April 20, 2008

G20: Red Sox 6, Rangers 5

Rangers - 110 003 000 - 5  7  2
Red Sox - 000 000 24x - 6 15 0
Joe Girardi got a lot of criticism for not walking Manny Ramirez intentionally back on April 12. Boston, trailing the Yankees 2-1, had runners at second and third with two outs. Instead of walking Manny and pitching to Kevin Youkilis with the bases loaded, he had Mike Mussina go after Ramirez. Manny crushed a first-pitch double to right center for two runs, then Youkilis brought him in with a single off Brian Bruney. Boston won the game 4-3.

I thought Girardi received too much criticism for that move; maybe if Mussina had battled Manny for seven or eight pitches before giving up the hit, the outcry would have been somewhat muted. It might not have been the best percentage move, but you could argue that it made sense on some level, considering how hot Youkilis has been this month.

Now ... Texas manager Ron Washington is another matter.

The Rangers led Boston 5-0 when the Red Sox -- after having left the bases loaded in both the fifth and sixth innings -- grabbed a couple of runs in the seventh. Millwood allowed a lot of baserunners, but the Red Sox failed to cash in, leaving 14 men on base in the game.

In the bottom of the eighth, Wes Littleton retired Kevin Cash on a grounder to shortstop and caught Julio Lugo looking at strike three. Three runs down and four outs to go. As I wrote in comments, the game was "in the crapper"; I expected this game to go into the loss column.

But Jacoby Ellsbury singled to left (he reached base three times today and stole two bases). Then Jed Lowrie ripped a double into the right-field corner. Ellsbury sprinted home and Texas led 5-3. At this point Washington went with his closer, CJ Wilson. With two outs and a man on second, the logical decision -- the only decision -- was to intentionally walk David Ortiz and face clean-up hitter Joe Thurston.

Yes, Thurston. Manny had been tossed in the second inning for arguing a called third strike. Handing Ortiz a free pass would have put the tying run on base, but considering the drop-off in batting talent, that was the correct move to make. (Thurston was 0-for-2 with a HBP.)

Yet Washington let Wilson pitch to Ortiz. Flo missed a couple of pitches and fell behind 1-2. After ball 2, he fouled off two more pitches. Then he hit a grounder to short right field. Ian Kinsler was out there because of the shift, but his throw was late and Papi beat out a single. The Rangers seemed to forget about Lowrie for a moment and he ran home. 5-4!

Dustin Pedroia -- who was not in the starting lineup for the first time this year -- pinch-hit for Thurston. He drilled Wilson's 2-0 pitch into the gap in right-center, deep enough to score Ortiz and tie the game. Josh Hamilton's throw back to the infield was wild and Pedroia took off for third. Blalock tried a sweep tag halfway to third. but he missed and FY belly-flopped into third.

(Even if, after this BBI to Ortiz that never happened, Terry Francona had not let Thurston hit, Washington still should have flashed four fingers. He would have had a 5-3 lead, 2 outs, men on 1st and 2nd, and Pedroia up.)

Now Washington went to the BBI, putting Youkilis on. Drew fouled off three 3-1 pitches before getting ball 4. Bases loaded -- Wilson was clearly rattled, but Washington stuck with his "closer". Behind in the count 1-2, Sean Casey took two very close pitches inside before walking to force in Pedroia with the go-ahead run.

The lead now gone, Washington went to the bullpen and brought in Jamey Wright, who retired Cash on a fielder's choice.

Jonathan Papelbon needed only seven pitches to nail down the victory. Wakefield went eight innings, throwing only 86 pitches (10-12-10 7-7-15 13-12). And of his 86 pitches, only 18 were balls! For Texas, Millwood threw 17 balls to the first nine Sox hitters.

Pitches out of the strike zone, by innings:
133 014 33 - 18
Wakefield allowed a home run to Kinsler on his third pitch of the afternoon and Milton Bradley hit a three-run bomb in the sixth, but he gave the pen some much-needed rest and through Washington's stupidity -- and his resilient teammates, of course -- got credit for the win.

