The Sad Times of Javier Lopez

Think you've had a crappy week at work? Compare your tough times with Javier Lopez:

• On Tuesday, he became the (unwarranted, to my mind) focus of attention for the muffed catch that scored a run, ended a game, and snapped an eleven-game win streak.
  
  
• On Wednesday, after enduring a full day of ire from fans (to be honest, I doubt he has time to read blogs, but it works too well for this scenario I'm constructing to ignore) he had to come back into pitch for an inning because - with the exception of an old man and a kid playing more roles than Tommy Flanagan - our vaunted starting rotation is about as effective as trying to start a fire in a downpour.
  
  
• Last night, he pitched for a third day in a row. The last time he did so, and for this long (two innings total), was July 4 through 6, 2008, where he ended the streak with two hits, a run, and a blown save over 2/3rds of a inning. This time was even worse: four hits, a walk, and five runs over 2/3rds of an inning to his credit before his manager pulls him...but he's not destined for showers. Instead, he switches places with wonderkind Jonathan Van Every in right field, becoming the first Red Sox pitcher to play the field since nineteen-frickin-eighty, when yours truly was naught but a glimmer in his parents' eyes, the Gerbil finished his tenure in Boston, and the Sox went 83 and 77 for a fifth place finish.

Francona went out of his way to tell the press that a.) he was trying to keep Lopez from getting hurt on the mound and b.) not looking to embarass him by replacing him with a guy who hadn't pitched since high school while c.) preserving the rest (read: more important) pieces of the bullpen for action today, but I would not want to be in Lopez's shoes today.

Julio Lugo Watch: Day 1

I guess our luck had to run out eventually, although I won't lie: I was moments away from tweeting a paen to our bullpen when Lopez had his misstep.

More important than the outcome of one game, however disappointing, we've got Lugo's return! Yay! To celebrate the occasion, I think we should do a tally of how our purported starting shortstop did on his first day back.

Remember the old, bitter joke about Julio Lugo: how he isn't on the team for his glove, and he isn't there for his bat, so why is he there? Well, the glove part still seems to hold true: Lugo had an error in the third on a bobble and a miscommunication with Ellsbury in the fifth that led to a double. Getting back into the swing of things on a cold night after missing most of Spring Training might be the sole reason for the problems, but I think Lugo's lost the right to claim the benefit of the doubt.

Lugo did drive in a run and score another with his bat, but his error in the third cost the Sox two runs (one run scored on the play, another scored when a home run knocked in De Rosa a few batters later), so the score is even...and the errors cost Penny and the bullpen some pitches. I'd say a down night overall.

For No One

My mind does ache. And now, a breakdown of the game, in the form of a mental debate:

• The negative: It's after 1 AM, I have to get up for work tomorrow, and I don't even have a victory to make the exhaustion worth the trade.
• The positive: Yeah, losing is no fun, but we're still ahead two games to one with one more in Fenway and we made the Angels eat through their entire bullpen to get that win. If K-Rod or Scot Shields even looks at a baseball before some time next week, their arms will probably fall off.
  
  
• The negative: But we had so many good chances! That first ill-begotten lead, later on when Ellsbury only failed to take second because he's too goddamn fast, later on after that when Ellsbury struck out looking because the ump had some sort of chip on his shoulder or vision impairment that kept him from seeing a ball a foot out of the zone and the winning run would have walked home in the next at-bat...
• The positive: At least we were efficient about it. Four runs on thirteen baserunners is a lot better than the five runs on 21 baserunners the Angels had to offer. We just have to get to tomorrow's starter early and we're golden for another trip to the ALCS.
  
  
• The negative: We were beaten by Howie Kendrick and Erick Aybar, the very definitions of FAIL in these past three games. I'd feel better about losing to Groucho and Harpo than those two.
• The positive: Francona might have been better going to Byrd than sticking with Javier Lopez for a full inning, but the bullpen did a great job: they kept the Angels off the board for seven innings without forcing the Sox to pull in one of the starters they might need for tomorrow.
  
  
• The negative: Beckett looked like reheated ass on the mound tonight. This was not the post-season Josh Beckett to which I am accustomed.
  
• The positive: No, but tonight's frustrations were a team effort. We'll shake 'em off and get 'em tomorrow.
  

Does the Color of Your Sox Matter?

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

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

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

But only if you were an idiot.

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

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

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

Game 98: Playoff Atmosphere?

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 3, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 11
Don't look now, but I think Buchholz, Aardsma, and Lopez were a little less than effective last night. Actually, that's not fair: Aardsma hadn't pitched in seven days and he came into the game with men on first and second looking for the out to end the fifth inning. Giving up a walk and hit, especially in the scheme of things with the Angels scoring runs left, right, and sideways? That's small potatoes.

Last night was a warmup; it was a return to tough working conditions (best team in the AL West, game on the west coast) after an extended break, a time to get back into form with only a team workout to prepare. Sure, the Sox blew the chance mightily, but it's not a time to fret. Just get mad, and get even. The Angels announcers kept calling it a playoff atmosphere last night; let's get one of the best playoff pitchers of the Wild Card era on the mound and make that playoff atmosphere a reality. Let's beat the Angels but good.

