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Projo SoxTalk with McAdam: In praise of Papelbon »
August 22, 2007
JUST SLUPER: He calls it a ''slutter'' -- a cross between a slider and a cut fastball -- and Jonathan Papelbon (above, AP Photo) used it to finally subdue the Devil Rays on a night when the score was a lot closer than the game felt like. Steven Krasner has the details of Papelbon's new pitch and the Sox' 8-6 win, which Papelbon closed out by recording the final four outs . . . including three by strikeout. The save was his 30th, making him the first Red Sox reliever in history to have two 30-save seasons. (Worcester Telegram) He's also only the fourth pitcher in MLB history -- Billy Koch, Kaz Sasaki and Todd Worrell are the others -- to record 30 saves in each of their first two full seasons in the majors.
WINNER IN NAME ONLY: Papelbon saved the victory for Jon Lester, but Krasner reports the young left-hander didn't feel like a winner after a 5 2/3-inning outing in which he surrendered five runs, all of which scored on two-out home runs (a two-run shot by Carlos Pena in the first, and a three-run blast by Akinori Iwamura in the fifth).
SCOUTING REPORT: The Sox announced that Chris Carter is, indeed, the player coming to Boston in the Wily Mo Pena trade. (projo.com) As it happens, Pawtucket shortstop Jed Lowrie was a teammate of Carter's at Stanford and last night he told Joe McDonald what to expect from the Sox' newest acquisition. (projo.com) McDonald also notes that between Lowrie, Carter and Craig Breslow (who graduated from Yale with a degree in molecular biophysics and biochemistry), the conversation in the McCoy Stadium clubhouse might be a bit more highbrow than it usually is.
JOB HUNTING: With the season winding down and no new contract with the Red Sox in sight, Curt Schilling is beginning to weigh his options. (Boston Herald) One of those options, apparently, is Tampa Bay (Boston Globe), which intrigues the Devil Rays. (St. Petersburg Times) SI.com's Jon Heyman notes that with Carlos Zambrano off the market, Schilling might be the best free-agent starter available this offseason.
ONE OF US: Eric Gagne has been struggling, but he's getting plenty of support from the tight-knit Red Sox bullpen. (Boston Herald)
THE FORGOTTEN MAN: These are the final few months of Matt Clement's contract with the Red Sox, and the odds are miniscule that they'll offer him another. And he's still not quite ready to pitch after last year's shoulder surgery. Even so, he feels better than he's felt in years and is looking forward to getting back on the mound, somewhere. (Boston Globe)
WHAT CAN BROWN DO FOR YOU? The game of musical catchers in the Boston organization that was started when Doug Mirabelli got hurt Friday has resulted in Dusty Brown landing in Pawtucket. (projo.com) McDonald reports on the performance last night of the guy Sox fans see quite a bit of in spring training -- he invariably catches the last few innings of almost every exhibition game televised back here -- and then disappears once the season starts.
FOR SALE: For a mere $169,000, you can go on eBay and purchase David Ortiz' car. (Projo Sox Blog) Our old friend Steve Silva calls it a case Papi being Manny. (Boston Dirt Dogs)
CHATTY: Theo Epstein participated in a chat on Boston.com yesterday afternoon, and when asked the inevitable question about the Yankees cutting into the Sox lead, he replied: ''We'd rather be up 14 games, of course, but we have to be somewhat satisfied with a five-game lead given how well the Yankees have played over the last 2 1/2 months. We're well enough positioned now so that we'll get what we deserve. If we play well down the stretch, we should get into October without concern. If we don't play well when it matters ... well, then we probably don't deserve to be playing into October. I am confident that these players have what it takes.''
UPDATE: The Sox' lead is now six games, not five, after the Yankees got hammered by the Angels, 18-9. (New York Daily News) Mike Mussina put the Yanks in a 7-1 hole after two innings (New York Post), and though they nearly climbed out with four runs in the third, the bullpen -- there's that word again -- blew things up by allowing five runs in the third and five runs again in the sixth. Mussina was so bad that the Journal-News' Peter Abraham wonders if he'd be on the postseason roster should the Yankees make it.
RELAX: Abraham, on the LoHud Yankees Blog, is urging Yankee Universe to remain calm in light of New York's five-losses-in-eight-games stumble. He also makes some very sober points about Joba Chamberlain, warning that those who want to turn the Yankee 'pen into all Joba all the time run the risk of destroying his career. And if you don't believe him, he points to Cole Hamels. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
PERFECT TEN: Garret Anderson led the charge for the Angels last night with 10 RBI. (Riverside Press-Enterprise)
GOOD INVESTMENT: SI.com's Tom Verducci says Jorge Posada is defying the laws of aging with a career year at age 36 and would be worth a premium price in the free-agent market.
CALM DOWN: The Mets officially pulled the plug on the notion of Pedro Martinez' imminent return to New York, as ''bullpen coach and longtime confidante'' Guy Conti told the New York Daily News that Petey ''definitely needs one or two more" rehab starts.
WELCOME ABOARD: The Mets laid out the red carpet for the newly acquired Jeff Conine. (New York Daily News)
AND WELCOME AT LAST: The New York Post's Mike Vaccaro says the Shea Stadium faithful are finally warming up to Carlos Beltran. Perhaps the Mets' thrilling win over the Padres softened their mood. (New York Post)
NAMING NAMES: SI.com reports that George Mitchell has been given the list of players who allegedly bought steroids from Kirk Radomski, the former Mets clubhouse attendant.
NOTHING LIKE A GOOD PIECE OF ALUMINUM: Former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer is part of a group that is fighting the trend to replace metal bats with wooden ones. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
OOPS: The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Bud Shaw says it's time for the Indians to step up. Then they went out and got one-hit by the Tigers in a 2-1 loss that narrowed their A.L. Central lead to one-half game. (Detroit News)
AIMING CY: Erik Bedard continues to build his credentials for the A.L. Cy Young Award by beating the Rangers, raising his record to 13-4 and tying the Orioles' record for strikeouts in a single season with 218. (Baltimore Sun)
QUICKLY: The Orioles are expected to announce today that Dave Trembley's contract has been extended through 2008 (Baltimore Sun) . . . The Astros' Jason Jennings will undergo season-ending elbow surgery (Houston Chronicle) . . . Alfonso Soriano says he'll be ready this weekend, but the Cubs are sticking to Labor Day as his first day back. (Chicago Sun Times)
OLD FRIENDS: Dan Duquette may become the Pirates' CEO (Beaver County Times) . . . Cliff Floyd came off the restricted list and led the Cubs over the Giants. (Chicago Sun Times)
-- ART MARTONE
Posted by Art Martone 
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