"I'm Shutting Down the Studio" - ITM Edition

The time has come.  It's time to make official something I've known for well over a year.  It's time to bring ITM to a close.

Simply put; between work, work related travel, living across the Atlantic, and a number of other endeavors I'm currently pursuing, there are not enough hours in the day to give this blog the kind of dedication it deserves.

At its peak, ITM had two additional writers and hundreds of readers, unfortunately we simply fell victim to the real world...."the working man is a sucka!".

However, ITM has been strung along by random posts of videos, nonsensical banter, and Spaceball quotes for the past twelve months. 

While I'm not ruling out an eventual return to Red Sox blogging (this site will remain up and open, with perhaps an occasional rant), it shouldn't be half-assed. 

...not going to lie, a contributing factor to this decision is that without recent blogging, the Sox have seemingly found their stride a bit.  Here's hoping reaching .500 last night is the take off point.

.....and for those of you not in the David Chappelle loop, here is how the title of this post relates.

Iggy Called Up...Man Love Escalates

Jose Iglesias was called up to the big leagues earlier today.  He's not expected to play today, tomorrow, or maybe even the next day....but the news alone has me all sorts of excited.

With Scutaro out with a strained oblique, and Pawtucket's Yamaico Navarro going down with an injury last week (who is technically ahead of Iggy on the depth chart), Iggy got the call he's been waiting for.

Personally, I think it's a bit early for the 21 year old Cuban to be in the big time lights, but it was primarily a result of circumstance.

While my (and 94 percent of Red Sox Nation's) expectations for Iggy are irrationally high, there is reason to believe he may indeed be ready for the big show later this year.

In the minor leagues, he's shown the ability to consistent hit the ball, get on base, and make plays on the base paths (while he's not exactly Jacoby, he's a smart base runner who can swipe bags with intelligence as opposed to pure speed).

Multiple scouts have already said Iggy's glove is "major league ready"....it's only a matter of time until he gets his time to shine in the Fens and even the Pink Hats learn his name.

With Lowrie currently representing one of Boston's best lineup options, I'm not ready to rush Iggy up to the bigs by any means (personally, I think he's better suited to stay in Pawtucket the entire year).

However, there is nothing wrong with admiring our future short stop and wishing him the best.  Let's just hope unexpected injuries don't rush any of the process.

Go Sox, Go Boston, Go Iggy....just go.

Did Heidi Watney Just Call The Sox A Bunch Of Pansies?

Not going to lie, sounds like Heidi is throwing the Sox under the bus here right?  I mean, pretty much saying the Angels wanted it more....this team has no heart, no passion, no fire.

She realized she let her true feelings come out after tilting back a few too many glasses of what I assume to be terrible wine....she did her best to cover her tracks, but the truth is out there....even Heidi can see this team lacks swagger, desire, grit.

Maybe that's what happens to a team when a supposed "big game pitcher" walks out to the mound and gets smacked around and called Susan all over Fenway Park.

ITM Note:  How money is Buchholz though?  I didn't know he had it in him....totally looks like he rolled out of bed after a bender, slicked his hair back, and showed up to an event he had absolutely no idea about.

.....that said, his wife is all sorts of talented.

Theo Epstein - 2012

"Theo Epstein 2012" with that kind of interview right? 

While I tend to agree that the bullpen will be ok in the long run, lately, it's tough to be a believer.  That said, Theo shows his stuff here, just calming things down and building optimism.  It's a marathon, not a sprint, and it's just Theo being Theo.

ITM Note:  Theo absolutely needs to put this kind of spin and political tone on his discussion of the bullpen, it's primarily his self-constructed baby and looks shaky at best.  Surely it's the most volatile and interchangeable aspect of the team, but it's also something that, coming into this season, Theo painted as a pillar of strength based on his off season moves.

Ellsbury Cements Leadoff Spot

As an American, in London, blogging about the Sox on my iPhone from a pub in the middle of the Wedding, I deserve extra credit.

That said, it's just a quick post.

My feelings towards Jacoby have been on a rollercoaster of emotion over the past two years or so. From man love, to disappointment, to anger, and now back to cautious excitment.

