Red Sox at Rays Preview

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Photo Credit: MLB Memes

The Red Sox look to extend their winning streak tonight visiting the Rays at 7PM ET. You can watch on ESPN.

Bucholz is going tonight and he’s been getting some of the best run support in the majors. He’s needed it. Hopefully he doesn’t tonight.

He faces P Jeremy Hellickson of the Rays who hasn’t allowed more than 3 runs in a start since facing the Sox last month. 

So far, the Sox haven’t fared well at Tropicana having been swept the last time there this year.

With our bats going and most Tampa Bay’s big shots on the DL, this series provides a unique and timely opportunity to get closer to that .500 mark and back in contention for the AL East lead.

As always, don’t forget to follow the blog on Facebook and Twitter or you can email me at william@bostonredsoxblog.com.

Red Sox 5, Mariners 0

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Photo Credit: AP Photo/Elise Amendola

The Red Sox defeated the Mariners this afternoon by a score of 5-0. For a boxscore and recap go to ESPN.

After 5 wins in a row, are the Sox out of the dark? Nah, lets get to .500, then we’ll talk.

Amazing what a little fire and focus can do for Beckett. Or he matured since turning 32. Either way, he looked like the Josh Beckett fans were accustomed to seeing not too long ago.

Ichiro is still doing Ichiro and that’s crazy.

Can’t say enough about the way Ortiz has been hitting the ball this year, or Nava now for that matter. 

Middlebrooks is earning a permanent roster spot the right way.

That closes out the six-game home stand where the Sox went 5-1. Back on the road against the Rays tomorrow night.

As always, don’t forget to follow the blog on Facebook and Twitter or you can email me at william@bostonredsoxblog.com.

 

 

There’s Not Really That Much To Say About the Red Sox

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Image courtesy of Elsa/Getty Images North America.

What I like most about writing for this blog, outside of our once-yearly journey to the Galapagos Islands, is that I have no deadlines and am not assigned specific topics. I can pick what I’m interested in and do not have to write a story when there isn’t one. Writers at daily publications, by contrast, not only have yet to ride the backs of the Galapagos tortoises, but also have to meet deadlines and cover certain topics about which there might not be very much to say. And when one is writing about a single sports team, such as the Boston Red Sox, it can  be difficult to say something original and substantive on a daily basis.

Thus far, the Red Sox have played 14  of their games against very good teams, and have gone 4-10 . They have played their seven other games against not so good teams, and have gone 6-1. There have been various surprising and unsurprising hot streaks by the offense, and shaky pitching in both the bullpen and the rotation. But those two win-loss records pretty much sum up the story of the so far mediocre 2012 Boston Red Sox. They have played the majority of their games against very good teams, and have therefore lost a fair amount, but have also played a few games against weaker opponents and have managed to win most of those to keep their record at .500. The Red Sox are not going to play 2/3 of their games against playoff caliber teams, so the small sample we have so far is not representative of an entire season. And what’s more, it’s pretty hard to draw conclusions about the potential of a baseball team through 21 games. Interesting baseball writing at this point in the season likely has to be based on either the in-depth analysis of a certain player, or the discussion of an interesting event or development. Despite this fact, the Boston Globe usually has at least two or three cursory articles daily covering all aspects of the team, and this is creating a dearth of insightful commentary. Because of this quota we are presented with articles such as the one written for this morning’s paper by columnist Nick Cafardo.

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Up From the Depths

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Photo courtesy of Nam Y. Huh, Beaver County Times.

Think about where we were a week ago.

Last Saturday night, the Red Sox opened up a 9-0 lead over the Yankees in the second game of a three-game series at Fenway, one day after the much-ballyhooed celebration of the 100th anniversary of the storied ballpark.  Then, in what will be remembered as one of the worst moments in the history of the franchise, the Bombers bashed out fifteen runs in a little less than three innings, reducing the Sox’ bullpen to an off-white streak on the bottom of their cleats.

It was the low point in a season already full of them, highlighted by an injury to the MVP-runner up center-fielder and a public spat between the new manager and his players over comments that suggested a lack of faith and respect for one of the hardest working guys in the clubhouse.  Sitting at 4-10 on the season, the Red Sox cancelled the following Sunday Night tilt with the Yankees a full five hours before first pitch due to “inclement weather”, but we all knew what was going on: the team was the laughingstock of baseball, and they were doing everything in their power to avoid further embarrassment on national television.

