Bruins Use Force to Take Game Two
It is a play that happens many times throughout the course of a hockey game; two man go into the corner to battle for the puck, but on this occasion, Mark Recchi of the Boston Bruins turned it into anything but ordinary.
When the 42 year old veteran went into the corner against the Buffalo Sabres' Tim Kennedy, he knew he was going to dig it out, "I knew it was going to be a battle," Recchi said, "we were kind of even going in and I was just trying to get position and I was fortunate that I caught him proper and wa able to win the battle."
Recchi turned a proper play into a grat and series changing play. After depositing Kennedy onto the ice, he slipped a beautiful pass to the slot for Patrice Bergeron who was able to beat stellar netminder Ryan Miller on the glove side. The play gave the Bruins a 2-1 lead, and eventually, with the help of Tuukka Rask in net, a 2-1 series lead.
The Bruins played from behind for most of the first two games, falling behind 1-0 in each of the first two games, so it should not have been a surprise the Bruins continued that trend when Mike Grier flicked a wrister past the right shoulder of Rask early in the first period.
But the Bruins were able to tie the game in the first period and simply outplayed the visiting Buffalo Sabres, on the offensive side, on the defensive side, and most importantly with their tenacity.
Whether it was Zdeno Chara planting a charging Sabre while flat-footed or Johnny Boychuk absolutely trucking Matt Ellis, the Bruins brought the game to the Sabres and it was apparent the entire game. Even though the Sabres notched the first goal of the game it always seemed like they were playing from behind and simply trying to pull even with the Bruins.
Without Miller in net for the Sabres this game could have easily been a 4-1 or 5-1 game, but Miller, who made 27 saves, almost all of them difficult, kept the Sabres in the game and provided them with an opportunity to tie the game in the waning seconds.
But it was not to be as the upstart Finnish rookie Rask made 32 saves in net and was a wall in front of the cage after allowing his first period goal. If the Bruins are to make it out of the first round they are going to have to play like they did last night: faster, smarter and tougher than their opponents.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Patriots Day
Bostonians Celebrate Holiday with Running and Baseball
Patriots Day commemorates the first battles of the Revolutionary War, the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which took place on April 19th, 1775. The Holiday is celebrated in the state of Massachusetts, where the battles took place, and in Maine, which was once a part of Massachusetts.
Many great fights and competitions have come from the state of Massachusetts and in 1897, the Boston Athletic Association decided to add another way to do battle on Patriots Day.
The Marathon is Born
The first Boston Marathon was held on April 19th, 1897. The course ran from Metcalf’s Hill in Ashland to the Irvington Oval in Boston, but unlike the traditional Olympic Marathon which runs 26 miles and 385 yards, the first Boston Marathon covered only a distance of 24.5 miles.
Out of a field of 15 runners, John J. McDermott from New York won that very first race 114 years ago, doing so in a time of 2:55:10. The race was altered in 1924 to conform to the Olympic Marathon standards.
More tweaks were made to the Marathon and Patriots Day when in 1969 it was decided to move Patriots Day from April 19th to the third Monday of April (before that change Patriots Day was held every year on April 19th except for when it fell on a Sunday, in which case the Marathon was held on the following Monday).
“Heartbreak Hill”
The modern day Boston Marathon course is home to one of the most psychologically brutal hills in running, “Heartbreak Hill.” Heartbreak Hill is the fourth and last of the “Newton Hills,” which begin at the 16 mile mark of the Marathon and near the campus of Boston College.
Most runners suffer from a term called “hitting the wall,” where during a Marathon, usually between the 18 and 20 mile markers, runners run out of stored glycogen and severe fatigue starts to set in. One runner has described the experience as “It felt like an elephant had jumped out of a tree onto my shoulders and was making me carry it the rest of the way in.” (http://www.marathonandbeyond.com/choices/latta.htm)
Heartbreak Hill is only about an 88 foot elevation, but because of its positioning at the point where most runners “hit the wall,” it has defeated many runners over the years and can even make experienced runners halt to a walking pace.
Let’s Play Ball
Six years after the Boston Athletic Association held the first Boston Marathon, the Boston Red Sox (then known as the Boston Americans) played their first Patriots Day baseball game when they hosted the Philadelphia Athletics at the Huntington Avenue Grounds.
The starting time of the game was 10 A.M., and 8,376 fans showed up to witness their Boston team beat the visiting Philadelphia ball club 9-4. The following year the Boston Braves decided to play an afternoon game, but attendance was sparse, and the Red Sox and Braves alternated playing the Patriots Day at home until 1953 when the Braves left for Milwaukee.
Morning Baseball
The Red Sox have played a home game every year on Patriots Day since 1959 (with the exceptions of 1965 and 1967 because of off days and 1995 because of the player’s strike) with the traditional 11:05 starting time beginning in 1968. The time was again changed in 1987 due to complaints from the Player’s Association that the starting time was too early, but was changed back the next year to 11:05.
The traditional starting time of the game has been 11:05 A.M. with a couple of changed due to weather and other various conditions. The traditional early start time of the game allows fans in attendance of the baseball game the chance to watch the full game and see runners making their way through Kenmore Square, which is about the 25 mile marker for runners.
