forks off the moment: Victor Martinez

Showing posts with label Victor Martinez. Show all posts

Good luck Victor Martinez

Victor Martinez has moved on from the Red Sox. There was no post season glory with him behind the plate. Heck the Sox never won a post season game in the year and a quarter he called Fenway home.

But he got a few hits for the Sox, made an All Star team and was a likable enough guy to root for.

This Red Sox fan wishes him well as he goes off to Detroit.

Meanwhile with Martinez gone and Beltre certain to go elsewhere, Theo is piling up some draft picks. He knows that the Sox will pick at least 4 times before the second round is up.

So either the Red Sox will be sniffing around for some big time free agent knowing that their draft won't be blown... or they could be ready to deal some prospects because the cupboard could be replenished next summer.

Either way, the winter is starting to get interesting in Boston.
Good luck in Detroit, Victor.
You'll look good with the Old English D.

Victor hurt again? Why not?

When it looked like Victor Martinez was going to be taken out of the game last night during that grotesque 10th inning, I thought "Why not?"

Seriously... after seeing the stat that among the 19 players put on the Red Sox DL, there were 6 players on the Red Sox opening day starting line up and 9 either former or current All Stars.

Victor Martinez was one of the 19, one of the 6 and one of the 9... and it was appropriate that as the Red Sox season slipped away that an injury was in the middle of it.

I hope Francona either sits him or gives him some first base time as the games in Chicago take a turn to Meaninglessville.

Of course that would mean Varitek would get the bulk of the catching duties (38 years old and has been injured most of the year) or maybe give Kevin Cash some more time (a man whose hitting I have compared to Elmo creator Kevin Clash.)

Someone pointed out that Jarrod Saltalamacchia is hurt and out for the year, making it #20.

Sadly we both forgot that when the rosters expand, there's no need to put someone on the disabled list.

Too bad.

20 would have been so symmetrical.

The season may have been picked off at first

I know you can never play the whole "alternate universe" scenario. You can't say "That double play killed us because the next batter hit a double" etc etc. You don't know how a pitcher would throw differently or how the defense would be set up if a play unfolded in a different way.

That being said, I am only human and when Ryan Kalish got picked off and that was promptly followed by Victor Martinez's double that would have scored Kalish... I grumbled "How could you get picked off in the 9th inning of a one run game with the big bats coming up?"

The Red Sox are 8 games back with 14 to play. The Yankees clobbered the Orioles with Sabathia becoming a 20 game winner... the Rays rallied against the Angels and won in extra innings... and the Red Sox would have to be perfect to make even a remote chance to win.

If the Red Sox won their final 14 games... went 14-0 and played like a juggernaut... the Yankees would just have to go 7-8 and the Rays would just have to go 8-8 and the Red Sox would STILL be eliminated.

So no... it doesn't look good.
But let's update the tally anyway.

DODGED A BULLET GAMES - 49

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.)

June 19 - 5-4 win against the Dodgers. (Sox make 4 errors, blow a late lead and let Manny homer, but they win it in the bottom of the 9th on a Pedroia single.)
June 20 - 2-0 win against the Dodgers. (Dodgers blow an early bases loaded scoring opportunity and allow Buchholz to settle down for the win.)

June 24 - 13-11 win in Colorado. (The bullpen lets up 9 runs in 5 innings, but Pedroia homers 3 times including with 2 outs in the 10th to win a wild and stupid game.)
June 26 - 4-2 win in San Francisco. (An injury running the bases takes Buchholz out in the second, but the bullpen and Mike Cameron's bat and glove win the game.)
July 2 - 3-2 win against the Orioles. (Wakefield gets the win and J.D. Drew homers twice, but it is Nava's 2 out 8th inning bloop that landed between three fielders that breaks the tie.)

