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More Red Sox notes

J.D. Drew sits tonight against lefty Joe Saunders, but is getting ready to make his Red Sox debut in center tomorrow night. Coco Crisp needs a night off -- he's played every game in the second half -- and the Sox will use Drew.
Giving Crisp tomorrow night off gives him two days off in a row, since Thursday in an off-day in the schedule.

Curt Schilling reports that he feels fine after Monday's start, his first in seven weeks. He'll go again Sunday in the road trip finale Sunday in Baltimore.

Posted by Sean McAdam  at 8:45 PM | Permalink | Comments 1

Lineups...get your lineups here

Dustin Pedroia 2B
Kevin Youkilis 1B
David Ortiz DH
Manny Ramirez LF
Mike Lowell 3B
Coco Crisp CF
Wily Mo Pena RF
Doug Mirabelli C
Julio Lugo SS

Tim Wakefield P

ANGELS

Chone Figgins 3B
Orlando Cabrera SS
Vladimir Guerrero RF
Garret Anderson LF
Gary Matthews Jr. CF
Casey Kotchman 1B
Maicer Izturis 2B
Jeff Mathis C
Reggie Willits DH

Joe Saunders P

Posted by Sean McAdam  at 8:40 PM | Permalink

Lineups...get your lineups here

Dustin Pedroia 2B
Kevin Youkilis 1B
David Ortiz DH
Manny Ramirez LF
Mike Lowell 3B
Coco Crisp CF
Wily Mo Pena RF
Doug Mirabelli C
Julio Lugo SS

Tim Wakefield P

ANGELS

Chone Figgins 3B
Orlando Cabrera SS
Vladimir Guerrero RF
Garret Anderson LF
Gary Matthews Jr. CF
Casey Kotchman 1B
Maicer Izturis 2B
Jeff Mathis C
Reggie Willits DH

Joe Saunders P

Posted by Sean McAdam  at 8:40 PM | Permalink

Sox Streakers for August 7

Hot Streaks
-Mike Lowell has a team-high six-game hitting streak, during which he is 7 for 28 (.250).
-Tim Wakefield has picked up the win in three consecutive starts. His E.R.A. during those games was 3.72.
-For Los Angeles: Joe Saunders has won seven consecutive decisions going back to last season. The Angels have won seven in a row in games Saunders starts.

Weird Streaks
-Tim Wakefield (13-9) has earned a decision in each of his 22 starts. That's tied for the fifth-longest such streak to start a season since 1980, and the longest such streak since Roy Oswalt earned 22 straight decisions to start the 2005 season. Wakefield can tie for the major-league lead in wins tonight.

Red Sox vs. Joe Saunders
-Wily Mo Pena, 2 for 3 (.667)
-Dustin Pedroia, 1 for 2 (.500)
-Coco Crisp, 1 for 3 (.333)
-Mike Lowell, 1 for 3 (.333)
-Doug Mirabelli, 0 for 1
-Kevin Youkilis, 0 for 2
-David Ortiz, 0 for 3
-Saunders has made one career start against Boston (last season); he pitched 5.2 scoreless innings and picked up a no-decision.

Angels vs. Tim Wakefield
-Vladimir Guerrero, 7 for 15 (.467), 4 HR
-Casey Kotchman, 3 for 9 (.333), 1 HR
-Maicer Izturis, 1 for 3 (.333)
-Chone Figgins, 3 for 10 (.300)
-Orlando Cabrera, 2 for 14 (.143), 1 HR
-Gary Matthews, 2 for 16 (.125), 1 HR
-Robb Quinlan, 0 for 3
-Wakefield is 9-10 with a 4.54 E.R.A. in 26 career appearances, including 21 starts, against the Angels.

More Stuff
-All-time series: Boston 304, Los Angeles 261. In California: Los Angeles 148, Boston 134. This season: Boston 3, Los Angeles 1.
-The Red Sox' six-game division lead is their smallest since May 11.
-Red Sox starters lead the major leagues with 542 strikeouts.

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 3:12 PM to Projo Sox Streakers | Permalink

Report: Pena clearas waivers

Rob Bradford of the Boston Herald reports on his blog that Wily Mo Pena has cleared waivers and can now be traded to any club until the Aug. 31 waiver deadline.

