Jeter’s Newest “Spectacular” Catch

OK – Derek Jeter, while the name is enough to gag me, I know deep down that perhaps he isn’t the worst shortstop ever. However, I’m sick of hearing how he makes these great, spectacular, game saving catches.

First there was the 12th inning catch against the Red Sox last year where Jeter ran out of field and dove into the stands. Yet everyone fails to mention or remember that Pokey Reese made a similar catch that required him to run deeper than Jeter did, but Pokey didn’t dive into the stands and cut his chin. However, if Pokey had, I seriously doubt that he would have made the trainer hold a tissue to his chin on the way back to the dugout. Rather, I’m pretty sure he would have been a man and held it himself.

This week Jeter was at it again. I’m sure you’ve all seen the play. Fly ball in the 7th inning to center field; Bernie Williams running in, Robinson Cano running out, and Derek Jeter flies out of nowhere jumping onto Cano to make a catch that the second basemen easily would have had. Jeter made the catch that “saved the game” while cutting Cano’s ankle with his spikes.

Jeter risked the health of his teammate to be the one to make the catch, and than when asked about it Jeter said, “I think I stepped on him. He's young. He's O.K. He's a kid."

It’s this selfish attitude of “It’s all about me. I don’t have to communicate like everyone else. I’m above the system. It’s more important I do it all and risk someone’s health than allow someone else to share the spotlight.” which makes me sick and hate him even more.

Jeter collides with Cano to make the catch which "saved the game" - gimme a break! Someone should tell him what "I got it" means.

Red Sox Take 2 in NY

Yankees - 2
Red Sox - 7

Notes:

• Wells looked good minus 2 HR in the first
• The offense is officially ALIVE
• To start the game the 2 3 4 hitters went 9 for 9 in their first 3 at bats each
• Foulke was strong
• Nothing really went wrong at all
• It looks as if some of those problems that plagued us were short lived and now the Sox look to move on and gain some ground on BALTIMORE!

Trot and Me - Thursday 

Johnny and Me - Wednesday 

Johnny and I - Tuesday 

Sox Win BIG

Yankees - 1
Red Sox - 17

Need I say more???

WOW

Just plain beautiful.

Friday @ NYY

Yankees - 6
Red Sox - 3

OK so we get swept by the Jays and than lose to the Yanks so its been getting me thinking: Where are we going wrong? What position do we need to fill to improve?

The truth is this lineup is great on paper – all these guys work great, but none of them are performing. It’s a group of underachievers right now. And when great players are not performing, are underachieving – who’s to blame? In my opinion, it’s the coaching that should be blamed. Its your job as a coach to push these guys.

Officially Sveum needs to be sacked. The End. Oh yeah why not FranCOMA too. Because this is totally pathetic. There were too many blown calls for me to start with. It’s the coaches job to jumpstart a team, and if anything, the Red Sox coaching staff has made this team happy can complacent. If they can’t get some excitement in this club they need to find a new home. When this team has fun and is pushing they win. Simple as that. And this coaching staff is NOT doing their job getting these guys to play.

I hereby am offering my services free to Epstein. I guarantee you I will not do worse than Francona has this month, so why not risk it? But than again, Hazel Mae could manage this club better than Terry.

I love to write silly stories and antidotes – little pieces here and there but its hard to take a light tone when the problems are this deep and dark.

Beautiful:
Edgar Renteria: 3-4.

Ugly:
Johnson allowed 5 hits but only 1 run in the 6th and got the win. That’s just bad.

TORONTO

Toronto Blue Jays. Not a name that normally strikes fear in Red Sox Nation – but perhaps it should. I can’t even begin to properly write about this series, so instead I’m just going to give a little narration of what I saw and did.