Memo to Me: Never Give Up!



***

Kevin Millwood (2.42, 175 ERA+) / Tim Wakefield (3.18, 140 ERA+)

Sox against Millwood. Ortiz is 6-for-12 with 3 HR; Varitek, Drew and Casey have all hit him well.

Nice ERA for Millwood, but his WHIP is a Lesteresque 1.46: 28 hits and 10 walks in 26 innings.

333 comments:

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allan said...

Kinsler, 2B
Young, SS
Hamilton, CF
Bradley, DH
Blalock, 3B
Catalanotto, LF
Murphy, RF
Laird, C
Broussard, 1B

Ellsbury, CF
Lowrie, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Ramirez, LF
Youkilis, 3B
Drew, RF
Casey, 1B
Cash, C
Lugo, SS

andy said...

Pedroia just resting?

allan said...

Yep.

Cafardo: "Terry Francona indicated he may give Manny Ramirez a day off Monday, but only if Coco Crisp is ready to play after nursing his hamstrings the past few days. Jed Lowrie is starting at his third position - second base - after Francona decided to give Dustin Pedroia a rest."

Jack Marshall said...

Did you see that the Jays released Frank Thomas? That should put Wake in high spirits today, not to mention Manny DelCarmen. Gee...how many legitimate pennant contenders release a member of the opening day line-up before May?

allan said...

Did you see that the Jays released Frank Thomas?

Wow. I saw in the paper yesterday that he was pissed that Gibbons was giving Stairs what he thought was his playing time.

9casey said...

Just something from the other night about sauce and Newman's Own was brought up.....All of his sauces contain sugar.......As do most jarred sauces....and i also know many Italians who add sugar. and many people who are just good cooks and not italian who add sugar.....So , Jere you are not a bad man for adding a little sugar , but you are gangsta'

allan said...

Jere ... you are gangsta'

Huh. I don't get a real gangsta vibe from Jere.

("I don't see architecture coming from you.")

Zenslinger said...

“I don’t know that we have the luxury of waiting two to three months for somebody to kick in because we can’t let this league or this division get away from us,” Ricciardi said.

To me, this is kind of incredible. Speaking of "luxury", do they have the luxury to get rid of the guy who led them in HRs and RBIs last year because of a medium-sized slump?

There must have been a massive personal conflict to cause this kind of thing to happen. I know Hillenbrand is an asshole and everything, but this really makes you think the Jays have some relationship issues. Reduces any fear I had of them a little.

allan said...

That episode -- The Stakeout, the one after the pilot -- contains one of the best bits of dialogue in the entire series:

Jerry: So ... do you date immature men?

Vanessa: Almost exclusively.

allan said...

Speaking of "luxury", do they have the luxury to get rid of the guy who led them in HRs and RBIs last year because of a medium-sized slump?

Who was it that said "We finished last with you, we can finish last without you"?

The Jays are a .500 team with or without Thomas. It's still a surprising move. Do they feel Stairs can't play the field anymore and they see him as the main DH instead?

allan said...

NESN for me!

laura k said...

All of his sauces contain sugar.......As do most jarred sauces....

The reason I buy Newman's is because it does not contain sugar, including corn syrup and other processed sugars. It's one of the few on the market that doesn't.

Most jarred sauces do, but most jarred sauces are not very good.

Gangstas or no.

laura k said...

I saw in the paper yesterday that he was pissed that Gibbons was giving Stairs what he thought was his playing time.

I heard during the game yesterday that Thomas got dressed and walked out during the game, b/c he was so pissed off about not playing. I heard this on Red Sox radio, so accurate or not, I can't say. But if it's true, they had to release him. Raul Mondesi redux.

laura k said...

Zen mentions fear of the Jays, Jack Marshall calls them legitimate pennant contenders.

You guys really think so?

I don't. At all. Maybe in another division, but not in the AL East.

allan said...