However, due to a combination of the lengthening time of baseball games and progressively earlier starts to the Boston Marathon, runners over the past couple of years have been making their way through Kenmore Square sometime in the middle of the baseball game.
A New Feel to Patriots Day
On a day filled with running and baseball, the Boston Red Sox have done their best in recent years to add to the enjoyment. The Red Sox are 66-49 on Patriots day, and before this year’s game had won their last six contests on the civic holiday.
But this year there was more heartbreak at Fenway Park than on the last of the Newton Hills.
The Red Sox entered the game at 4-8 and losers of three in a row to their divisional rival the Tampa Bay Rays (who had won their only other Patriots Day game in 1999). And the early season trends continued for the Red Sox, as the shoddy defense and pitching that has plagued them so far this year reared its ugly head again on Patriots Day.
The Red Sox, who are normally the best team in baseball at home, are now 1-6 at the not-so-friendly-anymore confines of Fenway Park. The Patriots Day match-up seemed to favor the Red Sox and the pitching match-up looked great on paper, but like most things that have looked great on paper this year for the Red Sox, reality did not agree with the paper match-up.
The Red Sox sent hurler John Lackey (1-1, 5.63/1-0 with a 1.42 ERA before the game) to the mound to face off against Jeff Niemann, the Ray’s tallest pitcher in their short history, standing a towering 6’9 on the hill and who can command four different pitches.
But the Red Sox had history going for them… and that was about it. The Rays manufactured a run on a lead-off double, a sacrifice bunt and a RBI groundout to short in the first inning and never looked back.
A big three run home run by B.J. Upton in the third inning just out of the reach of the glove of Bill Hall in right center made a 3-0 game into a 6-0 affair, and all the hype and energy that Red Sox fans mustered up for the Patriots Day game quickly dissipated.
Lackey was mercifully pulled after 3 1/3 innings while allowing eight earned runs; just a day after Jon Lester allowed six earned runs in his start.
But there was some solace in Boston; those who participated in the Marathon and lost their personal battles with Heartbreak Hill did not have to watch the Red Sox.
Patriots Day commemorates the first battles of the Revolutionary War, the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which took place on April 19th, 1775. The Holiday is celebrated in the state of Massachusetts, where the battles took place, and in Maine, which was once a part of Massachusetts.
Many great fights and competitions have come from the state of Massachusetts and in 1897, the Boston Athletic Association decided to add another way to do battle on Patriots Day.
The Marathon is Born
The first Boston Marathon was held on April 19th, 1897. The course ran from Metcalf’s Hill in Ashland to the Irvington Oval in Boston, but unlike the traditional Olympic Marathon which runs 26 miles and 385 yards, the first Boston Marathon covered only a distance of 24.5 miles.
Out of a field of 15 runners, John J. McDermott from New York won that very first race 114 years ago, doing so in a time of 2:55:10. The race was altered in 1924 to conform to the Olympic Marathon standards.
More tweaks were made to the Marathon and Patriots Day when in 1969 it was decided to move Patriots Day from April 19th to the third Monday of April (before that change Patriots Day was held every year on April 19th except for when it fell on a Sunday, in which case the Marathon was held on the following Monday).
“Heartbreak Hill”
The modern day Boston Marathon course is home to one of the most psychologically brutal hills in running, “Heartbreak Hill.” Heartbreak Hill is the fourth and last of the “Newton Hills,” which begin at the 16 mile mark of the Marathon and near the campus of Boston College.
Most runners suffer from a term called “hitting the wall,” where during a Marathon, usually between the 18 and 20 mile markers, runners run out of stored glycogen and severe fatigue starts to set in. One runner has described the experience as “It felt like an elephant had jumped out of a tree onto my shoulders and was making me carry it the rest of the way in.” (http://www.marathonandbeyond.com/choices/latta.htm)
Heartbreak Hill is only about an 88 foot elevation, but because of its positioning at the point where most runners “hit the wall,” it has defeated many runners over the years and can even make experienced runners halt to a walking pace.
Let’s Play Ball
Six years after the Boston Athletic Association held the first Boston Marathon, the Boston Red Sox (then known as the Boston Americans) played their first Patriots Day baseball game when they hosted the Philadelphia Athletics at the Huntington Avenue Grounds.
The starting time of the game was 10 A.M., and 8,376 fans showed up to witness their Boston team beat the visiting Philadelphia ball club 9-4. The following year the Boston Braves decided to play an afternoon game, but attendance was sparse, and the Red Sox and Braves alternated playing the Patriots Day at home until 1953 when the Braves left for Milwaukee.
Morning Baseball
The Red Sox have played a home game every year on Patriots Day since 1959 (with the exceptions of 1965 and 1967 because of off days and 1995 because of the player’s strike) with the traditional 11:05 starting time beginning in 1968. The time was again changed in 1987 due to complaints from the Player’s Association that the starting time was too early, but was changed back the next year to 11:05.
The traditional starting time of the game has been 11:05 A.M. with a couple of changed due to weather and other various conditions. The traditional early start time of the game allows fans in attendance of the baseball game the chance to watch the full game and see runners making their way through Kenmore Square, which is about the 25 mile marker for runners.
However, due to a combination of the lengthening time of baseball games and progressively earlier starts to the Boston Marathon, runners over the past couple of years have been making their way through Kenmore Square sometime in the middle of the baseball game.
