August 20, 2009

G120: Red Sox 8, Blue Jays 1

Red Sox   - 001 320 110 - 8 10  0
Blue Jays - 100 000 000 - 1 3 3
Three games of productive batting practice before we start a real series against the Yankees!

Lester (8-3-1-2-5, 105) allowed a single, double and walk to the first three Toronto hitters in the first inning. A GIDP scored a run, but Lester was on for the rest of his evening, allowing only one additional hit. Those first two Jays hitters were the only Jays to touch second base.

J.D. Drew was the hitting star for the Sox, going 4-for-4 with two home runs, three RBI and three runs scored. Victor Martinez hit a moon shot dong in the seventh.

The Jays also made some very stupid plays in the field. One of the their errors was by Cecil in the fourth inning. Jason Bay was on first. After ball 2 to David Ortiz, catcher Rod Barajas threw the ball back to Cecil. It glanced off his glove and rolled towards shortstop. Cecil went and got it, looked at it, and casually tossed it away. Time had not been called, however, so it was a two-base error (the ball went into the 3B dugout) and Bay jogged to third.
Example
Jon Lester (3.71, 127 ERA+) / Brett Cecil (4.35, 100 ERA+)

Terry Francona loves this part of the season, as long as his team is in contention:
[C]oming to the ballpark this time of year, being nervous, is an unbelievable feeling. When I was in Philadelphia, ... you get to September and ... we're out there trying to tell ourselves we're going to try to win today and be the spoiler. You know what? [Expletive] that. That's not that much fun.
Boston is 1 GA of Texas in the Wild Card. ... (You didn't go jump off any tall buildings like the mediots told you to do on Sunday, did you?)

Twins/Rangers at 8. The Yankees are off.

291 comments:

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allan said...

Win tonight
Sweep the Chokers
and BOOM!

-- 3.5 GB with 39 to play.

tim said...

DOOOOO IT!

I'll be there again, hopefully less stressful than Tuesday. I'm packing myself a couple beers for the train (if we take it again) to ease my nerves! haha

allan said...

1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. Victor Martinez, C
4. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
5. Jason Bay, LF
6. David Ortiz, DH
7. Mike Lowell, 3B
8. J.D. Drew, RF
9. Alex Gonzalez, SS

***

On Fire at #8?

Zenslinger said...

On Fire at #8?

It's weird. I guess it gives that R-L-R-L thing at the end of the lineup instead of the beginning. Yesterday's 7-8-9, despite their success, was a little disheartening in comparison.

Patrick said...

Drew with a .340 OBP vs. Lefties.

Worst in the lineup excluding Gonzo.

Only change I'd make is swapping Dr.D and Flo.

Zenslinger said...

I needed a reminder about the origin of "Sea Bass". So, as usual, I took about a fifteen-minute trip through the Glossary. Always fun.

Rob said...

Tito: Fuck that.

If my day wasn't so awesome to begin with that would have made my day!

And by the way.. Since we're 1 GA in the WC (It's too bad it wasn't the Yankees in the WC because that's just some awesome toilet symmetry there)... WE'RE GONNA WIN THE WILDCARDDDDD. It's gonna happen! Cause we're ahead! Right, Obie?

Rob said...

Actually you look at this lineup and this thing looks AWESOME!!! This is the lineup we should have the rest of the year. Look at that! Nevermind how any of them are doing... Just look at those names on the lineup!

Ellsbury, Pedroia, Martinez, Youkilis, Bay, Ortiz, Lowell, Drew, and then the pitcher! Pretty much. That SHOULD be a STACKED lineup.

nixon33 said...

Best fooking lineup of the year, for sure. I hope we see a lot more of that vs. the Yanks this weekend.

allan said...

A mini-hurricane is blowing through our neighbourhood. Will be watching the basement.

Patrick said...

Stacked! No doubt. I wonder if we'll get a rejuvenated Jed Lowrie to replace gonzo.

That would lead to popped boners across Red Sox Nation.

Rob said...

Hey Patrick? Why do the boners have to pop? And why is that a good thing? I'd think a popped boner would be legitimate medical issue that would require... Well, you'd just die, pretty much.

allan said...

If your boner lasts for more than 162 games ...

Patrick said...

It's the sound they make when something causes one to occur suddenly, like stacked lineups.

It's the same sound as getting an instant message on facebook.

Patrick said...

...cough

laura k said...

You can be sure the dome will be closed tonight. Something that looks like a hurricane is going on here.

allan said...

buffy's partner pat tabler wonders if pedroia will be suffering from jet lag.

...

laura k said...

