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Quick thoughts from Anaheim »
October 6, 2007
*The Red Sox just completed their optional workout at Angels Stadium. The club arrived here at 6 a.m. this morning, but mostly everyone showed up at the ballpark.
"I almost didn't show up," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "We got in late. I think the Angels got in about the same time we did. So, it's the same for both teams. You just do the best you can. . . That's just the way it is. You can sleep in the winter."
*Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedoria said his sore is a little sore today, but nothing to worry about. He still took BP this afternoon. His left shoulder popped out and popped back in when he was attempting to make a play in Game Two Friday night at Fenway Park. He remained in the game and showed no ill effects.
"It's the playoffs," he said. "You play through it."
Before and after the workout this afternoon he received treatment, and he said he'll be ready to go on Sunday.
Francona said this afternoon that he expected the rookie to be "a little more tender" than what he is.
"It's not something that will get in the way of him playing, which is great from our standpoint," said the manager.
Pedroia grew up in California and said he's expecting some family and a ton of friends to attend Sunday's game.
*After his subpar performance in his first major-league postseason game, Daisuke Matsuzaka was sitting in the clubhouse having a discussion with pitching coach John Farrell.
*After his walk-off heroics on Friday night, Manny Ramirez was sitting in the clubhouse this afternoon, watching video of his at-bats versus Sunday's Angels starter Jered Weaver. As he walked over to where the video equipment is set up, he did say he was tired.
Ramirez actually spoke with the media following Friday's victory and he said that he hasn't been right all season with his timing, but also alluded to something else that was bothering him.
He wouldn't go into specifics, so Francona was asked about it today. He said he didn't hear the press conference and did not want to comment. But he did say the slugger has been working on his timing for much of the season.
*Red Sox pitchers Curt Schilling and Josh Beckett traveled here Friday night and arrived at the hotel at the precise moment Ramirez hit his three-run walk-off homer. Schilling said they walked into the hotel bar all fired up about the win, which didn't sit too well with the Angels fans in the house.
"I was acting like a 2-year-old," said Schilling. "I was just screaming. I don't think they were all that excited. But we literally stepped out of the cab and Manny hit the ball. So, it was a pretty wild night."
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
Curt Schilling on his transformation from a power to a finesse pitcher:
"It's like Josh (Beckett) goes through a lineup with a bazooka for the most part. Daisuke is like a machine gun. I've turned into a guy who has to use a sniper rifle; pick my spots and pick my targets and execute perfectly."
Schilling was done there.
In the midst of answering a question about his post World Series performances in '93, '01 and '04 and what he can carry into Sunday's start, he talked about Yankees' Alex Rodriguez.
This is his complete answer. You try to figure it out.
"Well, I think one of the main ingredients to being good at this time of the year is part of your internal makeup, I guess. I'm not afraid to make mistakes. I'm not afraid to fail. And I want to -- I've always wanted to be great on this stage, because the postseason is just so different in how I think I perceive it and how people look at it."
Ok, that's a pretty good answer. But in the same breath, Schilling adds this:
"Great example is you look at what Alex has done this year in New York. He had one of the single best seasons in the history of the game. And the media there couldn't wait for six at-bats. He's 0-for-6. They had three hits (Friday). The focal of the New York media is that Alex has srewed up again. We know, as players, that's not how it works. But, there's a preception in October that from a player's perspective, that's than you guys."
He added:
"When you can be thought of like a Josh Beckett, and those guys that suceed on the game's biggest stage, the biggest moments, to me it's always told you something different that's maybe not visible, they have some different makeup. It's comforting to know that you've got guys on the team with that makeup in them. This is the time that makes people see that."
Seems like Big Schil is contradicting himself a bit, eh?
LOS ANGELS ANGELS OF ANAHEIM
Angels slugger Vlad Guerrero, who was hit in the back of the left shoulder by Red Sox reliever in the seventh inning Friday night and was pulled from the game, had some tests done this morning and everything is normal, according to manager Mike Scioscia.
"It's just a contusion," he said. "He was in this morning for treatment and definitely looks like he's going to be able to play (on Sunday). We'll see if this thing keeps moving in the right direction. It's a little stiff, but knowing Vlad he'll come in tomorrow and he'll be ready to go."
Posted by Joe McDonald 
at 6:21 PM | Permalink
