May 20, 2009

G40: Red Sox 8, Blue Jays 3

Blue Jays - 000 000 210 - 3 14  0
Red Sox - 002 060 00x - 8 15 0
The Red Sox battered Cecil with a four-dong fifth, with home runs from Jason Varitek (his second of the night), David Ortiz, Jason Bay and Mike Lowell.

The big man slammed a 1-1 fastball into the camera well in dead center field. (He also doubled off The Wall in the eighth.) It increased the Red Sox's lead from 3-1 to 5-1 and sent Fenway into a frenzy. After Kevin Youkilis (3-for-5) singled to left, Bay hit a bomb over everything in left and Dr. Doubles followed him with a shot into the Monster Seats.

Penny (6.2-9-2-1-2, 96) pitched well, but wilted in the seventh. ... Jacoby Ellsbury set a new Red Sox record (and tied the major league mark) for most putouts by an outfielder with 12 catches. By inning: 222 212 001.

***

Brett Cecil (1.80, 254 ERA+) / Brad Penny (6.69, 74 ERA+)

Cecil is a rookie lefty who turns 23 in July. He has made three starts for the Jays -- facing Cleveland, the Athletics and the White Sox this month -- pitching at least six innings every time out. Totals: 20 innings, 17 hits, 4 walks, 15 strikeouts.

BP 2009 describes Cecil, a 2007 supplemental-round pick, as a "big lefty with low-90s velocity, a plus slider, and a decent changeup ... projects as a mid-rotation horse".

Penny has also gone at least six innings in each of his last three starts, though he has had less success (18.2-21-5-14) than Cecil.

***

Terry Francona talked a lot about David Ortiz on WEEI today. Extra Bases has lengthy quotes. One quote, in response to whether Ortiz could be finished as a hitter, Tito said:
No, I don't feel that way. You can go back and go a long way, because I've done some research, and look at Yaz. He had some injuries, and he went, what, 56 games one year. It was a pretty good dry spell, and he had what, 10 years in the major leagues and everyone thought he was done. I mean, everyone thought Pedroia was done before he got started. ...
Research? Does Tito have a B-Ref subscription?

Yaz did not hit a home run in his first 57 games in 1972. That drought lasted until July 22! Yet what Tito may not know is that, when combined with a homer-less streak to end the previous season, Yaz actually went 72 games without a home run -- from September 4, 1971 to July 21, 1972.

That link shows all of his HR-less streaks, including a 43-gamer in 1976: July 10 to August 22 (my first game at Fenway!).

291 comments:

1 – 200 of 291   Newer›   Newest»
Zenslinger said...

RS, have you checked out the Posanski-Bill James article about Randy Johnson as the greatest among the generation's dominant quartet of RJ, Clemens, Pedro, and Maddux?

It's a kick in the balls when he goes into the bit about RJ having the best year, best two consecutive years, best three, etc. Pedro's "mediocre" 1998 screws him in this regard.

But James doesn't share his rating system for good seasons, which combines a lot of factors. If you consider ERA+ to be the measure of a man, Pedro handles RJ easily. RJ never had a season which broke an ERA+ of 200; Pedro had five. (Maddux, two; Clemens, three.) Not to mention that 2000's ERA+ was nearly 300 (as I learned on this blog, of course.)

Koufax, winning 27 games in 1966, had an ERA+ of 190.

What's the argument against ERA/ERA+ as the measure of a pitcher's performance, I wonder? Similarly, isn't it obvious that OPS/OPS+ should be the measure of a hitter?

allan said...

I'll have to check it out tomorrow.

Marco Scutaro, SS
Aaron Hill, 2B
Alex Rios, RF
Vernon Wells, CF
Adam Lind, DH
Scott Rolen, 3B
Lyle Overbay, 1B
Rod Barajas, C
Travis Snider, LF

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

9casey said...

It's not so much the Home Runs ...he's batting .203, that concerns me more...

Unknown said...

yeah.


seeing papi like this depresses me. i had a dream that i ran into papi in switzerland and took him on a tour. wierd.

and i love it on this blog when some of you sabermetrixxx out. it's great fun!

Zenslinger said...

I'm a rank amateur at any kind of baseball metrics. But it is fun.

Jere said...

