For the second night in a row, the Red Sox pulled off a little drama with a ninth inning jack. Instead of Manny this time, the pinch hitting Jason Varitek cranked a solo shot in the ninth to give the Sox a one run lead. Youk would also score a run in that inning to thwart the efforts of the Indians and Jensen Lewis.

After the homer that Manny hit on Monday, Joe Borowski, that Indians' closer wwent to the DL, the team citing triceps issues. MLB Home Plate reported that Borowski's issue wasn'T so much pain as it was a feeling like "throwing under water." Whatever the issue, last night's replacement being Lewis ended up feeling drowned a bit, too.

Perhaps the real story of the night was the MLB premier of Jed Lowrie. The game saw his first hit in the majors and also his first three RBI - not to be understated in a two run win!

David Ortiz, while he did ground into a double play, managed to get another hit, brining his average up to triple digits again (.113) Manny went 0 for 3, with a walk and a K.

So, off we go to NY!

Labels: baseball, Indians, Red Sox

Manny hits #493!

The match-up last night was the kind of game that I fantasized about during the hot stove season. You know, on those nights when I would lay awake, dreaming about the 2008 season and how wonderful it would be to kick back in the easy chair, pop open a beer and watch some baseball! Last night was just that sort of experience and it ended in glorious fashion with a 2 run shot by our Manny!

Seriously, how is it that Joe Borowski is still the closer for Cleveland? I sure as heck don't know. Our pals over at Soxaholic said it best. I won't repeat it, so follow the link.

Labels: baseball, Indians, Manny, Red Sox

Labels: ALCS, baseball, Indians, photoshop, Red Sox

I've been busy over the last week...busy watching the Sox blow the ALCS! After that initial win (10 - 3), they've lost 3 in a row and are now on the brink of elimination.

Some thoughts...

• Why does Manny raise his arms and stare at a home run when it is the third run in a game they are losing 8 -3? I know it's cool to do when it's a walk-off (like against the Angels), but he looks like a twit when he does that crap while the Sox are taking a pounding. I will say this, however, his was the third HR in a back-to-back-to-back set. Something that had never been done in the ALCS.
  
• What is up with the Cleveland fans? I'm watching lest nights game 4, the Indians are up by 5 runs, and the fans at Jacob's field were absolutely caustic. What the hell? If there was a long standing rivalry (ala Sox-Yankers), or if our pitchers were beaning their batters, I could see the acrimony. Even if they were simply losing, there'd be some logic. As it was, they're up (at that point) 2 games to 1, with a commanding lead in the current game, and they're booing the ump for calling balls 8 inches off the plate? Taunting Youklis while he's trying to catch a foul. Throwing the HR ball hit by Youklis back onto the field? How classless is that?!
  
• How is it that the Sox can tear apart C.C. Sabathia and can't hit junk-baller Byrd? Byrd is simply not that good! The Sox batters looked like they were doped up or something. They all swung like they were J.D. Drew when, thankfully, only one of them is.
  
• Speaking of J.D. Drew, where the hell is Ellsbury? Our offense is for shit and Ellsbury was a great spark in August - September? His defensive skills are great, but yet we've got Crisp and Drew in the outfield, impressing no one with stellar defense and totally sucking at the plate. What gives?
  
• I hate to say it, but all the pundits were right. Beckett should have started game 4. Wake is a solid pitcher, but not against the line-up that Cleveland boasts. Not in an ALCS setting. The team has a four million dollar option on Wake and they should keep him. He is a solid piece of the rotation. But in a do-or-die, Beckett should have been in.
  
• Could somebody please kidnap Tim McCarver until the post season is over? He's killing me!
  

Tonight there is no game, even though there's still one to play in Cleveland (Fox blows!) So tonight, I'll forget about baseball for a little while, maybe watch a movie with the kids and hit the hay early. Tomorrow is game 5. Truly do-or-die. Beckett vs. Sabathia.

Even though I'm a Christian, I never pray for my teams to win. I won't go as far to say that I think it is sacrilegious, but it seems at least irreverent. Tomorrow, however, it will be a good deal tougher to avoid that plea for intercession. What's one "Our Father" on the Sox behalf?

Labels: ALCS, Ellsbury, Indians, Manny, pitching, Red Sox, Yankers, Youkilis

Let's see...

The Phillies. They got swept. I truly believe that this has to be chalked up to the momentum of the Colorado Rockies. This momentum thing, should it last, will probably take them clear to the WS. The Philles bats took a major dump in this series. At one point, Chase Utely struck out four times on 13 pitches!

The Yankers? Gone! They lose their divisional series to Cleveland 3-1. For the most part, this makes me very happy. My first wish, as always, is for the Phils and Sox to play in the series. Since that won't happen, we go to my next wish, which is a resounding victory by the Sox in the WS over whoever they would end up with. If that cannot be, if the Indians are destined to go to the big show, at least I'll be able to live through the hot stove season with two facts: A) The Sox did not get knocked out by the Yankers. B) The Sox got one step farther than the Yankers.

All I can say is thank the Lord for Canadian Soldiers!

