July 31, 2013

G109: Red Sox 5, Mariners 4 (15)

Mariners - 000 102 010 000 000 - 4 16  2
Red Sox  - 000 020 200 000 001 - 5 12  0
Stephen Drew's two-out, bases-loaded single vaulted the Red Sox back into first place. It was Boston's 10th walk-off win of the season.

Left fielder Jonny Gomes recorded an unassisted double play in the top of the 15th inning.
To tell you the truth, I've been waiting years to do that. I've never had one and I've never seen one. So that's why I'm glad I've got it on my resume.
Example
Hisashi Iwakuma / John Lackey
Ellsbury, CF
Victorino, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Saltalamacchia, C
Carp, LF
Drew, SS
Holt, 3B

Red Sox Get Jake Peavy For Iglesias & Three Prospects

The Red Sox acquired right-hander Jake Peavy, 32, in a three-team trade with the White Sox and Tigers.

Boston will send shortstop Jose Iglesias and three low-level prospects - right-handers Francelis Montas and J.B. Wendelken and infielder Cleuluis Rondonto - to the White Sox. The Red Sox also picked up minor league pitcher Brayan Villarreal as part of the deal.

Peavy has a 4.28 ERA in 13 starts with Chicago.  His ERA+ is 100 - exactly league average.

ESPN's Dave Schoenfield says the Red Sox picked up Peavy cheaply.

Globe:
Analysis: Sox Needed Peavy To Match Rays

The Many Side Effects Of The Peavy Deal

Cherington: Peavy Made The Most Sense
WEEI:
Ben Cherington Talks Jake Peavy Trade, Jose Iglesias, Possible Infield Additions

What Red Sox Gave Up For Jake Peavy: Breaking Down Prospect Package
Herald:
Jake Peavy Instant Upgrade For Red Sox
Fangraphs:
Red Sox Gain Peavy, Lose Little

July 30, 2013

G108: Red Sox 8, Mariners 2

Mariners - 100 000 001 - 2  8  1
Red Sox  - 230 100 02x - 8 11  0
Boston got home runs from Dustin Pedroia (2-for-4, 3 RBI, 2 runs scored), Jarrod Saltalamacchia (2-for-4, 2 RBI), and Jacoby Ellsbury.

Brandon Workman (6-6-1-1-9, 103) picked up the first victory of his career. In each of his first three major league starts, he has pitched at least six innings and allowed two runs or fewer. The last Red Sox pitcher to do that was Rick Jones in 1976.

Shane Victorino went 3-for-4 and scored three times.

Example
Joe Saunders / Brandon Workman
Ellsbury, CF
Victorino, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Saltalamacchia, C
Gomes, LF
Drew, SS
Iglesias,3B
Two articles:

Gordon Edes (ESPNBoston) on the late George Scott: "Not A Happy Ending For Boomer".

Alex Skillin (Beyond the Box Score): "Felix Doubront And Jon Lester Embrace The Changeup".

July 29, 2013

RIP George "Boomer" Scott

George Scott, one of my favourite Red Sox players, died on Sunday in Greenville, Mississippi, at the age of 69.

In 1977, the first season of Scott's second stint with the Red Sox, the 13-year-old me sent a letter to the team asking for Scott's autograph. About six weeks later, a signed photo arrived. I still have the picture and the envelope it came in.

That season was one I remember as a great deal of fun. Scott mashed 33 taters for a homer-happy Red Sox club that won 97 games and finished in second place.

The card at left is from that summer and shows the Boomer wearing his necklace of what he claimed were second basemen's teeth.

Here is SoSH's thread on Scott.

[Also: Frank Castillo, who pitched for the Red Sox in 2001, 2002 and 2004, drowned on Sunday. He was 44.]

G107: Rays 2, Red Sox 1

Rays    - 000 110 000 - 2  9  0
Red Sox - 000 001 000 - 1  5  0
David Price (7.1-2-1-0-8, 90) stymied the Red Sox for the second time in six days and the Rays moved back into first place, one-half game ahead of Boston.

Brandon Snyder homered for the Red Sox.

A blown call prevented the Red Sox from tying the game in the eighth.