Dear people, tomorrow night, look for me in the front row in dead center, directly over that garage door on the left--the one that's now the Bleacher Bar. Gray jersey, catching Papi's third dong of the year (after 2 tonight).

allan said...

for a few reasons, we have had reconnected cable to our living room TV -- as it had been in years past -- so no more watching baseball in the bedroom.

i think this may be the reason for flo's slump. if he gets some hits tonight, we'll know for sure.

allan said...

TSN2 preview again -- and NESN!!!!

Unbelievable that Buffy is MIA.

Amy said...

Game time! Another beautiful night for baseball.

Amy said...

And I thought the slump was my fault all this time.

allan said...

It might be.

I love my living room set-up, so I am happy.

Amy said...

Who is with Orsillo?

micah said...

What's the argument against ERA/ERA+ as the measure of a pitcher's performance, I wonder? Similarly, isn't it obvious that OPS/OPS+ should be the measure of a hitter?Both are luck-dependent to some extent that I think more sophisticated sabermetric stats try to eliminate. Also, they have their own specific issues.

ERA doesn't take into account number of innings pitched and undervalues pitchers like Wake who alternate between awesome and terrible, since at some point being more terrible doesn't actually hurt so much.

OPS weights slugging too heavily and doesn't account for baserunning.

None of this is helped by the reweighting that the + versions do.

Amy said...

Eck, huh?

allan said...

eck says yook was "sorely missed"

hahha sorely!

Amy said...

Nice!

allan said...

THERE'S ACATCH!

Jere said...

Okay, you're supposed to hit balls to dead center TOMORROW night. Nice catch, Jacobo Arbenz.

Jere said...

OTsingleT

allan said...

let's show cecil some major league hitters.

Rob said...

Good evening, Joy Nation.

Went out for a very pleasant walk around the neighbourhood this evening and got in just in time for the first pitch.

What makes this evening even better? I have a burrito from Chipotle coming TO ME!

It's a nice ending to a day that was spent waiting at the hospital for four hours while my mother had an upper GI followthru scan.

Jere said...

Did DO say "humping the mound"?

allan said...

eck, the blue jays ace's last name is not pronounced "holiday".

Amy said...

What is happening with your mom, Ish?

Edward Lee said...

Hey fellas, when facing a pitcher you've never seen before, it's okay to take a few pitches.

Jere said...

"eck, the blue jays ace's last name is not pronounced "holiday"."

Oh yeah? Well a Harvard professor once said something about something and a dumbass called him an asshole and everyone laughed because it's cooler to be dumb than smart! U-S-A! U-S-A!

Rob said...

Amy she had to drink nasty liquid, have an x-ray and see if the liquid went through her system to see how it's working. Half hour later she had an x-ray. Hadn't gone through yet. Had an x-ray each half hour starting at 10:30... At 2:00 they finally got the shots they wanted and we were out of there.

She's had parts of her small bowel removed in recent years. Small parts but they need to keep an eye on things. She's also very susceptible and does get bowel obstructions. Fun times.

Jere said...

I see that behind the plate the team has found a place to squeeze in advertisements...between the advertisements.

Amy said...

I hope all is okay, Ish. Is she home now? Or still at the hospital?

Jere said...

To further Benjamin's point from days ago, every team in MLB has reached double-digits in a game at least once this year. Except for the Padres, who haven't scored more than 8 runs in any game.

Amy said...

So good to see Youk.

Amy said...

Even better to see him now!!

Jere said...

Or, Eck, it can go up to .400 and beyond!

Edward Lee said...

Outstanding AB again by Youk. Got fooled by the changeup once, but not twice.

allan said...

thanks, don!!!!

Amy said...

Hey, a nice welcome to you Canadian folk!

OK, Youk and Bay back together again.

Jere said...

thinking of this inning right now with two on, no out, makes you realize just how crazy it was when we got 12 runs home before anybody got out.

Rob said...

Amy she's home. Luckily apart from drinking the nasty liquids all she needed was the x-rays and she was good to go.

She was HUNGRY though. Wasn't able to eat anything since 9:00 last night.

Looks like tomorrow night you'll be getting NESN again, Allan. And anyone else across Canada who's watching TSN2.

Jere said...

that's what I'm talkin about

Amy said...

Glad to hear that, Ish. Hope she continues to be okay.

Amy said...

First two on, and we don't score. Sigh.

allan said...

wasted.

allan said...

fucking sweet play from fy

Amy said...

