Tigers - 000 000 000 - 0 5 2Today was a beautiful day: a World Series ring ceremony, nine innings of sun-soaked afternoon baseball, and an easy shutout victory.
Red Sox - 011 102 00x - 5 12 0
Matsuzaka (6.2-4-0-4-7, 109) was both economical and aggressive. He allowed only two baserunners through the first four innings. Detroit tried to rally in the fifth and sixth, but Dice stranded a total of five Tigers in those two innings to preserve the shutout. Odd note: Matsuzaka's four walks were awarded on only 17 pitches (three four-pitch passes and one with a foul ball thrown in).
Everyone in the starting lineup reached base at least twice except for Crisp (single, RBI, and made a couple of tough catches in CF) and Ramirez (on a triple into the triangle, he scored when the relay throw was wild).
Lugo, Pedroia, Varitek each singled twice; Lowell and Ortiz both walked twice; Drew singled and walked; and Youkilis singled twice, doubled, walked and drove in two runs. Lugo also scored two runs.
Delcarmen relieved Dice in the seventh and pitched 1.1 innings, allowing one hit and striking out two. Okajima pitched a perfect ninth with two strikeouts, although he needed 20 pitches.
Rogers (4.2-8-3-3-3, 107) had a tough time from the very beginning. Almost half of the batters he faced (11 of 25) reached base.
The Royals beat the visiting Yankees 5-2 (like Boston, KC had five runs and 12 hits). The Orioles won again and are threatening to run away with the AL East.
***
Kenny Rogers (134 ERA+) / Daisuke Matsuzaka (180 ERA+)
There are several annual holidays that each Red Sox fan observes: Truck Day, the morning when pitchers & catchers report to spring training, Opening Day ... and the first game of a new season at Fenway Park.This is Fenway's 97th Opening Day. And here we are ... watching another group of Red Sox players receive World Series rings (only 1,093 days since the last ceremony!). The park opens at 11:35 AM and pregame ceremonies will begin at 1:15 PM.
Tito, on coming home: "Half of us will probably have clean underwear for the first time, so that will be good. How do you beat getting a ring and clean underwear?"
The three-country road trip may be in the players' collective rear-view mirror, but the schedule isn't getting much easier. Beginning with today's game, the Red Sox are scheduled to play 36 games in 37 days. Between now and May 14, there is only one off-day.
172 comments:
crap! left the house today and forgot to set the VCR record. would anyone be able to send me a tape/DVD of the festivities if i can't find it online?
Just remember, the Sox are 2-0 in the USA.
The 2007 World Series Ring!!!
It is stunning to me that some writers and fans are actually upset about a 3-4 start. How many times during a season will a team go 3-4? It's ridiculous. With the Japan trip and two parks that traditionally give the Sox fits, I expected worse. The only really bad starting pitching performance was Lester's first. The defense was shaky; the offense is in the same April-on-the-road low gear that I've seen almost every season since before I was shaving. Lugo had a bad game and Manny D had two. That's nuthin'.
Tim, NESN is going to repeat the ring ceremony at 6:30 EDT.
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Kevin Youkilis, 1B
David Ortiz, DH
Manny Ramirez, LF
Mike Lowell, 3B
J.D. Drew, RF
Jason Varitek, C
Coco Crisp, CF
Julio Lugo, SS
Edgar Renteria, SS
Placido Polonco, 2B
Gary Sheffield, DH
Magglio Ordonez, RF
Miguel Cabrera, 3B
Carlos Guillen, 1B
Ivan Rodriguez, C
Jacque Jones, LF
Brandon Inge, CF
Looks like the ring ceremony will be on MLBTV (or some part thereof) at 1:15.
Tom Werner and John Henry are on NESN's pre-game show. John has a "prototype ring" on his finger, and they were talking about what went into designing the rings, etc. Tom talked about how they consulted some of the players, like Ortiz, and Tom said, "You know how he likes his bling. So there's going to be a ring of diamonds right here..."
John Henry then said, "Yeah, see, this ring right here is the pre-bling ring."
It's kind of like a little old lady dropping an F bomb. You wouldn't hear John Henry saying "bling" everyday.
By the way, it appears on Thursday night, the Red Sox will be on NESN Plus, while the Bruins will get the original NESN channel, with the HD preference, for Game 1 of Round 1 of the playoffs.
Bill Buckner will throw out today's ceremonial first pitch.
