White Sox - 044 100 000 - 9 14 0A comeback seemed possible all night, but the real excitement, as it turned out, began after NESN showed Nick Green warming up in the bullpen as the Red Sox came up in the bottom of the seventh.
Red Sox - 000 020 021 - 5 9 1
Green ended up pitching the final two innings, walking three but allowing no hits and no runs. Twenty-two of his 35 pitches were balls. The Fenway crowd was completely behind him, cheering like crazy as he ended the eighth inning. Even as the Red Sox cut the lead to 9-4, Terry Francona stayed with Green (although it looked like Hideki Okajima would have pitched the ninth had the Sox scored a couple more runs).
Green hit 90 with his four-seam fastball and had a consistent release point. He may not have won the #3 starter spot in the playoffs with tonight's performance, but he's got to be part of the discussion. Dude was painting with easy cheese!
J.D. Drew and Alex Gonzalez hit back-to-back homers in the fifth; Drew hit a second dong to began the bottom of the ninth. A two-out rally in the eighth -- a Kevin Youkilis walk and doubles from David Ortiz and Jason Bay -- accounted for the other Boston runs.
After an easy first inning, Tazawa (4-10-9-1-2, 85) was hit hard for the rest of his time on the hill. He could not keep his fastballs down in the zone and his curve had no bite.
Jacoby Ellsbury sustained a mild left ankle sprain on a play at the plate in the fifth inning. He was replaced by Rocco Baldelli.John Danks (3.85, 122 ERA+) / Junichi Tazawa (3.57, 133 ERA+)
Tazawa has been allowing a lot of base traffic (26 hits, seven walks and two HBP in 17.2 innings), but has been able to houdini his way out of trouble. Opposing batters are hitting .091 (2-for-22) with runners in scoring position.
Here is an odd fact: In his last start, Tazawa "became the first Red Sox pitcher since 1988 to log six or more scoreless innings while allowing at least one hit in every frame". ... Also, on 1-0, 2-0 and 3-0 counts this season, opposing batters are 9-for-10 against Tazawa.
Billy Wagner will be in the pen tonight. He last pitched on Monday, so he should be available. [UPDATE: Wagner said this afternoon that he will throw a bullpen session before tonight's game. That may mean he's unavailable. Or not.]But first: Rangers/Yankees at 1 PM.
David Brown, Morning Juice on Yahoo!:
ReplyDeleteKennedy's grandfather christened Fenway by throwing its first ceremonial pitch 97 years ago, Wakefield's rookie season.
Happy no-Penny day, I guess. No-Smoltz day turned out well for us. Anybody else thinking that the Cardinals will pick up Penny, too?
ReplyDeleteI heard the Rockies are very interested in Penny.
ReplyDeleteTEX - 000 30
ReplyDeleteMFY - 100 10
TEX has only 1 hit - a dong by Kinsler after 2 BB from AJ.
Hi Everyone of you! I'm back on the east coast. I spent most of my time out in Washington state with my only computer being my iphone. It worked pretty well for most tasks, but I couldn't game thread. caught bits and pieces of a few games--People who know who they are rock! (uh..that makes no sense.)
ReplyDeleteClub Helsinki where I've worked for a decade is closing this weekend and fairly suddenly. Quite sad, really.
I might get to actually hang out and do some gamethreading tonight. see ya later!
crud. bad link. Club Helsinki fer reals.
ReplyDeleteNice.
ReplyDeleteTEX - 000 300 3
MFY - 100 100
Hey, Nick. I tried to thread on an iPhone a couple of weekends ago. It was rough.
ReplyDeleteThe god damn Yankees can't even win when you want them to. 'Nother 3-run HR given up by Burnett and it's 6-2 in favor of Texas.
7-2! Another Kinsler dong.
ReplyDeleteTEX - 000 300 310
ReplyDeleteMFY - 100 100 00
1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
ReplyDelete2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. Victor Martinez, C
4. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
5. David Ortiz, DH
6. Jason Bay, LF
7. Mike Lowell, 3B
8. J.D. Drew, RF
9. Alex Gonzalez, SS
1. Scott Podsednik, CF
2. Gordon Beckham, 3B
3. A.J. Pierzynski, C
4. Paul Konerko, 1B
5. Jim Thome, DH
6. Carlos Quentin, LF
7. Mark Kotsay, RF
8. Alexei Ramirez, SS
9. Jayson Nix, 2B
Wagner press conf. news here. Seabass switched to #3 so Wagner gets #13. The bigger question: Will he use "Enter Sandman" as his entrance music?
