Red Sox - 000 100 000 - 1 6 1Tim Wakefield threw another outstanding game -- his 7th straight start of at least seven innings and three runs or fewer allowed (a career best streak, I believe) -- but the bats continued to be absent.
Rays - 100 100 01x - 3 6 3
The Red Sox could not cash in on several scoring chances in the later innings. In the sixth, they had first and second and one out, but Drew and Manny both popped out to first. They had the same situation in the eighth, but Drew looked at three staright strikes. Then, with the bases loaded and two outs, trailing by only one run, Lowell grounded out to short.
While Pedroia (21-for-his-last-39) and Lowell have been hot, Ramirez (10-for-54, .185, in his last 16 games) and Varitek (.122 in June and 3-for-his-last-34) have not.
Gameday Note: Why does Gameday list every single pitch Wakefield throws in every single start as a kunckleball? His fastball may not be "fast", but he does throw other types of pitches fairly frequently. Last night, Wakefield's third and fourth pitches to Hinske in the fourth were clocked at 56 and 71 mph, but both were listed as knuckleballs.
Boston dropped to 2.5 GB. Mariano Rivera took the loss for the Yankees last night (Joba: 4-5-2-4-6, 91), so they fell to 7.5 GB.
***
Tim Wakefield (3.88, 110 ERA+) / Matt Garza (3.76, 108 ERA+)
23 comments:
In Deer Lake tonight -- not sure if we'll be able to follow via the tubes. (No 'net last night.)
However, we should be home in time for tomorrow's game!
I WON TIX FOR JULY 4TH AT THE TOILET! YEAH!
Good.
We need you.
Three tough, flukey, one-run losses are hard to take. I'm hoping Wake makes the Rays knuckle under.
I think we can watch (or at least listen) tonight!
Our plane lands in Toronto at 5 PM tomorrow and the dogs will need a proper greeting, but plan on a thread being here!
Q: As far as Tito resting the starters when Wake pitches, isn't putting Cash in there an upgrade?
i cant stand the stranding of runners...
Maybe its me, but doesn't it just feel like as soon as the Sox get someone on base theres no way in hell they'll score him? I can't remember the last hit we had (legitimate hit) with runners in scoring position. This is so frustrating to watch, and especially so because I know the Sox are the better team, they just aren't hitting like it.
I can't stand losing four in a row.
Ok it's suggestion time.
Remember that fake (c'mon it was fake) injury to Buchhhholz, you know, broken finger nail? They were able to pitch him in Pawtucket to work on the fastball.
Well how about a similarly ridiculous injury to Lugo. Give him 15 days to think about things and see his family. The rehab start him in Pawtucket for a couple weeks. Bring up Lowrie and give him the SS position until he loses it like Jacoby and centerfield last year.
I would really appreciate this being done. Obviously Lugo is hurt based on his performance. He isn't playing at a big league level so he must be hurting somehow somewhere. Hell put him on the DL for hurting his fan base.
Please tell me if this is a good idea.
Oh and keep Drew in the 3 spot and move papi to 5th if he ever comes back. If it works keep it. don't just change the lineup back because that's how it's supposed to be. Line the batters up to win games.
Jacoby
Dustin
JDizzle
Manny
Papi
Lowell
Youk
Tek
Lowrie
Make it happen Tito. Make it happen.
andy said...
Oh and keep Drew in the 3 spot and move papi to 5th if he ever comes back. If it works keep it. don't just change the lineup back because that's how it's supposed to be. Line the batters up to win games.
Jacoby
Dustin
JDizzle
Manny
Papi
Lowell
Youk
Tek
Lowrie
Make it happen Tito. Make it happen.
Line the batters up to win games.....we won the world series last year with Papi batting 3rd.......Don't bitch just to bitch.... They will be fine..
I wondered about the knuckleball thing on Gameday, too. There must be speed and break criteria for pitches and they must just be set wrong for Wake. It is well known that he uses his heater when he gets behind and needs a strike.
As far as the lineup goes, it just seems like the RBI guys aren't coming through. It will pass. I don't think the lineup is out of whack.
Ok there can be no lineup changes year to year. Drew was not producing like this last year.
Fine leave him down the order but can we get rid of lugo? or is that bitching?
Reason #1 not to leave Drew in the 3rd spot: yesterday's game. Who would you rather have up with one out and men on 1st and 2nd in a one-run game: Drew and Manny, or Papi and Manny? I saw the first combo's act last night, twice: I'll take the second, please. And this is no knock against Drew. But the #3 slot is for your best hitter. That's Ortiz. (And if he does not want to move to 4th or 5th,and he won't, Tito won't move him.)
Re: Amy's other point (obsession?): I think the team was at its best with Lowrie up, whether he was subbing at third, short, or on the bench. There's no need to come up with excuses to send down Lugo (who is still hitting better than most AL shortstops. You can't blame him because his game-ending liner was hit right at someone...that's luck.) Substituting Lowrie for Cora would strengthen the team more than moving Lugo.
A better question is why Tito won't face the facts and bat Veritek 8th or 9th, and pinch-hit for him when a hit is imperative. Using him as a pinch-hitter last night was moronic. What good is the right-left match-up when the batter can't hit from either side? I'll take Casey against a lefty to Tek in his current funk any day. Does anyone disagree?
But what I really can't wait to hear is the JOS take on Manny Being Joe Pesci. SHawn Chacon knocks down a 40 year old GM and gets released; Manny knocks down a 60 year-old traveling secretary and....? I'm willing to believe Manny got a stern talking to, but athletes attacking staff is pretty serious stuff to just be glossed over. What's the best way to handle a star who suddenly has knocked around your first-baseman and a staffer inside of a month? Does Manny Being Manny extend to assault?
