|
Recent Comments
Rocko on Ramirez apologizes after altercation with Sox' traveling secretary Bob L on Ramirez apologizes after altercation with Sox' traveling secretary Gloree on Ramirez apologizes after altercation with Sox' traveling secretary Caroline on Ramirez apologizes after altercation with Sox' traveling secretary Mike on Ramirez apologizes after altercation with Sox' traveling secretary Craig on Ramirez apologizes after altercation with Sox' traveling secretary Steve on Ramirez apologizes after altercation with Sox' traveling secretary paul wright on Ramirez apologizes after altercation with Sox' traveling secretary Here's Johnny on Ramirez apologizes after altercation with Sox' traveling secretary Mary on Ramirez apologizes after altercation with Sox' traveling secretary To comment on any posting, click on the word 'Comments' at the end of the item. |
 |
|
| OLD Projo SoxBlog DO NOT USE | |
|
|
Main page March 31, 2008
Blue Jays-Yankees postponedNEW YORK (AP) - The beginning of the end will have to wait. The final opening day at Yankee Stadium was postponed because of rain Monday, pushing back New York's game against the Toronto Blue Jays. The game was rescheduled for 7:05 p.m. on Tuesday, previously an off day in the series. Chien-Ming Wang had been slated to pitch for the Yankees on his 28th birthday against Toronto ace Roy Halladay. New York owner George Steinbrenner showed up around noon for the 84th opening day at Yankee Stadium, but history was put on hold by a steady rain that washed away batting practice and the planned festivities. The tarp remained on the field until the game was called at about 2:30 p.m. after a delay of approximately 85 minutes. Players never were introduced. Next year, the Bronx Bombers will move into a $1.3 billion new Yankee Stadium, under construction just across 161st Street. "You see the new stadium, but it still seems like that's years away, even though it's only one," Derek Jeter said. "Just 100 yards away? That's not too far for the ghosts to go." The rain also delayed Joe Girardi's debut as Yankees manager. Girardi is taking over this season from his mentor, Joe Torre, who spent the past 12 years in charge. Torre guided New York to the playoffs every season from 1996-2007 and won four World Series rings in his first five years. He walked away in the offseason when the club offered him just a one-year contract with a pay cut, then quickly was hired to manage the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Yankees have won 10 consecutive home openers, the best run in franchise history and the longest active streak in the majors, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. "There's so many memories here that go beyond baseball," Jeter said. The rainout means there still has never been a regular-season game in March at Yankee Stadium, christened by Babe Ruth's homer before 74,200 fans on opening day in 1923. The Yankees played at Shea Stadium, home of the Mets, from 1974-75 while Yankee Stadium was being remodeled. Notes: Shannon Stewart was penciled in to start in left field for Toronto instead of Matt Stairs, who has a left hip flexor. Stairs was supposed to be available off the bench, and the Blue Jays said they don't plan to put him on the disabled list. "He feels really well right now so we'll see how he feels after he takes batting practice in the cage," general manager J.P. Ricciardi said. "Just go day to day right now." Stairs, who tested his sore hip during the team's workout Sunday, also had a hip problem last season. "This one might be a little bit more intense than the one last year," he said Sunday. "I just want to get that little clicking out of there that's catching when I run sometimes. It doesn't bother me on any swing, just running and lifting that leg up. You get a pinch once in a while." ... The Yankees have won 15 of their past 16 home openers and 21 of 24.
Posted by Mike McDermott Baseball Today: Monday, March 31
CLAY PIGEON: If you're looking for something to worry about heading into the season, we have two words: Clay Buchholz. The young right-hander, whom Red Sox Nation has such high hopes for in 2008, struggled yet again yesterday in an 8-0 loss to the Dodgers that closed out the exhibition season, getting lifted with no outs and two on in the fourth and already trailing, 4-0. Sean McAdam quotes Buchholz -- 1-3 with a 10.13 ERA in the games-that-don't-count -- as saying that "overall, every outing except maybe one this spring was a positive one for me." But the Herald's Tony Massarotti points out that the Sox' unwillingness to part with Buchholz is the reason they don't have Johan Santana and because of that "the expectations for Buchholz [are] stratospheric." So far, the results are subterranean. With Bartolo Colon knocking on the door -- McAdam has the details of his impressive Friday night showing -- Buchholz could wind up in Pawtucket very soon. WILL BOBBY KIELTY BE THERE IF HE DOES? On Saturday, Kielty said he would accept an assignment to the PawSox while he waits for the Sox to trade Coco Crisp. But now McAdam reports another team has apparently come calling, and Kielty may leave the organization. MEMORIAL NIGHT: The highlight of the weekend in Los Angeles was Saturday night's game at the strangely configured Los Angeles Coliseum, which attracted a record 115,300 fans. McAdam tells all about the goings-on before, during and after the Sox' 7-4 win over the Dodgers. Tim Wakefield pitched well in the victory. QUOTE OF THE DAY: From Joe Torre on playing the Red Sox at the Coliseum: "It's a privilege to share this with the Boston Red Sox. Excuse me -- the World Series champion Boston Red Sox. For some reason, that doesn't bother me anymore." ANOTHER JAPANESE SIGNING: McAdam reports the Sox have brought aboard Japanese pitcher Terumasa Matsuo. TOUGH ROAD AHEAD: McAdam takes a detailed look at the very demanding April schedule of the Red Sox . . . and that's not even considering the Japan trip. WIZARDS OF WALL STREET: The Wall Street Journal has unveiled a detailed statistical system of rating managers that puts Terry Francona 16th overall, well behind such people as Ned Yost, Charlie Manuel and Willie Randolph. IF IT WERE ME . . . In answer to a fan's question on his blog, Jim Rice says he'd play Coco Crisp over Jacoby Ellsbury. Ellsbury, incidentally, was the subject of a profile by Neil Swidey in The Boston Sunday Globe Magazine. I LIKE MIKE: While answering fans' questions on Peter Abraham's LoHud Yankees blog, Brian Cashman says his biggest regret as Yankee GM was the Mike Lowell trade . . . not just because of the player Lowell became, but because the team received almost nothing in return. DOWN ON THE FARM: Thanks to Seth Mnookin for pointing out old friend Alex Speier's comprehensive piece on the Red Sox' farm system in the Manchester Union-Leader. OPENING SALVO: How's that for a first game in a new stadium? The Nationals get a two-out, walkoff home run from Ryan Zimmerman in the bottom of the ninth and beat the Braves on national television. (espn.com) FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal thinks it's fitting, since Zimmerman is the face of the franchise. NOW OR . . . ? Jeff Blair of the Toronto Globe and Mail thinks this could be a make-or-break season for Blue Jays GM (and Worcester native) J.P. Ricciardi, who's starting his seventh year with the team. ONE LAST TIME: Today is the last Opening Day the old Yankee Stadium; next April, the Yanks will be opening across the street at their new, state-of-the-art palace. The Daily News' Mike Lupica says the only fitting way to send the old girl out in style is with one last World Series championship. But colleague John Harper talks to scouts who think, to quote whatever song it was Kitty Carlyle sang in Radio Days, Yankee pitching is either too young or too old. And, while the long-term future is bright, four of the six scouts Harper spoke to said the Yankees won't make the playoffs this year. The two who think they'll qualify both said they don't have the pitching depth to win the World Series. FOREVER 39: The Daily News' Filip Bondy says the Bleacher Creatures in Section 39 not only will miss the old stadium more than anyone, and some of them aren't sure they'll make the move to the new place. LET'S LET BYGONES BE BYGONES: Joe Girardi had a nasty parting with the Marlins and owner Jeffrey Loria in 2006, but they made their peace yesterday. (New York Post) ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN: The Mets are ready to start the Johan Santana Era, though they'll be doing it in Miami. (New York Post) But the Times-Herald's Michael Geffner warns that last year's Amazin' collapse is something the Mets still have to deal with. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD: The Marlins take the field with a $21 million payroll, which the South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Mike Hyde thinks is an insult to the fans. COULD IT BE? The Detroit News' Bob Wojnowski says, yeah, the Tigers will be good, but they'll have to be better than good to get where everyone thinks they can go. TWENTY-YEAR ITCH: The Baltimore Sun's Roch Kubatko talks to people who says the Orioles may not be 1988 bad -- that was the year they finished 54-107 -- but they could be close. IT'S NOT GOING AWAY: According to a New York Times/CBS News poll, baseball fans "say that it matters to them if players use performance-enhancing drugs and that the news media are more diligent about covering drug use in baseball than they are in football." (New York Times) UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL: I missed this when it first came out, but Pat Jordan -- author of the withering Jose Canseco piece on Deadspin that we linked to a couple of days ago -- related his experiences watching Roger Clemens work out under the eye of Brian McNamee for Baseball Analysts on the day of Clemens' 60 Minutes interview with Mike Wallace. (It was for a New York Times Sunday Magazine story entitled Roger Clemens Refuses To Grow Up that ran in 2001, a story that so enraged Clemens he convinced the Yankees to ban Jordan from their clubhouse during his time with the team.) Jordan, in the Baseball Analysts post, makes an interesting comparison between the careers of Clemens and Tom Seaver. He notes Seaver had more wins than Clemens through the first 12 years of their respective careers (a 219-117 record for Seaver, 192-111 for Clemens). After that, however, Clemens -- who began his 13th season with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1997, the year he left the Red Sox -- left Seaver in the dust; he was 162-73 over the next 11 seasons, while Seaver went 92-78 over eight years before retiring. "While Seaver struggled with that declining fastball in the latter stage of his career, Clemens kept throwing hard," writes Jordan, who later adds: "It goes against the laws of nature, although I suspect that a case can be made that Clemens' incredible late career success could be attributed to the strict diet and fabled workout routine of his former trainer and friend, now his adversary, Brian McNamee." THAT ABOUT COVERS IT: SI.com's Richard Deitsch saw Jose Canseco as "equal parts oily, smug and desperate" on his Nightline appearance last week. THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY: The real reason Canseco is mad at Alex Rodriguez? Because A-Rod wouldn't let Canseco and his brother, Ozzie, be his agents. (SI.com) GOOD QUESTION, RICHARD: The Houston Chronicle's Richard Justice acknowledges Woody Williams was pitching poorly and deserved to be released, but wonders why Astros fans attacked him so personally over the Internet. BEGINNING OF THE END? The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel believes this could be Ben Sheets' final season with the Brewers. And Francisco Rodriguez himself thinks he'll be leaving the Angels at the conclusion of the year. (Los Angeles Times) No one really knows if this is C.C. Sabathia's swan song in Cleveland, but the Plain Dealer's Bud Shaw says Sabathia knows the benefit of staying put. HOW RUMORS START: According to the Tampa media, Eric Hinske has not only made the Rays' 25-player roster (Tampa Tribune), but he's going to be their Opening Day right fielder. (St. Petersburg Times) But all it took was a throwaway line at the very bottom of a Los Angeles Times column -- "Tampa Bay's Eric Hinske is also reportedly on the market" -- to get the blogosphere (Rays Anatomy, DRaysBay) humming. Why he would be offered for trade now is unfathomable, and Hinske himself obviously doesn't think he's going anywhere; he tells the Bradenton Herald he's looking forward to getting some at-bats this year after an enjoyable, but mostly idle, stint in Boston. HERE AND THERE The Toronto Sun reports Alex Rios has until today to accept the Blue Jays' six-year, $65 million offer, or there'll be no more talks until after the season . . . It looks likes Wes Helms will be staying with the Phillies, at least for now (Allentown Call) . . . Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan is contemplating legal action against a St. Louis radio station after he said they put him on the air without his permission (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) . . . The Orioles ate an $11.9 million meal when they released Jay Gibbons (Baltimore Sun) . . . Juan Pierre's not out of a job; he's just out of a starting job with the Dodgers. (mlb.com) OLD FRIENDS: The Rockies are interested in Jorge De La Rosa, who was designated for assignment by the Royals last week (Kansas City Star) . . . The Cubs are getting inquiries about Matt Murton, who no longer fits into their plans (Chicago Sun-Times) . . . Scott Hatteberg will get the Opening Day start at first base for the Reds (cincinnati.com) . . . Andy Marte made the Indians' 25-player roster and is relaxed and looking forward to the season (mlb.com) . . . The blog Red Reporter thinks the release of Mike Stanton is a sign Cincinnati is serious about winning this year. -- ART MARTONE
Posted by Art Martone March 30, 2008
Final: Red Sox 7, Dodgers 4BY SEAN McADAM LOS ANGELES -- Somewhere in there -- hidden behind the pomp and circumstance and the ceremony and the strange field configuration -- was a baseball game Saturday night at the Los Angeles Coliseum, one in which the Red Sox pounded the Los Angeles Dodgers, 7-4. Playing in front of the largest crowd -- 115,300 -- ever to watch a baseball game, the Sox spotted the Dodgers a 1-0 lead, then scored the next seven runs before the Dodgers responded with three runs in the late innings. "It was really a pretty special night,'' said Terry Francona. "I don't think any of us knew what to expect. But everybody involved did a great job. It ended up being a great night all around.'' Tim Wakefield pitched into the sixth, allowing a single run -- unearned -- on five hits and recorded the win, a signficant feat for a flyball pitcher in a ballpark where the left-field line was just 201 feet from home plate. "I thought Wake did a great job of not letting things get in the way of his preparation,'' Francona said. "He threw strikes and did well.'' "He's been really good every game since I've started catching him,'' said catcher Kevin Cash. "It's not easy to maintain your stuff every time out, but he has. He's definitely in a good spot with his mechanics.'' Cash gave his batterymate some support with a three-run homer in the second. Kevin Youkilis added a two-run shot in the third. "That was pretty cool,'' said Cash of his homer. "I would rather it be in a regular-season game, but if it has to come in an exhibition game, I'm glad it was this one.'' Bryan Corey pitched two innings and allowed a run. Hideki Okajima tossed a scoreless eighth and Jonathan Papelbon closed it out, touched for a two-run homer with two out in the ninth by Blake DeWitt. Cash and Francona said the football lights -- higher than usual for a baseball setting -- and a tough hitter's background made it difficult for batters to see in the first few innings. "But once they got going,'' said Francona, "they had fun with it.''
Posted by Sean McAdam Photo: Kareem takes his shot
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the former Los Angeles Lakers basketball great, grew up as a Dodger fan in Brooklyn, and always said one of his greatest sports memories was when the Dodgers won their first World Series, finally beating the Yankees in 1955. (He brought up the comparison when the Lakers beat the Celtics in the NBA Finals, after losing to them so many times, in 1985.) Saturday night he was asked to throw in one of the first pitches, as many former Dodger players stood behind him. When he wasn't satisfied with his overhand pitch, he took the ball back and showed everyone his classic "sky hook" shot that he was known for on the basketball court,
Posted by Bob Breidenbach Photos: Getting ready for the game
Bench coach Brad Mills and Manny Ramirez (top photo) head onto the Los Angeles Coliseum in preparation for Saturday night's exhibition. The Sox do their stretching exercises (middle photo), watched by the fans (bottom photo).
Posted by Bob Breidenbach Photo: I got it!
