Game 96: Turn It Back Around

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 10, Chicago White Sox 3

In 2004, the year I started this blog, there was a turning point game; a game where the Red Sox said, "eff this, we're too talented to hand over the season like a bunch of wussies." That game, which has gone down in history as The Fight Game, was the Gettysburg or the Stalingrad of the 2004 campaign and after that things slowly started to build until - with a few bumps in the road - the Red Sox won the World Series. Every year since Robin and I have looked for the turning point game and, regardless of our poor track record, I think I'm ready to name tonight's game, this year's prime contender. Here's why:

The First Inning Sets the Stage: Josh Beckett pitches an iffy first inning, but the Sox come roaring out the gate against Contreras, who's had much more success against Boston ever since leaving New York for Chicago. With two out and two men on, J.D. Drew mashes a high fly ball that lands on top of the Green Monster and bounces back on to the field. Everyone at home can see Drew's hit a home run; hell, everyone in the Park can see Drew's hit a home run...except for umpire Tim McLelland, who's under the impression that a skyward bounce is somehow indicative of a ball that's bounced off a vertical surface. I'm guessing McLelland, or the other three umpires, who back him up after a conference, didn't do too well in high school physics. Drew snags a double while Big Papi scores, but Manny, home run trot on the mind, gets thrown out at home to end the inning. Terry Francona gets heated enough to earn an ejection.

Chicago Opens the Wound: after a perfect second, Beckett opens the third by surrendering two singles and a home run to Jim Thome. The home run lands far enough back in the bleachers that the umpires are able to figure out the right call with relative ease, leaving me fan to groan at our collective misfortune. 'The way this [expletive] team's been hitting, we're not gonna score any [expletive] runs. We're gonna lose because of those [expletive] umps!' I'm sure you were saying similar things to your own TV sets or radios, possibly sprinkled with more profanity. A psychic pall descends.

The Sox Get Their Chance: Two and a half more innings pass and the only excitement comes from Julio Lugo stealing second in the bottom of the third. Not good at all. Then, in the bottom of the fifth something weird happens: after Tek walks, Eric Hinske pulls a David Ortiz and tries to bunt away from the shift, down the third base line. He knocks it foul. Now, I guess either the White Sox didn't think he'd try again, because the shift doesn't move, giving Hinske the opportunity to try again. He punches it down the left field line and puts runners on first and second. Julio Lugo (the mighty Julio Lugo) tries a sacrifice and ends up with a bunt single as Contreras fouls up the throw to first base. Bases loaded and Coco Crisp comes up, ready for action.

Turning Point Part 1: Crisp's triple down into the right field corner accomplished two very necessary things; things so vitally important I have to put them in list form:

1. It shifted the momentum of the game back towards the Red Sox. Before that hit, we were looking at a bases loaded, nobody out, we're probably going to score two runs at best before we end the inning situation. After that hit, tension dissipated from the shoulders, fingers unclenched and moods became much lighter because we'd all started hearing the dulcet tones of our favorite song, "This Game is Now in Hand."
2. It restored confidence. Suddenly, this wasn't the slumping team that couldn't drive in runs; this was the surging team that could knock 'em in when things really mattered.

Turning Point Part 2: Beckett went six innings in this game and struck out a season high ten batters. Contreras, for reasons unknown, went seven and a third. To finish his night, he loaded the bases with Drew, Lowell and pinch hitting Kevin Youkilis, then put the final nails in the coffin by serving up a grand slam to the overjoyed Julio Lugo, whose stock in Boston is rising as fast as his batting average.

Tonight Drew, Crisp and Lugo played starring roles in ending a three game skid and improving upon a post-All-Star break record that's been just plain ugly. That the Red Sox did so after a terrible call and a poorly-placed pitch summoned fears of yet another loss is impressive enough; that Drew, Crisp and Lugo, three guys with plenty to prove in this second half, proved the value of their bats by leading the charge makes this game the possible mid-point to fall glory.

Game 59: I Can't Believe I Live Blogged This Game

The Red Sox still have the best record in baseball, but this losing streak is getting me down. THIS SHALL NOT STAND. I figure a good 'ol live blog should bust this wide open and push Schill and the Sox bats (woefully absent) over the top to salvage the series vs Oakland. I'll be back before game time with lineups, commentary and assorted garbage to help anyone reading this get through the doldrums of a Thursday afternoon.

Game Start- Whoops lost track of time... Sox lineup is as per normal except Pedroia is sitting for Cora. Maybe it was his off day but isn't this guy still red hot? Why are they sitting him? Anyway they are facing Joe Blanton (off a complete game shut out) and the A's lineup full of guys you would never draft in a fantasy league. Let's hope Schilling can keep them off the board. Oh and hits... somebody start to hit please.

1st- Wow. Blanton got off to a strong start getting Lugo and Youk to ground out weakly, but Papi (still pissed about last night obviously) SLAMMED one into the bleachers. Manny continues things with a line drive, but Drew predictably lines out to end the threat. Schilling gets the A's in order without much drama. Sox 1-A's 0

2nd- Blanton looks like he recovered shutting down the Sox 1,2,3 on 13 pitches. I may go freaking insane if this keeps up. Not sure if I like this ump... he's not giving Curt the inside corner. He manages to strike out Cust and Johnson anyway. Sox 1-A's 0

3rd- I'm not sure who I want to kill more, Blanton or the supposed "speed guys" in the Sox. Coco gets a weak fly ball, Lugo taps a weak ground ball. Ugly weak swings. Somehow Blanton still manages to get chippy with the home plate ump over balls and strikes. God these umps are awful. Schill is doing well... VERY well. Apparently someone reminded these A's hitters that they suck, cause they went in order quietly. Sox 1-A's 0