Tuesday – We departed from Upstate NY properly “decked out” in Red Sox gear before arriving in Toronto just in time for the gates to open. All throughout batting practice the guys looked HOT. Balls flew off the bats while everyone ooh’ed and ahh’ed. You knew it would be a big night for the bats.
I lucked out getting Payton and Damon to sign and stand for pictures before settling into my seat 25 rows behind the dugout within a mix of Sox and Jays fans. Wells would start. This made every Sox fan uneasy – as to many of us he is still a Yankee. Wells was the usual donut that we all despise. He conveniently forgot to cover the bag when the ball was hit to first and made it difficult for Boston’s hitters to keep pace with Toronto or attempt to hold a lead. All the same Timlin was handed a lead when he came in. And he gave up a home run. When the 9th inning rolled around, the game was tied 6-6 and as we all know, Alan Embree gave up a 3 run home run to Reed Johnson.
Sure the pitching wasn’t great but at least hitting was starting to pick up, and with Arroyo going on Wednesday the Sox were sure to pick up a win!

Wednesday – The day was spent taking a tour of the stadium and than discussing random Sox statistics over lunch before settling down outside of the Rodgers Center to wait to get into batting practice. Yet again Damon signed for me, and I also met Lynn Jones. Batting practice looked good again. However, this did not carry over into the game. Ted Lily continued his dominance of Boston completely shutting down Red Sox hitters. A Millar error shook up Arroyo and he never settled down. Toronto ran away with an early lead and Boston’s hitters never woke up. It was a long walk back to the hotel. But okay, so we didn’t get the series … there was always Wade pitching and Miller was just too good to get shelled right?

Thursday – Waiting outside the Rogers Center you could feel the urgency in RSN. Everyone struggling to formulate some plan to better our pitching, hitting, and fielding. Bullpen, Second Base (Bellhorn), First Base (Millar), and Shortstop (Renteria) were some of the popular topics. However, us die hards pointed out that over the past few games Renteria’s production was picking up and we shouldn’t be quick to go at him. Ironically, people didn’t mention players like Ortiz and Ramirez who have not been doing much for the Red Sox at all this year. The basic feeling was – how are we not winning… look at the line up. And when it comes down to it, that is the truth, this team is TOTALLY underachieving – and the conclusion was – all we can do is hope for it to improve.
We all know how the game turned out. Wade Miller wasn’t Wade Miller and the Red Sox bats never came around. The long faces on all Sox fans showed it. Perhaps the best thing for Sox fans was the LET’S GO RED SOX chant on the way out of the stadium. Even though disgruntled, every Red Sox fan still wore his or her hat proudly and continued to support their team.

A few things to note:
Negatives:
Damon, Ortiz, Manny 0-for Wednesday and Thursday
Varitek was not patient at the plate and paid for it in strike outs.
Wells didn’t cover the bag and needs to go back to Pitching 101
Arroyo has another shaky start.
Miller – who knows?
And finally – Oritz was safe on Monday.

Positives
Edgar went 6-12 and continued to look good defensively, making those who joined PETER (People for the Ethical Treatment of Edgar Renteria) look like they knew what they were talking about.Mueller toughed it out after getting hit hard in two games and continues to be both clutch and consistent – which is what we need more of and is what the Jays seem to have throughout their roster.

400 - and Hey It's not our record!

With one swift swing of the bat Manny hit his 400th homer of his career. Perhaps more importantly it was a 3 run blast that brought a 5-1 lead to 5-4 in the fifth inning.

The Sox fought long and hard but were unable to get that final run and were in need of Manny's heroics once again in the 9th inning with Damon on second with two outs.
Unfortunatly Iciro Suzuki got a great jump on Manny's liner and put the final out away, denying Manny a RBI double.

Wakefield was not at his best giving up 12 hits and 5 runs in 7 innings.

"The second inning was the one inning I'd like to have back," said Wakefield after the game. "Balls that weren't hit very hard got in for hits and then I couldn't stop the bleeding, made some bad pitches, allowed them to score some runs. After that, I feel like I did fairly well. I'd like to have that one inning back."

