April 1, 2008

G3: Red Sox 2, Athletics 1

Red Sox   -  000 011 000 - 2  9  0
Athletics - 010 000 000 - 1 3 1
Superb outing from Dice (6.2-2-1-0-9, 96) -- and Youkilis goes 3-for-4 and scores both runs.

Matsuzaka's first five batters were a little iffy. He pitched a perfect first, with two strikeouts, but needed 17 pitches. Then he gave up a first-pitch home run to Cust to start the second and fell behind Brown 3-0.

But he got Brown on a grounder to short -- after the Cust dong, he allowed only one of the next 17 A's to reach base (Suzuki singled to open the third and was caught stealing). Matsuzaka struck out seven of his last 11 batters. Of the 21 hitters he faced, only four hit the ball out of the infield.

Yook began the fifth with a single to center. Two outs later, he went to second on Lugo's single off the Blanton's foot and slid in ahead of the tag on Ellsbury's single to right. With two outs in the sixth, Yook tripled and scored on Varitek's double -- which hit above the yellow line in right center (a home run, but the umps blew the call).

Okajima relieved Dice with two outs in the seventh. He walked Cust but got Brown to pop to Pedroia to end the inning. He allowed a single to start the eighth, but got a force play and a fly out before handing the ball to Papelbon.

Bot got an inning-ending force, then came back with some no-nonsense heat in the ninth, striking out the side.

***

Daisuke Matsuzaka (125 ERA+) / Joe Blanton (84 ERA+)

Let's begin again.

Tony Massarotti, Herald:
In Matsuzaka's final 13 starts of 2007 (including the postseason), he threw 1,331 pitches in 71 innings, an average of nearly 19 pitches an inning. His average outing was 5 innings, and he needed about 102 pitches to get through it.
Last Tuesday, Dice threw 96 pitches in five innings.

Check it out: Julio Lugo and Coco Crisp have the team's second- and third-best OPS+:
 AVG OBP SLG OPS+
Ramirez .333 .333 .889 209
Lugo .500 .571 .500 186
Crisp .333 .333 .667 156
What ... too early to get excited?

The Red Sox have a tough April schedule. After the two games in Oakland, they play three in Toronto before hosting the Tigers and Yankees, then travelling to Cleveland and New York. After April 22's game against the Angels, the Red Sox will have already played the three other playoff teams from last season. The Yankees also meet Cleveland and the Tigers this month, but they also have nine games against the White Sox, Royals and Orioles.

After yesterday's rainout, the Yankees play Toronto at 7 PM (Halladay/Wang). Pedro goes tonight (also at 7 PM) as the Mets host the Marlins.

467 comments:

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Zenslinger said...

I will be there.

Patrick said...

It will be so sweet to sit down and listen to the game as told by Joe C.

Hoping that Dice-K will go 7.

nixon33 said...

33 reporting
YEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!

allan said...

I would really like to have NESN tonight.

Also I'll be checking out Pedro while sneaking peeks at the MFY on BuffyVision, so if anyone's around ...

allan said...

Jere will be calling the Sox game. You can call in and chat. Info.

Jere said...

I'm calling the second half of the game (as GedMan), at least, on youcastr tonight. I think tonight's gimmick will be to read off some of the JoS comments live, but give you voices, like, nix33 might be Charlton Heston, amy could be Trupiano, etc. And remember, no need to leave here to listen to me, just open in a new window if you're lookin' for some secondary and often unorthodox audio tonight. Thanks.

Jere said...

That's so funny, just as leave my self-promoting comment, hoping Allan won't think it's going too far and delete it, I hit publish to see that a new comment went up: Allan promoting me! Thanks, Allan. I like the new avatar....hey, I should come up with my '08 model right now.

Jere said...

Okay, here it is, a nice pic from my archives from the night the Sox won the ALCS last year.

allan said...

I really want that Picasso Papi avatar a commenter had a few days ago, but I'm not sure what avatar etiquette is.

allan said...

I think I turned off avatars at some point last year to make game threads load faster. Not sure if they actually do go faster, though. The 200-post limit per page will help.

allan said...

Mets! Ron Darling and Keith "Second Spitter" Hernandez with Gary Cohen.

allan said...

Darling in a similar Soverign Bank commercial to the one Remy was in last year.

allan said...

Jays v Wang in the 1st:
Eckstein - 6-3.
Stewart - infield single.
Rios - single to LCF, Stewart to 2nd.
Wells - pop/liner to 2B (big leap up), Rios doubled off 1st.

tim said...

Damn, bad break for the Jays. Wang squeezes out of a jam. HGH on first, I thought he died. Or at least, I wish he died...

tim said...

