April 1, 2011

G1: Rangers 9, Red Sox 5

Red Sox - 202 000 010 - 5  7  1
Rangers - 110 300 04x - 9 10  1
Adrian Gonzalez drove in three of Boston's first four runs (and stole the second base of his eight-year career!), Jacoby Ellsbury reached base four times and scored twice, and David Ortiz tied the game with an opposite-field home run off Darren Oliver in the eighth.

But Daniel Bard (0.2-4-4-1-1, 32) allowed four runs in the home half of the eighth. After a fly out, he walked Mike Napoli, and gave up a single to Yorbit Torrealba and a two-run double to pinch-hitter David Murphy. After a strikeout -- the game's only K among Boston's six pitchers -- back-to-back doubles from Elvis Andrus and Josh Hamilton pushed the score to 9-5. The Red Sox went in order in the ninth against Neftali Feliz.

Ellsbury doubled, singled, walked, and stole a base; he began the game (and the season) by reaching second when his routine fly ball was dropped for a two-base error. He scored on Kevin Youkilis's double. ... The bottom third of the lineup went 0-for-11, with a walk.

Lester (5.1-6-5-1-0, 88) allowed three home runs in a game for the first time in his career. (He has allowed two dongs 16 times, including five times each in 2009 and 2010.)
Example
Jon Lester / C.J. Wilson

Opening Day!
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Carl Crawford, LF
Kevin Youkilis, 3B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
David Ortiz, DH
Mike Cameron, RF
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
Marco Scutaro, SS
There was some fuss in the past week about Terry Francona balancing the honour of starting on Opening Day with sitting some of his left-handed hitters against a tough lefty like Wilson. Lefties batted .144 with a .400 OPS against Wilson in 2010. Drew is 1-for-6 and Ortiz is 1-for-10.

Those samples seem quite small. And Boston's right-handed hitters haven't exactly feasted on Wilson either: Scutaro is 2-for-16, Crawford is 2-for-15, Youkilis is 2-for-7 (with two walks). Cameron, starting in place of Drew, is 0-for-3. The current Boston roster is a combined 11-for-73 against Wilson (.151/.244/.219/.463).

Baseball Reference says there have been only two complete games pitched on Opening Day in the last seven years (2004-10). The last Red Sox OD CG was pitched in NYC by the TCM, on April 7, 1992: 8-8-4-1-5, 100 - Yankees 4, Red Sox 3.

More than one pundit has said the the Red Sox could win 100 games this year. No Boston team has reached that milestone since 1946. Theo Epstein sets an annual goal of at least 95 wins -- which will usually result in a playoff spot. It's easier said than done, though. In the 110-year history of the Red Sox, only nine teams have ended the regular season with more than 95 victories:
Year   GP    W   L   T  Finish
1912  154   105  47  2  1st in AL, Won World Series
1946  156   104  50  2  1st in AL, Lost World Series
1915  155   101  50  4  1st in AL, Won World Series
1978  163    99  64     2nd in ALE
2004  162    98  64     2nd in ALE, Won World Series
1977  161    97  64     2nd in ALE
2007  162    96  66     1st in ALE, Won World Series
1949  155    96  58  1  2nd in AL
1948  155    96  59     2nd in AL
In the Red Sox's other three championship seasons, their win totals were: 91 (1903), 91 (1916), and 75 (1918; shortened-season).

Terry Francona:
We talk all the time about trying to keep the line moving and not having easy innings. I think we have a group of guys that should make pitchers work. We have some speed, we have some power, we have some switch hitters. ... [But] If you don't pitch, it's really tough to be a good team. ...

I don't ever base my optimism on the pundits. I like our team. I like the way we worked in spring training. I like our talent. It's 162 games -- it's a long year. A lot of things happen, but we're excited. Now we have to go show it.

471 comments:

1 – 200 of 471   Newer›   Newest»
allan said...

The deadline for the W-L Contest has passed, but I'm waiting for clarification on an entry that came in last night. I'll post the entries below this post later today.

MFY are off today.

laura k said...

Gamethread!!!!! My first, since I don't follow spring training games.

IT IS ON.

andy said...

I am having some issue here. Are you saying that it is on?

Pokerwolf said...

Wooo! Opening Day gamethread!!!!

Come on 4:05pm! Get her quickly!

A Conformer said...

