« Crisp Leaves Game -- Upset Stomach
Main
Sox place Buchholz on DL, recall Van Every »
May 14, 2008
AP Photo
PREMATURE CELEBRATION: We've been treated to a score of Red Sox-are-the-best proclamations in the last week, in places like the Boston Globe, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, the Detroit Free Press and msnbc.com. Lost in the huzzahs is the fact that a) the Sox have lost four of five after last night's 5-4 beating in Baltimore, b) they now trail those amazing Rays in the A.L. East standings (more on that in a moment), and c) their players are dropping like flies. Steven Krasner touches on all three topics in his accounting of last night's doings, which includes a heavy emphasis on the game's turning point: The pitcher-to-home-to-first double play grounded into by Manny Ramirez with the bases loaded and no out in the seventh inning, enabling the Orioles to maintain their at-the-time 5-3 lead.
DOCTOR, DOCTOR, GIVE ME THE NEWS: After David Ortiz was ejected in the ninth inning for arguing a third-strike call by plate umpire Laz Diaz, the Sox were down to one healthy non-pitcher on the bench: Backup catcher Kevin Cash. They started the night knowing that Julio Lugo was unavailable, although Krasner reports he seems to be recovering nicely from his mild concussion and could be ready to play again soon, perhaps as early as today. Then the game started, and soon joining Lugo on the sidelines were right fielder J.D. Drew, who sprained his left wrist while trying to catch a looping fly ball hit by Freddy Bynum in the third (above), and center fielder Coco Crisp, who had to leave in the sixth when he began suffering symptoms consistent with a migraine. (Attention all of you who made Coco jokes after NESN reported he took himself out because of an "upset stomach": the line for apologies starts here.) Krasner has the postgame medical updates, and it looks like Drew -- like Mike Lowell last month -- may be out for a bit.
NO JOSHING: Like Clay Buchholz the night before, Josh Beckett was staked to a 3-0 lead before he ever took the mound. Like Clay Buchholz the night before, Josh Beckett gave the whole lead back . . . and then some. Unlike Clay Buchholz the night before -- he was rather subdued and philosophical -- Josh Beckett gave an X-rated critique of his performance that laid the blame for last night's proceedings right on his own shoulders. (Boston Herald) Even so, Jason Varitek thinks Beckett is "really close" to once again start clicking on all cylinders. (Boston Globe)
JUST WHAT THEY NEED: As if the Sox didn't have enough troubles, they'll be facing Daniel Cabrera this afternoon. In an item in his weekly notes column, Foxsports.com's Ken Rosenthal says the talented but eccentric right-hander is finally get his act together, which may create a do-we-trade-him-or-do-we-keep-him? quandry for the rebuilding Orioles.
RELAX: Despite their recent slide, the Sox are still No. 1 in Foxsports.com's Power Rankings.
THE BIG VICTORY: Forget these little setbacks. The Herald's Howie Carr says the Sox (and the Patriots) pulled off the mother of all upsets: They took down the Boston Mafia by bankrupting the bookies with their run of success.
TRADE BAIT: Jim Rice examines the future of Jed Lowrie and -- since Dustin Pedroia is entrenched at second and both Lugo and Lowell are signed to long-term contracts -- wouldn't be surprised "if the Red Sox shop their prized prospect to other teams." (ask14.sullivantire.com)
OUR SYMPATHIES: Condolences to Terry Francona, who'll miss the series in Baltimore because of the death of his mother-in-law. (ProJo Sox Blog)
NOT AT THAT PRICE: The Denver Post reports the Rockies are still interested in Julian Tavarez "but aren't about to give up pitching prospect Brandon Hynick" for him.
THE NEXT BIG THING: ESPN.com's Jim Caple is calling 21-year-old Japanese phenom Yu Darvish Dice-K 2.0.
RAYS OF POWER: They're already figured out the magic number -- 122 -- in St. Petersburg as the Rays moved into first place with an 11-inning win over Mariano Rivera and the Yankees last night. (St. Petersburg Times) They're beginning to make believers out of people, like the Times' Gary Shelton. And Tampa Bay players who've experienced success before (on other teams, of course), like Cliff Floyd and Troy Percival, say they're seeing the signs of a team coming together. (Tampa Tribune) Now to get the fans on board. There were less than 17,000 at The Trop last night and David Pinto of Baseball Musings tells the folks in the Tampa Bay area to come out and support their suddenly successful franchise.
