Bobby V, The Lobster and Arnie Beyeler

OK, Bobby V is coming. The Red Sox are Valentine's team now. And the idea that it will be a calm player friendly environment is as likely as the Red Sox retiring Grady Little's number.

I think there is only one way Bobby Valentine's authority can work in Boston: Give him TOTAL authority. Make it clear that it is indeed his way or the highway. Take away as many obstacles as possible of people to challenge him.

Normally I think it is positive to challenge authority. But bringing in Valentine means a change in the culture, and that can't be done in a half assed manner.

It HAS to be Bobby V's ship. No "That's not the way we did it before."
Otherwise they just should have kept Francona or promoted one of his lieutenants.

Which brings a challenge regarding The Lobster.
Readers of Sully Baseball know that I believe Jason Varitek's nickname should be The Lobster.

The Red Sox captain is a free agent right now and the reasons to bring him back are hard to find.

He brings a tiny bit of power to the plate and he hasn't as awful as he was in 2009 when his .209 average and .703 OPS led to the Victor Martinez trade. But he has become subpar offensively.

The traditional arguments to retain The Lobster are his ability to call a great game and his leadership skills.

Well his game calling and handling the pitching staff didn't help the Red Sox in their historic nosedive. The pitchers all had ERAs with area codes and game plans seemed to change from pitch to pitch.

And his leadership skills didn't get Beckett, Lester or Lackey's act together when the team needed them more than ever. If it was indeed Francona's team and Varitek's clubhouse, then that needs to totally change with the arrival of Bobby V.

In a way, Varitek would be a relic of the Francona years and one that could possibly act as a tension point to the new manager.

Varitek could represent the classic "It's the way we do things around here" barrier.
And of course Bobby V is the "If that way was so great, then why was I hired?" counterpoint.

If the Lobster returns, and it isn't for his bat or pitch calling, then what else could he offer except a place for the veterans to turn to when Bobby V gets under their skin (which he will)?

So yeah, I am advocating that the Red Sox 14 inning win in the Bronx on September 25th be Varitek's last game as a player in a Boston uniform.

Now the Red Sox are not exactly a sentimental organization. Just witness how quickly Nomar, Pedro, Lowe, Foulke, Damon, Bellhorn, Embree, Manny and Papelbon were shown the door when they were considered to be done. Ask Theo and Tito how cute and cuddly the Sox are.

So Varitek just might not come back and turn up being a backup catcher for the Yankees for all we know.

I think they should keep him in the organization, but away from Bobby V.
How can they do that?

Drive 45 minutes south of Fenway and make Varitek the manager of the Pawtucket Red Sox.

Seriously, his playing days are done and putting The Lobster on Bobby V's coaching staff could be a recipe for disaster.

Manage the top farm club. Help the pipeline of young players up to the big club, be part of the organization and let Bobby V put his own stamp on the team.

And if (when?) Bobby V implodes and the situation becomes intolerable, he can be let go and Varitek can take over the club with managerial experience and familiarity with the young players he managed and the veterans who he played with.

All that is good, but where does that leave Arnie Beyeler, the current PawSox manager?

Make him the one provision for Bobby V. "You can pick your entire coaching staff except you need to bring Arnie Beyeler in."

Beyeler has been in pro baseball as a player, scout, minor league coach and minor league manager since 1986 but has never made it to the majors. He's not about to make waves.

Stick him as the first base coach and Bobby V can have his own bench coach, third base coach, hitting coach, pitching coach and bullpen coach. And that way the young players who played in Pawtucket last year will have a familiar face.

So let's review what this does...

Bobby V would have real control of the team (and why hire him if you don't give him control?) The remnants of 2011 leadership would be gone.

The Lobster Varitek would remain in the organization and build up his credentials to come in and bring back some 2004 and 2007 magic if Valentine doesn't fit. But we also would avoid seeing him clash with Valentine and continue to erode at the plate as he approaches 40.

And Beyeler gets to contribute at the major league level after more than a quarter century of dues paid.

Makes perfect sense to me.
Which is why it probably won't happen.

The Blue Jays actually tied the game last night

I listened to the last inning of the Red Sox/Blue Jays game last night and I heard a real thriller.
A tight game became razor thin at the end.

With 2 outs, JohnMcDonald singled home Edwin Encarnacion for the tying run and Jonathan Papelbon blew the save.

That's what really happened.

That's not what was recorded. That's not what history will tell us.
History will tell us a mistake.

History will tell us that Darnell McDonald threw out Encarnacion at the plate. A little research will tell us that Jason Varitek blocked the plate and Encarnacion couldn't touch the plate.

But that's not what happened.

The replay showed that in fact Encarnacion missed home plate at first but his left leg touched home plate before Varitek actually put a tag on him.

Despite Darnell McDonald's wonderful throw and Varitek's gritty defense, Encarnacion scored.

Umpire Brian Knight got the call wrong.
It was a tough call. It was a bang bang play involving lots of movement at home and I am not blaming him.

But why should we pretend that he got the call right?
He didn't. I saw the replay.

And do you know what? It sours the game a little for me. It makes a win, that was already bittersweet with the Lester injury, less satisfying. The Red Sox didn't earn it.

