Heading Home, Post-Stripes:
Well, after winning only a single game against the Evil Empire, in spite of the first decent showing by JB in several months, the Hose head to the Hub. Lester had his second consecutive good outing and got the win in the middle game, and JB gave a respectable performance yesterday, but let just enough balls get away from him to end up on the short end of a 4-1 loss just the same. However, he did get more K's than innings and keep the game in reach, something that ultimately had little meaning with the Stripes' pitcher throwing as well as he did. Only bright spot yesterday was Gonzo's HR, producing his 85th ribbie for the year and leaving him in the top five both in ribbies and hits in the AL.
On top of all of this (not to mention the season), it was rumored yesterday and just confirmed today that Crawford, who has been showing snatches of what Theo signed him for last year, will be lost immediately for the next 6-9 months for Tommy John surgery. At least it appears Papi will be back soon.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Been A Long Ten Days!
Well, as the header says, it's been ten days since the last commentary. In that time, the Hose have dropped four games below breakeven, only reclaiming one of those games tonight against the no longer surprising O's. We're now 3 under with 43 to play. Vee keeps saying he thinks the team will get hot and be in the playoffs, but what else can he say? I hope he's right, but have no good feeling about it. It seems that under his stewardship the individual players, with the exception of our two leading starters, are doing reasonably well--maybe even playoffs well. The Sox are among the leaders in runs scored, have a number of regular players above .300, and had, until Papi's achilles went south, the possibility of at least a pair of 100 ribbie players. The pen,, post-April, has looked better than average most of the time, and Aceves has, as a throwin for the closer, had a season that pretty much matches that of his predecessor from last year (Papelbon if you've already erased your memory bank), albeit with a substantially higher ERA.
Yet every time it looks as if the Sox are about to do something--anything, someone blows a play that turns a game (last night's throwing error by our starter on what would have been an inning-ending DP and instead was the start of a five run O's inning, for example), or someone gets injured and is on the DL. I thought the injury list from 2010 was bad, and it DID cost the team the post-season. But the number of guys on the DL this year so far is the highest in several decades of Hose History and by far the worst in MLB this year. Papi does well, injures his achilles. Dice starts on the DL, finally gets well, has a bad outing and is immediately back on the DL. The Dustman has been on it, and when he goes to the DL you know it's bad because this is a guy you almost have to shoot and then put in a strait jacket to get off the field. He's the top competitor you can find anywhere! No question! Crawford starts on the DL, finally comes back and is a leading candidate to either go back on it or have surgery after the season. Bailey is supposed to be the new closer back in April and tears a thumb ligament and just a couple of days ago got back into uniform. Ellsbury, one of the top players in the MVP race last year blows out his shoulder the first week of the season and only gets back in late July. All very frustrating. Could the Sox yet contend for October? Yes, at least mathematically, but with every passing day, I feel more and more like I'm following the Sox of 1965 or '66. Of course, they finally got moving in '67 with the "Impossible Dream" season that ended in a seven game Series against the Cards.
Day before yesterday a group of the players apparently went to Larry and the Owner to complain and, according to management, a lot of things were discussed, everyone supports Vee (hard to believe from where I'm sitting), and they're hopeful things will turn around to save the season.
It's true that Lester finally pitched like the guy we expected him to be, K'ing a dozen in his last outing and getting the win, and Bucky looked good after a shaky start tonight, keying the Sox win over the O's. But time's getting short. It's mid-August--time to move or forget about it.
Speaking of tonight, the Hose had 13 hits, of which five were two-baggers. Gonzo continued his recent surge, adding on a pair of ribbies, which, at 82, keeps him among the league leaders. Imagine if he'd been healthy all year! Ciriaco got another hit and stole his seventh base, while Crawford continues to look more and more like he's worth at least some of that money he extracted from Theo's wallet last year. Two for five tonight with a double, a swipe and a couple of runs scored. Dusty was two for five and Ross got three of his five at bats, each including a double. I don't know. Can they do it? It's possible, but they can't continue the way this season has gone so far. They need to win five or six in a row, then if they lose one, do another half dozen--a few times in a row. Starting tomorrow against the Stripes. Can't think of a better team to get going against if they're going to at all.
Well, as the header says, it's been ten days since the last commentary. In that time, the Hose have dropped four games below breakeven, only reclaiming one of those games tonight against the no longer surprising O's. We're now 3 under with 43 to play. Vee keeps saying he thinks the team will get hot and be in the playoffs, but what else can he say? I hope he's right, but have no good feeling about it. It seems that under his stewardship the individual players, with the exception of our two leading starters, are doing reasonably well--maybe even playoffs well. The Sox are among the leaders in runs scored, have a number of regular players above .300, and had, until Papi's achilles went south, the possibility of at least a pair of 100 ribbie players. The pen,, post-April, has looked better than average most of the time, and Aceves has, as a throwin for the closer, had a season that pretty much matches that of his predecessor from last year (Papelbon if you've already erased your memory bank), albeit with a substantially higher ERA.