I want nothing more than Jacoby to prove the haters (including myself) wrong; with a studly season. While he's not exactly tearing up the basebaths, or the cover off the ball for that matter, he seems to have recently cemented his role as the team's leadoff hitter.

Perhaps it's as much Crawford's fault, but it's fairly apparent that Boston's CC will not be this team's leadoff man (which he shouldn't be anyways). Either way, Ellsbury's recent spike in production and on base percentage has provided a bit kore stability to Boston's lineup. Something that is desperately needed.

My feelings on Jacoby have yet to come back full circle, but it's slowly getting there.

I'm not a 15 year old girl, he still needs to earn my love back.

Carl Everett - Surprising No One

Boston.com:  Former major league outfielder Carl Everett, who played for the Red Sox in 2000-01, was in a Tampa jail on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after putting a handgun to his wife’s head, according to police records. Everett, 39, was arrested Monday night at his home in the Tampa suburb of Lutz. Everett played for 14 seasons. He began with the Marlins and also played for the Mets, Astros, Rangers, White Sox, Expos, and Mariners

As serious as the above report is, should it really surprise anyone?  I mean, didn't we all know this was bound to happen sooner rather than later?  Everett is/was Major League Baseball's version of Ron Artest, except even more insane.

I mean, the man head butts umpires, doesn't believe in dinosaurs, thinks that landing on the Moon was fake, "doesn't believe in being gay", the list goes on...

For those in need of his direct quote on dinosaurs: 

"God created the sun, the stars, the heavens and the earth, and then made Adam and Eve. The Bible never says anything about dinosaurs. You can't say there were dinosaurs when you never saw them. Somebody actually saw Adam and Eve. No one ever saw a Tyrannosaurus rex."

I believe Everett and Manny played together on the Sox during the 2001 season....how did the world not end at that point?

ITM note:  blogging about this was way easier than discussing the Sox loss last night, easy sell there.

A Quick Look At The Rest Of The AL East

From London to Barcelona to Astana, everyone is well aware of Boston's emergence out of the dumps of baseball's cellar...so I thought a quick look at the rest of the AL East was in order:

The good news? While the Sox fell on their face to open the season, no AL East team is exactly setting the world on fire...

The Yanks: At 12-7, the Yankees sit atop the AL East, but everything is far from ok in the Bronx. While Curtis Granderson has been more productive in his first 20 games in 11' than the entire 2010 season, and ARod is hitting the ball well, there are holes throughout this team. Phil Hughes suffered a recent setback and has mysteriously lost velocity on his fastball (Manny Delcarmen syndrome). Their poor man's version Buchholz seems headed for a fairly significant DL stint. Jeter continues to throw up all over himself while raking in outrageous paychecks from the front office (worst...deal...ever)...and Nova has flopped thus far in his rush to the big league rotation. Of course the Yanks have the talent and resources to be successful, but it seems safe to say the door remains open on top of the AL East.

The Rays: despite their .500 record, the Rays seem to be getting the absolute most out of Crawford's replacement, our second favorite idiot (only to Millar, who reportedly still sleeps in his red sox uniform)Johhny Damon...and with Longo about to rejoin the club, they remain an underweighted factor in the ultimate race for the East....

The Bluejays: Jose Bautista is a straight up stud. He's absolutely raking right now. Just walk the man, I don't care if the bases are chucked. Walk him. If he can get any consistent offensive help, the young arms could continueto keep the Jays in the mix for longerthan we would all like.

The O's: they're likely still a few years away from playing with the big boys in the division (don't we say that every year?), but the bottom line is they have some talent, better coaching, and a young staff of arms who are not afraid to pitch aggressively. They're a muh improved team, and could possibly contend in weaker divisions. Just not this one.

Overall, despite the loud offseason by the top teams, there appears to be more talent from top to bottom in the AL East than ever. It's going to be an interesting summer.

PS: Is it bad that despite Boston's piss poor start, I'm already at the point where going into a game I fully expect to win each and every time? Go Sox.

Winners of 6 of Their Last 7, But No Where Close To Their Best

Unfortunately, travel and the time difference with the Sox on the West Coast means I've only been able to watch a few games over the last week or two. Given the recent results, maybe it needs to stay that way.