Ian Browne, MLB:
Ryan Lavarnway doubled off the scoreboard in left. Stephen Drew followed with a double just over the head of right fielder Wil Myers. Pinch-runner Daniel Nava held up in case it was caught, and could only advance to third.

Brandon Snyder followed with a fly ball to left-center that looked deep enough to tie the game. But Sam Fuld's throw to the plate nailed Nava, though television replays appeared to show Nava might have gotten his foot in before the tag was applied by catcher Jose Molina. Manager John Farrell argued the call with home-plate umpire Jerry Meals and was ejected.
Meals admitted he blew the call after the game.

Example
David Price / Felix Doubront
Ellsbury, CF
Victorino, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Gomes, LF
Lavarnway, C
Drew, SS
Snyder, 3B
This the make-up of last Thursday's rainout. Note the early starting time.

Last Wednesday, Price pitched a complete-game five-hitter against the Red Sox. (Doubront - 2.36 ERA in July - opposed him in that game, too.) In his five starts since coming off the disabled list, Price has walked only one batter in 41 innings, while striking out 27.

July 28, 2013

G106: Red Sox 5, Orioles 0

Red Sox - 102 000 020 - 5 10  1
Orioles - 000 000 000 - 0  5  0
Jon Lester (7-4-0-2-8, 99) threw seven shutout innings and David Ortiz went 4-for-4, including a two-run home run in the third inning.

It was Ortiz's second four-hit game of the season. (He went 4-for-5 on July 9.) Flo is now batting .329.

Ortiz also scored two runs. Three other Sox had two hits: Jacoby Ellsbury, Mike Napoli, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia. ... Napoli's double scored Shane Victorino in the first inning. Salty's two-run single in the eighth added some insurance.

The Yankees beat the Rays 6-5, so the Red Sox are back in first place. ... Boston plays Tampa Bay tomorrow in the make-up of Thursday's rainout.
Example
Jon Lester / Jason Hammel
Ellsbury, CF
Victorino, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Carp, LF
Saltalamacchia, C
Drew, SS
Iglesias, 3B

July 27, 2013

G105: Red Sox 7, Orioles 3

Red Sox - 001 302 100 - 7 10  0
Orioles - 000 011 010 - 3  9  0
Stephen Drew went 3-for-4, with two home runs and three runs scored. He tied a career-high with five RBI.

Mike Carp also went 3-for-4. Shane Victorino homered and drove in two runs. Jarrod Saltalamacchia scored twice.

David Ortiz got very angry in the seventh inning. He was upset at a high 3-0 pitch that was called a strike. He eventually struck out in the at-bat and then - showing some surprising talent as a switch-hitter - destroyed the dugout phone with a bat. Then he wished home plate umpire Tim Timmons a happy birthday.


Boston stayed 0.5 GB Tampa Bay, who two-hit the Yankees this afternoon 1-0. New York is 8 GB!
Example
Ryan Dempster / Scott Feldman
Ellsbury, CF
Victorino, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Carp, LF
Saltalamacchia, C
Drew, SS
Iglesias, 3B

Saturday Reading

Gabe Kapler: Stats 101: Why It's Time To Re-Educate Players In Meaningful Statistics (WEEI)

Team Player: For Dustin Pedroia, Contract Represented Desire To Let Red Sox Build A Winner (WEEI)

Are The 2013 Yankees The Worst Right-Hand Hitting Team Of All-Time? (Baseball Prospectus)

The New York Yankees And Never Selling (SB Nation)

July 22, 1986: Baseball's Craziest Game? (Hardball Times)
Example
hey mcdonald's: the working poor don't need financial advice or higher banking costs. they need higher wages. (wmtc)

July 26, 2013

G104: Orioles 6, Red Sox 0

Red Sox - 000 000 000 - 0  4  1
Orioles - 201 010 11x - 6 10  0
Boston's hitting woes continued against Tillman (7-2-0-3-8, 15) and two relievers. Jacoby Ellsbury had a single and a double, and Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz both singled.

In their ten games, the Red Sox are hitting .213, with an on-base percentage of only .268.

Boston loaded the bases in the first inning with two outs, but Daniel Nava struck out. The Red Sox got only one runner to second base over the next eight innings.