Eckstein - 6-3.

Ken Tremendous should be happy about that one

tim said...

good start for noodle there...

tim said...

*new avatar test post*

Fucking A-Rod.

allan said...

Pedro hits Hanley on the left elbow to start the 1st. FB at 86-ish.

allan said...

i was worried that slappy donged. whew.

allan said...

Uggla homers and after 2 batters, Pedro's down 2-0. Fuck.

allan said...

An F9 for Pedro and so his ERA drops from infinity to 54.00.

allan said...

Wang giving up hits like it's a playoff game. Come on Jays, capitalize!

allan said...

Aaron Hill nomars at the 1st pitch and flies to right. Thomas actually tags and goes from 2nd to 3rd.

Zenslinger said...

Scutaro, Yankee killer again?

tim said...

Yuck. Blue Jays new jerseys look like complete ass, the names are in like 200 pt comic sans ms font and a bright blue when compared to the darker numbers.

tim said...

Jays tie it up...FC for scutaro.

allan said...

man what a weak fucking tapper.

hgh doesn't look home and gets the 3-6 FC and the jays tie it at 1-1.

allan said...

tim, i don't hear buffy. is he not doing games this year?

Zenslinger said...

man what a weak fucking tapper.


As the woman said to her insufficiently enthusiastic lover.

tim said...

The rodent is up.

Rob said...

Evening, gents.

I was thinking about watching the Mets game online but it hogs up bandwidth and other occupants of the network no likey.

So, I tried WFAN and the signal is too weak.

I could listen to the MFY game on the radio, but I'm going to try and make this a Sterling/Waldman-free season.

tim said...

tim, i don't hear buffy. is he not doing games this year?

This one's on TSN; Buffy is on Rogers Sportsnet.

Scutaro steal, nice.

allan said...

scutaro SB

come on zauny, can you hit w/out roids?

Rob said...

Would you still call it Buffyvision with no Buffy?

allan said...

ah. thanks.

and hgh scoops a crappy ci toss to end the inning

Jere said...

come on Paula Zahn

allan said...

Would you still call it Buffyvision with no Buffy?

Yup.

allan said...

Paula woulda got a hit.

tim said...

Paula woulda got a hit.

Ditto.

allan said...

23 pitches for Petey in the 1st. Stems down 2-0.

tim said...

Dumbo channeling Tek - GIDP.

allan said...

Dumbo GIDP 3-6-3.

Man he was really hulsting down the line.

allan said...

Shemp also nomars and is out 4-3.

allan said...

Better go easy on the wine -- probably shouldn't be tanked by 10.

allan said...

1st and 3rd for Pedro at the dish.

tim said...

Better go easy on the wine -- probably shouldn't be tanked by 10.

Relax, we've got at least 171 more to go.

tim said...

Ken Tremendous should be happy about that one as well.

allan said...

Fuckin' A!

Pedro (bsffbff -- crowd now cheering loudly for each foul -- fff -- Pedro dead serious expression - b) K swinging.

Nice AB!
Standing Ovation in Florida!

allan said...

Jays "lost a lot of man-games last year".

Man-games? WTF? I think he means games missed by guys due to injuries.

Rob said...

They talk about man-games a bit in hockey.

Zenslinger said...

What's the JoS hand signal I give as a shout-out if I catch a foul ball at the game tonight?

allan said...

TSN shows Jeter's parents - DRINK!

allan said...

CI CS.

tim said...

CI caught stealing, nice!

allan said...

Zen, you should bring a sign.

I suggest:

"Joy of Sox to Remy: Stop Selling Your Shit And Call The Game!!!"

tim said...

"Joy of Sox to Remy: Stop Selling Your Shit And Call The Game!!!"

I think I'm up for that one Saturday...I'm in one of the 200 "club" sections above 3B. Looks like Buchholz-Litsch. Hopefully Clay's gotten all the bad innings out of his system. I'm looking forward to this, baseball, staying in T.O. for the night. Should be good times.

tim said...

Milk dud with a decent catch.

Rob said...

Too bad that wouldn't make it onto NESN.

If you see a quick blur and then a cut to another camera with the word "shit" written on a sign, it's probably zen.

Zenslinger said...

Kinda wordy, RS.

How about th' devil's horns?

Zenslinger said...

Y'know, a la the Beloved Madre of Jere's avatar.

allan said...

"Joy of Sox to Remy: This Ain't QVC, Call The Game!"

or

"Joy of Sox: Impeach the Dawg!"

allan said...

Dear Dud: You're no Ococ.

tim said...

ANOTHER Milk Dud catch, MAN.