July 11 - 3-2 win in Toronto. (Jesse Litch took a no hitter into the 6th but back to back homers by McDonald and Big Papi win the game.)
July 17 - 3-2 win against Texas. (Youk ties the game in the 9th off of Cliff Lee and wins it in the 11th with a sacrifuce fly)
July 19 - 2-1 win at Oakland. (Beltre homers and Dice-K holds on to the win.)
July 22 - 8-6 win at Seattle. (Lackey lost a no hit bid in the 8th and the Mariners scored 5 in the 9th to tie before the Sox won in 13)
July 23 - 2-1 win at Seattle. (Bill Hall's barely fair homer gives the Sox the win on Beckett's return.)

July 26 - 6-3 win in Anaheim. (Papi homers twice and Buccholz and Papelbon each wiggle out of jams to get the win.)
July 27 - 4-2 win in Anaheim. (Jed Lowrie's 2 run 7th inning double gives the Sox the lead and makes a winner out of John Lackey. )

July 28 - 7-3 win in Anaheim. (Youk ties the game in the 7th with a homer and Scutaro wins it with an 8th inning grand slam to sweep the Angels.)
July 31 - 5-4 win against Detrout. (Big Papi hits a 3 run walk off double to crush the Tigers in the 9th.)
August 1 - 4-3 win against Detroit. (Sox blow a 3 run 9th inning lead but the Tigers throw away a 9th inning sacrifice bunt to give the Sox the win.

August 3 - 3-1 win against Cleveland. (Lowell homers on his first pitch back and plays sparkling defense to preserve the win.)

August 6 - 6-3 win in Yankee Stadium. (Cervelli drops an easy pop up, setting up the winning rally for the Sox.)
August 9 - 2-1 win in Yankees Stadium. (Marcus Thames' bid for a game tying homer hits the top of the wall as Lester, Bard and Papelbon hold on for the win.)

August 10 - 7-5 win in Toronto. (The Sox blow a late lead but Mike Lowell puts them on top for good with an 8th inning homer.)
August 14 - 3-1 win in Texas. (Lester wiggles out of jams and a botched hit and run play kills a potential 9th inning Texas rally.)
August 18 - 7-5 win against the Angels. (The Sox fell behind 5-2, but came back with Beltre's homer, a wild pitch, a hit by pitch and some great Nava defense)
August 21 - 5-4 win against Toronto. (Jed Lowrie hits a walk off 11th inning homer, masking a come back rally by the Jays against Dice-K.)
August 23 - 6-3 win against Seattle. (Scuatro drives in the go ahead runs and Lackey throws a gritty 8 innings)
August 25 - 5-3 win against Seattle. (Beckett throws a shutout into the 7th and the Sox rally for 4 in the 6th in the rain and fog, including a strange RBI single off the pitcher by Beltre.)
August 27 - 3-1 win at Tampa Bay. (Victor Martinez homers twice and Papelbon wiggles out of a 9th inning jam as Lester out duels David Price.)
September 1 - 9-6 win in Baltimore. (A 6 run seventh inning uprising turns an early Orioles lead into a Sox win.)
September 2 - 6-4 win in Baltimore. (The Sox score 5 in the second and hang on for dear life.)
September 12 - 5-3 win in Oakland. (J. D. sparks a comeback win and Beckett gets the win.)
September 14 - 9-6 win in Seattle. (The Sox come back in the 8th thanks to Ortiz's 30th homer.)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 46