The Sox were only able to take one game from the series with Seattle and now head south to take on Oakland in a 3 game series - starting of with Arroyo (4-0, 2.91) facing Saarloos (1-2, 5.09).

Things to look for:

• The Sox swept the A's in a three-game series at Fenway Park last week.
• Arroyo hasn't been handed a loss in his last 17 starts (and 22 apperances) with his last loss dating back to August 15 in a 5-4 loss to the White Sox. (Whitey Ford holds the post-1920 record with 24 starts without a loss.)
• Are the Yankees back? They now have salvaged a .500 record.
• Wells, if healthy, could take his rotation spot back from Gonzalez (1-1 7.71 in 3 games) as soon as Wednesday.
• Olerud played his first extended Spring Training game Saturday where he went 3-for-4. There is no timetable for his return as he is nursing a tweaked hamstring.
• Although the Red Sox won Saturday, Wade Miller was not credited with the victory and is still looking for his first decision and victory after two starts.

The Red Sox Win 6-3. GOSH!

Kid on Sidelines: What are you gonna do today, Trot?

Trot Nixon: Whatever I feel like I wanna do. Gosh!

OK, OK, perhaps its a streatch but shortly after watching "Napoleon Dynamite" in the clubhouse the Red Sox took to Safeco Field to take on the Mariners. And in the 7th inning, trailng 3-2, with the bases loaded, Trot Nixon, hitting in the 5th spot in the line up, did guess what - he hit a Grand Slam on a 98 mph fastball right over the thick of the plate to give the Sox a 6-3 lead. (Come on what else would he "feel like doing" - and what would this story be if nothing exciting happened?! GOSH!)

Myers got his first win of the year as the Sox held on to win 6-3.

Things to note:

• Foulke got his 9th save
• Mantei is settling in.
• The bullpen actually helped out (WHOA!)
• Miller did throw a few balls that caught too much plate but showed no real signs of trouble. Rather, he looked healthy as he went 5 2/3 innings givign up 5 hits, 3 runs, all while recording 5 strikeouts. Since he's healthy, he should turn out a good year for Boston.
• Damon, who has been hot lately, may be cooling down as he went 0-5 on Saturday
• Manny hit career homer No. 399
• Napoleon Dynamite does indeed ROCK!

Two for Sundays?

After defeating Seattle Friday and a postponed game for Saturday - the Red Sox played a double header. Behind Millar's 3 RBI's, Gonzalez pitched the first of two games and recorded his first win. He went 5.2 innings giving up 4 hits, 2 walks and 2 earned runs (3 total), while recording 6 strike outs. Mantei, Myers, and Timlin all also chipped in before Foulke finished it off.

In the second of the two games Wade Miller made his first appearance for the Red Sox. Miller went 5 innings striking out six while giving up 3 hits and 1 walk resulting in 2 earned runs.
Boston battled bringing the score to 2-2 by the 6th inning before the bullpen once again had their "fun". Seattle scored 4 runs in the 7th inning off of Halama and Meredith. Halama gave up 3 hits, one walk, and one run in 1.2 innings, and was given the loss.

Meredith made his first apperance with the Sox, overall in 48 MLB innings, Meredith has allowed only 32 hits and one home run, yielded only 11 walks while striking out 48. Unfortunatly 2 of those hits and 2 walks and the single home run came in today's game causing his ERA to be 81.00, a number I would take as an acceptable grade for my Chemistry final.
The only positive thing to say about the bullpen's performance was that in two innings, Alan Embree did NOT give up a home run or any runs for that fact!

Before this loss, the Red Sox had won 5 in a row. Things are looking pretty good given the fact that both Schilling and Wells are on the DL - in fact, we are performing better without them.

And with that... all I have to say is:

GO SOX!

Bruise? Stress Reaction? Whats The Difference!