With the Rays beating the Yankees 10-6, Boston fell into second place for the first time since May 25.
Example
John Lackey / Chris Tillman
Ellsbury, CF
Victorino, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Nava, LF
Saltalamacchia, C
Drew, SS
Iglesias, 3B
Boston leads the East by one-half game over Tampa Bay and four games over the Orioles.

The Rays are in New York, playing the Yankees, who are 6.5 GB (Hellickson/Sabathaia).

Last night's rainout will be played on Monday, July 29.

The rotation is now Lackey, Ryan Dempster, and Jon Lester against the Orioles, Felix Doubront in the makeup game on Monday, and Brandon Workman against Seattle on Tuesday.

July 25, 2013

G104: Rays at Red Sox, Postponed, Rain

Rays    - 
Red Sox - 
Jeremy Hellickson / John Lackey
Ellsbury, CF
Victorino, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Saltalamacchia, C
Gomes, LF
Drew, SS
Iglesias, 3B
Example

July 24, 2013

G103: Rays 5, Red Sox 1

Rays    - 003 000 020 - 5 11  0
Red Sox - 000 000 100 - 1  5  1
The Price Was Right: 9-5-1-0-4, 97

Doubront: 6.2-6-3-2-5, 104

Mike Napoli doubled and homered. It was Napoli's third home run in his last four games. Napoli has ten extra-base hits (four doubles, one triple, five homers) in his last 14 games.

Shane Victorino had two hits and David Ortiz had one.
Example
David Price / Felix Doubront
Ellsbury, CF
Victorino, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Gomes, LF
Drew, SS
Saltalamacchia, C
Iglesias, 3B

July 23, 2013

G102: Red Sox 6, Rays 2

Rays    - 010 001 000 - 2  7  1
Red Sox - 011 010 03x - 6 12  0
Roberto Hernandez / Jon Lester
Victorino, CF
Nava, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Carp, LF
Saltalamacchia, C
Drew, SS
Iglesias, 3B
Example

Pedroia, Red Sox Agree To 7-Year Extension (2015-21)

Rob Bradford, WEEI:
According to a baseball source, the Red Sox and second baseman Dustin Pedroia have agreed to a seven-year, worth approximately $100 million extension that will begin following the final guaranteed year of his current deal. Pedroia is currently in the midst of six-year, $40.5 million deal that carries a team option for 2015.

The deal, according to the source, carries a full no-trade clause.
The new contract - which will average roughly $14.3/season - runs through 2021, at which time Pedroia will be 38 years old.

Read Pedroia's comments on the deal here.

July 22, 2013

G101: Rays 3, Red Sox 0

Rays    - 100 010 001 - 3  8  0
Red Sox - 000 000 000 - 0  2  0
Moore (9-2-0-1-4, 109) allowed only three baserunners:

2nd inning - Mike Napoli one-out single
5th inning - Mike Napoli leadoff walk
7th inning - David Ortiz two-out single

Only Ortiz advanced to second.

How dominant was Moore? This much.

Workman: 6-7-2-2-4, 103.

The Rays closed to within one-half game in the AL East.
Example
Matt Moore / Brandon Workman
Ellsbury, CF
Victorino, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Gomes, LF
Lavarnway, C
Snyder, 3B
Iglesias, SS
Tampa Bay (58-41) arrives in Fenway for an important four-game series. The Rays are red-hot, having won 17 of their last 19 games. However, they are only 3-9 against Boston this season. Tampa Bay is 1.5 GB the Red Sox (60-40) in the AL East.

The other three games:
Tuesday: Roberto Hernandez / Jon Lester, 7 PM
Wednesday: David Price / Felix Doubront, 7 PM
Thursday: Jeremy Hellickson / John Lackey, 7 PM

July 21, 2013

G100: Red Sox 8, Yankees 7 (11)

Yankees - 210 002 200 00 - 7 13  1
Red Sox - 004 210 000 01 - 8 11  3
Mike Napoli's second home run of the night won the game with two outs in the eleventh inning.

