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Red Sox Commentary from a Red-Headed Boston Fan in Yankeeland Stats:Incoming clicks since last reset: 286Outgoing clicks since last reset: 717 Technorati info:Overall rank: 409497Number of inbound blogs: 16 Number of incoming links: 21 Last update: 2008-06-14 02:39:44 GMT Estimated value: $14,229  Stats for http://www.bostonredthoughts.comStats not available.
Latest Posts:Red Sox 7, Skankees 0: Doesn?t get much better than this?Holy Buckets! Was that a most excellent game or WHAT??? I just KNEW Jon Lester would go the distance–after the bullpen implosions lately, I didn’t think he would want ANYONE messing with his cake and screwing up this masterpiece of a game… A complete game 5-hit shutout for Lester, who struck out 7 and walked 2. All while throwing only 105 pitches, 72 for strikes–and the 2 walks were the 1st 2 batter of the game, and then he settled down completely, and actually had a 4-pitch inning! Daisuke, are you taking notes???? So I am watching to game on YES (as Direct TV will not let me watch even ONE Skankee/Sox game on NESN…they are the devil) and they are nearing the end of the game , and it time for people to text in and vote for the player of the game–and here were the choices: Lester JD Drew Jacoby Dan Giese Dan Giese? Are you kidding me? My husband and I nearly fell off the couch laughing. I wanted to text in and vote for him–that way he would have at least 2 votes-one from me and one from his mom–My husband wanted to go the write-in ballot route–and vote for our youngest cat, Salem… OK, I think I have been VERY patient for long enough–but ONCE AGAIN, Julio Lugo has his head up his ass, and blows yet ANOTHER play. This one wasn’t an error (shockingly enough) and did not lead to anything, but rather that throwing the ball to Pedroia and letting him turn the double play, he runs like 12 feet to 2nd base, steps on the bag, and then throws it, and doesn’t get Abreu at 1st. These mental mistakes are inexcusable. It’s bad enough that technically he sucks, by MENTALLY as well??? Some of the highlights in last night’s game: Jeter’s throwing error in the 1st that lead to 2 unearned runs… Andy Pettitte’s face after Jeter’s throwing error in the 1st… The fact that Johnny Damon throws like a girl (strangely enough, this wasn’t at all amusing when he played for the Sox…) The fact that John Damon is looking rather bloated–perhaps the long hair made him look thinner… JD Drew’s PEREFCT catch to rob Posada of a hit–ran back, had exactly enough room, made the catch, and without missing a beat, starting running to the dugout–and then Posada trying to say the ball hit the wall.. We did not see the bullpen…all…night Jason Giambi looks like a PORN STAR with that mustache–and there were actually pathetic souls who are wearing fake ’staches at the game…Does Giamb-o actually think this is a look that is working for him? Although he did look a lot less..greasy tonight–maybe it’s the mustache… Wilson Betemit’s last name spelled backwards is Timeteb–which is what my husband called him all night.. There is no possible way the Sox can be swept in this series, nor can the Sox be any less than 2 games ahead the Skanks on Monday morning… Every time A-Fraud came up to bat I would start chanting Madonna’s name like Robin Williams did in “The Birdcage” when he was talking about all the great choreographers–(its about 2:53 into the bit ) but if you have never see this movie–you NEED too… Coming up today: Josh Beckett, who pretty much OWNS the Skanks, takes the mound in game 2, opposed by Darrell Wayne Rasner. I think I can speak for all of Red Sox Nation when I ask the question–who the HELL is Darrell Rasner??? 