A New Feel to Patriots Day
On a day filled with running and baseball, the Boston Red Sox have done their best in recent years to add to the enjoyment. The Red Sox are 66-49 on Patriots day, and before this year’s game had won their last six contests on the civic holiday.
But this year there was more heartbreak at Fenway Park than on the last of the Newton Hills.
The Red Sox entered the game at 4-8 and losers of three in a row to their divisional rival the Tampa Bay Rays (who had won their only other Patriots Day game in 1999). And the early season trends continued for the Red Sox, as the shoddy defense and pitching that has plagued them so far this year reared its ugly head again on Patriots Day.
The Red Sox, who are normally the best team in baseball at home, are now 1-6 at the not-so-friendly-anymore confines of Fenway Park. The Patriots Day match-up seemed to favor the Red Sox and the pitching match-up looked great on paper, but like most things that have looked great on paper this year for the Red Sox, reality did not agree with the paper match-up.
The Red Sox sent hurler John Lackey (1-1, 5.63/1-0 with a 1.42 ERA before the game) to the mound to face off against Jeff Niemann, the Ray’s tallest pitcher in their short history, standing a towering 6’9 on the hill and who can command four different pitches.
But the Red Sox had history going for them… and that was about it. The Rays manufactured a run on a lead-off double, a sacrifice bunt and a RBI groundout to short in the first inning and never looked back.
A big three run home run by B.J. Upton in the third inning just out of the reach of the glove of Bill Hall in right center made a 3-0 game into a 6-0 affair, and all the hype and energy that Red Sox fans mustered up for the Patriots Day game quickly dissipated.
Lackey was mercifully pulled after 3 1/3 innings while allowing eight earned runs; just a day after Jon Lester allowed six earned runs in his start.
But there was some solace in Boston; those who participated in the Marathon and lost their personal battles with Heartbreak Hill did not have to watch the Red Sox.
Boston Struggling to Find Consistency
Chance for Big Saturday Turns Bad with Red Sox DH Finish
When Zdeno Chara's wrister from the point snaked past Ryan Miller's right shoulder, Boston fans celebrated. When Mark Recchi empty netter rattled the back of the cage, Boston fans celebrated, and if you think they were done, you were wrong.
Dwayne Wade took control of the opening game of the Celtics/Heat series, but then Tony Allen came in in the third quarter and shut down Wade, and Celtics fans celebrated. Even when Kevin Garnett got into a scuffle with Quentin Richardson and was ejected, Boston fans celebrated; after all, this was the fire and intensity that had been missing for the last several months from the 2008 NBA champions.
It was shaping up to be a great weekend for the Boston sports scene, and the Red Sox were in position to seal it, possibly taking two games on Saturday night from the Rays. But it was not to be. Red Sox could not muster a run in the suspended game and then imploded in the night-cap.
So far this season if the Red sox troubles were not coming from the plate, they were coming from the bullpen, and the starting rotation has even been dinged up a bit, but on Saturday night the defense decided to join in on the unspectacular play.
An error by Mike Cameron allowed the flood gates to open and the Rays scored four unearned runs in the first and never looked back. Even after a pair of two run jacks, one by Dustin Pedroia (five HRs) and the other by Kevin Youkilis (two HRs), the Red Sox were not able to make up the six run difference.
Sunday was not much better; Jon Lester, who has well documented troubles in the month of April, allowed six runs and the Red Sox bats were just as bad; the Red Sox through seven innings only collected two hits, one of those from hot-hitting Jason Varitek (that's a line most Boston fans would not have believed any time over the last two years).
But signs are pointing up for the Red Sox as John Lackey (1-0 1.42 ERA) is set to take the mound and today is Patriots Day in Boston and the Sox have won their last six Patriots Day games.
Game starts at 11 AM and let us hope the Red Sox do not just wake up for the game, but come ready to play because if they keep bringing this type of, ummm, intensity, they will be looking up at not just the Rays and Yankees, but the Blue Jays too.
When Zdeno Chara's wrister from the point snaked past Ryan Miller's right shoulder, Boston fans celebrated. When Mark Recchi empty netter rattled the back of the cage, Boston fans celebrated, and if you think they were done, you were wrong.
Dwayne Wade took control of the opening game of the Celtics/Heat series, but then Tony Allen came in in the third quarter and shut down Wade, and Celtics fans celebrated. Even when Kevin Garnett got into a scuffle with Quentin Richardson and was ejected, Boston fans celebrated; after all, this was the fire and intensity that had been missing for the last several months from the 2008 NBA champions.
It was shaping up to be a great weekend for the Boston sports scene, and the Red Sox were in position to seal it, possibly taking two games on Saturday night from the Rays. But it was not to be. Red Sox could not muster a run in the suspended game and then imploded in the night-cap.
So far this season if the Red sox troubles were not coming from the plate, they were coming from the bullpen, and the starting rotation has even been dinged up a bit, but on Saturday night the defense decided to join in on the unspectacular play.
An error by Mike Cameron allowed the flood gates to open and the Rays scored four unearned runs in the first and never looked back. Even after a pair of two run jacks, one by Dustin Pedroia (five HRs) and the other by Kevin Youkilis (two HRs), the Red Sox were not able to make up the six run difference.
