JB's Back--Peter

Well, Jenn, if tonight's any indication, whatever was bothering JB is a thing of the past! As you recall, even though he lost in his last start against the Chicago Mob, he'd allowed no HR's and retired his last umpteen in a row. I'd said then that MAYBE he'd turned around, but we'd have to wait to be sure. Well, the man apparently smells the post-season. He's legend there and tonight, while still regular season stuff, definitely had that flavor. Here we are in a tight fight for the Card, leading Texas by just two with just under three weeks to go. JB takes the ball, waits out hours of rain delay, and, once again, is JB. Although it was shortened to six innings, in his start, he allowed only four hits (just one for extra bases), K'd four and walked just one, a 0.83 WHIP for the effort.
On the other side of the sheet, the Hose were overwhelming. While getting just eight hits, only two for extras, they put together a solid attack, particularly in the 3d. They got eight of their runs there starting with Gonzalez opening with a hit, stealing a base and finishing with a bases loaded double. Yooouuuk finished the Sox scoring in the 4th with his 25th shot of the year, and he still has a reasonable chance at 100 RBI's for the year. It'll be tight, but not impossible, and, while I'm speaking about it, even Big Papi, who picked up a ribbie tonight, has an outside chance at another century. Yooouuukk needs 15 in 22 games, while Big papi needs 19--both tight, especially BP, but makeable.
The Speedburner picked up his league leading 61st swipe.

As you no doubt know by now, last night's game was rained out three batters in, which may be a blessing as Lester wasn't having exactly a great start--no outs and two men on, but with the rain or threat of same starting today, it was looking like we might have had to schedule reg season play after the reg season ended. So we got today's in, and last night's is set as part of a day-night double header for tomorrow, the latter being the featured Sunday Night Baseball game on ESPN. Not sure yet who's pitching.

By the way, Jenn, all reports point to the return of the Diceman on Tuesday. If his last rehab start is any indication, he may be the Diceman, or a reasonable facsimile, that we'd come to expect over the last two seasons. Hope so, as this is awfully late in the game for something else to go sidewards.
By the way, Mr. Hankie's Yankees lost their second in a row--to the O's! I will, however, at this point, salute a Yankee--yes, in this blog! Unlike some of the online haters, I'll at least give credit where it is deserved. Derek Jeter passed Lou Gehrig as the all-time hits leader of the Yankees last night. Yes, he's a Yankee--and the enemy, but, like many of the greats of the Stripes of years past (Gehrig, Joe D, Scooter), he's got a lot of class. I do respect him, unlike certain of his teammates, who shall remain unnamed. I'll never forget in 2004, as the Sox finished their unprecedented comeback against the Stripes, two guys from the Evil Empire publicly saluted the Sox for their Never Give Up Attitude and victory--Jeter and the manager, Joe Torre. They lost, but had the class to at least publicly recognize their betters.
Now, let's get to the post-season and beat those Yankees--and anyone else that we face! Oh, yes! Texas lost tonight to Seattle. Sox lead the Card by three!

Sox Bats Continue Against the O's--Peter

Well, Jenn, last night and tonight the Sox bats continued to take their toll against the O's. Last night, the Hose won ten zip, including six HR's, two by Dusty and another by Papi. Buchholtz went a nice solid seven giving up just 3 hits. Tonight, the onslaught continued although a bit closer than it needed to be, 7-5. The Sox led 3-1, only to fall behind 4-3 when TOM allowed a combination of O's hits and an error to bring three runs across. However, not to worry, after the Sox tied it in their half of the 6th at 4, Martinez pushed across the Hose's final three with a bases loaded two bagger. At this point the rest of the pen came on and settled things. Bill Wags was perfect including a pair of K's--the guy's almost unhittable--; Bard followed with is flamethrower of an arm, getting another pair of K's, although he left with two men on via a walk and a hit. Enter The Laser! (Drum Roll, please) He finished off the O's in the 8th and then finished things in the 9th getting save 35 for the year, although he did give up a run via a pair of singles and a sacfly.
While we were maintaining the lead for the Card over the Rangers, the team set some history--again. You see, Jenn, that's one of the nice things about a team with the history the Sox have--both good and bad--there's always a chance you'll see history made. Tonight Bay got his 100th ribbie, and in the process, became just the fifth Sox left fielder ever to have at least 30 homers and 100 RBI's in the same season. The others are all in the Hall or going to be: four guys named Ramirez, Rice, Yaz and Williams. You may have heard of them. To show you the company he's joined, of the prior four Manny did it six times with the Sox and five times before that with the Indians, Rice did it four times, Yaz-three and Teddy Ballgame an incredible SEVEN. Like I said--with a club like ours, history just happens. Awesome!

The Mob Gets Wacked--Peter

Lester pitched a gem; Pedroia had an ESPN Web Gem-worthy catch and then magnified it by doubling up the Chisox baserunner on 2d, and the Hub Hose bats finished the issue. Lester's worst inning was his first, when he had runners on 1st and 2d with one out. Next batter hits a sinking liner into shallow right center and Dusty runs after it, waves off JD coming in from right and Yoouk charging over from first, makes like Randy Moss hauling in a bomb from Brady and then turns and throws out the Pale Hose runner who'd been on second. Jenn, you HAD to see it. If you've Tivo'd this game, check it out! Shortly thereafter Lester becomes the Lester we've come to know and shuts down the Chicago mob, giving up nothing but zeroes for the rest of his stint. Billy Wagner finally gave up his first run as a Red Sox--a crushed 95 mph heater that sat a little too far out over the plate and came to rest about thirty rows deep in the cheaps.After that, the Fenmen's pen turned out the lights--no questions asked. First Dan Bard, throwing a bit slower than normal, only 99 mph, put a row of zeroes on the sheet and then The Laser closed out the game almost as easily.
Offense? Glad you asked, Jenn. Lowell may have a bad set of wheels, but he still knows how to swing a bat. Here comes the pitch. Bang! Two zip, Red Sox. The Red Sox answer to your hub, Jason Bay, added an RBI, and Vick Martinez settled things with a three run shot that left absolutely no doubt when it left the bat. You ask what else, Jenn? Well, Jake got three hits and added to his league leading steals total. He's at 59 and counting now.
Added to all of this Texas, the Stripes and the Rays all lost, so we're up in the Card by three, leading the Rays by seven, I believe, and within 7.5 of Mr. Hankie's Yankees.