1st pitch 1:05 pm… On behalf of Boston Red Thoughts and all of us at NEPABlogs: Happy 4th of July! Go Sox! Red Sox 6, Tampa Bay 7: Does anyone have a hand basket?Remember how I said yesterday that if things go horribly wrong, that the Sox and the Skanks could be sharing 2nd place behind the Rays? Well, after last night’s debacle, that reality is getting more real by the day… And it?s not like Dustin Pedroia didn?t try to carry the team on his back, to single-handedly try to avert the sweep. He went 4 for 5 with everything but a single to hit for the cycle, and a 2nd double… Unfortunately, Daisuke was vintage Daisuke, throwing 5 innings (and 101 pitches, 55 for strikes). While he only gave up 1 run on 2 hits, he did the whole “nibbling thing” again with 5 walks (including 3 in the 1st inning!) and 5 strikeouts–49 pitches in the 1st 2 innings–49 pitches!!! Which then opened the door for the latest vaudeville act: the Imploding bullpen. Okajima actually did very well in his 1 inning of scoreless work, striking out 2 and only giving up 1 hit. But then MDC came out for the 7th and it was 3 hits in a row and 3 runs score (and no outs) and then Craig Hansen comes out and does his best impersonation of the “2005 Craig Hansen” with 2 walks and a hit–and 3 runs score (dont ask) By the time Aardsma and Javier Lopez came out to get the 3 outs in the inning, SIX runs has scored, and Tampa Bay was ahead for good. And you should have seen Eck last night in the post game show–I thought he was going to pop a blood vessel–it was very funny to see him go off on Daisuke and his too many pitches and too few innings, and the fact that Hansen can’t find the plate with a flashlight and a map…Good stuff… So this weekend has the potential to be cool or dreadful, or a little bit of both–lets break it down: Today: Sox are 3.5 games behind Tampa Bay (shudder); The Skanks are 7.5 (and 4 behind the Sox. Since we don’t know what Tampa Bay will do over the next 4 games, we’ll just focus on If the Sox sweep: The Skanks would be 8 games (yes, EIGHT!) games behind the Sox–which would be WAY cool–but totally unrealistic, given their play as of late. If the Sox win 3 out of 4: 6 games ahead–still VERY cool… If the Sox win 2 out of 4: Everything is canceled out, and they remain at 4 games ahead (something I could completely live with) If the Sox win 1 out of 4: 2 games ahead–Not great–but a lead is a lead… If the Sox get swept: Yep, you got it: tied for 2nd place…UGH… And here is a cheering thought: Against AL East teams on the road the Sox are currently 14-3…Holy Buckets! From the “We reallyREALLY need him back Department”: Big Papi is progressing nicely, from hitting off a tee, to being able to hit soft tosses. He will continue on this path until the training staff thins he is ready for the next step: Hitting real pitching. From Big Papi: “I don’t know, I’ll probably be hitting in the field maybe when I get back to Boston. It all depends on how I feel. This is kind of a weird injury, and it’s because one day you feel really good, and another day you feel kind of weak. It seems like you have to do what the trainers tell you to do and just hang in there.” He has been out of commission (as we are all painfully aware), since May 31st… And in a move that surprised absolutely NO ONE, JD Drew was named the American Lead Player of the month for June. This is the 1st time in his career he has won the award. During that span, JD hit .337 with 12 homers, 2 triples and 7 doubles, walked 21 times and 27 RBI’s during that month–and his .848 slugging % was the highest by a Boston player in recorded history… And in the spirit of “why can?t we all just get along??” a little something from our friends at eTrueSports to get us all ready for the next 4 days: Top Eleven Great Things Yanks and Red Sox Can Do Together –check it out! Tonight: Game 1 of the 4 games series against the Skanks. Jon Lester vs Andy “I have 32 “T’s” in my last name” Pettitte. 1st pitch 7:05pm… Red Sox 1, Tampa Bay 3: And yet another little Black Dot?.So, Tim Wakefield, despite turning in a competent 7 inning performance, throwing 115 pitches, 73 for strikes, and giving up 2 runs (1 earned) on 5 hits, while striking out 4 and walking 3, could not overcome the 2 wild pitches, an error by Alex Cora (only his 2nd of the year–better than Lugo’s 15…), and precious little run support to get the win on this one. Once again, Wake deserved better…. So last night, since there was nothing on TV (over 200 channels and STILL nothing to watch) my husband and I decided to watch the Ring Ceremony again. Wow…even more touching and poignant (and dustier in the house) than it was back in April, when Red Sox was full of hope that Curt Schilling would pitch again, and when Big Papi was healthy, and Manny was just a goofball, and it looked like the Sox would have no problem once again getting to the postseason. Not feeling as great about things as they stand now… And then the Tampa Bay Rays happened…and the Sox sit 2.5 games out of 1st place–and 1-4 halfway through this 10 game road trip–and after tonight? 