Someone needs to teach Eck about adverbs. It is driving me crazy.

Rob said...

Don says the ball landed off the wall.

And FY got the ball quickly but couldn't tag in time! Nevermind the ball was in a bad spot. That throw is one Manny would have gotten the OF assist on.

Amy said...

No damage done.

Jere said...

1st pitch pop up. thx.

allan said...

his missed location stuff was good there, though.

allan said...

Stay Thirsty, My Friends

Jere said...

The Yanks hit 3 dongs in a row to start the 2nd. Fortunately, Kevin Cash was the next batter.

allan said...

BAL: 00
MFY: 13

TEKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

Rob said...

RIDE, CAPTAIN, RIDE on your mystery ship!

Amy said...

THAT'S my TEK!!

Rob said...

Get it on, bang a dong, GET IT ON.

Jere said...

ride, ish

Amy said...

Who has the most HRs on the team right now? Bay?

Who'd have thought that Tek would have more HRs and a better BA than Papi...

Rob said...

Lugo's highballin' it!

allan said...

and here we are at game 40, wishing papi was hitting as well as tek ......

secret double!!!!!!!

Rob said...

The secret weapon!

Jere forgive me but I have no idea what you meant. Funny I looked back to make sure I spelled everything right too. I'm looking at a delicious burrito about to be eaten so I might just be delerious.

Amy said...

Lugo! Gotta love the bottom of the order.

Jere said...

highball hitter, lowball drinker. or something.

allan said...

yay cecil

Amy said...

Ouch...

Amy said...

Ish, I don't know what Jere meant either.

Rob said...

Eck's speculating about injuries.

Jere said...

oh, just cueing you to "ride," meaning to tell Captain to ride on his mystery ship. You had beat me to it, so my comment ended up after yours anyway.

allan said...

organist playing funeral music?

Rob said...

I feel like he just banged his face in the ground.

Amy said...

Dr. Eckersly on the job.

Jere said...

it's not unprecedented to "ask" ish to say the "ride" thing...

Amy said...

Guess he is staying in, despite Eck's diagnosis.

Edward Lee said...

organist playing funeral music?I'd go with Yakety Sax.

Rob said...

Jere, gotcha. Makes sense. So much in life relies upon timing.

Speaking of which, I am progressing through your book and am almost finished. Things are heating up and I am really enjoying it.

Anonymous said...

I'm having a problem with the thread over-caching

Jere said...

ish: cool, glad you're liking it.

allan said...

if he has the stuff, eck, it's not too early. everyone has a rookie season.

LETS GO FLOOOOOOOO

Rob said...

Meunier, too bad you weren't having a problem with the thread over-cashing. That WOULDN'T be a problem!

allan said...

hey - I'M counting out the jays!

allan said...

7th putout for LBJ already -- in 11 outs.

allan said...

8 catches for position 8!

Jere said...

"7th putout for LBJ already -- in 11 outs."

and that fan in MY seat tomorrow has been on TV seven times. Terrible.

efd said...

8 catches for position 8!

He only needs five more to break the record for most putouts in a 9-inning game by a CF

allan said...

thnaks efd, reminds me i need to buy an updated record book

Rob said...

Don thinks the question of who's the single season record holder for GIDP's is sort of a negative Aflak trivia question.

Amy said...

Relatively quiet thread tonight. Guess we all exhausted ourselves last night.

allan said...

birds have 2 in 4th, trail shiteaters 5-2

allan said...

LBJ ruling the playing field!!!

Edward Lee said...

Ellsbury wants the record.

allan said...

lyndon needs the 3rd out here to have 2 putouts n each inning

Anonymous said...

Sit.

nixon33 said...

Pop fly homers in the Bronx tonight. Penny Looking decent?

Rob said...

Eck's going bridge. You know. Bridging the gap between being insightful and interesting to being annoying.

Wait. Nope bridged that already. Now he's bridging to something else.

Amy said...

1-2-3

allan said...

HOLY SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!

Amy said...

TEK!! HOT!!!

Did we have a bet on how many HRs he would hit this season, or was it just his BA?

efd said...

Jere, that could be you tomorrow night, catching Varitek's dong!

allan said...

into jere's lap ... if he was there

efd said...

watch, tomorrow's game will set a record for fewest fly balls in a game.

Amy said...

