"The Long And Winding Road...Trip"

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After finishing up the homestand in fine style, the Sox went South to meet their “historic rivals” in Atlanta, the first leg of a grueling journey of nine games in ten days. Red Sox fans fondly bid adieu to JC Romero today, as his 10-day DFA period expired and he was released. Romero is another in a long list of bullpen failures under Epstein’s watch. Fans may say, the Sox were only on the hook for “short money” (to which most sane human beings would respond, “Short money, my ass! $1.6 Million is “short money”?).

After getting the offense back in gear over the weekend, the Sox now have to do this whole No-DH thing for the next week. The overwhelming majority Red Sox fans who predate the DH, most would conclude that the advent of the designated hitter in 1973 was a bigger invention than sliced bread. The ninth (pitcher’s) spot in the batting order has always been a black hole, no matter how the “purists” try to polish it. They can spin it terms of “strategy” and all that, but the fact remains (since the dawn of baseball) that the nine hole about 90% of the time is an out. Pitchers can relax and fans can go to the restroom safe in their belief that nothing happened.

Keeping with the “nothing happening” motif, the Orioles fired their manager today. It’s not a happy day to learn that anyone gets fired. However, the Orioles’ problems weren’t the manager’s fault. By and large, the crew in Baltimore is a mismatched, overpaid bunch assembled by a meddling owner who is responsible for ruining what was at one time a model franchise. They have a few promising young players whose progression has been hampered by an overabundance of veterans past their prime.

Maybe Angelos finally realized the extent of the damage he has wrought over the years by hiring Andy McPhail to run the operation. McPhail, the son and grandson of legendary general managers, worked wonders with the Twins before going on to mixed success with the Cubs. There’s no question about McPhail’s credentials in the game, though he’d be a fool to accept the challenge without a no-meddling guarantee.

McPhail’s first task should be to blow up the roster ASAP and rebuild almost from scratch, get young quick. Get a young guy like Joe Girardi to manage the club and keep him in place while the team goes through growing pains. They have three young pitchers and an outfielder who are nice players. Other than that, it’s all wasted payroll. They have a couple of assets (Tejada, Roberts and Hernandez) that could fetch quality young talent. Stop trying to buy a way out of the problems through free agency. The great Baltimore teams of the ‘60’s and ‘70’s were built from within and shrewd trades.

In the opener (Game 69, Mon. N. 6/18/07), Curt Schilling got the call against lefthander Chuck James (who’s simply another promising player drafted and nurtured by the Braves’ farm system). In tonight’s starting lineup, the Braves feature seven homegrown players (whereas Boston has two). With the exception of last year’s blip, Atlanta’s been a contender for the last fifteen years (which is of no consolation whatsoever to those few remaining fans of the Boston Braves).

With one out in the second, Crisp took James deep and the Sox grabbed an early lead. There was no doubt when he hit (lucky swing) the ball that it was gonna go. Through the first 2 ½, that was James’ only mistake.

Scott Thorman led off the Braves’ third with a double to right, moved along on James’ well-placed sacrifice bunt and scored on Kelly Johnson’s sacrifice fly to center. Wee Willie Harris (who spent last year bouncing between Boston and Pawtucket) walked. Willie’s an everyday player these days with the Braves which is great to see. He always hustles (though on this occasion was caught trying to steal second).

The Sox put a pair aboard in the fourth (Crisp and Schilling each singled) but there were two outs. Drew grounded out to first to kill that chance. Edgar led off the Braves fourth with a single up the middle and Chipper Jones ripped a base hit in exactly the same spot. McCann looped a double to the gap, scoring Renteria with the go-ahead run. (Things have the potential of getting ugly in a hurry,) Andruw Jones flied out to right, not deep enough to score Chipper Jones. Francoeur popped out to first and Thorman got an intentional pass. James followed with an opposite-field single that brought in Chipper Jones with Atlanta’s third run.

In the bottom of the fifth, Renteria and Chipper Jones singled with one out. The Braves’ hitters are simply ripping Schilling’s offerings tonight. McCann whacked a cut fastball that hung in the zone just over the wall in right-center to make it 6-1 Braves. And that, my friends, was the evening for Curt Schilling. That’s two bad outings in a row, and perhaps the “red flag” is getting unfurled. His stuff wasn’t working as demonstrated by his line: 4.2 IP, 10 H, 6 ER Zero K’s (first 0K game since ‘93).