I'm planning to be on the thread tonight (starting 11PM, not too bad...). I hope I can get a stream somewhere. But in any case, I'll be here for at least a few innings, even if I have to GDGD it!
See ya all tonight. Go SOX!

allan said...

11 PM?
Where is that?

allan said...

From the Everyone Knows The Red Sox Are Fuckin Loaded department:

9 of the 10 posters at Yankee Analysts pick the Red Sox to win the East, and 6 of those 9 have Boston winning the pennant.

Kathryn said...

Opening Day...and I'm not working today. C'mon 4:05.

Rick said...

Better hope we don't lose, or the Boston press will be projecting a 162-0 Yankee season and a 0-162 Sox season. Great to be back in Spring, and back in Opening Day!

Rick (f/k/a westcoastsox) said...

Oops, posted that one under the wrong account!

tim said...

Secretly hoping it starts at like 20 to five due to AL Championship ceremonies so I can get home from work and only miss a couple of innings.

Get 'em, sid.

allan said...

W-L Contest entries are here.

allan said...

I am at work now and the font size in the posts DOES look pretty big. Too big, even.

Pokerwolf said...

You and me both, Tim! I get off of work at 4pm and I have to drive home! Ack!

allan said...

Universal Hub links to the Bingo post.

"Just in time for the new season ... Don Orsillo Catchphrase Bingo - ready for printing; even comes with appropriate markers."

Have had a fair bit of traffic from there today.

Pokerwolf said...

Awesome! Congrats, Allan!

meunier said...

Won't be here, have an MD appointment.

meunier said...

Lou Gorman is dead.

http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/mlb/news/story?id=6280550

Kathryn said...

Anybody out there with a PS3 and looking for a way to watch the games? Subscribe to MLB.tv ($120) and stream the games through the PS3. It is an amazing interface. The picture quality is very good and you can easily jump to key plays or pause the action. You can choose home or away coverage and you can also get radio (which appears to be synched with the video--still need more data) instead of TV sound.

We decided to go with MLB.tv instead of the cable package so that we could choose home/away coverage and also watch it on computer when traveling. Our plan was to run it through the AppleTV on our main TV. My son showed me what he can do with the PS3 today. Amazing!

allan said...

Lou Gorman is dead.

I'm going to have lunch.

allan said...

Rangers:

Ian Kinsler, 2B
Elvis Andrus, SS
Josh Hamilton, LF
Adrian Beltre, 3B
Michael Young, DH
Nelson Cruz, RF
Mike Napoli, 1B
Yorvit Torrealba, C
Julio Borbon, CF

allan said...

Crawford: "Today's the day. Finally."

Lord Lynch said...

Evenin' all. A reasonably timed game for me to join you for a bit. It is on ESPN America here in the UK.

laura k said...

The AL pennant ceremony is on right now! Thank you Rogers for starting the b'cast early!

Tala and I are all set!

I think Tim and others who need a late start might not get it.

meunier said...

They want me to pay another $15 for mlb tv via Android when I already have the subscription? F that noise.

laura k said...

Bomber flyovers. GTF away.

meunier said...

I'm off to do the most annoying thing in the world.

allan said...

Bomber flyovers.

Don't get political by complaining about it.

meunier said...

Why are they already starting pregame stuff, the game dosn't start for 2 hours..

laura k said...

The game starts at 4:05 eastern.

allan said...

By the way:

Cost of the US's current war against Libya:

$100,000,000 ...

... EVERY WEEK!

meunier said...

I bought a house in Puerto Plata, DR, in case of President Palin or some other kind of waste hitting the fan.

Kathryn said...

Good end to the Phillies/Houston game. Phillies were down 4-2 bottom of 9th. 4-3 bases loaded; 4-4 bases loaded; and Mayberry hits one over the CF's head to end it.

allan said...

Ack - had the TEX feed by mistake.

allan said...

...or some other kind of waste hitting the fan

... like Reagan, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Clinton, Bush, Bush, Obama?

Patrick said...

I love that Drew guy, but I'm really glad to see Francona already getting Cameron in against lefties.

Ortiz and Cameron would probably be a better platoon, but whatever.

meunier said...

Like the dollar being taken into receivership

Rob said...

Here we go!

allan said...

HERE WE GO!!!!!!!!

Kathryn said...

My daughter spent spring break in Puerto Plata. Maybe you can get into the tourism business.

meunier said...

Even though I'm an American I can't wait for Mr. Sweatervest to have to say goodbye next month.

laura k said...

