched decently, giving up 3 runs in 6 innings. Timlin gave up one hit in his inning of work, lowering his ERA to 1.38.

Friday night the Sox hosted the Angels for the first of three games, and the Sox performed another late comeback. Down 4-1 going into the bottom of the 8th, Millar doubled, Mueller walked, Bellhorn doubled, Damon got an RBI on a sac-grounder, and after Renteria walked, Ortiz tied it with a sac-fly. Then in the bottom of the 9th with it still tied at 4, Nixon singled, and after Varitek struck out and Millar flied out, Mueller was intentionally walked, Bellhorn drew a walk, and Damon cleared the bases with a double. Foulke felt the game didn't have enough drama, as with two outs in the top of the 9th, he allowed three straight singles to load the bases, but earned the save as he got Finley to strike out. Wells gave up 4 in 7, three coming in the fifth, and though Mueller went 2/2 with 2 walks, 1 RBI, and 2 runs, Damon gets POG for the game winning hit, even though he went just 1/5. He's still hitting .347 on the season, however.

In the Saturday day game, it was the Angels that came from behind. Arroyo left with a 5-2 lead, but Embree and Mantei each allowed 4 runs getting just one out. Halama allowed 2 runs getting two out, and Timlin allowed 1 run in 1 inning of work. As a result, the final score was a 13-6 loss. Millar went 3/4 with 3 RBIs and 3 runs to earn POG: 2 of the hits were solo homers.As Jables pointed out above, Millar has 4 homers on the season: the first two came in consecutive games about a month ago, these two both came in the same game.

In the final game of the weekend, the Sox took an early 3-0 lead in the 4th due to key hits from Millar and Mueller. The Angels scored once in the tops of the 5th, 6th, and 7th to tie it off of Wade Miller. In the bottom of the 7th, Washburn was replaced by Woods, who hit Mueller and allowed Olerud to single. Payton singled off of Peralta to load the bases, and Bellhorn sacrificed the game winning run in. After Renteria struck out, Ortiz doubled two insurance runs home. Mike Myers got credited with his 2nd win in 3 games, getting two batters out on 6 pitches to lower his ERA to 1.46. Foulke, believe it or not, closed the game perfectly, needing just 7 pitches to get through the top of the 9th inning, and in part because no offensive player stood out (Bellhorn sacrificed the winning run, but had no hits, and the insurance runs came off of Ortiz' only hit), Foulke gets POG for his fine performance.

[tommie frazier]

if this keeps up, varitek will be either knighted or sainted by the end of this game by the espn crew.

you mean he's a cather who also bats? and after the third out has to put the gear back on and catch again? and the pitcher is a knuckleballer on top of that? i've never seen such feats of herculean courage.

[r. mutt]

if this keeps up, varitek will be either knighted or sainted by the end of this game by the espn crew.

you mean he's a cather who also bats? and after the third out has to put the gear back on and catch again? and the pitcher is a knuckleballer on top of that? i've never seen such feats of herculean courage.

AND he's the captain!!! Is that crazy or what? He's like Michael Jordan, but he plays defense too!!!!

[Drzy]

My hatred for umpires continues to grow. Is it really that hard? When I'm 100% sure on a call without even using the TiVo... man... I just can't believe these guys are professionals, paid to do this.

[RedSoxFan]

My hatred for umpires continues to grow. Is it really that hard? When I'm 100% sure on a call without even using the TiVo... man... I just can't believe these guys are professionals, paid to do this.

- the Cardinals steal that should have been called out but was safe, and immediately preceeded the Cards' big rally.

- when the Cardinal got called out at the plate when the throw got there easily in time, but the Cardinal snuck his foot past.

- When Pujols caught the ball in the stands, when replays clearly showed the ball glanced off of the fan's chest.

[Drzy]

Not surprisingly I made the post after the middle one. :tfh:

I actually wasn't watching the game with the benefit of the TiVo... did the ball definitely hit the fan? I was wondering about it but didn't get a good look, and it was the 3rd out so they moved to the commercials. Did they talk about it when they got back? I'm embarrassed to admit I didn't really watch a whole lot of the game. :oops:

[RedSoxFan]

Not surprisingly I made the post after the middle one. :tfh:

I actually wasn't watching the game with the benefit of the TiVo... did the ball definitely hit the fan? I was wondering about it but didn't get a good look, and it was the 3rd out so they moved to the commercials. Did they talk about it when they got back? I'm embarrassed to admit I didn't really watch a whole lot of the game. :oops:

I was watching the Cardinals' home broadcast (this is before I realized the game was also on ESPN2) - I couldn't tell using my TiVo what happened - and during the next half inning they had a good close-up angle that they showed at slow speed that displayed how the ball glanced off of the fan's chest and right into Pujols' glove.

