« Postgame: Crisp/Papelbon Blown Save
Main
Projo SoxTalk with McAdam: Red Sox work overtime to avoid sweep »
June 23, 2008
Journal photo / Mary Murphy
ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL: By the time Kevin Youkilis came to bat in the 13th inning yesterday it was pretty obvious that the Red Sox-Cardinals game was only going to end with a home run; both teams had demonstrated to the satisfaction of everyone there wasn't a clutch hit to be had on this day. (And when there was a semblance of one, like Adam Kennedy's 13th-inning single, someone in the field -- in this case, J.D. Drew and Jason Varitek -- would take care of it; more on that later.) So Youkilis pulled down the curtain on the 5 1/2-hour (rain included) day at the ballpark with a two-run shot into the Monster Seats in left-center, enabling the Red Sox to escape with a 5-3 win that salvaged the finale of the weekend series. Joe McDonald has the details of a long and unfruitful day at the ballpark, which included, among other things:
-- The Red Sox wasting leadoff doubles in the 10th, 11th and 12th innings.
-- Three members of the Sox (J.D. Drew, Alex Cora and Jacoby Ellsbury) striking out in extra innings with the winning run on third base, Drew and Cora doing so with one out.
-- The Cardinals squandering a pair of first-and-second, one-out opportunities in extra innings, one of which morphed into a bases-loaded, two-out chance.
-- There was even a little bad luck thrown in on the Sox' side, as well, as Steven Krasner relates.
But, thanks to Youkilis, the Sox were dancing at the end (above). "I know it’s a heck of a lot better hearing the music" -- the trilogy of Dirty Water, Tessie and Joy To The World that accompanies each Fenway Park victory -- "than coming in frustrated after a long day," sighed Terry Francona.
STOP THE MUSIC: But the reason the Sox missed hearing the Standells, the Dropkick Murphys and Three Dog Night about an hour-and-a-half earlier may actually have been the news of the day. Jonathan Papelbon blew his fourth save of the year, and the second in his last four chances, and this one was perhaps the disconcerting of them all. Krasner has a detailed breakdown of how it happened; it involved Papelbon abandoning the fastball that had blown away the first two hitters in the ninth and going to his splitter. The result was a four-pitch walk to .234 hitter Chris Duncan and a run-scoring double to Kennedy -- who came to the plate with a .305 on-base percentage and a .306 slugging percentage -- that tied the game. (In Papelbon's defense, Kennedy's ball, as well hit as it was, probably should have been caught by Coco Crisp, who's not throwing the leather the way he did in 2007.) The Globe's Nick Cafardo looks a little closer at the bullpen and notes, "When you couple Papelbon's blown saves and the struggles of set-up man Hideki Okajima, the concerns are clear. "
NO, KEEP THE MUSIC GOING: The Herald's Tony Massarotti, on the other hand, thinks the fact the Sox win games like this makes the question not can they win another World Series, but can anybody else beat them?
'DISGUSTING': The good news, bullpen-wise, was the five-up, five-down performance of Craig Hansen, who kept the game tied in the 11th with a three-pitch strikeout of Ryan Ludwick with the bases loaded. Krasner reports Manny Delcarmen judged Hansen's performance as "disgusting." If you think that's a bad thing, you're showing your age.
NOT SAFE AT HOME: When Hansen was lifted one batter into the 13th, the Cardinals arose. Duncan greeted Javier Lopez with a double off the wall and Kennedy followed with a single to right, prompting third-base coach Jose Oquendo to wave Duncan home. But Drew and Varitek combined to keep the score tied, Drew with a throw that beat Duncan to the plate by about 15 feet and Varitek by hunkering down and absorbing the knock-him-over, knock-it-out collision without
dropping the ball. Krasner tells us all about it, with reaction from the Sox' principles.
OTHER NOTES OF THE DAY: Crisp's defense yesterday wasn't all bad; he and Ellsbury both turned in some nice plays in the field . . . Lost in the excitement -- or whatever it was yesterday turned into -- was another fine start from Jon Lester . . . Dustin Pedroia had a four-hit afternoon and has lifted his average from .260 to .282 over the last 10 games . . . Krasner has all the details.
IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER: The blog Bird Land thinks yesterday's was one of the greatest games in Cardinals history.
THE BIG PICTURE: Apparently that's a majority opinion in Cardinal Nation. Tony La Russa was proud of the way his team battled over the weekend and Bernie Miklasz -- a sometimes critic of the manager -- thinks La Russa deserves much of the credit because, as he says, "I don't know if we realize how difficult it is for a team to go into Boston and win two out of three." (Both stories St. Louis Post-Dispatch) Which, when you step back and think about it, is true; the only other series the Sox lost at home this year was to the Angels in April.
OTHER NOTES OF THE WEEKEND: The series began Friday night with the Sox honoring the Celtics for winning the NBA championship, but -- in a sneak preview of yesterday -- wasting scoring opportunity after scoring opportunity in a 5-4 loss. McDonald recaps it all . . . Saturday was a disaster, Boston-wise, as the back-with-the-big-club Daisuke Matsuzaka was routed in the second inning of a 9-3 defeat. Sean McAdam, though, tells us of Chris Smith's major-league debut, which looks pretty good in the box score but -- in true, other-than-that, how-did-you-like-the-play-Mrs.-Lincoln? fashion -- was marred by a grand slam allowed to the first batter he faced.
WHERE THEY RANK: Speaking of the Celtics and championships, Chad Finn ranks the six Boston titles of the 21st century. Not surprisingly, Red Sox 2004 comes in on top. Me, I'd put the 2001 Pats a little higher.
