June 3, 2009

G53: Red Sox 10, Tigers 5

Red Sox - 200 020 060 - 10 13  3
Tigers - 000 000 050 - 5 3 1
On the 91st anniversary of Dutch Leonard's no-hitter against the Tigers in Detroit, Josh Beckett was well on his way to duplicating Leonard's 1918 feat.

He was seven outs away when Curtis Granderson lined a clean single to right field. Beckett finished the inning with a strike out ... and then things got a wee bit crazy.

A total of 11 runs were scored in the eighth inning. David Ortiz and Jason Varitek banged consecutive two-run doubles in the top half, then Boston committed three infield errors so all five of Detroit's runs -- three of which scored on a Granderson triple off Daniel Bard -- were unearned.

An injury to Kevin Youkilis and Mike Lowell's ejection meant the Sox went into the bottom of the ninth with an infield of Nick Green at 3B, Julio Lugo at SS, Dustin Pedroia at 2B and Mark Kotsay at 1B. Takashi Saito loaded the bases in the ninth, but escaped without allowing a run.

The Rangers beat the Yankees 4-2, so Boston and New York are once again tied for first place at 31-22.

***
Josh Beckett (4.60, 105 ERA+) / Armando Galarraga (5.50, 84 ERA+)

Josh Beckett made five starts in May:
34 innings, 28 hits, 12 walks, 28 strikeouts
2.38 ERA, Opponents hit .222/.293/.341
I would like to see that continue.

Jacoby Ellsbury, on his low walk totals:
Everybody talks about you need to walk more, but in order to walk more, they have to throw you balls. A lot of these teams, when you're fast, they don't want to throw you balls. They're going to pound the zone before they're going to try to nibble at the corners. ...

As a fast player, as a leadoff guy, they're not going to pitch around me. It makes it tough to walk. If you go up trying to walk you get down in the count. If the pitch is there you have to be swinging at it. You can't be taking (good) pitches just to walk.
Do fast guys draw fewer walks? I have no idea, but SoSHer SoxScout notes:
Going down the SB leaderboard, it takes to #37, Cesar Izturis, to find a worse walk rate than Ells' 4%.
While some of what Ellsbury says makes me absolutely cringe -- "You can't be taking (good) pitches just to walk" -- as if batters go to the plate planning to walk -- he does make a bit of sense.

He knows he doesn't have a lot of power, so most pitchers will not nibble. They are likely to challenge him with fastballs -- and he has seen fastballs almost 70% of the time this year. If he slugged more, pitchers might be willing to concede a walk rather than a double or a dong. Ellsbury, though, will have to earn any walk he gets.

His current OBP of .342 is only a tad below his career mark of .345 -- in close to 1,000 plate appearances. This may be the player he is -- and the criticism of him may come from unrealistic expectations after his amazing finish in 2007.

Here are his 2009 splits:
          PA    AVG   OBP   SLG   SB  CS
vs RHP 158 .338 .373 .426 17 2
vs LHP 74 .232 .274 .261 5 4
Sheesh, even his running game suffers against lefties. Rocco Baldelli has played only two games in center field this season, usually filling in for J.D. Drew in right. If Baldy's knee is feeling okay, it would be nice to see him in center field against lefties -- like, say, Dontrelle Willis on Thursday afternoon.

Also: Hideki Okajima has the longest scoreless-innings streak on the team this season. It is currently at 15.2, two outs better than Ramon Ramirez's run of 15 earlier this year.

319 comments:

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Zenslinger said...

Oatmeal says: Sorry, sLugo. Take a walk, Jacoby.

Red Sox
1. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
2. J.D. Drew, RF
3. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
4. Jason Bay, LF
5. Mike Lowell, 3B
6. David Ortiz, DH
7. Jason Varitek, C
8. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
9. Nick Green, SS
-- Josh Beckett, RHP

Tigers
1. Clete Thomas, LF
2. Placido Polanco, 2B
3. Magglio Ordonez, RF
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
5. Curtis Granderson, CF
6. Jeff Larish, DH
7. Brandon Inge, 3B
8. Gerald Laird, C
9. Adam Everett, SS
-- Armando Galarraga, RHP

9casey said...

Going down the SB leaderboard, it takes to #37, Cesar Izturis, to find a worse walk rate than Ells' 4%.


I am not sure how they figure that out but he is 54th overall in obp%
thta's everybody just not base stealers....I could live with that........I think you mave it out for LBJ, is it personal? ...:)

allan said...

