Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Injury Bug Forces Sox to Improvise

With the Red Sox setting off on a strenuous 10-game road trip, we the fans are about to see whether they can find some band-aids to patch their cuts and bruises, or if they will limp into second place on the road.

In the same few days when CF Coco Crisp returned from a long DL stint, 4 other sox replaced him, and one more was optioned down.

RHP Mike Timlin (right shoulder strain), LHP David Wells (hit by comebacker), LHP Lenny DiNardo (neck strain???), and RF Wily Mo Pena (wrist injury) were all inactive for the first two games against the Blue Jays in which the Sox went 0-2 behind Clement and Beckett.

The real challenge for the Red Sox now will be filling the shoes of the walking wounded.

There are reports that the Sox have been scouting designated Twins RHP Kyle Lohse, though he walks far too many batters to be a real asset.

Slated to replace Wells tonight is AA righthander David Pauley, making his Major League debut. Like DiNardo, his key will be keeping the ball low, and hoping that the Sox lineup bashes lots of run support.

Crisp has jumped back into the lineup and will fill the void left by Pena, though the Sox will certainly miss that power option.

The pressure is on with the Yankees only .5 games back, and the Blue Jays silently keeping pace, back 1.5 games. If the players come together as a team to stop the leaks, it might be done. Otherwise this might be a Titanic disaster of a road trip.

Thursday, May 25, 2006

Where Will Coco Go?

With Coco Crisp's return from the DL aimed for Monday's matchup with the Blue Jays, one monumental question has yet to be answered -- where will Coco go?

The Red Sox have four legitimate, everyday-quality outfielders, as well as a couple capable backups in Willie Harris and Dustan Mohr. And though we love Manny, Coco, Wily Mo, and Trot, the fact remains that there's only room enough for three. None of these guys figure to tolerate riding the pine, which means that unless Pena and Nixon platoon in right, one must be the odd man out -- of Boston.

And of course the first instinct is to have Nixon and Pena platoon in right, but this turns out to be a very inefficient solution. Pena is thriving with so many at-bats, and Nixon is hitting well thus far too -- in fact, their averages, homers, runs scored and RBI are nearly identical. But cost is going to be a large factor in this proposed solution, and no team can feel good with a $7.5 million situational hitter. To cap it off, this platoon would make absolutely no sense from a baseball standpoint either. Isn't one of the two players supposed to be able to hit a lefty? Well, yeah. And for as bad a rap as Trot gets, his splits are acutally much improved from previous years. Pena, the proposed lefty-masher, has an ugly split this year, hitting .190 off southpaws. If the ultimate decision is for Nixon and Pena to "share time" in right, it would be at least tolerable. The justification for a platoon here just doesn't exist.

So, if you want to effectively spend $10 million on a right fielder with a good average and a hit-or-miss power stroke, stunt Pena's development and fail to reap the full benefit of Trot's contract year, feel free to put Wily Mo Nixon in right. Somehow that just doesn't seem like the most viable option, though. And with Manny and Crisp all but set in stone in center and left, it's too small for two in right. Especially with Wily Mo Pena there. But to trade Trot?

Unthinkable -- at first, anyway. But the more you think about the possibility, the more appealing it becomes, for a slew of reasons. Trot has good trade value that's been getting even better thanks the the impressive numbers he's been posting. He's in the last year of his contract, a trading win-win: we would receive compensation for him where he would otherwise have walked, and he will be especially attractive to suitors for lack of a cumbersome contract.

What kind of a deal would the Sox pull? That would depend on how many other variables played out, but no matter how the cards fall there will be any number of possibilities. Potential trading partners? Teams with 1)money, 2)a chance at the playoffs, and 3)need for an OF. We can only imagine a few:

Houston Astros: a poor outfield isn't helping the Astros chances in the NL Central, where they are already 6 games back. The Sox would definitely be interested in RHP Equiziel Astacio, or farther down, LHP Troy Patton.

Texas Rangers: Don't necessarily need Nixon in the outfield, but could use some stability from the DH. RP Akinori Otsuka would be highly-coveted by the Red Sox if they would rather get immediate bullpen help. If they can wait, Texas has an abundance of minor-league righties to offer, as well as minor-league OF Freddy Guzman and SS Joaquin Arias.

St. Louis Cardinals: The outfield could use some bolstering for the playoff run, and though RHP Anthony Reyes is likely (or at least should be) untouchable, righty RP Adam Wainwright would fit nicely into the Sox pen. The Cardinals' top 6 prospects are all RHPs, so trading one wouldn't hurt as much as it might other teams.