David Ortiz stole his fourth base of the season - a career-high - in the sixth inning. Ortiz is 4-for-4 in steals this year.
Example
CC Sabathia / Ryan Dempster
Ellsbury, CF
Victorino, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Gomes, LF
Saltalamacchia, C
Drew, SS
Iglesias, 3B
Jon Lester was scheduled to make this start, but he has been pushed back to Tuesday against Tampa Bay.

July 20, 2013

G99: Yankees 5, Red Sox 2

Yankees - 000 010 301 - 5 12  1
Red Sox - 000 000 200 - 2  7  1
Hiroki Kuroda / John Lackey
Ellsbury, CF
Nava, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Carp, 1B
Gomes, LF
Saltalamacchia, C
Drew, SS
Iglesias, 3B
Example
The Daily News reports on Friday's 4-2 Boston win:

July 19, 2013

G98: Red Sox 4, Yankees 2

Yankees - 000 110 000 - 2  5  0
Red Sox - 120 000 10x - 4  8  1
Jacoby Ellsbury and Jonny Gomes hit early home runs and Felix Doubront (6.1-3-2-3-5, 93) stifled the New York bats.

The Yankees fell to 7.0 GB the Red Sox.
Example
Andy Pettitte / Felix Doubront
Ellsbury, CF
Victorino, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Gomes, LF
Saltalamacchia, C
Snyder, 3B
Iglesias, SS
Andrew Bailey has been placed on the disabled list, with Jose De La Torre filling his spot in the bullpen. Also: the Red Sox have signed Jose Contreras and Brandon Lyon to minor league contracts and assigned both pitchers to Pawtucket.

The weekend match-ups:
Saturday: Hiroki Kuroda / John Lackey, 4 PM
Sunday: CC Sabathia / Jon Lester, 8 PM
         ALE   W   L   PCT   GB   RS   RA  DIF EXP-WL
Red Sox  1st  58  39  .598  ---  498  407  +91  57-40
Yankees  4th  51  44  .537  6.0  373  375  - 2  47-48
Example
Dave Robertson:
We're in fourth, but we are only six games back. We can turn that around real quick ... We are still the Yankees and I think that that gives us an edge.
But Joe Girardi has already thrown in the towel!

July 18, 2013

Derek Lowe Retires

Derek Lowe:
I'm officially no longer going to play the game. ... . I'm not going to go to the Hall of Fame, so I don't feel like I need to have a retirement speech. But I was able to play 17 years on some pretty cool teams and win a World Series.
Lowe spent parts of eight seasons with the Red Sox. He came over from Seattle in one of Boston's greatest trades in 1997, saved 42 games in 2000, threw a no-hitter and won 21 games in 2002, threw one of the most filthiest breaking pitches I've ever seen to end the 2003 ALDS, and was one of The 25 in 2004. (wiki)

July 17, 2013

Media Moron Of The Day: Adam Kaufman (Globe)

If you do not have the time or inclination to read Adam Kaufman's latest column - Clay Buchholz's Frame Of Mind Is Concerning - I will summarize:
Clay Buchholz - who probably is not injured as badly as he claims - should shut up, stop acting like a pussy, and pitch.

Blue Jays Broadcasts Superimpose Ads On Playing Field

Sportsnet, the network that broadcasts Toronto Blue Jays games, has found a new way to assault us with advertising during baseball games - crudely superimposing company logos on the field!

Business Insider:
Sportsnet is now placing advertisements on one of the last remaining ad-free areas of a sporting event, the playing surface. Unless Major League Baseball steps in, the fans' views of baseball games is about to be a lot less appealing.

The ads ... are not actually on the Rogers Centre turf. Instead, they are superimposed on the screen, a distinction that means little for the fans watching at home. ...

Hopefully MLB will step in and put a stop to this. But if the revenue stream is significant and fans don't scream and yell, it is probably here to stay and going to get worse.



First seen at The Hardball Times.

July 15, 2013

Drying Out

The biggest potential casualty of our basement flood last Monday - a month's worth of rain fell in only two hours - evening was my cache of newspapers from the October 2004 post-season.

I lived in New York at the time, so I bought copies of the Times, Daily News, Post, and Newsday. A kind SoSHer in Boston saved daily copies of the Globe and Herald for me. Why I kept these newspapers in a cardboard box in the back of a storage closet and not with my other 2004 stuff (in a much safer and easily accessible location) I still am not sure.