Glad to see the Sox having Buckner back, even more glad to see that Buckner came back.
This isn't the first time though, is it? I'm pretty sure he's gotten an ovation there before.
I'm modd'ing today but I'm going to TRY to stay out of thread as much as I can. We'll see how much I can resist the gabbing.
Enjoy everybody! Go Sox!
Buckner got a huge ovation on Opening Day 1987.
Why isn't Ellsbury playing?!?! I don't like this silly platooning.
L-girl, please do blab. It's all the rest of us do in here.
Beautiful ceremony. I love how the rings acknowledge the guys who were on both 04 and 07, with the two trophies. Really nice.
(And no stupid song this year!)
Thanks Patrick. I want to stay out of the thread more b/c I find myself not watching the game as closely as I'd like to. Too much reading and commenting - which I enjoy - but too little serious game watching.
The best thing to help me overcome my angst from the Toronto sweep would be to sweep these over rated Tigers. Let them get their first win somewhere else.
Lyndon sitting against the LHP?
Battle of the Basement!
I've always noticed Lyndon hitting well against lefties. Just a thought.
Davey O' and Castig are comparing Ordonez's hair to Manny's...I'm SO glad I can't watch this on tv...
yooooook
Feeling a Manny jack here...
Papi walks -- well done. Need his high OBP.
That and patience will get us into that bullpen of theirs sooner.
is rogers always this slow? jesus. it'll be a 6 hour game.
Sounds like Manny really got all of that one...
NICE quick inning from Dice.
mr on fire
werd
Hard to see how that was a balk. Not that I'm complaining, but...
BB. BB. BB for the Cap'n would be good.
Zen, you called it.
Balk not showing on CBS GameCenter...
It was supposedly a balk.
Argh, I have no idea exactly how this happened...but I will gladly take the sac fly. With hopes of continuing to get the Gambler's pitch count up.
Oh apparently you didn't call it. I thought you meant... something else. Never mind.
ump said rogers did not come to a stop -- balk -- looked like his normal motion. so drew who had singled to right-center, went to second. tek lined a single up the middle, almost caught by rogers, so drew had to wait, then went to third. crisp hit a sac fly to right-center to bring in the run.
hawk flying over fans!
looked like he had a mouse in his beak.
Beautiful shot of the hawk! It seemed to have lunch in its beak - and then not. Did it drop a dead mouse on a fan??
loaded up for papi!
Thanks for the explanation.
Ducks for Daveed...as there were in Oakland last Tuesday. Here's to a better result.
shit - magglio gets that one right at the short RF fence. papi stares out -- shoulda hit it 5 more feet.
nice running backhand catch by manny to end the inning.
dice: 19-11-11 = 41
Another quick 1-2-3.
The Improved Matsuzaka Theory of 2008 Projections is looking good.
I'm expecting big things from Dice-K this year.
BEING!!!
Manny we love you! Missed a dong by that much.
I think that will be the closest Manny will come to an inside-the-park home run.
MANNY!!!!
into the CF wind, lands in corner, wild throw from Polonco to 3B as Manny digs around second and goes Rose-style into the bag. awarded HOME.
That's some hustle from the plate-on from Being. nice. lucky break (fer the us) on the throw.
That ends Polanco's 186 game errorless streak.
I hope they don't think that's a good reason to talk about Youk's.
Holy crap!
CBS can't handle that at all...still hasn't come up.
So it's a 3B + error, right?
strike 3 looked quite low and away on werd.
Yes, 3B + E.
Too early for The Bar, eh?
Just got out of class...I see we are not losing! Yay! How were the ceremonies? How is Dice doing?
Just starting to think about lunch, Laura! Still haven't ponied up for MLBtv.
I just got MLB audio for when I'm at work Sat & Sun. $15 for the whole season, a great deal.
Zen, I have to tell you that since the discussion of your Peter Gabriel icon, I have heard at least four Genesis or Gabriel songs on XM radio on various stations. Very weird.
CBS just now catching up...saying "Ramirez tripled to shallow center."
Extra Bases referred to Drew as "on fire" for his single.
And...the DP! Eat that, Gary!
Oh man, that is crazy. You might have to get MLB TV.
shallow center?
it landed in the dirt of the triangle! without the 10 mph wind coming in from CF, it woulda been a dong.
Ah, but Amy, were any of them Peter Gabriel WITH Genesis songs?
