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Photo: A bunt from Lugo

Journal photo / Bob Breidenbach
Julio Lugo bunts for a single to load the bases in the eighth inning.

Posted by Donna McGarry  at 11:37 PM | Permalink

Photo: Sabathia retired in the sixth

Journal photo / Bob Breidenbach
Cleveland starter C.C. Sabathia exits the game in the sixth inning.

Posted by Donna McGarry  at 11:34 PM | Permalink

IN-GAME COMMENTARY: Bench-clearing scrums in baseball are a joke

Journal photo / Bob Breidenbach
The benches cleared when Josh Beckett, center, had words with Cleveland's Kenny Lofton, not pictured, in the fifth inning.

BY JOE McDONALD
Journal Sports Writer

CLEVELAND -- I posted this item to the blog when the Red Sox and Angels had one last month. So, with it happening again tonight, I figured to bring it back.

Have you ever seen anything more ridiculous than a bench-clearing "brawl" in baseball?

Red Sox starter Josh Beckett had words with the Indians' Kenny Lofton in the fifth inning on the infield grass after Lofton popped out to left field.

Both benches cleared and, my favorite, the pitchers in the bullpen run all the way in to join the scrum on the diamond. If anything, don't you think they would get into it in the outfield instead of running all the way in?

To stop such silly behavior, and to have baseball players stop thinking they're hockey players, here's a simple solution to stop such events in baseball:

If a pitcher hits a batter and then decides to charge the mound, let them battle it out. If anyone leaves their position, including the catcher, or leaves the dugout and bullpen then it's an automatic suspension.

This way the pitcher knows he'll have to protect himself if he decides to intentionally hit a batter. And, if the dugouts do empty, then please make it worth it -- old-school hockey.

I can picture it now: Francona walking through the clubhouse one day and he spots Dustin Pedroia putting on the foil.

Posted by Joe McDonald  at 10:34 PM | Permalink

Photo: Beckett at it again

Journal photo / Bob Breidenbach
After six innings, Beckett has struck out nine.

Posted by Donna McGarry  at 10:25 PM | Permalink

Photo: Manny's out at home

Journal photo / Bob Breidenbach
Manny Ramirez closes his eyes in exasperation after he is thrown out at home plate in the first inning.

Posted by Donna McGarry  at 9:10 PM | Permalink

Photo: Homer for Youkilis

Kevin Youkilis hits a solo home run in the first inning.

Posted by Donna McGarry  at 9:04 PM | Permalink

IN-GAME TIDBIT: Millar implores Sox fans to 'Cowboy Up'

Red Sox fans watching last night’s pregame show on Fox were shocked to get a pep talk from a familiar, though departed, face.

“Come on, Red Sox fans,’’ implored Kevin Millar, a member of the Sox from 2003-05 who now plays for the Baltimore Orioles, in a prepared spot that led into a commercial. “Get off the Tobin Bridge and support the Sox.’’

Millar had coined the phrase “Cowboy Up’’ during the 2003 season and became the unofficial spokesman of the team that made the playoffs three seasons in a row and won the World Series in 2004. It was in ’04 that the Sox rallied from three games down a 0-3 deficit against the Yankees in the ALCS, and Millar was one of the players who never gave up during the series.

“All I’m sayin’ is, don’t let us win tonight,’’ he said over and over before prior to Game Four against the Yankees, speaking to fellow players, to fans, to anyone who would listen, all of it captured by cameras for the official World Series film. “ ‘Cause if we win tonight, they get Petey [Pedro Martinez] in Game Five, Schill [Curt Schilling] in Game Six, and then anything can happen in Game Seven.’’

It unfolded exactly as Millar predicted. And last night, even though he’s now an Oriole, he was making the same pitch to his old audience.

“You’re down 3-1. But we were down 3-0,’’ he said. “Get out there. Support your Sox.

“It’s time to Cowboy Up.’’

Posted by Art Martone  at 9:03 PM | Permalink

IN-GAME UPDATE: Times for Games Six and Seven announced

The Red Sox just announced that the if-needed Games Six and Seven of the ALCS will both begin at 8:23 p.m at Fenway Park.

Posted by Joe McDonald  at 8:15 PM | Permalink

Photo: Sox fans show pregame jitters in Cleveland

Journal photo /Bob Breidenbach
Red Sox fans watch pregame warmups at Jacobs Field in Cleveland as the Cleveland Indians host the Boston Red Sox for Game 5 of the ALCS. The Indians lead in the series 3-1, and the fans' faces show their concern.