4 with the Skanks, who, despite being 7.5 games behind the rays (and 5 behind the Sox) seem to be able to find ways to beat the Sox as of late….so, if things go horribly wrong, the Sox could be looking at a 2nd place tie with the Skanks come Monday morning…ewww….. Don’t forget, voting for the All-Star starters end tonight at 11:59 pm, so vote early and often, as JD Drew, Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis and Jason Varitek are locking in tight battles and every vote counts… In stark contrast to JD Drew’s stellar June( 337 BA, 27 RBIs) is Jason Varitek?s’ horrible and prolonged slump: .122, getting 3 hits in his last 42 at batter, and hitless in his last 13, culminating with a horrible at-bat last night, when he pinch hit in the 8th inning–a 3 pitch strikeout. From ?Tek: “It’s going to come. It’s been the worst rut of my career, but I’ll figure it out?Obviously, things haven’t been too good, so I’m just trying to work and get things to where I get to where I need to be?” During the slump, his batting average has went from .295 to .222? Tonight: The Rays go for a sweep, the Sox aim to divert one…Daisuke vs Tampa Bay Ace Scott Kasmir, 1st pitch 7:10pm…. Go Sox! Red Sox 4, Tampa Bay 5: Another 1-Run Game, Another Loss?And now, the Sox sit 1.5 games behind Tampa Bay in the AL East Standings. The Sox tried in the late innings after trailing 5-2 for the most of the game, but once again, they fell short with a late inning rally. They are currently 11-13 in 1 run games…seems like a lot worse than that…maybe because it 2-11 on the road…Yikes! Justin Masterson, in his 1st crappy start, did not much to help the cause, going 6 innings, giving up 4 runs on 5 hits (including 2 homers), while walking 5 and striking out 5–he threw 105 pitches, 57 for strikes… Not that its a surprise to anyone, but David Ortiz, who leads all of baseball in All-Star votes (and over 900K in the DH category) will not be playing in the All-Star Game on July 15th, two weeks from now…From Big Papi: “I’m going to go to the All-Star Game. I’m not going to be able to play. But I’ve got to bring myself out there and show respect for the fans. There’s a reason why they vote for you, and you’ve got to be able to respect that…” His rehab is going well, with him currently hitting off a tee, although he still has some pain and weakness, Big Papi hopes to be heading towards a rehab assignment right around the All-Star Break… When Manny slapped Youk less than a month ago in the dugout, and it was downplayed by the team, as well as Manny and Youk as “heat of the moment”–it was an isolated incident. But now, getting angry with traveling secretary Jack McCormick and shoving the 64 year old man to the ground? WTF? Once again, the Sox are downplaying the incident, as are Manny and Jack–but this goes WAY beyond “Manny being Manny” MBM describes the crazy and goofball things he does, like hanging out in the scoreboard, or carrying a water bottle in his back pocket out onto the field? But the man obviously is dealing with some anger issues, which seems pretty out of character for him–and that is not even remotely amusing. I know the Sox don’t like to reprimand people, especially their superstars, but downplaying this is a very bad idea–and sends the completely wrong message… Hopefully JD Drew’s June Numbers will continue into July: Having hit his TWELFTH homer in June (which is one more than he hit ALL OF LAST YEAR) he joins the ranks of Sox who have hit at least 12 homers in 1 month. The last time it happened was in 1958, when 14 were hit, by Jackie Jensen. Rounding out the 3rd is another Red Sox outfielder–you may have heard of him: Ted Williams, who hit 13 in 1950…JD Drew’s final line for June in 26 games: .337 BA, with 27 RBIs and a MLB leading slugging percentage of.848 for the month… Tonight: Game 2 of the 3 game series against Tampa Bay, with Tim Wakefield, going for his 20th win against the Ray gets the start for the Sox, opposed by Rays starter Matthew Garza 1st pitch 7:10pm… Sports Betting: More than just ?Place Your Bets!?While I know a bit more than I did this time last year with regard to the world of sports betting and online- gaming–there is still a TON of info I have no idea about. So I went back to the trusty Ask and this time I got 11,640,000 