Sunday was not much better; Jon Lester, who has well documented troubles in the month of April, allowed six runs and the Red Sox bats were just as bad; the Red Sox through seven innings only collected two hits, one of those from hot-hitting Jason Varitek (that's a line most Boston fans would not have believed any time over the last two years).
But signs are pointing up for the Red Sox as John Lackey (1-0 1.42 ERA) is set to take the mound and today is Patriots Day in Boston and the Sox have won their last six Patriots Day games.
Game starts at 11 AM and let us hope the Red Sox do not just wake up for the game, but come ready to play because if they keep bringing this type of, ummm, intensity, they will be looking up at not just the Rays and Yankees, but the Blue Jays too.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Troubling Signs Coming From Fenway
No Offense, Bad Bullpen... Troubles-a-brewin' for the Sox
Jason Varitek is on an absolute tear... and... ah... yeah... that's about it. Jason Varitek has four hits on the season, three home runs and a double. Jason Varitek was the only offense the Red Sox could muster in their suspended game against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Josh Beckett, in the first night of the game, pitched seven masterful innings, only allowing one run, but like so many starts in this early season, the Red Sox bats were unable to help out their starting pitcher.
The two most troubling signs coming from the Red Sox came in back to back half innings. Daniel Bard was able to retire the side in the tenth and the Red Sox seemed primed for the victory when they loaded the bases in the bottom of the tenth with nobody out. Normally, the man at the plate would have forced manager Joe Maddon to shake with fear, but the man at the plate, David Ortiz, has not struck fear into anybody so far this season, with the lone exceptions being Red Sox fans.
In years passed, Ortiz in extras meant two things... Game... Over. But it was not the case tonight, a weak one hopper to first and he reached on a fielder's choice, but the winning run was forced out at the plate. Then Adrian Beltre grounded into a double play.
Manny Delcarmen replaced Daniel Bard, and in a season where the bullpen has been the left Achilles heel to the red sox offensive woes, Delcarmen came in and proceeded to allow a couple of runs and just like that the Red Sox were in a hole they had to claw their way out of.
However, this is apparently not the lineup that knows how to claw for those crucial runs, and the only hit of the eleventh came off of the bat of, yup, you guessed it, Jason Varitek, who came close to going four for four with hits and home runs, but settled for the double. But the come back was not to be, and the Red Sox's disappointing season continues, but hey, at least the captains hitting... right? What? He only plays one every five games? DAMNIT
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Same Old Wakefield, Same Bad Luck
"The ball is carrying real well today." Those ominous words were uttered by Don Orsillo in the early portions of today's game between the Red Sox and the Twins. Normally, the Red Sox are the heavy hitting team that benefits from having the ball carry an extra 10-20 feet, just not when Tim Wakefield is on the mound.
Wakefield is notorious for allowing home runs; its what makes watching his starts so pressure filled, any pitch he throws can end up in the bleachers, no matter how well the knuckleball is dancing that day. At Target Field, where the Red Sox have been so very nice to their hosts, a day in which the ball carried an extra couple of feet every at-bat was not a good day.
Wakefield was able to get the first five batters out in 16 pitches, but the knuckleballer, who seems to luck out of roughly eight wins a year (including his first start of this season) had the same old luck he has always had, in other words, bad luck.
With two down in the second inning and breezing through the Twins line-up, Wakefield faced notorious Red Sox killer Jim Thome. Thome ripped a line drive into the shift, but the ball deflected off of shortstop Marco Scutaro's (who was playing to the right of the second base bag) glove and into center for a single. Two more two-outs singles later and the Sox were down 1-0.
With the Sox still down 1-0 in the fifth, Wakefield allowed a lead-off double and the next batter Denard Span blooped a ball down the left field line that was about a half foot from going foul, but dropped in fair territory for an RBI double.
The sixth inning did not fair much better as Adrian Beltre committed his first error of the year and the wheels started to fall off for Wakefield and the Red sox. A single here, a double there, and Wakefield was pulled after six runs, five earned (four if you expect players to not throw the ball around like little-leaguers) in 5 1/3 innings.
Despite the defensive woes and bad luck for Wakefield (the knuckleball was dancing all day, but the Minnesota bats were consistently able to drop the bat heads on Mr. Rawlings), it would not have mattered. The Red Sox were defenseless against Francisco Liriano's aresenal of fastballs, changeups and sliders.
Liriano was able to get out of a jam in the top of the first inning when he had runners on second and third with one out, but got Kevin Youkilis to swing on top of a slider down and in, and got Adrian Beltre to ground out to third. Liriano went seven scoreless innings, striking out eight and only needing 96 pitches to do so; the 96 pitches is the easiest marker of the Red Sox inability to make the embattled left-hander work.
For the Red Sox and Tim Wakefield it was another missed opportunity, and another example of a team that simply did not show up to play, a troubling consistent storyline early in the 2010 season.
Wakefield is notorious for allowing home runs; its what makes watching his starts so pressure filled, any pitch he throws can end up in the bleachers, no matter how well the knuckleball is dancing that day. At Target Field, where the Red Sox have been so very nice to their hosts, a day in which the ball carried an extra couple of feet every at-bat was not a good day.
