Entries Tagged 'Ortiz' ↓

This site, along with my desk, my back problem and a number of filing chores have been neglected while I take on additional responsibilities with both the American Marketing Association and UX Professionals.

Oddly enough, the Sox have not needed my help. Or have they?

At this point, it’s moot to go over what the last month has been like for the Sox with the exception of the following:

• Mike Lowell could end up hurting the Sox in the long run if he doesn’t shut it down soon.
• Paps better learn to use that cutter more often and stop being a fastball putz.
• Pedroia is my MVP. Not because he plays for the Sox, but because he has done the most in my opinion without any injury to assist a team in making the playoffs when their two hot-shot power hitters were down or out. (20 home runs regardless of a wrist injury has totally killed the Sox, Mr. Papi.)
• Epstein, it appears, will not have to don a gorilla suit come Halloween.
• Lucchino has been totally press-absent. THANK YOU.
• Orsillo got an extension at NESN (love it).
• Remy has not done as MUCH self-serving advertising as in previous years.

I am gunning for the Sox to take the Wild Card. Screw the Division Title. Get those four wins and then go get your team a) rest and b) pitching order. You don’t think Anaheim is a good idea for the Sox in the first round? I think it’s GREAT. They need the challenge. They need to have the drive. They need to get over themselves and win, win, win.

By this weekend we’ll know where they stand. Hopefully, regardless of the standings, they will have their duck boats in a row.

I look at the standings and I keep my cool. The Rays are a legitimate contender until someone kicks them in the private parts. The best part about this? I AM SO HAPPY IT’S NOT THE TYPICAL YANKEE RIVALRY. I yell because I care.

Clay Feet

The Clay Buchholz experiment is simply not working out so far this year. The kid is having a hell of a time adjusting to his first year in the Bigs and it looks like his confidence takes a hit each time out of the gate. I can’t help wonder if maybe a flip-flop between Masterson and Buchholz (starter vs. ‘pen) would have been a better decision; recognizing the no-hitter and the length of service.

It might be time to speed up the progress for Colon and see if he can jump in there for a couple starts.

Manny Being a #$(%$* ?

Listen, Manny can do whatever he wants and the club won’t do much about it. Whatever happens to his contract from here on out is anyone’s guess. Is he worth $20 million per year? Is he only worth that if he’s protected by Ortiz? His mischief does not bug me, but having an all-out fight with a 60-something year-old man wasn’t obviously very bright. He’ll still be here next year, I’m sure. It seems that he’s a necessary evil when things aren’t going his way and it’s a guaranteed hall of fame player when things are. Where’s Schilling in all of this? I’m surprised he hasn’t spoken up about the situation.

Wow, it’s been a long time since I posted on this thing. I barely remember all the stuff that’s happened since I took a break.

It’s all about the second half now, where the Sox will pick it back up against the Angels leading the AL East by .5 a game. It’s not much, but with the way the Rays were playing into the break, I would have rather skipped the All-Star Game and gone right to the second half to watch them crumble.

We have some really interesting things to watch on the sidelines for the second half of the season, including:

Papi

When will he return? Is he okay and ready to go? What will it be like for him to get back into his rythm? If he goes to both Portland and Pawtucket, and the Sox are losing groud, will they forgo any of the rehab assignments and just call his butt back up to the Bigs asap?

J.D. Drew

Wow, this kid spends 11 years being “promising”, then has a career year (so far). Not only that, but he picks up some MVP hardware at the All-Star Game to boot (sorry, Dan Uggla, I know that word isn’t too good for you right now… *cough error cough*). Unfortunately, when Papi does return, Drew will slide out of that powerful 3 spot in the order… then it’s anyone’s guess as to his “back problems” or his “hammy issues”.

Varitek

Is it time to get ‘Tek to pull 75% duty? Will he last the rest of the year, regardless of how horrible a hitter Cash is? The guy is in tremendous shape, and I’d love for him to be productive for the next six years, but I don’t see it. He’s losing his offense at a dizzying pace and his arm is showing fatigue.

Trade Deadline

What the hell will Theo do? Aside from bringing up Masterson to be a long-relief guy, what can they do to shore up the team? Is Lugo going to have 12 errors in the second half? Will they put up with his incredible missing offense? Is it time for Lowrie to hit the bench and be ready to play for a few days in a row?

I’m happy we still have half a season. I’ve been to busy to truly enjoy the first half.

Alright. The Rays couldn’t handle the Cardinals, and the Brewers couldn’t get anything out of the Sox, so the Fenway Faithful get to see their boys back in the top slot of the AL East.

Interestingly enough, I didn’t think the Sox would fare as well as they did (even with all the errors this weekend) against the Brewers. In fact, I had my mental prediction the other way around. If I were to pick a group of National League players to follow, I’d follow J.J. Hardy, Braun, Fielder and Gwynn. They all have a massive amount of talent and the Brewers will definitely do some major damage once their pitching is settled.

Speaking of pitching, Justin Masterson will make his second MLB start tomorrow (Tuesday) against the Royals and … drum roll… is that the smell of “Colon”? Why, yes… it’s Bartolo Colon, who will make his first Red Sox start on Wednesday. Personally, I think this is going to be a HUGE difference maker to the season. Bartolo is currently throwing in the upper 90s and seems to have his head back in the game. It’s like picking up a #4 free agent for nothing.

Other thoughts:

• Ellsbury got caught for the first time in his career. 25 straight without being tagged. That’s two shy of Tim Raines’ record.
• Varitek is such a great catcher, but he looks so weak at the plate sometimes.
• BOOM, Papi. Boom.
• Pedroia takes every opportunity he can find, doesn’t he?
• Beckett found his long ball pitch. Let’s put that back in the locker and hide it again, shall we?
• Craig Hansen is nowhere near the prospect he was when he pitched at Saint John’s. It may be one contract and out for that kid.
• The Yankees don’t have a chance this year unless they find a way to hit out of the cellar; pitching is not going to do it for them.
• Manny is deeply mired in a lack of power; no doubt putting pressure on himself over the next 2 homers.
• The Sox need to keep it going against the Royals. Losing this series will hurt them in the long run.
• The Celtics game was WAY too close. Par for the course on their season. Hopefully they won’t end up with the same destiny as the Pats (all this way for nothing).

If you don’t know anything about baseball, that sounds incredibly lascivious.  Thankfully, most of the people here have a little baseball knowledge to know that Youk is so hot with the glove AND the bat that he took the spot of the ailing Big(?) Papi. Ortiz’ right knee, the one he had surgery on a few months ago and that troubled him all of last year, is bugging the hell out of him and relegating him to the least dangerous place he can be: el bencho.

If it weren’t for past utter destruction in the clutch with said ailing knee, Ortiz would be thrown on the disabled list quicker than you can say Mike Hampton.

Youk, on the other hand, is doing unrealistically well this young season and definitely deserves to sit in the 3 hole for a bit. Well, at least until Papi decides to be himself again.