I'm glad it's raining right now - the contractor is coming tonight to assess the basement.

A Conformer said...

Yeah, those 1-hour, within the time zone flights are a bitch.

Zenslinger said...

Best fooking lineup of the year

Offensively? Maybe. Defensively...?

s1c said...

ON FIRE!!!
OBA of .340 vs Lefties and is like .370 OBA overall is 8th. That is called lengthening the line up.

Just Win!!!

Patrick said...

Gonzo at short makes our defense infinitely better than Who-lio

Zenslinger said...

Lowell playing the field always makes me nervous. Hope he moves to 1B next year.

allan said...

i'd rather they trade or dump lowell

Patrick said...

I was thinking last night that I hope they dump one of Lowell or Ortiz next year.

allan said...

houdini time.

s1c said...

Look for Lowell to be gone, I just don't see them moving Papi.

Frack, get some outs 'dini

Unknown said...

Alright, really need a K here

allan said...

of course who would actually *want* lowell is a different question

allan said...

how is aaron hill leading the AL in total bases?

Zenslinger said...

Aaron Hill has a shit-ton of RBIs. Especially for a 2B'er.

Zenslinger said...

Bases loaded, no outs...not the desired effect.

allan said...

setting up the tp

wily lefty.

laura k said...

Let's go Harry.

Unknown said...

Fuck, Lester, get your shit together

Patrick said...

I'll take it. Let's stop the bleeding there.

Unknown said...

I see run(s)...

Jeff Polman said...

I'll take that ANYDAY!

Zenslinger said...

DP!

Best kind of "run(s)" there is. When the Sox are pitching, of course.

Unknown said...

Okay, run-scoring DP

That's actually a better outcome than I was expecting

A Conformer said...

The bases loaded no outs DP is usually a good tradeoff. Unless it's the bottom of the 9th in a tie game, of course.

allan said...

cabin sasahe

Jeff Polman said...

COWBOY DOWN!!

allan said...

of course, in the bot 9th, the ss would go home with the throw, but yes....

laura k said...

Get out the straitjacket and chains, it's gonna be one of those nights.

Unknown said...

Sit

Alright, good work minimizing the damage

Let's score some run(s)

A Conformer said...

of course, in the bot 9th, the ss would go home with the throw, but yes....

I thought of that, but it didn't fit with what I wrote, and it was already written, so I still put it through.

allan said...

hey jeff -- looking at your profile -- what vt paper did you write about lee for?

laura k said...

*crickets*

s1c said...

ribbit

s1c said...

better, much better

Unknown said...

Sit

allan said...

ON FUCKIN' FIRE

laura k said...

ON FIRE, BABY!!

Patrick said...

Come on set my night on fire!

s1c said...

ON FIRE!!!

big dong!!!

Unknown said...

ON FUCKIN' FIRE!!!

Jeff Polman said...

GO NANCY!!!

Patrick said...

8th, lead off, second, fifth.

Whatever. Dongs are dongs, and they hit hard from every hole.

allan said...

hahhahah - cecil will now unravel.

Unknown said...

Drew: I'll show you a .340 OBP vs lefties

laura k said...

Nope Buffy, not in time to get "the speedy else-perry".

s1c said...

KEEP THE PRESSURE ON!!!

Zenslinger said...

Now we're going to hear it:

"Since placed in the eighth spot, Drew is sporting a 1.800 OPS..."

Zenslinger said...

Has it ever occurred to you that an HR shouldn't count towards On Base Pct.? I mean, you don't exactly get on base. You just...glide over all the bases without staying on any one of them.

Patrick said...

I like your point, Zen. But I suppose you make it to fourth base.

Jeff Polman said...

Hate to say it, but there's the difference between the Sox and the Twisted Swastikas (MFY). The Yankees would have scored at least five runs in that inning.

allan said...

buffy was funny this inning. he was insisting that snider (who he just about proposed to when snider was batting last inning -- calling him a prodigy with thunder in his bat who can do special things) could have caught drew's dong if his foot had not gotten stuck in the mesh fence. then later on, he referred to drew's homer as a "wall scraper".

allan said...

Hate to say it, but there's the difference between the Sox and the Twisted Swastikas (MFY). The Yankees would have scored at least five runs in that inning.

1. If you hate to say it, then don't.

2. It's bullshit.

laura k said...

Hate to say it, but there's the difference between the Sox and the Twisted Swastikas (MFY). The Yankees would have scored at least five runs in that inning.

???? Do you think NYY never leave men on base, or fail to score? What kind of reverse-fantasy world do you live in?