By the sixth inning, it started to rain heavily (so much for the forecast that called for a “slight chance” of showers). Crisp got a run back for Boston with his second homer of the game (what did they put in his Wheaties this morning?). This homer went even further than the last, which begs the question, “why

Sidewinder Peter Moylan came on for the Braves. He’s been practically unhittable since coming to the majors this year. After dealing with a pitcher with a conventional arm slot, dealing with Moylan must have opposing batters gnashing their teeth. A pitcher with this sort of delivery is definitely NOT the guy Lugo needs to face (took a highly questionable third strike). Moylan’s pitches dart all around the strike zone like an eel and it’s easy to see why he’s enjoyed success as a rookie.

Javier Lopez came on for Boston in the bottom of the sixth, and allowed two singles (runners on the corners) before departing in favor of Timlin. Edgar blooped a pop single to right that landed about two inches fair. Renteria easily came in with Atlanta’s seventh run. This whole “Timlin thing” is puzzling. The man had a great career and does incredible charitable endeavors. He is one of “The 25” and his place in Red Sox history is secure. All those platitudes aside, he went to the WBC for Team USA in the spring of ’06 and has never been the same dominant setup guy since. Maybe it’s a matter of age and years of wear n’ tear. Whatever the reason is, Timlin’s running on fumes these days.

In the seventh, the Braves trotted out yet another homegrown pitching talent, Tyler Yates. JD Drew took Yates way, way out of the yard. It had to be in the 425-foot range. Pedroia walked, Youkilis was then called out on strikes (beefing with the home plate umpire all the way back to the dugout). Yates made Manny look like a chump, blowing him away with an assortment of fastballs and change-ups.

With two outs in the seventh, Francoeur singled and Thorman crushed Timlin’s pitch deep into the stands in right, to make it 9-3 Braves. There was no justifiable excuse for keeping Timlin in after the sixth.

The Sox picked up a meaningless run in the ninth on a couple of singles and a wild pitch. With two outs and runners on first and second, the Braves had to go to their closer, Bob Wickman (who looks like he just came in from an afterwork softball league), to douse the embers. He only needed one pitch. What a crummy way to start a road trip: Atlanta 9, Boston 4.

Prior to Tuesday’s start (Game 70, 6/19/07), it was reported that Curt Schilling went on the DL with shoulder issues…

There is an ominous sky hovering over the ball yard this evening. With one out in the first Willie Harris made like a power hitter and banged a double off the wall in right-center (can’t remember him ever hitting with that kind of authority when he played in Boston). Chipper Jones walked with two outs and Beckett appears as if he’s picking up right where he left off – struggling with the location of his off-speed pitches. After he was able to get McCann on a short fly to right, he went over to the home plate ump to bitch about something.

Both pitchers held things in check until Ortiz hit an opposite field homer with two outs in the third. The Sox then loaded the bases, but failed to push any more runs across. Cora led off the fifth with a long triple to the gap in right. Beckett rapped a double to left. Drew hit a gap shot that Andruw tracked down and caught, but he slipped and that allowed Beckett to move to third on the tag. Pedroia laced a single up the middle and Beckett scored the Sox’ third run.

Crisp did it again! Hudson hit a liner to the gap in left center. Crisp gave chase to his right, dove and made a phenomenal catch. How many “web-gems” has this guy pulled in this season?

In the sixth, Varitek doubled and Crisp singled with one out. “Mr. Sunshine” (Bobby Cox) came for Hudson at that point. (At a certain point in a man’s life, isn’t it a little foolish to be called “Bobby”? He’s gotta be pushing 70, for crying out loud.) Cora hit a long sacrifice fly to right scoring Varitek with the fourth run). The rains arrived in the bottom of the inning, by the time there were two outs, it was really pouring and the home plate ump’s strike zone expanded to the size of an airport hangar.

Between innings things got to the “unplayable” stage and there was a rain delay of about 45 minutes. Beckett didn’t come back after the rain, giving way to Kyle Snyder, who had no problem getting the side in order in the seventh.

Kelly Johnson led off the Braves’ eighth with an infield hit and Snyder was relieved by Okajima. Pinch hitter Matt Diaz walked, and Yunel Escobar (who replaced Renteria earlier) hit into a 5-4-3 twin killing (which was most appreciated by the visitors).
McBride came on for Atlanta in the ninth and drilled Cora on the seat of his pants to start the inning. It was of no consequence as Wily Mo whiffed and Drew bounced into a 4-6-3 double play.

Papelbon entered in the ninth (as the camera pans a miscreant stooge in the crowd wearing a Papelbon jersey gyrating and behaving like a complete loser). McCann grounded out to second, Andruw flied out to right, as did Francoeur to end the ballgame. Beckett is now 10-1.