Hit twice by the Chicago Mob--Peter

Well, here we are leading the Wild Card by three--and then we go to Chitown--The Windy City--The Home of Capone--and so on. Friday night, we get our ass (as well as any other part of our anatomy) handed to us. After three, it's seven zip, Chisox. Game's end and it's 12-2, Chisox. What's worse, since I, as regular followers of the blog know, like to refer to things of historical significance, is that the Pale Hose got 20 hits--the first time that's happened against the Bosox in almost half a century, 1960, to be exact. Ugly!!
OK, so today it's a new day. Better luck, right? Wrong! In a day game [baseball played as it was meant to be--my God, I'm starting to sound like a Cubs fan, Jenn], our heroes came out behind the second return of Wake, and played as if it were as funeral; which, if we keep this up, it very well will be. Three hits, K'd 11 times, and we're on the short end of the score, 5-1. Fortunately, today the Rangers also lost, so we maintain our two game Card lead. Unfortunately, Mr. Hankie's Yankees won so we're now 8.5 back of them. Had we won on Friday night, we'd be three up on Texas and 7.5 behind the Stripes. Woulda', Shoulda', Coulda'.

Penny's and Heartbreak--Peter

Two post a day, Jenn. How often do you see that? Tonight's covers the game--heartbreak; and a "Penny" novel--Brad. In the former, something's definitely going on, and not in a good way, with JB. He starts off getting lit up so that by the 3d inning we're in a 5-1 hole, in large part to the pair of HR's he gave up. He's doing this in spite of throwing in excess of 95 mph steadily, and racking up the K's (nine tonight in just six innings). But, even though we were facing the Rays' Sox killer, Garza, we managed to come back until we were tied at five in the 8th. Then, heartbreak. Bottom of the 8th, Rays score a trey and it's done. Texas and the Stripes both won, so we gave ground on both ends of the axis.
On the "Penny" novel, it reads (at least for now) like Smoltz, Part 2. Penny gets picked up by the Giants, starts tonight, and goes eight shutout innings, getting the win for the guys from SF. There are three pennies in the story: Bad Penny, Good Penny and Brad Penny--and they're all the same.

'Senator' Schilling?--Peter

Schill just blogged he 'might be interested' in Teddy's Senate seat.Schill, this isn't a game & making laws isn't how hard you throw heat or how much break on your curve. Do everyone a favor--stay out of it!

Great Team Win--In Tampa?!--Peter

Well, Jenn, today our heroes took the show to one of their least favorite road venues--the Tampa dome. I was thinking this morning as I perused the sports section over breakfast who makes these schedules? The Stripes get Baltimore in the final month of the race and we draw the Rays--in Tampa! Have you heard who's responsible? Sure like to know.
Anyway, the night started that way. Lester, in spite of having the heater working, gives up an early run to Haverhill's finest, Pena, and we're down one zip.But, and, Jenn, this is a very important 'but', the Hose didn't let things stay that way for long. Immediately after this, they got a tying run complements of the speedburner. Jake drove n the tying run. Next inning, before the Rays could reply, the Sox tacked on a trey when JD hit the cheaps with a drive, scoring Lowell in front of him. Yoouukk finished out the inning with a sacfly to make it 4-1. As things moved on through the middle innings, the Sox added on some more until the score stood at 7-2, complements of Bay, Yoouk and Lowell, the former pair going yard as well. In fact, if my count is not wrong, we now have four guys with at least 20 HR's each, and JD just one shy of the mark. In fact, it's not too much of a stretch to imagine all five over 20 and also Lowell making it six.

The pitching, with the rare exception of Oki, was also outstanding. Lester allowed both early runs, but K'd nine in six innings. In the process, Jenn, he set a team record for the most K's in a season by a southpaw, breaking Bruce Hurst's old one of 190 from, I believe, 1987. Lester finished up tonight at 196--and counting. The pen's newest addition, the closer anywhere else, Billy Wagner, threw another perfect inning in his second appearance for the Hose, taking just 13 pitches to get through the 7th inning, including a pair of K's. Looks like his shoulder surgery worked. Boy, the Mets would sure love to have him back. After Oki came on and had a rare bad outing allowing all five batters he saw to reach, which resulted in a pair of Tampa runs--now it's 7-4, Terry figured enough of this crap. He called on Pap to handle the final TWO innings. It was CLASSIC Laser! Six up, six down. Game over!Three K's along the way. Don't blink--you'll miss it!

Unfortunately, both the Rangers and Mr. Hankie's Yankees won, so the margins there remain. We trail NY by 6.5 with 29 to play. The Rays are now six down to us--wish it could have happened last year too.
Apart from the game, Penny news. As I told you on the phone tonight, Jenn, Penny got claimed by the SF Giants. Be something if he duplicated Smoltzie's post-departure performance. But don't bet on it.