In an effort to provide complete transparency....work here in NYC is killing me, but ITM writer Joe Murph and I got together for dinner tonight to discuss all things Red Sox and Inside the Monster.
Keep in mind, I've known Joe since we were 4, I hadn't seen him for months and I had plans to ask him to be in my wedding tonight.....as soon as I saw him in my hotel lobby he had a weird look on his face, before I even got a hello he said.. "guess who's in the lineup tonight??" Knowing Joe and his irrational love for John Olerud (don't ask), I immediately responded with the one time Sox first basemen......I knew it was serious when that response didn't even get a "don't kid about Orlerud" look from Joe......"Sally Drew" he said, and I almost feel off my crutches.....
I had heard Drew was feeling better and took BP yesterday, but my honest opinion was that his back would tighten up and he'd be questionable for the ALDS. Sally D proved me wrong though, he played, and looked relatively healthy in right field while going 1 for 2 at the plate and running well down the line. I was impressed, that is until I heard Tito's reasoning behind rushing Sally D back. He essentially said he didn't want him to get hurt this weekend and thus lose him for the playoffs, almost as if Tito was fully expecting to see the trainer rubbing Sally D's back come the 2nd inning. He managed to get through 3 innings before being removed for a pinch runner. Apparently Sally D proved a lot of us wrong tonight.
Anyways, back to the game, the Sox jumped out to an early 4-0 lead by pounding Fausto "there is nothing worse than wasted talent" Carmona. Pedroia ripped his 54th double of the year for the Red Sox, which puts him 3rd on Boston's all time list. Next up is Nomar with 55 in second. Pedroia continued to "steal" the show later in the game when he swiped his 20th base of the season (in 21 attempts...who says he's slow?......well everyone besides him I guess). Also of note is that Petey now has 210 hits this year, which ties him for 5th on Boston's all time list along side Wade Boggs....Dusty is likely to finish in 3rd come season end.
Paul Byrd did not make a good case for why he should be the 4th starter in the playoffs as he went 5 innings, giving up 4 runs on 11 hits. While Wakefield certainly didn't look strong in his last start either, he fared better than Bryd and had chances to get out of jams. However, keep in mind Wake has the second-worst playoff ERA of all-time with pitchers who have thrown at least 40 innings......throw that in the "concerning" file for the playoffs.
The Sox took a 4-4 tie into the 8th when Kotsay doubled home Van Every to give them a 5-4 lead. A lead Manny Delcarmen would keep in the 9th, as he earned his second save of the year.
With the win the Sox keep their slim hopes of winning the AL East alive, the Rays game however just went final in an 11-6 victory over the lifeless O's (they were down 6-2). Their magic number for the East is now 1. Amazing.
Keep in mind, I've known Joe since we were 4, I hadn't seen him for months and I had plans to ask him to be in my wedding tonight.....as soon as I saw him in my hotel lobby he had a weird look on his face, before I even got a hello he said.. "guess who's in the lineup tonight??" Knowing Joe and his irrational love for John Olerud (don't ask), I immediately responded with the one time Sox first basemen......I knew it was serious when that response didn't even get a "don't kid about Orlerud" look from Joe......"Sally Drew" he said, and I almost feel off my crutches.....
I had heard Drew was feeling better and took BP yesterday, but my honest opinion was that his back would tighten up and he'd be questionable for the ALDS. Sally D proved me wrong though, he played, and looked relatively healthy in right field while going 1 for 2 at the plate and running well down the line. I was impressed, that is until I heard Tito's reasoning behind rushing Sally D back. He essentially said he didn't want him to get hurt this weekend and thus lose him for the playoffs, almost as if Tito was fully expecting to see the trainer rubbing Sally D's back come the 2nd inning. He managed to get through 3 innings before being removed for a pinch runner. Apparently Sally D proved a lot of us wrong tonight.
Anyways, back to the game, the Sox jumped out to an early 4-0 lead by pounding Fausto "there is nothing worse than wasted talent" Carmona. Pedroia ripped his 54th double of the year for the Red Sox, which puts him 3rd on Boston's all time list. Next up is Nomar with 55 in second. Pedroia continued to "steal" the show later in the game when he swiped his 20th base of the season (in 21 attempts...who says he's slow?......well everyone besides him I guess). Also of note is that Petey now has 210 hits this year, which ties him for 5th on Boston's all time list along side Wade Boggs....Dusty is likely to finish in 3rd come season end.
Paul Byrd did not make a good case for why he should be the 4th starter in the playoffs as he went 5 innings, giving up 4 runs on 11 hits. While Wakefield certainly didn't look strong in his last start either, he fared better than Bryd and had chances to get out of jams. However, keep in mind Wake has the second-worst playoff ERA of all-time with pitchers who have thrown at least 40 innings......throw that in the "concerning" file for the playoffs.
The Sox took a 4-4 tie into the 8th when Kotsay doubled home Van Every to give them a 5-4 lead. A lead Manny Delcarmen would keep in the 9th, as he earned his second save of the year.
With the win the Sox keep their slim hopes of winning the AL East alive, the Rays game however just went final in an 11-6 victory over the lifeless O's (they were down 6-2). Their magic number for the East is now 1. Amazing.
11 comments:
How about Pedroia diving play where he crashed his faced into the ground??? I was worried at first but that guy is tough, he gets my vote for MVP.
First of all, Drew was 1 for 2...second, enough with the Sally comments. Have you had a herniated disk?
Dale, granted this might be harsh on Drew, but do you really not think it's fair to question his toughness at this point? You're not a little fed up?
I'm willing to forgive Drew a lot because we wouldn't be going to the playoffs if he hadn't carried the team for a month while Ortiz was out.
Fed up with what? His OPS+ of 140 this year? His outstanding play last September on...including the playoffs?
He's played exactly as many games as Ortiz and I don't hear people accusing Papi of being a nelly.
I don't care what JD's rep was with other teams. A herniated disk isn't just something you walk off.
And why 'Sally' anyway?
What was wrong with 'Nancy'?
You're right about the Nancy part. And I'm willing to concede the Papi point, too. I guess I just can't help shaking off the idea that he doesn't push himself to get in games. Maybe that is just lingering from his old reputation, but I also can't say he's done a whole lot to dispel that reputation with us. I would love to see 140+ games out of him next year.
He is the highest paid player on the Sox at 14 million per year....Papi and Lowell are battling through serious pain. The key in my opinion is his injury-plauged past and the fact that he shows absolutely NO emotion. Call him a Sally all you want, it might toughen him up.
And let's not get into last year...he was TERRIBLE for 90% of the year, we paid him 14 million to hit a grand slam in the playoffs.
His OPS+ last year was 105...hardly TERRIBLE. Not worth 14 mill a year, but nowhere near terrible.
i'm sorry but I can't quantify an entire person's season simply on OPS+....all i know is when considering how much he is paid...a .270 average, 11 hrs and 64 rbis in 140 games is terrible. Plus he needed a "fantastic" september to even reach those stat levels. Call me a hater if you want, but i'm not ready to give him the same kind of respect or benefit of the doubt as I do for Ortiz or Lowell.
Lugo gets called all sorts of names (worse than Sally) and his numbers were not all that far off (with the exception of average) from JD's last year....when considering he gets paid a "modest" 9.25 million, it's nearly a wash.
I'm tied up with work forever but I must say good stuff on the comment board....guess I struck a nerve....keep it up!
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