Game 91: Like These Games Aren’t Long and Aggravating Enough

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 4, New York Yankees 5

Everyone knows Sox/Yanks games go forever. They last about as long as South American Dictatorships plus or minus a rebellion or rival cue. The last thing we need is extra innings. I have places to be (sleep) things to do (sleep) and people to see (sleep).

The Sox managed to get a three runs off Joba (thanks to a 2 RBI single from a red hot Pedroia) and one off the Yank bullpen (that I used to know by heart, but now I have no clue) but that wasn’t enough.

Wake pitched a great game, gave it up to the bullpen and they proceeded to allow the Yankees to tie it up after a Cano triple. Thank you Lopez. Typical, typical, typical. As always Wake pitched well, Sox couldn’t score enough and the bullpen craps the bed. In fact, it took a GREAT play from Pedroia (a would be game hero) to get Cano out a home on a fielders choice to preserve the tie and keep me from freaking out early.

No… the freak out would come much later in the extra frames (AFTER MANNY STRUCK OUT ON 3 PITCHES LOOKING). Papelbon, looking VERY mortal this year, gave up an 0-2 single to Cano, had the runner moved over and then blew it by pitching 100 pitches to the nobody rookie Gardner. The hit up the middle deflected off a diving Lugo and a confused Pedroia.

Run scores, game over, I lose my cool. Insert closest roommate (happened to be DC) and I yell at him for no reason. Maybe it’s the fact that the Sox are in second and slipping, maybe it was the white wine (I know, high class right?) or maybe it’s because I couldn’t yell at Papelbon… but sorry DC… you deserve better.

At least you deserve closer that can punch out a wet behind the ears 3-for-forever rookie that will get a ticker tape parade by the over reacting Yankee fans.
See… these games bring out the worst in me.

Game 25: I Abuse Alcohol, the Sox Abuse Me

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 4, Tampa Bay Rays 5

Let’s put it this way… I took a drink every time the Red Sox should have scored and a shot every time they allowed a run they should have prevented.

Wake… runs… no… Cash… damn… crap… allowed. DRINK.

Sox basses juiced and (hey can I have a triple shot of…) damn no runs again… what the hell is wrong here… DRINK.

Hey look! It’s my favorite punching bag Lugo taking a routine ground ball off the heel of his glove! Another run? Fill me up barkeep!

Aardsma+Lopez+Corey=NO DRINKS? Must be getting buzzed cause that doesn't make any sense.

Extra frames… big Papi you are so clutch when you… what? Why are you sliding head first into first base? I know I’m wasted but… Huh? DRINK.

I think Timlin is trying to kill me. Oh my god… here he is again. What do I have to sacrifice to make him go away forever? Forget the 2004 and 2007 games… what can I do to make him leave now? Nothing? Damnit… I would have paid good money for something… DRINK another cause the game is over… ugh.

Fantastic. It’s my first “Pass out drunk” game of the year. A few more of those and I can get a Red Sox logo tattooed on my liver. Happy days! Now excuse me while I make a head first offering to the porcelain God.

Game 23: Sick Sick Sick

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 4, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 6

Call it a super bug. This freaking flu has downed Tek, Beckett, MDC and now Dice-K. Lowell is down with his wrist injury, Coco’s hammy still sucks, Cora has his bum shoulder and now Youk is out stiff neck. So starting for the Sox this week could very well be you, me and Dom Deluise. But on the bright side, they called Craig Hansen back up! Oh wait… that’s not much of a bright side.

So instead of 4 game winner Dice-K, we get the embattled Jon Lester and his 10,000 pitches… oh and he only has 3 days rest. You can imagine how this one turned out.

Actually it was a lot closer than I thought it was going to be. Lester pitched 5 innings and gave up 4 earned, but walked far fewer than his usual allotment (he did give up 9 hits). As for the bullpen, well…

Hansen + Lopez + Timlin = just enough to lose.

That crew gave up 2 runs, one from Hansen right after a Papi homer tied the game at four and one by Timlin late to ice the game. As much as I love the late inning comebacks, the Red Sox bats cannot carry them with out SOME bullpen help. Especially now that the whole roster is so banged up. Sox need to heal up… and quick.

Game 21: Marathon Monday

What a beautiful morning in Boston. The whole city is a buzz about comeback wins for the Sox, game 1 excitement for the Celtics and game 7 dramatics for the Bruins. Oh, and don't forget the thousands of skinny people who have descended on this city to run 26+ miles. Yep, it's Patriots Day here and I am going to spend it blogging about the Red Sox and their annual 11 am start.

For those who are not familiar with the history of Patriots Day, this is the anniversary of the day Paul Revere sneaked 3 hookers into Boston Common (2 by land, 1 by sea) for the enjoyment of Ben Franklin and Sam Adams. Or something like that. More importantly, the Sox start early, they run the Boston Marathon and I get the day off.

