May 23, 2008

G51: Athletics 8, Red Sox 3

Red Sox   - 000 110 100 - 3  6  0
Athletics - 304 001 00x - 8 8 1
Four consecutive pitches from Wakefield with one out in the first inning -- Crosby double, called strike, Cust RBI single, Thomas 2-run dong -- put the Red Sox in an early hole.

Oakland got four more runs off Wake in the third. A walk and two singles brought in one run, then Ellis whacked a three-run dong to left, and it was Oakland 7-0.

Pedroia homered in the fourth. Ellsbury drove in Boston's other two runs: singling in Drew (who had doubled) in the fifth and Lugo (who had reached on an infield error) in the seventh.

Tampa Bay shut out Baltimore 2-0 to move back to 1.5 GB. The Yankees pounded Seattle 13-2, but remain locked in the basement.

***

Tim Wakefield (4.33, 99 ERA+) / Rich Harden (2.91, 131 ERA+)

Back on May 15, I noted (expected, hoped, etc.) that the Red Sox were going to "put an obscene beating on both the Brewers and Royals".

The team went 7-0, outscoring Milwaukee and Kansas City 49-28. That may not be obscene, but it'll do. The team batted .300/.377/.520 while holding its opponents to a .219/.312/.388 line.

Tonight starts a ten-game road trip with three in Oakland, three in Seattle and four in Baltimore. Then it's back to Fenway for a three-game AL East showdown with the Devil Rays.

As you can see by the schedule, the Sox have put together separate losing streaks of 3, 4 and 5 games as well as separate winning streaks of 4, 5, 6 and 7 games. All in the first 50 games of the season.

367 comments:

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Rob said...

Last year the longest losing streak was 4 games. Highest winning streak was 5. Amazing how this year there's already been a 7 game winning streak and a 5 game winning streak.

By the way... After 50 games last year, the Red Sox record was 35-15, 11.5 GA in the AL East.

Rob said...

Amazing thing is this year the Red Sox have MLB's best record right now. And 2007's Red Sox are 4 GA 2008's Red Sox.

s1c said...

This will be the third time sox face Harden this year. So far he is 1-0 with a .82 ERA vs the Sox, this year. He and Wang are the only 2 of the 9 pitchers the Sox have faced twice this year who did not lose the second game.

Jack Marshall said...

I really don't believe there will be a true Rays "showdown," because the Sox will be at least 5 games up by then. This team is quite a bit better than the 2007 squad---the home record is more indicative of the team's true nature than the flukey road record.

Patrick said...

The team batted .300/.377/.520 while holding its opponents to a .219/.312/.388 line.

Jeepers creepers!

This team is quite a bit better than the 2007 squad

...except for the bullpen which is SCARY!

allan said...

But I like writing "AL East showdown with the Devil Rays"!

9casey said...

Patrick said...
This team is quite a bit better than the 2007 squad


Patrick it looked like you quoted this line....

I don't know if you said or who said it......But conistency needs to set in before we can say they are a bit better than team who won the World Series.

They look great when they win 7 in a row but being swept in Tampa and Toronto and losing 2 in Balt. you cant get beat by teams in you division like that and in May say they are better than last year.

allan said...

I try to avoid cliche, but there is a lot of truth in the one that says you're never truly as good as your best game and never as bad as your worst. Or something like that.

We go 7-0 and we feel like no one can stop us. We go 0-5 and all the weak spots are glaringly obvious.

We're talented, though, so over 162+ games, the good team will come out more often.

s1c said...

Sox will be at least 5 games up by then

I believe the Rays are at home while the Sox are on the road to two places they lose a lot of games. In last 5 years the Sox are 20 - 28 at Oak (12-12) and Seattle (8-16). If they go 3-3 during that part of the trip I would be happy.

The Jays this year are 16-8 at home this year and are facing Baltimore (are you scared of the O's), Texas and Chicago. I would not be surprised to see them win 7 of those 10 games.

allan said...

AB with the OM:

1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Manny Ramirez, LF
5. Mike Lowell, 3B
6. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
7. J.D. Drew, RF
8. Julio Lugo, SS
9. Kevin Cash, C

1. Jack Hannahan, 3B
2. Bobby Crosby, SS
3. Jack Cust, LF
4. Frank Thomas, DH
5. Ryan Sweeney, CF
6. Emil Brown, RF
7. Mark Ellis, 2B
8. Daric Barton, 1B
9. Kurt Suzuki, C

allan said...