hits, which is a little less than double the hits I got the last time I checked–so apparently, despite the fact that everything else is increasing in price–people are still doing the gambling thing–maybe its to pay for the $4.00 gallons of gas, or the soaring cost of everything else? So, in my research, I also discovered that sports betting isn’t just about placing a bet, an calculation spreads and the like. Of course you can still bet on NFL and MLB, but you can also play poker online, in what is called a Poker Room. Here, you can play against thousands of players at hundreds of table. There are also tons of tournaments people can participate in. There are also Casino Areas which offer everything you could possibly imagine. From Blackjack to Caribbean Stud Poker to Rock?n Slots to Pai Gow, everything you can get in a real casino is available online. You even have the option of playing completely online, or downloading free software. Casino Linesmaker is one of the sites that offers these options. Started in 1997, Linesmaker offers everything from soup to nuts, and is one of the industry leaders with a very diverse offering. They can eve cover a bet up to $1 million! So, if you are interested in getting your feet wet in the world of on-line gaming/sports betting, or playing some poker, or any other such casino game, be smart, do your homework, and remember, please gamble responsibly? Good Luck! Red Sox 2, Astros 3: Revenge of the Former Sox Players?Ya know…it always seems to happen–the Sox let a player go, and it comes back to bite them on the ass…Sometimes its a good thing that they let the player go (Carl Everett, et al) but in others, not so much–like Mark Loretta for example… And unfortunately, Okajima cannot manage to get his groove back, throwing a wild pitch, and then the RBI single to Mark Loretta for the go ahead run, which ended up being all the ‘Stros needed to win this game, and the series. And its unfortunately, as Josh Beckett pitched decently, going 7 strong, throwing 111 pitches (76 for strikes) only giving up 2 runs on 8 hits, while striking out 4 and walking 1… And with this loss, the Sox return to 2nd place behind THE RAYS…and its almost July…and Tampa Bay is in 1st place–OK, folks, I can take a joke as well as anyone else…But with the season almost 1/2 way over, and the AL East looks like someone took the standings and dumped them upside down, shook them a little and let them fall wherever…This is way beyond weird… Congratulations for to fellow blogger (And red-head) Victoria G. who was selected as one of the Red Sox Kid Nation Captains last week. Hailing from Lynn MA, Victoria beat out over 700 applicants to be one of 12 of the captains. They will work with Red Sox Nation president Jerry Remy and Vice President “Regular” Rob Crawford to help develop, organize and implement a new “Kids Helping Kids” charitable program, which will kick off later this season, as well as make Red Sox kids nation as fun as it can be for all kids of the nation Congratulations Victoria! Well, in the 15 days I was overseas, the Sox at least has a winning record–barely–going 8-7 duding the span–it was 2 out of 3 all the way–winning a series/losing a series–and the road games were at least on the winning end going 5-4… Coming up: The Sox face the AL East division leaders, The Tampa Bay Rays. Justin Masterson gets the start, opposed by Jamie Sheilds for the Rays. 1st pitch is 7:10pm at Tropicana Field Red Sox 7, Phillies 4: Pictures and Stuff?What the heck is going on? Colon is on the DL, Daisuke is off the DL, Coco is hurt, Youk is hurt, Manny is still hurt, Schilling has had a setback–I leave the country and THIS happens…CRAP… Holy Buckets! JD Drew is a MACHINE! in the 8th 4 hit game in his career, JD Drew hit everything but a triple for the cycle, going 4-for-5 with a double, three RBIs, two runs scored, and his 9th homer THIS MONTH (14 overall this year) Right now, he has a batting average for June of .441–with 10 games left in the month, how high can he go??? So Bartolo Colon goes on the DL with back strain, just as Daisuke is back with the Sox. Let’s hope his time off has helped his pitching, because, despite the 8-0 record, he makes most of the Nation NUTSO with his high pitch count/few innings… An another positive to the Bartolo Colon thing–Justin Masterson gets to stay in the bigs, where