Fans were irate, calling for Bobby V’s head served on a piece of Fenway sod, bemoaning the insistence on the part of the organization to keep Daniel Bard in the rotation, and gawking at the utter futility of the band-aid acquisition of Marlon Byrd and his .070 batting average in order to shore-up the outfield.

Skipper Bobby told the media after the 15-9 thrashing that the Sox had hit “rock bottom.”

A week later, he was more right than we could have imagined.

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Aviles Leads the Way for Red Sox

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Photo courtesy of Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

So does this mean we can (finally) stop panicking?

Last night’s 7-6 win in Minnesota completed a relatively unnoticed 3-game sweep for the Red Sox, who will  become the center of attention once again (unless you’re like me and you think the Celtics have a legitimate shot to make it past the Heat in the second round) after their stick-toting compadres from Causeway Street suffered an early exit from another title-run.

A quick note for all of you who cried yourselves to sleep last night: the Bruins were simply outplayed in that series.  Braden Holtby was just as good as Tim Thomas (actually, he was better), and just like we learned last year, if the Bruins don’t have superior goal-tending, they can’t win; they just don’t have enough pure talent on the offensive side of the puck.  Good luck to the Capitols going forward; they deserved this one.

But lets move on from the black and gold and back to our boys in ballcaps.  The Red Sox should  do what they did in Minnesota to most teams this year, and that’s feast on less-than-quality pitching. Against the Twins, they averaged 8 runs per game and got production from almost every spot in the lineup.  It looks like Bobby V is finally beginning to sort out an every-day batting order, and one major reason why he’s been able to do that is because he is getting solid and consistent production (for now) out of his leadoff hitter.

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A Cure for Loser’s Lurgy

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Photo courtesy of Rankin/Bass Productions.

While the the final hours of my April vacation dwindled away, I spent about two hours stretched out on the couch on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon triumphantly watching the Red Sox storm to a 9-0 lead over the Bronx Bombers. I later abandoned my team and Tim McCarver’s nonsensical ramblings to babysit, confident that even the misfit toys masquerading as the Boston bullpen could hold a 9-0 lead over four innings. Of course, when I tuned in to the MLB Network 3 hours later, I found to my horror that the Yankees had mercilessly slaughtered the Red Sox and had forced Vincente Padilla to stick his tongue on the cryogenized head of Ted Williams.  But the Red Sox’ 4-10 record is misleading; after all, they are playing the AL’s best teams with twelve players on the disabled list. But Saturday’s drubbing shows that Boston not only is over-matched by its opponents, but also has contracted a case of what Luna Lovegood calls Loser ‘s Lurgy. Like other psychological illnesses, Loser’s Lurgy can be cured with strict adherence to a 12-step program. I advise the Red Sox to follow the program I have laid out below:

1. Do not panic, or even worse, instigate panic. I’m looking at you, Dan Shaughnessy. Don’t give me your “Worst Team Ever” and “11-30 over their last 41 games” crap. Am I supposed to believe that some bucket of fried chicken consumed in September is to blame for a rocky start in April? Climb back into your trash can, Oscar the Grouch. The Sox were 4-10 to start off last season, and at one point in August had the best record in baseball. They are not, as you suggested Dan, the 1962 Mets. Dan, do you even like sports? Your article in Sunday’s Globe made me think of something a young boy would be forced to write in detention. I can picture your editor saying, “Dan, you have to write about how bad the Red Sox are”, and you reply, “Fine. I don’t want to, but since I have to, I’m going to give it a really grumpy and sarcastic tone so that nobody will like it”.

2. Do not trade Michael Bowden for Marlon Byrd. What’s that, you already did? Son of a bitch. This deal kind of confuses me. Michael Bowden was a first round draft pick in 2005. You stuck with him for six years (six!) before he finally made his first Opening Day roster. And then you trade him two weeks into the season? Furthermore, if you hadn’t noticed, the bullpen is kind of shabby, so he might have come in handy.

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Marlon Byrd: Professional Band-Aid

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Photo courtesy of Jamie Squire/Getty Images.

In an effort to put yet another band-aid on their woeful outfield, the Red Sox called up old friend Theo Epstein and traded for 34 year-old Cubs outfielder Marlon Byrd yesterday afternoon, news which came right around the time the bullpen was blowing a nine-run lead.  The price? Highly-touted prospect and potential bullpen contributor Michael Bowden, along with a player to be named later.