In my haste to get dry stuff out of the flood area as the water was rushing in, I grabbed some boxes (some partially-submerged) from that storage area and put them on top of our washer and dryer. One box I put on top of some towels in an empty sink between the appliances. On Tuesday and Wednesday, I ignored those boxes while I packed up books and other items and carried them to a spare room on the second floor. On Wednesday evening, our landlord came over to inspect the hot water heater and I noticed that the box in the sink was half-submerged in water - water that had come up through the drain (?) during the storm. After the landlord left, I lifted the extremely heavy box out of the water. In looking through its contents, I realized that the 2004 papers were in that box. (Before this, I thought they were in some other boxes I had kept on top of a file cabinet. I later discovered those were papers from 2003, a decidedly less important post-season.)

The 2004 newspapers had been sitting in water for roughly 48 hours. They were clearly ruined. However, because I had also saved hundreds of post-season stories to my hard drive* nearly nine years ago, I (somewhat) accepted this loss. Or maybe I was simply stunned. Laura suggested I carry the wet papers out to the garage until we could decide what to do. On Thursday, I brought some of the papers out to the backyard on a whim. It was a hot day and I laid out some pages in the grass and weighed them down with coins. To my surprise, they dried fairly quickly!

So that is what I have been doing for three afternoons. Lay out soggy pages of newsprint, weigh them down with forks, spoons, and knives - the coins were not heavy enough - and then gather them up 20-30 minutes later. My papers are no longer in superb condition, but they still exist.

*: If I had not saved all those articles, I would have taken the papers out months ago, to use for research for my 2004 book . . . the manuscript for which is due in what feels like approximately four hours.
Example
Please read:

Jonah Keri, Grantland: "The 2013 Red Sox: Don't Call It a Comeback":
So, what changed? Which dramatic, next-to-impossible events unfolded that took the Red Sox from one of the darkest periods in the history of the franchise all the way back to the top of the heap? Turns out, not that many. They did make one monumental trade, of course, one that cleared a huge sum of money off the payroll. That deal aside, the Red Sox used a patient, incremental approach to become a first-place team again. Sometimes the best thing you can do after a disaster is just wait for your luck to turn.
Alex Speier, WEEI: "Nearing The End Of The Bridge? Red Sox Are Nearing Realization Of A Longstanding Ambition":
All of that suggests a promising time for the Red Sox. The team has not only been performing as the best team in the American League to date but also appears to be positioning itself, given its upper-levels talent base, to sustain ambitions of contention for some time to come. ...

The Sox have not arrived at their intended destination -- the next great Red Sox team about which general manager Ben Cherington talked often this pastoffseason -- but they are strikingly close to the end of the bridge to get there.
Example
Game Thread Mojo Meter (As Of 2013 All-Star Break)
               W   L   PCT
fusionmouse    4   1  .800
fenfan        26   9  .743
allan         17  14  .548
Maxwell Horse  9  10  .474
laura          2   4  .333
kathryn        0   1  .000

July 14, 2013

G97: Athletics 3, Red Sox 2 (11)

Red Sox   - 000 001 100 00 - 2  9  1
Athletics - 000 000 200 01 - 3  5  0
Workman (6.1-2-2-1-5, 103) retired the first 10 Oakland batters and did not allow a hit until Coco Crisp led off the seventh inning with a single.

Newly-acquired reliever Matt Thornton walked Chris Young to start the eleventh. After a sacrifice bunt and a ground out, Thornton walked Derek Norris and gave up a single to Josh Donaldson, who drove in all three Oakland runs. His two-run dong in the seventh ended Workman's afternoon.

Jacoby Ellsbury had three hits and Dustin Pedroia had two. FY and Brock Holt drove in Boston's runs.

The Red Sox go into the All-Star break with a 58-39 record (only 11 fewer wins than they had all of last season!). The Red Sox lead the Rays by 2.5 games. Next game: Friday night at Fenway against the Yankees (6.0 GB).
Example
Brandon Workman / Bartolo Colon
Ellsbury, CF
Nava, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Gomes, LF
Carp, 1B
Lavarnway, C
Holt, 3B
Iglesias, SS
Workman, a 24-year-old right-hander, will make his first major league start. He pitched two innings on July 10, allowing three runs in two innings in his MLB debut.

