OK... not a bad start but we have a ways to go.

OK... a nice 1 run game.
Good pitching.
Good bullpen.

Not a great game but a good one.

That ball hit Adrian Beltre on the foot. We all saw that, but hey. It's not like Beltre is a good power hitter and it's not like the 9th inning of a one run World Series game is important.

Alright.
One game in the books. Have the Rangers win a 1 run game and we might have a decent World Series this year.

Everyone who doesn't give a damn, root for the Rangers tomorrow.

Welcome to Texas, Adrian...

And we at the Rangers look forward to that one year you have when this contract expires that you will actually put up MVP caliber numbers and get your THIRD huge contract.

OK, that's not totally fair. Adrian Beltre will probably fare well in a hitters ballpark and will play well for the Rangers. But am I the only one who thinks they could have used that money to keep Vlad Guerrero, keep Michael Young at third instead of moving him AGAIN, and sign Rafael Soriano to solidify the bullpen and move Neftali Feliz to the rotation?

The problem in Texas never seems to be "not enough offense."
Granted, he will bring a great glove to Arlington and he was terrific for Boston his one year in Fenway.

But there is also the Carl Pavano effect.
Pavano has had two very good years in 13 seasons and will parlay that into over $70 million when it is all said and done.

Beltre? He too has had two elite seasons in 13 years.
He will parlay that into over $180 million when this latest contract is up.

Better swing a good bat, Adrian.
You can get a third big deal if you time it right.

Can that count as TWO teeth grinders?

I may not have any teeth left.

I was at work today and I saw the Sox were up 4 before the Indians even came to bat... and up 5-0 after 2 with Jon Lester on the mound.

I relaxed. It was just what this Red Sox fan ordered. A simple win. I had to drive home from the Fox lot to Pasadena which is a b*tch of a drive and the Celtics and Lakers were on. I didn't want to have to worry about the Sox.

Then it was 5-3... then 6-5. By the time I was stuck in traffic the Sox were behind and unable to get a hit.

Teeth grinding. You kidding me? The Sox win the first two games, have Buchholz and Lester ready to go and you can't hold a 5-0 lead?

I had called Jon Lester a Cy Young front runner. By the time I was on the 110, I would have more faith if Willie Tyler and Lester were pitching.

So now I am disgusted... With the Celtics at half time and me in traffic, I hear the Sox feebly being shutdown by Kerry Wood in the 9th. With 2 strikes and 2 outs J. D. Drew gets plunked. Then Adrian Beltre homers.

Sox lead! I hear the Red Sox get 2 outs in the 9th as I pull into my garage in South Pasadena. HUZZAH! The Sox did it! They pulled off the come from behind win.

I spend the rest of the night with a spring in my step knowing the Sox won. And then wifey and I went our favorite sushi joint and I watched the last quarter of the Celtics game.

When THAT game was over, I just happened to check the baseball scores on my phone.

8-7 Indians. Bard gets the loss.

I almost threw up my sushi.

I don't even know how they lost and I don't want to know. I saw a bunch of rowdy Laker fans get quiet and angry and nothing will take away from my joy about that.

Let's update the tally.

DODGED A BULLET GAMES - 20

April 4 - 9-7 win against Yankees (On Opening Night, the Red Sox overcome a 5-1 Yankee lead with a game tying HR by Pedroia and a go ahead passed ball.)
April 10 - 8-3 win against Kansas City (Beckett out pitches Zack Greinke and nearly gets decapitated by a line drive.)
April 14 - 6-3 win in Minnesota. (Okajima gets Morneau to pop up with the bases loaded in the 7th and Papelbon wiggled out of a 9th inning jam.)
April 20 - 7-6 win against Texas. (Darnell McDonald introduces himself to Boston with an 8th inning game tying homer and a walk off hit in the 9th.)
April 21 - 8-7 win against Texas. (The Red Sox were down 4-0 early only to win it on Youk's 2 out 11th inning double.)
April 23 - 4-3 win against Baltimore. (The Sox blow a 3-0 lead but win it on Adrian Beltre's bases loaded walk.)