Tek second on the team with Hrs. Hah.

allan said...

papi at .200
tek with 2 solo taters

we are thru the looking glass....

Rob said...

Here we go we're riding that mystery ship again! That ship is extra mysterious tonight! Bang a dong and then plug a gap!

Damn Ellsbury. Haha he takes so many crazy chances on the basepaths doesn't he?

Amy said...

And you were all ready to send him out to pasture....

allan said...

safe or out -- ump completely out of position

Rob said...

THE LARGE FATHER!!!!!! BIG DADDY DONG!!!!

efd said...

HOORAY BIG PAPI!!!!!!

allan said...

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GOOD TIMES

Anonymous said...

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

allan said...

LIVING ROOM TV MOJO!!!!!!!!

Edward Lee said...

Suicide watch for Jere?

Amy said...

YAY!!!

Rob said...

WOOOOOO!!! LOVE that crowd!!!

efd said...

that's probably the happiest I've ever been for a home run in the 40th game of the season.

Rob said...

I gotta remind myself to listen to the highlights on the radio. I wanna hear Castig's call!

Amy said...

Tears in my eyes! Gotta love the Papi and the fans behind him there.

efd said...

Redsock, you'll never watch baseball in the bedroom again.

allan said...

apres le fucking deluge ...

Amy said...

What a smile!

Amy said...

Allan, keep that TV in the living room... It obviously WAS your fault.

WOW a three dong inning!

Rob said...

THUNDER BAY!!!!!! DOUNGHOMRE BRITISH COLUMBIA CANADA!!!

allan said...

eck: "I'm surprised they didn't get the bullpen up when i said to get the bullpen up."

THUNDER!!!!!!!!!!!
ohhhh waa ohw aaa

Anonymous said...

AY BAY BAY

efd said...

not to be out-DOUNG!

Rob said...

Eck: And we thought Yankee Stadium was Happyland tonight! No Fenway Park is Happyland tonight!

HAPPYLAND!

Amy said...

HOLY SHIT!

efd said...

They can't stop hitting 'em!

allan said...

WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

FUCK


YOU


CITO

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

BACK DOCTOR DONG!

Amy said...

Eck says he left him in too long.

Ya think???

Rob said...

BAND BOX!!!Get it on, bang LOTS of dongs, GET IT ON!

Zenslinger said...

I'm currently scrambling to grade before my final Wed night class of the semester. But I was keeping an eye on the game on this old shitty computer and had to pop in to celebrate:

DAVID DONG!

Whew. That was weighing on me...

Amy said...

I love baseball. What joy!

nixon33 said...

PAPI! OMG WHAT AN INNING!

andy said...

This inning feels like sex.

Zenslinger said...

Holy fucking crap. This is some answer for the Yankee back-to-back-to-back.

Four-dong inning.

Wow.

allan said...

Stay Thirsty, My Friends

Amy said...

Wow, that brought everyone out of the woodwork! Where have you all been?

Rob said...

I'm telling ya. There's something in that water in Boston. Know what it is? It's a whoooole lotta dirty! Blue Jay killers right there.

andy said...

I would have to say Pedro but come on how can you really make that call for sure. They all have their justification of being the best. Pedro's stats though are by far the best right?

allan said...

redsock said...
let's show cecil some major league hitters.
Wed May 20, 07:16:00 PM

***

the introduction is complete.

andy said...

My last comment was to Zen's first comment of the thread.

andy said...

Porn Star Triple

allan said...

BALD TRIPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!


DELUGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edward Lee said...

Baldelli's mitochondria seem to be in fine shape.

Amy said...

What? Only three bases? No Dong?

:)

andy said...

Welcome to a Red Sox inning Mr Baldelli, of whom I sat mere inches from while he was talking up a blondie.

Anonymous said...

The team is on the Cycle and has batted around!

andy said...

If tek hammers one here I might actually put hamsters in my ass.

allan said...

LBJ cut down on a double.

then

HR
1B
HR
HR
3B

Amy said...

Tek starts it and ends it...

efd said...

and hamsters across California breathe a sigh of relief.

Zenslinger said...

If tek hammers one here I might actually put hamsters in my ass.Let me run out to the pet store.

allan said...

that first comment from our blue jays friend may also be his last. :>)

Zenslinger said...

An offensive madness is sweeping the MLB simultaneously. To wit: the Braves (still ongoing) 9-run 4th inning.