I thought I was agreeing with what Lyndon said.

I have always been critical of having a low OBP guy leading off. I think it was in 2003 that Gump had the worst 2 OBP guys in the order batting 1-2. I was not amused.

Patrick said...

Pedroia is fuck yeahing in the lead off spot

Unknown said...

I like the idea of sitting Ellsbury against lefties, at least until he shows he can get on base against them. However, I don't like the strategy of hitting him 8th when we're facing a right-handed starter. He's not going to get as much of an opportunity to steal or go first to third on a single if guys like Lowell, Ortiz, and Varitek are already on base ahead of him.

"Sheesh, even his running game suffers against lefties."

That's normal. Lefties can pick runners off way easier than righties, so he can't get as much of a lead off of first.

FY leadoff single!

allan said...

stuck with espn: o'brian and sut

looks like mute for me. i am already gritting my teeth at sut.

Lord Lynch said...

Evening anyone. With you for half an hour at tops from a cooler London...

Patrick said...

J.D. DONG!

Unknown said...

FIRE!!!

allan said...

ON FIIIIII-YUH!

Jere said...

2-0 (-0)

s1c said...

Yeah baby!!!

Lord Lynch said...

He still hasn't hit it on MLB TV..

Benjamin said...

That works.

Lord Lynch said...

Still hasn't...

Lord Lynch said...

On Fire Homer!!!!

Jere said...

It stinks when you're not even the best "A. Galarraga" in baseball.

allan said...

200th career dong

allan said...

three outs on three pitches. boo.

Jere said...

That's what I meant by adding the parenthetical -0 to the 2-0 score, making it "2-0-0".

s1c said...

Re - LBJ - While it is true he is not going to get nibbles but challenge pitches, that doesn't mean he can't walk more.

The average difference between BA and OBA for all MLB players since 1957 is +.65. He is not even breaking +.40.

Unknown said...

I'm liking what I'm seeing so far.

allan said...

during one game last week, L and i had a discussion about lyndon. it never went into the thread, but she thinks the criticism is jealousy of some kind. (not just me, but all of us men, i guess) she's not in tonight, so i'll let her explain later.

She also absolutely distorts my issue with him -- whenever he singles, she says "Oh yeah he sucks, he doesn't walk".

Fine don't walk much, whatever, then you gotta hit .375 to be a decent leadoff man then.

s1c said...

Ok, I just pulled up all the numbers for MLB this year. LBJ is 187th in OBA (greater than 20 AB). Just below these players: Theriot, Peralta, Cust, Blum, Lugo, Vazquez, Scales, Werth, Crisp, Gonzalez and Guzman.

That is not the greatest of company to be in.

allan said...

lugo playing sexy lips to tiz's manny?

allan said...

forgot to reply to casey's comment way up:

assuming fast guys steal bases, the sosher went down the SB leaders to find someone who was walking less often than lyndon ...

allan said...

tex 3, mfy 0 in top 1st

s1c said...

tex 3 mfy 0, didn't the rangers lead 3-0 last night?

Jere said...

So much miscommunication all year on popups with Green

s1c said...

I wonder if green is deaf in one ear.

allan said...

espn crawl: wang to start tomorrow, hughes to bullpen

Jere said...

Yanks went up 2-0, then down 3-2, then up 12-3

Unknown said...

Sit and Sit

allan said...

i like how this night has begun:

BOS: 20
DET: 00

TEX: 3
NYY:

LAA: 3
TOR: 0

Jere said...

One steroids guy gives up 3, another gets one back, Yanks down 3-1 after 1.

Jere said...

CHB blogging on Extra Bases.

FROM HIS MOM'S BASEMENT.

Unknown said...

OTT

Jere said...

4-1 Tex

allan said...

i like the post-april beckett!

***

galarraga's ERA:
1st 4 starts: 1.85
last 6 starts: 8.49
those are also his april and may ERAs.

we should pound this clown.

allan said...

LAA 4-0.

Pepe Lepew said...

Yay, I have the day off, the game is on TV and I shipped the kiddo off to boot camp!
She had grown insolent!

s1c said...

Crap, that hurts.

Pepe Lepew said...

Dang!

allan said...

cant wait until lowell is back up to top speed.

s1c said...

That is his top speed

s1c said...

another hard hit ball another out for tfm

Pepe Lepew said...

Double dang!
Quit hating on Ortiz, Sutcliffe!