Too bad that wouldn't make it onto NESN.

Well, the plan would be to bring some cutesy "YAY REM-DAWG PREZIDENTZ!" sign, then somehow find out when it gets put on the air and quickly flip it over...

tim said...

"Joy of Sox: Impeach the Dawg!"

I like that. Maybe I'll just do a big IMPEACH REMY sign, with "Google Joy of Sox" written on the bottom

allan said...

I'm working on it:

"Joy of Sox to Remy: NESN Is Not QVC"

(or a "does not equal" sign instead of "is not")

tim said...

GIDP slappy!

allan said...

The ol' sign flip is a good idea, but how do you know when you're on the air?

Zenslinger said...

"IMPEACH REMY"?

tim said...


(or a "does not equal" sign instead of "is not")


We over at digg use != for "does not equal"

The ol' sign flip is a good idea, but how do you know when you're on the air?

Alas, the fatal flaw.

tim said...

Aiight, heading out for some food now. Hopefully will make it back for the first pitch, need to see if I can somehow get it on ExpressVu, or else it's laptop time for me!

allan said...

One of the Jays guys: "Opening night DRAM-ma."

Not "draw-ma", dram-ma!

Like you see in the thee-ate-her, right, Cletus?

Zenslinger said...

It would be a trick to hold it up while catching a foul ball.

allan said...

scutaro steals his 2nd base. as ci can't handle dumbo's low throw.

allan said...

Zaun single, 1st and 3rd for the Midget!

allan said...

2nd/3rd and one out for shannon stewart.

allan said...

wang gets ahead 1-2, goes full, and he grounds down the 3B line, slappy goes to first and run scores. 2-1 jays

Jere said...

I hate all the possible ways to follow this game. MLB just plain doesn't work any more. And ESPN and Yahoo just seem to sit there.

And now Yahoo says "end of the 5th inning," which isn't right.

allan said...

Yes, MLB Gameday is now quite shitty. I'm using CBSSportsline.

Rob said...

Sopcast works decently. Especially if you tune into the Taiwanese feed. They'll no doubt be airing this game because of Wang.

allan said...

I need it mainly to get caught up on pitches I might miss when I'm typing a comment.

However, MLB is one of the few (the only?) place that will give you the exact play on an out, rather than say "grounded out to first" (3U or 3-1?) or "grounded into force play at second" (4-6 or 4U?) or "flied out to right center" (so who caught it??).

There is no excuse for not giving the actual play.

allan said...

WE HAVE OATMEAL!

Ellsbury, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Ramirez, LF
Lowell, 3B
Youkilis, 1B
Varitek, C
Crisp, CF
Lugo, SS

also globe says it looks like beckett/halladay next sunday. tito: "more likely than not he's going to pitch the final game in toronto."

Rob said...

I'm not a huge fan of the live scoreboards. I do like that they keep archives pitch-by-pitch.

Stats in other sports can be more complicated. In hockey, there is a stat for shots blocked by a particular player. Not a goalie. A position player.

allan said...

Also Red Sox now 4th in payroll, behind Yankees, Tigers, and Mets.

Zenslinger said...

I'm off to the ballpark. Enjoy!

allan said...

Yet the pitch by pitch is sometimes wrong.

MLB's first year with Gameday was an utter disaser. Several errors in every single Red Sox game. The disaster lasted the entire season.

allan said...

Bring us luck, Zen!!!

Jere said...

.ɥʇxıs ǝɥʇ ɟo ɯoʇʇoq

Rob said...

Actually, that's fantastic. Now people can't drop the "Well your team is second in payroll, only behind the Yankees" on the Red Sox as any sort of an argument. About anything.

That surprises me quite a bit, but then it doesn't, because of all the young players on the team.

allan said...

cheap porch job from the dud, 314 feet and 1 inch.

Jere said...

"cheap porch job from the dud, 314 feet and 1 inch."

That sounds like it deserves two to three curtain calls.

allan said...

dud doesn't get that one!

Jere said...

Credit goes to sosock for the crazy upside down text.

I guess this Sportsline is a little better. It just always seems like whatever I'm watching is frozen. I just want the basic play-by-play without a million different graphics on there.

allan said...

jays now 1 for 14 with risp.

Jere said...

Jesus, that inning ended so fast. Leadoff double and he doesn't even get to third?

allan said...

mets have come back to tie it 4-4 in the 5th, but pedro lasted only 3.1.

allan said...

jays tv saying arod is revered by yankee fans now because of his hitting last year.

Jere said...

Wasn't that merely what A-Rod said? Like, "I'm comfortable now because the fans like me now." His plan worked. Now people assume it's true.

