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October 10, 2007
RESUME FIRING: Prior to 2004, it can be argued that the most dramatic moment in Red Sox postseason history -- with the exception of Carlton Fisk, of course -- was Pedro Martinez coming out of the bullpen and shutting down the Indians with six no-hit innings in the fifth and deciding game of the 1999 ALDS. (Above, Martinez is carried off the field by jubilant teammates after the game's final out. Journal photo by Bob Breidenbach.) That game was the capper of five years' worth of battles between the Sox and Indians that have largely been forgotten as the Sox-Yankee holy war, dormant for so long, resurrected itself over the last decade. But Sean McAdam reminds us that, not so long ago, it was Cleveland, and not New York, who was Boston's biggest rival. Now they meet again, with a championship on the line, and we shall see if this particular rivalry reignites in the next 10 days or so.
SWITCHING SIDES: One of the Indians' biggest sluggers back then was Manny Ramirez. Today he's on the opposite side of the fence and, for all his foibles, the Red Sox couldn't be happier. Joe McDonald tells us why.
THEM, TOO: It wasn't so long ago that Trot Nixon and Kelly Shoppach were in Boston suits. And Alex Cora was wearing Cleveland colors. Not anymore. (All stories projo.com)
DIFFERENT ORDER: The Red Sox announced their pitching rotation for the series yesterday, and Steven Krasner reports Curt Schilling will supplant Daisuke Matsuzaka as the No. 2 starter. Tim Wakefield is penciled in as the No. 4 starter at the moment and he said he felt ''good enough'' after throwing a simulated game yesterday. This might bear watching; Wakefield gets surly when he's not feeling well and he wasn't exactly Little Mary Sunshine yesterday. It could be that he's still not healthy enough to pitch and the Sox may have to adjust their plans. Stay tuned. Also throwing yesterday were Jonathan Papelbon, Mike Timlin and Jon Lester. And while we're talking pitching, it's worth nothing that the Sox may ask for more out of Javier Lopez in this series. (All stories projo.com)
CASHING OUT? If Wakefield is, indeed, added to the ALCS roster, Kevin Cash may be taken off. (projo.com)
THE KING IS DEAD. LONG LIVE THE KING! Many of the Sox felt it would be the Yankees, and not the Indians, they'd be playing this week but David Ortiz, for one, won't miss the Yanks. (Projo Sox Blog) Not many of them made a real effort to watch Monday night's ALDS finale between New York and Cleveland. (projo.com)
IT'S BETTER THIS WAY: The Boston Globe's Dan Shaughnessy gives us 33 reasons why Sox-Indians is preferable to Sox-Yankees.
LOOKING AHEAD: In anticipation of DH-less World Series games in National League parks, Ortiz worked out a first base yesterday. (Projo Sox Blog)
BIG DEAL: The Sox had a 5-2 edge in the season series against the Indians, but almost to a man they dismissed it as meaningless. (Projo Sox Blog)
THE REAL WORLD SERIES: The New York Sun's Tim Marchman says the American League is so much stronger than the National that the A.L. ''could have literally fielded a stronger slate of playoff teams from among its second- and third-place finishers than the NL actually did.''
HE'S BACK! Joe Posnanski shut down his sublime Soul of Baseball blog last August, but now he returns with joeposnanski.com, and just in time for the baseball playoffs. Since he grew up an Indians fan, he figures to be paying close attention to the ALCS. Already he's thrown some props to Eric Wedge for sticking to his guns after a controversial pitching decision, and -- in a post destined to make him a hero in Red Sox Nation -- wonders why the folks in New York aren't killing Derek Jeter for his utterly brutal performance in the ALDS.
BYRD MAN: FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal shows a little love to the Indians' Paul Byrd.
OUR TIME HAS COME: ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick says the Indians are flying under the radar no longer and now have a chance to fulfill their dream.
KENNY BEING KENNY: For a guy who's been around as long as he has, Kenny Lofton has never become a particularly beloved figure anywhere he's been. An example: As his teammates were celebrating their ALDS victory over the Yankees Monday night, the New York Post reports Lofton hollered, ''Let's wrap it up, I have a tee time tomorrow.'' That, added the Post, ''rankled more than one Indian.''