Well, it looks like what started as a bruise has turned to a stress reaction - which often leads to stress fractures. So for all of you out there who said "Oh but Curt was fine to come back, he'll be back soon stronger" SURRREEE - I'd like to see him pitching stronger with a stress fracture - the sutured tendon would have been less painful.
Curt came back too early due to pressure from the Nation, from Theo, but mostly, FROM HIMSELF - in the end it was his decision and he moved too fast. He should not have been pulled up after his minor league start.
You can blame Theo or Coma but in the end Curt wanted to carry the team and do it himself. (May I remind you last time he tried this was game 1 of the 2004 ALCS - and I need not remind you what happened than.) Curt should have stayed down longer, should have accepted it is a team effort, one guy cannot make it all happen.
If one guy did, the (LA) Anaheim Angels and Vlad would have won the World Series. You need team chemistry, perhaps this is something we are missing (See Article) but no matter what; in the end, Curt made a mistake, and he is paying for it.
Not only is he paying for it, but the 13-12 Red Sox are too.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Curt's Injury is Bad to the Bone
"It wasn’t a bruise, it was a stress reaction, which is a precursor to a stress fracture. That’s one of the considerations we’re looking at. There’s some differences of opinion as to exactly what it is and I’m not sure that anybody can be 100% sure unless… the MRIs are not perfect. We’ve done what we can do test-wise, now it’s up to how I feel and how they think it’s coming along. It was a real sharp pain (after the pitch), and it kind of stayed with me and didn’t go away and I knew something had happened and in my gut I thought that maybe I had broken scar tissue, adhesions, or something. I had what’s called an osteochondral defect in the ankle also last year which is what I had dealt with from April on and that was basically a bone bruise that got bad and when you continue to bruise a bone, the bone dies, and part of that bone died and so when they went in there to do one of the surgeries, one of the four surgeries they did was remove part of that bone. And when they do that they go in and they fracture the bone that’s left and let it heal over itself. And things accumulate. And this is a small joint and so there’s a lot going on in there. I think this is a real inexact science from the standpoint of when it’s gonna be right. I’m sure it’s not overnight, but I’m not that it’s 14 days. That’s why we’re pushing everything else as hard as we can to make sure that I don’t fall behind in any other spots. If I can get out and play some catch I’m going to try and do that. Today, or tomorrow, or whenever we think it’s right, keep my arm in shape and be ready to go. There’s a lot going on. I’m wearing the boot around the clock. I’m using the bone stimulator two to three times a day. Getting treatment from Russell at the ballpark. Sue Falsone and Craig Friedman from API out in Phoenix are out to see me and doing some things and Sue was in on the surgery when I had it. Craig is the head of my rehab in the offseason. So we’ve got a lot of people going." -- 5.3.05 Curt Schilling on WEEI's Dennis and Callahan

8-3 Tigers

Monday Jeremi Gonzlez made his first start of the season giving up 3 runs in 5 innings while striking out 7. When he left the game was tied 3-3. He kept the game close but the bullpen and offense did not come through in the end.
It may seem to be a repeating theme but here goes again: Neal and Embree gave up 5 runs.
Final Score: 8-3 Tigers.
Neal said afterwards, "That's my job, to be ready for that situation. I'm just as accountable for that as anybody else is accountable for their job, it's my job to be ready for that situation."
I'm pretty sure giving up a 2 run HR is not accountable. And Alan Embree, you didn't do any better.


Neal I have a message for you:

Dear Blaine Neal,
You say its your job to be accountable? Well buddy, be accountable.
- Red Sox Nation

Embree heres one for you:

Alan Embree,
Would you please learn to pitch like you've done in past years?
- Red Sox Nation

Finally:

To The Boston Red Sox,
We love you always and forever, but we'd really appreciate if you stopped underachiving and playing .500 ball. We have faith you can do better.
- Red Sox Nation


GO SOX!

Olerud

The Red Sox signed John Olerud to a Minor League Deal on Sunday - perhaps once he recovers from his surgery he will play the Mientkiewicz role this year.