One of the most common illogical complaints I hear from people who are against instant replay is "it will take away the HUMAN ELEMENT."

Let me ask you something. Isn't John McDonald getting a clutch hit off of an All Star closer with 2 outs in the 9th inning part of the human element?

Isn't Edwin Encarnacion making a great slide when he realizes that he doesn't have a clean lane to the plate part of the human element?

They both did something clutch and terrific on the road against a division rival and they are denied being credited as such because... why? Because technology is scary? Because you'd rather have something done now than have it be right? Because first impressions are better than reality?

It's clearly not "The Human Element."

And this is coming from a Red Sox fan who benefited from the blown call.

I'd rather my team earn their victories.

For more on this subject, watch the video.

Lowered expectations won the night

When you consider the fact that over the first two games against the Phillies, the only Red Sox player who showed any pop was John Lackey, then I guess I can take avoiding a sweep as a victory.

Let's face it, when Cole Hamels got hurt the Red Sox got lucky. Sure Lester pitched like an ace, but Lackey was terrific yesterday and that didn't get the Red Sox anywhere.

And Varitek is NOT getting those two homers off of Hamels. It was nice to wake up Papelbon long enough to get a win.

Let's update the tally.

DODGED BULLET GAMES - 23

April 8 - 9-6 win against the Yankees. (The Sox end their 6 game losing streak with a slugfest. John Lackey stinks but Phil Hughes stinks even more.)
April 10 - 4-0 win against the Yankees. (Beckett and Sabathia duel in a game that was 1-0 until the late innings.)
April 20 - 5-3 win in Oakland. (Red Sox survive a lead off homer and two bases loaded situations and facing the tying run at the plate to win their first road game.)
April 21 - 4-2 win in Anaheim. (The Red Sox stranded 15 men on base and Josh Beckett's went 8 strong with no decision. But the Sox rallied in the 11th to win.)
April 22 - 4-3 win in Anaheim. (Peter Bourjos makes a 2 run errors and the Red Sox survive a bizarre passed ball by Jarrod Saltalamacchia that let a run scored from second.)
May 1 - 3-2 win against the Mariners. (Ichiro loses a ball in the sun that turns into a 9th inning triple for Lowrie. Crawford singles him home for the win.)
May 8 - 9-5 win against the Twins. (Dice-K lets up 3 runs in the first but settles down as the Red Sox clobber Carl Pavano.)

May 9 - 2-1 win against the Twins. (A bullpen breakdown cost Beckett the decision but Cark Crawford ended the game with an 11th inning walk off hit.)
May 13 - 5-4 win in the Bronx. (Youkilis homers off of Joba and Bard and Papelbon make it more interesting than it needed to be.)
May 15 - 7-5 win in the Bronx. (Sox fall behind 4-1 but come back as Youk, Papi and Salty all homer.)
May 16 - 8-7 win against the Orioles. (Down 6-0 after 6 innings, the Sox rally and win it with a 2 run walk off double by Adrian Gonzalez)
May 18 - 1-0 win against Detroit. (With 2 outs in the 8th, Salty doubles home Crawford from first for the only run. Papelbon gets himself in and out of 9th inning trouble.)
May 19 - 4-3 win against Detroit. (Bard blows Beckett's lead but Carl Crawford wins it with a walk off hit.)
May 24 - 4-2 win in Cleveland. (Varitek throws two runners out and homers as the Red Sox win their first game against the Indians.)
May 29 - 4-3 win in Detroit. (The Red Sox blow an early 3-0 lead but David Ortiz wins the game with a pinch 9th inning homer.)
June 3 - 8-6 win against Oakland. (Buchholz lets up 4 runs in the first but the Sox come back thanks to Carl Crawford's 2 run single.)
June 4 - 9-8 win against Oakland. (Red Sox blow a 4 run 9th inning lead and trail in the 11th before Ellsbury ties it and Drew wins it in 14.)
June 7 - 6-4 win in the Bronx. (Papelbon strikes out A-Rod to end the game with a runner on base.)
June 9 - 8-3 win in the Bronx. (Down 2-0 to Sabathia in the 7th, the Sox score 7 runs as Papi exacts revenge after getting plunked. A 3+ hour rain delay pushed the game past 1:30 AM)

June 15 - 3-0 win in Tampa Bay. (Youkilis homers in the 7th for the only runs in Beckett's 1 hit masterpiece.)
June 16 - 4-2 win in Tampa Bay. (Papelbon wiggles out of a 2 on, nobody out jam in the 9th thanks to Youk's diving catch.)
June 26 - 4-2 win in Pittsburgh. (The Pirates make 4 errors and the Red Sox score 2 in the 7th to avoid a sweep by the Bucs.
June 30 - 5-2 win in Philadelphia.(An injury to Cole Hamels leads to the Red Sox bats waking up.)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 22

April 1 - 9-5 loss in Texas. (The Sox tie Opening Day in the 8th with an Ortiz homer only to have Bard implode and the Sox let up 4 in the bottom of the 8th.)