Either way, facts are facts, the Sox have won six out of their last seven (despite being on the road...extra odd). However, after pouring through the articles, box scores, and talking shop with family and friends back home, I consider it pretty lucky.

I realize that our starters have put this team on their back and single handedly pulled them back into the picture, but that was the blueprint for last year's team, not the 2011 Red Sox.

I wake up each morning, analyze the box scores, and shake my head. The Sox have stranded the entire state of Rhode Island on base this week, but are pulling out W's in he end. I guess there is the saying "good teams just win"....and that may be the case, but the room for improvement despite the recent W's is astounding.

Maybe this post is simply stating the obvious, but maybe it highlights a sincere reality for this team. The pitching can and will not continue to be as lights out, so does this team have the offensive power we think it does? Or ultimately, are we just very comparable to 2010 without the injuries?

Either way, this team absolutely should be a playoff-bound squad, but can they put it all together to take the nation to the promise land? We haven't seen it yet, God willing, it's coming.

It's Time

Call it an irrational hunch, but somewhere deep down inside I feels it's true. It's time for these Red Sox.

Now is the time for this team to find its stride, build some momentum, and work their way back up the standings in the AL East.

Why? Good question, but here are some bullets laced with optimism:

- starting pitching: after throwing up all over themselves for their first few starts, collectively, the train appears to be getting back on track. Heck, even Dice-k threw a gem. Couple that with a surprisingly strong outing from Lackey (sad reality), and Buchholz remembering he's Clay Buchholz...and all of a sudden your pitching staff is on a roll with the two horses of Beckett and Lester up next to keep the ball rolling downhill against a relatively weak hitting Halos club.

- Carl Crawford: simply put, he can only get better...and he's starting to show signs of it. The pressure is off a bit, and he still owes Jed Lowrie a few steak dinners for keeping the media spotlight off of him lately. This guy will hit for us, and with any luck, it'll be a fatalist for everyone else in the lineup (looking at you Jacoby)

-Youk: don't look now, but he's coming on. He just missed a two tater game a few night la ago by inches, and he seems to be providing the Sox with the timely hitting they desperately need.

- comfort: I think we forget that this team (regardless of on paper talent) hasn't played together much. They're still getting comfortable in a new clubhouse, with new teammates, a new manager, and in a new city. The odds were somewhat stacked against them right out of the gate given the hype and expectations.

- It's a Marathon not a Sprint: 4.5 games back with about 378 to go, we'll be fine.


PS: I reserve the right to freak out on the flip side of all of the above stated items in my next list. After all, that's what we do.

PPS: typed this up at 4:30am on my iPhone while on a train to Gatwick for a long weekend away. See how much I poured?

The New Jacoby Ellsbury?...

Just another example of how everything in life can be related back to either: Major League 1 or 2, Spaceballs, or Tommy Boy.  Unfortunately, you simply can't convince T Murph or I otherwise.

Let's hope that by the end of next week, someone in the middle of this lineup (seriously, anyone) has overtaken Jacoby for the lead in taters.

.....also, when watching the video, clearly when Jacoby is in the cage, it's David Ortiz in the background yelling "it's beautiful man".

West Coast game tonight means a 3am start time for this guy...safe to say I may miss tonight's tilt.

It's Just Dice-K Being Dice-K - You Never Know

As much as I want to be all over the Dice-K train after yesterday's oddly masterful performance, I just can't do it.

Call me pessimistic, but what we've witnessed over these first few weeks of the season is exactly what we get with Dice-K....the unknown.

He's the Tim Wakefield of the Far East; he can either shut a team down, or get shelled by the Pirates over 3 innings. He doesn't make sense, he never will, and trying to forecast his performance is useless.

All the factors or numbers in the world can be thrown out the window with this man...(home/away, opposing lineup, numbers with 4 days rest, numbers with 5 days rest, the weather, if he had 7 or 8 hours of sleep the night before, how many pounds of rice he consumed before the first pitch, etc). None of it matters with Dice-K, and the sooner we accept it, the better off we'll all be.

He could go 20-0 for the rest of the season, and I still wouldn't trust him in a big game....it's just the way it is. You've burned me too many times Dice-K....too many times.