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 2:41 PM | Permalink

Today's Manny file: Tossed

AP photo / Mark Avery
Ramirez gets a few more words in after being tossed in the fourth inning.

Rookie umpire James Hoye threw Manny out of last night's game in the fourth inning -- the first ejection of the year for Ramirez -- after Ramirez "said the magic words," according to manager Terry Francona. Ramirez's tossing left Brandon Moss in a trial-by-fire situation in left field, and showed the Red Sox once again how much they need Ramirez's big bat in the middle of their lineup.

Terry Corbell, a business-management consultant who writes a regular content for the Web site of King-5 television in Seattle, says he saw lessons for business in the recent Mariners-Red Sox series at Safeco Field, which saw Boston take two of three games. Corbell said that while Mariners players were disgruntled over playing time and the recent call-up of Adam Jones, Red Sox stars Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz appeared loose and happy before the games at Safeco. Lesson: Good morale equals good performance.

Tom Yantz of the Hartford Courant quotes Julio Lugo as saying this about Ramirez: "When Manny's up there, you're scared. That's respect."

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 2:37 PM to Projo Mannybeingmanny | Permalink

Projo SoxTalk with McAdam: Still the team to beat? (updated with excerpts)

Sean McAdam joins us from Anaheim for today's edition of projo SoxTalk. Click here to listen to the full audio file. The topics: Curt Schilling's first game back, Brandon Moss' difficult major-league debut, how the Sox will use Bobby Kielty, who is best primed for the playoffs in the American League (Sox fans will like this), and baseball's most cherished records.

Here are some excerpts from Sean's comments:

Schilling: "Certainly for six innings, with two runs, first time back on a major-league mound for about seven weeks, you have to look at that as a positive. He did end up making the mistake -- two actually -- in the seventh, hanging the splitter to Izturis and then giving up the double. I don't know if he was tired, but certainly a couple of mistakes on the same pitch late. But overall, given what he's been through and how long he's been sidelined, I think generally you would have to say there was more good than bad."

Kielty: "I don't think they envision him in the way that they might have used Jermaine Dye had they obtained him at the trade deadline. I think Kielty will play some, particularly against lefties -- he's been pretty tough against left-handed pitchers throughout his career -- he really will eventually literally and figuratively take the place of Wily Mo Pena. He'll be a guy who plays against some tough lefties that Drew has some trouble with. He's a good enough outfielder that he can come in for defensive purposes probably for any of the three -- whether it be Ramirez, Drew or Coco Crisp. He could be a bat off the bench in the late innings. ... He's more of a fourth outfielder, just a more versatile and more athletic one than Wily Mo Pena."

Which A.L. team is best positioned for the playoffs? "I have to think, given all their strengths, that the Red Sox are the team that probably is in a position to do the most damage in October. They have a deep enough starting rotation. Certainly the addition of Gagne has given them an even deeper bullpen in the back innings. I guess the concern would be the offense, which continues to sputter at times. But I think they're the most well-rounnded of contenders, and everybody else it seems has some strengths but also some obvious weaknesses."

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 2:01 PM to McAdam | Permalink | Comments 2

Baseball Today: Tuesday, August 7

UNLUCKY SEVEN: ''For six innings,'' writes Sean McAdam, ''Curt Schilling’s first start in seven weeks was a qualified success.'' But then, he adds, ''[reality ] bit, even if Schilling's split-fingered fastball didn't.'' The result was two Angels runs, the end of Schilling's night, and a 4-2 Red Sox loss in the opener of a three-game series at Anaheim. (projo.com) Schilling (AP Photo, left) has, at this writing, yet to offer a self-critique though one will undoubtedly be delivered sometime soon. (38pitches.com)

Dan Shaughnessy of the Globe reviewed Schilling's performance and and was upbeat. (''By any measurement, Schilling's return to the rotation is a bonus for the Red Sox.'') And he's right. We're still at a stage of the season where the big picture is more important than any one game, no matter how the standings look.

