Field Trip

I watched that Cards--Cubs game last night. The last 4 winners of the World Series were in Chicago last night. Jon Miller ( did the games for the Sox on radio back in the day ) said that at the top of the broadcast. Only thing that stunk about that game last night was Joe Morgan. He is awful. Cubs are the team to beat in the N.L. If the Sox don't get that far ( unlikely they will ) I will be rooting for the Cubs. Safe to say Steve Bartman will be as well. lol. I haven't made the trip to Wrigley, would love too. Perhaps someday. Ian you are a baseball lifer for sure. No doubt!!!

I hope Beckett picks up where he left off. The Sox need at least 7 strong innings from Beckett tonight.

That has to be a baseball first, One knuckleballer replaces another one in the roatation. Tough start tomm. night for Zink, facing the Texas Rangers.

Zink replaces Wake. Hopefully Masterful will replace Buchholtz.

007,

I doubt the Sox will take Masterson from the bullpen. They don't want to go back and forth from the rotation to the pen, back to the rotation and possibly the pen again. They probably should have left Masterson in the rotation. Buchholz is a lost sole right now. At least his next start is against Toronto, not much of a lineup. Then again when you pitch like Buchholz, every lineup looks like the 1927 Yankees. lol.

If Boston wants too keep pace with the Rays ( never thought I would ever write that ) they need to get there act together. There record is 10-11 since the All Star Break, that will not get the job done. Can you say Wild Card? Perhaps no playoffs as well.

One good thing with Zink pitching tomm. night I don't have too see Varitek in the lineup. He needs to take a page out of "The Bad News Bears" and act like Rudy Stein. Lean into one. lol. This is the worst slump I think I have ever seen a Red Sox hitter have. He is basically an automatic out.

I still think that performance by Jordan that Sunday afternoon at the old Garden was the best I have seen in my lifetime. He nearly beat the best team in my lifetime ( my opinion of the 1985-1986 Celtics ) Certainly the best starting 5 in my lifetime and no doubt the best passing team!!! Who was M.J. surrounded by back then? Dave Corzine, Orlando Woolridge and Charles Oakley, in other words a bunch of nobodies. Enough of basketball. lol.

Some good news for the Red Sox. Longoria placed on the D.L. and Crawford as well. It sounds like these guys will be out for a while. Baseball is a longgggggg season. Injuries are a part of the game as the young Rays are finding out.

Good news in Longoria and Crawford going to the DL and he is the face of the franchise. Also Longoria is a future superstar. And hopefully the Red Sox take advantage of that

The Rays lineup was weak with Crawford and Longoria. They will be scratching to score runs now for sure. Upton and Pena need to step it up for T.B. Like Drew did when Ortiz went on the D.L. How will this young Rays team respond? Boston has caught a break ( no pun intended ) they need to take advantage of it. Start playing .600 baseball, not .500 baseball.

Ortiz getting the night off. That's not a good thing. Having tenderness in his wrist is secret code for things aren't right. Ortiz has all the excuses in the world in his corner right now. He doesn't have ZAZU hitting behind him, his wrist hurts...... blah, blah, blah. This team is in a dog fight for the division title and/or a wild card berth. He's a team leader and he needs to suck it up like Lowell is and get out there and give it his best shot. If he can't do that, then he needs to go to the DL and quit whining. I understand an injury like his can shake your confidence in your swing. It screws with your head but he's not doing anyone any good if he's going to the plate afraid to swing the bat. Maybe the Sox should have traded for Adam Dunn.

I still think Buccholz can be a big plus to the Sox staff. He's got great stuff but like most of the rest of the young Sox pitchers, he lacks command and consistency, and in his case, it's primarily with his fast ball. I don't care who you are, that's one pitch you have to be able to locate. It's even true for Wakefield. Buchholz has not been able to do that recently. That renders his curve and change almost useless. I think this is a coaching issue and is probably more mental than anything else. He's going to stay in the rotation if for no other reason, there are very few alternatives. He's learning under fire. He'll be better in the long run.

By the way, I don't like the Sox lineup tonight. Drew hit like a maniac when he was hitting third. I would have hit him third, followed by Youk, Bay and Lowell. I'd take a little pressure off Mikey while he finds his way out of the funk.

jimmaynard
We try to avoid the name of the big -mouth shirker who was anxious to be traded for thirty pieces of silver- which at one time used to equate to around $25 . Today with inflation it equates to around $7M. One way that he can be referred to is ZAZU. For all the Yankee fans that wish for their team to pick him up, we Sox fans hope they get what they wish for.