Posted by Pam Cotter  at 7:59 PM | Permalink

Photo: Lugo and Papi

Journal photo / Bob Breidenbach
Julio Lugo and David Ortiz chat during pregame stretching warmups.

Posted by Donna McGarry  at 7:41 PM | Permalink

PREGAME: Small market success

BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer

CLEVELAND -- If the Indians beat the Red Sox for American League pennant, the World Series will feature two teams -- the Indians and Colorado Rockies -- who hardly qualify as big-market teams.

The Rockies are ranked 20th in payroll among baseball's 30 teams and the Indians are No. 22.

''What that says,'' said Indians general manager Mark Shapiro, ''is it's possible to win with a payroll in the bottom third. But for both Colorado and Cleveland, we also have to make good player development decisions, scout well, have a productive Latin American operations and make consistently good decisions.''

A handful of Indians -- Trot Nixon, David Delluci, Joe Borowski -- were free agent adidtions, but because of their small-market status, Shapiro said the Indians can't focus on the free agent market solely.

''Free agency is by nature inefficient,'' he said, ''because players are either declining in performance (by the time they're eligible) or we're competing for those players with big market teams who have more resources.

''To use free agency to supplement, or go where value lies or if we have one need -- that's fine. But we can't rely on it too much.''

Posted by Sean McAdam  at 7:17 PM | Permalink

PREGAME: Nixon's the one for leadership

BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer

CLEVELAND -- On Thursday afternoon, with the Indians gathering for a workout in the late afternoon, outfielder Trot Nixon gathered a group of Indians in the outfield and spoke to them for a few minutes, presumably imparting some veteran leadership.

''Yesterday was nothing out of the ordinary,'' said manager Eric Wedge. ''Trot has taken on a leadership role here from Day One . . . Trot has handled things the way a leader should handle things over the course of this year and other people have grown right along with him.''

''There's a definite value to (Trot's contributions),'' said GM Mark Shapiro. ''There's no leadership like peer-to-peer leadership. Any words that come from one player to another are the most powerful words.''

`

Posted by Sean McAdam  at 7:11 PM | Permalink

PREGAME: No peck on the cheek

Journal photo / Bob Breidenbach
Danielle Peck sings the National Anthem.

Tonight's National Anthem singer is country singer Danielle Peck, the former girlfriend of Red Sox starter Josh Beckett. Safe to say there won't be any interaction between the two. Maybe the Indians scheduled this on purpose (wink-wink).

Following the game, a reporter actually asked Beckett what he thought about the Indians bringing Peck in to sing. He was quite animated.

"I don't get paid to make those (expletive) decisions," he said. "She's a friend of mine. That doesn't bother me at all. Thanks for flying one of my friends to the game so she cokuld watch it for free."

-- JOE McDONALD

Posted by Joe McDonald  at 6:38 PM | Permalink

PREGAME: Game Five lineups

BOSTON
Dustin Pedroia, 2b
Kevin Youkilis, 1b
David Ortiz, dh
Manny Ramirez, lf
Mike Lowell, 3b
Bobby Kielty, rf
Jason Varitek, c
Coco Crisp, cf
Julio Lugo, ss
---
Josh Beckett

CLEVELAND
Grady Sizemore, cf
Asdrubal Cabrera, 2b
Travis Hafner, dh
Victor Martinez, c
Ryan Garko, 1b
Jhonny Peralta, 2b
Kenny Lofton, lf
Franklin Guitierrez, rf
Casey Blake, 3b
---
C.C. Sabathia, SP

Posted by Joe McDonald  at 6:28 PM | Permalink

PREGAME: Papelbon ready

BY JOE McDONALD
Journal Sports Writer

CLEVELAND -- Red Sox star closer Jonathan Papelbon has only worked in one game of the ALCS, posting two scoreless innings in Game Two on Saturday at Fenway Park. The Red Sox haven't given him a chance to work because of their lack of offense in the two games at Jacobs Field, but manager Terry Francona is not concerned heading into Game Five tonight.

''He threw two innings in an extra-inning game and that's pretty major for me,'' he said. ''When you give up seven runs in two separate games, that can be part of the dilemma. We need Pap to be part of this game. I think that's stating the obvious.''

Papelbon, who recorded 37 saves and a 1.85 ERA this season, has worked 7 1/3 scoreless innings in four career postseason games with the Red Sox.

Posted by Joe McDonald  at 6:25 PM | Permalink

PREGAME: Francona talks about Joe Torre

BY JOE McDONALD
Journal Sports Writer

CLEVELAND -- The news of Joe Torre stepping down as manager of the Yankees is the talk around Jacobs Field today. As the Red Sox prepare to face the Indians in Game Five of the ALCS (Cleveland leads series, 3-1) Terry Francona said he respects Torre's decision.