THEY DO LOOK DIFFERENT, DON'T THEY? McAdam examines the A.L. playoff picture and notes that, thanks to the Tigers' collapse and the Yankees' surge, it's an entirely different scenario than it was at the All-Star break. What's also looking different are SI.com's Power Rankings, which now have the Red Sox, Angels and Yankees in the 1-2-3 spots.

AND IT SHOULD LOOK A LOT DIFFERENT: Seth Mnookin points out that, according to the Pythagorean winning percentage, the Yankees and Red Sox should be virtually tied for the A.L. East lead. The Yankees, however, are underperforming their projection by about 7 games, which is probably a combination of luck and their bad bullpen.

NOT THAT THERE'S ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT: Murray Chass says the Red Sox have become the Yankees, and they shouldn't be ashamed of it. (New York Times)

THIS WILL LOOK DIFFERENT, TOO: The Red Sox finally landed Bobby Kielty yesterday and McAdam reports this will probably mean the end of Wily Mo Pena's days in Boston. Kielty hasn't even put on a Red Sox uniform yet and already he's a fan favorite: Gordon Edes says the Fitchburg native turned down the Yankees to sign with the Red Sox. (Boston Globe) Why the Yankees wanted another outfielder is a question for bigger minds, unless they were simply trying to keep him out of Boston.

YOUUUKKK! We have a Kevin Youkilis blog sighting! He discusses the road trip, the acquisition of Eric Gagne, and the Celtics' trade for Kevin Garnett.

ON THE WAY UP: Clay Buchholz (right, Journal photo by Glenn Osmundson) has yet to win a game at Pawtucket, but that doesn't mean he's not still marching towards Boston. He took his biggest steps yet last night in a seven-inning, four-hit, one-run, no-walk, nine-strikeout performance against Rochester. Joe McDonald quotes PawSox pitching coach Mike Griffin as saying Buchholz' ceiling is ''off the wall. The upside is so high. He has an abundance of talent, with four major-league pitches, and those pitches will have him playing at the major-league level.'' But he got a no-decision last night because Edgar Martinez allowed five runs in the eighth inning and the Red Wings wound up with a 6-1 win. (Both stories projo.com)

THEM, TOO: The Yankees continued their scorching ways with a 5-4 win yesterday afternoon at Toronto (New York Daily News), though they still don't lead the wild card just yet because the Tigers rallied for a win last night at Tampa Bay. (Detroit News) Meanwhile, the Yanks are turning to their own pitching prospects as Joba Chamberlain joins the New York bullpen tonight. (New York Daily News)

CONGRATULATIONS, NICE WORK, SEE YOU AROUND: Ozzie Guillen has nothing put praise for Barry Bonds' pursuit of Hank Aaron's home-run record. In the next breath says there's no way Bonds will play for the White Sox next year because team rules ''are for 25 guys, not 24.'' (Chicago Tribune)

SLEEPERS: No one's really paying them much heed, but FoxSports.com's Randy Hill says the Diamondbacks, led by former Sox assistant GM Josh Byrnes, are in great position to win the N.L. West.

STORM BREWING? Major league umpires say they understand the need to do extensive background checks, especially in light of the NBA scandal. SI.com's Tom Verducci, however, reports the issue is getting entangled in what are becoming increasingly contentious negotiations between MLB and the umps.

HEAVY ARTILLERY: Though most of the talk surrounding the Marlins' Miguel Cabrera this year has concerned his weight, the Palm Beach Post notes he's in position to become the first player since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967 to win the Triple Crown.

QUICKLY: Buster Olney reports the White Sox claimed Miguel Tejada off waivers from the Orioles, but Baltimore pulled him back and the teams failed to work out a deal. Mike Piazza, however, has cleared waivers and could be traded by the A's; the Twins and Angels were interested before the deadline . . . Carlos Zambrano reiterates his desire to stay with the Cubs (Newsday) . . . Lighting-quick, no-hit Joey Gathright is back with the Royals . . . The Tigers are talking to the Pirates about shortstop Jack Wilson (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) . . . Adam Dunn's name has constantly come up in trade speculation, and he'd like to know exactly what his future is in Cincinnati (Cincinnati Enquirer).