"There are some small bones in the foot, and he had some torn ligaments in there. [The surgeon] had to fuse the bones together, and the surgery went fine. The foot is getting better and he continues to rehab it, but he's not running on it yet."-- 2.3.05 Olerud's agent, Joe McIntosh

Olerud is a three-time Gold Glove winner, a former batting champ, and a guy with a lot of heart. Having a weapon as such on the bench in late innings will be a boon to the Red Sox.

Look for Olerud to make an impact; he's determined to keep playing.

GO SOX!

Curt Speaks Again

Did Theo Mess Up the Right Mix?
5.3.05: Listen to Curt Schilling on WEEI's Dennis and Callahan:

Gerry Callahan: "Last year in the second half we talked about the intangibles, the certain something this team had, and the players played into that, you heard it all the time that this team just had something going on, does it feel at all like that's gone now, that you got to create a new (environment) if you want to have the kind of season you had last year, that those intangibles cannot carry over from one season to the next?"

Curt Schilling: "Oh they can, they're different. There's a lot of things that are different about this team off the field as much as on. I mean you look at everything that happened after we won last year and all the agendas for different people that happened and... it's different. The attitude outside the clubhouse is different. I think this was the first team I've ever played on, and I've always believed, everybody talks about chemistry and a lot of people that don't play the sport, or don't compete like this for a living, they call chemistry a bunch of crap. And the fact of the matter is before last year I've always said chemistry comes about from winning. You don't have good chemistry from not winning because people don't like each other when they're not winning and things happen in the clubhouse when you're not winning and when we were playing that .500 streak last year our chemistry never changed, never changed. We were the same group of guys, same attitude, same demeanor, same everything. And once it started picking up it was funner (sic) because we were winning but the chemistry never changed."

GC: "You didn't lose anybody to whom you would attibute that, like you lost Pedro obviously and I guess you lost some of the smaller role guys like Dave Roberts but the key guys are back..."

CS: "Yeah, but you know what there's come chemistry guys that aren't here. (GC: Like who?) Gabe Kapler. David McCarty. Both those guys were an enormous part of this team's relief valve. Very, very big parts. And I think Mac is probably as big a part of this clubhouse and this team as anybody on the roster. (GC: So was it a mistake to cut him loose?) Oh, I don't...I'm... I'm just saying it's different. It's just very different and this clubhouse you've gotta have some guys that can alleviate the, I say this word loosely, the stress, in this game. People want to call it a game, and you play a game for a living, but it's a job. Don't kid yourself. It pays well? Sure. But there are the same day-to-day stresses coming in and out and maybe even more so in this market and having guys like McCarty and Kapler and Dave Roberts in the clubhouse... D-Lowe, I mean just real guys that kept it real free and easy."

- Found on BostonDirtDogs.com

Schilling's guide to life

This webpage sums up everything I feel about Curt Schilling's attitude lately - and his lack of ability to keep his mouth shut.


ESPN.com: Page 2 : Schilling's guide to life

I Think He can open his mouth up when he actuall has a sub 4 ERA and an ankle that isn't "hurt" but is properly rehabilitated.

GO SOX!

Sox Back on Track?

With a 9-2 win the offense looked back on track. Foulke also looked strong in the 9th and did not give up any runs. Foulke is the key component right now - as is the rest of the Sox pen.

With Schilling and Wells gone the Sox aren't in trouble if the replacements can keep the game close and the offense fires away. But if the bullpen continuously gives up runs late it will defeat any effort given by any minor leaguer or so forth.
A minor leaguer or replacement shouldn't be expected to go 8 or 9 innings only giving up 1 or 2 runs. He's going to give up a few runs which Boston's offense must account for. But Offense can't do everything -- the bullpen has to seal it up and keep it where it's at.
The bullpen still needs help and seeing how it grows the next few weeks could potentially be very telling about the season.

GO SOX!