The Red Sox have optioned Jackie Bradley to Pawtucket and called up Drake Britton.

July 13, 2013

G96: Athletics 3, Red Sox 0

Red Sox   - 000 000 000 - 0  7  0
Athletics - 000 011 10x - 3  8  1
A.J. Griffin (8-6-0-1-3, 110) wiggled out of several jams and stayed away from the long ball, two keys to success that Lester (6.1-6-3-3-4, 100) was unable to accomplish.

Derek Norris took Lester deep to left in the fifth to put Oakland on the board. A walk and two singles brought in another run in the sixth. Lester was pulled after allowing a single and walk in the seventh, and Junichi Tazawa allowed one of those inherited runners to score.

Boston had men on base in seven of the nine innings, and left a total of eight men on base. The Red Sox's best chances to score came in the fourth - when Mike Napoli doubled with one out - and the sixth - when they had first and third and two outs. But Napoli was stranded at second as Daniel Nava lined to left and Jarrod Saltalamacchia flied to center. In the sixth, Salty flied to left to strand two runners.

Shane Victorino singled twice and stole a base. Napoli also had two hits.
Example
Jon Lester / A.J. Griffin
Ellsbury, CF
Victorino, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Nava, LF
Saltalamacchia, C
Iglesias, SS
Holt, 3B
After learning that Andrew Miller would be out of the season with a left foot injury, the Red Sox traded for left-handed reliever Matt Thornton (formerly of the White Sox). Miller was moved to the 60-day DL. (Ben Cherington discusses the deal.)

With a scoreless eighth inning last night in relief of John Lackey, Andrew Bailey has pitched 5.1 scoreless innings in his last four outings, allowing two hits and striking out seven.

July 12, 2013

G95: Red Sox 4, Athletics 2

Red Sox   - 020 000 020 - 4  6  1
Athletics - 000 011 000 - 2  3  2
Example
John Lackey / Jarrod Parker
Ellsbury, CF
Victorino, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Nava, LF
Saltalamacchia, C
Iglesias, SS
Holt, 3B

Schadenfreude 163 (A Continuing Series)

Mark Feinsand, Daily News:
Jeter, who started as the designated hitter and batted second, was pinch-hit for in the eighth inning after feeling tightness in his right quad after his third at-bat in the fifth inning. The Yankees sent him for an MRI to determine the extent of the injury, although results were not expected to be announced until Friday.
Bill Madden, Daily News:
When, in his next scheduled at-bat, in the eighth inning, Jeter was nowhere to be seen in the Yankee dugout and Brett Gardner, who was on the bench because of his own right lower leg injury, was sent up to pinch-hit, you could almost hear the collective "uh-oh" throughout the Stadium. Maybe it was because he'd gotten only 2½ hours' sleep after driving back from Scranton Wilkes-Barre to New York in the wee hours Thursday, but Jeter seemed to have an air of resignation about him as he addressed the media afterward, detailing the strained quad he had suffered, apparently after his third at-bat. He had undergone an MRI, the results of which weren't known yet, and whether his return to action will be short-lived was uncertain.
Joel Sherman, Post:
The Yankees keep waiting for the cavalry, except the cavalry keeps breaking down. They never get whole, they just hit another hole. Strains, sprains and pains — and few gains.


The Yankees are in fourth place, 6 GB the Red Sox, who lead the majors with 57 wins.

July 11, 2013

G94: Red Sox 8, Mariners 7 (10)

Red Sox  - 100 330 000 1 - 8 10  2
Mariners - 041 200 000 0 - 7 12  0
Example
Ryan Dempster / Erasmo Ramirez
Ellsbury, CF
Nava, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Gomes, LF
Carp, 1B
Lavarnway, C
Holt, 3B
Iglesias, SS

July 10, 2013

G93: Red Sox 11, Mariners 4

Red Sox  - 022 104 002 - 11 12  0
Mariners - 000 000 130 -  4  9  1
Example
Felix Doubront / Aaron Harang

July 9, 2013

G92: Red Sox 11, Mariners 8

Red Sox  - 015 110 030 - 11 16  0
Mariners - 232 000 010 -  8 13  0
Example
Allen Webster / Hisashi Iwakuma
Nava, LF
Victorino, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Saltalamacchia, C
Iglesias, SS
Holt, 3B
Bradley, CF
Roster Moves:
Alex Wilson to the DL, Jose De La Torre sent to Pawtucket.
Jackie Bradley and Brandon Workman called up.