This loss by the Yankers could also bode well for next season. It looks as though Steinbrenner is going to fire Torre. While everyone who has a half of a brain knows that firing the manager that has taken you to the post season every season he's held the job is a stupid move. Not to mention the fact that even with the ALDS loss, this season can arguably be considered Torre's greatest managerial year. Has Georgie Boy forgotten the HUGE mountain that the team had to overcome to get into the playoffs? The Yankers without Torre are worse than the Yankers with him, at least in 2008. This is a good thing for Red Sox Nation. Also, if Torre is fired, I believe that the move will significantly reduce the chances of resigning Posada, Rivera, and A-Rod. More good news.

My beloved Sox! They begin the ALCS against those Indians on Friday. Now, while rooting for Cleveland over the last week, it occurred to me that they share the best record in MLB with the Sox for a reason. Perhaps the Yankers were not the strongest team. Perhaps we have more to worry about facing the Indians than we would have with NY? In the end, though, reasons A and B above far outweigh the advantage. This will not be a sweep by the Sox, but I still have faith that we'll be watching them facing the NL Champ.

Labels: ALCS, ALDS, baseball, Indians, Phillies, Red Sox, Rockies, World Series, Yankers

I was reading a thread on SOSH and was smiling a bit at the discussions of who we (Sox fans) would rather the team have to meet in the post season. Some feel that the Indians would be the best option for the ALDS, then an Angel team that has knocked out the Yankers. (According to SOSH, if the Yankers get the WC and the rest of things stay as is, this would be possible.) Others stipulate that they will enjoy the playoffs much more if even the most remote chance of a Yankee WS win is removed by their lack of a post season berth, period. Some fans say that Seattle is the better choice for an opponent in the ALDS. The theories abound.

Me? I have not processed quite that far, yet. I'm still trying to fight off the feeling that all of this talk is dangerous since the Sox have not clinched anything, yet. I hate to be a pessimist, but I'd feel safer if we simply focus our collective energies on kicking the snot out of NY in their house, then just plain having fun when they come to the Fens. I hate to look too far forward, but should that surprise anyone, given the name of this blog?

I did have hopes of that rarest of happenings, a Philly/Boston World Series. I suppose that is as forward thinking and silly optimistic as I could be. The thought of having started this blog in a season where both of my teams made the big show was just too delicious to ignore. Can you imagine the mileage I'd get out of that one? It would almost be wonderful enough to counter act the internal turmoil I'd feel watching the games.

Now, with Philly 3 games out of a Wild Card spot, a series with the Mets beginning, and the Padres looking tough, my hopes of this unbelievable turn of events, aligning of planets, and convergences of fortune, are all but dashed. Still, the hated Braves are sinking ever lower, even with the stellar performance of Mark Teixeira, RBI robot. That always brings a dry smile to even the darkest Phillies face.

I'm not a particularly superstitious person, but I know that it is a ruling force in the realm of baseball. So, maybe we should stop being quite so sure of things just yet.

Maybe?

Labels: baseball, Braves, Indians, Phillies, Red Sox, SOSH, superstition, Yankers

Well! What a night! Not all of it good, but what a night, none-the-less!
Turn about is fair play, they say, but it still stings getting beaten 1-0 after doing the same to the Indians the night before. On Wednesday it was Carmona and Borowski for the Indians and Josh Becket threw the rare complete game loss. The Sox had two runners caught stealing (Varitek and Lugo) late in the game and on thrown out at home (Crisp) after a David Ortiz single.

The Phils, oh my the Phils! I got to watch this game. After leading the entire way, the Phils managed to blow a 2 run, ninth inning lead. So, it's the bottom of the ninth, no one on, two out, when Jimmy Rollins comes to the plate. He launches one to left center, where Church and Logan both manage to miss it! Jimmy, who remembered the little league coach who told him to run hard even when you think your out, was rounding second when the throw came into short stop Felipe Lopez - who boofed it! Rollins sees this and sprints home. He slides head first and the catcher, Schneider, drops the ball. Tie game!!! Cut to the 14th, same 5-5 score. For the fifth inning in a row, the Phils get their lead off man on (four of those were walks, including this one to Utley.) Up comes our boy Ryan Howard who rockets one to right center, second deck, for the walk off!

Awesome!

Labels: baseball, extra innings, Indians, Nationals, Phillies, Red Sox, walk-off

What we got from the Sox last night was the classic pitchers duel between Dice-K and Sabathia. In the end, neither finished the game, but the relievers did them proud and we got to take the 1-0 victory after Okajima and Papelbon came in.

The Phils took care of the Nats without too much issue. Rollins and Rowand homered, and Rowand had an assist, throwing Jason Bergman out at home.

Labels: baseball, Indians, Nationals, Phillies, pitching, Red Sox

I was a little worried about the return of Jon Lester and thought that it might be more sentiment than logic. Thankfully, my worries were unfounded. Lester pitched strong last night against the Indians, giving up 5 hits and 2 runs over 6 innings. Sports Center included shots of his mom and dad in the stands. It was a real "feel good" moment.

Chad Finn's TATB post for today talks about the option of using Lester in a trade for Mark Teixeira of the Rangers.

The only home run of the game came from Cleveland's Grady Sizemore, a two run shot that accounted for all of the Indian's offense. Coco Crisp continued his hot steak at the plate going 4 for 5. Also, continuing their hot streak, the Sox bull pen covered 3 scoreless innings, giving up only 1 hit!

Tonight we face Sabathia...GO SOX!!

Labels: baseball, Cleveland, Indians, pitching, Red Sox, trade