The left-field fence at the Los Angeles Coliseum was only 201 feet from the plate, so a high net was put in place to replicate a wall. Still, fans were able to collect a lot of drives hit over the net during batting practice and the game.
Posted by Bob Breidenbach Photos: Short left field
The Red Sox and Dodgers played at the Los Angeles Coliseum Saturday night in a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the team moving to the West Coast. (The Dodgers played their first four seasons in L.A., from 1958-61, at the Coliseum while Dodger Stadium was being built.) The field was squeezed into the space at the since-reconfigured Coliseum, allowing only a 201-foot left-field line (top photo). Both teams played their left fielder toward left center and the shortstops and third basemen covered short left-field area. In the bottom photo, Red Sox shortstop Julio Lugo fields a grounder that caromed off the left-field wall.
Posted by Bob Breidenbach Photo: Record crowd at the Coliseum
The crowd of 115,300 at the Los Angeles Coliseum was a world record for attendance at a baseball game. Dodgers pitcher Esteban Loaiza warms up before the game surrounded by fans in all the seats.
Posted by Bob Breidenbach Sox make it 7-1LOS ANGELES -- An RBI double from Bobby Kielty and a run-scoring single from Alex Cora have upped the Red Sox lead to a comfortable 7-1 in the top of the sixth. Tim Wakefield is coming out for what is presumed to be his final inning of work. To date, he's been superb, allowing just three hits through the first five innings. -- SEAN McADAM
Posted by Sean McAdam March 29, 2008
Home runs put Sox aheadLOS ANGELES -- Given the dimensions here, we hesitate to call them long balls, but the Sox got a three-run homer in the second from Kevin Cash -- to left center, a little over 300 feet away -- and a two-run shot from Kevin Youkilis, who went over the screen in left for a two-run poke in the third. Sox 5, Dodgers 1, bottom 3 -- SEAN McADAM
Posted by Sean McAdam Dodgers grab Arena Baseball League leadLOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers have scored first here. Rafael Furcal singled to left, took second when Tim Wakefield's errant pickoff throw got past Kevin Youkilis, advanced to third when Russell Martin flied to deep right and scored on a sacrifice fly to left -- even though left fielder Bobby Kielty was almost in dead center when he caught the ball. Dodgers 1, Red Sox 0 after one. -- SEAN McADAM
Posted by Sean McAdam Colon sharp in Sox' loss to DodgersBY SEAN McADAM LOS ANGELES -- Bartolo Colon is not yet ready to help the Red Sox, as evidenced by the fact that the next time he pitches, it will be for Pawtucket and not Boston. But if Friday night is any indication, Colon's return to the major leagues may not be far off. Opening the Red Sox' weekend's worth of exhibition games here, Colon pitched four innings and gave up just one run on three hits in a 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. He walked just one while striking out four and consistently threw his fastball in the low 90s. "I think we're all pleased . . . and he is, too,'' said Terry Francona of Colon, who declined to speak with repoerters after the outing. "He commanded both sides of the plate and his breaking ball had some depth to it. I think the more he gets into shape, the better he's able to throw the ball down in the (strike) zone.'' "Compared to his Florida (spring training) starts,'' added pitching coach John Farrell, "he threw the ball down in the zone more consistently, which is what he needs to do. There are indications that he's getting into better shape. He's able to hold his stamina.'' Colon will start the season opener for Pawtucket Thursday, when the Sox hope to increase his pitch count to 75 or so. He threw 60 pitches last night, 36 of which were strikes. "Ideally,'' said Farrell, "we'd like to see all our starters get stretched out to 80-100 pitches. That's kind of the framework.'' Colon will remain with the team for a few more days and will throw his side session either Sunday or Monday before heading back East in time for the McCoy Stadium opener. The Dodgers pushed across two runs off minor-league reliever Lincoln Holdzkom in the bottom of the eighth to snap a 1-1 tie. Massachusetts native Mark Sweeney laced a double into left-center for the go-ahead run and James Loney then added a bloop single to right to score the second run. Following Colon's outing, Julian Tavarez added three shutout innings, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out one over 54 pitches. The Sox collected just three hits on the night and none until the fifth inning. Jacoby Ellsbury and Julio Lugo singled in the fifth, with Ellsbury scoring on a fielder's choice by Dustin Pedroia. The only other Boston hit came from Sean Casey, who singled in the sixth.
Posted by Sean McAdam Timlin placed on disabled listBY SEAN McADAM LOS ANGELES -- In explaining the decision to place veteran reliever Mike Timlin on the 15-day disabled list -- retroactive to March 20 -- the Sox said they were being particularly careful with the laceration on the reliever's right finger. "We're sitting on him a little bit,'' said Terry Francona. "We're going to make sure he's ready to pitch.'' Timlin cut his finger when he was struck by a comebacker on March 19 and still has stitches in the finger. Those must be removed before Timlin can resume his throwing program. Francona said after Friday night's game that the stitches will ''hopefully (come out) the next couple of days. It's up to the medical people."
Posted by Art Martone March 28, 2008
Photo: Colon Pitches in LA
Posted by Bob Breidenbach Photo:Bubble Time
Posted by Bob Breidenbach Photo: Back to Spring Training
Posted by Bob Breidenbach Photo: Old Friends
Posted by Bob Breidenbach Multimedia: Projo SoxTalk with Sean McAdam, from Los AngelesClick the play button below to hear Sean's comments, recorded this morning. He discusses the rocky first outings by Daisuke Matsuzaka and Jon Lester in Japan, Manny Ramirez's new attitude, and Saturday night's freak-show exhibition game at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
Posted by Mike McDermott Baseball Today: Friday, March 28
BACK TO NORMAL: It was only an optional workout at Dodger Stadium, but most of the Red Sox -- like Mike Lowell (above) -- were there yesterday, anxious to resume their normal routines after a week in Japan that was anything but . . . well, routine. Sean McAdam was on hand, as well, reporting on the workout and other items, such as J.D. Drew's improving back and Mike Timlin's still-injured finger. PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE . . . that the Red Sox plan to stress when it comes to their young players. In conversations with our own Joe McDonald, both Theo Epstein and Terry Francona say they'll give Clay Buccholz and Jacoby Ellsbury the same sort of support they gave Dustin Pedroia, who struggled both in his two-month stint with the Sox at the end of '06 and in the first month last year, and will try to manage unrealistic public expectations of people who don't realize that, as Epstein says, "Development isn’t a linear thing." CASE IN POINT: Like, for instance, the Boston Herald's Gerry Callahan, who tears into Francona for not handing the center field/leadoff job to Ellsbury.