he has been excelling, as evidenced by another competent start yesterday, going 5 innings, while giving up only 2 runs on 4 hits, while striking out 1 and walking 2. He struggled a bit more this time, throwing 92 pitches (53for strikes) in the contest… So it appears that the Skanks are starting to dig themselves out of a hole, having won their last 6 games. They are still 5.5 games behind the Sox, and 2 behind Tampa Bay–But I think I liked it better when they were sharing the basement with Baltimore (now 7.5 GB) and Toronto (10 GB)… In the last 9 games against National League Teams, the Sox are 7-2–which is better than any other team in baseball for interleague play–they are also 35-10 since 2006–how cool is that? And, as promised, some pictures from my trip: From where I was sitting…
Me wearing THE RING…Yes, its THAT big…
Me and Sam Horn…
Sam Adams–always a good choice…
Another shot from the Holy Land…from the Budweiser/Right field seats–other seats I want to sit in before I die…
Is there ANY Better place to be on this PLANET???? I think not… Coming up: An off Day, with Tim Wakefield and the Sox return home to kick off a 3-game series against St Louis, with Kyle Lohse getting the start for the Cards. 1st pitch is 7:05pm Red Sox 6, Reds 4: Welcome Home, Kevin Youkilis?Note: I have been traveling to the Phillipines since Sunday morning, which is the reason for the delay on this… ****************************************** After yesterday?s win, the Sox are now 1-1 in interleague play for the 2008 campaign–and a not so wonderful road record: 15-21… Wake had another solid start yesterday, throwing 89 pitches (64 for strikes) over 7 strong, only giving up 2 runs on 4 hits (including 2 homers), while striking out 6 and walking 2. This is his 3rd good start in a row. It?s a shame that Jonathan Papelbon gave up a solo shot to Edwin Encarcion with 2 outs in the 9th. Despite getting the win (Craig Hansen got the same–his 1st this year) it was his 3rd blown save of the season… In yesterday’s game, Jacoby Ellsbury stole his 30th and 31st base of the 2008 campaign–he also stole his 6th 3rd base–and he has not been caught stealing 3rd yet this year… Last time we heard about Trot Nixon, he was holed up in the Minor League system of the Arizona Diamondback. Apparently he has bee traded to the Mets, where he will get to play in the bigs–where he belongs… So instant replay is really seriously being considered for major league baseball–again? This time it seems like it may really happen….and during this season no less. How it would work would be that all video (not just the home teams, so there would be no question as to fairness) would be sent to a central location to be analyzed, and then a reply coordinator would review all of the footage and work directly with the crew chief of the umpiring team at the game. The replay official would not offer an advice or opinion–just tell them what they see on the video feeds. It is up to crew chief to determine whether or not instant reply is warranted on any call, as well as make the decision if the original call stands or needs to be revised. Sound complicated to me…August 1st is the anticipated date of the unveiling… Today: Josh Beckett takes the mound in the final game of this 3-game series with the Reds. He is opposed by starter Homer Bailey. Losing to a guy named homer (he real name is David, he just CHOOSES to be called Homer) would be almost as bad as losing to a guy named Boof….1st pitch, 1:15pm… Red Sox 9, Oreos 2: If anyone asked you if Mike Lowell is a God?…Tell them YES…. Holy Buckets! My 1st Red Sox game at Fenway since 2005, and I could not have asked for a better game! While my seats were a bit obstructed (I could see home plate, but I had to lean to see the pitchers mound) I did not miss a second of Mike Lowell’s 5th inning GRAND SLAM (the 1st one I have ever seen live) or Youk’s or JD Drew’s 2 run shots…Most excellent stuff! And Jon Lester was definitely on tonight, going 7 strong, throwing 101 pitches, 71 for strikes, and giving up 2 runs on 7 hits while walking 1 and striking out 3… When we 1st got to the park, we checked out Autograph Row, and SAM HORN was there…Got a picture with him (which I will get up ASAP) and told him to stop on by Boston Red Thoughts–so, Sam, if your out there, welcome! Also got an autograph and a chance to speak with a