High Water Everywhere

Some of you may remember when my basement office flooded back in August 2009. ... Well, it happened again. And this time was far worse.

We watched helplessly as water/sewage came gushing out of the basement toilet for roughly an hour yesterday evening, eventually reaching a depth of nearly a foot. Early on, the power went out - which was perhaps good in one respect, as it saved me from seeing what I was slogging around in trying to get various items to higher ground.

Today I have been packing up dry books and papers and carrying them up two floors to a spare room upstairs. It's excellent exercise. ... I am relieved that my computer and hard drives are all right and that I was able to rescue all of my 2004 manuscript folders and files.

Our house was merely one blip on the map, as the entire Greater Toronto Area experienced serious flooding.

July 8, 2013

G91: Mariners 11, Red Sox 4

Red Sox  - 000 020 020 -  4 10  1
Mariners - 000 213 41x - 11 15  0
Example
Jon Lester / Felix Hernandez

Boston - with a 4.5-game lead over the Rays and Orioles in the AL East - opens a four-game series in Seattle tonight.
Tuesday: Allen Webster / Hisashi Iwakuma, 10 PM
Wednesday: Felix Doubront / Aaron Harang, 10 PM
Thursday: Ryan Dempster / Jeremy Bonderman, 3:30 PM

July 7, 2013

G90: Angels 3, Red Sox 0

Red Sox - 000 000 000 - 0  5  0
Angels  - 100 010 01x - 3  7  1
Example
John Lackey / Jered Weaver
Ellsbury, CF
Nava, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Carp, LF
Lavarnway, C
Holt, 3B
Iglesias, SS
Andrew Miller injured his left foot in last night's game. He has been placed on the disabled list, with Alfredo Aceves getting the call-up from Pawtucket.

Sunday Links


Feminist Jose Bautista

A week ago, on June 30, the Mariners became the first major league team to fly a gay pride flag.

A Celebration Of Baseball Unionism (pdf)

Baseball Changes Suggested 50 Years Ago Were Visionary

An interview with Vin Scully:
When Major League Baseball established their network a few years ago, the first game they put on it was Larsen's perfect game. I was watching a football game. I wanted to see the MLB Network broadcast, but to be honest, I waited until the middle of the fifth inning because that's when I took over the game. And now I started to watch, but I was so bored. I was soooo bored. I'm young and I'm saying nothing else but ball one, strike one, foul ball. ... I went right back to football. I watched something like three pitches.

July 6, 2013

G89: Angels 9, Red Sox 7 (11)

Red Sox - 110 301 010 00 - 7 12  2
Angels  - 021 000 004 02 - 9 17  3
Example
Ryan Dempster / Jerome Williams
Ellsbury, CF
Victorino, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Nava, LF
Saltalamacchia, C
Holt, 3B
Iglesias, SS
Brock Holt was called up and Jonathan Diaz was sent down.

July 5, 2013

G88: Red Sox 6, Angels 2

Red Sox - 020 000 121 - 6 13  0
Angels  - 001 100 000 - 2  6  2
Boston increased its AL East lead to 5.5 games with the win.

Doubront (6.2-5-2-2-5, 97) turned another good start and David Ortiz hit a pinch-hit, two-run bomb in the eighth. Mike Napoli added a solo shot in the ninth.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia got the Sox on the board with a two-run single in the second, scoring Jonny Gomes and Daniel Nava. ... A fielding error by Josh Hamilton led to the Red Sox's tie-breaking run in the seventh.
Example
Felix Doubront / C.J. Wilson
Ellsbury, CF
Victorino, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Napoli, DH
Gomes, LF
Nava, 1B
Snyder, 3B
Saltalamacchia, C
Iglesias, SS
Stephen Drew was placed on the disabled list. Jose De La Torre was called up.