'YOUR AVERAGE BACKYARD WHIFFLE BALL GAME': That's what the Boston Globe's Eric Wilbur thinks we'll see Saturday night when the Sox and Dodgers face off in the L.A. Coliseum (above), with its 201-foot left-field fence. 60-MINUTE MAN: 60 Minutes will profile the Red Sox' Bill James on Sunday night, and cbsnews.com's report on James includes a couple of video clips. THAT'S OUR GUY: Emil Brown's front-and-center performance -- both good and bad -- in the Sox-A's series in Japan has Joe Posnanski remembering Brown's days in Kansas City -- both good and bad. LOOKING AHEAD: Anybody can pick an MVP or Cy Young winner after the season. FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal gives out these awards before the year starts, and he selects Terry Francona as Manager of the Year and Clay Buchholz as the A.L.'s Breakout Player. The baseball team at yahoo.com does the same thing; one of them picks Jon Lester as the breakout player. NOT ACCORDING TO ME: John Dewan doesn't have Buchholz or Lester on his list of players who may have breakout years based on their spring-training stats. (actasports.com) To be fair, though, Dewan only looked at hitters . . . though there were no Sox on that list, either. One Yankee (Robinson Cano) made it. ASK 14: Sullivan Tires has started a blog for Jim Rice in which he answers readers' questions. Today's inquiry: Whether or not Buchholz will stick with the Sox. (Jim says yes.) RAY GUNS: Writing for SportingNews.com, David Pinto says Tampa Bay has a better starting rotation than either the Red Sox or Yankees. RACE TO THE ALTAR: Hideki Matsui got married Wednesday, enabling him to win a bet with Derek Jeter and Bobby Abreu over who would take his vows first. But Jeter -- as you'll see if you get to the bottom of the story -- isn't ready to concede just yet. (New York Times) NO DEAL: Hank Steinbrenner denies reports that the Yankees are for sale. (New York Daily News) GOOD CAUSE: The blog River Ave. Blues is holding a season-long pledge drive to raise money for The Jorge Posada Foundation, which provides emotional and financial support to families with children affected by craniosynostosis. Posada's son suffers from the disease. GETTING CLOSER: The New York Times reports MLB and the Players Association are moving towards an agreement on the Mitchell Report’s recommendations on performance-enhancing drugs, which would include an amnesty on discipline for any players mentioned in the report but would also install "year-round drug testing and other measures" moving forward. THE STORY THAT WON'T GO AWAY: As Brian McNamee was in the Boston area yesterday, telling kids not to make the mistakes he made (Boston Herald), Jose Canseco started blasting away at him as he defended his friend Roger Clemens. (New York Daily News) Canseco, of course, identified Clemens as a steroids user in his new book, though now he's backtracking from his own words and claims 'ol Rog is clean as a whistle. PASSING THE TASTE TEST: The blog Bleacher Banter gives a thumbs-up to the food at the new Nationals Park. SHORT STUFF: Orioles manager Dave Trembley threatens to "put a size 11 1/2 where it don't shine" -- jokingly (we think) -- if Nick Markakis doesn't stop taking grounders in the infield during batting practice. (Baltimore Sun) WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? The blog Outs Per Swing: A Tampa Bay Rays Blog doesn't see why sending Evan Longoria to the minor leagues is such a bad thing. THE OTHER TRIP: Eric Neel has a fascinating look at the visit to China by Joe Torre and the Dodgers earlier this month. (espn.com) HERE AND THERE: It looks like Scott Rolen's broken finger will sideline him until May (mlb.com) . . . Another third baseman, the Dodgers' Tony Abreu, will also start the season on the DL (Los Angeles Daily News) . . . The Padres and Rays have expressed interest in Mariners outfielder Jeremy Reed. (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) OLD FRIENDS: We don't think of baseball players having tattoos, mainly because not much of them is uncovered when they're in uniform, but Joe Haggerty reports ex-Sox reliever Rudy Seanez "had the fiercest body art ever seen in Fenway’s home clubhouse" (Hacks With Haggs blog) . . . Wily Mo Pena is recovering faster than expected from his strained left oblique (mlb.com) . . . Freddy Sanchez still hopes to be ready by Opening Day (mlb.com) . . . Bronson Arroyo had quite a spring (rotoworld.com) . . . Eric Hinske will be the Rays' fifth outfielder. (St. Petersburg Times) THE REAL WORLD, PART ONE: We all love baseball and have fun with virtually every part of it, but sadness is part of the package, as well. ESPN's Jeff Pearlman profiles Jami Dawn Kennedy four months after the shocking death of her 27-year-old husband, big-league pitcher Joe Kennedy, because of hypertensive heart disease. THE REAL WORLD, PART TWO: According to Baseball Musing's David Pinto, Peter Gammons is reporting that the Diamondbacks' Doug Davis has thyroid cancer. No word yet in the mainstream media on Davis' condition. -- ART MARTONE
Posted by Art Martone March 27, 2008
Big Papi Hits One Out
Posted by Bob Breidenbach Photo: Varitek Gears Up
Posted by Bob Breidenbach Photo: Crack Shot Cora
Posted by Bob Breidenbach Photo: Jacoby Stretches It Out
Posted by Bob Breidenbach Photo: Red Sox at Dodger Stadium
Posted by Bob Breidenbach Photos: Farewell Tokyo, hello L.A.
Posted by Mike McDermott Baseball Today: Thursday, March 27
YOU SAY GOODBYE, AND I SAY HELLO: They've returned to the United States, the first part of the endless journey complete, and the Red Sox are recuperating from their week in Japan, which ended yesterday with a 5-1 loss to the A's. The stories from the game, which have been on the site for about 21 hours now, need no rehashing today; instead, we now go back to the future -- which is to say, the resumption of spring training -- and get ready for the three games in Los Angeles, which will be highlighted by Saturday night's appearance before 115,000 people at the Los Angeles Coliseum. (si.com) THE SAME . . . BUT DIFFERENT: Last year, you may recall, Jordan's Furniture had a unique promotion: Anything you bought at one of their stories in April would be free if the Red Sox won the World Series. About 24,000 people took advantage of the offer, and received rebate checks after the Sox swept the Rockies last October. Jordan's is back with another offer this year, but it's not quite as generous: The Red Sox have to sweep the Series for customers to collect, and it only applies to "sofas, sectionals, dining room tables, beds, mattresses, and rugs." (Boston Globe) Still, it's amazing Jordan's could find an insurance company to underwrite this year's offer; last year's must have cost millions. ENOUGH! There are Yankee fans convinced ESPN hates the Yanks, and Red Sox fans convinced ESPN hates the Red Sox. Kevin Modesti of the Los Angeles Daily News thinks both those groups are certifiably insane, as, from a West Coaster's point of view, he asserts ESPN's baseball coverage consists of "18 games between the Red Sox and Yankees and 160 editions of 'Baseball Tonight' previewing or rehashing games between the Red Sox and Yankees." COVER BOYS: Jacoby Ellsbury and Clay Buccholz are two of six players on the cover of Sports Illustrated's baseball preview issue (Boston Dirt Dogs), but SI picks the Sox to finish behind the Yankees in the A.L. East. NEW YORK STATE OF MIND: But the New York Post's Joel Sherman says the Red Sox will win the A.L. East. AUTHOR, AUTHOR: With the release date of his book Vindicated: Big Names, Big Liars and the Battle to Save Baseball imminent, Jose Canseco is back in the public arena, talking steroids. The big name he's accusing this time is Alex Rodriguez, though he admits he "cannot bet my life" that A-Rod took steroids and further clouds his accusations by refusing to provide any evidence ("The timing's not right") to substantiate his charges. (New York Post) In an interview with ABC's Nightline that will air tonight, Canseco also backs off claims in his book that Roger Clemens is a user. (New York Daily News) JOSE WHO? A-Rod's strategy is to ignore the whole thing, not even issuing as much as a non-denial denial. (New York Daily News) But former Yankee bullpen catcher Mike Borzello -- who says "Nobody in the last four years, including his wife because she wasn't on the road, spent more time with Alex than I did" -- tells the New York Post there's "no way" Rodriguez did steroids. IF I CAN ADD MY TWO CENTS . . . You knew Hank Steinbrenner wouldn't stay silent on this topic for very long. Three guesses as to who he sides with in this dispute, and the first two don't count. (Bergen Record) 'A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALLY CARE': Magglio Ordonez shrugs off the fact that Canseco also accused him of steroids use in the latest book . . . though he, too, never comes out and denies it. (Detroit Free Press) THE COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION: Yahoo.com's Tim Brown, while admitting that Canseco "has been right, a lot, and too often to be little more than a vindictive jerk swinging wildly at baseball icons," sides with A-Rod on this one. 