May 9, 2009

G31: Rays 14, Red Sox 5

Rays    - 200 065 100 - 14 17  2
Red Sox - 010 022 000 - 5 10 1
Work pulled me away from this one in the third inning, so I missed all of the fun. Toronto beat Oakland 6-4. We are 1 GB.

***

Scott Kazmir (6.00, 80 ERA+) / Jon Lester (5.11, 98 ERA+)

Terry Francona, on Friday's game:
All of a sudden, we get a couple of baserunners, and there's Jason Bay again.
Bay's last three home runs, and four of his last five, have been three-run dongs. All nine of his home runs this season have come in the sixth inning or later. He has driven in 12 runs in the last five games. Over his last 15 games, dating back to April 24, he is hitting .385/.508/.788.

Bay:
I don't like to look at my numbers. I don't jump on the Internet every morning or tear through the stats pages. It's a long season. It would be counterproductive to focus on today.
Kevin Youkilis and Bay and 1-2 in the American League in OBP, OPS and Offensive Winning Pct.; they are 2-3 in slugging. Bay is 1st in Runs Created and 2nd in both RBI and walks.

He is comfortable in Boston:
It was nice to go into Spring Training and just be another guy. I wasn't the novelty. I was just a regular left fielder of the Red Sox. I relish that. I really like blending in with the team and being another guy on this team rather than the standout news story.
John Tomase, Herald:
Jason Bay's 2-year-old daughter Addison recently added a new phrase to her vocabulary, and it couldn't have come at a better time: "Home run, da da."

"She says it about 50 times a day when the game's on," Bay joked. "She's bound to be right sometimes."

Sometimes? Red Sox fans would agree it feels like she's right all the time.
Also last night, Pawtucket's Clay Buchholz allowed only one hit over seven innings and struck out eight. He has allowed only three hits in his last 12.1 innings of work. Overall, in five starts (27 innings), Buchholz has a 1.33 ERA.
I got a hold of a couple of things that I didn't have a grasp of last year. I'm not really sure what it will take to get back to the Majors. I feel like I'm really in my prime right now.
Dom DiMaggio (1917-2009): Globe obit and photos -- Pesky talks -- Video from Fenway -- Times obit.

***

Most Red Sox Wins By Manager
                  Wins     Seasons
Joe Cronin 1,071 1935-47
Mike Higgins 560 1955-59; 60-62
Terry Francona 489 2004-present
Bill Carrigan 489 1913-16; 27-29
If the Red Sox win another 72 games this year, which would give them 91 victories, Tito will move past Pinky Hggins into second place.

127 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow, good for Tito. I'd like to imagine he could stick around long enough and end up passing Cronin. He's certainly already surpassed him as the greatest Red Sox manager in my book.

No matter how much Tito played Millar, no one can beat Cronin for insane favoritism and cronyism (not to mention racism).

allan said...

Higgins: "Hey, I was a big racist too!"

allan said...

Lineup News:

Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Jason Bay, LF
Mike Lowell, 3B
Rocco Baldelli, RF
Jeff Bailey, 1B
Jason Varitek, C
Julio Lugo, SS

B.J. Upton, CF
Carl Crawford, LF
Evan Longoria, 3B
Carlos Pena, 1B
Pat Burrell, DH
Jason Bartlett, SS
Gabe Kapler, RF
Akinori Iwamura, 2B
Dioner Navarro, C

laura k said...

I'm sure Francona is the Greatest Red Sox Manager of All Time for every living Red Sox fan.

I'd be shocked if anyone on this blog or any other current Red Sox blog disagreed.

laura k said...

"Jason Bay's 2-year-old daughter Addison recently added a new phrase to her vocabulary, and it couldn't have come at a better time: "Home run, da da." "

This is great.

Unknown said...

I don't know, L-Girl. I think Redsock is still pining for the days of Grady Litte and Don Zimmer

Unknown said...

Actually, I think my father maintains that Joe Morgan is a better manager than Tito, but that he had lesser teams to deal with. But he also thinks that Theo is a terrible general manager and that he's coasting on Duquette's decisions, so I guess he's comfortably outside of the mainstream.

Rob said...

Underway!

Rob said...

A very healthy delay between the radio and TV - FOX is about four seconds behind the radio. I'll gladly take it over listening to Dick Stockton and Tim McCarver.

Interesting that last week it was Buck and Karros, this week Stockton and McCarver.

And hey. At least I can actually WATCH the game today!

allan said...

nice snag by rocco.

and the crawford express is at first.

Rob said...

I'm not liking this very much. Lester screwing around and not going after them.

Rob said...

Cock.

Rob said...