Don't buy into that loser mentality. They're in 1st place right now, but they're not invincible.

Zenslinger said...

Off to my first night class of the semester. Enjoy.

s1c said...

If NYC would guarantee this would be on every subway, I might start liking NYC.

Unknown said...

10 pitch OTT

Nice

allan said...

Fuck "innings", the Yankees haven't scored 5 runs in 4 of their last 6 games.

The mystique and aura shit won't get much traction here, ya know.

Amy said...

Hi, everyone. So the radio guys were saying it's humid in the ballpark tonight.

Jeff Polman said...

I'm not living in any loser fantasy world. I watch every game and it seems like Boston is frequently leaving people on and hitting into DPs. It gets me frustrated and I sometimes need to vent. But I'll try to be more positive here from now on. And not bring up our mortal enemies.

Patrick said...

Jeter would've taken two bases on that balk.

Patrick said...

hah! and as I write that Bay takes another base...

Amy said...

Huh? What was that all about? Why did he throw the ball away?

s1c said...

Will take that, c'mon Flo!!!

Get him in!!!

Unknown said...

"I watch every game and it seems like Boston is frequently leaving people on and hitting into DPs."

They have been doing that a lot lately, although I think that has more to do with the fact that they get a ton of guys on base more than anything.

A Conformer said...

GDGD is either stuck or confused. What's happening?

Unknown said...

GDGD is still trying to figure out how to explain that

Amy said...

A balk and then a throwing error? Something like that Ofer. Someone else can explain it better than I can.

laura k said...

Jeff, I know it gets frustrating - but while our team is having a LOBotomy and GIDPing all over the place, so are all the other teams. There's no evidence that the Sox leave more men on base than any other team - except maybe the teams that don't get any men on base in the first place.

For me, anyway, there's a big difference between saying "I hate when the Red Sox do X" and "the Yankees would never do X". Remember what we think of mystique and aura.

s1c said...

2 base error by the pitcher, he threw the ball out of play.

allan said...

catcher throws ball back to cecil, it hits off his glove and rolls out towards ss. he picks it up and (thinking it is scuffed or something, i guess) tosses it off into foul territory. BUT HE DID NOT CALL TIME, so it was a live ball -- and the two bases means it probably went into the 3b dugout!

A Conformer said...

A balk and then a throwing error? Something like that Ofer. Someone else can explain it better than I can.

A throwing error? Where was he throwing to, on a balk?

laura k said...

PS I watch or listen to every game too. But by definition that means we're not watching or listening to every Yankees game.

Amy said...

And we take the lead! Thanks, Doctor.

s1c said...

DR Dr, give me a pill

A Conformer said...

Thanks, A. Sounds like a Nixonian brainfart.

Amy said...

He missed the ball when the catcher returned it, then tossed it out of play. The umpire apparently considered it a throwing error, or so DO said.

allan said...

the game and pbp logs for many seasons are available. if someone wants to go check and see if historically, the mfy score more baserunners and have a smaller LOB % than the sox, be my guest.

i'd honestly love to see some data. i have tried to find out if it is easily found. seems like it is not.

Amy said...

As I said, others could explain it better than I did.

Never saw that before.

Patrick said...

ON FUCKING FIRE!!!!

Rob said...

I walk in and I'm greeted by a FUCKING FIRE!!! ON MY TV!!!

Amy said...

Drew sets us ON FIRE again!

laura k said...

STILL ON FIRE!!!!

Patrick said...

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

s1c said...

YEA BABY!!!

ON FRAGGING FIRE!!!

allan said...

WHERE THERE'S A DONG, THERE'S FIRE!!!

nixon33 said...

ON FIRE FIRE!

allan said...

say hello to your new #8 hitter!!!

Unknown said...

ON FIIIIIIIIIIRE!!!!!

Jeff Polman said...

Actually just went to ESPN's team stats and saw that the Sox and Indians were tied for most GIDP in th league with 108 before game time--

wait...NANCY!!!!

A Conformer said...

Infernal fire today!!!

laura k said...

It's great having this tune up against the Jays before we pick up 3 games in the standings this weekend.

s1c said...

Would love to see JD repeat last years june in this years aug and sep

Jeff Polman said...

...can't find anything on LOB, though. If Nancy keeps smacking them taters, we don't need to know!!

A Conformer said...

Drew is halfway to the dong cycle.

Amy said...

I like your attitude, Laura. Let it be so.

Rob said...

How was the big storm, Allan and Laura? Must've been quite crazy. Heard about a tornado up that way???

Patrick said...