LPY 3, SEA 2 (after 3)
Wheat Thins hit a 3-run dong

TB 0, BAL 0 (bot 4)

s1c said...

Ok, Why stick Cash in between Lugo and Ellsbury?

Keep the speed burners together man!!!

allan said...

SEA - 011 00 - 2 7 0
NYY - 030 22 - 7 8 0

allan said...

BAL - 000 00 - 0 3 1
TBR - 000 00 - 0 2 0

allan said...

SEA - 011 00 - 2 7 0
NYY - 030 25 - 12 12 0

mfy still batting in 5th

TB up 1-0.

Jack Marshall said...

The bullpen, Patrick, isn't scary, it's annoying. We know how good Delcarmen and Okajima can be and should be. If they simply pitch up to ability, and they are healthy, the pen looks strong. Aardsma will be scary, yes, and we know what we'll get from Lopez. Hansen has to find himself. Pap is Pap. I'm not worried about the pen, I'm just impatient with it.

This team has looked good LOSING. Typically they have outplayed the other team and then screw things up with one bad pitch, an error, a badly timed injury, something. There have been damn few games I didn't think the Sox should have won, and that's unusual. That's why I am confident that we will say this team was better, when the dust clears.

Rob said...

I think I mentioned this earlier, but it's amazing how the Red Sox are the best team in the majors at 31-19. After 50 games last year, 35-15.

Rob said...

I say that, then I read the first post. Oops.

9casey said...

Jack Marshall said...
That's why I am confident that we will say this team was better, when the dust clears.



And the only way that happens is if they repeat.....


Let's just remember it's May get a hold of yourselves......No reason to compare yet.....

Rob said...

Let's just remember it's May get a hold of yourselves......No reason to compare yet.....

It's true. We're not even a third of the way through yet. It's so easy to compare though, because there are so many of the same guys as we had last year.

allan said...

All I know is I'm having fun.
And I expect the fun to (in general) continue.

tim said...

Finally back for a gamethread. And fucking done. Damn beerfest!

allan said...

Malphabet is playing 3B for Pittsburgh?

tim said...

the laurier (university i go to) softball league had its first big event of the year today...beer fest, like the movie. a bunch of contests of drinking skill - started at 1pm, it is now 10 and i am done. but it was a good time! time for some beisbol!

allan said...

yep

13 at 3B
7 at 1B
1 in RF

Rob said...

started at 1pm, it is now 10 and i am done

...and you can still spell! Impressive.

allan said...

...and you can still spell! Impressive.

"Started" might have been tough, but the rest are only 1, 2 or 3 letters. Jeez.

allan said...

Oh, "done" has 4.

Whatever!

Patrick said...

I know it is very selfish to say this, but I'm glad Kason Gabbard got shellacked again.

And I hope the shellacking the Yankees are putting on the Mariners is a good omen. I hope to do the same when we get there.

tim said...

Best baseball league ever! And baseball has 8! league = 6! tim ftw!

allan said...

Rays keep rollin':

BAL - 000 000 000 - 0 4 3
TBR - 000 010 01x - 2 5 0

tim said...

Man, theres a bunch of islanders (Jamaican/Trinidadian?/Caribbeans) partying in my apartment (shared with 2 other people, one of which is from Bermuda)....this is a ridiculous night already, and the first pitch hasnt even been thrown!

tim said...

damn. A's feed on MLB.TV...

allan said...

Damn - Yet another night of mlbtv on mute.

Joe Grav said...

Good evening JoSers!

Patrick said...

Salutations!

tim said...

Allo!

sidenote - got a couple free ticks to sunday's jays - royals game...should be a good time.

Joe Grav said...

greetings!

allan said...

strike 3 to lbj looked outside - harden doesn't need any help against us

Patrick said...

Hannahan casting more evil spells of wickedness on our batters...

Amy said...

These late games are too late for me, and I see Tim is finally back! Oh, well, I am still too tired. Tim, where have you been? We could have used some spinach during that losing streak.