Castig: Anti-truped. Sounded like Ellsbury was going to have it on the track.

allan said...

okay boys you don't have to wait until the 6th.

allan said...

FFY

laura k said...

Uh oh, my headphones are dying.

allan said...

what the hell kind of throw was that ??? :>)

Rob said...

Obstruction on Pedroia saves a run for the FKR. I think he would have scored. But it was not ruled obstruction because he was not put out.

allan said...

that was a strange half inning, to say the least.

laura k said...

With my radio sound cutting in and out, I couldn't even follow it. Strange indeed.

Rob said...

Castig described that play (Tiz single debacle) as a play that happened "in slow motion."

allan said...

so maddon sticks the guy with the 6th worst avg in the 9 spot, but puts the guy with the #1 worst average at leadoff. cuz he's so fast.

Rob said...

Who do these guys think they are? The Angels?

allan said...

if tek won't throw even half the time, they might as well run all day

Benjamin said...

Sound muted and Bach organ works cranked up.

allan said...

Wise move. The words "Manny" and "Ramirez" were just on the screen.

laura k said...

Rico Baldong!

Benjamin said...

Rocco!

Rob said...

BALDY!!!! Monster dongage!

allan said...

RICO BALDY!!!!!!!!

laura k said...

That kid mis-speaking was an instant nickname. :)

allan said...

fugly cut, tek.

allan said...

lugo will save us

Rob said...

SECRET WEAPON.

Benjamin said...

Lugo!

allan said...

i knew it would be.

laura k said...

Secret Weapon strikes again!

Benjamin said...

I assume the reason why Fox broadcasts look like shit (apart from the others) is they're picking the camera angle and zoom for their HD brodcast, which I don't have.

laura k said...

Oh man I got truped.

allan said...

shouldn't gumball be tagging?

Benjamin said...

shouldn't gumball be tagging?

He got truped too.

allan said...

he could jog on a dong, and he would have scored if it had landed on the ground.

dumb white players and their baserunning goofs.

Benjamin said...

The ball girl at 3b has got back.

Benjamin said...

Bleh.

allan said...

TOR: 1
OAK: 0

Benjamin said...

48 pitches through two innings for Kazmir.

Rob said...

Ben, the best picture I've seen for baseball broadcasts is from ESPN. FOX is the worst, and I'd agree with you about the HD thing. Every broadcast looks incredibly murky. Not sharp, either.

Benjamin said...

Really, though, this camera work is terrible. You can hardly see where the ball's going off the bat.

laura k said...

My co-worker friend was given two tickets to a recent Blue Jays game - took the day off work and took her son (who has a disability) out of school for the day.

Seats *right behind* the dugout, a player trotting in from the OF handed the kid a ball, was up next and got a hit.

Everyone in the section high-fiving kid, saying he did it.

Team behind... then scores 7 runs in the bottom of the 7th - right before they have to go home.

She is still beaming from it. Said it was one of the best days of her son's life.

laura k said...

Plus I'm the only one here she can tell b/c she called in sick.

Rob said...

I don't understand it. Other networks don't seem to have a problem with it. It's just FOX.

laura k said...

Good thing Jere is at the game.

Benjamin said...

That's a lovely story, Laura. Too bad it meant Toronto won.

I think I figured the camera thing out, though. Fox is filming baseball like someone would film hardcore pornography: zoomed in with erupting moneyshots.

laura k said...

Well, they're gonna win some games. They might as well win one with my friend's little boy there.

Benjamin said...

Warning track. :(

Benjamin said...

Five pitches. Le sigh.

allan said...

Work appears. :<(

Benjamin said...

Fucking Bailey.

laura k said...

Did Bailey gum that up?

Rob said...

Bailey gummed that up.

Benjamin said...

He really rumpled it.

laura k said...

Lester bails Jeff out.

Benjamin said...

(cf)

laura k said...

Semi-obscure and good.

Benjamin said...

Baldelli's having a better game, by comparison.

Benjamin said...

FOAD, Bailey.

laura k said...

bah

Benjamin said...

Fucking Lugo.

laura k said...

Was that an easy DP that Notsecret Notweapon blew?

Benjamin said...

What?

Benjamin said...

Not an easy DP, but the ball went right under his glove.

laura k said...

"...past the diving lugo..."

Benjamin said...

(The "What?" was about the play at first.)

Benjamin said...

Well this sure went to shit fast.

Benjamin said...

I miss 2008 Lester.

laura k said...

Wow. Went away to help someone, came back and... ugh.

laura k said...

Crowd loving Lugo, 'nt.

Benjamin said...

Hey, why throw to Pedroia when you can just step on the bag and not throw to first.

laura k said...

God he sucks.

laura k said...

Lyndon starts the comeback.