Come on Allan, don't you know those bombs spread democracy in Libya? Get with the program.

Rob said...

Hahahahaha!!!!

allan said...

HAHAHAAHAHAHAAAAAAHH!

laura k said...

That's my boy!!!!

(And some bad fielding!)

meunier said...

bwahaha looks like they didn't do that enough in spring training.

Kathryn said...

Oh my!!!!!!!!!

s1c said...

The start that I'll take - e-8!!!

nick said...

ha!

so I see the action on TV. Listening to the game on GDGD radio which is several pitches behind, but GDGD itself hasn't event started.

Lord Lynch said...

I thought I had the circus on by mistake!

allan said...

NO BUNTING!!!!!!!

meunier said...

Re; Kathryn, I am sort of, I am planning to go to airline dispatcher school and eventually work my way to a station in the Dominican Rep.

laura k said...

Mr. Sweatervest? Let's hope so!

(I didn't know the Sweatervest was known outside of our borders.)

A Conformer said...

Cost of the US's current war against Libya:

$100,000,000 ...

... EVERY WEEK!


Hey, gotta keep the economy going.

Oh, and BTW, Allan- it's 11pm in Israel.

Rob said...

Scrotum fly!

RedSoxDiehard said...

Jacoby, be careful heading to third! Look out for Beltre!

laura k said...

It's great to have the JoS gang back. More will be arriving in the next hour or so.

Rob said...

So every week instead of our involvement in Libya, the US could provide 625 people with a 4-year $40,000/year college education.

Hmm.

meunier said...

Youk!

allan said...

YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOK!!!

s1c said...

YOOOUUUKKK!!!

A Conformer said...

OK, so it seems like the stream sites I know have been seized by the Department of Something (there were 3 shields with eagles and shit). So I guess it's GDGD for me...

laura k said...

YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOK

Sweaty half dong!

Rob said...

SWEAT-POWERED RIB EYE.

meunier said...

I have to go get an MRI, that was the annoying thing I was talking about.

nick said...

switched games on GDGD and back, now it's up and actually a little before the radio. still behind the TV (which is in the other room, but I can see if it I crane my neck.

score!

Kathryn said...

YOUUUUKK!! It looks like I'm behind you guys?

allan said...

So every week instead of our involvement in Libya, the US could provide 625 people with a 4-year $40,000/year college education.

You don't want people to get educated -- they might realize what is going on.

laura k said...

So every week instead of our involvement in Libya, the US could provide 625 people with a 4-year $40,000/year college education.

Well said. Plus the US could provide more Libyans with the opportunity to continue their lives.

Lord Lynch said...

Daft running....but nice start to the season.

Start dealing Jon.

laura k said...

Whoo-hoo! Fun top of 1st.

allan said...

nasty lefty, my ass.

Kathryn said...

2-0, great first inning.

s1c said...

do we have a nik for gonz yet?

2-0 liking it!!!

Lord Lynch said...

Is this the new Sunday Night Baseball lineup on ESPN?

s1c said...

Frak - not what I wanted to see Jon Jon

Lord Lynch said...

Well, it can only get better Jon!

Rob said...

Lord, yes it is.

Kathryn said...

OUCH. That was fast.

Zenslinger said...

Hello to all.

I want to blame that home run on Big Head Ed sitting next to me, who said, "I want to see Cy Young stuff out of Lester right out of the gate."

laura k said...

Oops. No prob, Lester, it gets better from here.

s1c said...

who is doing the ESPN game?

Kathryn said...

BOOOOO to Big Head Ed.

Lord Lynch said...

Shulman, Hershiser and Valentine.

WTF!

Kathryn said...

do we have a nik for gonz yet?

Evil Bert, right?

allan said...

We are fukt.

Kathryn said...

Did Big Head Ed have anything to say about Youk at 3rd?

allan said...

anyone playing bingo?

s1c said...

Valentine is probably ok - but Hershiser drives me up the wall

Scut!!

Lord Lynch said...

Handy.

What they done to GDGD? Very swish....

Kathryn said...

I'll have to work into the bingo. I need to get back into the swing of watching and threading. I can't add anything else yet.

DP!! DP!!

andy said...

So the wife and I consummated the start of the season with 2 runs to show for it. Perhaps we finished too soon.

Rob said...

Opening Day weather here this morning was 5 inches of snow.

s1c said...

it has been a long time since saw a catcher do the splits like Salty is doing

laura k said...

anyone playing bingo?