April 5 - 3-1 loss in Cleveland. (The Sox drop their 4th straight as the bats are dead in Cleveland.)
April 7 - 1-0 loss in Cleveland. (Sox blow a great Lester performance on a squeeze bunt and Darnell McDonald overrunning the bag to end the game.)
April 12 - 3-2 loss to Tampa Bay. (A solid Lester performance is wasted as Kyle Farnsworth of all people shuts down the Sox.)
April 15 - 7-6 loss to Toronto. (Bobby Jenks implodes with a 4 run seventh inning as the Red Sox waste Pedroia and Youkilis homers and a clutch RBI double by Scuatro.
April 19 - 5-0 loss in Oakland. (Pedroia gets picked off, the Sox bats go dead and waste a solid Lackey start.)
April 26 - 4-1 loss in Baltimore. (Buchholz pitches tentatively and the Sox let Kevin Gregg of all people to close out the 9th.)
April 27 - 5-4 loss in Baltimore. (The Sox tie the game with a 3 run 8th only to have Bard lose it in the bottom of the 8th.)
April 29 - 5-4 loss to Mariners. (Bobby Jenks blows a 7th inning lead, wasting 2 Mike Cameron homers.)
April 30 - 2-0 loss to Mariners. (The Sox strand 11 runners and let Milton Bradley double home the go ahead run.)
May 4 - 5-3 loss to Angels. (7 hours with rain delays and stranded runners. Marco Scutaro was thrown out at the plate in the 12th)
May 10 - 7-6 loss in Toronto. (8th and 9th inning heroics, including a homer by Adrian Gonzalez, are undone by a walk off sacrifice fly by David Cooper.)
May 21 - 9-3 loss to Cubs. (Up 3-1 in the 8th inning, the bullpen and defense implode. The Cubs score 8 runs while both teams wear their 1918 uniforms.)
May 23- 3-2 loss in Cleveland. (The Sox blow a 2-1 8th inning lead when the Indians rally with 2 outs. Crawford ends the game on a double play.)
May 29 - 3-0 loss in Detroit. (Verlander keeps the Sox off base and prevents the sweep.)
June 1 - 7-4 loss to White Sox. (Konerko drives in three, spoiling a game tying Ortiz homer.)

June 14 - 4-0 loss in Tampa Bay. (Wakefield's solid outing is spoiled. Longoria scores on a passed ball.)
June 18 - 4-2 loss to Milwaukee. (The Brewers hit three homers early off of Lester and hang on.)
June 21 - 5-4 loss to San Diego. (Ortiz hits a double play in the 9th to stifle a potential winning rally.)

June 24 - 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh. (The Red Sox strand 7 runners in scoring position.)
June 25 - 6-4 loss to Pittsburgh. (The Red Sox fall out of first as Pedroia's error leads to a Pirates run.)
June 29 - 2-1 loss in Philadelphia. (Vance Worley duels John Lackey and slumping Raul Ibanez drives in both runs.)

Up to +1.

Hopefully the Red Sox WILL play the Phillies again this year... in October.
Meanwhile they travel from Philadelphia and the best team in baseball to Houston and the worst team in baseball.

Let's make up some ground.

Lobster salad

Jason Varitek hitting a clutch homer?
Jason Varitek throwing runners out?

What can be used to explain such a resurgence?

They are testing for stuff now, so it probably wasn't injected?
I guess they invested in a Time Machine.

Either way, VIVA LA LOBSTER!

And it is time to update the tally.

DODGED BULLET GAMES - 14

April 8 - 9-6 win against the Yankees. (The Sox end their 6 game losing streak with a slugfest. John Lackey stinks but Phil Hughes stinks even more.)
April 10 - 4-0 win against the Yankees. (Beckett and Sabathia duel in a game that was 1-0 until the late innings.)
April 20 - 5-3 win in Oakland. (Red Sox survive a lead off homer and two bases loaded situations and facing the tying run at the plate to win their first road game.)
April 21 - 4-2 win in Anaheim. (The Red Sox stranded 15 men on base and Josh Beckett's went 8 strong with no decision. But the Sox rallied in the 11th to win.)
April 22 - 4-3 win in Anaheim. (Peter Bourjos makes a 2 run errors and the Red Sox survive a bizarre passed ball by Jarrod Saltalamacchia that let a run scored from second.)
May 1 - 3-2 win against the Mariners. (Ichiro loses a ball in the sun that turns into a 9th inning triple for Lowrie. Crawford singles him home for the win.)
May 8 - 9-5 win against the Twins. (Dice-K lets up 3 runs in the first but settles down as the Red Sox clobber Carl Pavano.)

May 9 - 2-1 win against the Twins. (A bullpen breakdown cost Beckett the decision but Cark Crawford ended the game with an 11th inning walk off hit.)
May 13 - 5-4 win in the Bronx. (Youkilis homers off of Joba and Bard and Papelbon make it more interesting than it needed to be.)
May 15 - 7-5 win in the Bronx. (Sox fall behind 4-1 but come back as Youk, Papi and Salty all homer.)
May 16 - 8-7 win against the Orioles. (Down 6-0 after 6 innings, the Sox rally and win it with a 2 run walk off double by Adrian Gonzalez)
May 18 - 1-0 win against Detroit. (With 2 outs in the 8th, Salty doubles home Crawford from first for the only run. Papelbon gets himself in and out of 9th inning trouble.)
May 19 - 4-3 win against Detroit. (Bard blows Beckett's lead but Carl Crawford wins it with a walk off hit.)
May 24 - 4-2 win in Cleveland. (Varitek throws two runners out and homers as the Red Sox win their first game against the Indians.)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 14

April 1 - 9-5 loss in Texas. (The Sox tie Opening Day in the 8th with an Ortiz homer only to have Bard implode and the Sox let up 4 in the bottom of the 8th.)