4th- J.D. Drew has seen 3 pitches and made 2 outs. I want to set him on fire but I'm afraid he wouldn't ignite. Another 13 pitch inning for Blanton. Curt is still looking good... VERY good. Three up and three down for the A's and Schill picked up his 3rd K. Sox 1-A's 0

5th- This is getting sad. The instant outs at the end of the lineup are causing spontaneous eye gouging across Sox Nation. Blanton just mows them down. I HATE LUGO... easy play and he boots it. Dan Johnson is the first baserunner for the A's, but Schilling isn't fazed and gets out of the inning untouched. Sox 1-A's 0

6th- Lugo strikes out and adds another paragraph to the hate letter I am composing. Ortiz gets a two out walk and Manny puts one out... and just foul. He pops out to end it... what happened to the BATS??? Ahem... I LOVE COCO CRISP! Another dead center basket catch in front of the wall. Amazing, but I still wish he could hit. Another great inning by Schilling. Sox 1-A's 0

7th- J.D. Drew got a hit! He seemed as shocked as I am. Sox put on the hit and run and it WORKS! Tek lines one up the middle and it's first and third. Holy offense Batman! Yeah well it was short lived because Cora and Coco were the next up... sigh. Some nasty infield defense helps Schilling in this inning, Lowell with a money throw and Youk with a sliding catch made for ANOTHER 1,2,3 inning. Schilling is throwing VERY VERY WELL. Sox 1-A's 0

8th- THEY CHASE BLANTON!! Not that anyone got a hit or anything, but Youk walked in front of Papi so the A's go for the lefty. Then something freaking weird happened. Papi bunted, Youk safe at second... then tries for an empty third? He's "fast" but not that fast. Dumb move Youk. Manny grounds out to end any threat. Schilling back in again... and the A's go down again. Gulp. Sox 1-A's 0

9th- Some guy named Lewis is pitching with a 4 digit ERA and the Sox still can't put anything together. It's expected at this point... I'm not even thinking about it. Out 1: I LOVE JULIO LUGO... now deleting my hate mail. Out 2: MORE LUGO LOVE! Big Gulp....NOOOOOOOOO freaking Shannon Stewart!! Oh my GOD! Lines a single into right field JUST past a diving Cora... un-freaking-real. Next hitter Mark Ellis pops out into foul ground. Game Over. Sox win off Papi's homer in the first and Schilling having an ALMOST date with destiny and a pitching performance for the ages. That's how you break a losing streak. Wheeew! I need a drink.

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 1, Oakland Athletics 0

Game 49: Unexpected Flashes of Brilliance

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 6, Texas Rangers 5

If there's one single best thing about the 2007 Red Sox, it's the unexpected contributions that keep rolling in from all sides, dropping much-appreciated bits of change into the Red Sox win basket. Take yesterday: two fun bits of flash - stuff you wouldn't expect to win ballgames, but that was fun to watch - all of the sudden make the difference between 34 and 15 and 33 and 16, between a sweep and two-out-of-three. Damn, I love this team. For your inspection:

Item 1: Bottom of the seventh, two outs, runners on first and second, Texas up 4 to 3 and Frank Catalanotto hits a ball off of J.C. Romero that sped through the air towards the gap in right center. Crap. That's two runs right there, possibly the game - but wait! Coco Crisp is speeding towards the intercept point! How is he so fast? Is he going to make it? Yes! Diving catch! Inning over! The one-run difference is preserved, setting the stage for an eighth inning, two-run rally spearheaded by Kevin "The Man" Youkilis.

Item 2: Top of the ninth, first batter: Dustin Pedroia. He's facing the little-used Eric Gagne, sporting a perfect ERA over about nine innings. No disrespect to the P-Dawg, but I'm not expecting much to happen in this at-bat. Besides, the Sox are up by a run and we've got the Red Scare on the case - no sweat if the Sox don't score some insurance. What does Pedroia do? He battles like a fiend. Twelve pitches, six fouls in a row and then...damn, dude hit a home run into left field. That was cool. Superfluous right now, but it's nice to see the P-Dawg succeed.

Of course, the next inning Okajima lets in a run - dude's slipping a bit lately, but that's cool - before getting the final three outs and all of the sudden, those two actions made all of the difference. And that's why I love this team.

The Return of Captain Crunch

Among the many other subplots swirling at the start of Spring Training '07 (Schilling's contract, Dice Clay's abilities, the extent of Lester's cancer recovery, J.D. Drew, whether or not Matt Clement will be able to throw a ball without his arm falling off - and whether anyone really cares - and all of the other things Robin's already mentioned) is the (hopefully) imminent return of Coco Crisp to form after last year's disastrous campaign. Crisp, who turned out to be the first casualty of the Year of the Walking Dead needed surgery in September to repair his finger and comes to Spring Training wondering whether or not he'll get back on track after his monster start last Spring.

Does Crisp think he's ready? Of course he does - but then again, he's a ballplayer; it's his job to talk up his abilities. I'm convinced more teams would have a stat-head focus if so much of the business wasn't made up of people who've spent their whole careers talking up their skills. In any case, two points in Captain Crunch's (Crunch! Like Crisp! It's funny, right?) favor:

1. He admits his finger is still stiff when he wakes up in the mornings, but works itself out by the time he has to play. I'm not sure if this sort of honesty impresses me, or makes me nervous. At least he's telling the truth.
2. Now that the Sox have a real lead-off hitter, the foolish Coco-Bats-First experiment is over. The Herald has him batting second, Robin has him batting eighth, but I don't really care one way or another - just as long as he doesn't do any more head-first slides into third.
   

I just thought about Lugo and Crisp/Youkilis getting on before Papi and experienced a body-rocking shudder of glee. This lineup is intense, people. I'm very, very excited for baseball.