April 24 - 7-6 win against Baltimore. (The Red Sox score 6 in the 7th and hold off a late Baltimore comeback attempt.)
April 26 - 13-12 win at Toronto. (The Sox blow an early 5-0 lead but hang on for dear life in a slugfest.)
April 27 - 2-1 win at Toronto. (Buchholz holds the Jays down for 8 but it takes a bases loaded walk in the 8th to go ahead.)
April 28 - 2-0 win at Toronto. (Daniel Bard wiggles out of trouble in the 8th to help Lester shut down the Blue Jays and finish the sweep.)
May 4 - 5-1 win against the Angels. (Juan Rivera misplays Jeremy Hermedia's 2 out flyball into a 3 run game winning double)
May 5 - 3-1 win against the Angels. (Papi and Beltre homer and the Sox hang on despite squandering many potential rallies.)
May 6 - 11-6 win against the Angels. (Dice-K puts the Red Sox in a 4-0 hole before they even bat. The Sox bats respond.)
May 10 - 7-6 win against the Blue Jays. (Sox blow an early 2-0 lead, take advantage of some errors and hang on.)
May 18 - 7-5 win in New York. (Sox climb back from a 5-1 hole. A day after hitting a walk off homer, Marcus Thames drops a fly ball to start the winning rally for the Sox.)
May 25 - 2-0 win in Tampa. (Big Papi supplies all the offense as Papelbon wiggles out of a 9th inning jam.)
May 29 - 1-0 win against Kansas City. (Zack Greinke holds the Sox to one run, but they make it stick)

June 1 - 9-4 win against Oakland. (Lackey puts the Sox in a 4-0 hole but Victor Martinez goes 5-5 and the Sox score 9 runs late.)
June 2 - 6-4 win against Oakland. (Dice-K puts the Sox in a 3-0 hole before they come to bat, but come back thanks to Papi's homer.)

June 8 - 3-2 win at Cleveland. (With Papelbon unavailable, Okajima, Ramirez and Bard hang on to make a winner out of Wakefield.)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 18

April 6 - 6-4 loss against the Yankees. (Scutaro's error leads to the winning run.)
April 7 - 3-1 loss against the Yankees. (Sox leave the winning run on in the 9th only to lose on Granderson's 10th inning homer)
April 9 - 4-3 loss in Kansas City. (Bard coughs up the lead, denying Wakefield a win.)
April 17 - 3-1 loss to Tampa Bay. (The Sox can't score with the bases loaded and nobody out in the 11th... lost it in the 12th.)
April 17 - 6-5 loss to Tampa Bay. (The Red Sox comeback falls a run short, leaving two on in the 8th)
April 25 - 7-6 loss to Baltimore. (The Sox blow a 4-1 lead, leave the winning run on second in the 9th, let up 3 in the 10th and could only score 2 in the bottom of the 10th)
April 30 - 5-4 loss in Baltimore. (Tejada ties the game with a 2 out 8th inning homer and wins it with a bloop in the 10th)
May 1 - 12-9 loss in Baltimore. (Dice-K and Wakes get pounded, wasting 2 homers from Ortiz and an early 4-1 lead.)
May 2 - 3-2 loss in Baltimore. (Varitek is thrown at home trying to score with 2 outs in the 8th. Sox get swept in the 10th.
May 12 - 3-2 loss against the Blue Jays. (The Sox rally in the 9th comes up a run short and Kevin Gregg gets an ugly save.)
May 15 - 7-6 loss in Detroit. (The Sox blow a 6-1 lead and lose it on a 2 out bases loaded walk in the 12th.)
May 17 - 11-9 loss in New York. (The Sox come all the way back from a 5-0 first inning hole to take a 9-7 lead in the 9th... but Papelbon lets up a 2 run game tying shot to A-Rod and a 2 run walk off shot to Marcus Thames.)
May 21 - 5-1 loss in Philadelphia. (Big Papi's bid for a game tying 9th inning grand slam is caught at the warning track.)
May 27 - 4-3 loss to Kansas City. (Dice-K walks the go ahead run in and lets another score on a wild pitch as the Royals no name bullpen shut down the Hot Sox.)
May 28 - 12-5 loss to Kansas City. (Sox blow a 3-0 first inning lead to be blown out in Fenway.)
June 3 - 9-8 loss to Oakland. (Sox lose a slugfest where two Boston runners are thrown out at home.)