Patrick said...

That's the same Harden we saw before. Hopefully Wake is dealing.

allan said...

This is Harden's 5th start of the season -- and 3rd against us.

Amy said...

I will watch the rest of this inning, but will have to leave the game to you guys.

tim said...

yeah amy!.....ive just been jammed busy. a lot of school work etc...ironic thing is that when i finally got settled into my new apartment and started cooking for myself (altho a lack of spinach), they reeled off 7 wins in a row...

Benjamin said...

Why can't these guys just lie down for us too this week.

Joe Grav said...

Guy's Night at jos

Joe Grav said...

Ruh roh

allan said...

Final at Stade Fasciste: 13-2

Rob said...

Oh god. Frank Thomas again.

Joe Grav said...

Washed up

Amy said...

Thanks, Joe. :) Always wanted to be one of the guys....well, not.

allan said...

wake wake wake .....

Rob said...

I strongly advise Wakefield to just plunk Thomas every time he comes up to bat. Just toss one at his big toe, and let him hobble his way onto the basepaths.

Benjamin said...

Well that's one way to start losing fast.

Patrick said...

Frank Thomas, what did we do to you?

Amy said...

OK, I guess I am glad I am going to sleep soon. This is NOT looking good for Wakefield tonight.

Who is our long relief?

Rob said...

Doesn't even have to hurt. Graze his uniform if you have to.

Rob said...

Well, luckily he's on the AL West rather than the AL East these days.

Joe Grav said...

bust out of it manny

tim said...

Well, just blew a 0.087 on the alcohawk - barely over the limit, but clearly shouldnt be driving. These limits are too high.

Jack Marshall said...

What an awful chess player Francona is sometimes. Why pitch Matsusaka against the Royals and Wakefield in Oakland, where he has to face two of the toughest hitters for him, Cust and Thomas? Makes no sense. I wonder if that even occured to Tito. I'd do anything to keep Wake from pitching against the A's, and flipping him with Dice-K was easy, with no downside.

tim said...

MBM wants #500 on the west coast - tonights the night....

allan said...

harden's facial hair is stupid

Amy said...

Well, Tim, good to have you back. Hope things calm down so you will be around more. I miss listening to your descriptions of whatever you are cooking for dinner.

Joe Grav said...

is it just me, or do the Up and Down Oakland Pitchers always smoke us?

Joe Grav said...

what in god's name is that racket in the background

tim said...

haha, i like them descriptions...havent cooked much lately, i've just been too damn busy! hopefully will settle down soon and steam some spinach!

evidently, we need to steam some tonight!

Amy said...

OK, good night all. I hope Wake improves and Harden worsens.

allan said...

Nite, Amy! Maybe see you for Sunday's game.

tim said...

later amy!

allan, what times tomorrows game at?

Patrick said...

Last year in the beginning of June we lost 2 out of three to the Yankees, then 3 of 4 to Oakland with the lone bright spot being Shill's one hitter. It was a sad run where we won only 5 of 13.

allan said...

also 10 tomorrow. then 4 on sunday i think

Rob said...

I thought tomorrow's was 9.

Rob said...

Pssst. Rich Harden is throwing a no-hitter.

Rob said...

ESPN shows 9:05 tomorrow night

Patrick said...

A no hitter! Wow! I hope he doesn't mess it up.

allan said...

actually ...

RICH HARDEN IS PITCHING A PERFECT GAME!!!!
RICH HARDEN IS PITCHING A PERFECT GAME!!!!
RICH HARDEN IS PITCHING A PERFECT GAME!!!!
RICH HARDEN IS PITCHING A PERFECT GAME!!!!
RICH HARDEN IS PITCHING A PERFECT GAME!!!!

Joe Grav said...

Git some runs

allan said...

i might have an older schedule.

Rob said...

4:05 looks good for Sunday, though.

tim said...

nevertheless, a late one tomorrow, so i can watch...good :-)

tim said...

4:05 sunday sounds good, should be able to catch the last few innings after i get home from toerontoe

allan said...

Moron A's fan hanning K cards has this sign on the railing;

BOSTON
REDS
SUCK

Patrick said...

Just sizing him up for a feasting.