HERE TO STAY: If you think the Rays are a fluke team bound to fall, Baseball Analysts urges you to think again.
CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK: You could always count on the in-his-prime George Steinbrenner to weigh in whenever the Yankees were struggling. Now it's Hank Steinbrenner's team, so now it's Hank Steinbrenner's turn. (New York Post)
SHORT MEMORIES: While I don't recall them thanking the offense for carrying them to the playoffs last year, Yankee pitchers, reports Peter Abraham on the LoHud Yankees Blog, are quietly blaming the hitters for the team's struggles this season.
THE CAVALRY ISN'T IN SIGHT: The Yankee attack will no doubt pick up when Alex Rodriguez returns, but there's still no word when that will be. (New York Daily News)
THE ILLS OF SOCIETY: Goose Gossage is beginning to town down his criticisms of Joba Chamberlain, saying Joba's showboating antics aren't really his fault because "no one is passing the torch today (to the rookies)." (New York Daily News)
I THOUGHT THAT WAS HIM . . . Gossage said last week that Orioles outfielder Al Bumbry was one of only six batters he intentionally hit during his career. But baseball-reference.com looked it up and discovered Gossage never hit Bumbry.
PREPARING THE GUILLOTINE: Our buddy The Tao of Stieb says John Gibbons' time is almost up in the Blue Jays' managerial chair, and tells us why.
A GIRLS SOFTBALL LEAGUE WOULDN'T LOOK SO BAD RIGHT NOW: One day after he ragged on the Nationals for acting like "a bunch of softball girls" in their dugout while he was pitching, the Mets designated Nelson Figueroa for assignment. (New York Daily News)
FIXING THE CASE: Prosecutors have rewritten their indictment against Barry Bonds, as ordered by the judge, and baseball's home-run king/pariah now faces 15 felony counts. (AP via projo.com) The blog ShysterBall says there's nothing really new here and that his original handicapping of Bonds' chances in court still stands.
NEW PERSPECTIVE: Last week Pinto, writing for sportingnews.com, examined why the National League is outscoring the American League so far this year and concluded that, with its influx of young talent, the N.L. may soon be the better league once again. William Burke and Joe Sheehan of Baseball Prospectus take their own look at their issue and conclude that A.L. scoring may be down because of A.L. personnel decisions; to wit, choosing defense over offense at some positions.
PETCO SOUNDS: Padres exec Paul DePodesta takes a look at Petco Park in his latest blog entry and says the fact that Petco is an extreme pitchers' park shouldn't obscure the equally true fact the team's greatest run of success in history has occurred since it moved there.
'PEDRITO': The Reds' Edison Volquez idolizes Pedro Martinez. More importantly, says espn.com's Amy K. Nelson, he's pitching like him this year, too.
FACT OR FOLLY? The Seattle Times' Larry Stone, who admits he bought into the "last year's 88-win record plus this year's addition of [Erik] Bedard equaled a championship run" notion, thinks the time of reckoning may soon be here for the stumbling Mariners.
NO QUIT IN HIM: Jay Mariotti's frontal assault on the White Sox continues, as he uses Ozzie Guillen's admission that he was thinking about stepping down as manager as a jumping-off point for an attack on someone he calls "a crazed, bitter man . . . [whose] stupidity . . . has turned the franchise into a national farce."
LOCAL BOYS: Rocco Baldelli, sidelined since spring training after being diagnosed with a mitochondrial disorder, took batting practice yesterday and says he still hopes to play this year. (mlb.com)
HERE AND THERE: The Brewers' Chris Capuano will soon have the second Tommy John surgery of his career (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel) . . . The Reds' Jeff Koppinger suffered a broken patella when he fouled a ball off his leg (Cincinnati Enquirer) . . . Jacque Jones would like to join the Marlins. (South Florida Sun-Sentinel)
OLD FRIENDS: Guess he was right about needing a quick mental-health break. Eric Gagne got the save for the Brewers last night (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel) . . . Nomar Garciaparra says he's not ready for a rehab assignment just yet. (insidesocal.com)
-- ART MARTONE
Posted by Art Martone 
at 6:50 AM | Permalink