June 6 - 4-3 loss in Baltimore. (Sox rally to tie the game in the 9th only to lose it on a small ball rally in the 11th.)

June 10 - 8-7 loss in Cleveland. (Sox blow an early 5-0 lead and then after rallying in the 9th to take the lead coughed it up with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th)

Down to +2.

Thank goodness for the Celtics

Dominican Dandies!

I know I shouldn't blog about a game before it is over... but MAN this Sox team is on fire.

Beltre has 2 homers?

Papi has another one?

A shaky Lackey performance (which has become too common for my liking) could be buoyed by our left/right Dominican Power source! Does that sound familiar?

Oooooh boy. I'm starting to get excited about the Sox again!

Go for the sweep boys!

That's more like it

Admit it... when the Sox kept lining into double plays and getting men on base but were unable to drive them in, you thought they were going to blow it.

I sure did.

I had a vibe all game of "Oh man, we just blew our best shot!"

(Although I admit, when I saw the replay of the near triple play, I think the ump made the right call!)

But nope, it turns out that of all the 2009 American League playoff teams, the one with the with the worst mojo right now is the Angels!

I'll take it.
And I'll take the win too... time to update the tally!

DODGED A BULLET GAMES - 12

April 4 - 9-7 win against Yankees (On Opening Night, the Red Sox overcome a 5-1 Yankee lead with a game tying HR by Pedroia and a go ahead passed ball.)
April 10 - 8-3 win against Kansas City (Beckett out pitches Zack Greinke and nearly gets decapitated by a line drive.)
April 14 - 6-3 win in Minnesota. (Okajima gets Morneau to pop up with the bases loaded in the 7th and Papelbon wiggled out of a 9th inning jam.)
April 20 - 7-6 win against Texas. (Darnell McDonald introduces himself to Boston with an 8th inning game tying homer and a walk off hit in the 9th.)
April 21 - 8-7 win against Texas. (The Red Sox were down 4-0 early only to win it on Youk's 2 out 11th inning double.)
April 23 - 4-3 win against Baltimore. (The Sox blow a 3-0 lead but win it on Adrian Beltre's bases loaded walk.)

April 24 - 7-6 win against Baltimore. (The Red Sox score 6 in the 7th and hold off a late Baltimore comeback attempt.)
April 26 - 13-12 win at Toronto. (The Sox blow an early 5-0 lead but hang on for dear life in a slugfest.)
April 27 - 2-1 win at Toronto. (Buchholz holds the Jays down for 8 but it takes a bases loaded walk in the 8th to go ahead.)
April 28 - 2-0 win at Toronto. (Daniel Bard wiggles out of trouble in the 8th to help Lester shut down the Blue Jays and finish the sweep.)
May 4 - 5-1 win against the Angels. (Juan Rivera misplays Jeremy Hermedia's 2 out flyball into a 3 run game winning double)
May 5 - 3-1 win against the Angels. (Papi and Beltre homer and the Sox hang on despite squandering many potential rallies.)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 9

April 6 - 6-4 loss against the Yankees. (Scutaro's error leads to the winning run.)
April 7 - 3-1 loss against the Yankees. (Sox leave the winning run on in the 9th only to lose on Granderson's 10th inning homer)
April 9 - 4-3 loss in Kansas City. (Bard coughs up the lead, denying Wakefield a win.)
April 17 - 3-1 loss to Tampa Bay. (The Sox can't score with the bases loaded and nobody out in the 11th... lost it in the 12th.)
April 17 - 6-5 loss to Tampa Bay. (The Red Sox comeback falls a run short, leaving two on in the 8th)
April 25 - 7-6 loss to Baltimore. (The Sox blow a 4-1 lead, leave the winning run on second in the 9th, let up 3 in the 10th and could only score 2 in the bottom of the 10th)
April 30 - 5-4 loss in Baltimore. (Tejada ties the game with a 2 out 8th inning homer and wins it with a bloop in the 10th)
May 1 - 12-9 loss in Baltimore. (Dice-K and Wakes get pounded, wasting 2 homers from Ortiz and an early 4-1 lead.)
May 2 - 3-2 loss in Baltimore. (Varitek is thrown at home trying to score with 2 outs in the 8th. Sox get swept in the 10th.

Up to +3 and a .500 record.