Jere said...

Orsillo: Dice 1st Sox pitcher since Tiant to start games 1 and 3 of season. (1974)

allan said...

Speaking of Tiant, this never happened.

Jere said...

Dicks on the pond. They're screwed up for Matscrewy.

allan said...

dicks on the pond

Jere said...

Wow, NESN has a graphic "state of the empire" to give Yankee scores.

allan said...

FC (on a bobbled DP ball) brings in a run and it's 3-2 MFers.

Jere said...

Joy, I gotta assume you're talking about the Cardboard Gods post today. He basically used my "Dunbar" theory! Except he used robbery where I used molestation. And I was talking about Damon.

Rob said...

Highlights showed Pedro grabbing for his hamstring on his final pitch - knocked him out of the game.

allan said...

Jere: Yes. I was looking at it last inning.

Why doesn't Toaster have a Red Sox blog? And why don't they sell shirts with their logo on it?

Jere said...

GOt out of it with only 1 run, I guess.

Fortunately El Tiante wasn't a "weiner" for very long....

allan said...

Wang out, Cunt in.

Jere said...

I thought Cardboard Gods counted as the Sox blog.... Done by a Sox fan anyway. But you're right, should be a regulation Sox one.

allan said...

Joba's gotta get lit up early and often this season.

allan said...

JtC walks Rios. And 55,112 fans go dead silent.

Bwahhahahhaa!

Jere said...

It absolutely can't be. There must be some mistake. A walk?

Jere said...

I'm hoping Tri-Young becomes Tri-en Taylor.

allan said...

And goes 2-0 on Wells -- there may be invisible bugs at the Toilet.

Come on Vernon - earn that big money the Jays wasted on you.

Jere said...

His name is Rios and apparently he dances off first base, since Jobber keeps throwing over.

allan said...

JtC battles back to 2-2 -- gets Wells looking as Rios steals second.

Jere said...

Come on Big Hurt, black seats.

Jere said...

or a single.

allan said...

I would also accept Hurt getting a cheapie 2-run dong-a-rooie to right.

allan said...

K.

And Joba fist pumps like he clinched the pennant.

Jere said...

He hasn't clinched the pennant, just a monument.

allan said...

Rudy left his Sox cap at home?

nixon33 said...

I hate the cunt.

allan said...

they heart johnny!!!!

Jere said...

Damon triple? Did Wells fall down?

allan said...

Tangible.

Jere said...

YOu can't teach not getting the guy in from third with less than two outs like that.

allan said...

two harmless infield grounders leave it up to mcbluelips.

but they'll walk him and face roid boy.

Jere said...

And sportsline describes the 75 mph pitch as "offspeed." Thanks. A lot.

Jere said...

Nice job Downs!!

allan said...

Murmurers Row.

Time to tag the F-bat!

allan said...

The Jays should wear Bill Mueller masks at the plate.

allan said...

Jays TV: "Blue Jays are still in it if they can find a way to get to Rivera."

Now THAT'S top-drawer analysis.

Jere said...

Bill Mueller Yankee Kueller!

Jere said...

Straighten it out, overbite.

Jere said...

man, I feel bad for Pedro. Just saw the play. Also saw that less-than front row homer for Melky.

Jere said...

I predict a Scutaro dong.

allan said...

Blue Jays suck ass.

(It would be great if the MFY could go like 10-72 at home this year.)

Jere said...

shit.

allan said...

fuck you rudy, you totalitarian loser.

allan said...

hey rudy aren't you supposed to be somewhere blabbing "9/11" over and over and cashing another $200,000 speaking fee check?

Rob said...

hey rudy aren't you supposed to be somewhere blabbing "9/11" over and over and cashing another $200,000 speaking fee check?

I heard he's thinking of going for NY gov.

nixon33 said...

if michael kay mentions one more time why girardi is wearing # 27 i think im going to leave him where i find him.

allan said...

gov

If he wins, he'll be able to once again order on-duty policemen to walk his girlfriend's dog.

nixon33 said...

so the blue jays beat themselves tonight with bad baserunning and sloppy defense.

allan said...

kay

There's a douche.

allan said...

"... it was farting that saved Canada."

allan said...

SHIT - an A's ticket commercial.

Comcast -- BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Amy said...

147 comments and the game hasn't even started.

So was there an issue with mlb.com---Harvey couldn't get his Yankee game.

Rob said...

Ellsbury's leading off.

Rob said...

The Red Sox look very, very loose tonight. They're very chipper in the dugout.

Amy said...

Play ball! Please...

Rob said...