Today the Red Sox are going for the 4 game sweep of the Texas Rangers with Clay Buchholz facing off against former Sox Kason Gabbard. Yeah this is the guy we gave up for Gagne last year... so we better beat him today or everyone is gonna look really stupid.

Lineup is as follows:

CF-Ellsbury (Coco has a sore hammy)
2B Pedroia
DH Ortiz
1B Youkilis
RF Drew
3B Lowrie (giving Casey the day off)
SS Lugo
C Cash (another day off for Tek cause he's got the flu)
LF Thurston (Manny gets his second day off thanks to the ejection)

Rangers:

2B Kinsley
SS Young
CF Hamilton
LF Bradley
3B Blalock
DH Botts
RF Murphy (the other guy we gave up for Gagne)
C Laird
1B Broussard

Looks like fun! I'll be back after the first inning and every following inning with updates. Fire it up.

First inning:
Apparently Tek and Manny aren't the only stars with the day off. Jerry Remy is out sick so we get to hang with Ken Macha and his monotone. After getting the first out, Buchholz gave up a double to Michael Young, but gets out of trouble with a K and a line drive to Thurston (who looks shaky out there). Buchholz has good velocity on his fastball and is locating his devastating change up.

Gabbard works quickly. Jacoby lasts the longest, but Kason makes quick work of the first three batters he sees. I hope this isn't a long morning for Sox hitters. Sox 0, Rangers 0

Second inning:
Buchholz was struggling to locate is curve ball, but is still managing to punish the strike zone. After getting 2 quick outs (and another K), Murphy waits on a fastball and bloops it into center. Laird puts a bunt down the third base line and reaches cause Lowrie is was playing so far back (come on, it was the freaking catcher). Drama as a walk loads the bases (gulp), but a pop up for Kinsler prevents any damage. Whew... he threw a ton of pitches (up to 42 now) but it could have been worse.

Gabbard dropped himself (slip!) on the mound and caused a brief commotion with the trainers but it didn't look like he was hurt. Drew drew a walk (see what I did there!), got the Sox their first base runner and advances to second on a pass ball. Lowrie advanced the runner to third and in steps Lugo. I freaking loathe this guy and cannot believe that he was able to draw a walk. I think my hate fuels him. Macha completely writes off any chance of Cash getting a hit and is as shocked as I am when he walks... but any chance of scoring is thrown out the window when Thurston strikes out on 3 pitches. Left the bases loaded. I hate this AAA lineup. Sox 0, Rangers 0

Third inning:

Up and down inning for Buchholz. Young got a 4 pitch walk, Hamilton got a 3 pitch K, fly out for Bradley (would have been gone in some parks), single for Blalock and a pop out from Botts to end it. Other than the UGLY walk, he looked much better that inning.

In a SHOCKER Gabbard was pulled right before the start of the third inning. That slip might have really hurt him. So much for his no hitter. He is replaced by Dustin Nippert and his near infinity ERA. Jacoby draws a walk right away, steals second and Dustin singles him over with the first hit of the day. In steps Papi... and out steps Papi. He still isn't his old self just yet. Bad strikeout. Now cue the WORST BASE RUNNING EVER. Youk popped up to shallow center Jacoby tagged, but CHANGED HIS MIND half way home. Pedroia tried to distract him by going to second (and that worked!) but then Jacoby tried to score AGAIN! He was tagged out easily. My words don't even do that disaster justice. I just opened my first beer. Sox 0, Rangers 0

Fourth inning:
Ken Macha is putting me to sleep. I almost missed the GREAT catch from Thurston in front of the monster. Buchholz is up to 73 pitches but gets his 4th K and his first 1,2,3 inning to end the top of the fourth. He looks like he is settling down.

Fundamental baseball this was NOT. After a Drew walk, Nippert balks, and Jed Lowrie pops a bunt up to the short stop... that nobody bothers to catch! Then Lugo singles up the middle and gets the freaking run home! Maybe I need to keep bad mouthing Lugo and he'll hit a grand slam next time up. Then Cash hits a blooper right to Kinsler and he almost picks Lugo off first, but instead throws it away. Another run scores and Lugo gets to second. Jacoby hits a ground ball to short and the Rangers almost throw this away too as Jacoby reaches safely! It's little league out there. Pedroia capitalizes on this madness with a 2 run double. I love the quick kids! But wait there's more! Papi hit a fly ball to Bradley who loses it in the sun and ANOTHER run scores. Meanwhile Nippert can't find the plate and loads the bases again. I guess that was the incentive the Sox batters needed to end the inning. Damage was already done though. Sox 5, Rangers 0

Fifth inning:
Another quick inning for Buchholz with his 5th K. I'm glad the long half inning didn't have any negative effects.