Joe Grav said...

three ludicrously quick at bats

Patrick said...

Cincinnati, Red Sox?

tim said...

meche - mcgowan on sunday, should see a few HRs...

seriously, this dick harden needs to stop pitching a perfect game.

Joe Grav said...

thank you for that insightful report, heidi

Joe Grav said...

please stop talking about frank thomas , it makes me afraid of the next time he comes up

Rob said...

I don't care who or what she talks about. Just as long as they show her more.

Patrick said...

Hit him Wake!

Joe Grav said...

i hate you frank thomas

Rob said...

Seriously. I think Thomas needs to be intentionally walked next time up.

Joe Grav said...

hate hate hate

Patrick said...

Heidi is dreamy!

tim said...

hate hate hate

Silky...Johnsonnnnnnnn!

allan said...

dong and a single for thomas.

could he get a triple on his way to a cycle?

Joe Grav said...

I love the word "dreamy"

tim said...

no cash in the bank there

Joe Grav said...

my parents are watching willy wonka, thus depriving me of the HD :(

tim said...

well RS, it IS oakland....triples do happen!

Joe Grav said...

crapola

Rob said...

could he get a triple on his way to a cycle?

I think two of the outfielders would have to twist their ankles and fall down for Thomas to get a triple.

Patrick said...

could he get a triple on his way to a cycle?

.....

Maybe if an outfielder dies at just the right time

tim said...

lol...willy wonka in HD?

Patrick said...

High five, Ish! same stupid joke.

allan said...

cashedballa

...

fook 4-0.

Patrick said...

lol...willy wonka in HD?

Really? Time to bust out the mushrooms, and not run away when the oompa loompas come out of the TV.

tim said...

I should really stop showing up at these gamethreads :-(

Benjamin said...

WTF.

Joe Grav said...

touchdown, oakland :-/

Rob said...

I step out for one minute and boof. 7-0.

Who let their dong outside?

Jere said...

It'll have to be a pretty nice comeback, but there's time.

Here's one for everybody: When was the last time two players hit back to back grand slams? Meaning, guy hits grand dong, next three guys get on base, next guy hits another grand dong. (I don't know the answer--I just wonder how often this has happened...)

allan said...

A's TV showing whatever blank-faced Sox fans they can find in the crowd.

Patrick said...

I like to think that Wakefield is just a vessel, channeling an ancient knuckleball spirit. The spirit is erratic like the ocean, and Timmeh has no bearing on what sort of wrath the spirit will evoke.

Joe Grav said...

I don't know whether or not Willy Wonka is in HD, i just know they are using the big screen in the living room... I also know that HD or not, it would probably look awesome after smoking vast quantities of marijuana

Joe Grav said...

Jere, probably never. That sounds almost impossible.

And there is nobody streakier than Wake.

Joe Grav said...

...not even Brian Daubach.

Joe Grav said...

Perfect game, still.

Benjamin said...

Think this game's Timlin-proof yet?

allan said...

So ... through three innings.

Oakland has 7 runs.

Boston has hit 4 fair balls.

Patrick said...

The rest of the bullpen has made Timlin look like a good choice, as of late.

Joe Grav said...

Oh boy, a live chat with DO

GONE!

Rob said...

FUCK YEAH!!! BREAKING UP THE PERFECT GAME!!!

Jere said...

Pedr-dong-ia

allan said...

i also say never on the 8 batter/2 salami dong possibility. never in the majors, anyway. crazy shit goes on in the minors.

Joe Grav said...

anyway, as I was saying... oh boy, a live chat with DO. That can only lead to numerous interesting insights

Benjamin said...

Wake isn't streaky; he's inconsistent. You never know which Wake you're going to get.

No more nohitter, at least.

allan said...

FY: "IT AIN'T OVER YET!"

Patrick said...

FTW?!?!?! AMERICA, FUCK YEAH!

Joe Grav said...

...speaking of enormous amounts of marijuana

Rob said...

Joe, apparently there was a live chat with Kathryn Tappen today.

I wonder how long it lasted before someone said something extremely creepy to her.

Joe Grav said...

about 3 seconds, i'm sure, which is why i'm guessing it was heavily moderated

in which case, it was probably boring

i mean, what interesting things are there to discuss with kathryn tappen (that the nesn moderators would allow)?