Amen, it's on N.E.S.N. I am like gsm, I don't think I could have taken Hawk Harrelson tonight.

Yeah. Harrelson drives me crazy. Get foul! Get out! that kind of thing is annoying if you aren't a White Sox fan

Harrelson is the ultimate homer. I guess he went to broadcast school with Johnny Most. lol.

36 walks in 137 innings for Danks. This kid throws strikes!!!

One thing I don't like about this lineup is Crisp leading off. Why is Crisp leading off? I don't think I would hit him leadoff this weekend in Williamsport, Pa. LOL!!!

gsm: I agree with your line up except I will bat Veritek 9th.

I would hit Varitek 10th. lol.

Looks like I've got the White Sox announcers tonight. Blechhh! How did you guys get NESN?

Sox will get a victory tonight. And then back to Fenway and I think they'll start winning and winning and bring home the AL East title. Go Sox!!!

Arnie,

Extra Innings package has the N.E.S.N. feed. Sorry about your luck with Homer Harrelson. Also Darren Jackson is pretty weak.

Beckett and Danks cruised in the 1st. It's amazing how good you can be when you throw strikes.

I wonder how Harrelson became such a White Sox homer. He never played there. What's the connection. He quit playing young. Did he get hurt?

Beck was economical in the 1st - 9 pitches. I'd rather see Moss than Crisp in the line up. How's Moss doing in Pitts?

Harrelson might have been the worst g.m. in the history of baseball. LOL!!!

Harrelson might have been the worst g.m. in baseball history. LOL!!!

Harrelson might have been the worst g.m. in baseball history. LOL!!!

Harrelson might have been the worst g.m. in baseball history. LOL!!

Harrelson might have been the worst g.m. in baseball history. LOL!!!

Harrelson might have been the worst g.m. in baseball history. LOL!!!

I thought Harrelson DID play for the White Sox after he left Boston. But that was so long ago and I was still quite young, hahaha, maybe my memory isn't so good. Wait, I'm thinking of Jimmy Piersall.

I thought Harrelson DID play for the White Sox after he left Boston. But that was so long ago and I was still quite young, hahaha, maybe my memory isn't so good. Wait, I'm thinking of Jimmy Piersall.

I thought he did play in Chicago. Maybe I'm thinking of Jimmy Piersall?

Harrelson might have been the worst g.m. in baseball history. LOL!!!

Oooops, sorry. I got the "send error" message so I assumed that my message went into space. Weird.

I am not drinking folks. Not yet anyway. This blog is acting screwy. Vodka and cranberry please, I might as well start. LOL!!!

Hey Brian, you think Harrelson was a bad GM? Is that what you're trying to say? lol

Did I mention that Harrelson was a bad g.m. for the White Sox. LOL!!!

One trade that will have ZERO impact on his team is Griffey, Jr. going to the Chi Sox.

Danks has had a solid year but he isn't this good.

It's going to be a long night for the Sox! The Sox always has problem hitting a pitcher with ERA below 4.

Minn is up by 2 runs. I'm not sure whether I should root for the Yanks or the Twins.

Root for the Twins 007....

007, Sox have had trouble with almost all pitchers on the road this year. They just can't find themselves when they play on the road. I sound like Dr Phil now. "..can't find themselves..." Haha.

How could Beck give up a leadoff hit to a No. 8 hitter?

and to a No. 9 hitter?

It would be great if the Red Sox bottom of the order did something like that. I guess I am dreaming there. lol.

I did a little research and found that Harrelson was traded from the Red Sox to the Indians. He played one year with the Indians and broke his leg the following year in spring training and then lost his job to Chris Chambliss. He retired to pursue a professional golf career.

The Sox got him when he ticked off Charley Finley when he was playing with the A's. He said Finley was a menace to baseball after Alvin Dark was fired.