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)
June 13 - 5-3 loss to Philadelphia. (Sox 9th inning rally comes up short)
June 22 - 2-1 loss in Colorado. (The Sox waste a solid Lester start and twice leave the bases loaded.)
June 23 - 8-6 loss in Colorado. (The Sox batter Ubaldo Jimenez around but Papelbon lets up 2 homers in the 9th to lose it.)
June 25 - 5-4 loss in San Francisco. (The Sox strand 11 runners in the last 4 innings wasting a solid Wakefield performance.)
July 5 - 6-5 loss in Tampa Bay. (Sox spoil a 5-1 lead and 2 homers by Eric Patterson when Dice-K and the bullpen couldn't hold down the Rays.)
July 6 - 3-2 loss in Tampa Bay. (Sox bats go dead and Kevin Youkilis goes down to injury.)
July 7 - 6-4 loss in Tampa Bay. (Matt Garza comes out of the pen, shuts down a late rally as the Rays sweep the Sox.)
July 10 - 9-5 loss in Toronto. (The Sox give Lackey an early 5-3 lead that he couldn't hold.)
July 18 - 4-2 loss to the Rangers. (Lester loses a rare game at home that included a Rangers steal of home.) July 20 - 5-4 loss in Oakland. (The Sox go up 4-0 after 2 but don't score again and lose it in the 10th)
July 21 - 6-4 loss in Oakland. (Buchholz can't hold on to an early lead as the Sox lose the series.)
July 24 - 5-1 loss in Seattle. (Lester's perfect game is foiled and the Red Sox bats die.)
July 25 - 4-2 loss in Seattle. (Okajima misplays a sacrifice bunt and the Mariners rally in the 8th to win.)
July 30 - 6-5 loss to Detroit. (Papi's grand slam makes it a 1 run game in the 9th but Cameron strikes out looking with the winning runs on base.)
August 2 - 6-5 loss to Cleveland. (Beltre drives in 5 runs by himself but the Red Sox leave the tying run on base with Big Papi on deck.)
August 12 - 6-5 loss in Toronto. (The Jays score 4 in the 9th inning to avoid the sweep.)
August 13 - 10-9 loss in Texas. (Beckett can't hold an early 8-1 lead as the Sox lose in 11.)
August 15 - 7-3 loss in Texas. (Young's homer breaks open a tight game.)
August 25 - 4-2 loss to Seattle. (The Sox knock out King Felix but can't score on the bullpen.)
August 28 - 3-2 loss in Tampa. (Buchholz was wonderful but Upton's homer in the 8th tied it and Dan Johnson's homer in the 10th was the winner)
August 29 - 5-3 loss in Tampa. (Dan Johnson once again sinks the Sox with a late game RBI single)

August 31 - 5-2 loss in Baltimore. (Beckett pitches well but 2 8th inning homers sink the Sox.)
September 4 - 3-1 loss to Chicago. (Manny acts contrite, Konerko gets 3 hits and Danks shuts down a lifeless Sox team.)
September 4 - 3-1 loss to Chicago. (Nope, it isn't a typo. They lost twice in the same day by the same score.)
September 5 - 7-5 loss to Chicago. (Papelbon implodes as the Red Sox blow a 5-3 lead in the 9th thanks to 5 ninth inning walks.)
September 11 - 4-3 loss in Oakland. (Lackey pitches well but the A's rally in the 7th, highlighted by a Rajai Davis triple just out of Ryan Kalish's reach.)
September 17 - 11-9 loss to Toronto. (Lackey gets pounded and the Red Sox rally falls short.)
September 18 - 4-3 loss to Toronto. (Ryan Kalish is picked off first in the 9th inning with the big bats coming up.)

Down to +3.

But odd that the it is still in the plus column, isn't it?

Lackey better send Victor a thank you note

When the Sox were losing 4-0 in the 5th and had left 39 men in scoring position over the first 4 innings (that number might not be right) I started the draft of my Sully Baseball post in my head.

It had something to do with how sucky John Lackey has been and how we always hated him with the Angels and how we are going to continue to hate him with the Sox.

Then Beltre homered.
Then Martinez got a hit, and another hit... until he got 5 hits in all and the Sox won by 5.

And Lackey got the WIN!
Remember how I talked about how unfair Zack Grienke low win total was?

I wonder how he feels knows such a mediocre Lackey performance landed in the W column!

Either way, it was a come from behind win against a first place team. The Sox have had a bunch of those recently.
And I'll take them!

Let's update the tally.

DODGED A BULLET GAMES - 18

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.)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 15

Back up to +3.

Daisuke Matsuzaka versus Ben Sheets today... what a great pitching match up (provided it was 2008!)

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!

I update the board with pleasure!!!

Best win of the year!

I'll say it... yes even better than Jason Bay homering off of Rivera.

This was the definition of a teeth grinder in the making. Heck it even had the stupid image of Buchholz running, stopping and getting thrown out!

It was the game that was going to knock the Sox off a playoff spot.

They were ONE STRIKE FROM LOSING!