That said, you, along with Jed "if I were on NBA Jam right now I'd be jumping through the rafters on fire" Lowrie, may have put the Sox back on track. And for that, I give you an appreciative nod of my head, and nothing else.

A Winning Streak? It Has Happened Before...

Two in a row?  I didn't know if this team was capable.  What is that?  A hint of excitement all of a sudden? 

Back to back strong pitching outings?  8 runs?  Salty straight salting on everyone?  An efficient and effective bullpen performance? 

Is this real life?

Sure, Carl Crawford can't hit a ball off a tee right now, and Dice-K is on the mound tomorrow, fittingly on Patriots day....but things may just be looking up Milhouse.

I'm Not Disappointed, I'm Straight Up Angry

Between work, travel, and the amazingly frustrating play of the Red Sox, I decided that a few days away from ITM and blogging was needed. 

I needed an off day or two to shake out the cobwebs, dull my raging anger about all things Red Sox, and foolishly, (going back to my irrational superstitions), I thought that me not blogging would help get them on the right track. 

100 percent wrong. 

The amount of angry texts going back and forth over the Atlantic ocean is at an all time high. 

I honestly can't think of a time when I've been more angry at a Red Sox team.  I've certainly been more disappointed given past postseason tragedies, but never have I had this much anger. 

I simply can't take any more late nights of watching a team implode, or waking up to read the horrible, horrible things members of the Vicino family have texted during yet another loss. 

The Globe's articles say it right, the "it's early" excuse doesn't apply anymore. The Sox are amazingly lucky to only be 5 games out despite their efforts to become the most overhyped and underachieving team of all time...but soon it's going to be "too late". 

Just Pedey Being Pedey..

Have I mentioned I'm in man love with little Dusty?....

"The way I think about it," Pedroia continued, "we’re four games out of first place with 153 to go. That’s a long-ass way away. I’m not very smart, but it looks doable, what do you think?"

You tell em Pedey. 

I must say I was shocked to see Beckett's line when I woke up here in Amsterdam this morning.  "No &*$#ing way!"  It figures I missed it....sounds like it was 2007 playoff style JB last night.....but if it takes me missing games because I'm 6 hours ahead for that to happen, I'll take it for the team.

Despite being just 2-7....beating the Yankess twice make me feel like we're 4-5.  Those wins count twice in my book.

Yelling at Old Ladies During Rehab...Just Another Day for Pedroia

Three quarters of the way through this video I said "wow, Pedey is actually going to complete an interview without joking around or saying something stupid".

...but Pedey couldn't let me down.  I simply love this guy.

Not to mention he picked this team up off the floor yesterday.  Let's hope everyone else can rally around the momentum the little guy started.

Go Sox.

PS:  Doesn't Rosenthal look like such a DB with that bow tie?  Pump the break pal, pump em.

In An Attempt to Ignore Today's Game: These Heidi Segments Have to Go

I have no words for the amount of anger and frustration resulting from today's game and the overall state of this Red Sox team.  As a result, I'll simply ignore it for now.. 

So if you've read ITM at all you know that this site is borderline infatuated with Heidi Watney.  She's amazing, we love her...she's the best.  A few of us met her in person and had the opportunity to talk to her for a bit....looking back, I really wish T Murph and I were more prepared for that...pretty sure we sounded like nervous 12 year old boys. 

Did I mention she's awesome?

Awesome or not, these food segments gotta go.

I don't know who is making the call there at NESN, but can you please stop putting us all in amazingly awkward situations and taking away from the game. 

I don't care how hot she is, I don't want to see her nearly vomit on the cameraman after eating disgusting piles of crap from Cleveland....and I certainly don't need to listen to the concession stand guy fumble all over himself at the sight of Heidi and a camera.

Stick to the game NESN, stick to the game.

New day tomorrow...back home at Fenway....rivals in town....time to get serious.

When You're 0-5, and an Ocean Away, You Resort to Superstitions

The frustration and downright anger of a 0-5 start to the season crosses the Atlantic ocean amazingly fast. You have no idea how terrible it is to wake up in the morning, rush to grab your phone and check the Sox score...only to have 4 texts waiting for you saying ("Dice-K is a pig"....."Tek is a bum"....."hope you didn't stay up for this"....."Heidi still looks great though"..etc).