He has done broadcasting for the Red Son (79 with Ned Martin). He was fired for mouthing off about moves made by Sox GM Haywood Sullivan. He also broadcast for the Yankees for a year or two. He went to work as a broadcaster for the White Sox where in his fourth year he left the booth to become maybe the worst GM in baseball history. He fired Tony LaRussa who went on to win with the A's. He also fired Asst GM Don Dombrowski who went to become the youngest GM in history for the Montreal Expos and he hit the trifecta by trading Bobby Bonilla to the Pirates where he went on to become a six time All Star. He was then fired. Too little, too late. So basically, we have another Joe Migrane who has repeated proven over the years that his brain occupies only a minute portion of the space in the skull in which it resides. A lot of talk, not much insight and really, really irritating.

The ball is not bouncing the Sox way this year. I have never seen so many seeing eye hits as I have seen given up by Sox pitchers this year. Another off Beckett which results in a run.

Crisp is useless at the plate. When he steps up to the plate, he might as well sit down!!! Wasting his time up there, he has no clue up there.

Red Sox go quielty, AGAIN!!!

Danks is crusing right now. Mowing them down!!! Has he broken a sweat?

Perfect through 4. Argh................

Danks' approach is much like Beckett's. If you take the first pitch, you're likely to find yourself behind in the count. He's got four pitches and command of them all. However, he's very hittable, except by our inept Sox of tonight.

Beck was tough thus far w/ the top of the lineup and yet gave up consecutive hits to No. 8 & 9 hitters. Go figure. That's baseball.

The Hawk is even more stupid than I thought. Thanks Gsm. Why did the White Sox hire him back as an announcer? You'd think they would want him to go far, far away, as I wish he had.

At least Beckett is keeping Harrelson at bay for now. Now if the bats would get going he might go into a shell for a while.

Perfect through 5 and counting...

Danks perfect through five. Tut tut

The Sox look pathetic.

HBP ends the perfect game. Now they need a hit

LMAO...... Remy is hilarious.

Ells should steal ASAP to try and getting something started.

Crisp isn't getting the first hit anyway. He should have been traded anyway

Tito- wake up. You look like you are sleeping like the rest of the team. You should have had Ells take off on the first pitch. It may have waken the team up.

Danks with a no hitter through 6. This is amazing.

I am running out of good luck positions on the couch with this team this year. Any suggestions? I am getting old so twister positions are out.

If only Coco could hit a little bit. He does make some fun plays in the outfield.

Youk breaks up the no-no. Now get some runs!!

Finally got their first hit, thank God

cfarnham, in my drinking days I found that putting one foot on the floor while I was laying back on the couch kept the room from spinning(don't know why), then I'd put my other leg over the back of the couch. Comfy.

JD DREW!!!! Yes!!

Arnie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good call. JD makes you look like a genius!!!

WOO! Now they lead in a game that they looked like they were going to be no-hit in

No beer but it worked. I'm still in position.....

just an odd thought but the sox lineup includes 6 players whose name starts with J

OK Tito. Have somebody warming up in case Beckett begins to waiver. When he looks like he is having difficulty controlling his pitches don't hesitate to pull him Don't wait until its too late. Have them up now.

Ok Beckett, hold them here. Cmon, you can do it.

It's a shame that Tito's loyalty to Tek is costing games. Tek is a hard, dedicated worker but he looks really bad. Something has to be done.

Don't move, Cfarnahm, don't move!!

It is truly amazing how walks come back to bite you. Danks has a no hitter, which should be a perfect game going and gives up a single. No big deal. But he walks Lowell, a double by Drew and everything is gone. I wonder what percentage of walked batter wind up scoring. Except for Dice-K, I'll bet it's pretty amazing.

Excellent play on Ramirez by Lowell.

This home plate umpire is really squeezing Beckett on the inside corner to left handed hitters.

I'm stiil here Arnie. So waht if I can't feel my right leg and my left nut is on fire. Anything for the Red Sox.

Great job, Beckett.

cfarnham: In Florida, we call that feeling fire ants.

He Gone!!!!!!!

GSM....I missed you man. In Nevada we call that....well, we haven't named it yet. Feeling fire ants works for me.

Lol, Cfarnham! No worries about your leg, you've got another(I hope) but that left nut is a concern. But the Sox need this game!

I think Beckett should go 1 more inning and then hand the ball to Papelbon

OK Ells we got a break. Let's take off!

I'm still here Arnie. Glad you did not come up with this at the beginning of this road trip!!!!! It's about time the Sox got a seeing eye single. They've had a ton against them lately!!!!!

The Sox ought to see if they can catch the White Sox sleeping. I don't think having Ellsbury looking to steal third is a bad play right now.