Unknown said...

Dang, I thought that was going to be out.

allan said...

this new mcdonalds commercial makes me want to kill people.

Benjamin said...

Gotta love the early swings.

Benjamin said...

this new mcdonalds commercial makes me want to kill people.

I thought the vegetarianism was last night's topic.

Pepe Lepew said...

What is an "OTA"? I heard that term yesterday.

Unknown said...

Sit

The Fuck Train is rolling along nicely

allan said...

not the food, the "cool" hip-hoppers/youths...


okay -- i was excited after the first out in the 3rd, but things are now officially interesting

Jere said...

PEDitte and Beckett with opposite performances so far tonight!

A Conformer said...

this new mcdonalds commercial makes me want to kill people.

Is that the é one? 'Cause I heartily agree, if so. Extremely annoying music, too.

andy said...

I'm in for this game. Looks like fun.

I am sorry but Jacoby is hitting in every game, that's lead off stuff. He may walk more if they would give him nothing to hit.

allan said...

i have it on mute, but it looks like a guy makes a tape and a woman plays it on her radio show -- and everyone in town and dancin' and eatin' big macs.

Jere said...

Galarraga walked into a spider web there

Unknown said...

That's going to leave a mark

andy said...

Another hit to tack onto that OBP. This guy does not belong at lead off.

Pepe Lepew said...

Ow1
LBJ didn't mean to do that!

andy said...

Ok so he needs to take walks, why not put those nightly hits at the 2 spot?

Pepe Lepew said...

i have it on mute,

You're missing Sut!

allan said...

because he doesn't get 2 hits a night. if he did, he'd be hitting between .400 and .500

Benjamin said...

What is an "OTA"? I heard that term yesterday.

Organized team activity? What was the context?

allan said...

wtf --- eephus pitch to first?

Benjamin said...

Wheels.

allan said...

speed!

Jere said...

his money is green

Unknown said...

Eco-friendly RBI

andy said...

That damn 8th man speed will never score us a run.

Pepe Lepew said...

Does Ordonez have a rep for a poor arm?

Pepe Lepew said...

Interference!
JFC!

allan said...

INTEFERENCE MUTHERFUCKER

andy said...

i will not be letting the LBJ lineup issue go.

Jere said...

That was effed up malt liqour

Unknown said...

What the fuck was that?

9casey said...

redsock said...
i have it on mute, but it looks like a guy makes a tape and a woman plays it on her radio show -- and everyone in town and dancin' and eatin' big macs.



Utopia

Jere said...

Green's like, "should I pick up my helmet first?" And Hale's like, "Just go!"

Benjamin said...

What the fuck was that?
6-3. E3 on the throw back to third. Pitcher obstruction in the basepaths.

allan said...

andy has taken the part of laura on the couch for tonights game!

Jere said...

What a crazy headlong dive Inge made trying to catch the throw back to third.

Rob said...

Strange way to score two runs. Hey everyone.

Jere said...

I see the "tucked in jersey" guy from the Bruins ads is in another non-Bruins commercial.

Rob said...

Never date within the division.

allan said...

GDGD still figuring how to enter that

Jere said...

We'll see if the division daters' careers take off like jersey-tucker's has.

Unknown said...

Sit

allan said...

5-3 actually and GDGD has E1 on INT

andy said...

Hometown announcers are just jinxed Beckett. They also said that Green put his head down like a fullback. He also said that Green left the base path to run into the pitcher. I guess the game he is watching is shifted over by a few feet because that tiger was straddling the line when Green tried to get up and run after he slid. This announcer sounds eerily like Morgan.

Pepe Lepew said...

Is a two-seamer the same as a cutter? Because those last two pitches looked like cutters to me.

Jere said...

Texas gets first two guys on in third. You'd think the next hitters would be able to make contact, but no, the next three guys K swinging against a Pettitte who's clearly shitty tonight.

allan said...

espn showing last pitch footage from HH and lester no nos

Benjamin said...

They scored it as "Pedroia grounded out, third baseman Inge to first baseman Mi.Cabrera, N.Green to third. On error by pitcher A.Galarraga, N.Green scored."

Multiple errors on the play, but the pitcher's was the dominant one.

Benjamin said...

espn showing last pitch footage

What an odd thing to do.

Pepe Lepew said...

Allan, Lester made Sut cry!

allan said...

they should show it in 3 innings, not now.

Unknown said...

Sit

OTT

Patrick said...