LA Dodgers: They have a decent outfield, but it taking on Nixon in the playoff hunt would be a significant upgrade. 3B Andy LaRoche would be a nice additition to the farm.

San Diego Padres: The upgrade to Nixon (with the Red Sox assuming some contract) could net C George Kottaras (Varitek isn't getting any younger). For immediate help, right-handed releiver Scott Cassidy would be downright stingy near the back of the bullpen.

To trade Nixon, the Sox' second-longest tenured player, would be to go against every natural instinct of a Red Sox fan. But if it feels wrong to trade Trot, it feels... wrong-er to keep him. Especially with Roger Clemens narrowing down his choices as he prepares for a comeback, the $7.5 million would just be much better-spent elsewhere than on a part-time right fielder.

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

A Monday on the Monster

What's big, imposing, green, friendly to right-handed hitters, and has two concession stands and a bathroom on top of it? They call it the Monstah, and while it may be scary to pitchers facing Manny Ramirez, it is a blast of vantage point for lucky Sox fans. After watching Monday's opener of the Sox-Yanks series from atop the big wall, I'm convinced that it is the only way to properly watch a Yankees game in May.

I've seen games lots of ways. I've sat way up in the bleachers, right next to the bullpen, behind the Pesky Pole. I've sat in both sides of the grandstand, both sides of the loge box, and rested my drink atop the Sox' dugout. I've sat along the sloping left field wall, in the front, in the back, in the sun, in the shade, during the day, at night, and have and upgraded to better seats more than a few times. I've driven to the park, taken the T from 5 different stops, and walked in from both Kenmore and Fenway. Point being, after enough experience at the park to have an opinion on a good many seats, the most unique may have been the seat without a seat at all.

Don't get me wrong -- sitting five feet from Big Papi, hanging out with the bleacher creatures, and watching from the infield are all great in their own right (any seat in Fenway is), but standing atop the fabled monster is a feeling that you just have to experience to understand.

Pre-game batting practice is a fitting welcome, with Manny, Lowell, and Youkilis belting souveneirs sky-high and up into the four rows of seats. It's a pretty cool perspective when home runs are hit directly toward you instead of away. In fact, the whole view was much better than I expected -- perfect, with no obstruction even from the last row. The aerial viewpoint gave me a newfound respect for Cora, Lowell, and (grudgingly) Jeter's superb infield play that isn't done justice by the standard TV angles.

I thought I'd have to stake a claim in order to get a space at the standing room bar, but that didn't turn out to be the case. There was plenty of space on top of the wall and, once you were admitted to the section, a comparably small and relaxed security presence. If you want to move down a few rows to some empty barstools in the top of the third, no one is likely to object. I didn't bother because the $35 standing room seats were more than good enough -- the Yankees fan standing to my right paid $250 on eBay for the same spot.

But I wouldn't have sold my ticket even if I had known it would spin a $215 profit; the night was perfect. With the cold wind blowing at our backs through the open fence and Schilling mowing through the Yankee lineup, the series opener seemed more like an ALCS game 1 than a normal Monday in May. But I was hardly surprised -- any Sox fan knows that Fenway's greatest gift is making every game feel like it means the world.

Sunday, May 21, 2006

MLB Roundup, 5/21


Photo mlb.com

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MLB
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Barry Bonds went yard. He hit the ball so hard it couldn't be weighed down by the hype.

Michael Barrett decked A.J. Pierzynski after he was bowled over at the plate. Barrett has to expect that on a close play at the plate, but apparantly he took issue with what happened after the initial collision. Either way, a beatdown ensued.

Pujols won't stop. He has 21. Can he give Bonds' 73 mark a run?


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Red Sox
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Josh Beckett went yard, drove in 2, and gave the credit to a lucky swing.

Abe Alvarez was recalled from Pawtucket and will releive DiNardo's start today.

There are talks of Cesar Izturis becoming a trade possibility at SS.

David Wells finally pitched a simulated game and will be embarking on a minor-league rehab stint.

J.T. Snow wants out of Boston, with Youkilis performing well and getting all the action at 1B.

Former Red Sox SS Hanley Ramirez will be returning to the lineup in Florida after a minor injury, where he has torn up the NL this year.

Friday, May 19, 2006

Red Sox Report Card (rotation)


Part 2 of the first quarter report card.