Those symptoms sound like someone has been fooling around with Rosanne.

We on this blog spend a lot of time flapping our gums about how the Sox don't hit in the clutch. Let's all recognize JD's 2 out hit that plated 2 runs and gave Beckett a lead. Hip hip huzzah!!!!!!!

Let's hope we keep the lead!!

One foot further to the left and Ellsbury scores!

I love it when the Sox announcers sound dejected. Let's keep it that way Beckett. I think JD Drew needs to Jedi mind trick himself into thinking Big Papi is out of the line-up even when he is in the line-up. Look at what he's done with Big papi gone......as usual.

Here we go BBP. Bring in Paps.

Bring in Paps!!!

Alright, three outs to go and Cfarnham can get off the couch. Some insurance would be nice.

Beckett pitches a beauty through the 6th inning, when the Sox score 2 and give him a lead. He blanks them through 2 more innings, and hands over the 9th to Pap. This is a team that can go deep into the play-offs, even without Manny (Who!?!?!?!?) and Big Papi for an evening.

Let's get some runs!!

I smell a close win. Come on! We need another win to be within another half game!

Arnie,
I'm still there. Could you at least whip me something up in the kitchen while I'm stuck here?

JB has hit safely in 9 of his 10 Red Sox games so far. I think he knows his teamates by now

Man, Beckett made some great pitches to Dye. He was right on the corner all the time. Even the pitch Dye popped up was a great jam.

I think if the third baseman is back, Drew should be bunting. It could wind up being a base hit.

I'm all over it, cfarn. How 'bout some nachos?

I guess a bloop hit is now known as a "duck snort" as far as the Chicago announcers are concerned. A duck snort is the result of an aging Ken Grieffey in CF. GO BOSOX!!!!!

Nachos work.......that one by JD Drew must have been a squirrel snort.

GSM....ever heard of a duck snort. You are the only one I know who might know where they came up with that one.

OK Lowrie. Imagine if we had Lugo up.

Those freaking bats are unbelievable. I never remember bats splattering like that when I played. Very dangerous.

How about a squeeze!

Varitek needs to shorten his bat stroke. He has lost a lot of bat speed over the years and that long swing won't work for him anymore.

OK Ells!!!

This couch thing works. I think each night we take turns. Arnie.....can you make up a roster?

You wouldn't mind so much if they said duck snort only once per game. But to keep saying it is sooo annoying. But then, these guys are annoying even when they don't say anything. Clutch hitting in the 9th. I love it. And I love it even more hearing the announcers complain. YES!!

You mean a line-up of who sits where and in what positions? I'll give it some thought.

Same position until we wear it out. Different bloggers each night. Volunteers????????

Does anyone know where Dave is?

You can put it in the books.......YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Great game, Sox! No hit over 6 innings but they sure took full advantage of their last 9 outs.

Way to go Paps! Way to go Sox. Let's keep the wins coming!

The RED SOX WIN! Now back to Fenway for some home cooking

LOL! Cfarnham, why would you think I would be the only one to know that. Well, it just so happens........ a duck snort is a soft line drive or blooper that is just over the infield and lands very softly just in front of an outfielder. LOL! It is derived from duck feathers, which are thought to make ducks' farts softer........ LOL! ....... like the ball that lands gently in front of the outfielder......... and there you have it.

Of course, that's not the only baseball reference to ducks. Runners on base are often referred to as ducks on a pond....... and speaking of ducks cutting the cheese........ cheese, heat, gas...... all refer to Nolan Ryan type fastballs. There are lots of baseball terms that we don't hear much of any more unless you run into an idiot like Harrelson. But they are fun.

Good win for the Sox tonight. They needed it badly.

I can feel my leg now.

I'll take Wednesday. Otherwise I'll be working for all the other games. Hmmmmm.... we do have a couch in the office!!!

Thanks Wikipedia....I mean GSM. I knew you would know. You must have read a bunch of books when you were out in the middle of nowhere on those ships and subs!!!!

Way to go Sox. Way to win one on the road that you could have lost, against a team you may have to edge out for the Wild Card, on a night when you put another game's separation between you and the Yanks, and pulled 1/2 game closer to the Rays. Hits were even, but runs were not. This is the Beckett of last year, rounding into form at just the right time. With Beckett, Dice-K, Lester and a little offense, this team will have to be reckoned with, I don't care how many regular season games they lost to the Angels. Now home vs. Texas and the Blue Jays. Let's see if they can't win four or more on the homestand, and get to 19 games over .500. How would you like to be Charlie Zink's stomache tonight?!?!?!?!?!?