Poor Nippert is back out again. He must have run over the pitching coaches dog or something. Big double in the corner for Lugo (he must love my abuse) and Cash moves him to third with a bloop hit, Thurston pops out foul (this guy has NO bat) and Jacoby singles Lugo home. He is SO locked in right now. Finally Nippert is rescued and replaced by German. He gets Pedroia quick, but leaves one in the zone for Papi... box score shows that as his 2nd RBI double... but we have to thank Bradley for the first one. Texas gives up 3 more. Sox 8, Rangers 0

Sixth inning:
Buchholz comes back out and gives a liner up to Bradley, but then gets a money double play and his 6th K to end the inning. He looked really really good today.

Who is this and what have they done with Julio Lugo? He rockets a ball off the wall and my jaw is on the floor cause he's 3 for 3. A few more walks and the bases load for Thurston... who pops out in foul ground again (yeesh he is awful), Jacoby Ks and Pedroia pops out. Bases loaded with no outs and they can't score... and I'm not mad? We must be kicking butt. Sox 8, Rangers 0

Seventh inning:
Aardsma replaces Buchholz (who had a great line) and immediately walks Murphy and gives up an RBI double to Laird. Not too good. He bounces back with 2 Ks before Francona replaces him with Lopez who gives up another RBI double off the wall. He too comes back with a big K to end the threat. Kind of a shaky inning from the pen.

Papi leads off with a walk (that's 11 walks from Texas if you're keeping score) but the Sox can't capitalize off an newly rejuvenated German. Weird, I know. Sox 8, Rangers 2

Eighth inning:
Lopez still in there and looked much better at first. After two quick outs (and another K), Murphy doubled one off the wall in center before Lopez got the third out on a weak grounder. I like these low drama situations.

German is pulled for Benoit who we hammered on Saturday. Got to love this Texas bullpen. Lugo gets his 4th hit of the day as fire and brimstone falls from the sky. 4 for 4? I may have to reexamine my life. It's almost scripted as Cash hits into a double play and Thurston pops straight up AGAIN. Now THIS is what I expected from the scrubs. Sox 8, Rangers 2

Ninth inning:
Enter Delcarman to close this one out. He started rough looked pretty good lately but kind came apart this afternoon. MDC made quick work of the first 2 batters before Young smacked a double down the line and Hamilton doubled him home. No further damage as Bradley grounded out to the mound to end the threat, game and series.

Great game from the "B Squad" on this Patriots Day. Love to see offense from the backups and I especially love to see a 4 game sweep.

FINAL SCORE: Boston Red Sox 8, Texas Rangers 3

Game 13: Don't Give Dice-K a Big Lead

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 8, New York Yankees 5

In between the bouts of mind-numbing idiocy that Joe Morgan regularly injects into his broadcasts, he made an interesting point (I know: I was shocked, too): Dice-K doesn't seem to have the same intensity when he's pitching with a big lead that he does when things get close and tight. Not that Matsuzaka was pitching particularly well before Boston staked him to a big lead - he'd surrendered four walks of his six by the end of the third inning, when Boston's lead was only three runs - I wondered if there might be some statistical validity to Morgan's statement: does Dice-K need to keep his head in the game when he's acquired a large lead?

According to these stats I dug up on Baseball Reference, a change in focus might not be a bad idea: as the difference in score increases up to four runs (winning by or losing by), Dice-K's stats get worse and worse in all relevant categories: more hits, more walks, and most importantly, more runs. Compare those stats with high stress situations like close and late (tie game, ahead by one, or tying run on deck in the seventh inning or later) or (for a larger sample) with two outs and runners in scoring position, and Matsuzaka becomes much harder to hit, as if he needs the right pressure to perform at his highest level.

Hitting that extra level would have helped tonight. The Sox got lucky with Phillips Hughes' inexperience, and even luckier that David Aardsma and Javier Lopez had ten outs between them to stave off the Yankees' ever present offensive threats, but they scraped the bottom of the bullpen barrel a bit tonight right before going off to Cleveland. We'd better see the good side of Jon Lester tomorrow, or the relief pitching will revert to Red Scare faster than you can say, "ridiculously tough April schedule."

Totally unrelated, but way to go Gabe Kapler! The Hebrew Hammer strikes again!

Game 9: Can’t Lose Em All

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 2, Detroit Tigers 7

Maybe it’s Detroit Walk City. The Tigers pulled 8 free passes between Lester, Aardsma, Corey, Tavarez and Lopez. Every one made me want to pull my hair out. Lester continues to frustrate. He takes forever on the mound, he throws ten thousand pitches and manages to walk a guy an inning. He gave up a 2 run double to the detestable Renteria and a SHOT into the monster seats for Thames. Not a good start...

After a pretty good 2 inning band aid from Aardsma, Corey pretty much pitched himself onto waivers. To save a roster move, DC suggested that when Timlin comes back he should just shoot Corey and bury him under the backstop.

Tavarez added some excitement by loading the bases, but with a slow tapped back to the mound from Sheffield, he and Tek combined for a 1-2-3 double play. Tavarez celebrated by eating a fetal pig. Good times. Oh and Lopez gave up a solo shot in the 9th. Bad times.