[RedSoxFan]

Not much to say about last night, the first rematch of last year's World Series. Morris dominated the Sox, allowing one run on 4 hits pitching a complete game. Wakefield allowed 4 earned in 5.2. Mantei got two outs on six pitches, but Embree got two outs on 5 pitches, including a strikeout, to get POG honors.

[Jables]

Cards looked good. Damn good. Wouldn't be surprised in the least if they went back to the Series this year...

[Hagbard Celine]

Cards looked good. Damn good. Wouldn't be surprised in the least if they went back to the Series this year...

Yabut, the way we've been playing, we make a lot of people look good.

(They did look good, though)

[Drzy]

How about the boos Renteria got his first AB? Sutcliffe was giving his spiel about being nervous for Edgar since he’d essentially turned down a competitive offer from the Cardinals for more money from the Red Sox, and I was thinking there was no way Edgar would get anything less than a good cheer. But when his name was announced, a pretty heavy cascade of boos poured in. It got drowned out by the standing ovation, but the only reason he got that ovation was to cover the boos... otherwise the fans would’ve been too conflicted and given some half-cheer.

Of course, Sutcliffe immediately after the ovation says you can’t expect anything different from the fans of St. Louis. Phht, way to some one thing and then say the complete opposite 30 seconds later.

The era of the friendly Cardinal fans is definitely floating away... seems each year booing at Busch becomes more and more prevalent. :(

[Suthrn]

Maybe those were Red Sox fans booing Renteria ...

[RedSoxFan]

- the Cardinals steal that should have been called out but was safe, and immediately preceeded the Cards' big rally.

- when the Cardinal got called out at the plate when the throw got there easily in time, but the Cardinal snuck his foot past.

- When Pujols caught the ball in the stands, when replays clearly showed the ball glanced off of the fan's chest.

One more tonight:

- When the Molina scored to make it 3-1, he was actually out at the plate. At first glance his lead foot in his feet-first slide do get past Varitek before the tag is made. But thanks to the TiVo and slow motion, Molina's lead-foot actually missed the plate on the 2nd-base side of it. Varitek tags Molina before the back foot crosses the plate. That should have been the third out with the Cards up 2-1, but instead the Cards go on to score three more runs in the inning, taking a 6-1 lead.

[RedSoxFan]

More of the same. At least the Sox beat the Cards in the important games! Clement, pitching back in the NL, gave up 7 runs in 4 IP. Renteria got a hit, but continues to struggle bigtime against his former team, grounding into four double plays in the two games. Varitek went 3/3 with a solo HR in the top of the 2nd: that was his only RBI and run, however. Five batters were hit from the bottom of the sixth through the top of the 8th - the last two causing each manager to be ejected along with the pitcher (for the Sox it was Mantei). With one out in the 9th the Sox loaded the bases with three singles (Ortiz, Payton, and Nixon), but Vazquez (hitting for Embree) flew out to short center, and Bellhorn struck out to end the game with a 9-3 final.

[Jables]

:exams:

I didn't see this one, nor did I hear it... RSF says it was 9-3, but Yahoo (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/boxscore?gid=250607124) says 9-2... There appears to have been a Johnny Damon solo HR in the 3rd. Was it a reversed call or something?

[Jables]

Actually upon looking further, at the bottom of the page it says: "CORRECTION -- THE CURRENT SCORE IS ST. LOUIS 7, BOSTON 1 IN THE BOTTOM OF THE THIRD INNING. BOSTON'S JOHNNY DAMON DID NOT HIT A HOME RUN IN THE TOP OF THE THIRD INNING."

Still not sure why, though...

[PK]

Someone PM me when they decide to play baseball again instead of this idiotic game of oneupmanship where my pitcher has to hit your batter because your pitcher hit mine.

[Mike and Maddog]

Socks lose the same night the Queer Eye episode is shown. Coincedence? I dont think so.

Damon's wife is the only one worth looking at. The others probably have a wife as a front for their queer eye lifestyle.

[Wannabe Actuary]

Socks lose the same night the Queer Eye episode is shown. Coincedence? I dont think so.

Damon's wife is the only one worth looking at. The others probably have a wife as a front for their queer eye lifestyle.
Yanks lose the same night as....oh well, pick anything. They're under .500 and it's a week into June and they're facing the easiest part of their schedule. They've got the Cards coming up as well. Expect it to get worse, and Don to lose his job.

[Drzy]

Someone PM me when they decide to play baseball again instead of this idiotic game of oneupmanship where my pitcher has to hit your batter because your pitcher hit mine.I’d assume no one else has read Buzz Bissinger’s new book “Three Nights in August”? It’s basically a story about baseball, centered around a Cardinals 3-game series against the Cubs in August of 2003. It mostly follows Tony LaRussa, but it gives a lot of insight on the inside of the clubhouse. There are some fascinating side stories on Rick Ankiel, Darryl Kile, Kerry Robinson, and J.D. Drew. The latter two are portrayed in a very negative light, especially Kerry... I can’t help but wonder if the book would be different if they were no longer on the team.