I'll take Thursday again....I should be recovered by then.

All I have to say is, thank God for whoever made the duck food that had them snorting all over the place tonight!

Some clutch hitting on the road against a worthy team. When did that happen last? Beckett looked like the Beckett of last year. That is 2 solid starts in a row for Beckett. Back to Fenway where they should take 4 of 6 and here's hoping for 5 of 6.

Drew with the biggest hit of the night. Taken the lefty the other way. A great piece of hitting!!! A year ago Drew would have struck out or grounded into a d.p. and killed the inning.

T.B. loses Crawford and Longoria for a while. Let's hope Boston can start winning series and put the heat on the Rays. The Yankees are taking on water and lots of it. I'm not counting out the Yankees but there chances of winning the division are nada zip zero. They need to focus on the wild card and of course winning some baseball games.

When Danks went perfrct through 6, I was so fed up with the Sox inept offense that I went to bed early.
Wow when I woke up and the Red Sox WIN and the Yankees loooooooooooooooooooose! What a feeling!
Welcome back! Mr. Ace Beckett!
Beckett, Dice-K, Lester, Wow.....
That said, Crisp is a waste at plate except for his defensive play. With all due respect, his tumbling catch was overly dramatized watching the video replay.
JD should bat 3rd or cleanup and Veritek 9th.
gsm: you were right saying Danks was hittable but for the Sox inept hitting in early innings.
Let's start a 4 game winning streak and start another streak after the pet lover pitches.

Things are certainly looking up today... First, and most importantly, I won't have to listen to WhiteSox announcers again for a while. I live in Chicago and am generally happy when the RedSox come to town so I can watch the games on TV. There couldn't possibly be any worse, biased announcers than the WhiteSox. It's like listening to 2 drunk, stupid, teenagers watching a game and complaining. Every pitch, every out, every play is exaggerated to death in favor of the WhiteSox. Even replays that clearly show a strike, a swing, or an out... they complain if the call doesn't go their way. I had to watch it on mute until the RedSox took the lead... then I enjoyed their whining and complaining.

Longoria and Crawford hurt.... The Yanks in a total free fall... All of a sudden, Bucholz isn't bothering me as much as he did a few days ago.

However, every day that Crisp remains in our lineup is a bad day. I expect him to continue to deteriorate until he ends up like he did in the playoffs last year... curled up in the fetal position in the batters box, shaking, foaming at the mouth. I think Francona just puts him in the line-up and closes his eyes... thinking that if he doesn't see a completely inept Crisp at the plate, than maybe he doesn't really exist. Francona then opens his eyes at the end of the game, hoping we won.

I'm still pretty angry at Theo for doing absolutely nothing to help the team at the trading deadline. Manny/Bay doesn't count because that deal was mandatory. Theo did nothing in the "optional" category.

rayman,

I'm with you about Crisp. He is absolutely pathetic at the plate. He should only play when they need a pinch runner late or playing defense late in the game. Why would Francona have Crisp lead off? The definition of a leadoff hitter is to get on base.

We are having another Guess the Red Sox Lineup, Win a Red Sox DVD contest. No winners yet. The deadline is tomorrow (Wednesday) at noon for that night's game against the Rangers.

I hear you about Crisp. He prevents a lot of rallies with his exceptional defense, but for some reason, he has not remotely resembled the hitter he was with Cleveland.

Rayman, what did you want Theo to do - sacrifice several prospects for a marginal reliever like Marte or Mahay, who are not worth the cost (of prospects)? I applaud him for not making a ridiculous deal like he did with Gagne last year. I sure would like to have David Murphy, Kason Gabbard and especially Engel Beltre back.

The Red Sox bullpen is pitching much better, especially with Justin Masterson as a set-up man. Hopefully, Colon's rehab proceeds smoothly and Wakefield is not done (like he was last year when he experienced the same injury). I think Buchholz will eventually be a solid big league starter, but not this year. Perhaps Charlie Zink and/or David Pauley will emerge as this year's version of Gabbard.

Jeff
http://www.soxandpinstripes.com