The Red Sox bats looked patient and hot to start (Bonderman looked ripe for a shelling) but the could get nothing done with men on. After a bases loaded walk, Lugo (who had a good night) muscled in a single for another run in the 2nd… but that was as good as it got. Lots of guys left on, lots of bad breaks, lots of squanders. Now factor in Mike Lowell’s thumb injury (just a sprain, Casey filled in) this was pretty much a downer all the way around.

The biggest disappointment at the plate HAS to be Ortiz. He is now 1 for the last 19 and is making everyone wince a little when he comes to the plate. Besides the fact that he is getting nothing to hit, he just looks uncomfortable out there.

So the Tigers finally get one in the win column. You had to figure they weren’t going to lose 162 games… I’m just pissed the drought happened to end in Boston.

Anyway, tomorrow it is the return of Wake to Fenway and a special guest game blogger! Our own angry commenter DC will be in attendance and will bless us with his first-hand recap. Couldn’t be more excited!

Sox Resign Lopez and Paint Dries

In an attempt to make the 2008 Red Sox team look almost IDENTICAL to the 2007 squad, the Sox have signed Javier Lopez to a 1 year 840 grand deal that makes me so excited I almost forgot to yawn.

I mean really... Javier Lopez?

I guess this is what qualifies as big news for this club this off season. Noticed I haven't written much this winter? Well that's cause it's been duller than the Boston sky in January. Besides the Johan Santana flap (which is turning into nothing. This could be the biggest tease since the Scarlett Johansson side boob in "A Love Song For Bobby Long") there hasn't been a single interesting move or trade. Unless your a Cardinal, Tiger or Diamondback your team looks pretty much like it did (or is worse) than it was at the end of 2007.

Let's just get the season started already. Come on P's and C's...

2007 ALDS Game 2: Here I (we) Go Again

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 6, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 3

I don’t know where I’m going/But I sure know where I’ve been…

Remember this? Huh? Remember this freaking team? The team where all the crazy stuff goes OUR way and we are never out of the game no matter what the situation is? We are suddenly that team again… and oh my freaking GOD it couldn’t have come at a better time.

Unlike game 1 this was NOT about the starting pitching. Dice-K looked ummm… uhhh… well if I was polite I might refer to him as “pedestrian” but I’m not. So I’m gonna go ahead and say he sucked. Yeah that feels better… he sucked BAD and made me cringe after EVERY pitch. He looked like a guy relearning every pitch before he threw it. I thought Tek was gonna throttle him after ever pitch out of the zone. Not only was it brutal, it took forever! The Sox got 2 runs of Escobar in the 1st (big J.D. Drew RBI) but Dice-K gave them back plus one. The Sox were coming from behind with heavy bullpen use all game.

I’m just another heart in need of rescue/Waiting on loves sweet charity…

Then the game got weird. The Sox bullpen (Lopez, Delcarman and Oki) went into total shutdown mode. 3 innings of no-hit, no-walk ball from these superstars. Any nervousness that this game started with was sucked out of Fenway by this crew. Now they just needed to tie it up.

Enter Danny Vinik. In the 5th, with runners on the corners, Manny pops a foul ball up near the stands that is playable by Angels catcher Mathis… but this kid Danny won’t be stopped. Maybe he knew he wasn’t just getting a souvenir. Hell, maybe Stephen King (who was right behind him) gave him some crazy voodoo powers or something. I’m not sure, but he dominates the mad dash for this ball and yanks it JUST out of the reach of Mathis. Manny stays alive for the walk and Lowell ties the game with a sac fly. The Sox thrive on the sweet charity of Danny Vinik. Jeffery Maier, eat your heart out.

You give me strength to carry on/cos I know what it means/To walk along the lonely street of dreams…

So it’s the 9th and the score is still knotted at 3. Papelbon pitched 2 solid innings (with a little added drama due to a Lowell throwing error) but it looked like this game was destined for extra frames when K-Rod entered the fray. Still, the mighty closer had to deal with some inherited runners and would give Papi an IBB to face the rusty Manny with 2 on and 2 out. It looked like a safe bet. I give him and Scioscia credit for picking the “right” move. Problem is… sometimes the “right” move can bite you in the ass just as hard. Manny, with all the spunk and verve and presence that we have come to know and love, deposits a K-Rod fast ball into the stratosphere over the Monster. This 447ft walkoff shot was one of the all time epic homeruns. I expected this ball to land right outside my house in Brighton. Manny being Manny being awesome.

Cue the chorus, cue the shock, cue the pandemonium. The Red Sox are back with shades of 2004. It’s a beautiful thing. Here we go again. (oh and btw, I know this video has other connotations now that Tawny Kitaen moved on from writhing on car hoods to beating up Chuck Finley and then becoming a plastic surgery nightmare… but it fit the feeling I think).

Here I goooooooooooooooooooooooo again!!!!!!!

(oh and btw again, the Yankees lost in extra innings and Joba was eaten by bugs. Not even kidding).