Obviously, Francona is focused on tonight's game, but he did discuss the Yankees' situation a little.

''I hope Joe is happy,'' he said. ''He deserves the respect and I think you're going to hear people in baseball, every area of baseball, say probably very, very kind, respectful things about Joe the next couple of days. And, they are all deserved. I just hope he's happy.''

The Sox manager was asked to comment further, but he declined.

''You'll have to forgive me,'' he said. ''That's not on the front burner tonight. There will be a time for that, but we really have other things on our plate right now. No disrespect to any organization or any person. . . This is sort of a big day for us to try to win this game. This isn't the time. We need to try to win this game tonight, or I might be getting phone calls. Joe might be calling me.''

Cleveland manager Eric Wedge added his props.

"I think Joe Torre is one of the greatest managers of all time," said Wedge. "I've got a great deal of respect for him as a human being, as well as a baseball man, and with what he's accomplished. I think he should manage as long as he wants to manage. I know there's a business side of it, but from what I understand, for him to look at that and say 'no' good for him. He's earned and deserves to do whatever the hell he wants to do."

Posted by Joe McDonald  at 6:13 PM | Permalink

PREGAME: Pregame notes

CEREMONIAL FIRST PITCH: Scott Hamilton, Olympic Gold medal figure skater and Bowling Green, OH native…Co-Founder of the Scott Hamilton CARES Initiative at Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute.

NATIONAL ANTHEM and GOD BLESS AMERICA: Danielle Peck, country music singer & Coshocton, Ohio native

ELIMINATION POSITION: Tonight marks the 66th postseason series in LCS or World Series history to feature a 3-1 series standing in a best-of-seven series…Of the previous 65 3-1 situations, 55 teams holding a 3-1 edge have gone on to win the series…34 teams won the series in five (last, STL over DET in 2006 WS), 17 won the series in six (last, HOU over STL in 2005 NLCS), and 4 won the series in seven (last, ATL over PIT in 1992 NLCS)…10 teams lost the series in 7 (last, BOS over NYY in 2004 ALCS).

LCS ON THE LINE: Five times in LCS history a team has staved off elimination in 3 straight games to win the series…In ALCS play, just three times in 14 such scenarios has a team rallied from a 3-1 deficit…Two of the five rallies belong to the Red Sox: in 2004 Boston over New York and 1986 Boston over California . . . Other clubs to have rallied from a 3-1 deficit are the 1985 Royals over Toronto, the 1996 Braves over the Cardinals and the 2003 Marlins over the Cubs…Boston is 2-1 when trailing an LCS 3-1 (losing in ’99 to NYY in 5)…Cleveland has won its only LCS when hosting a 3-1 lead (1997 over Baltimore in six games).

THREE STRAIGHT WINS: Cleveland has won 3 straight games in this series to take a 3-1 advantage after losing Game One…In ALCS history, only once has a team won 3 straight games in a series and not advanced (2004 ALCS,
Yankees build 3-0 lead before losing in 7 to Boston)…Only four times in LCS history (42 series) has a team won 4 straight after losing at least one game in an LCS (1985 St. Louis over LAD in 6); 2002 Anaheim over Minnesota in 5; 2004 Boston over New York in 7; 2005 Chicago over LAA in 5)…Cleveland has won 3 straight games twice
previously in LCS play (1997 over Baltimore, winning in 6 and 1995 over Seattle, winning in 6).

MOMENTUM DISRUPTION? For the first time in LCS play, the schedule featured an off-day Wednesday, the first time teams have had an off-day in the same city under new scheduling for 2007…Though previous LCS match-ups
have not featured this exact scheduling arrangement (and therefore no off-day before Game 5 in best-of-seven series), on six previous occasions, teams have won 2 or more games to get into a clinching position and have then had an off-day before having a chance to close out the series...New York (1998) and Cleveland (1995) are the only two teams able to maintain momentum following an off-day:

Series/Teams Winning Streak/Status Next Game Result Series Result
2004 NLCS HOU vs. STL 3 wins HOU to go up, 3-2 at STL 6, HOU 4 (12) STL in 7
1998 ALCS CLE vs. NYY 2 wins NYY to go up, 3-2 at NYY 9, CLE 5 NYY in 6
1995 ALCS CLE vs. SEA 2 wins CLE to go up, 3-2 CLE 4, at SEA 0 CLE in 6
1987 NLCS SF vs. STL 2 wins SF to go up, 3-2 at STL 1, SF 0 STL in 7
1982 ALCS CAL vs. MIL 2 wins CAL to go up, 2-0 at MIL 5, CAL 3 MIL in 5
1972 ALCS OAK vs. DET 2 wins OAK to go up, 2-0 at DET 3, OAK 0 DET in 5

