Entries Tagged 'rotation' ↓

The Sox handed themselves a Wild Card entry last night as the rain, some powerful hits against crappy pitching and a long, long night that flipped the clock ended any guess as to where they would be headed on Tuesday. With this season all over except a couple games that mean absolutely nothing –unless someone gets hurt, that is– I look at the playoffs with a few lingering thoughts:

• Mike Lowell is most likely done. As soon as he hit that ball last night you could tell it was over. Thank you, Mikey, you did a great job this year.
• The rotation is looking good, but I’m still nervous about Masterson and Delcarmen “shoring up” the bridge to Pap.
•  The 2008 AL Cy goes to Clifton Phifer Lee. At 22-3, Clif Lee has done an incredible job in the Indians rotation against almost every team he’s faced. Also, it’s excellent that there’s no “close call” this year. I think his record and performance basically leave no question.
• The 2008 AL MVP is a toss-up for me. I like Joe Mauer of the Twins, and I think he’ll get some serious consideration, but how can you not choose either Pedroia or Youkilis? Kevin Youkilis, especially, has stepped into the 4-hole and is bordering on thirty home runs and has over 115 RBIs. He’s become the power-hitting corner infielder that they need him to be.
• The trading deadline and wire waiver deals brought us Kotsay and Bay. I like both of the additions. Kotsay has certainly helped give the team “room for injury” and is able to handle Right and First without embarassing himself.
• Was it just me, or did it bring back all sorts of memories when Casey let the ball go through his glove at first last night? Eeep. That’s the kind of superstitious bullshit that’ll make a ballplayer say the Hail Mary five hundred times.
• The Sox are going to Anaheim and I think it’s going to take all five games if they want to get to the ALCS. The Angels aren’t the same team they’ve seen over the past two series. Don’t let K-Rod out of the gate.
• The Rays have won the AL East and they deserve it. That doesn’t, however, mean they’ll be able to perform as well as they did in the regular season. We shall see how they fair against the AL Central winners (We all know it’s the Twins, right?).
• I’m really, really pulling for the Brewers to get the Wild Card. They haven’t seen the post season since ‘82. And, they have a couple of really fun players to watch.
• I need to say that I am psyched that Don Orsillo is getting some games in as a broadcaster for the ALDS. Don Orsillo is articulate, knows the game and has a fantastic delivery. He’s become one of my favorites over the last few years.

SO! With the Wild Card secured and the Sox headed to Anaheim, I will trust that Tito makes the right calls for the ALDS and let the good times roll.

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.

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).

• Buchholz had a really rough outing yesterday giving up hits to the first five batters he faced (he came in the game in the third). He’s competing with a rejuvenated Colon who threw a bullpen session yesterday and had “good movement and a fastball that reached 90 a few times”. This could get really interesting, folks.
• Terry Francona has decided that Pedroia is a moron and told the Boston Globe they could print it. The comment came after watching Pedroia “Dance With the Stars” for Mike Lowell’s charity.
• Curt’s going to have surgery. Just a gut feeling. This year is probably toast for him.
• Big Papi wants to ride it out in Boston for the next big contract. I don’t know how they’ll avoid paying him a ridiculous amount of money unless he gets hurt or has a crap year.
• Varitek will get a three year, $36 Million dollar deal. Just my guess. We’ll see if I’m right. Also, the Sox don’t seem to do this (publicly anyway), but they should give ‘Tek a Personal Services contract.
• Next stop on the rumor mill? Nowhere. It’s been unrealistically quiet this year (no problem there). Good feelings will occur when real games begin.
• Theo is the next one up for a big administrative contract. He’s rumored to currently pull in $1.8 Million/year. I think he’ll get a sizable bump; how can they not?
• Not too much noise on the center field competition, is there? Must be something happening with Crisp that we don’t know about…