Games 155 and 156: Sometimes You Get the Bear, and Sometimes the Bear Gets Tim Wakefield

Final Scores:

Game 155: Boston Red Sox 8, Tampa Bay Devil Rays 6
Game 156: Boston Red Sox 4, Tampa Bay Devil Rays 5

Well, we're in, come hell or high water. It wasn't easy - the Devil Rays showed the sort of fight that, while it doesn't necessarily make for pretty baseball, must make their managers and ownership wonder how far they could take their team given the right set of circumstances. Of course, Boston isn't playing anywhere close to full strength, while the Rays have a field full of guys with abilities to prove and 2008 roster spots to secure, which creates the end-of-the-year parity that frustrates wins (or makes them harder to secure), but a couple of hard-fought contests none-the-less.

On Saturday, Julio Lugo was the hero, making the Sox the first team in baseball to secure an official spot in the first round of the dance with a two run homer off of Rays' closer Al Reyes that pulled Boston ahead seven to six in the top of the ninth. The homer (one of four in the game) not only erased a one-run deficit, but pulled Javier Lopez out of the hot water for blowing Matsuzaka's most recent attempt at win number fifteen. It also marked the fourth time in five years that Boston's secured a post-season berth, and made Terry Francona the only manager in Red Sox history to bring Boston to the post-season three times. That figure blows my mind, by the way; it's hard to believe that with all of the good teams Boston's had over the years (enough for 18 post-season appearances, third all time in the AL after New York and Oakland), there's never been a core team good enough to get one manager three post-season entrances until this year. We truly live in the best of times to be a Red Sox fan.

Today the Rays rallied from defeat, taking Wakefield - who, you might recall, is Chairman of the Board of all things Tampa Bay - and beating him like a rented mule. Four runs on seven hits and three walks spells the end of the perfect streak in St. Pete for Wake, who has run out of chances to do any more than tie his career season win total of seventeen. By the way, Tim, if I'm any way responsible for jinxing you, I apologize from the bottom of my heart. I let my enthusiasm get the better of me while you were on a screaming hot streak and I'm sorry.

One last off day tomorrow to gather resources and prepare for the final home stand of the year, a six game effort against Oakland and Minnesota. These games will be the acid test: two potentially difficult teams and a 1.5 game lead (that the Yankees with expand or contract tomorrow with a final game against the Jays) balanced by the home field advantage, all adding up to one exciting (if balanced) final run at the AL East crown. A combination of six Boston wins and New York losses means electric victory; anything else means close defeat. The end of the homestretch beckons.

Game 83: Beautiful Beatdown by/of the Bay

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 7, Tampa Bay Devil Rays 5

J.D. Drew made a discovery today. Perhaps looking to honor our country's founding (231 years young, woo!), maybe in celebration of an 80-degree day that threatened rain from start to finish, possibly because he finally realized the golden opportunity available to him, Drew cracked his fourteenth double of the year - off the Green Monster. I can't find the data to back this up (besides his doubles split at Fenway: he's hit seven so far), but I think today might have been the first time Drew pulled the ball to left instead of trying to drive to right.

Why is this discovery so exciting? Because, if properly exploited, it will make Drew into the disgustingly good doubles hitter Mike Lowell was last year (career high 47, 24 in Fenway) and continues to be this year (on pace for 42 doubles), with an equal (or better) propensity for Monster Shot double doubles. Hitting those doubles will create situations like today, where Drew doubled to score Cora in the fourth and came home to score on the next at-bat when Mike Lowell hit a Monster Shot of his own, factoring in two runs of the beating Boston gave to Tampa Bay today. When Drew learns to succumb to the Monster's siren call, he'll tighten up the center of Boston's formidable lineup even further, providing new and exciting run scoring opportunities that the Sox have lacked, especially in the past month...and that's a very, very good thing.

Another very good thing? Manny Delcarmen and his one and a third, three strikeout, no hit perfect hold today, putting out the fire that Wakefield started - the one that Lopez tried to put out with gasoline - and assuring glorious victory in Boston over the hapless Rays for the second day running. In eight and a third innings pitched this year, MDC gave up two runs - in one appearance, the game against Seattle where he was in too long - and four hits. He's the special surprise at the bottom of the cereal box, the unexpectedly awesome call up you (or I, at least) wanted to see succeed and now he's doing it. Brendan Donnelly might find that his job's in danger when he gets back from the DL.

Game 72: Dice-K and His Wonderful Imperfections

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 2, San Diego Padres 1

I'd say Dice-K's line of one run, five hits, five walks, nine strikeouts and a win in six innings was an odd combination that usually leads to failure, but looking at Matsuzaka's game logs from this year a pattern of consistent inconsistency emerges: Dice-K will strike out 10 and lose, then strike out 10 and win. He'll turn five hits and five walks into a seven run deficit in Seattle, escaping with a no decision, or do the same thing in San Diego for a close win. Expect the unexpected from the Zen Master, because each start is like a little jewel pulled from a mine, with its own flaws and imperfections and unknown real-world value. You have to watch carefully to see what you're going to get each night Matsuzaka comes to the mound.