Beckett is kick ass mother fucker.



that is all

allan said...

3rd time for the mcd commercial -- lenny kravtiz dude records shit in his apt, then sets it free into the fast food eatin' world! music is the leveler!

Pepe Lepew said...

3rd time for the mcd commercial

I think it's really cute that the Golden Arches in Canada have a little Maple Leaf in them.

allan said...

OH FUCK

i just remembered

june 3, 1918
red sox pitcher dutch leonard throws a no-hitter against the tigers in detroit.

june 3, 2009
red sox pitcher josh beckett _______ against the tigers in detroit.

Jere said...

Eck: "I should know better, but I don't."

allan said...

sox won that 1918 game 5-0

Jere said...

On Lowe's no-hitter, Rickey Henderson hit his 100th leadoff HR. On Beckett's blank line, Drew hit his 200th overall dong.

Pepe Lepew said...

I hear Youk runs a 4.2 40.

Benjamin said...

red sox pitcher josh beckett _______ against the tigers in detroit.

Wore #19?

Jere said...

no sir, you mean "clearly safe

Pepe Lepew said...

DANG!

Unknown said...

That was unfortunate

Jere said...

nope, just regular safe

Amy said...

Hi, everyone. Just getting home from the Cape. I heard most of the game on the radio, but missed how we scored runs 3 and 4.

Jere said...

Yanks load the bases on three walks, but A-Rod inning ending DP! Ha. Texas dodges a cannonball.

allan said...

papi's gonna go postal soon

s1c said...

Shaqenstein, I like it

Pepe Lepew said...

...but missed how we scored runs 3 and 4.

The Tigers tried to cheat, but they got busted!

Patrick said...

Bases are loaded,
Just one out for Rodriguez,
HE G-I-D-P



BWAHAHAHA

Amy said...

Thanks, Pepe, but perhaps a few more details would help?? :)

Jere said...

nice try fuckwad

Jere said...

"what is the cutoff date for not droppin' down a bunt?" - Eck

"do you put one in his ear now?" -Don

"I'm not tough enough to drill the guy on the next pitch, but..." -Eck

Pepe Lepew said...

Shut up, Sut!
Shut up, shut up, shut up!

Pepe Lepew said...

Thanks, Pepe, but perhaps a few more details would help?? :)

The Tigers are big, fat CHEATERS!
What more is there to know?

allan said...

i don't feel like checking my book but i think leonard walked a guy in the first inning also, bobby veach if I recall.

Unknown said...

Sit

Amy said...

So I guess I have to look it up elsewhere.

allan said...

what is the cutoff date for not droppin' down a bunt?" - Eck.

if i am not a hypocrite, there is no cutoff.

fuck "unwritten" rules.

stay awake, doctor.

Pepe Lepew said...

So I guess I have to look it up elsewhere.

OK, the Tigers interfered -- blatantly -- with a runner trying to round third.

Patrick said...

Oh man oh man oh man.

Unknown said...

THE FUCK TRAIN IS ROLLING

Amy said...

With Green, apparently. I looked it up.

allan said...

Tek F7

LBJ single off pitcher's arm!

Green double to RCF, RBI!

FY grounded to third, 5 threw him out from the line, green took off for third and 1B threw back to third. he airmailed the throw, though and green tried to get up and score, pitcher interfered with him in the base line, so even though the LF threw home and the C tagged green out, he was awarded the plate.

Benjamin said...

Page 141 of your book, Allan.

s1c said...

Right now, I don't want beckett cooling off. Take your hacks. Get the man back out there.

allan said...

shit - we were planning to be at all 3 of these games before $ got tight. ... if i was there, i'd be quietly freaking out about now.

Amy said...

Thanks, Allan. The box score on line failed to give that detail (as did Pepe!) I appreciate it.

I am getting that antsy feeling now watching Beckett....

s1c said...

8

Jere said...

This whole situation is in Eck's wheelhouse. This is fun.

Rob said...

Eck was talking about a chemical imbalance he has and needs food often. Don said, "The food has arrived."

Eck said, "Oh good! I'll be able to talk for the rest of the game with a little food. I might be able to read a promo after a hot dog."

s1c said...

need the dp now

Rob said...

This is fun.

Pepe Lepew said...

Thanks, Allan. The box score on line failed to give that detail (as did Pepe!) I appreciate it.

sorry. If I was good at play-by-play .... I'd be doing play-by-play. :)

s1c said...

