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April 24, 2008
Journal photo / Bob Breidenbach
NOT SO CLOSE! In the infectious ward that is the Red Sox clubhouse, the kind of intimacy being enjoyed by Kevin Youkilis and Manny Ramirez prior to last night's game is a dangerous thing. The flu that's making the rounds is flattening the team, and it may have contributed to the Sox' 6-4 loss to the Angels. Daisuke Matsuzaka, the scheduled starter, came down with it yesterday afternoon and had to be scratched about 2 1/2 hours before gametime (Projo Sox Blog), leaving the team with almost no options as to who would pitch. Terry Francona said in his postgame press conference that they'd just about decided to go with Julian Tavarez -- with the understanding that Tavarez would max out at about three innings and they'd have to completely run through the bullpen -- when Jon Lester, originally scheduled to go today, volunteered to work on three days' rest. They took him up on it, and Paul Kenyon reports he did about as well as you'd expect after throwing 107 pitches four days ago -- five innings, nine hits, four runs. “It was different," Lester said afterwards. "No pain or soreness or anything like that. It didn’t feel like the normal five days. That’s not an excuse. . . It was just different.” The score was 4-4 when he left, and yesterday's callup, Craig Hansen, surrendered the game-winning home run three batters into his appearance. Kenyon and Steven Krasner report that Hansen was shipped back to Pawtucket immediately after the game to make room on the roster for today's starter, Justin Masterson, who's being called up from Double-A Portland for a one-shot deal. The Portland Press Herald got some quick comments from the excited Masterson last night as he packed for his in-and-out trip to Boston.
He's healthy, anyway. The last, ominous note in Kenyon's game story: Tomorrow night's starter, Tim Wakefield, was seen coughing and hacking as he left the clubhouse last night,
A LITTLE PUSH: In his Inside The Game feature, Krasner chronicles the resurgence of Julio Lugo and wonders if the splashy arrival of Jed Lowrie has lit a fire under the veteran shortstop. That link is to the newspaper copy of ITG; you can read an expanded version here on the Sox Blog (and it's available almost immediately after the end of each game).
SOMETHING TO BUILD ON: Tuesday night's emergency starter, David Pauley, is back in Pawtucket -- he was replaced by Hansen, who's now being replaced by Masterson, and someone will go up tomorrow to replace Masterson -- and Carolyn Thornton has Pauley's reaction to the whirlwind events that led to him being at Fenway.
ON A RUN: The blog Wicked Good Sports reports that Jacoby Ellsbury -- "running around like a virgin on prom night," whatever that means -- is threatening to break a major-league record: Most consecutive stolen bases at the start of a career. The record is 27, set by Tim Raines between 1979 and '81, and Ellsbury is currently at 17. (Thanks to Baseball Musing's David Pinto for finding this.)
MR. HATFIELD, MEET MR. McCOY: Orlando Cabrera is beloved in Boston for his role as the free-spirited, high-energy shortstop on the 2004 World Series champions. Edgar Renteria is reviled for his lumpy, 30-error performance in the one year he spent here as Cabrera's replacement, a year that ended in a first-round playoff ouster. Now we find out the two men, both natives of Colombia, can't stand each other . . . though it has nothing (or almost nothing) to do with their shared Boston experience. (ESPN The Magazine)
EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON: The David Ortiz jersey buried under the new Yankee Stadium by a Red Sox fan working on the construction crew is proving to be a windfall for the Jimmy Fund. (New York Post) The Yankees donated the shirt to the charity organization, which put it up for auction on eBay, and the bidding has reached nearly $90,000.
SEE? I WAS RIGHT! Mike Mussina turned in his strongest performance of the year in a 6-4 win over the White Sox (New York Daily News), one day after Hank Steinbrenner said he needed to start pitching more like Jamie Moyer. The Daily News' John Harper thinks the Baby Boss deserves some of the credit for Mussina's outing.
TRY PITCHING LIKE JOSH BECKETT: Let's see what advice Hank has for the struggling Phil Hughes, who will try to complete the three-game sweep in Chicago tonight. (New York Daily News) Joe Girardi believes Hughes may have Alex Rodriguez behind him at third base, though its more likely A-Rod won't play until the weekend. (New York Post)
THE NUMBERS GAME: Having opened the topic yesterday with his rant about Yankee fans booing LaTroy Hawkins for wearing Paul O'Neill's number, Joe Posnanski digs deeply -- as only he can -- on the retired-number practice of every team. (joeposnanski.com) He breaks the decisions into the following categories -- Greatness, Emotional, Importance, Bizarre and Utterly Inexplicable. (There are only two entries in the latter two categories: The Reds' retiring Willard Hershberger's No. 5 in 1941 after he committed suicide is Bizarre, though they did recant and begin reissuing the number a few years later, and it eventually landed on Johnny Bench's back. And the Pirates' retiring Billy Meyer's No. 1 -- after he managed the team for five seasons, four of them with losing records and one with 112 losses -- is Utterly Inexplicable.)