I was wondering if there was some blow-up that led to a quick dismissal. Didn't feel like going to the news. Jay Payton redux.

Wake -- WTF>
1st pitch???????

laura k said...

Oo, not a nice start for Wake. Kinsler's first HR of the year, too.

laura k said...

Not first pitch. 0-2.

allan said...

0-2 pitch i guess.

still.

andy said...

I am glad Wake is trying to convince me not to give up on him.

allan said...

nice quick stab & spin by wake to start the dp.

Rob said...

Afternoon, chaps. Lazy spring afternoon game. The things you look forward to in January/February.

allan said...

i have to be careful not to oversleep tomorrow morning!

nick said...

I just made a delicious smoothie. It does not have any EVOO or onions (though my tomato sauces often do).

Rob said...

Hopefully I'll be up and dressed by 11. I dono. Besides the Japan games, I'm not too high on the lazy PJs watching baseball thing.

laura k said...

i have to be careful not to oversleep tomorrow morning!

You got up for Japan, you can get up for Patriots Day :)

laura k said...

Mmm, smoothies. I'm allergic (although not to the ingredients separately - is that weird or what?) and I crave them. What's in it?

Absence of onions is a good choice.

So far this game is not too much fun.

allan said...

you can get up for Patriots Day

Yeah -- what are you, a terrorist?

Rob said...

I remember last year the game was scheduled for 10:05 AM, although it rained a lot and they started it later. It was against the Angels, so I was thinking about how weird it would be, to be an Angels fan and have to wake up at 7 AM to watch your team play a game.

And then Japan happened. Now I know.

allan said...

Absence of onions

Sounds like a band's name.

Rob said...

Absence of onions

Prog rock.

s1c said...

Time for MBM to get the train moving out of the station!!!

s1c said...

MBM gets ToSSSEDDD !!!!

nick said...

smoothie:
bananas
frozen blueberries
frozen strawberries
soy milk
orange juice
yogurt
flax seed oil

OJ wasn't organic.

laura k said...

holy shit, manny tossed?!

allan said...

ah fuck, manny. bad move.

Rob said...

Quick ejection.

Fricken douche hat.

nick said...

I'll still be positive, but...geez!

wonder what manny did say.

laura k said...

Nick, sounds yummy. I'd substitute real milk for soy beverage, but that's a minor quibble.

Now we have to win this one for Manny! (And, somehow, without Manny.)

allan said...

OJ wasn't organic.

But Buddy Hackett was.

Rob said...

Castig: "Manny must've said the magic words. Though, sometimes the umpire can not hear them."

O'Brien: "Emmill has rabbit ears."

s1c said...

Fricken douche hat

I think he said one of the magic words as in MF.

nick said...

Rem talking about magic words and really, that makes sense.

Manny said 2 phrases, the second pointing towards the plate.

Rob said...

Joe Thurston doing some stretches in the dugout.

andy said...

Manny had better play tomorrow now.

tim said...

so apparently this strike zone begins at the ankles...

(hi all - slavin away @ work - got the MLB.TV in one corner of the screen, tax program on the rest)

laura k said...

OJ wasn't organic.

Whoever heard of an organic murderer?

But Buddy Hackett was.

Open goal.

Rob said...

That's probably why Francona didn't argue much himself. Managers knows about magic words, too.

laura k said...

I'm supposed to be working...must drag myself away...

s1c said...

Remy - I guess MBM won't have tomorrow off.

Uh, Remy, you do realize that if MBM has been promised a day off he wants that day off.

nick said...

Murder ...

natural vs. organic.

Rob said...

Casey touches some green. You know Manny's absence hurts, but it's not the end of the world.

allan said...

okay, cash, surprise me.

Rob said...

He put good wood on the ball...

allan said...

which is a surprise ... but i was hoping for a super shocking surprise, i guess.

allan said...

thirsty in left.

Rob said...

Shonda Schilling doing some pbp on NESN...