The dong cycle sounds like something from the twilight zone.

Amy said...

They sure look sweaty for playing in an air conditioned park.

laura k said...

Hi Nix, good to see you here.

Ish, four torandoes in our area so far. One not far from us, just north of the airport.

laura k said...

And of course by torandoes I mean tornadoes.

Amy said...

Torandoes sounds like a chain of Mexican restaurants or something.

laura k said...

We'd like it to rain a lot in the next 1-2 weeks, while everything is stripped in the basement, before the reno starts. We want to see if it leaks, and if it does, from where and why.

So far the basement is dry.

A Conformer said...

Has the dong cycle ever been done? I see there's 15 players with 4-dong days, but didn't find the kinds.

Amy said...

L, did you decide whether to ask the LL for a rent rebate?

laura k said...

It's got to have been done at some point, no?

Amy said...

Ofer, kinds of what? Dongs?

laura k said...

Amy, I didn't decide yet. I still might bring it up.

Amy said...

Good for Lester!

allan said...

since the 1B-2B-BB, lester has retired 11 of 12

A Conformer said...

Ofer, kinds of what? Dongs?

Yep. Anyway, I found it. It's been done once in AA, and that's it. Makes sense, I guess. It would really have to be the perfect storm.

Unknown said...

Seven pitch OTT

A Conformer said...

Anyway, gotta work a little bit. I hope I'll come back before the game ends. In the meantime- guard that lead, Amy!

allan said...

jays opening roof to get this game washed out?

Amy said...

I am on the job, Ofer.

Amy said...

Has the dong cycle ever been done? I see there's 15 players with 4-dong days, but didn't find the kinds.

I am still trying to decipher it. I assume a dong cycle is hitting 4 in a game. So what does Ofer mean by "the kinds"? I guess he is gone, but maybe I am just being dense and someone else knows what he means. Is he distinguishing between 4 HRs hit in two games in a day versus in one game?

s1c said...

When did gdgd add twitter?

s1c said...

Amy - I am assuming a solo, 2 hr, 3 hr and Salami is the dong cycle

Patrick said...

Oh, maybe he mean a solo dong, a two run, three run, and grand salami.

laura k said...

I believe by "dong cycle" Ofer means hitting a solo, 2-run, 3-run and grand slam dong in the same game.

I was giving him a chance to explain, but now it's time to intervene! :)

laura k said...

OK, everyone else intervened too!

Unknown said...

Homer cycle is a solo homer, 2-run homer, 3-run homer, and grand slam all in one game

Amy said...

AHH, thanks, S1C! I wasn't thinking about the number of runs, just HRs in general. Now it all makes sense!

s1c said...

I feel like a kid in HS holding up his hand and saying oooh, oooh, pick me Ms. Amy

Patrick said...

It took me awhile to figure it out too, Amy.

Amy said...

LOL, I guess I was the ONLY one who did not know what a dong cycle is! THANKS, EVERYONE!!

s1c said...

The giant glass commercial comes to life - "air mail"

allan said...

so what *is* a dong cycle, anyway?

Amy said...

Thanks, Patrick, for admitting that. I feel MUCH better!

Unknown said...

Woohoo, extra outs to work with!

Amy said...

Guess the dong cycle was invented before I was born, since I am part of the younger crowd in this community. You old folks know so many interesting things.

laura k said...

That troll (who swears he's not a troll) has given us a whole new theme.

Unknown said...

The Dr needs to get on so Drew can get the three-run dong

s1c said...

That troll (who swears he's not a troll???

allan said...

but he said only one bad thing and he is a yankee fan and then redsock got pissy and laura changed her name to betty but ish was nice, zen was too, but there was censorship and someone is really old and ought to act like i want him to act, but i'll still read, did you know i like the yankees because i am a yankees fan

laura k said...

That troll (who swears he's not a troll???

You didn't miss much.

But it's why we've been saying we're old and feeble. References to 4:00 dinner, walkers, shuffling, dentures, etc.

Amy said...

LOL, Allan.

allan said...

roof closing now???

allan said...

not so special there, thunder bat.

allan said...

lester - 64 thru 5

s1c said...

So there is positive to being too busy to game thread lately!!!

Amy said...

So why did they open the roof??

Unknown said...

The Fire cannot be stopped

s1c said...

Ok, looking ahead here a little bit, but this is one of the reasons I like Baseball-reference.com. Since '03 Sox vs MFY's are 62-62.

allan said...

s1c, you can also get a list of all 2,044 games they have played against each other.

laura k said...

Premature roof opening, I guess. I'm surprised they bothered!