April 5 - 3-1 loss in Cleveland. (The Sox drop their 4th straight as the bats are dead in Cleveland.)
April 7 - 1-0 loss in Cleveland. (Sox blow a great Lester performance on a squeeze bunt and Darnell McDonald overrunning the bag to end the game.)
April 12 - 3-2 loss to Tampa Bay. (A solid Lester performance is wasted as Kyle Farnsworth of all people shuts down the Sox.)
April 15 - 7-6 loss to Toronto. (Bobby Jenks implodes with a 4 run seventh inning as the Red Sox waste Pedroia and Youkilis homers and a clutch RBI double by Scuatro.
April 19 - 5-0 loss in Oakland. (Pedroia gets picked off, the Sox bats go dead and waste a solid Lackey start.)
April 26 - 4-1 loss in Baltimore. (Buchholz pitches tentatively and the Sox let Kevin Gregg of all people to close out the 9th.)
April 27 - 5-4 loss in Baltimore. (The Sox tie the game with a 3 run 8th only to have Bard lose it in the bottom of the 8th.)
April 29 - 5-4 loss to Mariners. (Bobby Jenks blows a 7th inning lead, wasting 2 Mike Cameron homers.)
April 30 - 2-0 loss to Mariners. (The Sox strand 11 runners and let Milton Bradley double home the go ahead run.)
May 4 - 5-3 loss to Angels. (7 hours with rain delays and stranded runners. Marco Scutaro was thrown out at the plate in the 12th)
May 10 - 7-6 loss in Toronto. (8th and 9th inning heroics, including a homer by Adrian Gonzalez, are undone by a walk off sacrifice fly by David Cooper.)
May 21 - 9-3 loss to Cubs. (Up 3-1 in the 8th inning, the bullpen and defense implode. The Cubs score 8 runs while both teams wear their 1918 uniforms.)
May 23- 3-2 loss in Cleveland. (The Sox blow a 2-1 8th inning lead when the Indians rally with 2 outs. Crawford ends the game on a double play.)

Back to Even.

Win the series tomorrow and try to move into first place in Detroit.

And who knows?
Maybe the Lobster has his claws back!

Is Jorge Posada classy or a diva?

Joe Girardi put slumping Jorge Posada in the 9th spot in the lineup for today's Red Sox - Yankees game.

This isn't a situation like Jason Varitek's miserable start. The Sox captain is batting ninth with his rotten numbers because the pitching staff just doesn't like throwing to Jarrod Saltalamacchia.

Posada is no longer a catcher. He is a DH. His ONLY job is to hit. And roughly 25% of the way he is doing anything BUT that.

He has no batting average, his on base percentage sucks, he has 8 extra base hits total and is slower than dial up service.

Where is a bat like that supposed to hit?

Cleanup?

Girardi put him 9th because there is no 10th spot.

And he asked out of the game.

Now there are two different scenarios for what happened. And they are at the polar opposites of the "Respect Meter."

FIRST SCENARIO...

Posada shows what a great teammate he is

He realizes that his bat has become a liability and tells his former teammate and current manager Girardi "Look, this is a Red Sox and Yankees game. We need to win this game. Put someone else in the lineup. And let's go get them!"

The rest of the team see what a great Yankee he is and this is used in the last act of the Yankeeography.

SECOND SCENARIO...

Posada shows was a Diva he is...

If Posada is insulted by batting 9th and if he asked to be taken out, then he is a bigger diva than Aretha Frankin ever was.

Do you know why?

Because when you are batting .165 with 38 total bases in 32 games, you are lucky that you aren't designated for assignment.

Seriously, shouldn't he be kissing Girardi's buttocks for keeping him in the lineup? Is Joe supposed to have him higher in the line up for old time's sake?

That didn't work for Tessio, why would that work for Posada?

There are already rumors going around the internet that there was some sort of hissy fit. Could you imagine if A-Rod had made a hissy fit when Joe Torre dropped him to 8th in the 2006 Division Series? And that was a year removed from an MVP season for Rodriguez.

Posada is a 39 year old former catcher who can't hit. Yes, he has given the Yankees 14+ seasons of All Star championship caliber play. But he stinks now.

The Yankees stars seem to want to be rewarded for their past excellence. This is reminding me of Derek Jeter's shockingly petty press conference where he complained that he had to actually go and become a free agent.

Wahhhhh! I should just be automatically given a huge contract.

Now if Posada is saying "Wahhhhhh I want to bat higher in the lineup because I got that hit off of Pedro in 2003" then the super classy Yankees for life are showing a very unclassy side.

For now, I will give Posada the benefit of the doubt.

If the rumors are true... then we are in Diva land!