Yet every time it looks as if the Sox are about to do something--anything, someone blows a play that turns a game (last night's throwing error by our starter on what would have been an inning-ending DP and instead was the start of a five run O's inning, for example), or someone gets injured and is on the DL. I thought the injury list from 2010 was bad, and it DID cost the team the post-season. But the number of guys on the DL this year so far is the highest in several decades of Hose History and by far the worst in MLB this year. Papi does well, injures his achilles. Dice starts on the DL, finally gets well, has a bad outing and is immediately back on the DL. The Dustman has been on it, and when he goes to the DL you know it's bad because this is a guy you almost have to shoot and then put in a strait jacket to get off the field. He's the top competitor you can find anywhere! No question! Crawford starts on the DL, finally comes back and is a leading candidate to either go back on it or have surgery after the season. Bailey is supposed to be the new closer back in April and tears a thumb ligament and just a couple of days ago got back into uniform. Ellsbury, one of the top players in the MVP race last year blows out his shoulder the first week of the season and only gets back in late July. All very frustrating. Could the Sox yet contend for October? Yes, at least mathematically, but with every passing day, I feel more and more like I'm following the Sox of 1965 or '66. Of course, they finally got moving in '67 with the "Impossible Dream" season that ended in a seven game Series against the Cards.
Day before yesterday a group of the players apparently went to Larry and the Owner to complain and, according to management, a lot of things were discussed, everyone supports Vee (hard to believe from where I'm sitting), and they're hopeful things will turn around to save the season.
It's true that Lester finally pitched like the guy we expected him to be, K'ing a dozen in his last outing and getting the win, and Bucky looked good after a shaky start tonight, keying the Sox win over the O's. But time's getting short. It's mid-August--time to move or forget about it.
Speaking of tonight, the Hose had 13 hits, of which five were two-baggers. Gonzo continued his recent surge, adding on a pair of ribbies, which, at 82, keeps him among the league leaders. Imagine if he'd been healthy all year! Ciriaco got another hit and stole his seventh base, while Crawford continues to look more and more like he's worth at least some of that money he extracted from Theo's wallet last year. Two for five tonight with a double, a swipe and a couple of runs scored. Dusty was two for five and Ross got three of his five at bats, each including a double. I don't know. Can they do it? It's possible, but they can't continue the way this season has gone so far. They need to win five or six in a row, then if they lose one, do another half dozen--a few times in a row. Starting tomorrow against the Stripes. Can't think of a better team to get going against if they're going to at all.
Monday, August 6, 2012
Well in the time since my last frustrated bleat, not much has changed. The Hose got a bit over .500, had another losing streak, again got over .500 ( a 4 game win streak) and then lost four in a row--one to Detroit and three to the very sub-500 Twinkies. Results: next to last and two below breakeven. They then avoided a Twinkie sweep at Fenway by finally winning the last game of the series (beginning to wonder there as the previous Twins games all had the Sox up, sometimes deep into the game, only to lose at the end), and then opening the series tonight against the Rangers with, believe it or don't, a win against Texas. Quite a win too--thy started in a one zip hole and then steadily opened up their offense. Final was 9-2, Sox and we're back at .500. Tonight's game, like a number of the recent ones featured a new angle to the offense. many of the regulars are back in the lineup--except Papi--and they're hitting like they were expected to last year and this year. Crawford got another pair of two-baggers, drove in three ribbies and is now hitting at .292. Of their 14 hits, the Sox had eight doubles. Jake and Crawford had a pair apiece, the Dustman had three doubles and, Gonzo had one as well as part of his three hit, three ribbie night. If this could only continue. Gonzo is on a tear, with an average above .300 finally, Crawford has been looking real for the past week or so, and Jake & Petey are doing their thing now that the injuries are apparently history.There's time enough. Is there some consistency hiding in the Sox dugout that can rescue this season?
Even the cobbled together staff looked good tonight. Cook started, threw seven innings of one run ball and was picked up by Tazawa, who, except for a 9th inning shot by Beltre, looked stunning in his two innings.
Stay tuned.
Even the cobbled together staff looked good tonight. Cook started, threw seven innings of one run ball and was picked up by Tazawa, who, except for a 9th inning shot by Beltre, looked stunning in his two innings.