'CHASING JOSE': Beware the NFSW aspects of this piece -- in every regard -- but, if such things don't give you the vapors, read Pat Jordan's account on Deadspin of trying to track down Canseco for a magazine piece he'd agreed to. Baseball Musing's David Pinto puts it best after reading this unbelievable piece: "I need to go disinfect myself now." DEPENDS ON WHAT 'DECENT' IS: Joe Girardi believes Chien-Ming Wang's four runs-in-five innings performance yesterday was his "best day" of the year, and felt Wang -- who finished the exhibition schedule with an 8.04 ERA -- had a "decent spring." (New York Daily News) TAKING THE ROLL: 97-year-old Bob Sheppard, the public-address announcer at Yankee Stadium since 1951, won't be on hand for Opening Day as he continues to recover from health problems that forced him to miss the playoffs last year, though he vows he "will be" back on the job sometime this year. (Newsday) But Bobby Murcer, who continues recovering from a brain tumor, says he'll be there. (New York Post) AD MEN: The Tao of Steib has a YouTube clip of some pretty clever Blue Jays promotional spots for the coming season. AGE IS JUST A NUMBER: Tom Glavine may have turned 42 earlier this week, but he feels he can give the Braves 200 innings this season. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution) ACED: The Mariners were counting on Erik Bedard to anchor their rotation this year, so they have to be a little worried that's he's allowed 23 earned runs in 24 innings this spring. (yahoo.com) "THE BALLPARK HAS BEEN DE-BONDSED": The San Francisco Chronicle's Scott Ostler reports the Giants have removed all signs that Barry Bonds ever played for them in whatever they're calling their stadium these days. When asked if they planned any sort of visible tribute to Bonds, Giants president Peter Magowan answered simply, "No." HERE AND THERE: If the Cardinals are auditioning Anthony Reyes, as is rumored, he helped his trade chances with six shutout innings against the Nationals (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) . . . Juan Gonzalez has abandoned his comeback attempt, but the Cardinals say they'll keep the door open if he wants to try again. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) MEDICAL REPORT: Kelvin Escobar says his shoulder injury could be career-threatening (Los Angeles Times) . . . Moises Alou, recovering from hernia surgery, thinks he'll be back playing for the Mets sometime in April. (New York Daily News) OLD FRIENDS: Jorge De La Rosa, a key figure in Red Sox history in that he was part of the package of players who went to Arizona in the Curt Schilling deal, has been designated for assignment by the Royals (Kansas City Star) . . . Good news, bad news from the Pirates: They've released Byung-Hyun Kim and Hector Carrasco, but are keeping Doug Mientkiewicz (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) . . . The last time Jay Payton wanted to be traded or released, he threw a preplanned tantrum in the dugout in the middle of a game to force the Red Sox to get rid of him. Sounds like the Orioles better get ready for Act Two (Baltimore Sun) . . . The Phillies may have interest in calling the Reds about Mike Stanton (delawareonline.com) . . . Luis Mendoza will open the season on the disabled list for the Rangers (Dallas Morning News) . . . Johnny Damon is battling the flu (mlb.com) . . . The Marlins would like to see less speed (i.e., stolen bases) and more power from Hanley Ramirez (mlb.com) . . . Pedro Martinez wrapped up his spring with six innings of work in an intrasquad game and says he's ready to start the season (Newsday) . . . Chris Reitsma is headed home and apparently contemplating retirement after he left the Mariners' camp upon being told he wasn't physically ready to make the Opening Day roster . . . Rudy Seanez said he'd retire if he didn't make the Dodgers. Well, he didn't (rotoworld.com); let's see if he decides to follow through on his decision . . . Matt Murton is the odd man out in Chicago, and the Cubs say they'll try to trade him. (Chicago Tribune) Pinto expects Billy Beane to grab him for the A's. -- ART MARTONE
Posted by Art Martone March 26, 2008
Baseball Today: Wednesday, March 26
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER: We're a few hours past our deadline for posting this, but it couldn't be helped: Sean McAdam and I were working feverishly throughout the morning to get today's report online. (Sean had very little time to write after the game, as everyone had to catch the bus to the airport after the game.) Here's what we have from today's 5-1 Red Sox loss to the A's: -- Game story: Rich Harden was the difference as the A's won, earning a split of the two games in Japan. -- The trip is complete and, all in all, the Red Sox say they enjoyed their time in Japan. -- Coco Crisp replaced Jacoby Ellsbury in center field for the second game of the series, but Terry Francona says he can't tell Crisp exactly how he'll be used this year because he doesn't yet know himself. -- J.D. Drew missed his second straight game because of back spasms . . . -- . . . which means Brandon Moss played again. But after the game, he was shipped to Pawtucket. -- David Aardsma did his part to avoid joining Moss on the Fenway-to-McCoy shuffle by pitching 1 2/3 scoreless innings Wednesday. -- Bartolo Colon's scheduled to pitch Friday night in Los Angeles and other notes. -- And finally, the A's felt like they were treated as the Red Sox' poor cousins during their time in Tokyo. ONE MORE TIME: And in case you missed it, here's a quick list of all Sean's stories from Tuesday's 6-5 Red Sox victory over the A's: -- Manny Ramirez gets off to his quickest start in years with a pair of two-run doubles, including a two-out shot in the 10th that breaks a 4-4 tie, and leads the Red Sox to a season-opening win over the A's. -- Daisuke Matsuzaka overcomes a rocky start to pitch five solid innings and leaves the game with a 3-2 lead. -- The red-hot J.D. Drew can't answer the bell, as a bad back forces him to the sidelines. -- A complete list of postgame notes. -- Commissioner Bud Selig attends the game and is non-committal on whether or not punishment will be meted out to players named in the Mitchell Report. He also has little to say about the Sox' threatened boycott of the Japanese trip, concluding, "All's well that ends well." -- Prior to the game, Sean accompanies representatives of the Red Sox and A's to a reception at the home of Thomas Schieffer, the U.S. Ambassador to Japan. "They'll let anyone in here, I guess,'' jokes A's general manager Billy Beane when he spots Sean. NO PLACE LIKE HOME: Japan's a nice place to visit, but Kevin Youkilis, to quote the Beach Boys, can't wait to get back to the States. SORRY: Daisuke Matsuzaka apologized to the Japanese fans for lasting only five innings on Tuesday. (Boston Herald) THE TURNING POINT: SI.com's Tom Verducci has a fascinating piece about how both the Red Sox and Yankees shifted their focus to player development in 2005, and the benefits they've derived from that decision. NOT SO FAST: ESPN's Jonah Keri says the Red Sox may not be the dynasty-in-the-making they're being described as in many circles. THE WISDOM OF CROWDS: On the blog Fire Brand of the American League, Tim Daloisio is trying an interesting experiment. Quoting a book that says "in the right situations a crowd can produce decisions and answers to questions that are more accurate in average than all but a very few of the individuals that make up that collective intelligence," Daloisio wants to test the theory, and has set up forms for people to fill out trying to determine how Red