How she managed to climb the ladder of the broadcast journalism industry through talent and journalistic excellence?

tim said...

brb, currently watching a home made video of the greatest punk rock song of all time

Joe Grav said...

cmon manny

Joe Grav said...

thank you james joyce

Joe Grav said...

manny ramirez has warning track power.

Rob said...

I went to school with a james joyce.

Rob said...

Castig said if the Red Sox don't rally, they'll be only 1.5 GA ahead of Toronto.

He does have his moments, doesn't he?

Joe Grav said...

atleast we broke up the perfect game

Rob said...

I was wearing a David Ortiz Red Sox today... My sister gave it to me because it was too big for her. I was walking around in the grocery store and this guy wearing a Red Sox hat stopped me and said, "I don't think that shirt is really... you. Cause, ya know. David Ortiz is huge. I've been having trouble finding a shirt to get that is me. The thing with Ortiz - it's like watching a porno, where there's the big black guy. It's just hard to relate."

He later went on to tell me he was buying a Yankees hat and sowing "Suck" to it. And he lived in New York which was like "a gay guy saying he was a woman trapped in a guy's body" like a Red Sox fan trapped in a New Yorker's body, I guess.

It was an entertaining conversation.

Jere said...

APril 12th, 1980, it nearly happened. Brewers against Red Sox. Brewers 2nd inning:

first 3 guys get on base, next guy grand slam
next 2 guys get on
next guys gets out
next guy gets on
next guy grand slam.
(next guy home run as a bonus.)

9 batters, 8 reach base, all 8 score on grand slams

Joe Grav said...

huzzah! willy wonka is over, the parents have gone to bed, and the HD set has been reclaimed for its proper use

allan said...

very cool, jere. maybe it has happened. how did you find that game?

Joe Grav said...

Ish, that's a great story. I love running into weird people.

andy said...

Sure he eats up innings, but he then shits them out.

Joe Grav said...

Yesterday on the T on the way back from Fenway, this crazy woman (maybe 50 years old) starts chewing the ear off of this 12 year old kid who was with a visiting youth group from Maine about how Boston is "full of perverts and bad politicians" and about how Ted Kennedy is evil and God is punishing him with cancer.

The look on the kid's face was absolutely priceless. He literally said maybe two words to her the whole time.

Jere said...

With the Red Sox down 13-1 headed to the bottom of the sixth, Bruce Hurst comes in, making his major league debut. He gives up 5 more runs in his only inning of work. Sox lose 18-1.

allan said...

looking at the linescore, it appears that wake will allow 5 runs next inning.

Rob said...

Joe, that brings back shades of memories of going to Boston when I was little. My mother used to say things like that. I wonder if that woman is glad Kennedy's got brain cancer.

Do you remember where from Maine they were?

Joe Grav said...

I now possess the comeback snack: Puffed Multi-Grain Buttery Bite-Size Snack Crackers

Jere said...

sock--I was doing various news searches and I came up with the NYT article. It said it was the third time a team has.... but the article gets cut off! Unless somebody wants to buy it

Joe Grav said...

No idea.

Trips on the T are always good for a minimum of 2 wackos.

On fire~!!!!

Rob said...

On Fire!!

Patrick said...

What was the average adjusted era for #4 pitchers in the AL last year? With Wakefield at 100 ERA+, I imagine he was better than most #4s.

(Just looking for more evidence to defend Wake from being accosted by Andy)

Joe Grav said...

Oh man, when I took a Greyhound halfway across the country, I met so many nutters... it was awesome

Rob said...

Trips on the T are always good for a minimum of 2 wackos.

Very true. I live close enough to Boston for it not to be a long trip, but far enough not to have a need to go there for a long time. I must have been 8 or 9 when I went to Boston for the first time.

Jere said...

Oh, okay, I figured it out, it was the third time in history a team had hit 2 GS in an inning. So through 1979, there are only two other shots at this.

Rob said...

The way Lugo wears his pants makes him look like my fourth grade teacher, who wore her pants way up there.

Patrick said...

I took the Greyhound from Manchester, NH to Tuscon, AZ, and met a constant stream of crazies.