FRANK-LY SPEAKING: The A's are mum on rumors they're about to sign Frank Thomas (Costa Contra Times), and yahoosports.com reports another, unnamed team has gotten into the bidding. (If he doesn't like these options, the Toronto Sun says the Joliet Jackhammers are preparing an offer.) The Twins aren't one of those unnamed teams. (mlb.com) As for his old club, Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi says Thomas' snit over being benched -- culminating in his refusal to join the postgame celebratory handshake on Saturday -- clinched the Jays' decision to release him. (National Post) "You’re either part of the team or you’re not," Ricciardi said. "It’s not real hard to go out there and shake hands. I don’t think that’s a tough thing to do."
YOU'LL BE SORRY, J.P.: Thomas' hometown newspaper, the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, says the Big Hurt has something left in the tank.
SECOND CHANCE: Writing for SportingNews.com, David Pinto notes it's been 82 years since a second baseman won a home-run title . . . a drought the Phillies' Chase Utley has a chance to break this season.
THIS PROBABLY SAYS SOMETHING, THOUGH DARNED IF I KNOW WHAT: On the same day the Web site True Blue L.A. is declaring sabermetrics to be dead -- because its truths are now so ingrained in the mainstream that "there’s very little competitive advantage to be gained from stats based analysis" -- the Kansas City Star reports Royals manager Trey Hillman is displeased with his team's on-base percentage.
CHANGING OF THE GUARD: Wayne Krivsky is out as Reds' general manager (Cincinnati Enquirer). One view: Richard Justice, writing for SportingNews.com, says Krivsky's replacement, Walt Jocketty, should bring October baseball back to Cincinnati. Another view: Scott Miller of CBSSports.com says firing Krivsky shows how clueless the Reds really are.
DEEPER PROBLEMS: Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com says the Tigers' decision to move Miguel Cabrera to first base makes sense on the surface, but it also reveals some fundamental problems in Detroit's organizational strategies.
'ROAR FROM 34': Orioles fans with a knowledge of the team's past recaptured the spirit of the late Wild Bill Hagy for one night and the result was magical. (Baltimore Sun, video included)
L.A.'S FINE, BUT IT AIN'T HOME. NEW YORK'S HOME, BUT IT AIN'T MINE NO MORE: Joe Torre is finding that scoring runs is much more difficult with the Dodgers than it was with the Yankees, and being saddled with the rotting carcass that is Andruw Jones isn't helping. (yahoo.com)
THE 'C' WORD: Barry Bonds' agent is again talking collusion as he finds zero interest for his client. (si.com)
IN MEDICAL NEWS . . . Scott Kazmir, sidelined since suffering a left elbow strain on Feb. 25, will make his first start of the season May 3 at Fenway Park against the Red Sox (mlb.com) . . . Nationals closer Chad Cordero won't need shoulder surgery (Washington Post) . . . The Rangers' Luis Mendoza says his shoulder hurts (Dallas Morning News) . . . A strained left intercostal is sending the Indians' Jake Westbrook to the disabled list (cleveland.com) . . . Orlando Hernandez will remain in a boot for two more weeks and his return isn't anywhere in sight (New York Daily News) . . . The Cubs say Alfonso Soriano won't need a rehab stint and will be ready to play when he comes off the DL next week. (Chocago Sun-Times)
OLD FRIENDS: Pedro Martinez, recovering from his hamstring strain, can return to the mound in 10 to 14 days (Newsweek) . . . Eric Hinske continues his resurgence in Tampa; last night he helped the Rays to a come-from-behind victory over Roy Halladay (Tampa Tribune) . . . The one thing that could always be said for Derek Lowe was that he was never injured. But last night he had to leave his start after five innings because of tightness in his elbow (mlb.com) . . . For the fifth straight time this season, Bronson Arroyo struggled, this time lasting only 3 2/3 innings with his velocity topping out at 88 (Springfield News and Sun) . . . Kason Gabbard, who hurt his back when he slipped on the mound at Fenway Monday, is being placed on the disabled list by the Rangers. (Dallas Morning News)
-- ART MARTONE
Posted by Art Martone 
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