Sox players will perform this season. DON'T WORRY: Andy Pettitte says he'll be back in the first week of the season. (New York Post) NOTHING FUNNY ABOUT IT IF IT'S TRUE: Humorist Joe Lavin claims to have found an early copy of Jose Canseco's new book and says Canseco accuses Magglio Ordonez, Roger Clemens and Alex Rodriguez of steroids use. (joelavin.com) ELEPHANT MAN: The Republicans on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform release a statement defending Roger Clemens and claiming the Democrats produced a report that was a "prosecutorial indictment" of Clemens. (New York Times) WAITING FOR AN EXPLANATION: David Scott promises to pass it along when he gets one from ESPN regarding what could be, at its best, an unexplainable gaffe or, at its worst, a very cruel inside joke regarding the late Cory Lidle. (shots.bostonsportsmedia.com) TWO PLUS TWO EQUALS . . . When Brian Roberts was scratched from yesterday's Orioles' exhibition game before batting practice, speculation immediately started that he'd finally been traded to the Cubs. But it was just a bad back. (Baltimore Sun) HERE AND THERE: There's been a change at the top at the Hall of Fame (bloomberg.com) . . . The Angels' Kelvin Escobar (shoulder) joins John Lackey, Scot Shields, Chris Bootcheck and (perhaps) Gary Matthews Jr. on the sidelines (Los Angeles Times) . . . The Giants' Kevin Frandsen will miss the season after suffering a torn Achilles' tendon (San Francisco Chronicle) . . . The Astros' new second baseman, Kaz Matsui, will miss at least the first two weeks for an injury that I really don't want to recount here (Houston Chronicle) . . . The Rangers have named C,J. Wilson as their closer. (Dallas Morning News) OLD FRIENDS: It looks like Trot Nixon will stick with the Diamondbacks (East Valley Tribune) . . . The Cardinals placed both Matt Clement and Joel Pineiro on the disabled list, though neither move was a surprise. (rotoworld.com) -- ART MARTONE
Posted by Art Martone A's 5, Red Sox 1: One-stop wrapup for all eight stories from TokyoA quick list of all Sean McAdam's stories from Wednesday's 5-1 Red Sox loss to the A's: -- Game story: Rich Harden was the difference as the A's won, earning a split of the two games in Japan. -- The trip is complete and, all in all, the Red Sox say they enjoyed their time in Japan. -- Coco Crisp replaced Jacoby Ellsbury in center field for the second game of the series, but Terry Francona says he can't tell Crisp exactly how he'll be used this year because he doesn't yet know himself. -- J.D. Drew missed his second straight game because of back spasms . . . -- . . . which means Brandon Moss played again. But after the game, he was shipped to Pawtucket. -- David Aardsma did his part to avoid joining Moss on the Fenway-to-McCoy shuffle by pitching 1 2/3 scoreless innings Wednesday. -- Bartolo Colon's scheduled to pitch Friday night in Los Angeles and other notes. -- And finally, the A's felt like they were treated as the Red Sox' poor cousins during their time in Tokyo.
Posted by Art Martone Sox option Moss to PawtucketBY SEAN McADAM TOKYO -- Well, that didn't take long. Immediately at the conclusion of Wednesday's game against the A's, the Red Sox -- as expected -- optioned outfielder Brandon Moss to Pawtucket (International League). Moss played in both of the games here against Oakland in place of the injured J.D. Drew and hit a game-tying home run in the ninth inning of Tuesday's opener. The Sox now have 26 players on the active roster.
Posted by Art Martone Red Sox lose to A's, 5-1 as Lester faltersBY SEAN McADAM TOKYO -- It began in a familiar way -- an early deficit resulting from a struggling starter. But this one did not have the same happy ending for the Red Sox that Tuesday's opener did. Handcuffed by Oakland A's starter Rich Harden, the Sox' offense was checked on five hits and fell to the A's, 5-1, Wednesday for a split of their season-opening series at the Tokyo Dome. The two teams will resume their series next Tuesday in Oakland. Boston got five innings of quality relief from four different relievers, but the four runs the A's managed off Jon Lester were enough to stand up. The Sox' lone run came on a majestic solo shot from Manny Ramirez in the sixth, giving him five RBI for the first two games. The rest of the heart of the Sox lineup, however, was feeble. David Ortiz was 0-for-3, Mike Lowell had two singles and Brandon Moss, in his second inning of fill-in duty for J.D. Drew, couldn't continue the magic, fanning in three plate appearances. Even Ramirez produced nothing beyond his homer, striking out three times. He wasn't alone -- the Sox went down swinging (or looking) a total of 13 times. Of the Sox' five hits, three were singles. If the Sox thought that getting Harden out of the game after six was going to open the offensive spigot, they were wrong. In the eighth, an error by Bobby Crosby on a sharp one-hopper by Kevin Youkilis gave the Sox some hope and Youkilis moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. But former Sox reliever Keith Foulke retired Ortiz on a flyout to right and then slipped a called third strike on the outside corner past Ramirez for the final out. In the seventh, Santiago Casilla had allowed a two-out double into the right field corner by Coco Crisp, but Crisp was stranded there when Julio Lugo grounded meekly to short. Oakland added a solo run in the eighth off Bryan Corey. A two-out double by Kurt Suzuki and a single to center from Mike Fiorentino produced a cushion that the A's wouldn't need. Yet another former Sox reliever, Alan Embree, turned back the Sox in the ninth. A leadoff single from Lowell was wiped out when pinch-hitter Sean Casey rolled into a double-play. Jason Varitek then fanned for the final out. Blanked for the first five innings by Harden, the Sox finally showed some life in the sixth as Ramirez drove a deep drive into the seats in left for his first homer of the season and career shot No. 491. Ramirez stood and admired his handy work, watching the ball soar and land before he began his home-run trot. When Lowell followed with a long flyout to left, that was end of the night for Harden, but he had stifled the Sox offense, limiting them to a single run over six innings while recording nine strikeouts. Like Daisuke Matsuzaka the night before, Lester had some long innings in the early going. A one-out double by Crosby in the second and a two-out walk to Suzuki gave the A's the first scoring threat of the night and former Wheaton College standout Chris Denorfia cashed in, singling to right to deliver Crosby. Lester limited the damage by catching Travis Buck looking at a called third strike. But the A's went right back to work against him in the third. A leadoff walk to Mark Ellis and a one-out single from Mike Sweeney set the stage for Brown, who ran into an out representing the potential tying run in the ninth inning Tuesday night. This time, Brown more than made up for his baserunning gaffe, taking Lester out to left with a booming three-run homer. Lester then settled down, retiring the side in order in the fourth, but his struggles in the second and third came back to cut his night short. After four, having thrown 83 pitches -- just 47 of them strikes -- Lester was through. The Sox got little done off Harden in the early innings, held hitless through the first three. The hard-throwing A's starter, limited to just 13 starts over the previous two seasons, had some command problems, but the Sox were unable to capitalize. He fanned two in the first, two in the second and one in the third. He issued a one-out walk to Julio Lugo in the third and a two-out pass to Dustin Pedroia in the same inning, but got Ortiz to pop to third for the final out, stranding two. Not until Lowell singled sharply to left with one down in the fourth did the Sox collect their first
Posted by Sean McAdam Photo: You've never seen this at Fenway
Posted by Peter Phipps Photo: Manny gets Red Sox on The Board Manny Ramirez -- who else? -- has produced the first run off Oakland's Rich Harden, hammering a homer deep to left, a solo shot, with two out in the sixth.
Posted by Sean McAdam Lester out, Aardsma inTOKYO -- Jon Lester is through for the night, having gone four innings, allowing four runs -- all earned -- on five hits with three walks, four strikeouts and one homer. David Aardsma is in to pitch the bottom of the fifth. Oakland still leads 4-0.