Wakefield was able to get the first five batters out in 16 pitches, but the knuckleballer, who seems to luck out of roughly eight wins a year (including his first start of this season) had the same old luck he has always had, in other words, bad luck.
With two down in the second inning and breezing through the Twins line-up, Wakefield faced notorious Red Sox killer Jim Thome. Thome ripped a line drive into the shift, but the ball deflected off of shortstop Marco Scutaro's (who was playing to the right of the second base bag) glove and into center for a single. Two more two-outs singles later and the Sox were down 1-0.
With the Sox still down 1-0 in the fifth, Wakefield allowed a lead-off double and the next batter Denard Span blooped a ball down the left field line that was about a half foot from going foul, but dropped in fair territory for an RBI double.
The sixth inning did not fair much better as Adrian Beltre committed his first error of the year and the wheels started to fall off for Wakefield and the Red sox. A single here, a double there, and Wakefield was pulled after six runs, five earned (four if you expect players to not throw the ball around like little-leaguers) in 5 1/3 innings.
Despite the defensive woes and bad luck for Wakefield (the knuckleball was dancing all day, but the Minnesota bats were consistently able to drop the bat heads on Mr. Rawlings), it would not have mattered. The Red Sox were defenseless against Francisco Liriano's aresenal of fastballs, changeups and sliders.
Liriano was able to get out of a jam in the top of the first inning when he had runners on second and third with one out, but got Kevin Youkilis to swing on top of a slider down and in, and got Adrian Beltre to ground out to third. Liriano went seven scoreless innings, striking out eight and only needing 96 pitches to do so; the 96 pitches is the easiest marker of the Red Sox inability to make the embattled left-hander work.
For the Red Sox and Tim Wakefield it was another missed opportunity, and another example of a team that simply did not show up to play, a troubling consistent storyline early in the 2010 season.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
John Lackey Notches First Win as a Red Sox
Sox Back on Winning Track, but Baard/Bullpen still Shaky.
John Lackey went 6 2/3 innings while allowing two runs, both earned to grab his first victory as a member of the Red Sox. After going six shut-out innings in his first start, but having the bats disappear, the bats made backed him up in his first away performance.
The Sox got some much needed offensive help from Dustin Pedroia who is coming to be known as "ol' reliable" for the sox (2-5 with a double and a home run). They also got some help from one of the new faces. Jeremy Hermida only roped one hit, but it was a big one; a bases clearing two-out double in the eight inning that put the Sox up 6-2.
They Sox needed the hit too as Daniel Bard's troubles in the eighth inning continued. After allowing the game winning hit two games ago against the Kansas City Royals, Bard had another shaky outing at Target Field in Minnesota.
It may be all the hype he recieved as possibly the new Jonathan Papelbon has painted a target on every single one of his 98 mph+ fastballs, but so far this season he has not looked good. Against Minnesota Michael Cuddyer welcomed Bard rudely by taking a meaty slider and hooking just over the fence in left.
He did settle down though. After allowing a double to Delmon Young, Bard was able to get pinch-hitting Jim Thome to pop out to Marco Scutaro to end the threat. The shakiness almost seemed contagious as Papelbon could not get through the ninth without having to face the game-tying run in the person of that same Michael Cuddyer.
Papelbon was noticeably low in his deliver to the plate; both in arm angle and in stature. He was getting a great push off of the rubber, but it seemed to be lowering his whole frame in his approach to the mound causing his fastball to dart low and moer importantly, giving a better view for the better.
Despite the mechanical problems, which resulted in two walks, Papelbon still battled through it and was able to finish off Cuddyer and the Twins almost exclusively on fastballs (the one split-fingered fastball was a wild pitch that travelled 58-feet before demolishing the dirt in front of the plate).
The news was not all bad: afterall, the Red Sox did get the win, Hideki Okajima came on to relieve John Lackey and got out of a bases loaded jam by forcing a pop-up out of the dangerous Justin Morneau, and Papelbon, despite having B- stuff on the mound, recorded the save without allowing a run.
It may have been ugly, but the Red Sox pulled out the win, and if its going to take ugly wins to get the ball rolling for the Red Sox, then the Sox will take all the ugly they can get. Plus, they are already well acquianted with ugly... they have Kevin Youkilis don't they?
John Lackey went 6 2/3 innings while allowing two runs, both earned to grab his first victory as a member of the Red Sox. After going six shut-out innings in his first start, but having the bats disappear, the bats made backed him up in his first away performance.
The Sox got some much needed offensive help from Dustin Pedroia who is coming to be known as "ol' reliable" for the sox (2-5 with a double and a home run). They also got some help from one of the new faces. Jeremy Hermida only roped one hit, but it was a big one; a bases clearing two-out double in the eight inning that put the Sox up 6-2.
They Sox needed the hit too as Daniel Bard's troubles in the eighth inning continued. After allowing the game winning hit two games ago against the Kansas City Royals, Bard had another shaky outing at Target Field in Minnesota.
It may be all the hype he recieved as possibly the new Jonathan Papelbon has painted a target on every single one of his 98 mph+ fastballs, but so far this season he has not looked good. Against Minnesota Michael Cuddyer welcomed Bard rudely by taking a meaty slider and hooking just over the fence in left.