Boston Red Sox (24-15, .615, 1st place AL East)

1. RHP Curt Schilling (6-2, 4.17 ERA, 5.78 K/BB) B

Schilling is holding down the fort as the #1 starter, and the Sox couldn't ask for a better mentor for future staff ace Josh Beckett. The downside of the near-40 Schilling is the barrage of home runs that have come off him this year. However disconcerning the homers, find consolation in the fact that Schilling has shown the ability to give up the long ball and still maintain a very good ERA. Curt is the type of pitcher who should (and has already proven to) age fairly well despite an increased hittability.

2. RHP Josh Beckett (5-1, 4.24 ERA, 2.26 K/BB) B

It feels good to have an ace in the hole, doesn't it? Beckett and Schilling are dueling frontmen in the rotation this year, an in intriguing combo they make. Beckett has refused to settle for mediocrity so far in his first year in Boston, pitching either brilliantly or flat-out badly. Like many SPs, he has first-inning problems, but tends to settle down very nicely in the middle innings. Beckett has incredible stuff, intensity, and composure. He never looks out of his element on the hill, no matter how he's pitching; starters with this mound presence tend to get in the drivers seat and take complete control of a great many games.

3. RHP Matt Clement (4-3, 5.36 ERA, 1.42 K/BB) C

Clement is a general disappointment, sitting in the #3 spot, wallowing in mediocrity, and making $10 mil per year. The Red Sox management thought that Clement would mature and build his confidence with the guidance of C Jason Varitek, but that just hasn't happened. The underlying problems with Clement are control and stamina. With some conditioning and discipline, one would think, Clement could become a very effective starter. We're not holding our breath.

4. RHP Tim Wakefield (3-5, 4.17 ERA, 1.72 K/BB) C+

The W-L statistic haunts Wakefield as it has a tendency to do, but don't let that take away from his solid performances that have yielded 38K and a 4.17 ERA. Wakefield started with a statistical handicap after getting pummelled in his first start, but has since scraped his way back to respectability. His K/BB is low because of his high walk total, but the K/9 is still nearly 6. Wakefield's a knuckleballer -- what can you say about control? He should have made the wind blow more balls over the plate? It seems like an arbitrary stat line appears every year. I'll go out on a limb and say he'll have 140 Ks with an ERA in the 4's, like he's had most every year for the past 10.

5. LHP Lenny DiNardo (1-1, 6.17 ERA, 1.30 K/BB) C- for effort

Oh Lenny. A good guy but a generally ineffective starter thus far. DiNardo leads a lonely existence as the sole lefty in the Red Sox rotation, and left-handedness is just about the only premium he has provided. Lenny has been effective out of the pen, but being stretched into a starter over the course of 3 games has proved a shelling of an experiment. After each game he says "I left the ball up today," then does the same thing in the next start to perpetuate the hit parade. However, expect better things from DiNardo as the season progresses if the Sox are really not going to give this spot to Wells or Papelbon. Lenny is not overpowering by any means, but he is wily, and now that he is coming off a 93-pitch outing he just may have the stamina necessary to have a couple solid starts.

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Red Sox Report Card (lineup)


Now that we've reached the 1/4-way mark, it's time to take a good look at the Sox -- to applaud their strenghts, and recognize the weaknesses that need to be addressed in order to stay on the track to October.

Boston Red Sox (22-14, .611, 1st place AL East)


1. Kevin Youkilis, 1B (B)

Youuuuk! "The Greek God of Walks" has been doing a good job batting leadoff and playing 1B. After flip flopping between AAA and the pros for a few years, he has come into his own an MLB hitter (.416 OBP) and has a sharp glove at the other corner.

2. Mark Loretta, 2B (B-)

After a slow start, Loretta found the Monster. He raised his average to .278 while showcasing his veteran prowess at second.

3. Manny Ramirez, LF (B)

We know, it's just Manny being Manny... well, for the most part. Ramirez's power numbers are uncharacteristically low -- 6 HR and a measly 3 doubles. But we're talking about Manny here. With a .301 average, we can expect a resurgance when he rediscovers his power stroke.

4. David Ortiz, DH (A-)

Ortiz is a mean, clutch force in the lineup (12 HR), but sports a substandard .264 average. Expect the average to rise to normal levels when Big Papi hits his inevitable hot streaks. Ortiz recently told the Boston media that he wants to finish his career in Boston. Remember when the Sox almost settled for Jeremy Giambi at first in 2003?