They've won 4 of 5 since the Yankee series against good teams. And this one was a Remo Williams-esque bullet dodging.

DODGED A BULLET GAMES - 16

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.)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 21

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.)

-5... let's win this series tomorrow.

For those of you who didn't understand my Remo Williams reference... here's a clip that will probably clarify NOTHING.

Victor Martinez gave me a heart attack... and tested my parenting skills

When I drove home to South Pasadena tonight, I was listening to the Red Sox on my beloved XM Radio. And it was clear that this was going to be yet another "dead from the neck up" night for the Red Sox offense.

Kevin Millwood was all but begging the Red Sox to get a big hit off of him... and they wouldn't oblige.

And Jon Lester who let up an early homer was going to be a tough luck loser.

So I came home and had dinner with my wife, my kids and my wife's friend was is staying over with HER two kids.

So now there are 4 kids in our home... one 9 year old, my two 4 year olds and a 1 year old.

We have dinner, take a walk... and check my phone and the Red Sox are still losing in the 9th. I am preparing my Sully Baseball entry in my head where I talk about how this is gut check time.

We get home and the kids are getting antsy and clearly need a bath, get their PJs on and have stories... and all of those are MY jobs.

The kids play with their toys for a minute as I see the Red Sox are rallying, so I flip on MLB.tv in time to see a mind bogglingly confusing play.

Literally I clicked on the view and I saw the Rangers left fielder jumping up. I couldn't see if he caught it or not. The scoreboard said 4-3 Rangers and there were two Red Sox players rounding third.

Wow... maybe the Red Sox were going to take the lead. Who was the skinny Red Sox player rounding third?

Please tell me Ellsbury.
Or at least Green.

I heard the announcer say Buchholz.

Buchholz? CLAY Buchholz? Does he even know how to run the bases?

Evidently not!

He was smoked at the plate.

Still confused by what the hell was going on (did the guy catch it? Why were there two guys rounding third? Why in the name of Dave Roberts was Clay Buchholz running?) I saw the score was now 4-4.

I guess someone scored earlier... yeah it is too bad to see the go ahead run shot down but at least the score was tied... RIGHT?

Nope.
Some dope at the Rangers TV network jumped the gun and gave the Sox the score.

So now I didn't even know what the score was.

It was still 4-3 Rangers... the Red Sox 1 out from losing and falling behind in the Wild Card race and two strikes quickly on Victor Martinez.

And I heard my wife saying "Shirts off pants off... time for baths." So I was in full "Come on Victor... get me a big hit so I can give my kids a bath!"

So naturally he kept fouling off pitch...

After pitch...

And I could see I had to turn the game off at any second to give my kids a bath.

I started thinking "Oh please misbehave!" A quick "I'm NOT talking a bath" could sneak an extra few minutes here.

Finally my children were marching up the stairs naked to their bath and Martinez fouled one more off.

There was no avoiding it... but I couldn't think "Oh just make an out and end this game."

Karmically I couldn't root for a loss just so I can give my kids a guilt free bath.

Finally V-Mart (what an awful nickname) delivered a 2 run double down the line... giving me hope for the Red Sox... keeping the Sox in the playoff hunt... and most importantly allowing me to give my kids a good solid bath.

Two bullets dodged and some curious moves

Sorry dear readers. I've been swamped the last few days so I'm a bit behind.

And not exactly an uneventful few days for the Red Sox eh?

When we last left the Red Sox, David Ortiz tested positive to the surprise of nobody and looked like with the Phillies dealing for Cliff Lee that Halladay might be Red Sox bound.

Also the Yankees were surging and the Sox fell to 3 1/2 back... and the A's took a 4-1 lead and looked like they were going to take 3 of 4 in Fenway.

A day and a half later, the Red Sox had two come from behind games, pulled to within 1 1/2 games of the Yankees and decided to acquire every first baseman in the American League.

Seriously, where the hell is Casey Kotchman supposed to play?

Two more months of baseball with a magic number of 60 to clinch a playoff spot.

It's certainly going to be interesting.

Let's update the tally.

DODGED A BULLET GAMES - 14