Rob said...

Well we got two innings before we know the bats won't wake up today and we're screwed...

Rob said...

Ortiz had to dive out of the way of that liner.

laura k said...

RX!

laura k said...

Baldy!

laura k said...

Time for a Grand Captain Salami.

laura k said...

I would accept a walk here.

laura k said...

That, however, sucked.

laura k said...

Oy.

Rob said...

Get out of this and we should win. Sixth inning and all.

laura k said...

Hm. I think not.

allan said...

Hey - what did you guys do?
TB has a lot of runs!!!

laura k said...

We fucked up. Really sorry.

laura k said...

We had a comeback going for a while. But you know.

Unknown said...

Well, this game is sucking massively.

allan said...

Looks like I can turn MLBTV on again, but do I want to?

allan said...

SLUGO???

Rob said...

Secret Dong! Shhhhhh! It's a secret.

allan said...

I'm back and LUGO is back -- BIG!!!!!!!!!!!!

laura k said...

Secret Weapon???

laura k said...

But can he produce more runs than he costs? Probably not.

Rob said...

Well Allan you're as big a Sox fan as they come. Of course you want to turn on MLBTV! :>)

laura k said...

Maybe last night's troll will come back to "commisserate".

allan said...

It's time for Addison to get happy.

laura k said...

we might have to start calling a "doung" a "dada"

laura k said...

Lopez

Unknown said...

White Flag 2.0 time.

allan said...

damn - at least two of those balls wer very close.

Unknown said...

Oh look, he still sucks.

WHEN are they going to DFA this sack of shit and bring Bard up?

allan said...

Is Maddon going to apologize?

allan said...

Theo says Bard is on a structured program and it may be weeks or months before he is in Boston. (For those who don't know, he is striking out 50% of the batters he's facing in Pawtucket. HALF!!!)

They want him to work on his slider also. Plans can always change, but I'll be happy to say bye-bye when Dice returns. However, there is a good chance Lopez stays and Jones goes to Paw.

Unknown said...

Wow, only one run.

That actually decreased his ERA.

laura k said...

There's always a weak link in the pen.

Lopez sucks, but it's not like he lost this game for us.

Unknown said...

Eh, I'd rather we keep Jones, at least he can throw strikes.

Unknown said...

No, he didn't lose the game for us, but it would be really nice if he'd occasionally not allow at least one run.

laura k said...

I agree. But there's no point being angry at him today, IMO.

allan said...

Down by 8 in the 7th = Lopez Time

laura k said...

Well, there's your OTT inning from Javy.

Unknown said...

I have to admit, that was a decent inning.

A Conformer said...

Oh, shit. I got to the hotel room, turned on the TV, saw the Sox had 5 runs, was almost happy, then saw the FKR have 14. Oy.

Where are the Lesters of yesteryear?

laura k said...

Toronto won, we lost, time to panic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

richard said...

As Don Cherry might say "Good Canadian boy!"

Jere said...

Ish, did Castig catch a ball? One foul looked like it went right into the RKO booth--I zoomed in with my camera from 500 feet away but still couldn't tell.

Also, were those two Lugo balls in a row gettable?

Things got better for me on the way home listening to the Yanks and finding out they were already down 9-0.

9casey said...

redsock said...
Down by 8 in the 7th = Lopez Time



This site if funny this way once you sour on a reliever many follow...

Lopez has started off bad this year , but had a similar if not better season than Delcarmen last year.....But Manny receives much love ...Lets see if Lopez can figure it out before we throw him to the wolves..

laura k said...

"This site if funny this way once you sour on a reliever many follow..."

Give people more credit than that, Casey. We're all watching the same games, so we often come to the same conclusions. Do you think JoSers are the only people sick of Lopez? If you cruise Sox blogs, SoSH, comments on game stories, etc., I'm sure there's a lot of company.

"Lopez has started off bad this year , but had a similar if not better season than Delcarmen last year.....But Manny receives much love .."

When Javy Lopez gives as much to the Sox as Manny has in his career, you'll have a case. Til then, this makes no sense.

9casey said...

L-girl said...
.

"Lopez has started off bad this year , but had a similar if not better season than Delcarmen last year.....But Manny receives much love .."

When Javy Lopez gives as much to the Sox as Manny has in his career, you'll have a case. Til then, this makes no sense.




I was speaking of Delcarmen not Ramirez......

laura k said...

Oops, sorry! That's what I get for commenting before coffee.

Still, if there are many people in the anti-Lopez crowd, it can hardly be blamed on following JoS's lead. He's got a ways to go before many Sox fans will trust him again.

laura k said...

But PS in my own defense: only Manny is Manny! Manny Delcarmen is MDC. :)