So far, this season for the Red Sox has been everything that we could have hoped for. Manny got his 500th only a little later than expected. Jon Lester is performing at or beyond most people's expectations. And J.D. Drew has risen to the occasion, taking up the slack for the wounded Papi. The Sox have the most wins in the Majors as of today, and the All Star Break is looming ever closer. With all the unusual things going on around the league, especially in the AL East (the Rays two games out of first and the Yankees doing rather poorly thus far) the Bronx Bombers have had a resurgence as of late and are now only 5 games out of first. Could we be in for a second half that resembles that of '07?

If you compare the standing as they exists today as compared to those of a year ago (both June 16) you notice some worrisome details. The Yankers, although they are in third now as opposed to second last year, they were nine games back a year ago today as opposed to five games we have on them now. The distance between the Red Sox and the third place team last June was greater than the current difference between the Sox and the last place team. Everything is tighter. Every game matters a bit more at this point.

As it does in many seasons, a lot will depend on what is done by the trading deadline. Rumors abound about possible moves. Will Ken Griffey go to the Rays? Will the Yankees try to get Sabathia? Will Kevin Millar get rid of his blond locks? (Just kidding!) Last years most noteworthy trade in the AL East was arguably Eric Gagne coming to the Sox. We all still have the bad taste in our mouth from that fiasco, the same bitter flavor the Brewers are currently trying to Listerine away. Theo undoubtedly has some thoughts as to what he'd like to do before that drop-dead date, but this year is seems like the biggest news could come from farther down the eastern seaboard.

Regardless of how the details play out, I'm betting that by September we Sox fans are waiting until the end of the month to clinch and that we have the Yankees directly behind us. All this is assuming that the Red Sox can play to the level they've been reaching thus far. The cushion this year is thinner all around the board.

Labels: baseball, Rays, Red Sox, Yankees

Let's begin with the idea that no, Coco Crisp charging the mound was probably not the best thing to do. That having been said, the fracas that ensued was one for the archives, to be sure. Coco was ejected and rightly so. Shields was ejected and rightly so. That, if it were up to the Red Sox, would have been it. But the Sox weren't playing a team that is used to having games that matter. This was evidenced by the fact that Johnny Gomes was seen on top of Navarro (who was holding down Crisp), punching wildly and the pinned center fielder. Gome got tossed, too, and rightly so.

Where the "rightly so" ends is in the fact that Iwamura threw punches and did not get tossed. Carl Crawford can be clearly seen pounding on Crisp's head, and he did not get tossed. Suspensions don't necessarily follow ejections, so let's hope that they get some repercussions.

And for you Ray's fans, I challenge you to find one other Boston player besides Crisp that threw a punch. I've watched the play back at least a dozen times. What you see is a whole list of Ray's who felt they were entitled to throw punches. Let's remember that this all started with rookie Jason Bartlett dropping his knee to block second in the Wednesday night game. In all the years I've watched baseball, I have never seen a shortstop block second on a steal attempt. But all these things from Tampa...that knee drop, the beaning of Crisp, and the enventual pile-on, are no surprise. These guys are not used being where they are. Plus may their a little pissed-off as well because of all the empty seats at their home games!

There was also some baseball played. Manny hit a 3-run jack in the first and drove in two more later, for a 5 RBI night. And I can't help but wonder, didn't anyone think after losing the first two games of the series, dropping out of first by half a game, that the Ray's might forgo the attack on Crisp a little farther than the second inning? Thanks in part to the Ray's vengeance move removing their started in the second, the Red Sox trounced the visitors, 7 -1.

Jacoby then rolls his wrist on a typical Ellsbury stupendous catch. So far, the report is a strain, no breaks. Buy the MRI will be the real test. That left the outfield looking rather odd. Chris Carter in left (who went 2 for 3 at the plate), J.D. in center, and Youk, who was to have the night off, in left.

Youk was probably happy to get out of the dugout after Manny took a swing at him! What the heck was that all about? Good grief! Are there two guys less likely to be fighting in the dugout? Hopefully we'll get some insight on that disagreement in the days to come.

Manny, who spent most of his time in the dugout while acting as DH, was relieved of that job too when an inside pitch prompted him to move awkwardly out of the way and tweak an already tender hamstring. That brought Kevin Cash in as DH! Know, we all know Kevin Cash and his sun .200 career batting average in the minors, right. Only coming into last night's game, Cash was hitting .301! He only batted once, striking out, but in his defense, he was a bit distracted. He had to run out to the bullpen between his pinch running and then hitting in the DH spot to help warm up a reliever! Is there no one on the Red Sox coaching staff who could catch a pitcher for a warm-up?

In all, the game saw 5 hit batsmen. Pedrioa, Crisp, and Youklis for the Sox, Crawford (what a shame) and Iwamura (again, too bad) for the Rays.

The two team play again in Tampa for a four game set June 29 through July 2.

Can't wait.

Labels: baseball, fight, Rays, Red Sox

Yeah, yeah! I know. I'm a slacker. No excuses. But I've been paying attention to both the Phils and the Sox over the last few days, and what a few days they've been, huh?

As for the Phillies, they played a 4 game series with San Francisco. Each game was decided by the winning team's last at bat. This included 3 walk-offs by the Phillies. Chase Utley continues to have a good portion of the time on talk radio with early predictions of NL MVP. Ryan Howard, on the other hand, continues to suck. As of today, he's got a .168 batting average, and 47 K's in 119 ABs.

Over in Detroit, the Red Sox have taken the the first two in a four game series against the offensively anemic Tigers. This is following a three game sweep of the Rays at Fenway. The Orioles have slowed down a bit, getting closer to what they really are. And the Yankers appear to be dealing with a start similar to last year's, without the talk of firing Torre, of course.

Papi and Manny went back-to-back last night, which puts Manny at 497! I think I have 5/19 in the pool.

Labels: Giants, Orioles, Phillies, Rays, Red Sox, standings, Tigers, Yankers

Does anyone else have the feeling that we've stepped through the looking glass here? I mean, you have a Steinbrenner who recants (sort of) the numb-skull comments he made about idiots and relief pitching, you have Papi patting .077, then .305 (for a couple of weeks) with a grand-slam, now 0 for 6 on Friday then sitting two days. Beckett goes seven innings, gives up 2 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk, and 13 freakin' strike-outs, and LOSES!? Why? Because the Red Sox got shut out by the Rays, who are now tied with Baltimore for the lead in the AL East?

CUE MUSIC:"One pill makes you bigger..."

The Sox have squandered two excellent starts from Buchholz and Beckett, not to mention a decent early lead in the division. Today's day off will be a welcomed rest. With the Red Sox playing through a rather arduous April schedule, it was a matter of time before some stopped repeating the canned statements and let loose with a rant. That came yesterday from Josh Beckett. For my taste, I always much rather complain after I've done well because I think your comments are taken more seriously and less like whining. Josh had a career day and then went off about the schedule that the Sox have had to endure. Read here.

Tomorrow that Red Sox will take on Blue Jays at Fenway in the first of three, then a home weekend series against the Rays. This will bring them into May over .500 (one game over, at worst) and, as I'd mentioned to a friend during the first week, given the way the month was layed out, over .500 is a good place to be.

P.S. Bonus points if you the title rings a bell for you!

Labels: baseball, Blue Jays, Orioles, Rays, Red Sox

No long commentary. No wordy argument. Just two things. Shelley Duncan said of his slide into second base "There was no spiking in my eyes." Now I ask you. Does this look like the slide if a guy who's trying to beat the throw and get to the bag?

Labels: baseball, punk, Rays, Yankers