5. Trot Nixon, RF (B)

Nixon isn't showing any great power, but is batting .316 with 7 doubles and a .433 OBP. Regardless of the numbers, any season in which Nixon actually plays can be considered a good one by his standards.

6. Jason Varitek, C (B-)

Varitek's .243 average is a disappointment, and his 6 doubles and 3 HRs are nothing to write home about. As far as catchers go, though, he is still in an upper echelon; Varitek's average should even out around .270 as the season progresses, and he is still an elite "pitcher's catcher" behind the plate.

7. Mike Lowell, 3B (A-)

Lowell has been the single best surprise of the 2006 Sox thus far. His .331 is a major rebound, and his 19 doubles currently lead the league. Not to mention he has the reflexes of an extremely paranoid cat over in the hot corner.

8. Wily Mo Pena, CF (B)


If Lowell is the best surprise this year, Wily Mo is a close second. Not that his success is surprising -- he's been a revered prospect with the Reds for years -- it's just nice to see him produce so well for the Sox. Given the at-bats -- and the Sox would be smart to give him plenty -- Wily Mo will make Sox fans forget about Bronson Arroyo very quickly.

9. Alex Gonzalez, SS (C)

The biggest disappointment of the season is easily Gonzalez, though the Sox should have seen it coming. The only reason he is passing class is because of his crafty defense at short -- other than that, his .220 average and paltry .302 OBP are numbers for demotion. However, the Sox shouldn't waste good minor leaguers trading for an Izturis-type replacement. Either stick it out for now, or get Dustin Pedroia some big league at-bats.


Good luck this semester.

Thursday, May 11, 2006

Bonds Chasing Babe: So What?



Photo courtesy SI.com


Barry Bonds is about to tie Babe Ruth for second on the all-time home run list, and the media is throwing a celebratory circus. Anchors, personalities and analysts are all weighing in on the significance of prospective #714, and ESPN is so anxious for the blast that it interrupts its programming to show his plate appearances live. But why?

People seem to be under the impression that Bonds is setting some sort of record; homer #714 will do nothing of the sort. When that impending shot launches off of Bonds’ bat, it will bring him into a tie for second place. So, by a slight modification the old saying, this should feel to Bonds like a big kiss -- with his second-hottest sister.

With all due respect to the magnitude of “the chase” and the iconic Bambino, it seems people are having trouble seeing through the dense cloud of hype that looms over Bonds. All the buzz about baseball's most glamorous record may be infectious, but it's sure not rational.

In what other scenario does a tie for second place command the spotlight of the entire sports world? It doesn't -- not even elsewhere within our national pasttime. Remember the weeks of tension preceeding Roger Clemens' 4,136th strikeout, which tied him for second all-time with Steve Carlton? Or that historic save that boosted Trevor Hoffman into the career two-spot? Record chases in other sports are equally nondescript. I bet you don't remember the day when Karl Malone tied Elvin Hayes for the second-most career NBA minutes, or when Brett Favre passed John Elway to become the second-most prolific passer in NFL history. Yet as Bonds stands one homer away from tying the Babe's career mark, the world stands still.

For being such harsh critics of bonds, the media is playing right into his hand on this one; the commotion is diverting the spotlight from Bonds' inflated physique back to his (almost) Ruthian achievements. And for the first time ever, Bud Selig and the MLB have made the best possible decision -- not to celebrate #714. For everyone else, it seems, the festivities have already begun.

Of course Barry Bonds is one of baseball's greatest hitters regardless of the steroid scandal, but the suspicion looms largest over his huge power numbers. While his talent as an elite hitter is undisputed, one need only look at his career stats to see the making of a homer-hitting monster. In 1990, Bonds stole 21 more bases (52), than he hit home runs (33). And in 2001, nine years after passing his expected prime, the number 73 sticks out like a sore thumb amongst the hard-wrought records of old -- impressive, yes, but so obviously plastic that it's an immediate turn-off.

But honestly, it's not even about the steroids. And contrary to what Barry would have you beleive, it's not because he's black. It's not even because he's one of the least likeable sports figures I've ever had the displeasure of watching. It's because, regardless of the significance of the statistic, enough is enough. Because, like Terrell Owens last year, I'm just sick of seeing his face, hearing his voice, seeing his manager talk, and hearing other people talk about him. It's because I dont want keep watching his every ground out on national TV. I'm just Barry-ed out. Aren't you?

I'll accept the commotion if and when Bonds approaches Hank Aaron's actual first-place record, but hopefully Barry just hits #714 soon for all our sakes. Let's not even think about waiting for #715.