People have NESN??? I have ESPN. I should check if NESN is on another channel. I assumed ESPN was exclusive.

nick said...

had the radio on, so wasn't bingoing, but I swapped with the TV now.

allan said...

FY!

Rob said...

Does "consummated" qualify as the first Andy comment of the season?

Kathryn said...

Pedey!!

andy said...

'tis

laura k said...

Nope, no NESN here. Rogers has to show poker on their other channels.

andy said...

NESN on mlb.tv

s1c said...

Laura - ESPN is blacked out in CT, NESN only for me

nick said...

Rob said...
Does "consummated" qualify as the first Andy comment of the season?


Not that I'm an "omen" guy, but yes! this'll be a good year.

A Conformer said...

Wow, the Other Sox are up 14-0 in the 4th...

Rob said...

I'm watching NESN, but I'm also getting into just watching baseball again. I'll get into bingo soon enough.

Lord Lynch said...

Have MLB TV this year, but rather watch the game on the old LCD TV rather than the small screen laptop.

We don't get many Sox games on UK tv.

RedSoxDiehard said...

It's on NESN. ESPN is blacked out here but showing the game outside of NE.

andy said...

I connect my PC to my TV so I can do mlb.tv and on the big screen.

allan said...

NESN on mlb.tv

That's what I got!

nick said...

NESN is squished for me. Usually they letterbox on a 4:3 set, but this is full-screen/squished.

back-to-back Ks.

(OK, you word people: Ks or K's?)

allan said...

Ks

I connect my PC to my TV so I can do mlb.tv and on the big screen.

Do you get charged for a shit load of bandwidth?

A Conformer said...

I like Ks better, but it's not based on any kind of rule or anything.

allan said...

ROT IN HELL, W!

RedSoxDiehard said...

Bummer. D.O. just said "late on the cut." It's supposed to be "tardy". How am I supposed to get bingo?

laura k said...

I think Ks is correct. No reason for apostrophe there.

I see the ex-Resident is there. Thanks ESPN, I needed that.

Do you get charged for a shit load of bandwidth?

I'm curious about this too. We discovered - painfully - this hidden cost of watching on your home computer.

andy said...

In my America I get unlimited internet.

laura k said...

I hate when Dons says "late on the cut"! So close but not enough for a drink.

laura k said...

bah

andy said...

I hate stadium super hero music for home runs

allan said...

Gopher season...

Zenslinger said...

Kind of thought we had a nasty lefty.

Kathryn said...

Oh my. I don't like this long ball stuff.

nick said...

jesus. They just gonna beat us to death with the dong?

laura k said...

In my America I get unlimited internet.

And isn't that what really matters.

We get a ton, but not unlimited.

laura k said...

I hate stadium super hero music for home runs

ME TOO

allan said...

If we allow one run every inning, this will not be an enjoyable season.

s1c said...

he wasn't in the lane

Amy said...

So...I turn on the TV and first thing I see is Cruz hitting a home run off of Lester....

laura k said...

Note to ESPN announcers: if you both speak at the same time, we cannot hear either of you.

Not that that's a bad thing.

Kathryn said...

That's a tough call.

laura k said...

Amy, it's not an omen for your season. :)

Amy said...

I know, I know. Just annoying.

Pokerwolf said...

Geez, I've missed all the fun so far! I knew I should have left home early! Glad to see everyone here! This is awesome!

RedSoxDiehard said...

And now he said "tied at 2" instead of "2 a side". Oh well, maybe when they come back from commercial.

Amy said...

How did we score the two runs?

s1c said...

Amy - Youk with half dong and evil Bert with Rbi single (2 base error on LBJ started the inning)

Waves hello

laura k said...

SHOW THE GAME!!!!!

NOT IN A LITTLE BOX, ON THE SCREEN!!!!

andy said...

Valentine is a girl, not that that's a bad thing.

allan said...

And now he said "tied at 2" instead of "2 a side". Oh well, maybe when they come back from commercial.

He's doing that on purpose, I just know it.

laura k said...

ESPN YOU SUCK

s1c said...

He probably saw the bingo card and decided to screw the game up !!!

laura k said...

JoSers, let's help get Don Orsillo Catch Phrase Bingo on the air. It's perfect for booth antic material.

Lord Lynch said...

Can I watch the game please rather than some idle chat between Valentine and some umpire?

allan said...