Stay tuned.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
The Misery Continues:
Well, now it's 5 of the last 6 we've lost! After a brief surge that falsely raised our hopes for the Sox in the second half, reality appears to have set in. Papi's out with a strained achilles. The starters on the whole are doing nothing; the hitting is spotty. Bulletin to Cherrington: Greinke's available before the deadline. Tonight's game was just another exercise in Hose futility. Too bad all this had to happen in the Fenway centenary. The Sox get a two zip lead, in large part due to the Dustman's bat work, supported by Middlebrook's homer, drop behind, 3-2, in the 4th and manage to pull even in the 6th on Dust's own HR, at 3. So what does Beckett do? An inning later, with one gone, he hits a batter, then after getting the second out, gives up a hit to former Sox third sacker Beltre, and puts the proverbial frosting on the cake by wild pitching the eventual winning run home. The Texans later added an insurance run on Cruz's homer to welcome Albers to the mound in the 8th.
And just think-- Friday the Hose get to travel to the House of the Devil (Yankee Stadium to you) for a series. They're now 10 1/2 games out (thank God for the Stripes' four game loss sweep by the A's or the season would be over already), and if things don't turn around soon, they'll be looking at next year's team for the latter part of this year.
I'm quoting odds on when Vee will no longer be wearing a Sox uniform. Any takers?
Well, now it's 5 of the last 6 we've lost! After a brief surge that falsely raised our hopes for the Sox in the second half, reality appears to have set in. Papi's out with a strained achilles. The starters on the whole are doing nothing; the hitting is spotty. Bulletin to Cherrington: Greinke's available before the deadline. Tonight's game was just another exercise in Hose futility. Too bad all this had to happen in the Fenway centenary. The Sox get a two zip lead, in large part due to the Dustman's bat work, supported by Middlebrook's homer, drop behind, 3-2, in the 4th and manage to pull even in the 6th on Dust's own HR, at 3. So what does Beckett do? An inning later, with one gone, he hits a batter, then after getting the second out, gives up a hit to former Sox third sacker Beltre, and puts the proverbial frosting on the cake by wild pitching the eventual winning run home. The Texans later added an insurance run on Cruz's homer to welcome Albers to the mound in the 8th.
And just think-- Friday the Hose get to travel to the House of the Devil (Yankee Stadium to you) for a series. They're now 10 1/2 games out (thank God for the Stripes' four game loss sweep by the A's or the season would be over already), and if things don't turn around soon, they'll be looking at next year's team for the latter part of this year.
I'm quoting odds on when Vee will no longer be wearing a Sox uniform. Any takers?
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Monday, July 16, 2012
After the Break:
Well, finally catching up after the All-Star break. I'm sure all of you are aware of the Yankee debacle that followed the Oakland sweep of our Sox--3 of 4 for the Stripes in the Fens. Coming out of the break, however, signs of hope I (always hope if you follow the Hose). Sox callup, Ciriaco, has been nothing short of incandescent! Even after a couple of games for the collar, he was still well over .400 entering tonite's game at Fenway. He merely improved on this position going 3/4, w/a two-bagger to raise his average again. The Sox, meanwhile took the series against the Rays in Florida, topping it off yesterday with a solid performance after JB had given up three in the 1st. Result finally? Sox won, 7-3 with JB K'ing 7 and giving a strong performance after all. After the 1st, he was very Beckett-like.
So, tonight back at Fenway, the Pale Hose came into town, the first time Yoouukk has faced the Sox since he was traded away. He acquitted himself well, going 3/4 with a pair of doubles and scored the Chisox' only run. However, fortunately for the Bosox, the team didn't wait long to even the score, picking up a run in the 1st on Gonzo's base hit. It took a bit longer for the Hose to put it away, but, after a really good effort by their starter, Cook (one unearned run in 7 innings on five hits and no freebies), the Sox bats came to life en masse.
Crawford (newly off the DL--finally) and Papi both worked freebies to start the inning and then Gonzo took a 2-1 offering and drove it over the Monster to make it 4-1. A little later in the inning, Aviles singled, driving in Cody Ross, who'd followed Gonzo with a single of his own--5-1 Hose. Padilla got the W and Aceves closed things out in the 9th, though no save.
The only sour note at all, in fact, was Bobby Vee's continued BS over Yoouukk. Yesterday, he said that he thought Yoouukk never wanted to get over the early season slur by Vee. What Valentine doesn't understand is that Yoouuk has too much class for that kind of crap--and further proved it by refusing to reply to Valentine's ill-tempered comments. Tito--where are you when we need you?