"High fly ball to right field... I don't even know who's playing right field."

Don: J.D.

Shonda: Oh! JD! Lovely catch by JD.

Don: Lovely catch, indeed. One out.

nick said...

3 blonde baseball spouses espousing .

laura k said...

nick, yeah, the all-natural double murder, as old as time. probably uses pesticides, tho.

manny ejection != end of world

Rob said...

Who was Kelsey Hawkin's uh.. worse half?

allan said...

i believe that's lyndon's g-friend.

his other one.

allan said...

0-0 after 2 in Baltimore.

allan said...

damn - lugo didn't bitch and get ejected.

Rob said...

Those shades look good on Sir Lyndon.

Rob said...

Another walk. Double?

Rob said...

Walk = Triple!

laura k said...

Yes, Kelsey Hawkins is Lyndon's g/f.

I'll be big about it.

s1c said...

And now LBJ is on 3rd!!!

allan said...

dear catcher: don't even bother.

Zenslinger said...

Something about LBJ's steal attempts that makes catchers go into CF.

allan said...

they have either got to throw quickly or not throw at all

allan said...

crap.

i'll bet lyndon steals home this season -- some pitcher will doze off.

Rob said...

I was just thinking about that. It'd be great to see him steal home. I'm just not sure he'll actually try it.

andy said...

Can Dawn Timlin pitch better than her husband?

Rob said...

Very nice recovery by Wake.

He keeps his speed in the reserve until times like this.

Zenslinger said...

Nice play, Thurston.

Remy looked so uncomfortable, like a 12-year-old, cramped in that booth next to / behind LBJ's girlfriend. Funny.

allan said...

Can Dawn Timlin pitch better than her husband?

Dawn Wells could pitch better.

allan said...

yet another slow, dragging, never-ending game from wakefield [/newsday]

Rob said...

Youk with the base knock to right center

laura k said...

yooooook

laura k said...

Is something burning in here?

laura k said...

nope.

allan said...

nyy: 000 2
bal: 000

allan said...

anybody else see the story where girardi had nyy officials call eveyr visiting ballpark and make sure they removed the ice cream and snacks and candy from the locker room so the yankees can't have any?

Rob said...

Base hit for $$$.

Surprised?

s1c said...

Ka ching starts it off!!!

Now lets Cash in on it Sox!!!

Jake of All Trades said...

Ahhh. Now the ice cream joke makes sense.

laura k said...

Are you serious? Are they hiring a nanny to make sure the players go to bed on time?

Rob said...

Girardi sounds like a 21st century parent.

allan said...

nyy also hiring the soup nazi as bench coach.

...

surprised? figured he'd get a hit leading off and not with men on base.

Rob said...

Maybe he's doing that so Hank can't get at all that junk food.

s1c said...

LBJ!!!

Double steal???

allan said...

peter abrahams had a picture of the ice cream cooler covered with a blanket and wrapped by duct tape in his lohud blog last night.

no kidding.

laura k said...

Girardi sounds like a 21st century parent.

I was thinking that too.

Also thinking how he couldn't have managed Babe Ruth. (Not that anyone could.)

****

That's my boy!

Rob said...

Double steal!!

nick said...

you called it s1c!

laura k said...

double steal - you called it

allan said...

laird = statue.

Zenslinger said...

All Lowrie has to do is make good contact...Fuck!

Rob said...

Another reason why Manny's ejection hurts.

s1c said...

That pitch was inside!

No surprise that they are going to walk Papi.

Need Thurston to come up big.

allan said...

Melky needs his Milk Duds!!!!

nick said...

thirsty for a big hit.

allan said...

Come on Thurston - make Jere proud!

nick said...

...and still parched.

laura k said...

LOBotomy

tim said...

who the fuck was that?

allan said...

lyndon trying like hell to start the offense, but ...

Rob said...

This guy who's doing the Daily News 5th inning on the Yankees radio has a HUGE lisp.

Rob said...