July 4, 2013

G87: Red Sox 8, Padres 2

Padres  - 001 010 000 - 2  7  0
Red Sox - 210 112 01x - 8 18  0
Jacoby Ellsbury had three hits, including his second home run of the season, and scored three times. The Red Sox swept the Padres and finished their homestand with an 8-1 record. Boston has 53 wins, the most of any major league team.

Seven other Boston batters each had two hits. Brandon Snyder was the only starter with one hit, but his knock was a home run.

Webster (6-5-2-4-4, 97) picked up his first major league victory. ... Andrew Bailey threw a perfect seventh inning. ... The Orioles lost, so the Red Sox increased their division lead to 4.5 games. ... The team leaves tonight for a 10-game west coast road trip, making stops in Anaheim, Seattle, and Oakland.
Example
Eric Stults / Allen Webster
Ellsbury, CF
Victorino, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Gomes, LF
Snyder, 3B
Lavarnway, C
Iglesias, SS

July 3, 2013

G86: Red Sox 2, Padres 1

Padres  - 100 000 000 - 1  6  0
Red Sox - 000 100 001 - 2  9  0
Jonny Gomes, pinch-hitting for Brandon Snyder, led off the bottom of the ninth by popping a 2-2 pitch into the Monster Seats for a game-winning homer. It was Gomes's third pinch-hit dong of the year.

Lester (7-6-1-1-5, 102) gave up a run in the first inning, but stifled the Padres after that. Jarrod Saltalamacchia's double drove in Mike Carp with Boston's first run.
Example
Edinson Volquez / Jon Lester
Ellsbury, CF
Victorino, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Nava, LF
Carp, 1B
Saltalamacchia, C
Snyder, 3B
Iglesias, SS
Despite being credited with wins in his last two outings, Lester is still struggling. He has allowed four or more runs in seven of his last eight starts, and watched his ERA rise from 2.72 to its current 4.61. Opposing batters have hit .316/.397/.534/.931 in those eight games.

Schadenfreude 162 (A Continuing Series)

Obvious ... and still funny.




July 2, 2013

G85: Red Sox 4, Padres 1

Padres  - 000 000 100 - 1  6  0
Red Sox - 000 301 00x - 4  9  0
John Lackey (8-6-1-1-6, 103) mowed down the Padres and Brandon Snyder hit a three-run double to led the Red Sox to their AL-leading 51st win on Tuesday night.

Lackey made it look easy as he kept the Padres off the board until Jesus Guzman hit a solo dong that barely cleared the Wall in the seventh. He got into a bit of a jam in the fifth - 1st and 3rd, no outs - but got a fielder's choice that held the lead runner, a pop-up and a liner to second. The top four hitters in the Padres' lineup went 0-for-15.

David Ortiz singled off SD starter Robbie Erlin (3.2-5-3-3-1, 93) to open the fourth. Mike Napoli walked, Jonny Gomes struck out, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia walked, loading the bases. Snyder battled Erlin and on the ninth pitch of the at-bat, he came out on top, driving a double high off the Wall in left-center. All three runners scored; Snyder was thrown out trying for a triple.

Boston added to its lead in the sixth when Gomes doubled and scored on Jose Iglesias's second single of the night. ... Ortiz, Gomes, Iglesias, and Jacoby Ellsbury each had two hits. ... Dustin Pedroia walked three times. ... Koji Uehara set down the Padres in order in the ninth, striking out two.
Example
Robbie Erlin / John Lackey
Ellsbury, CF
Victorino, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Gomes, LF
Saltalamacchia, C
Snyder, 3B
Iglesias, SS

July 1, 2013

Schadenfreude 161 (A Continuing Series)


Mark Feinsand, Daily News:
Half of the Yankees’ schedule is over.

Is their season?

The Bombers lost their fifth straight game on Sunday night, 4-2, to the Orioles, who swept away their AL East rivals at Camden Yards for the first time in more than eight years.

            W    L    PCT    GB
Red Sox    50   34   .595   ---
Orioles    47   36   .566   2.5
Rays       43   39   .524   6.0
Yankees    42   39   .519   6.5
Blue Jays  40   41   .494   8.5