As I said last night, I still think he should've switched to #63 for all those 6-3s he's fielding.
ReplyDeleteTEX - 000 300 310 - 7 6 0
ReplyDeleteMFY - 100 100 000 - 2 6 0
Down to 5.5!
Taz is 63.
ReplyDeleteWagner: "I can be the water boy, towel boy, lefty specialist, I don't care."
ReplyDeleteHe is throwing a bullpen session before tonight's game, so he's probably unavailable.
Seabass switched
ReplyDeleteI always thought that was a Dumb and Dumber reference until I read the glossary...
I approve of tonight's lineup.
ReplyDeleteOrtiz blast at MLB
ReplyDeleteI was watching this and noticed that the moment Ortiz lands on home, Youkilis lands a punch to Tiz's backside.
Doubt that felt good.
Well, no threading for me tonight or until (likely Saturdays game). It is all hands on deck as we get ready to send b-fly to school (move in time is 10:30 a.m.) Saturday, saturday . . .
ReplyDeleteAnd like RS - I approve of this line up!!!
Me too!
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing that Lowrie isn't going to be our SS next year. I wouldn't mind more Seabass and his unexpected dong flashing.
ReplyDeleteLMAO Fun choice of words there.
ReplyDeleteHis "unexpected dong" He drops his pants and WHOOOOOAAA!!! HE HAS ONE!
The wrist twinge did not sound serious in the ProJo, but it might be smarter to tell him to rest until March. I cannot see S-Bass as our SS next year.
ReplyDeleteYoukilis lands a punch to Tiz's backside.
ReplyDeleteYouk, nothing! Several teammates seem to be beating the shit out of him.
Several teammates seem to be beating the shit out of him.
ReplyDeleteMy naivete knows no bounds.
people, what are your thoughts about the Penny signing?
ReplyDeleteultimately a success? utter failure?
somewhere in between?
Is Penny legitimate ammo for the Theo bashers?
My naivete knows no bounds.
ReplyDeleteWell, instead of the usual jumping and slapping, it seems to me that pileup reveals some kind of running joke about actually throwing punches during the melee. You can see Pedroia giving Papi left-right uppercuts to the body, and there's some laughing about it afterward which makes me think it's a ongoing goof. I didn't mean to, y'know, correct you or anything.
I have to say that noticing the jokes among teammates is one of the fun sideshows in baseball. You can't depend on your heroes to be super articulate, or to agree with you on politics, but the gags and digs they make at each other are fun.
Good luck s1c, have fun!
ReplyDeleteClub Helsinki where I've worked for a decade is closing this weekend and fairly suddenly. Quite sad, really.
ReplyDeleteBoo. Very sad when something like that happens.
His "unexpected dong" He drops his pants and WHOOOOOAAA!!! HE HAS ONE!
ReplyDeletelink
truly good design said...
ReplyDeleteIs Penny legitimate ammo for the Theo bashers?
Does a group like that exist?
Do Theo bashers exist? Sure! Every once in a while one of them shows up here. Remember "Theo hasn't made a deal worth doing since 2004"?
ReplyDeleteHeidi: "...and Manager Terry Francona told us earlier that the Red Sox have been impressed with Tazawa since Day One."
ReplyDeleteTito: "We've been impressed with him since Day One."
Arghh, I forgot about the telethon. Nothing against the jimmy fund, just shameless begging.
ReplyDeleteomg! Joe Castiglione song! So funny.
ReplyDeleteTito on WEEI this afternoon was hot at the guy who reported all that Bot stuff....Tito said he called Bot in his office and railed on him for a while, and then writer came back the next day and told Tito he messed it up....
ReplyDeleteWriting sports for a newspapaper seems a lot like parenting, any idiot can get the job , but how many actuallly do it well...
They do that a lot, ish, and not just them. Happens a lot on NPR, various TV stations, etc. irks me every time.
ReplyDeleteIt's a failure of a proper quote set up.