In the series wrap up (Game 71, 6/19/07), Julian Tavarez had an outstanding night, and everything worked just right as the Sox obliterated Atlanta, 11-0. Buddy Carlyle started for Atlanta, and Cox left the kid out there to crash and burn. The Sox tagged him for five runs in the top of the first, with Drew leading things off with a homer. Pedroia doubled and scored on Manny’s double to the gap in left-center. With two outs, Varitek was intentionally walked and Crisp whacked a three-run homer to right. The Sox went up 7-0 in the second when Drew doubled to lead off and came home on Ortiz two-run shot to right. The game stayed that way until Manny’s solo shot in the seventh. For good measure, Boston put up three more in the eighth when Wily Mo Pena singled with two outs and scored on Pedroia’s doubled to left. Hinske followed with a two-run homer to cap the scoring at 11-0.

Three Games in SD
The Sox stopped off in Teddy Ballgame’s Hometown for the weekend. Prior to the game, Schilling went on the DL, and David Murphy was called up from Pawtucket. The Sox need to figure out what to do with Murf, as he’s about as major league ready as he’ll ever be.

It was “Old School Night” at PETCO for the opener (Game 72, Fri. N. 6/22/07) as the Padres were resplendent in their 1984 vintage brown and gold while the Sox were nattily attired in the grey and blue that they last wore from ’79-’90. PETCO is a pitcher’s paradise, and that’s the strength of the Padres (only makes sense, no?). Seems like the last place the Sox would want to go is a park that’ll shut their offense down. They’ll need the Ghost of TSW to help them out. The park looks like a magnificent place to take in a ballgame. The park was built in a run down industrial part of town and they have incorporated much of the existing infrastructure into the park. Looking out from home plate, the view features the city skyline where new structures are going up all the time. Who wouldn’t want to live in paradise?

In the Padres’ first, Daisuke inexplicably walked the bases full to start things, got Cameron to foul out, then only allowed one run on Barrett’s base hit to left. Maybe that fight Barrett got into with Zambrano was good in the long run. He gets to play in paradise and no longer has to work with overpaid underachievers in Chicago. He was able to strike out Greene, Branyan flied out to right and the Padres blew a golden opportunity. In this park, however one run may be all they may need. Greg Maddux is on the hill for San Diego and for a guy whose pitches couldn’t break a pane of glass, his sinker is simply amazing. He had the Sox batters fishing at balls in the dirt over the first two innings. Wily Mo hit into a double play and was fortunate that he was able to hit the ball.

In the third, Daisuke ran into some two-out trouble. He walked Cameron and Barrett singled again. He was able to retire Greene on a fly ball to center, but he’s already thrown about 75 innings. Unless he’s lucky and has a couple of low mileage innings, he won’t make it past the fifth.

In the Sox fourth, Pedroia led off with a base hit, and Manny followed suit with one out. Youkilis drove in Pedroia with the tying run on a base hit past Greene at short. Varitek followed with a bullet line drive to center and Manny came in with the lead run. Wily Mo hit into another tailor-made double play that Greene flubbed, only getting the force at second and putting runners on the corners. Maddux made Lugo look like a schoolboy, striking him out with ease. Maddux didn’t get a couple of close calls he usually gets from the home plate umpires and he let this guy have it on the way back to the dugout. He was still steaming in the dugout, referring to the ump in the most profane and unflattering terms. Maddux struck out to end San Diego’s fourth and afterward then was seen calmly having a conversation with the same man whom he referred to as excrement moments earlier.

Daisuke was finished after six and Javier Lopez entered in relief. He lasted one-third and was lifted in favor of Delcarmen after Adrian Gonzalez singled. Delcarmen retired the next two batters, and the Sox got out of a potential jam. Hideki Okajima came on for the eighth and retired the side in order. Papelbon closed things out in overpowering fashion in the ninth, getting two strikeouts, including Gonzalez swinging to end the game.

In Saturday Night’s (Game 73, 6/23/07), Wake got the start against Chris Young (his first game back after having been suspended for the beanball/fistfight incident with the Cubs’ Derrek Lee last week). Young had no trouble with the Sox in the first, allowing only a walk to Pedroia. With one out in the first, Manny made a marvelous sliding backhanded catch of Cruz’ pop to short left field. Wake got through his half of the first in less than ten pitches.

For you fashion buffs out there, both teams have returned to their customary garb. San Diego has very nice uniforms, which are actually similar in design to the ones the old PCL Padres wore back in the ‘30’s. They long since abandoned the brown and gold color scheme they wore for many years in favor of dark and light blue with beige trim. Thankfully, they elected not to wear the “camouflage” uniforms that they sport sometimes to honor the military (who do have a rather large presence in the area).

