If we don't come in first place ... [makes throat-slash gesture] ... The series we have to play the Yankees here at the end, that's going to be World Series [stuff].Indeed. ... Dan Shaughnessy talks to Carl Yastrzemski about Ortiz.
Paul Doyle (Courant) notes: "Ortiz says he studies Ramirez more than anyone and he had a suggestion Thursday. He told Ramirez he was too far from the plate and missing pitches he should have been crushing." ... That may be, but moving closer to the dish has been suggested to Manny by Ron Jackson for many weeks, and has been written and talked about at length.
Kevin Youkilis may have broken his right ring finger on a groundball yesterday. Initial x-rays did not show a break -- he had stitches under the nail -- but more x-rays will be taken today. Yook: "We're not 100 percent sure [it's broken]. There might be a slight crack. But even if it's not broken, it's pretty bad. It hurts. ... The doctor couldn't believe I was able to throw the ball across the diamond."
Despite a nice outing for Portland in the EL championship series Friday night, Wade Miller may need right shoulder surgery. ... Portland lost the series to Akron, so Craig Hansen could join the Sox in Tampa, possibly "as early as tonight".
David, the Yankees series would not have to be "world series stuff" if the Red Sox could win some of these games and extend their lead over the Yankees!!
ReplyDeleteI don't know what it would take to do this, but it looks like 8 out of the last 10 before the Yankees series is required here.
Considering how far back he stands from the dish, a distance normally reserved for the most timid Little Leaguers, Manny's plate coverage is really impressive.
ReplyDeleteConsider the other extreme, our old friend, Carl("Oh, Oh, Boston, You're My Home") Everett, whose toes almost touch the black in an apparent effort to gain either a HBP or the outside edge of the plate. It's amazing how Manny covers so much from the outer edge of the box, adjacent to the visitors' on-deck circle.
Frighteningly fast wrists, savant-level hand-eye coordination, and a lack of any sort of self-imposed pressure at the plate make for a formidable hitter, one we're going to need to see more of in the next two weeks if we hope to see the 2005 season extend past 10/3.