Speaking of flaws and imperfections, does anyone know why last night was 1982 throwback jersey night? Besides wondering when I was going to see Wade Boggs stride out of the dugout and thinking that the Padres old uniforms only really work when accompanied by a well-developed porn 'stache, I was a little baffled by the choice. Was it for charity? Was it to mark the Red Sox visit, or because so many Red Sox executives got their start in San Diego? Who knows. Maybe tonight they'll put out the camo unis.

In any case, after Dice-K walked the bases loaded in the first and somehow escaped surrendering just a one-run single, the Sox took just enough from Maddux to get by, scoring their two runs on four singles; solidly-hit, well-placed balls that escaped the infield with just enough speed to do the necessary damage. Lopez, MDC, Okajima and Paps surrender two hits over three innings to end the night and win number 47 belongs to Boston. As both teams prepare for round two tonight, there's really only one thing to say: "You stay classy, San Diego."

Game 64: Curt Schilling is Consistently Inconsistent

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 2, Colorado Rockies 12

Before I go into a rant about the failures of the offense, I want to talk about an odd and disturbing trend in Schillling's pitching, a trend that may spell disaster for the Sox - or at least a lot of bad nights for RSN: over the past month, Schilling has consistently alternated between good and bad starts like clockwork. During that time (starting May 12, when he gave up four runs and got a no decision when Lopez allowed an inherited runner to score), Schilling's had three starts where he's given up four to five earned runs, alternated with three starts where he's given up zero to two earned runs. My current working theory is that he gets pissed off after a bad start, pitches his brains out in his next outing, then gets complacent and has another bad start that gets him pissed off again. If so, that's gotta be a tough way to pitch, especially for a guy looking for a contract for next year.

Last night was true to the pattern: after dominating the A's for Boston's only California win on June 7, Schilling gave up two earned runs (et tu, Lowell? Where did your glove go?) in the first two innings, retired seven in a row, gave up two singles to start the fifth, got the next two outs easily, then surrendered the three-run homer to Brad Hawpe that effectively ended his night. During that nine out stretch, however, Schilling gave up more near-miss foul balls (i.e., foul balls that missed the fair side of the foul pole by mere feet) than I have fingers and toes to count on and Hawpe's home run was more of the dropping of the other shoe than an unexpected shock.

So much for Schilling, who will probably come out throwing flames for his next start on Monday against the Braves. The rest of the game was a battle of mediocrity, as the bullpen and the offense fought to see who was more useless. In the end, Red Sox bats connected for eight hits but left seven men on base, while the bullpen surrendered six runs in four innings, so I'd say the real winners were - not surprisingly - the Rockies. And the Yankees, who are now within 8.5 games. Not to overstate the obvious, fellas, but some hitting would really help turn this messy situation around.

Game 62: Still Not Hitting

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 1, Arizona Diamondbacks 5

Someone seems to have forgotten to tell Randy Johnson he's 10,000 years old. That's the only reason I can think of to explain his complete and utter nine strikeout domination of the Olde Towne Team yesterday evening under the warm, sunny roof of Chase Field. I'm pretty sure the best shot the Sox had at a win was in the first, when they pushed runners to first and second with two outs but failed to score any runs. After that, the one run in the fourth was exciting, but a sense of doom soon settled on the field as it became clear that there would be no repeats of Friday's blowout.

The Red Scare did their best to compound the issue. After a solid six innings from Matsuzaka, who suffered a bit from the base on balls (4) but kept the score within a run, the bullpen toed the line for an inning, then completely fell apart in the eighth. Donnelly puts the lead runner on for the second inning in a row and hits the showers. Javier Lopez walks the only man he sees. Mike Timlin...well, Mike Timlin was Old Man Timlin yesterday, much to the glee of the insurance-seeking Diamondbacks. He did get three outs, but not before allowing three runs to score in a manner of such varied tomfoolery that it was as intellectually interesting (how did he manage to throw to first that way on a bunt right to him?) to watch as it was painful. Thus Timlin and pretty much the remainder of the game.

J.D. Drew didn't play yesterday, so his hitting streak remains intact at three games, with the potential for more peeking over the horizon against Colorado. In the meantime, he and every other hitter on the Red Sox will have tonight to brood over why they've stopped hitting consistently, why they keep hitting into double plays, having to play small ball to move over runners, keep missing the important hit that would score runs, etc. Maybe I wouldn't worry so much, but the Yankees are finally starting to come to life - as expected - and are now within 10 games for the first time in months.

Speaking of hitting, DC and I were just having a discussion about clutch hitting and how this year's team doesn't seem to have the clutch, come-from-behind luster that recent Red Sox teams have sported. I can't find a stat from come-from-behind victories (anyone know where to find one?) but even though the Sox continue to score more runs in the eighth inning than any other time, they don't inspire a lot of comeback confidence when push comes to shove. However, because feelings aren't very scientific, I did some more stat math and found a good numeric justification for the lack of confidence: runs per inning per game.