One of the aspects of the book deals with hit batsmen and how Tony (and other managers) deal with it. Basically, the book shows the whole process... for the Cardinals, all intentionally hit batsmen comes by order of LaRussa. Pitchers are instructed to never take matters into their own hands... if Tony feels a message needs to be sent or a player should be protected, the order comes from him, and they know in advance which opposing player they’re going to bean and how they’ll do it. Some great historical examples are used, including giving the order to bean (I think) Bret Boone even though he’d donated some items to LaRussa’s charity auctions (Boone, if it was him.. I’d have to look at it again.. sent a note to him after the game saying not to expect any more donations) and intentionally beaning a player in the 9th even though it brought the winning run to the plate. Very fascinating stuff.

I highly recommend the book. For Cardinal fans, it’s must-read material.

[lawfi5h]

Yanks lose the same night as....oh well, pick anything. They're under .500 and it's a week into June and they're facing the easiest part of their schedule. They've got the Cards coming up as well. Expect it to get worse, and Don to lose his job.

And neither team is even CLOSE to making the playoffs if the season ended now.

To me, it sounds like "my crap smells better than your crap".

[Wannabe Actuary]

And neither team is even CLOSE to making the playoffs if the season ended now.

To me, it sounds like "my crap smells better than your crap".
To me, it's pointing out to MM that the Sox lost to a good team, the Yanks have been getting beat by the bottom tier teams.

[lawfi5h]

To me, it's pointing out to MM that the Sox lost to a good team, the Yanks have been getting beat by the bottom tier teams.

It would be. Luckily you have a unbiased observer to set you straight.

[Triangle Man]

If only the Cardinals had played this well last October, the Sox would have won the World Series in Fenway.

[Wannabe Actuary]

If only the Cardinals had played this well last October, the Sox would have won the World Series in Fenway.
:notworth:
would have been cool

[Wannabe Actuary]

Sox leading the way for All Star Voting (http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20050605&content_id=1077695&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb#results)

in the top 3 for every position

[PK]

... for the Cardinals, all intentionally hit batsmen comes by order of LaRussa. ...Not to necessarily pick on your team's manager, but [in my humble and perhaps uninformed opinion] if this is provable, then LaRussa and every other manager who participates in this should be drummed out of baseball. I'd also implement a rule that any player that cannot play because of in injury when intentionally hit will have his salary paid by the offending team.

The catch, of course, is the provable part. I am surprised that there are not more broken wrists and so forth given the kind of nonsense that was going on last night.

[Drzy]

Not to necessarily pick on your team's manager, but [in my humble and perhaps uninformed opinion] if this is provable, then LaRussa and every other manager who participates in this should be drummed out of baseball. I'd also implement a rule that any player that cannot play because of in injury when intentionally hit will have his salary paid by the offending team.

The catch, of course, is the provable part. I am surprised that there are not more broken wrists and so forth given the kind of nonsense that was going on last night.The book is intended to be almost a memoir on LaRussa. Bissinger pretty much shadowed him all season, with access to all Cardinal meetings, even closed-door ones. Specifically, nothing was left out of the book because it might portray LaRussa negatively... it’s designed to portray what really goes on in the clubhouse. There’s really no doubt LaRussa orders the beans, and I’m pretty surprised there wasn’t any big deal made about it.

On the other hand, the book also talks about how this is common practice among all teams in baseball... LaRussa’s just the first to have it publicly written about. I guess that’s why it’s been kept quiet.

[Drzy]

If only the Cardinals had played this well last October, the Sox would have won the World Series in Fenway.One interesting tidbit from the book.... it’s a little anti-Sox, just to warn you....

For the playoffs, the home team is in charge of putting the visiting team up in a hotel. The Red Sox put St. Louis in a hotel 45 minutes outside of Boston, saying the hotels of Boston were full. Cardinal management wasn’t too happy about this, feeling the Red Sox were blowing off their responsibility and should have been more prepared. When the Cardinals arrived in Boston before the first game, there was nowhere around the area for them to eat dinner except the hotel itself, which only served hamburgers, pizza, etc. Apparently they felt pretty shafted by the conditions. The Cardinals made their own arrangements in Boston for games 6 and 7, but alas, it never got that far.

[yankeetripper]

Sox leading the way for All Star Voting (http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20050605&content_id=1077695&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb#results)

in the top 3 for every position

With exeption of 1B s/b - Texiera

And OF s/b - Sheffield, Damon, G. Anderson.

Looks like fans are getting it right.

[Wannabe Actuary]

In Manny's defense, the all star game isn't about defense. Which is why he leads the way for AL OF....

Shef isn't exactly a great defensive OF anymore....



Post 1000 in this thread.....GO SOX!