Anonymous said...

I've been posting this everywhere since it is so awsome;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aGTNS13SDU

Ms. Piggy sings Peaches "Fuck the Pain Away".

Rob said...

10!!! Ties Red Sox record.

Amy said...

Ten for LBJ!

A Conformer said...

Evening, all. I see several large dongs, one of them Dominican and two of them by the supposed impotent captain. I am not at all saddened by these sights. In fact, WOO.

Rob said...

I feel like Eck was abducted by aliens and had his vocabulary changed.

allan said...

L pulling in! She's gonna be annoyed at missing this fun.

Rob said...

I feel like Peaches should write a song about Boston's dongs tonight.

andy said...

I wish Veritek had a speech issue like Eck so we could call him Tekersley

Amy said...

Quite a game. And only the 6th inning.

Amy said...

Just what does Eck mean by the bridge?

Anonymous said...

KK

Amy said...

He may be throwing almost nothing but fastballs, but he looks pretty good tonight, Eck.

Edward Lee said...

EDUCATED CHEESE

Rob said...

I think my computer is Canadian. It said I spelled neighborhood wrong and I should spell it neighbourhood. Also, unrelated, thinks "Nevermind" is spelled wrong!

Rob said...

Laura's Boy is putting out tonight!

allan said...

L says hi. And is glad for Mr. Americo!

Amy said...

New RS record for LBJ! Almost to the MLB record! Tell Laura to hurry up and watch.

allan said...

11 - new sox record

Amy said...

Hi, Laura!

Ish, I thought that was an Andy comment about putting out!

A Conformer said...

I think my computer is Canadian. It said I spelled neighborhood wrong and I should spell it neighbourhood. Also, unrelated, thinks "Nevermind" is spelled wrong!It might be Brit. What does it say, realise or realize?

Rob said...

Ofer, it likes both realize and realise.

A Conformer said...

And BTW, Penny is building up some major trade value tonight.

A Conformer said...

Ofer, it likes both realize and realise.Tyre or tire?

Zenslinger said...

Also, unrelated, thinks "Nevermind" is spelled wrong!It is, unless you're referring to a Nirvana album.

And Penny's ERA plummets, down below 6 now.

Rob said...

Tyre tire

BOTH!

Amy said...

Bard throws seeds? Is that better or worse than cheese?

Cliff said...

this game feels like a real shot across the bow of the first place team here. Notice has been served, WE are the DOMINION!

Amy said...

Ish, what word processor is it? Word? Word Perfect? Something else?

Amy said...

Or not a word processor at all?

A Conformer said...

Tyre tire

BOTH!
That's actually a bad example, since Tyre could be the city in Lebanon and tire could just be the verb of getting tired. Anyway, I should stop now. Your computer is probably from the Falklands.

Anonymous said...

From Baseball Almanac; 2 more PO's and Ellsbury breaks the record of 12 in a 9 inning game for an outfielder held by Lyman Bostock and Earl Clark.

Rob said...

Amy it's firefox.

A Conformer said...

I would love to see Papi with a double-sided dong here.

Rob said...

Papi was ON that slider. He stayed with it and fouled it into the seats 1B side like he's seeing the ball better.

Then he goes backwards K. My sentiment is the same as the crowd: "Awwwww!"

Anonymous said...

That was inside.

Amy said...

Hmm, Firefox on my computer rejects realise and accepts neighborhood.

Perhaps you downloaded a British or Canadian version of Firefox?

andy said...

Peavy!!! Trade for Peavy with Penny and Lugo.

andy said...

Fuck give em nick green and a minor league pitcher if they want youth.

andy said...

Amy I think he said Bard throws C's as in roman numeral 100. I really really want to believe this was the case.

Amy said...

LOL, Andy. I either cannot hear well or I just figure Eck is talking some strange lingo I don't know. Thanks for the explanation.

andy said...

Penny done

Anonymous said...

Ugh bad bounce

Amy said...

Hmm, time to take out Penny?

andy said...

Pooooooooooooooollll him. Say it outloud with a feminine male voice.

Anonymous said...

Hurry up MDC

andy said...

Kinda like Stewie on Family Guy

A Conformer said...

Penny ruining his nice line for the night...

«Oldest ‹Older   1 – 200 of 291   Newer› Newest»