CURVEBALL THE KEY? The ghost of CANDY CUMMINGS may be alive and well in tonight’s Game 5, as the key to tonight’s pitching match-up might be found in the ability of JOSH BECKETT or C.C. SABATHIA to throw the curveball effectively…On this date, October 18, 1848, Cummings was born in Ware, Massachusetts…Often referred to as the inventor of the curveball, Cummings pitched for six seasons in the National Association and National Leagues from 1872-’77…In Beckett’s favor, Cummings is believed to have developed the curveball while watching
the flight of clam shells on a New England beach at age 14…For Sabathia, Cummings’ initials (C.C.) match the abbreviated name for “Carsten Charles,” the given namesake of the Indians’ Game 5 starter…Cummings was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939.

CHASING PETE: MANNY RAMIREZ can match PETE ROSE for the all-time LCS hitting streak with a base hit in tonight’s game…Ramirez hit safely in his 14th straight LCS contest in Game 4, 2nd longest in history…Rose hit safely in 15 straight LCS games from 1973-’83…Ramirez has hit safely in all 7 games this postseason, matching teammate DAVID ORTIZ and Arizona’s STEPHEN DREW for longest hitting streaks this postseason…Ramirez ended his streak of 8 consecutive postseason games with a walk in Game 4.

ALL-TIME LCS HOME RUN KING: Ramirez became the all-time LCS leader in home runs Tuesday with his 10th career home run in LCS play, passing GEORGE BRETT (9) who held the mark…The home run was Ramirez’s 24th
career postseason blast, further extending his own record set earlier this series.

LIVE ANOTHER DAY: On this date in 2004, the Boston Red Sox survived for one more day…In Game 5 of the 2004 ALCS, Boston mounded a 5-4 comeback victory in 14 innings to win their 2nd straight from New York, one day after
scoring in the bottom of the 9th inning to force extra innings in their first elimination game…DAVID ORTIZ collected an RBI single to pull Boston to 3-2 in the series, as the Red Sox would go on to win the series in 7 games.

REMAINING RED SOX: From that 2004 ALCS comeback team, the 2007 Red Sox roster features 7 players who were a part of that 0-3 comeback: DOUG MIRABELLI, DAVID ORTIZ, MANNY RAMIREZ, CURT SCHILLING, MIKE
TIMLIN, JASON VARITEK and TIM WAKEFIELD.

OTHER OCTOBER 18 POSTSEASON MEMORIES: Also on October 18 in ALCS history, the Yankees eliminated the Red Sox, 6-1, in Game 5 of the 1999 ALCS at Boston…The Red Sox are 2-1 overall on this date in history, recording a Game One victory in the 1986 World Series at the New York Mets, 1-0, as BRUCE HURST outdueled RON DARLING in taking the series opener…The Indians are 0-1 on this date in postseason play, dropping Game One of the 1997 World Series at Florida, 7-4, to LIVAN HERNANDEZ, as OREL HERSHISER took the loss.

DOZEN FOR DAVID: DAVID ORTIZ has hit safely in 12 consecutive postseason games, dating back to Game 3 of the 2004 World Series (10/26/04), hitting .410 (16-39) during this span…The streak is a career-best for Ortiz,
surpassing his previous 11-game postseason hitting streak...Three players hold the record for longest postseason hitting streak at 17 games: HANK BAUER, DEREK JETER and MANNY RAMIREZ…Ortiz is batting .500 (10-20) this postseason with hits in each of his 7 games.

RED SOX STARTERS: In each of the last 3 games of this series, Red Sox starting pitchers have lasted 4.2 innings each, the 2nd time in Boston postseason history that three consecutive starters failed to pitch 5.0 innings…In 1999,
Boston starters lasted fewer than 5.0 innings in the final two games of the ALDS against Cleveland (Game 4 – 1.2 ip – KENT MERCKER, Game 5 – 1.0 ip – BRET SABERHAGEN) and in Game 1 of the 1999 ALCS against New York
(4.0 ip – KENT MERCKER)…In the 2007 regular season, Red Sox starters never went more than 2 consecutive starts of fewer than 5.0 innings…The trio has combined for a 9.00 ERA (14 ER/14.0 IP) in the last 3 games…Overall this series, Boston starters are 1-2, 7.20 (16 er/20 ip) in 4 games, surrendering 5 home runs.