Lyndon.

tim said...

bullshit dongs.

i liked how this game started, not so much now. gonzalez as advertised i see.

time to head home (picking up steak en route!) and watch this. wouldn't be a gamethread without a tim mention of food, right?

Kathryn said...

LBJ double!!!

tim said...

LBJ, starting off in style!

Amy said...

Thanks, S1C! Who is evil Bert??

FY and LBJ---how we missed you!

laura k said...

That's my boy!

s1c said...

Amy - was told that is Gonzalez's nic

laura k said...

Wow, people like Bobby V? *shudder*

tim said...

CWS 204 800
CLE 000 000

A Conformer said...

I'm watching on ESPN's Gamecast, and that ball really looked like an infield fly for FY. A single is much better- now, let's see what Crawford (any nickname yet?) can do.

Amy said...

OK, I guess I have to catch up on the new names for the new guys.

s1c said...

Need another 2 out ribbie from sweaty

Rob said...

L, a Bruins blog made a Jack Edwards (the Don Orsillo of the Bruins) BINGO and one game they put it on the air. It was awesome.

Pokerwolf said...

Come on Crawford! Argh!

Did anyone see the Phillies/Astros game? That was crazy!

allan said...

don't "leave a pair" yook!

allan said...

did don say "enjoy the game" at the start?

laura k said...

Rob, that's cool! Very encouraging! We've got to do it.

PW, what happened in that game?

Lord Lynch said...

What;s he going to say.... I'm shit scared of pitching to the Sox?

Meaningless drivel.

A Conformer said...

Loaded for the new guy. I vote for a Manny moment.

allan said...

I got the idea from a pic in a comment I saw at an Angels blog after the Wells trade. It had a similar bingo board with pic. Tried to find the comment again to note it in the post, but could not find it.

laura k said...

Tim, your mention of steak has me dreaming of dinner on the patio. We have to make a date for you guys to come over soon.

Kathryn said...

Carved foul, carved foul

Zenslinger said...

Trying to convince Big Head Ed that Gonzalez does indeed look like Bert.

allan said...

channel god's power thru the 28 ...

Amy said...

So it's the eyebrows that make him evil Bert, I assume?

laura k said...

What;s he going to say.... I'm shit scared of pitching to the Sox?

Meaningless drivel.


Plus it's not the same lineup at all! Injured players back, new guys - very different lineup.

Amy said...

Ahh, full count, bases loaded!

s1c said...

Start the track meet

Amy said...

YES!!!

andy said...

Color me impressed.

allan said...

bert knocks in two pigeons!

Benjamin said...

Yay.

Pokerwolf said...

EVIL BERT! WOOOO!!!

Lord Lynch said...

I like this man very muchly!

laura k said...

Here we go! Evil Bert!!!

Rob said...

Evil Bert is Evil!

Kathryn said...

EB!! My hero.

Amy said...

One of my favorite baseball scenarios: two out, bases loaded, full count. What is better than that?

laura k said...

Amy, there's a JoS post with the two pics. I'll try to find it.

A Conformer said...

Woo! At this rate, his gonna have 12454 RBIs this season.

s1c said...

Keep the line moving flo

RedSoxDiehard said...

Casey/Anthony/Rey who?

Kathryn said...

Laura--

Good end to the Phillies/Houston game. Phillies were down 4-2 bottom of 9th. 4-3 bases loaded; 4-4 bases loaded; and Mayberry hits one over the CF's head to end it.

laura k said...

Here it is

allan said...

SLOWEST MAN ON EARTH STEALS A BASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

nick said...

EB SB!

Amy said...

Is drives in a pair on the bingo card? I have to print mine out, but haven't had a chance yet.

laura k said...

Thanks Mrs G!

Rob said...

88F/31C in Arlington right now...
40F/4C in Boston right now and 2 inches of snow fell this morning.

A Conformer said...

Flo cuts the flow.

allan said...

SB Leaders

Gonzalez - 1
Ellsbury - 0
Crawford - 0

Amy said...

Thanks, Laura. It's definitely those eyebrows!

s1c said...

Liverpool most historic Soccer Club ???

I know your bosses own Liverpool NESN but Man U is bigger than Liverpool

Amy said...

Hey, Laura, congrats on the exam!

A Conformer said...

And the first 201 of the season goes to...

laura k said...

Thanks Amy! Plus I finished my final paper for that class so I am DONE with it entirely! Yee-ha.

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