Red Sox great…WAY cool… The weather was perfect for the game, although we were well covered in the grandstand area (3 rows from the top) just off of home plate on the 1st base side… And, of course, what evening would be complete without a Julio Lugo error…EVERYTIME the ball went to him, we were all expecting it, and then it happened… This is such a BIG reason the Sox are 8th in the league in fielding, with .983 fielding percentage. When a whole TEAM has 40 errors, and of those 40 THIRTEEN of them are by one player–am I the only person who thinks this is a big deal? Congratulations to Jennifer Boylan of Avon MA who was the lucky winner of The Boston Red Sox Essential Games of Fenway. I heard from her yesterday and she is THRILLED, and looks forward to watching the 6-DVD collection with her whole family. Thank you to everyone who participated, and Congratulations Jennifer! Today, my husband and I took in the Fenway Park Tour, and I even got a chance to try on one of World Series Rings they are raffling off for the Red Sox Foundation–those things a HUGE and weigh a ton–and are worth about $20,000! I was saying to my husband about how someone who wins (they are giving away 9–and a Volvo) will be auctioning it off on EBay–I personally would want to save it for my children as an heirloom–and then would probably auction it off on EBay… While we did not get to walk around on the field today (I did that last time–sat in the dugout, touched the scoreboard, stood NEXT to the Red Seat) Today, we got to sit in the right field seats, which are WAY cool, as well as the GREEN Monster! Probably the only time in my whole entire life I will actually get to sit in them, so it was cool… Tonight: Well, Interleague play for the Sox did not get off to a super start, as the Sox lost 3-1 to the Reds. Justin Masterson gets his 1st loss in the bigs…CRAP I reallyREALLY hope they can turn this whole road “thing” around–this is getting tiresome. They are now 14 and 21 on the road… Tmorrow, the Sox and the Red play Game 2 of their 3 game series. Tim Wakefield gets the start for the Sox, opposed by Edison Volquez of the Reds. 1st pitch 3:55pm Red Sox 6, Oreos 3: On the Road to the Holy Land?So I am into hour 4 of the 6 hour drive to Fenway Park, aka, Mecca, nirvana, insert your favorite place here–weather is beautiful, and is supposed to be STUNNING for the game tonight. I…cannot…wait… I have chosen a winner of the DVD, and I have contacted them. As soon as I hear back, I will let you know. Thank you to everyone who participated. I hope you enjoyed your time at Boston Red Thoughts–and I hope you will continue to comments, even when there is nothing to win… David Ortiz, US Citizen: At the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston, yesterday, Big Papi joined 227 other immigrants who raised their right hands and recited the Oath of Citizenship and the Pledge of Allegiance, to become Americans. Now, once the law the does not allow folks who were not born here to be President (and if Governator has anything to say about it, it will happen) Big Papi is one step closer to becoming President of the United States… So, will Bartolo Colon be the big story of the year? How the Sox picked him off the scrap heap, only 2 years removed from his 2005 Cy Young Award? Last night, rebounding from his super crappy start of last week, where he gave up 5 runs in an 8-0 debacle, Colon has his 150th career win, with a very good outing, giving up only 1 run on 5 hits while striking out 7 and walking 1 in 6 innings, throwing 93, 59 for strikes… The fact that the Sox had a 5-0 lead before he even threw a pitch, including a 3-run shot by an ill Jason Varitek, certainly did not hurt… I heard from the guys at Serious Sports Networkthe other day, if you want a good laugh, check these guys out. One of hhe articles I read was about Jamie Shields, the Rays pitcher involved in the whole Coco Crisp brouhaha. It mentioned that he was so embarrassed about his “girly punches” at Crisp that in addition to the 6 game suspension he was served by MLB, he added 4 of his own. Good stuff–check them out! Tonight: Jon Lester and Jeremy Guthrie face off in the finale of this 3 game series against the Oreos, and the final game of this 9 game homestand. 1st pitch is 6:05pm–and I WILL BE THERE–whoo hooo!!! |
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