Leading off the Padres’ second, Cameron reached on a bunt single then second base. Josh Bard (like a jilted lover) doubled in Cameron with a long drive that bounced off the wall in left. Greene’s fly to center was deep enough for Bard to scoot over to third. Bard was traded from Boston early last year because Mirabelli (who whiffed his first time up) whined his way out of San Diego. At the beginning of 2006, Bard was learning how to catch the knuckleball but the team was struggling and Wake needed the security of his long-time battery mate whom Theo traded to the Padres the previous winter. To plcate Wakefield, Bard and Cla Meredith were sent west to re-acquire the services of Wake’s “personal catcher”. Bard and Meredith became key contributors to a playoff team. Without Bard, there was no viable everyday catcher in the lineup when Varitek went down for over a month and the Red Sox were playing golf in October.

Through the first four, Young has not allowed a hit. He and Adrian Gonzalez came over last year from Texas in exchange for Akinori Otsuka. There’s a reason why one team is in first place in their division while the other’s in last in theirs. The Rangers seem to be plagued with bouts of stupidity, and the aforementioned exchange ranks among the worst in a long line of blunders. One of the big problems in the DFW area is the oppressive summer conditions. They can’t play day games after April because the heat is brutal. Texas’ Achilles Heel has always been a lack of pitching depth. It makes no sense that a guy this good would be traded away, yet there he stands on a mound in San Diego.

Drew got Boston’s first hit leading the fifth, a single to right. Lowell reached on Kouzmanoff’s error. Mirabelli’s up (double play or strikeout, a fool’s bet) and whiffed. Mirabelli ought to save everyone’s precious time by conceding the out from the dugout. At least he didn’t take anyone with him. Lugo followed by swinging at a pitch above the shoulders. Wake’s up…strike three. That’s ten strikeouts for Young through the first five innings. Khalil Greene belted a long homer to lead off the bottom of the inning, a pitch that hung up in Greene’s wheelhouse and he crushed it. With one out, Manny trapped Kouzmanoff’s ball to left, the play was initially ruled an out but the call was reversed after San Diego’s manager came out to protest. Francona came out to half-heartedly argue the reversal, but fair is fair. The decision would ultimately cost the Red Sox as Young sacrificed Kouzmanoff over to second and he scored on Marcus Giles’ double off the wall in left. The way Young’s pitching tonight, these two runs are gravy.

In the sixth, Bard hit a long drive that struck the foul pole that the umpired ruled a foul ball. Again, the San Diego manager came out to squawk. Again, the umpires put their heads together and ultimately reversed the initial call. Again, Francona came out to complain, but this time he uttered the “magic words” and was tossed for his trouble. Greene followed with his second homer of the game. The umpires had no difficulty making the correct call on this occasion, as Wake put the ball in the same exact spot as the last one Greene hammered. On that sour note, Wake was excused from any further participation.

The Sox scored their lone run in the ninth, when Murphy tripled with two outs and scored on Lowell’s double. But that was all Boston could muster on this night. Let’s turn the page on this one quickly.

Sunday’s finale (Game 74, 6/24/07) was Beckett vs. Peavy, talk about a marquee All-Star matchup, this is about as good as it gets. The game went as advertised (scoreless pitcher’s duel) until the Sox’ third. With one out, Crisp singled up the middle. Cora singled. Ortiz singled in the hole (past the shift) and Crisp came in with the first run and Cora made it to third. He scored on Manny’s sacrifice fly to right. Drew followed with a base hit that never made it out of the infield. Lowell singled to right and Ortiz came in with the third run. This was a pretty amazing piece of work, beating a lights-out pitcher at his (and the Padres’) own game.

The Padres finally broke through in the fifth when Kouzmanoff led off with a walk, Geoff Blum and Terrmel Sledge (pinch hitting for Peavy) doubled, driving in both baserunners. With the tying run in scoring postion and no one out, Beckett had some pitching to do. He buckled down, as Cruz grounded out 3-1 and Sledge took third. Barrett grounded out to short and Gonzalez struck out swinging.

The game stayed 3-2 until the eighth when Varitek gave the Sox a little breathing room by whacking a solo shot off of Linebrink out of the yard. Beckett stayed in through eight before handing off the ball to Papelbon, who disposed of the Padres (2K’s) in short order. Beckett moved to a major-league best 11-1, and Papelbon racked up his 18th save. No doubt about it, the Hometown Kid was with his boys in the traveling grays this weekend.

“Swept Away In Seattle”
On to Seattle for three, Monday night’s opener (Game 75, 6/25/07) was played on a spectacular evening for baseball in Puget Sound. “Insurance Company” Park is another beautiful venue on this trip, as there doesn’t a bad seat in the house. The retractable roof has been pulled back and it’s a glorious night for baseball.