He did settle down though. After allowing a double to Delmon Young, Bard was able to get pinch-hitting Jim Thome to pop out to Marco Scutaro to end the threat. The shakiness almost seemed contagious as Papelbon could not get through the ninth without having to face the game-tying run in the person of that same Michael Cuddyer.
Papelbon was noticeably low in his deliver to the plate; both in arm angle and in stature. He was getting a great push off of the rubber, but it seemed to be lowering his whole frame in his approach to the mound causing his fastball to dart low and moer importantly, giving a better view for the better.
Despite the mechanical problems, which resulted in two walks, Papelbon still battled through it and was able to finish off Cuddyer and the Twins almost exclusively on fastballs (the one split-fingered fastball was a wild pitch that travelled 58-feet before demolishing the dirt in front of the plate).
The news was not all bad: afterall, the Red Sox did get the win, Hideki Okajima came on to relieve John Lackey and got out of a bases loaded jam by forcing a pop-up out of the dangerous Justin Morneau, and Papelbon, despite having B- stuff on the mound, recorded the save without allowing a run.
It may have been ugly, but the Red Sox pulled out the win, and if its going to take ugly wins to get the ball rolling for the Red Sox, then the Sox will take all the ugly they can get. Plus, they are already well acquianted with ugly... they have Kevin Youkilis don't they?
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
"It's a Jump...To Conclusions Mat"
It's Early, but... They Kinda Suck
Red Sox Red Sox Red Sox.
The Red Sox and their players have one of the greatest fanbases in all of professional sports (I'm looking at you Manchester United). With that distinction comes a rabid fanbase and media scrutiny unlike anything most players have ever seen; John Lackey, after one start and six shut-out inning, might just be the greatest free-agent acquisition ever.
The fanbase knows how to overreact, and why not with the second highest pay-roll in the major leagues; the fans expect a great show when they tune into NESN for away games and an even greater show when they go to Fenway and sit in the ever-increasing pricey seats.
However, the Sox are off to unspectacular 3-4 start; losing two of three to the Yankees, at home, then taking two out of three at Kansas City (big whoop, except for the lone win came off of Zach Greinke), and just yesterday lost the Twins' home-opener (a true home opener as it was the first professional baseball game played at Target Fiend).
Like every year the starting lineup has some new faces (Marco Scutaro, Mike Cameron, even Victor Martinez is technically new) and old faces (David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis), but for some reason this team has come out of the blocks in unspectacular fashion. It could be a simple case of, "they haven't meshed yet" or "it's early, no time to overreact," and while that may be the case, it's how they have lost some of the early games that is cause for concern.
The Red Sox lost a game in which John Lackey went six shut-out innings, but the bullpen blew it in the eight and eventually the tenth, only scoring one run in those ten innings. They lost a great start by Tim Wakefield when the bullpen blew it in the eight, this time only scoring four runs. Then, just yesterday, they lost to Carl Pavano and the Twins 5-2 when the bats never really did get going; one of their two runs was on a warning track drive by Big Papi which bounced off the heal of left-fielder Delmon Young's glove.
The main concern for Red Sox fans coming into the season was "how are the bats going to hold up." Now I know you cannot expect 9 runs a game, but it's more than that; the Red Sox have no energy coming into the games and it seems that there is something missing from the entire team, with the exception of Papi (who despite the atrocious start, 3-22 with 11 Ks, is still playing with passion; see, eighth career ejection), Youk, Pedey, and when he plays, Jason Varitek.
It is not that the new players do not yet understand how to mesh with the veteran Red Sox, its that they don't understand when you play for the Red Sox, you are expected to bring the intensity everyday. Red Sox fans can take losing (see, the 1900s), but what they cannot take is players that do not come prepared with energy everyday; the fans cannot take players thinking the Red Sox are like every other average, run of the mill baseball team because Red Sox fans, in the 2000s, have come to expect anything but average from their players.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Playing The Role to Perfection
Jason Varitek Showing Early on He Can be a Backup
Having to sit the first four games for Red Sox Captain Jason Varitek could not have been a good feeling. After being the Red Sox primary catcher since 1999 Varitek took on the role of backup catcher having to take the back seat to a less efficient defensive catcher, but a much more potent offensive catcher in Victor Martinez.
The common consensus before the season was that Varitek would catch the majority of Josh Beckett's games, like a specialty catcher, because of the problems that Martinez and Beckett had meshing last season. He would also spell Martinez when needed and start when it appeared that a certain pitcher needed the help and influence of the veteran catcher labelled by many as the best pitch caller in the majors.
His first start did not get off to a stellar beginning; Beckett allowed a run in the first inning and Varitek's first at-bat against Zach Greinke ended like many last year, with him staring at a tw0-seamer that finished right down the heart of the plate.
But Varitek is a veteran and did not want his first start of the season to fizzle out. After Jeremy Hermida homered to tie the game in the fifth inning, Varitek took the next pitch into the bullpens in right. But Varitek was not done.
In the ninth inning, with the Red Sox clinging to a 5-3 lead, Varitek, who was batting again from the left side, the side many people thought the switch-hitting catcher could no longer do any damage, took a meaty change-up from reliever Luis Mendoza and handed a nice souvenir to a lucky fan in right. Dustin Pedroia finished off the scoring with a two-run homer later in the inning to make it 8-3 and the Red Sox took the second game of this three game series.