Ohhhh boy

When Varitek gets crossed up THIS much, it doesn't bode well for the Sox tonight.

But hey! The game is moving along!
Take THAT Joe West!

Did that really happen?

Did the Red Sox REALLY get swept by the worst team in baseball?

Did they REALLY lose two extra inning games and a slugfest?

Did they REALLY blow a 2 homer game by J. D. Drew one day, a 2 homer day by David Ortiz the next and a well pitched game by Josh Beckett today?

Did Francona REALLY not pinch run Bill Hall for Jason Varitek only to have Varitek thrown out by 90 feet trying to score from second with 2 outs and the Lobster running on contact?

It is appropriate that this disaster took place on the same weekend as the Kentucky Derby, because it is clear that this team doesn't have the horses.

It might not even be appropriate to keep the teeth grinder/dodged bullet tally because that is taking into account how close they would get to the post season.

Right now .500 is the right goal.

To quote Steve McQueen in The Sand Pebbles, "What the hell happened?"

On with the tally

DODGED A BULLET GAMES - 10

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.)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 8

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.

+1 in the tally and 3 games under .500

If we can't count on games against the Orioles in the win column then we are in TROUBLE

TWICE THE LOBSTER GOODNESS!

Varitek homered AGAIN?

Are you kidding me?

Bust out the butt-ah! It's LOBSTAH TIME!

(I swear, I will make people call Varitek "The Lobster" if it is the last thing I ever do!

The Lobster strikes again!!!!

Holy Cow!

Jason Varitek just homered off of Zack Greinke!

The Captain is back!

Tek is back!

Oh forget those nicknames.

THE LOBSTER IS BACK!

I still insist The Lobster is a MUCH better name than Tek.
And as long as he homers in a Sox uni, I will say GO LOB-STAH!!!

It's Turn Back The Clock Day in Kansas City!

Oh my goodness...

Jason Varitek AND Mike Lowell are in the lineup?

Is is a 2007 World Series reunion?
Can Bobby Kielty be far behind?
Did they sign a one day contract like Nomar?

Oh wait, they haven't retired yet.
I keep forgetting.

And oh yeah, it is Old Timers day against Zack Greinke.

Ohhhh boy.

If the Sox are just going to dust off the old timers against the defending Cy Young winner, they might as well see if George "Boomer" Scott is around to take a few swings.

Cyrano De Varitek

Fans of Sully Baseball know that I refer to Jason Varitek as "The Lobster."

It's a much better nickname than 'Tek.

Well, like Jermaine Dye's time with the White Sox, it looks like the Captain may have played his last game with the Red Sox.

It wasn't even in the playoffs as he rode the pine all three games against the Angels this October.

The Sox declined his $5 million option and now Varitek is mulling over his $3 million player option. Now I can't imagine he is going to get more than that in the open market.

But I think the Red Sox should bring him back for $5 million.

Just not as a player.

About a year ago, I dropped the suggestion of making him a player coach.

Now I want to drop the player part and just keep him as a coach.

We keep hearing about he handles pitchers well and calls a good game...
He just can't hit anymore.

Well guess what? There is a spot on Tito Francona's bench!
Brad Mills is the new manager of the Astros. He was the Red Sox bench coach.

Make Jason Varitek the bench coach!
Have him call the game from the bench. Have Victor Martinez look over for each pitch.

Basically Varitek will be pulling a Cyrano de Bergerac and we get the bat of Martinez and the pitching mind of Varitek.

And yeah, I think that is worth $5 million.

Seriously, they spent $14 million last year on Julio Lugo and Brad Penny.

And they were uglier than Cyrano EVER was!

Lobster... WTF?

Readers of the blog know that I refer to Jason Varitek as The Lobster.

It's a much better nickname that 'Tek.

But I covered all of that before.

Lobster is supposed to be one of the better defensive catchers in the league... but for the second straight night he let an inning ending strikeout get past him to set up a game tying run.

I hope this isn't a precursor to defensive lapses in October.

Either way, a sea of great Fenway games ended with a Rocco Baldelli fly ball to right.

Time to update the tally.

DODGED A BULLET GAMES - 26

April 17 - 10-8 win against Orioles. (Overcame 7-0 deficit.)

April 24 - 5-4 win against Yankees. (Bay homers off of Rivera in 9th to tie it.)

April 25 - 16-11 win against Yankees. (Overcame 6-0 deficit.)

April 29 - 6-5 win at Cleveland. (Overcame 5-0 deficit.)

May 12 - 4-3 win at Anaheim. (Down 3-1 in the 8th.)
June 11 - 4-3 win against Yankees. (Down 3-1 in the 8th. Rallied against Sabathia.)

June 12 - 5-2 win at Philadelphia. (Overcame Ryan Howard's 9th inning shot to win in 13)

June 21 - 6-5 win against Atlanta. (The wind turns Nick Green's fly ball into a walk off shot)

June 27 - 1-0 win at Atlanta. (Masterson and Papelbon wiggle out of late jams.)
July 1 - 6-5 win at Baltimore. (Sox score 4 in the 9th and Lugo wins in in the 11th)

July 8 - 5-4 win against Oakland. (Wind keeps Hairston's 9th inning go ahead homer in the ballpark)

July 10 - 1-0 win against Kansas City. (Pedroia drives in the only run with 2 outs in the 8th.)