Genesis did a few tunes that old in their overpriced-but-stunning tour last year, which I saw in Boston.
As long as Phil Collins is nowhere to be seen, that seems safe.
Most of them were more recent songs. One was Watcher of the Skies. Not sure when that was, but it was one weird song!
Don: "That's outstanding."
Drink!
just tuning in on GDGD from work...alright yook, 3-0 - lets keep it up!
and LOL to manny's damn-near-inside-the-parker!
How about a run scoring without an out or an error?
Ah finally a wi-fi hot spot!!
Uncle Joe and Brother Dave making Daisuke look good so far (he's dealing).
Good hustle from MBM on the triple!
3-0, lets go Sox keep on adding to the pot against the gambler!
Zen: Genesis boots at TUBE
"down by way of the K"
Drink!!
dice-k looking good...except for that four pitch walk, but hey - a four pitch walk is better than a ten pitch walk...
its a shame orsillo had to break out all the golden drinking phrases while i'm at WORK!!!
Truth be told, we're not drinking either. Although I will be making a cup of tea soon.
Ha! "Watcher of the Skies" is what Peter is singing in my avatar, Amy!
Laura, many fans of "old Genesis" have a syndrome in which they begin to hate Phil Collins. I have come through that. Phil is a great, great drummer, still sings pretty well. I now love Phil. I don't go anywhere near his solo material, but I love him.
I love Phil Collins. There, I said it. Three times.
Not as much as I love Matsuzaka Daisuke at this moment for getting out of that inning. I also love him from a fantasy point of view. Uh, strikeouts and scoreless innings and so forth, y'know...
Wow Zen, you have some kinda guts, saying that around here. ;)
I was never a huge Genesis fan, although I do like some of their earliest material. But man, Phil Collins... *shudder*
I guess as long as you don't like his solo stuff, Allan won't ban you.
don't usually see manny that pissed at a call.
Uncle Joe makes it sound like MBM is ready to toss helmets.
Buckner in the booth
Here's another early Gabriel costume. Yes, that's Peter, and yes, it's a fox's head, and yes, he's wearing a red dress.
It's from your bootleg page, Allan. Thanks! I get 'em from a Genesis-dedicated site.
What has Phil done that's so horrible? Some love songs? They can't hurt you if you don't listen to them.
And that's 100 pitches for Kenny!
Leaving work to get home to see the rest of the game. Hope nothing bad happens before then.
That's funny, Zen! That is one good song for being stoned for---not so sure about listening to it while watching baseball.
See you all in a bit!
Truth be told, we're not drinking either. Although I will be making a cup of tea soon.
Heh, i figured (hoped?) you hadn't gotten into the bottles this early...
See you later, Amy.
I assume that's it for Rogers after Varitek's single.
I guess as long as you don't like his solo stuff, Allan won't ban you.
i wouldnt say banning would be in order for something like this - maybe just publicly ridiculed all year by the Joy community.
TEK! Hitting above .300! alright!
What has Phil done that's so horrible?
Draw breath.
There was a time you couldn't leave your house without being assaulted by Phil's crooning. So GO home already! The man just wouldn't stop.
Grilli is pitching.
Tim, just kidding about banning, of course. Ridiculing will do.
Collins's solo stuff is absolute shit. Pure dreck. And somehow he got a reputation in the 80s as a socially conscious songwriter, singing about caring for the down-trodden. And he acted all self-important, like putting shots of poor people in your video = actually doing something. SHIT.
lopez up.
bear down, dice.
Whereas in actuality, he was going out beating up poor people in his spare time? I mean, the ones he was big enough to beat up.
Phil's the only Genesis member to come from humble circumstances. The rest met in "public" school.
I just loathe his music.
If there was a stronger word than loathe, I'd use that, but I can't think of any. Real run screaming from the room stuff for me.
Come on Dice, get out of this...
B2 to guillen was a better strike than some of the shit that's been called strikes before.
WHEW! Dicey there for a bit.
Whereas in actuality, he was going out beating up poor people in his spare time?
No, just exploiting them in his videos. Plus he is massively over-rated.
Sluuuuugo!
"Sluggo" got stares at the Oakland park last week.
As did, by the way, the "IMPEACH REMY" sign I held up the whole freakin' game.
"Who's Remy?" people kept asking me (including several supposed Red Sox fans).
Impeach Remy - nice!
Over-rated? I'd say he's over-hated! Almost everyone I speak to says similar things about him.