And of Varitek and his role as backup catcher? He still preaches the same values of catching that made him a mainstay behind the dish over the past decade, "My focus obviously was Josh and what has to go on there," said the veteran catcher, but he was not complaining about the offensive spurt, "It's nice to contribute, absolutely. Both swings, I was able to get the good part of the bat on the ball. The ball was carrying a little bit to the right."
So Varitek, who spends the majority of his time watching films of opposing batters, not pitchers, knows his role, and although it is only one start into his 2010 season, sure looks like he is fitting perfectly into that role.
(Portions of this article came from Associated Press articles)
Saturday, April 10, 2010
This Feels Familiar
Sox Bullpen Blows Another One
In movie theaters right now you can check out "Hot Tub Time Machine," and if you get NESN or know anyway to watch or listen to Red Sox baseball, you can tune into "Red Sox Bullpen Time Machine." Watching the Red Sox right now is like taking a time machine back to the 1990's and the years of the bullpen by committee.
The Red Sox are 1-3, and last night spoiled another great effort by a starter, this time though it was an old face, a very, very, very old face the bullpen collapsed for. With his first knuckleball to David DeJesus in the bottom of the first inning, Tim Wakefield became the oldest starting pitcher in Red Sox history (43 years, seven months and seven days to be exact).
The knuckleballer who was born on August 2, 1966, has been the model of consistency for the Red Sox. Whenever he steps on the mound I always pencil him in for six innings, and three to five runs.
More times than not he proves me wrong; like last night's outing where he went seven innings, striking out six and only making two mistakes: a 73 mph four seamer in the sixth to Billy Butler that was nothing more than a batting practice pitch, which Butler kindy deposited into the left field stands, and the next pitch, a 63 mph knuckleball to Rick Ankiel (yes, that Rick Ankiel) which landed fair and in the bleachers down the right field line.
Besides those two pitches Wakefield was phenomenal; he allowed just those two runs through his seven innings, and most importantly, only needing 98 pitches to do so. That is now two strong starts in a row for Red Sox pitching; Wakefield's performance came on the heels of a six-inning shutout performance by John Lackey who needed 100 pitches to do so.
With the travel day between games the Red Sox bullpen did not need the help, at least that's what the common consensus was until the Red Sox bullpen took the ball in the eighth.
Holding on to the 3-2 lead Hideki Okajima allowed a leadoff double, but got the next batter out when Terry Francona called on Daniel Bard to get the final two outs. Bard allowed a walk, got the next out, and with runners on second and third allowed a broken bat single to Ankiel who sawed the pitch into left and the lackluster arm of Jacoby Ellsbury.
Just like that a 3-2 lead turned into a 4-3 deficit and a great pitching performance by the oldest starting pitcher in Red Sox history, vanished. It was the bullpen's third straight loss (second straight blown save for Daniel Bard) and stopped Wakefield from gaining his 190th win (176th win the Red Sox), which would put him just 16 wins shy of the all-time Red Sox record owned by Roger Clemens and Cy Young.
But most importantly, that third straight loss by the bullpen is harkening back images (nightmares?) of the days of Heathcliff Slocumb and the Bullpen by Committee when Red Sox fans knew that they were in for a roller coaster ride once the starter was out. The problem here is hard to grasp; Francona has two legitimate set-up men in Okajima and Bard, but right now he has them splitting the eighth, and it just seems that both are uncomfortable knowing that neither owns the inning and that at the slightest trouble, one will go in for the other.
The Red Sox most impressive bullpen season in recent memory was in 2007 when it was Okajima in the eighth and Papelbon in the ninth, and until this question of "who owns the eighth?" is resolved, you can be assured the bullpen struggles will continue.
No matter "whodunit" in the latest bullpen collapse of this very early season, the saddest thing is to see another chance at history dance away from Tim Wakefield and the Red Sox. Here's to hoping that the man who has done everything for the Red Sox over the past 16 years starts to get some help from his bullpen... Oh yeah, one more thing; did we mention he has 22 saves as a Red Sox pitcher?
Friday, April 9, 2010
Tiger is Still Tiger
Masters and PGA Breathe Sigh of Relief
When Tiger Woods held his press conference earlier in the week my first reaction was, "Hmmmm, he's got a goatee, this is gonna be badass Tiger... Awesome."
But then... he scared the golf world, "I am actually going to try and obviously not get as hot when I play," confessed Woods, "But then again, when I -- not as hot, I'm not going to be as exuberant, either."
As people started to move to the next question, you could almost hear everyone at the Masters and PGA scream out, "NOOOOOOOOO."
Tiger Woods makes golf exciting. I'll write that again, Tiger Woods makes Golf... GOLF, exciting. The purists out there will tell you that golf is exciting no matter who is playing, but Woods makes golf exciting to the average sports fan.
Woods is why golfers are now making more money than they ever thought possible. It is easy to understand why golfers are angry with Woods; if Woods goes, so does almost all of the money he brought with him.
Anxiety set in for PGA officials, even after he nailed his opening drive down the middle of the fairway, just waiting for a sign, any sign, good or bad, that the old Tiger is lurking.