Ciriaco--what are the Sox going to do when the Dustman returns? He's really proving to be too valuable to get splinters sitting. My guess, he goes into play at short, occasionally giving Middlebrooks a rest at 3d. Could be good trade bait, but I'd hate to see him go elsewhere. He's just too good. Also, when you watch him play, you can see, he's not just playing--he's having FUN! Nothing better!
Well, finally catching up after the All-Star break. I'm sure all of you are aware of the Yankee debacle that followed the Oakland sweep of our Sox--3 of 4 for the Stripes in the Fens. Coming out of the break, however, signs of hope I (always hope if you follow the Hose). Sox callup, Ciriaco, has been nothing short of incandescent! Even after a couple of games for the collar, he was still well over .400 entering tonite's game at Fenway. He merely improved on this position going 3/4, w/a two-bagger to raise his average again. The Sox, meanwhile took the series against the Rays in Florida, topping it off yesterday with a solid performance after JB had given up three in the 1st. Result finally? Sox won, 7-3 with JB K'ing 7 and giving a strong performance after all. After the 1st, he was very Beckett-like.
So, tonight back at Fenway, the Pale Hose came into town, the first time Yoouukk has faced the Sox since he was traded away. He acquitted himself well, going 3/4 with a pair of doubles and scored the Chisox' only run. However, fortunately for the Bosox, the team didn't wait long to even the score, picking up a run in the 1st on Gonzo's base hit. It took a bit longer for the Hose to put it away, but, after a really good effort by their starter, Cook (one unearned run in 7 innings on five hits and no freebies), the Sox bats came to life en masse.
Crawford (newly off the DL--finally) and Papi both worked freebies to start the inning and then Gonzo took a 2-1 offering and drove it over the Monster to make it 4-1. A little later in the inning, Aviles singled, driving in Cody Ross, who'd followed Gonzo with a single of his own--5-1 Hose. Padilla got the W and Aceves closed things out in the 9th, though no save.
The only sour note at all, in fact, was Bobby Vee's continued BS over Yoouukk. Yesterday, he said that he thought Yoouukk never wanted to get over the early season slur by Vee. What Valentine doesn't understand is that Yoouuk has too much class for that kind of crap--and further proved it by refusing to reply to Valentine's ill-tempered comments. Tito--where are you when we need you?
Ciriaco--what are the Sox going to do when the Dustman returns? He's really proving to be too valuable to get splinters sitting. My guess, he goes into play at short, occasionally giving Middlebrooks a rest at 3d. Could be good trade bait, but I'd hate to see him go elsewhere. He's just too good. Also, when you watch him play, you can see, he's not just playing--he's having FUN! Nothing better!
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
A Bad Sweep!:
Well, after the Seattle split, the Hose came into Oakland, hoping to show off their prowess over this lower rung Western Div team. Instead, the Hose got swept, staring with a 6-1 thrashing on Friday nite and ending today in a 3-2 nailbiter. The only common element, other than the losses in each game was the fact that the A's doing the most damage were almost all former Sox players. Reddick, Crisp and Moss all had their way with the Sox hurlers, starting with homers off Dice-K in game 1 by Reddick & Moss, and finishing up with a triple by Crisp, who later scored in today's game. You know it's bad when your personal highlight is Jenn's sister, Sara catching a foul ball in Game 1 (a family first since I caught one at age 8--60 yrs ago--myself at Fenway).
Speaking of the Diceman, he lasted an inning plus and left behind 5-1, ending up back on the DL for a neck issue. Game 2: the Dustman re-tweaked his thumb and was held out of today's contest. About the only positives were Papi's 400th career shot today (22 on the year) and Gonzo's extending of the now 15 game hit streak today. Papi is now 49th on the career list and just seven behind HOF'er Duke Snider.
Well, after the Seattle split, the Hose came into Oakland, hoping to show off their prowess over this lower rung Western Div team. Instead, the Hose got swept, staring with a 6-1 thrashing on Friday nite and ending today in a 3-2 nailbiter. The only common element, other than the losses in each game was the fact that the A's doing the most damage were almost all former Sox players. Reddick, Crisp and Moss all had their way with the Sox hurlers, starting with homers off Dice-K in game 1 by Reddick & Moss, and finishing up with a triple by Crisp, who later scored in today's game. You know it's bad when your personal highlight is Jenn's sister, Sara catching a foul ball in Game 1 (a family first since I caught one at age 8--60 yrs ago--myself at Fenway).
Speaking of the Diceman, he lasted an inning plus and left behind 5-1, ending up back on the DL for a neck issue. Game 2: the Dustman re-tweaked his thumb and was held out of today's contest. About the only positives were Papi's 400th career shot today (22 on the year) and Gonzo's extending of the now 15 game hit streak today. Papi is now 49th on the career list and just seven behind HOF'er Duke Snider.
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