Go for the sweep today... then brace for New York.

I think we got away with one

I think the Red Sox hit into a triple play and Beltre was called safe.
He looked out with the naked eye and I couldn't tell either way...

I'll take it.

The Adrian Beltre signing is wicked smart

The Red Sox are just a few years removed from a World Series title, but also coming off of a humiliating sweep in the Division Series (including a heart breaking elimination in Fenway.)

In the off season they pick up a slick fielding third baseman whose power has mysteriously disappeared. And along the way jettison their previous third baseman... the one who was a huge post season hero... the one who helped deliver a World Series title.

Now am I talking about the Red Sox bringing in Adrian Beltre to replace Mike Lowell?

Or am I talking about Mike Lowell replacing Bill Mueller?






Sox fans can't and shouldn't get swept up in nostalgia.

I love Lowell... hell I loved Mueller.

But Lowell was hurt for chunks of 2008 and 2009 and is having thumb surgery.

Say what you want about Theo, but he knows when NOT to get sentimental.

The Red Sox are as cold hearted and vicious as the Yankees are underratedly sentimental.

If he was sentimental, he would have offered Nomar 5 years back in 2004... and that contract would be just coming off of the books.

If he was sentimental Pedro, Mueller, Millar, Damon and Manny would all have gigantic unmovable contracts... and the likes of Beckett, Dice-K, V-Mart and yes even Lowell wouldn't have worn the Sox uniform.

It's better to have a guy help you win the World Series and break down or get suspended on someone else's dime.

You want to see what a team looks like that has big name players but also a lot of veterans breaking down? MEET THE METS!!!

Plus Beltre is signed to a one year with an option contract... in other words "Have a monster season and you'll get a BIGGER deal next year!"

This off season for the Red Sox has been deceptively solid.

Think about the moves that have been made...
John Lackey... Mike Cameron... Adrian Beltre... Marco Scutaro...

What two things have the Red Sox improved?

That would be the pitching and defense, which I am going to go out on a limb and say is kinda sorta important.

I've seen enough Red Sox teams that can mash the ball but not pitch or catch it.

Now the Red Sox have Beckett, Lester and Lackey in the rotation... three guys who have pitched and won a World Series clincher.

Throw in Buchholz and Wakefield...

And if Dice-K comes back, it will be like acquiring a 15 game winner for nothing (except that posting fee!)

And also take a look at the fact that the big prospects and young players like Buchholz, Bowden, Ellsbury, Bard, Westmoreland, Kelly, Tazawa, Anderson, Fuentes, Rizzo and Iglesias are all still in the organization.

And with Bay skedaddling they'll still be picking in the first round.

So if Lowell gets dumped or bench, we should all salute him, then get right back to the business of rooting for the Sox and waiting to see if Beltre can be the third straight Red Sox third baseman/World Series hero.

(Never forget... I loved the Gagne deal when that happened... so this could all suck.)

Wait, the Mariners are good again? When did THAT happen?

I was going to write a blog post about the Cardinals and Cubs need for a new third baseman during the stretch run. So I was poking around teams that were out of contention trying to find a good third baseman for these two teams to fight over.

I thought Adrian Beltre! He’s talented if inconsistent. Put him in a LaRussa team to hit behind Pujols and the Cardinals could go on a roll!

Put him in Wrigley and they might have another legit power threat.

And all of this is under the assumption that the Mariners would be sellers.

The Mariners are 2 ½ games out of first place.

Did you know that? I didn’t!

And the Rangers are wilting in the heat and the Angels are right on their heels but still not the same solid 100 win team they were last year.

When the hell did this happen? Was I so focused on the Red Sox and Yankees, and fascinated by the Phillies and Mets inability to win, and the Marlins ups and downs and the Pirates having ANOTHER losing season, and the A’s making my predictions look like mud and the Giants making my dad look happy and the Dodgers somehow getting better WITHOUT Manny and the Nats being historically terrible except during the Yankee series… that I missed the Mariners surge?

The Mariners can taste first place and they have Ken Griffey Jr AND Ichiro Suzuki on the same team!

I may have missed the evolution of this, but consider the staff at Sully Baseball gazing towards the Northwest. Something truly cool can be transpiring this year… and hopefully it ISN’T another Angels division title.