Posted by Sean McAdam Oakland grabs 4-0 leadTOKYO -- The A's lead 4-0 in the bottom of the third. Emil Brown, whose baserunning gaffe in the ninth inning helped sink Oakland in the first game, just clobbered a 1-and-1 fastball from Jon Lester and deposited into the left field seats for a three-run homer. The A's had nicked the Sox for a run in the second on run-scoring single from Chris Denorfia, scoring Bobby Crosby who was on with a one-out double. Oakland starter Rich Harden looks locked in, with five strikeouts and no hits allowed through three. -- SEAN McADAM
Posted by Sean McAdam Notes: Colon to pitch Friday in L.A.BY SEAN McADAM TOKYO -- Bartolo Colon will start Friday's exhibition game against the Los Angeles Dodgers and is scheduled to throw anywhere from 60-75 pitches. "It depends on the workload and how his innings are,'' said Francona. Josh Beckett, who enjoyed an excellent side session Tuesday, could join the Sox in Oakland even though he's not eligible to come off the disabled list until April 3 when the Sox are enjoying a day off in Toronto. *** A group of about 12 players from Single A Lancaster will join the Sox in Los Angeles for the exhibition weekend against the Dodgers. The Lancaster team had to fly from Fort Myers to California anyway, so the Sox will take advantage to provide some depth for the series. Joining the Sox: pitchers Lincoln Holdzcom, Hunter Jones, T.J. Large and Jose Vaquedano; infielders Lars Anderson, Argenis Diaz and Joe Thurston; and outfielders Reid Engel and Jason Place.
Posted by Art Martone A's grumble about second-class statusBY SEAN McADAM TOKYO -- Though they haven't complained publicly, the A's privately are feeling like second-class citizens here. Officially, the A's are the home team, wearing the home uniforms and batting last. But somehow, the Sox were given the home dugout and the home clubhouse, which is significantly roomier with additional trainer's rooms. The fans have been solidly behind the Sox, unsurprising perhaps given the presence of Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima and the team's standing. But the playing of "Sweet Caroline,'' the Red Sox' unofficial them song, in the middle of the eighth inning may have sent the A's completely over the edge.
Posted by Art Martone Crisp gets his first start, Ellsbury banged upBY SEAN McADAM TOKYO -- Boston made one lineup change for its second game, inserting Coco Crisp into the starting lineup, replacing Jacoby Ellsbury. Ellsbury banged hard into the center field wall robbing A's outfielder Emil Brown of extra bases Tuesday, but Francona said that wasn't a factor in his decision and added that he had planned to play Crisp all along. "With our schedule,'' said Francona, "we want to get as many players in (the lineup) as soon as possible. And with a hard-thrower like (Oakland starter Rich) Harden (pitching Wednesday), we wanted to get Coco (a good fastball hitter) in (Wednesday) rather than (Tuesday).'' Francona still hasn't been able to tell Crisp what to expect in terms of his role and use. "I told him to be patient,'' said Francona. "I can't promise him anything yet because I'm not sure we have all the answers.'' When Francona was asked if Ellsbury, a left-handed hitter, would play against righties and Crisp, a switch-hitter, against lefties, the manager dismissed the scenario. "I really don't envision that,'' he said. "There are ways to get good players into games.'' More likely, Crisp will continue to see playing time against hard-throwing starters.
Posted by Art Martone Ramirez, Crisp and Moss in the outfieldBY SEAN McADAM TOKYO -- J.D. Drew remained out of the lineup for the second straight game Wednesday, sidelined by a sore lower back. Brandon Moss, the unlikely hero of the opener, was back in right again. "It didn't get worse,'' said manager Terry Francona of Drew's condition, "but as far as playing, no. We don't want to take a step backwards.'' Drew first felt a twinge during batting practice before Tuesday's game. "It had tightened up and he was able to swing (before gametime),'' said Francona. "But he just couldn't run.'' The Sox are concerned about the upcoming 10-hour trip to Los Angeles, which they'll begin immediately after the game ends, and the effect it will have on Drew's back. "I don't know that that is the best thing for it,'' said Francona, "but we'll do what we can.''
Posted by Sean McAdam Lineups For Game 2BY SEAN McADAM TOKYO -- Just one change for the Sox, with Coco Crisp taking over for Jacoby Ellsbury in center field. BOSTON Dustin Pedroia 2B
Travis Buck RF
Posted by Sean McAdam March 25, 2008
Colon, Thurston headed for LABY JOE McDONALD FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Red Sox pitcher Bartolo Colon and utilityman Joe Thurston will leave Florida on Thursday and join the team in Los Angeles for the exhibition games against the Dodgers. The addition of Thurston maybe a precautionary move because of the back problems experienced by J.D. Drew in Japan and the nine-hour flight to the West Coast, but the Red Sox have not confirmed that.
Posted by Joe McDonald Red Sox 6, A's 5: One-stop wrapupA quick list of all Sean McAdam's stories from Tuesday's 6-5 Red Sox victory over the A's: -- Manny Ramirez gets off to his quickest start in years with a pair of two-run doubles, including a two-out shot in the 10th that breaks a 4-4 tie, and leads the Red Sox to a season-opening win over the A's. -- Daisuke Matsuzaka overcomes a rocky start to pitch five solid innings and leaves the game with a 3-2 lead. -- The red-hot J.D. Drew can't answer the bell, as a bad back forces him to the sidelines. -- A complete list of postgame notes. -- Commissioner Bud Selig attends the game and is non-committal on whether or not punishment will be meted out to players named in the Mitchell Report. He also has little to say about the Sox' threatened boycott of the Japanese trip, concluding, "All's well that ends well." -- Prior to the game, Sean accompanies representatives of the Red Sox and A's to a reception at the home of Thomas Schieffer, the U.S. Ambassador to Japan. "They'll let anyone in here, I guess,'' jokes A's general manager Billy Beane when he spots Sean.
Posted by Art Martone Red Sox 6, A's 5: Postgame notesBY SEAN McADAM TOKYO -- With Daisuke Matsuzaka gone after five innings, the Red Sox got a chance Tuesday to look at a number of relief pitchers they're evaluating. Some fared well; others didn't. Kyle Snyder gave back the lead almost as soon as the Red Sox got it in the sixth, giving up a single to the first man he faced (Bobby Crosby) and a two-run homer to Jack Hannahan. But Javier Lopez faced two hitters and struck one out and Bryan Corey added a spotless eighth inning. Also, home-run historian David Vincent notes that Moss became only the third Red Sox player to hit his first major-league home run in a season opener and the first since 1945. The last to do was Ben Steiner on April 17, 1945. Tom Winsett also did in on April 14, 1931. Vincent also discovered that Moss is the 10th Red Sox player to hit his first homer as a member of the Red Sox in a season opener. Among those to do so were Don Baylor (April 7, 1986), Jack Clark (April 8, 1991), Tony Clark (April 1, 2002) and Mike Lowell (April 3, 2006). -- For all the interest in Matsuzaka and his first start in Japan since joining the Red Sox, the crowd reaction was almost as loud for teammate Hideki Okajima, who entered the game in the ninth. Okajima received a huge ovation, having been a member of the Yomiuri Giants, the team which ordinarily calls the Tokyo Dome home. -- The Sox faced a couple of familiar faces in the Oakland bullpen. Keith Foulke, the closer on the 2004 World Series team who took last year off, pitched the eighth and retired Kevin Youkilis, David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez in order. Both Youkilis and Ortiz took good swings, however, with Youkilis sending Ryan Sweeney to the warning track in center and Ortiz stinging a liner to left that was caught. Later, after the Sox beat up closer Huston Street, Lenny DiNardo came in and walked a batter before getting Moss to fly out. -- Jacoby Ellsbury made the defensive play of the game, robbing Emil Brown of extra bases in the eighth, leaping before the wall to make a terrific grab. Ellsbury banged into the wall hard and was wearing an ice pack on his back and shoulder, but appeared fine. -- Tuesday was only the fifth time in franchise history that the Sox had played extra-innings and the first time they came out on top. Before Tuesday, not since 2001 had the Sox been pushed beyond nine innings in their season opener. -- Julio Lugo was the first repeat opener at shortstop on Opening Day since Nomar Garciaparra in 2002-2003. -- Jason Varitek started his ninth straight opener, the most Opening Day starts for a catcher in club history. It's the longest streak for any Red Sox player since Mike Greenwell started nine in a row from 1988 through 1996. -- Until Tuesday, the Sox had lost six of the previous seven season openers.