As it turns out, while the Sox score 0.84 runs per game in the eighth inning (their top-scoring inning), they only score 0.48 runs per game in the ninth inning, their second worst score overall. While this stat doesn't take into account games where the Sox are winning coming into the ninth inning (on the road) or games where they come from behind to win before the ninth inning, it does mean that if the Sox are losing in the ninth, they really are less likely to score the runs they need to win.

Happy Trails, J.C. Romero

Mike "Golden Years" Timlin is back, which meant decision time for the Sox: who was the odd man out? Turns out, when push came to shove, J.C. Romero was the most expendable; he's been DFA'd. His departure is not particularly surprising: he's a lefty, which makes him expendable, he's one of three, which makes him even more so and even though he has a better ERA+ (by two points) than Javier Lopez (his heir apparent) his peripherals are weak: a WHIP of 1.95 is not a good thing.

With any luck, the Sox will find a minor leaguer or two in exchange for Romero on the market, although if Boston couldn't find a buyer prior to yesterday, there's no reason to think they will before his assignment period expires and he goes to free agency.

Games 53 - 55: Awesome Sandwich with Buns of Crap

Game 53: Final Score: Boston Red Sox 5, New York Yankees 9
Game 54: Final Score: Boston Red Sox 11, New York Yankees 6
Game 55: Final Score: Boston Red Sox 5, New York Yankees 6

As Robin so succinctly put it to me in an email this morning, "these games were an awesome sandwich with crap buns: bleh WOO bleh." Losing two out of three at home to the Great Rival is hard enough, but an ending like last night leaves a bitter taste in the mouth that extends well into the next morning like a bad hangover, even when tempered with the excitement of the game and the sweet 12.5 game pad in the standings. Still, the final score of Game 55 is just the surface of the weekend that had more subplots than a soap opera story arc. Let's recap:

Where has the starting pitching gone? Not a good series for Red Sox starters: a combined total of 22 hits, 16 runs, 10 walks and only 9 strikeouts in 15 innings isn't in line for spectacular, even against the Yankees. Beckett had the best outing of the set, but still had two tough innings and gave up a brace of runs before his offense woke up and handed him what turned out to be a no decision. I'm happy to blame this lackluster run on the odd weather haunting the East Coast this weekend and move on.

Battle of the Bullpens. I'd be happy to give all of the props in the world to the Red Scare for their job this weekend, but the measure of their success is entirely conditional. On Friday, when the game flew out of reach on the wings of the knuckleball, the four scoreless innings courtesy of Romero, Pineiro and Lopez were like a pretty girl getting stood up by her date: all dressed up and nowhere to go. On Saturday, when the Sox returned the favor and tore into Mussina and Scott Proctor, giving up a run or two (the weekend's consistent theme) was just collateral damage to ending the game as quickly as possible. Last night...well, unfortunately last night was when things really counted; when Lady Luck jumped out of her seat in the EMC Club and into Joe Torre's waiting arms and said, "it's time I did you fellas a good turn." The triple and the home run came at the worst possible times against pitchers who have become the watchwords for automatic, but thus the game.

Kevin Youkilis and his 23 game hit streak. Nowhere near magic number 56 (or, if you believe Joe Morgan's crazed ramblings, the "150 to 200 game" hitting streak Derek Jeter somehow put together over the past few years without anyone noticing), but still a satisfying run for Youk, who snapped his streak on Saturday with an 0 for 2 with three walks. Last year's big surprise was Youkilis robbing J.T. Snow of any use in baseball life by becoming a vacuum at first base; this year's surprise may be Youkilis superseding J.D. Drew as the power in the heart of the order. If so, it might be reasonable to suspect that Youkilis has a thing against guys with two first names.

Dustin Pedroia will accept your homage now. Thirteen game hitting streak. Hitting .500 over the past week or so. Hit the double that cleared the bases in the fifth last night, bringing Boston back into the game. Very nearly hit a second double that would have tied/won the game in the eighth, if not for the interference of Lady Luck (see above) guiding the hand of Bobby Abreu. DC may be waiting for Pedroia to swing so hard that he falls over, but I'm perfectly happy to enjoy this hot streak while it lasts. Go P-Dawg!

Whither Big Papi? Actually, that's not fair: Ortiz has an OBP of 1.091 over the past month, which is monstrous. It just hasn't been as visceral of an impact, because it's been weeks since he's hit a home run. That should have changed last night against Rivera, because that ball was gone as soon as it hit the bat, but once again, Lady Luck had other ideas. Last night was the exception, rather than the rule and I have no doubt Ortiz will drive balls over the wall again in good time.

The Rivalry is back. For better or for worse, the Yankees play a good game when they face the Sox. As I said a couple of months ago, the rivalry isn't any fun when one side is horribly overmatched, which means the Yankees will have to win a few games...or two series in a row. Boston and New York don't face each other again until the end of August, when the games will have become much more important, so now is the time to lick wounds, maintain that AL East lead and wait for the time when sweet revenge can be claimed. For now: off to the West Coast! I hate (baseball) trips to the West Coast! Turn that hatred into wins!