AP Photo
END OF THE LINE? Just about the same time we were signing off here last Friday, Curt Schilling was on WEEI Radio announcing the end of his season, and possibly his career. (weei.com) While yours truly had the news, Sean McAdam had the more important piece. He put the Boston portion of Schilling's career into perspective and demonstrated how -- with his fearlessness in big moments and willingness to tackle situations that past Red Sox teams, and players, had shrunk from -- he helped turn Boston into a place where "October isn’t something to dread, but to welcome." The bloody sock (above) is the iconic symbol of all that; it forever reminds us of a night when he limped on one leg into what Theo Epstein called "the belly of the beast" and did something -- beat the Yankees, in Yankee Stadium, in a game that meant everything -- that no Red Sox pitcher, or team, was allegedly capable of doing.
The temptation is to attribute too much credit for what's happened here since 2004 to one guy, and that's wrong because Schilling certainly wasn't alone. Nor is it accurate to whitewash Schilling into an heroic knight on a steed; he had plenty of moments when he was more blowhard than braveheart, especially since there didn't seem to be anything he could refrain from commenting on, sometimes inappropriately. But there's no underestimating what he did in Boston, either, and he's inextricably intertwined with the change-of-fortune success the Red Sox have had since 2004. Like him or hate him -- and, truth be told, most Boston fans adored him -- you can't deny him his place in this franchise's history.
As we speak today, he's undergoing shoulder surgery; his baseball future hinges on the outcome. Good luck, Curt. We'll never forget you.
'NOT A THING IN THE WORLD TO BE UPSET ABOUT': Sometime Friday afternoon Schilling took to 38pitches.com to say his own goodbyes and said that if this is end, he has no regrets.
KNEW IT WAS COMING: McAdam and McDonald report that the Sox, both in the front office and the clubhouse, were saddened, if unsurprised, by the news.
GENTLEMEN, START YOUR ENGINES: And now the Schilling-In-The-Hall-of-Fame debate begins. The first salvo is fired by The Sporting News' Sean Deveney: He says yes.
THE BEST TRADES ARE THE ONES . . . Remember how close the Sox came to picking up Todd Helton? If this story in the Denver Post is any indication, be thankful they didn't.
QUIET FINISH: A homestand that picked up steam with a sweep of the Cubs ended on a down note for the Rays, who lost to the Astros yesterday and dropped two out of three in the series to Houston. (Tampa Tribune)
HANG ON A SECOND: Yankee fans had double reason to celebrate yesterday: Andy Pettitte beat the Reds, avoiding a three-game sweep, and their favorite whipping boy, Kyle Farnsworth, hurt his finger. (New York Daily News) But the blog River Ave. Blues says Farnsworth isn't "totally useless. Yet."
THE DEAD HORSE SHOWS SIGNS OF LIFE: The New York Daily News' John Harper says "there is a very real sense these Mets are in good hands with Jerry Manuel taking over for Willie Randolph. Smart, relaxed and self-assured, Manuel's ascension seems to have loosened the atmosphere around the Mets and helped them refocus on baseball." In what may or may not be a related incident, Manuel compares Mets fans to fertilizer. (New York Post)
LET'S GO BACK TO BEATING IT ANYWAY: The Daily News' Bill Madden says Randolph had no chance with the backstabbers in the Mets front office. And his former teammates, Jim Kaat, says Willie deserved better. (yesnetwork.com)
TURNAROUND: Right after being swept by the Rays, the Cubs come home and sweep the White Sox. (Chicago Tribune) The vanquished manager, Ozzie Guillen, salutes the victors. (Chicago Sun-Times)
HE DID IT ONCE (ACTUALLY, TWICE), SO . . . The Blue Jays are giving Cito Gaston the chance to do it again. (Toronto Star) Our pal the Tao of Stieb is aghast. As are we.
NUMBER ONE: The Jays won their first game for Gaston -- after two defeats -- yesterday. (Toronto Globe and Mail) One last Jays note: Matt Stairs is happy Gary Denbo was shown the door, along with John McLaren and Ernie Whitt. (National Post) Well, one really last Jays note: Whitt's firing drove the long-time Blue Jay to tears. (Toronto Sun)
NOTHING'S CHANGED: His high school graduation was covered live on national radio, and Bob Feller henceforth acted like someone who felt his high school graduation deserved to be covered live on national radio. (Which should be a lesson to all who think athletic self-absorption is a novel concept.) Shysterball reports the years haven't mellowed him any.
HERE AND THERE: The Pirates' Ian Snell has a sore elbow (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) . . . After his latest dismal outing, the Dodgers' Scott Proctor described himself as "(bleeping) pathetic" (Los Angeles Daily News) . . . The Astros have lifted Shawn Chacon out of their starting rotation (Houston Chronicle) . . . Mark Teixeira had a three-homer day for the Braves yesterday (Atlanta Journal-Constitution) . . . The Tigers still don't know when Gary Sheffield will return (Detroit Free Press) . . . Moises Alou's career may be over. (New York Post)
OLD FRIENDS: Bronson Arroyo has heard the rumors that have him headed to the Yankees and sounds like he's lukewarm about it, since he's come to enjoy life in baseball's slow lane (New York Daily News) . . . Justin Duchscherer has a big fan: Baseball Musings' David Pinto . . . Ken Harrelson talks about his career, and his life, with the Chicago Sun-Times.
AND FINALLY . . . It's not really baseball news, but interesting nonetheless: Newsday reports that the end may be near for WFAN's Mike And The Mad Dog show.
-- ART MARTONE
Posted by Art Martone 
at 7:04 AM | Permalink