Bob Ryan (not a fav of mine) asked a valid question: does anyone doubt that if Brandon Moss (or Cash, Cora, Lopez, Smith---let's see, can we divide the team into "those who can get away with knocking staffers over" and "those who can't"? Is this a good baraometer of their status with the team? Will Tito soon be visiting Lugo, Timlin and Jeemer and give them the dreaded speech, "We're not releasing you, but you can't knock down the traveling secretary any more"?) did this, he would have been sent packing?
As my favorite Mannyphiles, your take is eagerly awaited.(Oops, that's the doorbell. It's Manny, who's come to push me to the ground...)
Any thoughts on the most recent Manny situation with the traveling secretary? I'm usually somewhat critical of MLB players for how they conduct themselves because I have a teenager who plays ball, but I can't help but imagine that there is another side to this story that we aren't getting - or are getting filtered through the media. I could not believe the grief Manny was getting for the double-play-high-five incident. If you think about it - he got a good jump, took a perfect line, made a throw strong and accurate enough to double someone off... Oh yeah, and had fun doing it.
Just curious if there are any thoughts.
Hi all! In the Deer Lake airport and we've got a couple of hours before we take off (had to return the car earlier).
9casey
Don't bitch just to bitch....
That's what we do!!!!
But 9c is right. We've seen it every single season. The team drops 4 straight and they look like they all belong in AA. Then they hit a ton for 5 games and we start wondering how they'll ever lose again.
It sucks that this stretch is coming (partially) against the Rays, but that's the way it goes.
Jack, that was Andy's point, not mine. All I bitched about was losing 4 in a row. I had no brilliant ideas of how to fix things, just waiting for time to heal.
So, yeah, Andy and Amy may look alike, but I am not as detailed in my complaints!!
And, FWIW, I would also drop Tek down, though I am still hoping he finds his swing soon. He really is swinging at ALL kinds of shit, not only the stuff at his eyes.
I have read nothing about the Manny thing.
Two nights ago, I saw a 15-second news thing. They combined that with the video of his Yook slap and made it seem like he was angry and out of control as a matter of course. (Keep in mind this was a Boston station. That's pure MUMS.)
Then before last night's game, I saw Dan Roche plugging his station's poll on the topic.
I can't help but imagine that there is another side to this story that we aren't getting - or are getting filtered through the media.
It should be obvious that we don't know everything about this incident. We know the Red Sox can keep a very tight lid on things when they want to -- and Manny is unlikely to start chatting about it.
Manny did issue a public apology (as well a private one), so I'm assuming that is the end of it.
I will say that I am generally not in favour of knocking down old people -- unless they are chewing loudly, spewing bigoted opinions or named Don Zimmer.
The Yook thing is totally irrelevant. So many teammates were fed up with his theatrics that a team meeting was called. And he has toned down considerably since then.
Finally, like it or not, top-level or irreplacable employees are given more leeway than replaceable ones. That's the way it goes on Earth.
I could not believe the grief Manny was getting for the double-play-high-five incident.
I thought it was one of the greatest things I've seen in a game!
Now, I won't name names coughjackmarshallcough but he caught shit for it here too.
Sorry Andy, I agree with what people are saying about the Drew thing. YOu always allow the injured person to have a chance to go back to their spot. In this case, you're talking about possibly the greatest 3-4 combo in the history of the world, so if you're gonna make an exception to the rule, don't make it here.
In fact, I liked keeping Drew lower when he started hitting the ball--I feel like if a guy gets moved while he's doing well, it might screw it up. It's like Bill Mueller--he won a batting title from the bottom of the lineup. Moving him to #2 halfway through might have screwed him up. (Of course, with Papi out, putting Drew #3 was perfect, but I'm just saying, normally, let a guy stay in the groove he's in. *If grooves exist, which I can neither prove nor disprove.*)
I just heard Tito on the radio and he again clarified that they handled what happened with Manny the way they wanted to, and they wouldn't change that based on whether it went public or not.
But until there's video of the incident, people shouldn't act like they know exactly what happened. You know by this weekend you'll have Michael Kay casually mentioning, "of course, Manny was involved in an incident where he broke into a 102-year old handicapped woman's house and stole all her credit cards before systematically torturing and executing her and leaving her bullet-riddled corpse on Theo Epstein's doorstep. Just 'Manny being Manny,' I guess."
Manny's temper may be quick, but his bat is slow.
He was late on every fastball last night. And he chased a 2-1 fastball out of the zone, after Drew had popped out on a pitcher's pitch on 3-1 the previous AB, both of which ended in popouts and 2 stranded in the 6th inning.
Manny's in a bit of a decision- making slump at the moment.
Jere said...
Sorry Andy, I agree with what people are saying about the Drew thing. YOu always allow the injured person to have a chance to go back to their spot.
and not to mention the fact HE IS FRIGGIN BIG PAPI.....bat 5th insanity...
I would really like to see Manny take his head out of his ass tonight......That's not bitchin , I actually belive he has his head firmly implanted in his ass......
I think the Youk episode is relevant only in that it involved physical contact in public, which is crossing a line, just as the incident with the staffer crosses the line.
Don't write off coughjackmarshall'scough take on the high five yet. I suggested that this could be the beginning of Manny becoming unMannygible, and he's been increasingly erratic since.
Mostly, however, I wish he'd start hitting again!
Ok ok ok. I am just falling head over heals for drew. I know I'm a slut.
How about we really focus our effort on Lugo. Can we all agree on that?
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