Penny was decent for a few months for a while he looked like an ok 5th starter. It didn't work out in the end but I wouldn't call it "utter failure" by any stretch.
ReplyDeleteGreat lineup
SWEEP the bleached Sox!
Patrick said...
ReplyDeleteArghh, I forgot about the telethon. Nothing against the jimmy fund, just shameless begging.
it's a great charity and it needs money, I believe all this shameless begging will cure cancer one day, maybe I am naive, but I believe that...
OTT!
ReplyDeleteI'm a fan of the T-dawg. OTT
ReplyDeleteNice start for Taz!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely not an utter failure, that would be Gagne in 2007 or Smoltz this season. Penny at least gave us a chance in maybe half of his starts. The fact that he was able to stay uninjured and at least keep the rotation from totally falling to pieces in July makes it an acceptable signing, but ultimately not a successful one.
ReplyDeleteNice OTT for Taz.
LBJ!
ReplyDeletecharity begging > for-profit commercials
Leadoff batter on, good start.
ReplyDeletecharity begging > for-profit commercials
ReplyDeleteNo doubt.
No runs...
ReplyDelete9casey: "
ReplyDeleteDoes a group like that exist?"
I am jealous at your ignorance in this matter.
Theo-bashers, Tito-bashers, whoever-is-slumping-bashers...are in the very least the vocal minority of fans in boston - if not the outright majority of fans. it sucks.
"whoever-is-slumping-bashers...are in the very least the vocal minority of fans in boston"
ReplyDeleteSports fans everywhere I think.
Truly Good, it does suck. This blog is a safe haven from that bullshit.
ReplyDeleteUgh
ReplyDeleteNeed a K here
shit come one Taz
ReplyDeleteHoudini, do your stuff.
ReplyDeletewasn't casey being sarcastic?
ReplyDeleteCome on harry...
ReplyDeleteCrap
ReplyDeleteCome on Taz, get your shit together
If 9C was being sarcastic, at least I wasn't the only person to miss it!
ReplyDeleteThe charity-begging worked on me... Looks like their logo was shiny enough to work for me. :)
ReplyDeletethis is getting ugly fast
ReplyDeleteRUT ROH. Lenny Clarke and Denis Leary in NESN booth.
ReplyDeleteAll right, not what I wanted, but it'll do
ReplyDeleteNow get the DP
Good catch by Bay
ReplyDeleteSac fly? Could be worse.
ReplyDeleteGod I hate these idiots in the booth. Not funny.
ReplyDeleteOne more out
ReplyDeleteugh
ReplyDeleteI can smell the smoke coming out of Allan and Laura's ears now. :)
ReplyDeleteNot Good
ReplyDeleteLooks like the bats are going to have to win this game for us
damn
ReplyDeleteShit
ReplyDeleteNix has been hurting us.
ReplyDeletemore ugh
ReplyDeleteI can smell the smoke coming out of Allan and Laura's ears now. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat, booth dumbos? I'm trying to ignore them. Altho it's tough.
Well that combined with the, you know, 4 runs.
ReplyDeleteFinally
ReplyDeleteNot a good inning
Not at all
Score runs
ReplyDeleteNo smoke coming out of my ears for those runs. Just got to get them all back.
ReplyDeleteFlow will start it off.
ReplyDeleteFlow will ALMOST start it off...
ReplyDeletedamn truped good there
ReplyDeleteoh yeah, total trupe
ReplyDeletewaulk
ReplyDeleteDon, let's not say Gagne and Wagner in the same sentence, ok?
ReplyDeleteI think that's spelled walque.
ReplyDeletebest record since august 10!
ReplyDeletesuck on that, nyy!!!
ZOMG OMG Some emotion from DREW! Hot damn!
ReplyDeleteWe're saved!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteUgh
ReplyDeleteI'm not liking where this game seems to be going
ReplyDeleteGROSS.
ReplyDeleteoh fuck
ReplyDeleteFUCK
ReplyDeleteWell it's about time Tazawa got lit up, I guess.
ReplyDeleteI still love you Tazawa but...
ReplyDeleteI really hope he can at least eat some innings and protect the pen here.
ReplyDeleteI have to make a phone call at 8:30, I was annoyed to have to miss the game. But now, not so much.