CLEVELAND PITCHING: The Indians bullpen is 2-0 with two saves and a 2.10 ERA (7 ER/30.0 IP) in eight postseason games in 2007...Cleveland starters have combined to go 4-2, 5.73 (28 ER/44 IP).

REVERSAL OF FORTUNE: After going 2-11 in 13 regular-season games against the Yankees and Red Sox, the Indians are 6-2 in 8 games this postseason against the two clubs.

BOMBS AWAY: With 2 more home runs in Game Four, the Indians have hit 7 home runs in this series and have homered in six straight postseason games, matching the club’s 2nd longest streak in history…The Indians also hit
home runs in six straight games in 1997…The club record is eight straight, from 1954-’95.

KENNY PASSES RICKEY: KENNY LOFTON became the postseason’s all-time stolen base leader in Game 4, stealing his 34th career base to move one ahead of RICKEY HENDERSON (33)…In Game 4, Lofton also record his
44th career LCS hit, matching DEREK JETER for 3rd-most all-time…The hit was his 96th career postseason hit, matching CHIPPER JONES for 3rd-most all-time…Lofton scored a run, his 24th in LCS play, matching DAVID JUSTICE for 3rd-most all-time.

TWO-DAY DELAY? With a rainy morning in Cleveland, the possibility exists for poor weather for game time, though the forecast indicates continued clearing…The last rainout to affect the ALCS came in Game Three of the 2004 ALCS in Boston on October 15, scheduled Game Three, at Fenway Park…Game Four of the 2003 ALCS at Fenway Park was also rained out...Every postseason game in MLB history has lasted at least nine innings, despite rain
delays which have often been lengthy…As the postseason schedule features an off-day within one city for the first time in 2007, should the game be rained out, it would mark the 4th time in LCS teams would feature a two-day layoff in the midst of the LCS, with rain in Game Three forcing the postponement in all three earlier cases following a scheduled travel day.

FIRST PITCH: Tonight’s Game Five first pitch time has been moved from 8:21 p.m. to 8:23 p.m.

Posted by Art Martone  at 6:11 PM | Permalink

UPDATED: Torre rejects contract offer from Yankees

The Joe Torre Era in New York is over . . . and it was Torre's choice.

The veteran manager turned down a one-year contract offer worth $5 million -- which would have been a $2.5 million pay cut -- and the Yankees say they're moving on and will hire a new manager.

Read the entire story here.

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 4:08 PM | Permalink | Comments 3

Projo SoxTalk with McAdam: Turning to history for inspiration

Click here to listen to today's edition of projo SoxTalk with Sean McAdam. The topics: the weather forecast in Cleveland; whether the Sox are more likely to win three straight because they have done it before; the mysterious disappearance of the Boston offense; Cleveland's MVPs; Josh Beckett's ability to pitch deep into tonight's game; Manny Ramirez's post-home-run posing and interesting comments to the media; and the back story to the Yankees' continued dance with Alex Rodriguez.

Following are some excerpts from Sean's comments.

Tonight's weather: "It could be a factor. There's a forecast for some rain, and maybe even thunderstorms, throughout the day. So it's something to monitor. As we speak it's just overcast, and they could certainly play through this, but it could be something of a situation given what they're projecting."

Do past playoff comebacks give the Red Sox comfort in the present? "It's not going to win the series for them, but as Terry Francona said yesterday, in this situation you are looking for anything to give you something of an edge. And i think that because there are eight or so guys on this team who were here in '04 and went through it against the Yankees, they can perhaps draw upon that experience sort of as a reminder, I guess, that it can be done. Beyond that, you've got to go out and make good pitches and come up with clutch two-out hits, and a lot of the things the Red Sox haven't done the last two games. But I think it's the kind of thing that can boost you a little bit when you remember that not only has it been done, but you've been part of it before."

On Manny's comments ('We're going to play and if it doesn't happen, we'll come back next year and try to do it again.'): "They kind of sound callous, I think, when you read them on a printed page ... But I think if you know Manny's nature, and sort of fun-loving approach to things, then that's kind of within the context of who he is and how he approaches things. It shouldn't signal that he literally doesn't care; it's just evidence of how sort of casual he is about just about everything. But I think that he wants to win, and sometimes, I think, he just expresses himself in a unique way.

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 10:39 AM to McAdam | Permalink | Comments 2

Download today's sports cover

Today's sports cover page details what the Red Sox need to do to revisit history and earn their way to the World Series.

Download a copy of the page in .pdf format.

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 10:35 AM | Permalink