Everytime I see Smoltz in the dugout I freak out. I can't wait until he joins the rotation.

Rob said...

Whew. Had it all the way.

Amy said...

Phew. That one had me holding my breath.

allan said...

WHEW!!

andy said...

LBJ with a FY

Pepe Lepew said...

Ellsbury, you magnificent Navajo!
Represent!

Rob said...

Amy could just put a "WW" on her scorecard. :)

Amy said...

No problem, Pepe. I stink at it myself.

Rob said...

They're just shooting it all over the place now.

Benjamin said...

Fucker.

Amy said...

Oh, fuck.

s1c said...

Frack

Pepe Lepew said...

DANG!
Oh, well!
Now, I guess we just have to win!

Unknown said...

Dang

All right, get the third out now.

Amy said...

WW, Ish?

andy said...

Home announcers just claimed that their jinx worked. They were actively trying to jinx. I know people do it but I have never heard anyone fess up.

Rob said...

Another eckism... Instead of speed, he wants to know what the temperature of a pitch is.

Rob said...

Amy: Wasn't watching. :)

Rob said...

Speaking of watching, usually I let pitches go by while threading but not tonight. I want to see every one of his pitches. Hit or no hits. Steam's still flying outta the fuck train. Hot damn.

Rob said...

Eck: "I'm probably more disappointed than he is!"

Amy said...

Oh, well, still a shut out and a win on the line here. And a one hitter.

s1c said...

I think Joshie has figured out was was wrong and is now back to be captain kick ass

andy said...

Eck is my best friend.

Pepe Lepew said...

Ish ... did the Pens really get away with 6 skaters on the ice for *21 seconds*? OMG. That's ridiculous. I was watching the game in the only hockey bar in Montana and I missed it.

andy said...

What I like is that Beckett is on an upward path now over the past game or two and tonight. He looks confident.

Amy said...

Yeah, I WW that inning. We were driving home and stopped, and I missed that inning.

Amy said...

I agree, Andy. Beckett is looking like Beckett lately.

Rob said...

Pepe I didn't know it was 21 seconds long but yes they did get away with it. 21 seconds though! How did they miss that? I guess the crowd making like nothing was going on had something to do with it. Maybe it would have been called in Detroit.

Rob said...

I'm guessing Beckett won't throw a CG. Whether he gives up another hit or not. Depends on how many pitches he throws in the 8th.

s1c said...

Speed kills baby

Patrick said...

With his speed, better OBP and less slugging than last year, FY is a great lead off player. I like it.

allan said...

at 95 now

Pepe Lepew said...

Pepe I didn't know it was 21 seconds long but yes they did get away with it. 21 seconds though! How did they miss that?

I'm kind of cheering for the Pens, (only because I'm tired of the Swede Wings winning seemingly every year), but that should *never* happen.

andy said...

What are the chances that if Papi is done after this year or even during the year that the team goes out and gets Fielder from the Brewers? He fits the mold of the RedSox big guy slugger.

s1c said...

I don't think Fielder is on their radar.

Pepe Lepew said...

I don't think Fielder is on their radar.

I think Mauer is on the radar.

Amy said...

Nice! YOUK!!

Pepe Lepew said...

Yayyyy, Youk!

s1c said...

Mauer is on the radar and he should be on the radar.

Jere said...

that was weird

Amy said...

Bases loaded, no one out, and we already have a five run lead. Sweet!

s1c said...

I thought he had caught that at first.

allan said...

L is home - yay - says hi

Turns sound on - boo

Amy said...

Hi, Laura!

Rob said...

I thought Miner caught that ball. Hmm. NOPE.

Time for the large father to stop being shy about showing his large dong.

s1c said...

L is home

Time for us to start showing our jealousy.

Unknown said...

Alright Papi, how about we end the slump right now?

s1c said...

Yeah Papi!!!

Benjamin said...

Nicely done.

Jere said...

fuckin yeah papi

Amy said...

Papi gets RBIs! Obviously he did not like that talk about Mauer.

Rob said...

Half-dong! Snuck a peek!

allan said...

BEDAZZLED DOUBLE!!!

Pepe Lepew said...

Yayyy, Papi!

Unknown said...

I'll take that!

Amy said...

And Tek gets a double! And two RBIs!

Rob said...

They had to give Papi a GPS to tell him how to get to second base. Turn left in 90 feet.

Also works at telling him how to get home!

Jere said...

9-0, first place in sight

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