July 30 - 8-5 win against Oakland. (Ortiz tests postive then hits a 2 out 3 run go ahead homer.)

July 31 - 6-5 win at Baltimore. (Youk's 2 run homer saves Smoltz from another bad start.)

August 10 - 6-5 win against Detroit. (Sox snap 6 game losing streak with 7th inning rally.)

August 14 - 8-4 win at Texas. (Victor Martinez hits a 2 run 2 strike 2 out double to take the lead and make up for Buchholz's baserunning mishap.)

August 18 - 10-9 win at Toronto. (Ortiz homers and the Jays defense collapses, saving Beckett from a bad start.)
August 24 - 12-8 win against White Sox. (Red Sox overcome early 4-1 lead and a bad Buchholz start.)

August 25 - 6-3 win against White Sox. (Red Sox win with 4 unanswered runs despite some sloppy defense.)

August 26 - 3-2 win against White Sox. (Wakes pitches 7 strong and Papi homers twice including a walk off)

August 28 - 6-5 win against Toronto. (Sox come back from early 3-0 hole and Paps wiggles out of a bases loaded jam in the 9th.)

August 29 - 3-2 win against Toronto. (Buchholz dominates but needs help from Paps to finish the 9th)

September 1 - 8-4 win at Tampa Bay. (Papelbon enters the game with the bases loaded, nobody out and go ahead run at the plate... and gets a 2 innings save.)

September 9 - 7-5 win against Baltimore. (Martinez's double gives the Sox the lead and Papelbon wiggles out of two jams.)

September 13 - 3-1 win against Tampa Bay. (Pedroia's 8th inning homer off of Matt Garza breaks a 1-1 tie)

September 16 - 9-8 win against the Angels. (Red Sox make three comebacks including a rally with 2 outs and nobody on in the 9th.)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 24

April 14 - 6-5 loss at Oakland. (Sox blow early 3-0 lead. Lose in 12)

April 28 - 9-8 loss at Cleveland. (Sox blow early 5-1 lead. Lopez drops 3rd out.)
May 14 - 5-4 loss at Anaheim. (Ortiz goes 0-7 stranding 12 runners.)
May 15 - 5-4 loss at Seattle. (Red Sox blow their second 4-0 lead in three days.)

May 17 - 3-2 loss at Seattle. (Red Sox strand two in the 9th. Lose in the bottom of the 9th.)

May 23 - 3-2 loss to the Mets. (Papelbon lets up a 2 out 2 run homer in the 9th to Omir Santos)

June 18 - 2-1 loss to the Marlins. (Rain washes out a tight game after 5+ innings.)

June 28 - 2-1 loss to the Braves. (Tying run on base in the 9th. Solid Penny outing wasted)
June 30 - 11-10 loss at Baltimore. (The Red Sox blow a late 10-1 to the lowly Orioles.)
July 3 - 7-6 loss to Seattle. (Red Sox comeback in the 8th only to lose in the 11th.)

July 4 - 3-2 loss to Seattle. (Saito walks three in the 9th as the Mariners rally to win)

July 9 - 8-6 loss to the Royals. (Bullpen blows early 4-0 lead.)

July 21 - 4-2 loss at Texas. (Beckett loses a complete game and the Yankees take over first.)

July 22 - 3-1 loss at Texas. (Sox are swept for the first time all season.)

July 28 - 9-8 loss to Oakland. (Sox blow 3 run lead in 9th. A's rally with 2 outs in 9th and 11th.)

July 29 - 8-6 loss to Oakland. (Down 5-0 in the first, Sox comeback falls short)

August 4 - 4-2 loss in Tampa Bay. (Longoria hits 13th inning walk off with first base open.)

August 5 - 6-4 loss in Tampa Bay. (Sox gets swept in a 2 game series with the tying run at the plate).

August 7 - 2-0 loss in New York. (A-Rod's walk off with 2 outs in the 15 ends a teeth grinding marathon.)

August 9 - 5-2 loss in New York. (4 outs from avoiding a sweep, Bard lets up back to back homers to Damon and Teixeira.)

August 13 - 2-0 loss to Detroit. (Verlander wiggles out of early and late jams.)

August 16 - 4-3 loss at Texas. (Red Sox can't rally and fall behind the Rangers in the Wild Card race)

Setpember 2 - 8-5 loss at Tampa Bay. (The Red Sox recover from a bad Beckett outing to tie the game in the 8th, only to give back the lead the next inning.)
September 17 - 4-3 loss to Angels. (Tek allows tying run to score on a wild third strike. Sox lose in the ninth.)

Down to +2.

Let's hope Varitek gets his act together. We need to clinch as soon as possible and get the rotation set perfectly.

Well whenever there is a loss, the most beautiful words any Red Sox fan can be these:
The Red Sox are about to start a series with the Orioles!

Nice job, Todd Tichenor

Seriously, way to put your stamp on a game.

There was a close play at the plate (which this Red Sox fan will admit looked like he had blown in the Boston's favor.) Mike Redmond had a legitimate beef and you threw up out almost instantly.