The moment came on the eighth hole. His blind approach shot stopped within 30 feet, and after nailing the eagle pump, Tiger roared; he pumped his fist, albeit, a little subdued, but still, the same emotional Tiger. he finished his day at four under, his best opening round at the Masters, and more importantly, just two shots behind the leader.
No matter what happens between now and the end of the Masters on Sunday, the fact that the old Tiger is out there, stalking his prey, is good for everybody: the man, the golfer, his fans and of course, the PGA officials who were "embarrassed" by his actions.
When Tiger Woods held his press conference earlier in the week my first reaction was, "Hmmmm, he's got a goatee, this is gonna be badass Tiger... Awesome."
But then... he scared the golf world, "I am actually going to try and obviously not get as hot when I play," confessed Woods, "But then again, when I -- not as hot, I'm not going to be as exuberant, either."
As people started to move to the next question, you could almost hear everyone at the Masters and PGA scream out, "NOOOOOOOOO."
Tiger Woods makes golf exciting. I'll write that again, Tiger Woods makes Golf... GOLF, exciting. The purists out there will tell you that golf is exciting no matter who is playing, but Woods makes golf exciting to the average sports fan.
Woods is why golfers are now making more money than they ever thought possible. It is easy to understand why golfers are angry with Woods; if Woods goes, so does almost all of the money he brought with him.
Anxiety set in for PGA officials, even after he nailed his opening drive down the middle of the fairway, just waiting for a sign, any sign, good or bad, that the old Tiger is lurking.
The moment came on the eighth hole. His blind approach shot stopped within 30 feet, and after nailing the eagle pump, Tiger roared; he pumped his fist, albeit, a little subdued, but still, the same emotional Tiger. he finished his day at four under, his best opening round at the Masters, and more importantly, just two shots behind the leader.
No matter what happens between now and the end of the Masters on Sunday, the fact that the old Tiger is out there, stalking his prey, is good for everybody: the man, the golfer, his fans and of course, the PGA officials who were "embarrassed" by his actions.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Don't Call Me Cinderella
Underdog? Sure. Overmatched? Maybe. Cinderella? Absolutely not.
The most uttered phrase from the National Championship game between Butler and Duke was "cinderella." The problem? Butler is not a cinderella team. Sure, are they from a "mid-major" conference? Yes, asbolutely. But are they a team nobody heard about before the start of the season? No, not at all.
Butler started the season ranked 10th in the ESPN/USA Today Poll and 11th in the Associated Press Poll. So a team that began the season in the top ten is a surprise contestant in the national championship game? Please. I know writers everywhere are searching for great story-lines, but what many people lose is perspective. Many people in this day and age label every game they watch as a "David versus Goliath" match-up or as "the best game ever."
By saying that a team ranked in the top eleven of both national pre-season polls is a cinderella is to say that any team no ranked #1 in the pre-season poll is a cinderella. A simple math quiz; If Butler is number eleven, how many teams in the country would NOT be the underdog when matched up against Butler? Class... Bueller... Gooooood, ten, ten is the answer. That means all but ten teams are the underdog when going up against Butler.
I know what you're saying, "But that's the pre-season poll, they mean nothing... Hell, UNC was ranked sixth in the pre-season." Good point. But, pray tell, where was Duke ranked in those same pre-season polls? Eight in the ESPN/USA Today, ten in the AP... right in front of Tennessee and West Virginia, respectively. Where did those two end up, one losing in the last second in the Elite Eight and the other losing to Duke in the Final Four. And they say pre-season polls do not mean anything.
Butler... Great story, tough team, great defense, atrocious offense for the most part, but in the words of DMX, "what's my name?" Bulldog? Mid-Major, Underdog? Sure, but stay away from Cinderella.
The most uttered phrase from the National Championship game between Butler and Duke was "cinderella." The problem? Butler is not a cinderella team. Sure, are they from a "mid-major" conference? Yes, asbolutely. But are they a team nobody heard about before the start of the season? No, not at all.
Butler started the season ranked 10th in the ESPN/USA Today Poll and 11th in the Associated Press Poll. So a team that began the season in the top ten is a surprise contestant in the national championship game? Please. I know writers everywhere are searching for great story-lines, but what many people lose is perspective. Many people in this day and age label every game they watch as a "David versus Goliath" match-up or as "the best game ever."
By saying that a team ranked in the top eleven of both national pre-season polls is a cinderella is to say that any team no ranked #1 in the pre-season poll is a cinderella. A simple math quiz; If Butler is number eleven, how many teams in the country would NOT be the underdog when matched up against Butler? Class... Bueller... Gooooood, ten, ten is the answer. That means all but ten teams are the underdog when going up against Butler.
I know what you're saying, "But that's the pre-season poll, they mean nothing... Hell, UNC was ranked sixth in the pre-season." Good point. But, pray tell, where was Duke ranked in those same pre-season polls? Eight in the ESPN/USA Today, ten in the AP... right in front of Tennessee and West Virginia, respectively. Where did those two end up, one losing in the last second in the Elite Eight and the other losing to Duke in the Final Four. And they say pre-season polls do not mean anything.
Butler... Great story, tough team, great defense, atrocious offense for the most part, but in the words of DMX, "what's my name?" Bulldog? Mid-Major, Underdog? Sure, but stay away from Cinderella.
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