Wake - 13th in a row retired.

allan said...

only 10 of 19 rangers swung at first pitch, guys.

Rob said...

Right as I say that...

Rob said...

That hurt.

5-0.

Rob said...

That knuckleball had a bit of rotation to it.

laura k said...

ouch

tim said...

That hurt.

5-0.


I read that and got all confused. Then 2 minutes later MLB.TV caught up and I was like "Oh. Shit."

laura k said...

This guy who's doing the Daily News 5th inning on the Yankees radio has a HUGE lisp.

I know who you mean. I admire someone with speech problems doing radio. They used to talk to Peter Bodde, who has a pronounced stutter. I felt for him.

allan said...

tim, i know, i saw the comment and said -- who's up next?

finally, i see it. we are way behind.

Jack Marshall said...

Why does Francona pick Wakefield games to use the B team? Isn't the catcher enough? Cash, Lowrie, Casey, now Thurston (thanks Manny!). Jeez.
But you'd also think it would motivate Wake not to give up 3-run homers....

Rob said...

I used to have a bit of a lisp.

One day I realized I was talking differently and didn't have it anymore.

allan said...

wake: 10-12-10 7-7-14 = 60

he has thrown 2 balls to only 2 of 24 batters.

longest AB: 4 pitches (done a few times)

Rob said...

Casey's got a five-game hitting streak.

nick said...

I always thought it was cruel to put an "s" in lisp.

allan said...

But you'd also think it would motivate Wake not to give up 3-run homers....

Yeah, fuck that guy!

allan said...

hey sox: you don't have to wait until the 8th to start scoring.

Rob said...

Drew's not so on-fire this homestead. 0 for 9.

s1c said...

Need some Ka Ching here, the more the better.

Rob said...

Kay, guys.

Two men on.

Time to Cash someone in. Please, Cash?

Rob said...

TX bullpen warming

allan said...

2 on base for the dreck.

Rob said...

Wes Littleton in the TX pen. He's the guy who got the save on the 30-3 game last year.

Rob said...

I just don't want to see Cash hit anything on the ground here.

Rob said...

...and he doesn't.

Rob said...

Heh. That one hit Millwood in the arm.

nick said...

fluke-o!

Rob said...

He tried to barehand that one, actually. Clipped his pinky.

Rob said...

Aw. Lyndon popped up.

10 LOB.

s1c said...

Ok LBJ time, he can do it.

Frack!!!

allan said...

lucky lugo ...

it's showtime, lyndon!

allan said...

i should stop commenting on the action. i've got like a 5 minute delay

9casey said...

L-girl said...

The reason I buy Newman's is because it does not contain sugar,


I know I am late with this but ALL of Fast Eddie's I checked have sugar in them.....check out the website newansown.com

allan said...

Laird has seen 4 pitches in 3 PA.

allan said...

So no Newman's products in the MFY clubhouse, then.

Rob said...

Seventh inning stretch already? Wow.

allan said...

mlbtv stays at fenway for gba -- gotta get up and mute

Rob said...

mlbtv stays at fenway for gba -- gotta get up and mute

I didn't have to get up to mute.

allan said...

... lazy bastard.

my laptop is on the desk across from me.

9casey said...

L, I don't know if you avoid sugar for a reason.....but I have done some little resarch on foods with sugar in them seeing my dad was diabetic....and a lot of foods you think are actually good for a diabetic...turn out to be horrible for them....

About the game, does anyone else feel if though Manny is in there we are winnig this game right now...obvious statement I know.....But Manny has been hot under the collar all season thus far (with the umps)

Rob said...

Slappy has left the game with an apparent left thigh injury when grounding into a fielder's choice.

s1c said...

Well that hit came a couple of innings late. C'mon sox!!!

Rob said...

RBI single for Flo!

Lowrie scores.

allan said...

SHIFT THIS.

allan said...

tex must not trust their pen. millwood starting the 7th at 107 pitches. then he allows a run and the reliever has to come in anyway -- with a smaller lead and a guy on.