The strangest one I met, I met in El Paso.

Jere said...

Okay, just found out there have been 6 times when a team has hit 2 GS in one inning. I'll look through the boxscores...

s1c said...

Ish, that's a great story. I love running into weird people

Following some of our game threads I am sure some of us are those weird people!!!

Fragging A's, I hate these fragging trips.

Joe Grav said...

Actually you would appreciate this one redsock, I met a woman in Cleveland who told me she was packing up her belongings (all of which fit in one backpack) and 'taking the next bus to canada' because she was 'sick of this country and its terrible morals.' She didn't really seem like one to have proper documentation, so thatm ust have been a fun meetup when the bus crossed into Canada

tim said...

What a video ... that should totally be your next "something else" redsock :P

I don't want to blatantly advertise anything, but wow, one hell of a video. One hell of a band. 18 minute punk rock song, beauty!

Joe Grav said...

!GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLL!!!
de BOSTON RED SOX!!!!

Patrick said...

I meant to write, the strangest ones, plural. That wasn't a teaser.

Rob said...

Following some of our game threads I am sure some of us are those weird people!!!

I had a thought after I had left that guy, what the chances were that he could be anyone here.

tim said...

LBJ, i likey!

allan said...

I listened to some of it ... certainly not the greatest punk song ... but good visuals!

I put up some 'Mats last week and the Sox won 7 in a row (so far). May have to go a similar route this Thursday.

Joe Grav said...

Going through Wisconsin there was a group of 6 exotic dancers in the seats behind us talking really loudly in the middle of the night about the trials and tribulations of their profession

tim said...

eww, what the fuck is this shit? commecials on MLB.TV????????????????

allan said...

A's TV has as batters coming up:

"Cust, Big Hurt, R. Sweeney"

tim said...

Not the greatest song, but 18:20 long, and good music/messages!

Patrick said...

Well, if we are trying to write the fibonacci number on the score board we should have 20 points by the time all is said and done.

s1c said...

the trials and tribulations of their profession

A real bump and grind I am sure.

allan said...

joe:

i hope she didn't have to wait very long before a bus came by the other way!!!

Joe Grav said...

i'm betting she probably went the wrong way, anyway

Rob said...

Wakefield's taking my advice on Thomas.

tim said...

A real bump and grind I am sure.

bahaha, nice! he set it up and you knocked it down! i like it!

next time drill him timmeh!

Joe Grav said...

I HATE FRANK THOMAS MORE THAN JOHN HAGEE HATES MODERN CIVILIZATION

tim said...

I need more drinks apparently

Benjamin said...

I was hoping we might tie this thing up by the 10th inning.

allan said...

if wakefield has stayed in the national league, frank thomas would have been out of baseball by 1996.

Joe Grav said...

big K

allan said...

if colon does okay, wake may not be long for the rotation when HH returns

Joe Grav said...

come on wake

Joe Grav said...

I've always preferred WAke out of the pen. But he is prone to making a stretch of ace-level starts

2 down

Rob said...

if colon does okay, wake may not be long for the rotation when HH returns

Could be part of the reason why they designated Sexy Lips.

Joe Grav said...

excellent

Jere said...

My "never take Wake out" theory finally said by someone else! Remy notes, keep him in, save the pen, maybe he turns it around cuz you never know. That's my theory for years!!!

Patrick said...

if colon does okay, wake may not be long for the rotation when HH returns

I think Wake is there to stay. If anything I think HH might head for the bullpen.

Joe Grav said...

friggin yankee highlights on nesn. kathryn, i temporarily dislike you

Joe Grav said...

I would not put buchholz in the bullpen. That could hurt his development, unless we're targeting him as a bullpen guy. I'd rather he start in AAA

tim said...

papi dong time pls k thx

Patrick said...

Ok, we need 2 runs this inning, and 5 the next.

s1c said...

Thanks for noticing Tim!!!

Ok, lets get some runs here guys, I want to see us win 8 in a row!!!

Macha still getting paid by the A's, no wonder NESN is using him those cheap ...

Joe Grav said...

A good start.

Joe Grav said...

Can Heidi put the reverse jinx on Manny?

s1c said...

Oh, Heidi, I like you in red better!!!

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