Do you know how many times Redmond has been tossed in his 12 year big league career? None.

So we are of course dealing with a notorious hothead!

So good job having a short fuse with him and the manager Ron Gardenhire too.

Make sure the interim manager had to use Mauer at catcher and remove the DH.

And the next inning, good job tossing Varitek in about 2 second right after he clubbed two homers (and Francona for good measure.)

Isn't it fun to see a young power tripping umpire put his thumb print all over the game?

Besides, always remember the fans pay good money to see the umpires!

Put another on the Dodged A Bullet Board!

Down 3-1 in the 8th and the lineup looking dead from the neck up? I put that in the "loss column" for the Red Sox.

Then the Angels bullpen gift wrapped a win by hitting Ortiz with the bases loaded and letting Varitek double home the winner.

You are darn right that is a "Dodged a Bullet" game!

Actually, I'd love to put the Celtics game in the Dodged a Bullet category.

I wrote the game off as a loss and had dinner with my family (God Forbid) only to find out after clearing the table they came all the way back.

But this isn't Sully Basketball!

So let's update the Tally Board!

DODGED A BULLET GAMES - 5

April 17 - 10-8 win against Orioles. (Overcame 7-0 deficit.)

April 24 - 5-4 win against Yankees. (Bay homers off of Rivera in 9th to tie it.)

April 25 - 16-11 win against Yankees. (Overcame 6-0 deficit.)

April 29 - 6-5 win at Cleveland. (Overcame 5-0 deficit.)

May 12 - 4-3 win at Anaheim. (Down 3-1 in the 8th.)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 2

April 14 - 6-5 loss at Oakland. (Sox blow early 3-0 lead. Lose in 12)

April 28 - 9-8 loss at Cleveland. (Sox blow early 5-1 lead. Lopez drops 3rd out.)

So the Red Sox are +3 in the tally.

And take note... Javier Lopez lost both Teeth Grinder Games, and he's gone now.

It's going to be a fun season

VIVA THE LOBSTER!!!!! VARITEK IS BACK!

THE CAPTAIN IS STAYING!!!!

Jason Varitek realized that if he can't get $10 million a year, he might as well stay for a potential World Series contender where he has played his whole big league career, is worshipped as a hero by the fans, is the captain in the clubhouse and won't have to learn a whole new pitching staff... and still earn millions of dollars a year in the worst economy since the Depression.

(Hey Boras, nice job having him reject arbitration.)

So now that Varitek is back in a Red Sox uniform, let's do what we can to adopt a new nickname for Varitek.

'Tek is boring.
He should be the LOBSTER!

I covered this already, but I am going to make it my mission to have Varitek be dubbed THE LOBSTER by Red Sox fans everywhere.

Good to have you back Lobstah!

Now handle that pitching staff and let's dip the rest of the division in buttah!

It's a time for change... on the Red Sox

Well, Barack won... whether you voted for him or not, there is no doubt that the next few years are going to be a lot different than the last few.

That's good on some fronts.
Might not be so good for the Red Sox.

The last 6 seasons have brought about 5 playoff trips, 4 ALCS appearances, a 12-3 record in post season games where they faced elimination, more heart stopping games and franchise defining moments than I can list and oh yeah... the World Championship we waited our whole lives for and a second World Series title to show us the first one wasn't a fluke.

But the Red Sox are at a crossroads right now and one they need to proceed down with great caution.

1. PREPARING FOR A POST PAPI/MANNY WORLD
Manny is already gone and Papi looked a lot less Papi like this year with his wrist injury.
And sluggers these days, without some *ahem* help, don't get BETTER in their mid 30s anymore.

So with the likes of Youkilis, Drew, Bay and Pedroia still in the line up, they'll score runs.
But if Papi continues to decline (not to mention Lowell) they will need to find a new centerpiece for the offense.

I would love to see them develop some pop from within.
Lars Anderson is developing into a Justin Morneau type and maybe if Lowell can't come back Youk can move to third and Anderson can come up with a right handed first baseman to platoon with him. (Possibly the return of Kevin Millar?)

I would prefer to bring someone through the farm rather than sign a Teixera (and lose draft picks.)
There's something reassuring to see this team be piece by piece rebuilt with guys who came up through the farm.

But they also need a right handed power bat to emerge as well (to replace Lowell's stick).

2. PREPARING FOR A POST LOBSTER WORLD

If you read this blog regularly, you know that the Lobster is Jason Varitek and his homer to win game 6 of the ALCS might have been his last highlight as a Red Sox.

Yeah he is the captain, but as I wrote earlier, Theo is as sentimental as Michael Corleone. And right now Varitek is in the rowboat saying his Hail Mary's.

Varitek can still call a good game, but he picked a bad time for his worst offensive season.
Not only was it a walk year, it was a year his wife walked too.

I know enough guys who got divorced to know the year they get handed their papers, they aren't likely to say the words "Hometown Discount."

With the Dodgers and Tigers as potential suitors, not to mention the Mets, Varitek will probably land elsewhere.
The Red Sox can offer him stability, loving fans and a chance to put a young catcher under his wing.

And I had suggested they offer him a player/coach position.
But not at a crazy price.