THERE'S SMALL, AND THEN THERE'S SMALL: The blog The Good Phight notes that the smaller markets won each of the rounds in the LDS. I suppose it's technically true that the Angels (Los Angeles/Anaheim) are in a bigger market than the Red Sox (Boston), but no one's pointing to the Sox' triumph as an example of small-market perseverance.
O-V-A OVA: ESPN.com's Howard Bryant officially declares the Yankee Dynasty dead.
THE REAL MAGIC NUMBERS: Four and thirteen. That's the Yankees' record in their last 17 postseason games and the New York Daily News' Mike Lupica calls it ''most amazing statistic in sports right now.''
WHO ARE YOU GOING TO GET THAT'S BETTER? The Yankees apparently are in no hurry to do what everyone expects them to do: Fire Joe Torre. (New York Daily News) Baseball Musing's David Pinto says he understands why they'd do it, but he doubts they'll find a replacement''who can handle the egos of the ownership, players and NY media as well as Torre.''
WHO CAN WE GET THAT'S WORSE? The Daily News' Filip Bondy says Yankee fans are ready for a change in the manager's seat.
DO IT WITH STYLE: The Post's Mike Vaccaro says the Yankees have always been particularly classless when it comes to firing managers, and they should take a lesson in grace from Torre in doing it this time.
IN HIS CORNER: Torre has some support in the Red Sox clubhouse. (Hartford Courant)
YOU'RE NOT SOLVING THE REAL PROBLEM: The New York Observer's Howard Megdal says management isn't the Yankees main concern. It's pitching.
AND YOU MAY BE CREATING SOME: One of Torre's absolute strengths was the smooth way he handled the New York media, preventing controversy from even getting started. He did it by being thoughtful and articulate, without necessarily being enlightening, and by treating reporters with respect. But one of Torre's rumored replacements, Tony La Russa, is the anti-Torre when it comes to media relations; he attempts to cow and intimidate the press with bullying tactics. It's worked in the small markets (Oakland, St. Louis) in which he built his managerial bones. But if he comes to the big stage and tries what the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Bernie Miklasz calls his "Don Tony" routine, the Daily News' John Harper warns that ''there could be some hellacious confrontations'' with members of the Fourth Estate, who, in New York anyway, are no shrinking violets.
DON'T WORRY: The New York Post reports that La Russa told Torre he's likely to return to St. Louis.
HOWEVER . . . La Russa also says he won't decide whether or not to return to the Cardinals -- or, I suppose, to leave them -- until he knows who the new general manager will be. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
FLAWED ARGUMENT: Tigers reliever Todd Jones, a regular blogger on SportingNews.com, presents his plan for getting all the playoff games in prime time and letting ''the Yankees know that other teams should share that primetime playoff slot.'' The problem with that is, save for Game Four against the Indians -- which was the only game played on that night -- no Yankee game started in prime time this year.
TIPPING THEIR HAND? Alex Rodriguez has yet to give any public indication about whether or not he plans to exercise the opt-out clause in his contract, but his agent, Scott Boras, sure sounds like someone getting ready for free agency. (ESPN.com) If he does opt out, the Daily News says the Yankees won't attempt to re-sign him.
ONE MORE TIME: Another Suzyn Waldman audio clip is making the rounds. (cantstopthebleeding.com) Of all the melodramatic things I've ever seen . . .
QUICKLY: Gary Sheffield's shoulder was damaged more severely than originally thought, and it's a question as to whether or not he'll be able to play the outfield at the beginning of next season (Detroit News) . . . Veteran Astros broadcaster Milo Hamilton is recovering from a heart attack (ESPN.com) . . . The Royals are in no rush to choose a new manager (Kansas City Star) . . . The Tigers will bring Ivan Rodriguez back next year (Detroit News) . . . The Phillies extended the contract of manager Charlie Manuel (Philadelphia Inquirer).
-- ART MARTONE
Posted by Art Martone 
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