Here’s what Bobby Valentine had to say about Byrd:

“[He's a] Right-handed hitter who isn’t hitting right now, which is the good news. That means he will. He saved up all his hits for us, which I just mentioned to him. That was a good thing for him to do.”

Yes, it’s true that Bowden is clearly not the pitcher the Red Sox once thought they had.  And its also true that Jason Repko (who mercifully hurt himself crashing into the wall on Friday) isn’t long for Boston.  But Byrd is batting .070 so far this year.  Don’t tell me he’s just “not hitting” yet.  Oh, he’s taking good swings? Making good contact? More BS from an organization that is sinking faster than a turd in water.

Bobby sounds like a guy who’s team postponed its Sunday Night game with its arch-rival FIVE HOURS before first pitch to avoid getting embarrassed on national television for the second time in as many nights.  Pathetic.

And Theo is sitting in Chicago, cackling.

 

Red Sox Ownership Brings Tito Back to Fenway

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Photo courtesy of Jim Rogash, Getty Images

Terry Francona revealed to the Globe that he had phone conversations with John Henry and Larry Lucchino about the possibility of him returning for Opening Day and the centennial festivities at Fenway. What he left undisclosed, however, was discovered with ease by our newly-patented, highly-coveted, super-duper Time-Travelling Eavesdropper Drones [TM].  It turns out that Francona had a secret meeting at a private location with the Red Sox brass on Tuesday night, just before reversing course and announcing his decision to attend the 100th anniversary pow wow.  Here’s what our cameras picked up:

[Francona lifts his head, closes his eyes, and  feels the salt of the ocean on his lips. He drops his head, sighs, and turns around and faces the boat's brightly lit cabin. The sound of two voices bouncing back and forth trickles out of the cabin. But from under those two voices comes another sound. At first Tito thinks its the sails rustling, or maybe the floorboards creaking, but then he recognizes the timbre]

TF: Must be John talking…

[The rusty hinges on the door squeal as he enters the cabin]

LL: Terry, how’s it going? It’s great to see you again.

TF: Hold on a sec guys, before we start I should probably turn my bullshit alarm off.

JH: Tito, I know you had a rough exit, but I think we’d all like to put what has happened in the past and move forward with this.

LL: Boston still loves you, Terry, and we consider you, as the manager who brought us two titles, an integral part of the celebration of Fenway’s history.

TF: Uh, that’s great guys, but you and your “team sources” took all the shit everybody was throwing at you and rubbed it all over me at the end of the season.

LL: Relax Terry, I’m sure whoever said that stuff was just trying to smooth things over. Sit down and have a drink.

TF: Is that Bigelow Tea? You guys know I don’t actually drink that shit, right?

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Daniel Bard Skipping Next Start

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Bobby V. told Joe Amorosino of 7News the following on Sunday afternoon:

Bobby V. might be trying to appease the fans with this move. I don’t really love it but I have faith in him despite this terrible start.

It could set back Bard further than it will help the team..

But! – This could be the beginning of the “utility pitcher” era in baseball. If it is, I’ll label Bobby V. a genius. Yeah, I know he already is one. The “wrap” sandwich changed my life..

As always, don’t forget to follow the blog on Facebook and Twitter or you can email me at william@bostonredsoxblog.com.

UPDATE: Game Postponed, Sunday Night Baseball

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Photo Credit: Elsa/Getty Images

UPDATE:

Original Post:

Jeremy Lundblad and Mark Simon took a look at some of the key matchups for tonight’s game at 8PM where the Yankees will try to complete the sweep of the Red Sox over at ESPN.

This is an extremely interesting pitching matchup, CC vs. Bard. CC has struggled throughout his tenure as a Yank against the Sox but his individual matchups against the big bats of Boston are pretty good..

Based on that article, Bard should really steer clear of Tex’s wheelhouse..

And here’s where it gets real ugly. The bullpen, obviously..

MLB Rank
ERA 8.44 Last
HR allowed 11 Last
Opp BA .335 Last

 No team will ever have success with numbers like those so let’s hope they turn it around TONIGHT!

As always, don’t forget to follow the blog on Facebook and Twitter or you can email me at william@bostonredsoxblog.com.