Without the Lobster, Kevin Cash will get some at bats.
Call me crazy, I know his stats this year stunk, but it seems like every time I saw him play he got a big hit (including a homer in the ALCS.) Who knows what will happen if he gets some at bats.

Stud prospect Luis Exposito is a few years away and George Kottaras looks like a better hitter than a catcher.
Maybe the Sox could pry away one of the Rangers catchers (Laird, Saltalamacchia, Ramirez or Teagarden) and have them split time with Cash.

Either way, it would be a good year for Varitek to become Crash Davis and help groom one of them.
But I'm sure the former Mrs. Lobster isn't going to give him a hometown discount!


3. PREPARE FOR MORE 2006 AND 2008 JOSH BECKETT
This is a terrifying thought for Red Sox fans... but a real one.
What if 2007 was a fluke and the real Josh Beckett is the guy who had a tendency to get smacked around in 2006 and 2008?

I mean his awesome 2007 post season means he owes us nothing, but what if that's exactly what we are going to get from him?

His 12-10 with a 4 plus ERA was nothing great last year nor was his post season.
Yeah, I know he was hurt... but he was also hurt in 2006... and never gave the Marlins more than 178 innings.

He might be a guy who put it all together in one glorious regular season and came up big in two different post seasons... but I think the idea of him playing the Pedro/Schilling role of "Bad Ass Stud #1 Who WILL NOT LOSE" might be a thing of the past.

4. DON'T PREPARE... CREATE A POST LOPEZ AND TIMLIN WORLD











I have nothing against Javier Lopez. In interviews he seems like a good guy and he has a World Series ring as a member of the Boston Red Sox.

And a casual glance at his stats, a 2.43 ERA as a middle reliever, seems like he did a good job.
Also look at his walks and hits per innings pitched. It's more than a baserunner an inning. And when you consider he is usually brought in for one batter and that's it, he was letting an obscenely high number of those single batters are reaching base.

Cherish that ring, Javy. See you at the reunion... and let's find a new lefty to come out of the pen.

As for Timlin... it's been a terrific 18 year career with 4 World Series rings (and a World Series clincher in 1992!)
But it's over.
I said that back in April and I'm saying it now. It's over. Offer him the pitching coach job in Lowell and have him work his way back to the bigs as a coach.

But his playing days are over.
The main attention in the off season needs to be to shore up the bullpen.
Papelbon, Masterson, Okajima and Delcarmen are all good... but they need 2 more arms to give it the depth they need to think of another title.

5. PREPARE FOR THE WHITEST RED SOX TEAM IN A DECADE

Seriously, are the Yawkeys back in control of the team?

I doubt it is by design... I think that Theo loves guys like Pedroia, Lowrie and Bay for their plate discipline and fitting perfectly into his offensive scheme.

But man this team is getting pretty G-D white!
When I looked to see what power prospects were on the way and saw his name was Lars Anderson, I was pretty sure he was not from San Pedro de Macoris in the Dominican Republic.

Look, I want players who are good players, not based on affirmative action.

I don't want them signing Black or Hispanic players for show.
(I hear Armando Benitez is available).

It's just odd as the team that won the World Series in 2004 was probably the most diverse team in Red Sox history and THE team for Domincan fans.

And it was terrific to see Boston embrace players of color after generations of having the reputation of being the most racially intolerant city of the Northeast.

Perhaps it is appropriate.

We have our first non white President while the Red Sox become as as diverse as the Skull and Bones Society.



Well there's a lot to do... and lots of things to hope for, including Buccholz getting his act together and Michael Bowden developing into the next star.

But they are in good shape to contend next year.
Can they put it all together?

In the words of our President Elect... YES WE CAN!

Jason Varitek... THE LOBSTER

When my wife and I first started dating in 2002, I was watching a Red Sox game (as I do) and Lisa, who doesn't really care about baseball, sat down with me.

She saw Varitek squatting behind the plate with the red chest protector, the red glove, the red mask and the red shin guards.
She asked me "Who's the Lobster?"

And we've called him "Lobster" ever since.

And let's face it... Lobster is such a better nickname than Tek!

You have the tough shell... you have the pinchers, which no doubt he would have used on A-Rod during that fight.
You get the New England flavor with all the lobsters off the shore.

I should have started a campaign to have that be his nickname.

You can hear Bostonians chanting that, can't you?

LOB-STAH! LOB-STAH!

He throws a guy out and someone will yell
"DIP THAT GUY IN BUTTAH!"

Think of the tie ins with Legal Seafoods!!!

Well now it might be too late.


But he may have played his last game as a Red Sox catcher.

I'm glad he got one last great highlight with his game winning shot in game 6 of the ALCS... but he might be done.

With his contract up and off of a horrific season offensively, there's no way the Red Sox will offer him the huge Posada like contract.

I would love to see them bring back The Lobster (see? doesn't it sound cool?) and make him a "player/coach."
Basically have him catch 81 games, take George Kottaras under his wing and keep him in the organization until he is ready to be manager.

But that's not going to happen.
Scott Boras will try to get top dollar for him... and as we've seen, Theo isn't exactly the most sentimental guy in the world!

So chances are next year we will be without the Captain.

All before we can start chanting LOB-STAH!