ReplyDeleteI hope when I come back the game is tied.
Holy shit, they can't even get the guy in a rundown??? No one ever survives a rundown.
ReplyDeleteI guess that's not true.
mdc up - in the 3rd!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I survived that rundown. urg.
ReplyDeleteWell if freaking Baltimore can come back from a 9-1 deficit the Red Sox can too.
ReplyDeleteHm
ReplyDeleteThe quest to find an adequate fifth starter continues...
we came back on balt down 7-0 on the 2nd -- we can beat these clowns too
ReplyDeletebut we gotta start now
ReplyDeleteI'm not giving up on Taz after one bad start.
ReplyDeleteCan't really blame Tazawa for having a bad outing, he's done well until now, and he really wasn't supposed to be pitching at this level this season
ReplyDeleteone good thing i learned from the leary/clarke visit is that don uses at least 2 different coloured pens to keep score.
ReplyDeletewinning 3 of 4 would be good for this series, but the chokers lost today, so i'd really like to win again tonight.
ReplyDeleteThis game is O-V-E-R
ReplyDeleteyou're just saying that to get a rise out of me, right? well, it won't work. :>)
ReplyDeleteJon Heyman tweeted: "jimmy rollins is amazing. and a winner. worth much more than just his stats."
ReplyDeleteHow... Jeterian of him!
remy says beckham caught that at the "apex of his leap". don says he's impressed with the use of the word "apex".
ReplyDeleteremy: "that came to me as i was staring at a wall a month ago"
yeah, it's not like stats tell you anything about what he does ON THE FIELD DURING GAMES TO HELP HIS TEAM WIN.
ReplyDelete"Jon Heyman tweeted: "jimmy rollins is amazing. and a winner. worth much more than just his stats."
ReplyDeletePerhaps an appearance of the mythical black scrappy/gritty player?
4-10-9-1-2, 85.
ReplyDeleteFIRE!
ReplyDeletehere we come
FIRE!!!
ReplyDeleteDrew leading the dong train tonight!
ReplyDeleteA small fire has started.
ReplyDeleteUNEXPECTED DONG!!
ReplyDeleteBASS O FUCKIN' MATIC!!!!!
ReplyDeleteFishy dong!
ReplyDeleteOnly eight more HRs to go!
ReplyDeleteHas anyone mentioned A-Gon's ability to pull a dong out of his ass?
ReplyDeletescore!
And Sea Bass!
ReplyDeleteAnd an LBJ single!
Has anyone mentioned A-Gon's ability to pull a dong out of his ass?
ReplyDeleteNo.
Getting an audience of baserunners before you show your dongs would help, guys :)
ReplyDeleteNOW we need a big blue light dong
ReplyDeletelike now for instance
ReplyDeleteNeed to flash as many people as you can. With your dong.
ReplyDeleteSo, we're going with the one-out rally tonight instead of the two-out rally?
ReplyDeleteFine by me
August is the month of the dong.
ReplyDeleteNo.
ReplyDeletegood. then I won't either.
2 out - you know what to do
ReplyDelete2-out...sweet sweet sweat. yes. please.
ReplyDeleteDon: "Finds himself in a hole, nothing and two."
ReplyDeleteA hole just large enough for a sweaty dong?
fuck
ReplyDeletefuckin' fy - shoulda stayed put
damn
ReplyDeleteThat was STUPID. But one of those two were going to be out in that situation. At least Ellsbury tried hard to bail out Pedey.
ReplyDeleteShit
ReplyDeleteOverly aggressive on the bases...
what the hell? listening to the radio and didn't catch all of that. ah.. GDGD. rundown and then throw to home?
ReplyDeleteYeah Dustin's fault, should have stayed put considering the score.
ReplyDeleteLBJ out of game!
ReplyDeleteremy thought lyndon might have turned an ankle.
ReplyDeleteJust joining in. Oy.
ReplyDeleteit's gettin' late, boys.
ReplyDelete... run(s).
I'm watching on the MLB Network. They're not bad.
ReplyDeletea poem:
ReplyDeletethat girl is cute
but gba = mute
Oh, apparently, one of the guys in the booth is Jim Kaat. So that makes some sense. He was talking about how he did the Lester-Halladay matchup in July.