Altho it does get very hot and humid in there with the dome closed.

laura k said...

Wizards of defense, these Jays.

allan said...

buffy seems surprised that the jays are playing like shit in this series.

yet he has seen the every jays game this year.

s1c said...

s1c, you can also get a list of all 2,044 games they have played against each other.

I just wanted to look at recent history. The best thing is the links to the individual box scores.

Patrick said...

I love how stress free this game is.

allan said...

the 2044 list has those links too, at least to the boxes they have at bref.

Zenslinger said...

Had to check in after getting to school. Drew = hero! And Lester cruising. Very nice.

That troll

I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt at first. He squirmed onto Ish's blog when you were at the game in Toronto, and I ripped him. Couldn't help it.

laura k said...

I love how stress free this game is.

Yeah! Two stress-free games in a row. We need it.

s1c said...

Yep, that is one of the best things about bref, it is full of linkage.

laura k said...

He squirmed onto Ish's blog when you were at the game in Toronto, and I ripped him. Couldn't help it.

I saw that - commented on it, too. :)

s1c said...

sLugo would've gotten to that ball (yeah right)

fusionmouse said...

AG--DP master!

fusionmouse said...

DP sensei?

9casey said...

Since when do people call JD Drew - Nancy, my opinion (for what it's worth) I don't like it.........it sounds like something a yankee fan would call him.....

s1c said...

flashing some leather.

Rob said...

I am back and threading! Have been very busy during this game which is ANNOYING, but I love me some 6-1 lead baseball!

Amy said...

I have never seen the Nancy reference here. He must have gotten it elsewhere.

Zen, have a good class. So glad I have no night classes this year!

9casey said...

Patrick said...
Stacked! No doubt. I wonder if we'll get a rejuvenated Jed Lowrie to replace gonzo.

That would lead to popped boners across Red Sox Nation.






I am not on board with that assesment, I have seen nothing from Jed Lowrie this year that would even give me a chubby...

allan said...

BLUE LIGHT!!!

Patrick said...

Ohhhhh!! Disgusting!!!

Amy said...

And another dong!

laura k said...

Since when do people call JD Drew - Nancy, my opinion (for what it's worth) I don't like it.........it sounds like something a yankee fan would call him.....

A and I were wondering about this too.

EXTRA MART!!!!!

I was giving it the benefit of the doubt and not saying anything........

allan said...

that had a pleasant elevation

Unknown said...

V-MART > Cactus

fusionmouse said...

Blue LIGHT especial in the dome!

Patrick said...

I'm loving this shower of riches (aka runs).

Amy said...

I think this lineup may be a keeper. Even though it means I don't get to see Tek play, I am more than okay with that.

9casey said...

L-girl said...


I was giving it the benefit of the doubt and not saying anything........



Fuck that.......its stupid...I got nothin against Nancy Drew, but JD is no Nancy.....

laura k said...

Re Nancy, it's usually a derogative. And you know how I feel about using something female to mean weak, bad, etc.

But b/c the commenter is a Sox fan, I thought maybe he was just using the coincidence of last names, neutrally, not negatively.

Contractors are here!

laura k said...

JD is no Nancy.....

My problem is the opposite. What's wrong with being Nancy?!

s1c said...

In '07 some people called him that (I want to say Jere was one, but then I like to blame Jere for everything so don't get mad jere if you are lurking) but that was a name used on WEEI and by dodger fans.

9casey said...

L-girl said...


Contractors are here!





at 9 o'clock in the evening...

Rob said...

Nancy boy. etc.

Patrick said...

That guy was a negative Nancy (woops!). He was a closet MFY fan.

Amy said...

If Drew was called Nancy in 2007, it was probably meant as an insult, since he was not very effective until the post-season that year, IIRC>

fusionmouse said...

I like this line-up too. But I'm thinking Martinez probably isn't up to catching every day.

Maybe a 3-2 split between VM and JV?

Or maybe Cactus can be the one learning to catch the flutterball...

9casey said...

Ish said...
Nancy boy. etc.

Thu Aug 20, 09:09:00 PM


Patrick said...
That guy was a negative Nancy (woops!). He was a closet MFY fan.














Thanks, that is also how I read it...

s1c said...

Fragging sLugo - has a 134 ops+ at stl.

Dr, Dr, give me a pill!!

Zenslinger said...

I saw that - commented on it, too. :)

Oh. Maybe I wasn't around for the whole thread. Often am not.

Zen, have a good class. So glad I have no night classes this year!

Thank you. If I could have one wish for my schedule, it would be never to have to teach at night.

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