Jeff Weaver (1-6, 8.56) got the start for Seattle, and he’s pitched considerably better since returning from the DL. Drew whiffed on a slider to start things. Don’t think that this is just another start for Weaver. The Sox whipped his butt the last time Seattle visited Fenway, so he’s probably highly motivated tonight.

Julian Tavarez (5-4, 4.50) got the call for Boston as he looked to build upon his fine performance last week in Atlanta. He retired the Mariners in order in the first inning, but allowed a run in the second when Sexson led off with a doubled and scored on Johjima’s double-play grounder. In the third, the Sox picked up a pair when Crisp singled tolead off, Lugo reached on Weaver`s throwing error and both scored on Drew’s base hit to center scoring Crisp and Julio Lugo.

Tavarez was sailing along until the fifth, when he hit a sinkhole and the game was lost. Beltre doubled to lead off. Betancourt reached on a sacrifice bunt that Tavarez threw away. Bloomquist singled, scoring Beltre. Ichiro walked to load the bases. Lopez singled, scoring Betancourt and Bloomquist. With one out Sexson reached on an infield single. Tavarez was pulled at that point in favor of Kyle Snyder. With two outs, Johjima walked and Lopez came in, then Beltre walked and Vidro came in with Seattle’s fifth run of the inning.

The Mariners weren’t finished. Timlin started the 7th and was bombed. Sexson led off with a walk. With one out Johjima belted a two-run homer and Beltre went back-to-back, 9-2 Seattle. The Sox picked up a couple of garbage runs in the ninth when Youkilis doubled in Drew and Pedroia with two outs, but the horse had long since left the barn. The pitching staff didn’t exactly cover themselves in glory tonight.

Nor did they on the next night (Game 76, 6/26/07) for that matter. After being staked to a 1-0) Kason Gabbard (recalled from Pawtucket taking Schilling’s spot in the rotation) and, after striking out Ichiro to start things, it was downhill thereafter as he couldn’t find the plate. Lopez walked, Vidro singled. Sexson walked and Johjima was plunked, scoring Seattle’s first run. Guillen walked, scoring Vidro and Beltre walked scoring Sexson. Gabbard was bailed out on a nice double play turned by Pedroia. Bloomquist led off the second with a home run. Why is it that there are always these .085 career hitters who have a .950 average against the Red Sox?

The Sox picked up a run in the third when Youkilis drove in Crisp with two outs and tied the score at four in the fifth inning when Ortiz singled with one out, Drew singled with two outs Lowell ripped a triple, driving in Ortiz and Drew. Seattle came right back in the bottom of the inning with two manufactured runs. Beltre singled, Betancourt was hit, Bloomquist singled in Beltre and Ichiro’s sacrifice fly brought in Betancourt.

The Sox came back to tie the game at six in the following inning when Hinske led off with a long homer to right and Cora doubled. With two outs, Ortiz hit a single to left and Cora came in. But the Mariners came back with a pair of their own in the bottom of the sixth when Vidro singled with one out and scored on Sexson’s two-run blast to right.

The Sox brought it to within a run in the eight on Youkilis’ sacrifice fly, but that was as close as it got. The M’s brought in J.J. Putz to seal the deal, and he did so with a flourish, striking out Manny to end it, a frustrating 8-7 loss for Boston.

The series finale (Game 77, 6/27/07) was played on a cool, sun splashed afternoon (while the temps reached the 90’s in New England). Daisuke got the start against rookie Ryan Feierabend.

The Sox had chances to score in the early innings, but failed to execute with RISP.
Seattle picked up a run in the third with two outs when Burke doubled and scored on Ichiro’s base hit up the middle. In the fifth, the Sox loaded the bases when Ortiz grounded out to second. The Sox picked up their only run in the seventh when Crisp’s sacrifice fly brought in Drew, who led off the inning with a base hit. In the eighth, they had two more runners aboard when Lugo whiffed to end the inning.

Papelbon entered with one out in the ninth and runners on first and third and got the Red Sox out of a big jam. The game droned into extra innings. In the bottom of the 11th, with the bullpen empty, the Sox called on Piñiero (nursing a sore ankle), but he was ineffective, walking Ichiro with one out, and allowing Lopez to hit he game winning double off the leftfield wall. All in all, a disappointing way of closing out what had been a productive road trip.

The Sox are presently 48-29, first place in the AL East with a healthy 9 game lead over Toronto. The Red Sox’ primary rivals have lost 17 out of their last 25 games.