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Baseball Today: Friday, July 20

BRAVEHEARTS: That's the impression the Red Sox are trying to put forth in light of their 20-24 slide since May 30, a slide that continued last night with a rain-delayed 4-2 loss to the White Sox (above, Journal photo by Bob Breidenbach). Joe McDonald writes the Sox ''were calm and collected [before the game], and the clubhouse was much of the same following the loss.'' (projo.com) Julio Lugo even went so far as to implore reporters ''not to panic'' (Boston Herald), though it's not the media doing any panicking. It's hard to say the fans are, either, since the lead is still seven games. Maybe it's best summed up by old friend Allan Wood: ''Panic? No. Nothing even close to panic. Annoyance? Yes. I'm plenty annoyed.'' (joyofsox.blogspot.com)

AND WHO ARE YOU ANNOYED WITH? Let's start with J.D. Drew, who, according to Sean McAdam, is becoming ''[a] target of fans . . . a repository for their frustration with the team’s month-long slide into undistinguished play.'' (projo.com) Drew hasn't been the hitter the Sox thought they were getting, but in one way he's lived up to every expectation: ''[His] frequent absenteeism,'' writes Sean, ''has only helped reinforce the notion that Drew is too quick to come out of the lineup . . . It’s not the prolonged stints on the disabled list that test teams’ patience; it’s the frequent one- and two-day absences that can be so infuriating.'' Last night was another, even though he has a career average of .391 against the White Sox' starter, Javier Vazquez. ''More than one teammate yesterday afternoon, taking note of [Drew's] exclusion from the lineup card, managed to roll his eyes in response,'' writes Sean.

NEXT IN LINE: Kevin Youkilis' effort is never called into question, but his results have been steadily declining; he's 3-for-27 since the All-Star break. (Boston Globe) He made perhaps the most crucial out of last night's game: With two on and two out in the seventh and the Sox trailing 3-2, Youkilis -- moments after Manny Ramirez had come within two feet of belting a three-run homer into the Boston bullpen -- struck out on four pitches (right, Journal photo by Bob Breidenbach), ending the inning and the Red Sox' last threat. Terry Francona thinks it's just a slump (''Every hitter goes through periods, that's why a lot of hitters don't hit .400. That's just the way the game is. Youk always gives you a good at-bat, regardless of how he feels at the plate."), and it probably is, but it's beginning to stir memories of Youkilis' second-half slowdown last year . . . just as the Sox' struggles are stirring memories of their second-half glide to nowhere in 2006.

LONG TIME COMING: The eighth-inning homer allowed by Hideki Okajima (top picture) was the first he's given up since Opening Day. (projo.com notebook) Also worth noting: Julian Tavarez is working with Jason Varitek to get out of his slump,

I WOULD HAVE LIKED IT HERE: Mark Buehrle wound up staying with the White Sox, but said he wouldn't have minded if the rumored trade to Boston had come through. (Boston Herald)

IN THE HUNT: The Kansas City Star reports the Red Sox are one of a number of teams -- the others include the Dodgers, Indians, Tigers and Braves -- who have interest in Octovio Dotel. The Sox are also said to be monitoring Rockies reliever Brian Fuentes (Denver Post).

MEANWHILE . . . The lead is still seven because the Yankees let one get away yesterday, squandering a 2-0 seventh-inning lead and losing to the Blue Jays, 3-2. (New York Post) It was only their fourth loss in 15 games, but it prompted immediate warnings from Bill Madden of the Daily News and Larry Brooks of the Post that, in the situation they're in, the Yankees can't afford to be giving games away.

MAYBE IT'S ALL THOSE VOODOO DOLLS IN RED SOX NATION: Johnny Damon says he feels great, so he can't understand why he's in such a deep slump. (New York Daily News) But even though his average is down to .233, he wants to remain in the leadoff spot. (New York Post)

BORE-ING: More and more, we're hearing this may be one of the dullest trade-deadline periods ever. Jayson Stark of ESPN explains why.

HAND 'EM OVER: The Yankees are aggressively seeking help in the trade market, but one N.L. scout says, ''The Yankees don't want to give up the kids, and if they don't do that, they aren't going to get anything.'' (New York Post)

GETTING CLOSER: Barry Rozner of the Daily Herald recounts a strange day at Wrigley Field, where Barry Bonds hit two home runs and moved within two of Hank Aaron's record.

GHOST TALES: Major league teams tell tales of a hotel in St. Petersburg, Fla., that's alleged to be haunted, and the Angels have stories to add to the lore. (Riverside Press-Enterprise)

YOU'RE A WRITER, NOT A FAN: A Japanese sports writer had his credentials revoked by the Baseball Writers Association of America for asking Roger Clemens for an autograph. (sportingnews.com)

HAIRY SITUATION: The blog Bugs and Cranks looks at the best Afros in baseball history. Some contemporary players actually make the grade.

HOME SWEET HOME: That's how Julio Franco feels about Atlanta. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

THERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU JUST DON'T SAY: Pirates starter Ian Snell apologized to the Rockies for saying he would ''kill that dude'' -- a Colorado player he wouldn't name -- who he thought was stealing his signs in Wednesday night's game. Even so, MLB is launching an investigation and discipline may follow. (Denver Post)

TO THE SIDELINES: Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter needs Tommy John surgery. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

TO THE FIELD: The Dodgers' Randy Wolf is eyeing an Aug. 1 return (Los Angeles Daily News) . . . Moises Alou could be back in the Mets' outfield by next week (New York Post).

ONE LESS BELL TO ANSWER: The pool of available relievers diminished by one when the Rangers put Akinori Otsuka on the disabled list, all but guaranteeing they won't be able to trade him by July 31.

WHISPERS: Many teams would like the Nationals' Chad Cordero as a setup man in their bullpen, but a N.L. executive thinks the Nats should attempt to get closers' value for him (Washington Post) . . . Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press wouldn't be surprised if the Twins trade closer Joe Nathan, if not now then in the offseason . . . Dmitri Young to the Twins? (St. Paul Pioneer-Press) . . . The Star-Ledger's Dan Graziano reports the Yankees are interested in the Royals' Zack Greinke, and have rebuffed the Mariners' inquiries about Andy Pettitte . . .

OLD FRIENDS: Derek Lowe said he was pitching ''live batting practice'' when he got lit up by the Mets last night . . . So was Mike Maroth in the Cardinals' loss to the Braves (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) . . . Mike Myers is back in the groove in New York (New York Daily News) . . . On the same day he returned to the lineup, the Cubs' Cliff Floyd was forced back to the bench because of a sore neck (AP via projo.com) . . . Bobby Howry recorded his seventh save for the Cubs, but will probably move back to a setup role when Ryan Dempster returns today (AP via projo.com) . . . The ever-recovering Wade Miller will make another minor-league rehab start tonight (Chicago Tribune) . . . Dustan Mohr is out of a job in Tampa Bay (Tampa Tribune) . . . Josh Bard had his three-game suspension reduced to two games, and he began serving it last night (AP via projo.com).

And this is the last word you'll hear from me until August 6; I'm headed out to vacation. Mike McDermott will be handling this portion of the blog for the next two weeks, so check back daily. See you when I return.

-- ART MARTONE

Posted by Art Martone  at 7:00 AM | Permalink