ReplyDeleteNICK GREEN up in pen???????
ReplyDeleteNick Green no longer up in the pen.
ReplyDeleteTito is taking Green's supersub status too seriously. Left field is cool, but bullpen duty?
ReplyDeletei think he is warmed up.
ReplyDeletehe pitches the 8th
we score 10
and he gets the win
"NICK GREEN up in pen???????"
ReplyDeleteSeriously?
SS, 3B, 2B, LF, P
So I guess this means the next item on his list of utility player positions would be catcher?
I am here and not happy with the score. I leave you people in charge for one night and THIS happens?
ReplyDeleteSo I guess this means the next item on his list of utility player positions would be catcher?
ReplyDeleteWouldn't catcher come before pitcher in the logical evolution of things?
we saved the comeback until you came by.
ReplyDelete***
rogers commercial: "it's an AL east battle when the blue jays visit fenway ..."
yeah!
Wouldn't catcher come before pitcher in the logical evolution of things?
ReplyDeleteSince when does logic matter in things such as these?
GDGD says he's coming in!
Go Green Go!
ReplyDeleteWhy is Nick Green pitching?? Did we use everyone else up?
ReplyDeleteHe threw a strike!
ReplyDelete5th starter, baby!
ReplyDeleteLusty cheers from the crowd
ReplyDeleteHe is SO cute! HE can pitch to me ANY time!
ReplyDeleteI'd say this is an extension of playoff assassin Tito. Or maybe his bizarro version.
ReplyDelete"Why is Nick Green pitching?? Did we use everyone else up?"
ReplyDeleteTito's waved the white flag on this game apparently. I don't really agree with the move.
90 mph fastball, not bad
ReplyDeleteAnd he gets the leadoff batter out!
But seriously....why is he pitching?
ReplyDeletei sense a standing ovation.
ReplyDeleteHe is SO cute! HE can pitch to me ANY time!
ReplyDeleteI'm not touching that one with a ten foot pole (-;
Green with an 0:2 ground-out to fly-out ratio
ReplyDeleteSo Tito concedes the game? Weird move.
ReplyDeleteOf course, so far it looks brilliant. First two get out.
ReplyDeleteHE can touch me with a ten foot pole anytime...
ReplyDeleteMan, he's got some nice movement on his pitches. What was that 80mph pitch?
ReplyDeleteremy: "you may have the 9th, don, you better get down and loosen up"
ReplyDeleteAnybody know the last time the Sox used two position players as pitchers in a single season?
ReplyDelete"What was that 80mph pitch?"
ReplyDeleteGDGD says slider
i'll donate 100 bux to the telethon if orsillo pitches the 9th!
ReplyDeleteSo did Green pitch in college? High school? Little League?
ReplyDeleteDoes he come out for the 9th?
ReplyDeletethought it might have been curve.
ReplyDeleteScoreless inning!
ReplyDeleteLet's get him a win!
GDGD says slider
ReplyDeleteYeah, it kinda looked like a slider, I guess. Impressive.
bot in the 9th for the save - after we get 10 here.
ReplyDelete"thought it might have been curve."
ReplyDeleteConsidering how notoriously unreliable GDGD is at determining pitches, you are probably correct.
is he on a pitch count?
ReplyDeletehe's at 14.
If Green can pitch that makes his .300 OBP seem acceptable.
ReplyDeleteMild left ankle sprain for LBJ.
ReplyDeletemild left ankle sprain for lbj
ReplyDeletebot in the 9th for the save - after we get 10 here.
ReplyDeleteI'll settle for 8. Even 7.
green: "mccarty can't carry my jock"
ReplyDeleteokay - we may need the 9th
ReplyDeleteNick Green= designated pitcher.
ReplyDeletepen is quiet
ReplyDelete6 to go.
ReplyDeleteHalf-dong!
ReplyDeleteGood to see Papi hitting with power!
ReplyDeleteHere we come!
ReplyDeletedouuble.
ReplyDeleteThese games with the white sox have gone pretty fast.....was I being sarcastic, yes and no, I sometimes assume the people who ask those questions are the bashers, I shouldn't assume......its just really hard to bash the GM with 2 rings and multiple playoff apperances......
ReplyDeleteI want Nick Green to be a Red Sox forever...