If you mean overrated as a drummer -- do some downloads back on that page you recommended and let me know what you think.
this ump is annoying me.
zen -- meant to say thanks for doing that with the sign.
I am awfully talkative today. Swear I haven't smoked any weed.
Well, he was wildly popular, zillions of people adored him. And if you hate his music, as I do, that combination has to mean over-rated.
He can't be over-hated.
When I said "Sluuuugo" got stares, I meant when I said it.
"Yook" was very loud, though.
yoooooook
KC goes up 1-0 against Hughes, and no outs yet.
I swear I will not post again for at least five minutes, perhaps ten.
Yoouuukkkkk!!!
Zen, post (and smoke) to your heart's content. It's cool.
Whoops, there is one out for KC.
Yay, Yook.
NOW I won't post for a bit...except to say, I was talking about the current view of Phil, not the 80's one. I hated him then, mostly. Somewhat. "Take Me Home" was all right.
I didn't know there was a current view of Phil. Seriously, I'm not just being nasty, I never hear about him anymore. It's lovely.
"When's the last time Manny got a haircut?" - Buckner
STFU, loser. I don't care what kind of ovation he got. What is he ragging on Manny for. Jealous???
Buckner also said he was surprised to see Manny run out of the box last AB. Shithead.
I was talking about the current view of Phil, not the 80's one. I hated him then, mostly. Somewhat. "Take Me Home" was all right.
You really should have ended that thought one sentence early! :>)
is anyone seeing a puff of dirt when grilli threw that pitch to drew? he did it to ortiz too. is he grabbing dirt with the ball? i actually expected flo to say something.
OK, moratorium on Phil Collins talk, 'k? I think it's bad mojo, even with a 4-0 lead.
Nice! Not ON FIRE but we'll take it.
seems grilli is cooked!
Will take that walk by ON FIRE!!!
That puff of dirt I think is rosin.
tek 2-for-3 -- can he get a 3rd hit?
how wide is this fooker's strike zone???
dice back? huh. strange.
Hey, great play Dice!
Another good outing by Daisuke! Now we just need MDC to shake off his bad outings and retire the side here.
odd pitching change. tito out, crowd cheering, mdc running in from pen, dice staying on mound, not talking to anyone, mdc arrives, dice hands him the ball, then dice leaves, tito following but off to the side, letting dice go off alone and first ...
Back in time for the 7th inning stretch. Dice did well. Good to hear!
I see Tek struck out with bases loaded. Sigh.
Oh sure, I come back just in time for a moratorium...can't I just say...
Millions of Dead Cops gettin it done. Good.
I see Tek struck out with bases loaded. Sigh.
It was not a strike. Bad call by the umpire.
I was thinking we might see Pap in the ninth, but I see he got his "inning of work" in Toronto. Okaji was up earlier. Guess it depends how things go.
And I'm goin' to a meeting...
Bye Zen, have fun.
Oh, glad to hear Tek didn't go down swinging at a bad pitch.
I am so happy they are back at Fenway. All's right with the world.
Your guy has had a good day today. Did you see the ceremony? I hope so.
Gotta run off to yet another meeting.
Love the MDC reference.
Makin' Detroiters Cry?
I didn't see the ceremonies live (damn teaching schedule got in the way), but I DVR'd it for later.
Not sure Harv will be thrilled with watching it! I may have to wait until he's not around to suffer through it.
Delcarmen looking sharper. Thank goodness.
(His agent is joining the faculty at our college next year as a sport management professor.)
Neil Diamond---I seriously would rather hear Phil Collins....
Kitsch overload!
Yoinks!!!
(Red Sox have wanted Diamond at Fenway for years.)
Wow, Amy, I just took a closer look at your avatar. That's priceless.
What college is that?
College?!!?
It's Little League -- he's like 12!
Western New England College in Springfield, MA. I teach at the law school there; my husband is in the legal studies and sport management department at the business school. The agent (Jim something---I forget) seems like a nice guy the one time I briefly met him.
My avatar: I am indebted to our dear friend Redsock for locating that last season.
I wonder how big his thighs were then. Probably normal, if he played SS.
YOUK!! THREE hits!
I like his haircut. I think he should go back to the longer (relatively speaking) hair.
I like Buckner wiping the tear from his eye.
Ha, ha...I was asking Amy about the college where she teaches. He doesn't quite look college age there...