REGULAR SEASON BASEBALL!!!!!

YEEEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!

I love it.

Amy said...

Allan, I hope DiceK pitches faster than you are clearing comments....:)

Where is L-girl when we need her?

LBJ almost beat it out.

Rob said...

Heh! NESN accidentally switched to the spanish radio feed.

allan said...

i may have to hold amy's comments in limbo for some extra time.

:>)

Rob said...

Now Orsillo and Remy's microphones aren't working.

This is heaven!

allan said...

sadly, gene tenace is coming in loud and clear.

allan said...

A's guy notes Emil Brown hit a regular season HR this year before he hit an spring training HR.

Amy said...

Nice new icons, everyone. I see Nixon has a new one of Trot. Tim has the Manny swing and watch? I can't tell what Zen's is. Ish and I still hanging in with the 2007 versions. But Allan's is my favorite.... how sweet. (Shamelessly trying to get back in Allan's good graces.)

allan said...

2 batters and 2 K for Dice - but 12 pitches.

Amy said...

Oh, sorry, Jere, just noticed your new icon. OK, guess I need a new one.

Back to back K's for Dice K. I like it. So far.

Amy said...

Three up, three down for DiceK. Nice to see a solid first inning.

nixon33 said...

nice inning dicek

allan said...

perfect first for dice. 17 pitches.

barton threw 10 in the 1st.

allan said...

A's TV wonders if when Manny gets 500 HR, will he get a haircut?

Ron said...

Evening all.

Nice start by Dice. And BBS by Manny.

Trying to decide what to do with my avatar. Wakefield's comments about Bush are bugging me still.

nixon33 said...

fucking driect-tv! RAIN INTERFERENCE WITH THE SIGNAL! BASTARDS!

Rob said...

I'm confused. Sounds like the radio guys are splitting up the play-by-play differently this year. Or maybe Joe needed to go to the bathroom. Heh.

Usually Joe calls innings 1,2,5,8,9... and Dave, or whoever else, would call 3,4,6,7. But top of the second, and Joe said "all set to bring the action your way is Dave O'Brien."

nixon33 said...

ish my good man!

Joe Grav said...

Hellooooooo joy nation! so excited to Gamethread, I've been looking forward to it since the last one.

Sadly, this game feels kind of like the Tokyo one for me, as I just woke myself up from a nap... I pulled a semi-all nighter last night studying for an exam. Lame :(

Let's get some runs!

nixon33 said...

how did manny get to second, my dish was out, but back on now.

allan said...

bloop single to short lcf, second on wild pitch.

damn it tek.

Joe Grav said...

well done, 'Tek :/

Joe Grav said...

It's all up to Ococ

Amy said...

I changed my icon, but Tek still made an easy out. 0 for 9???

Sheesh.

nixon33 said...

fuck me.

allan said...

Koko.

Amy said...

Damn. What a wasted opportunity.

allan said...

red sox strand a pair.

Amy said...

So we get to see both LBJ and Ococ in one game. Interesting.

Joe Grav said...

d'oh.

Amy said...

Shit. Not a good start to the second.

allan said...

mets and fish 4-4 in the 10th

Joe Grav said...

Good recovery so far by Dice

allan said...

scoooooooooooop
from
yoooooooooooook

9casey said...

Is anyone else really suprised Coco is even still on this team.......There's a number of teams that good use a centerfielder......

allan said...

dice gives up the dong and falls behind brown 3-0, but comes back nicely.

Joe Grav said...

I am surprised he's still on the team, but at the same time, I know the Sox won't unload him for hte sake of unloading him. They're waiting for the right deal, and that's the smart thing to do. Coco ain't worthless - remember, he was having an amazing defensive season last year until Taco-boy made us forget about him.

Rob said...

Is anyone else really suprised Coco is even still on this team.......There's a number of teams that good use a centerfielder......

I am. It's nice he's here for right now, although Bobby Kielty might not agree with me.

Amy said...

What can we get for Coco and from which team? I am sure he doesn't want to be the backup to Ellsbury, but we need to get something we want and need for him.

9casey said...

I agree he is not worthless...Just odd that no one has really come calling yet .....or maybe they have.

Joe Grav said...

nice stab by Hannahan.

Joe Grav said...

grrr I thought that one was getting down

Jere said...

I'm on live!

allan said...

Lyndon is hacking.

9casey said...

I like the gameday new feature with in game highlights.....

allan said...

fuck no.

Ron said...

My understanding (from the Globe probably) was there there is interest in Coco from several clubs, but his groin injury in kept things from moving along.

Amy said...

blech. Can we get something going here? Is everyone still jetlagged?

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