Posted by Art Martone Red Sox 6, A's 5: Selig takes in the openerBY SEAN McADAM TOKYO -- Taking in the action of the Red Sox-A's season opener Tuesday was commissioner Bud Selig, who had also been on hand to watch the two previous season openers in the Land of the Rising Sun (Met-Cubs in 2000 and Yankees-Devil Rays 2004). "Not only do I feel like I'm watching history,'' said Selig during the game, "but we're doing what we set out to do. Baseball has never been more popular (in America) and our goal is to take the game internationally.'' Selig was unsure when MLB when again have a season-opening series here, but revealed that the sport is looking for an opportunity to stage a season-opening series in Europe, too. "We want to open in other places, too,'' he said. "But we'll be back here.'' Asked when he might be ready to announce some disciplinary measures against players and others named in the Mitchell Report last winter, Selig was non-commital. "We're still reviewing on a case-by-case basis,'' he said. He boasted that baseball's drug-testing program was "toughest testing program in any sport,'' but vowed to strengthen it further by working with the Players Association to implent some recommendations from the Mitchell Report. "We're more than satisfied (with the progress being made),'' he said, but noted that MLB is helping to fund a study on human-growth hormone at UCLA. Selig didn't wish to comment much on last week's potential boycott of a Grapefruit League game by Red Sox players who were angered to learn that coaches wouldn't be getting their promised stipend for the trip here. "It got handled and it got handled well,'' he said. "There were some misunderstandings, but all's well that ends well.''
Posted by Sean McAdam Red Sox 6, A's 5: Drew forced to back out of starting lineupBY SEAN McADAM TOKYO -- Following a blistering weekend in which he hit two homers and knocked in seven runs in exhibition game against Japanese teams, J.D. Drew couldn't wait for the season to start. Then, when it did, Drew couldn't. Drew experienced some lower back soreness during batting practice and when he tried to run on the field to get loose minutes before pregame introductions, found he couldn't get comfortable. The Sox tabbed Brandon Moss to replace Drew and Moss responded with a go-ahead RBI single in the sixth and a solo homer to tie the game with one out in the ninth. With one more game left here, it's unlikely Drew will play Wednesday, especially since the Sox then have a nine-hour flight to Los Angeles immediately after the game.
Posted by Sean McAdam Red Sox 6, A's 5: Matsuzaka recovers from rocky start and pitches five strong inningsBY SEAN McADAM TOKYO -- Earlier this week, in a quote sheet distributed to the media, Daisuke Matsuzaka expressed the hope that he would pitch "long innings" in his season-opening assignment against the Oakland A's. The phrase was the result of some of poor translation, of course. What Matsuzaka was trying to say what that he wanted to pitch deep into the game. But Tuesday, pitching in his native land, the prodigal pitcher almost took himself too literally. He needed 60 pitches to get through the first two innings and displayed poor command, walking four, hitting a batter and throwing a wild pitch. "I think he a little over-amped,'' said manager Terry Francona. "He was jerking pitches clear across the plate.'' The A's took advantage of his wildness to score two runs in the first, but Matsuzaka bailed himself out of further trouble in the second when he fanned Jack Cust to leave the bases loaded. That seemed to serve as a turning point for Matsuzaka. Thanks to his high pitch count in the first two innings, Matsuzaka lasted only five. But over his final three innings he was nearly perfect, retiring 9 of the last 10 hitters he faced. He did not allow another hit and issued just one more walk. "I didn't feel that anxious in the early part of the game,'' he said. "But I think I was a little overly cautious because of my tendency to start slow. For my next start, I would like to be a little more assertive.'' Matsuzaka said that, despite the improved results, he didn't make any significant adjustments after the second inning. "I didn't approach the game any different,'' he said. "I was given the opportunity to start on Opening Day and I did feel a little nervous. I felt my calf muscle tighten up a little in the second, which turned out to be a good thing actually. It helped me relax after the first inning on.''
Posted by Sean McAdam Game story: Red Sox 6, A's 5, 10 inningsBY SEAN McADAM TOKYO -- It's uncertain, even as he suddenly has turned loquacious, whether Manny Ramirez is determined to prove any sort of point this season. If he is, he's traveled a very long distance to do so. But the same hitter who has mostly sputtered through the first two months of the last two seasons wasted no time getting into gear for 2008. He smacked two two-run doubles Tuesday to help the Red Sox outlast the spunky Oakland A's, 6-5 in 10 innings, as the Sox successfully opened defense of their world championship a half-world away. "I'm ready to go,'' said Ramirez after his second double, a two-run belt to right-center off Huston Street, gave the Sox a two-run lead in the top of the 10th. "I'm hungry -- hungry to get 600 (career homers).'' Ramirez didn't move that needle with his two doubles, but he did make the Red Sox offense go in the opener. Earlier, his first double -- slashed down the left-field line, just inside the third-base bag in the sixth -- had erased a 2-0 hole Daisuke Matsuzaka had dug for himself in the first inning. If Ramirez was uncharacteristically hot in the first game, the Sox' other offensive hero didn't even think he would play until minutes before the first pitch. Brandon Moss was literally a last-minute substitute for J.D. Drew, who experienced some tightness in his lower back during batting practice and then couldn't get loose in time to be cleared to go. Instead, the Sox tapped Moss as his replacement, both in right field and in the sixth spot in the batting order. "Straight up,'' said a smiling Terry Francona, relating that he had no time to re-arrange the batting order when choosing Drew's replacement. Moss had given the Sox their first lead of the game when he followed Ramirez's first double with an RBI single to right. Then, after Kyle Snyder gave the lead back in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run homer to Jack Hannahan, Moss tied the game in the top of the ninth with a solo homer to right off Street, the first home run of his major-league career. When the Sox return to the U.S. and have to get down to 25 players on the roster, Moss will almost certainly be optioned back to Pawtucket. But Tuesday was, quite unexpectedly, his day to shine. Moss conferred with hitting coach Dave Magadan and teammate Sean Casey, trying to find what to expect from Oakland starter Joe Blanton. Casey told Moss that Blanton had a habit of throwing changeups to left-handed hitters, and in the sixth Moss pounced on one, driving it to right. In the ninth, Street had fooled Moss badly with a changeup of his own. But when he tried to throw him another on 2-and-2, Moss drove it into the seats in right, bringing the Sox even. "It feels great on a personal level, because we won,'' said Moss. "But if they have their mind made up (about having him start the season in Pawtucket), I don't think one game is going to change it.'' Still, there was no denying his euphoria, however temporary. Ramirez, of course, has had many days like this. But not many have come in April in recent seasons. Last year, it took him 10 games to accumulate the four RBI had collected Tuesday in two at-bats. The year before, it wasn't until the 14th game of the season that he had amassed four RBI. No one associated with the Red Sox has an explanation for why Ramirez has begun slowly the last two seasons. "But once he gets locked in,'' said Francona earlier this week, "he's ready to go.'' His slow starts weren't on his mind in the 10th inning Tuesday. As the inning unfolded with a leadoff infield hit by Julio Lugo, a sacrifice from Dustin Pedroia and a two-out intentional walk to David Ortiz, Ramirez told Alex Cora that he was hoping to face Street. Why so eager to hit against one of the league's better closers? "He's nasty,'' said Ramirez with an almost sheepish grin. "I like those challenges.'' Even after Ra |