I'm thirsty for some runs!

Rob said...

Thurston Eckstein's that jog to first. Hit him in the lower back. Under the 3.

nick said...

damn! thurston bust outta the gate on that one.

s1c said...

Will take that!!!

Time for a sweaty dong!!!

allan said...

OBP!

Rob said...

Balls.

4-6-3 DP

s1c said...

This is building up to a Mothers day type of comeback.

ON FIRE!!!

Rob said...

Drew knocks that one to right field, and knocks home Ortiz.

Crawling back.

5-2.

Rob said...

This is building up to a Mothers day type of comeback.

I thought about that earlier.

Minus the pink bats.

allan said...

NYY 2-0 after 6.

Rob said...

Heh. Circus catch by Thurston.

s1c said...

Thirsty!!!

Flashing the leather!!!

s1c said...

Sexy up in the Pen!!!

allan said...

cashballa.

allan said...

Tito: Do we really have to watch Cash and Lugo bat this inning?

Jack Marshall said...

By the way, Laura, if you recall my earlier bitching about so-called experts picking the Jays, I certainly do NOT consider them legit contenders, and haven't since the 90s. My point on Thomas was that releasing your clean-up hitter in April is not the sign of a contender, but the sign of a team that 1) didn't have much of a clean-up hitter and 2) is willing to make personnel changes on principle because they don't really think they are going to win anything. You say they had to release him, but that's just because he's washed up. You wouldn't say the Sox should release Manny if he pulled that on a bad-Manny day, and neither would I.

allan said...

nice. fail to get down a bunt then stand there and K like a tool.

s1c said...

LBJ!!!

Need Lowrie to get on now.

laura k said...

Just got back, what's going on? Someone catch me up?

allan said...

what are you waiting for, ump? eject lugo.

heng brothers said...

What is with this strike zone?

laura k said...

Jack, gotcha, agreed.

Amy said...

Hi all, here to see us come from behind before we leave for Boston for the second seder.

s1c said...

The kids come through!!!

Amy said...

OK, as I said...

allan said...

update: game pretty much in the crapper.

lyndon with his third hit -- with 2 outs in the 8th, down by 3.

Rob said...

LOWRIE!!!

Double for Lowrie, would most likely give Ortiz a free pass again, right?

Rob said...

Game was in the crapper.

Daylight is seeping through.

laura k said...

Thanks for the update. Amy is clearly the difference in the game.

allan said...

Double for Lowrie, would most likely give Ortiz a free pass again, right?

Girardi would pitch to him, but yeah ...

nick said...

Thanks for showing up, amy!

heng brothers said...

They're bringing in the lefty closer though... so...

Rob said...

I guess Washington pitches to him, too.

allan said...

pitch around him?

allan said...

why in god's name would you not BBI him?

Rob said...

Jeemer warming.

Rob said...

JUST foul. Gah! That was foul by a foot.

allan said...

no matter what happens, this is one of the dumbest moves i've seen in along time.

who cares about the extra runner when the bat is so much weaker?

Rob said...

SAFE!!!!! LEGGED OUT BY PAPI!!!

Amy said...

Papi's knee seems JUST fine! What speed!

laura k said...

Here we go!!!!!!

allan said...

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

fucking dominican wheels

Rob said...

who cares about the extra runner when the bat is so much weaker?

Yeah. Now Pedroia pinch-hitting for Thurston.

Would you intentionally walk Ortiz, up by 2, with Dustin Pedroia on deck? Or Varitek?

Rob said...

8 RBI in the last 3 games for Ortiz.

allan said...

ron washington - dumber than a box of gradys.

Rob said...

FUCK YEAH!!!!!!!!

TIE GAME!!!!

Amy said...

OH MY GOD! We are tied!!

allan said...

Would you intentionally walk Ortiz, up by 2, with Dustin Pedroia on deck? Or Varitek?

Yes. Right away.

s1c said...

Tiedup!!!!

FY gets to 3rd!!!

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