I have this one friend, a Yankee fan. She expresses distaste for Jason's physical appearance and I find it difficult to fault her on this one. Plenty of other things, yes, but Jason's a lump of a man.
College?!!?
It's Little League -- he's like 12!
I hear he was very advanced in school....
Amy, just saw that you dvr'd the ceremonies, great. It was really nice. They did a beautiful job (again).
Ooops! I thought Zen meant that picture was of a college-aged Tek.
Posted my Oops before I checked comments!
Jeemer in and Lyndon in LF
Jeemer looking nasty on that split.
Springfield Ma, the s1c clan will be there in May. B-fly has a dance competition.
During the ring ceremony did they really parade 62 flags for Red Sox nation?
Jason's a lump of a man.
It's not about his looks. It's advanced intelligence. (See above comment .)
Seriously, I just like catchers. I like the fact that they are so integral to every play in the game. I also find Varitek particularly modest and fairly articulate.
CRISP!! Nice nice play!
Ococ makes it an adventure... but gets the job done. Nice!
!!!hctac eht sekam ocoC
s1c---don't you live close by anyway? Not much brings folks to Springfield, other than the Basketball HOF.
s1c, they didn't parade the flags, people stood holding the flags in front of the OF wall.
Love the MDC reference.
Makin' Detroiters Cry?
Nice. If you were referring to mine, I stole it from Jere (aka Gedman) - I recall it from last year's game threads and he mentioned it a couple times during the one YouCastr broadcast we all listened to...
Come on Jeemer, finish this puppy off so I can go home!
lot ofpitches for jeemer. thought he looked uncomfortable at first, to guillen,
down by way of the K! time to head home by way of highway 6!
Amy, living in the Hartford area about an hour away, but will be spending the weekend at the Holiday Inn since it is about 2 blocks from the competition.
"And the Red Sox win."
Good day! It would be sad to win on the day you get your championship ring.
Glad that international road trip is over. (No offense to Canada, of course.)
Bye all. We're off to eat sushi and enjoy a bit of spring evening.
Going to dinner also. Bye all.
My wife and I will be in Amherst for my 15th college reunion. I will get again drive through Springfield.
Nice thread all around, and a nice game, of course.
Hmm, maybe s1c, Zen and I should have a mini JOS reunion in western MA.
Tim, Regarding the MDC. I thought it was Jere who brought that up last year, but it certainly seemed right up your alley as well.
Rock.
I forget--and this thread is basically over anyhow--, but am I the only JoS commenter in Mass. west of the Pioneer Valley?
Chokers lost, that's nice.
Accardo just gave up a go-ahead triple in the 9th to the fellow international travelers. Canada down by 1 to Oakland, bottom 9 coming up from the SKYDOME.
I have watched that ceremony 3 times now .....and the class and dignity I saw today made me proud to be Red Sox fan....
The Buckner Play which is etched in some many fans memories......To see him there today gave me goosebumps......
Henry, Lucchino, Werner and Epstein and everyone associated with the Red Sox I tip my cap.......
If the Red Sox do not exemplify some of the little things that make sports what they are, I don't know who does.....
Nick, how far west of the Pioneer Valley are you? I am smack dab in the middle of it.
Canseco interview
looks like Fat Billy and Slappy got to him.......
Was at game today.
"nine innings of sun-soaked afternoon baseball"
The afternoon was sun-soaked if you were on the field or in the bleachers. If you were in the grandstand or anywhere left of home plate, it was like winter. It was amazing to go down the steps to get food or whatever, pass through the sunny area, and see how nice it was in the sun.
Tim: thanks for the nod on the MDC thing.
L: Buckner had not been back in a long time. But he did get cheered the following season, and was still playing with the Sox as late as '90, after leaving and coming back. And you're right, the flags weren't paraded, but they were brought out and brought back, effectively making it a parade. It's like that NYC protest in '03 where the pigs said "you can gather but you can't march." It's like, well, just so ya know, we will be walking to and from the location! Should we *happen* to hold signs and chant during those times, don't worry, we're just getting to where we're going...ha.
Went to a restaurant after game, and Castiglione walked in!
Amy, I'm in Great Barrington. Not much further west can ya get, but there's quite a bit of the state to the north of me and some to the south.
Nick, Great Barrington is a great little town. We stayed there years ago at an inn right near Butternut Ski area. Turning Point Inn, maybe?
It was about 20 years ago, so probably isn't even the same name!
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