OLD FRIENDS: According to the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson, the Marlins have discussed the possibility of moving Hanley Ramirez from shortstop to center field. . . The Herald also reports the Marlins players are reacting stoically to the front office's white-flag dispatch of Byung-Hyun Kim to Arizona.

-- ART MARTONE

Posted by Art Martone  at 7:18 AM | Permalink

Not Many Happy Returns: Angels 4, Red Sox 2 (game story)

By SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer

ANAHEIM – For six innings, Curt Schilling’s first start in seven weeks was a qualified success.

He limited the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to two runs through that point and his fastball had more life than it had when he last took the mound for the Sox, in Atlanta, on June 18.

But in the seventh, reality bit, even if Schilling’s split-finger fastball didn’t. In the span of two hitters, Schilling left a splitter up to the slashing Maicer Izturis and slumping Jeff Mathis (0-for-18), resulting in a leadoff homer and double, respectively, and leading directly to a 4-2 loss.

The defeat shaved a game off the Sox’ lead in the East, leaving the fast-charging, second-place New York Yankees just six games behind in the division. That represents the smallest lead the Sox have had since May 11.

''Really bad hanging splits,'' bemoaned Schilling, who was charged with all four runs in six-plus innings. ''That’s what this game boiled down to.''

Even the two runs the Angels managed in the fourth were the result of a poorly executed split-finger fastball, historically Schilling’s out pitch. Casey Kotchman drilled a single up the middle on a splitter that Schilling left up, catching too much of the plate.

He blamed himself, too, for not fielding his position as he should have, setting up the two-run single. With Vladimir Guerrero on first with a leadoff single, Garret Anderson hit a grounder to Kevin Youkilis. Youkilis, not far from the bag, threw to second to nail Guerrero, the lead runner, but Schilling assumed that Youkilis would get back to the bag to take the throw to try for the double play.

When Schilling realized Youkilis wans’t going to the bag, he broke himself, but lost the footrace.

Gary Matthews Jr. followed with a liner to left, and Brandon Moss, inserted into the game in the bottom of the fourth after Manny Ramirez got himself ejected, made an ill-advised to third to try to cut down Anderson. By doing so, Anderson had time to get to second, giving the Angels two men in scoring position. Kotchman’s single then scored them both.

''I made a bad assumption,'' said Schilling, ''and you can’t do that.''

Still, the reviews were mostly positive on his return.

''One thing that was encouraging (from the loss),'' said manager Terry Francona, ''was that he didn’t forget how to pitch . . . I thought he looked like a pretty good pitcher.''

Moss, whether he liked it or not, found himself in the middle of everything – in a hurry.

In addition to the throw to third, he juggled a line drive by Chone Figgins for several seconds in the seventh, allowing Mathis to score from third with an insurance run.

''I lost it in the lights,'' said Moss of the play. ''I’m surprised it hit my glove.''

When Mathis broke for the plate before Moss could coral the ball for the putout, the Sox thought they had an easy appeal play at third. But Rule 2.00 states that once a ball hits a fielder’s glove, a baserunner may tag and Mathis’s run stood.

''If I catch (the ball right away),'' said Moss, ''there’s a pretty good chance I throw him out.''

Finally, Moss found himself center stage in the ninth when an error by Orlando Cabrera and a walk by David Ortiz put the tying runs on base. But Moss was overmatched by Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez and went down swinging.

''I don’t think,'' said a sympathetic Schilling, ''there’s any way to make your debut with the Boston Red Sox behind the scenes.''

The Sox had grabbed a 2-0 lead off Jered Weaver in the third when Dustin Pedroia worked a two-out walk and Youkilis hammered a pitch out to left for his third homer in the last 10 games.

But the Sox didn’t score again, stung by missed opportunities. They left a man in scoring position in the fourth, two on in both the fifth and sixth, and couldn’t cash in against Scot Shields in the eighth when a walk to Moss and a single to right by Drew gave them two on and no out.

In the late innings, it would have helped to have the blistering hot Ramirez (18 RBI in 14 games) in the game, but he had been ejected by home plate umpire James Hoye after arguing a check-swing third strike in the top of the fourth.

''I think Manny may have said the magic words,'' said a diplomatic Francona.

Posted by Sean McAdam  at 2:05 AM | Permalink