It's a very difficult way to start your day.

Anyways, it has come down to this. We simply can't open up at Fenway tomorrow, against the Yankees, at 0-6. Can't. We can't lose another game to perhaps the worst team in the AL, a team that has all of 7 fans in their stands, with our ace on the mound this afternoon. Can't.

So, feeling the need to do my part, I've resorted to something I usually reserve for August and September: superstitions.

This morning, I went to a different coffee shop on my way to the Tube. I took a different Tube line to work (requiring a longer commute, but it's worth it). I've been carrying or wearing my Red Sox hat everywhere today (hence the picture above). I will go somewhere new for lunch beak, walk backwards home from work, whatever it takes.

Growing up, my father would make us switch seats in the living room if things weren't going Boston's way. Or, if I was watching the game upstairs in my bedroom, and the Sox put together a good inning, I would have to "just stay up there". For game four of the 2004 world series, I came home from college and my entire family got together to watch the Sox take it.....save for my oldest brother who couldn't leave "his chair" because he didn't want to blow it for them.

Tell yourself whatever you want, do whatever you have to do to provide peace of mind, but the bottom line is the Red Sox need a win in the worst way....but it won't be my fault if they go into Fenway at 0-6.

Go Sox, just give us one.

ITM note: While were down in Ft Myers for spring training, the Sox went 0-5. We joked about how insane we would go if this team stumbled badly out of the gate. Yikes.

Is This The Worst Red Sox "Breakdown" Ever?

Dave Winfield, dropping all sorts of knowledge here right?

Seriously though, is this for real?  If you're ESPN, and you know your predominate target audience here are Red Sox fans, who happen to be, on the whole, a very knowledgeable constituency, why would you let this happen?

I wish I could state the obvious, read the cliff notes (watch a few game highlights) and get paid duckets to be on ESPN.   Thanks for telling Red Sox Nation absolutely nothing we didn't know, and pissing us off further while doing so.  Cutting edge stuff right there.

My 3 year old nephew could have provided better insight.  In fact, I'm pretty sure he emailed Tito via his Playmate computer toy about not calling for a hit in run in the 6th inning of game two as a result of the pitching match up and field dimensions in Texas.

Maybe if the same "breakdown" and lack of articulation were provided if we were 3-0 instead of 0-3 I'd change my tune.  I guess we'll never know. 

Clearly I'm a bit worked up across the pond today....maybe it's because now I'm forced to lean on Josh Beckett for sanity...

First ESPN Power Ranking Has Boston At #7. You Should Be Thankful

Why ESPN forced out a power ranking after three games of baseball is something I don't understand, but to be honest, I was almost happy with Boston's #7 slot.

Others in the ITM circle were ecstatic:

TMurph:  "Really, I figured they would be 29th, and barely in front of the Pirates."

We all know it's far too early to freak out, but it's what we do.  I received emails from coworkers back in Boston saying they tuned into sports radio to hear callers screaming to fire Tito.  Now I'm an admitted irrational Red Sox fan at times, but we need to pump the breaks a bit.

Sure, the Yanks and Phillies are number one and two in this fake ESPN power ranking (side note, how are the Yanks number one in front of Philly and Texas???).....but guess what, the Sox are about to square off against the #30 Cleveland Indians.  Any city whose motto is "hey, at least we're not Detroit" seems like the good place to get on the right track as a team right?

While we're somehow on the optimism train, Joe Murph and I managed to talk ourselves into a positive mood...here is our irrational, rationale: If the current trend holds, and the Sox players continue to perform pretty much exactly as they have in spring training, Beckett and Dice-K will get us back in the W column, which will followed by big Jon Stud Lester to close the series out in style...sending us back to Fenway to take on the Yanks.

Momentum...Boom.

Believe. 

It's Just Heidi Being Heidi...

Let's be honest with ourselves, it's Monday morning, the Red Sox just finished getting their asses kicked, and today is an off day for us to stew in our anger.....as a result, we all need this.

Thank you Heidi, for your timing in the release of this video is extraordinary.

It's time to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and take advantage of Cleveland's terrible squad to get the team on track.