SawxBlog

Red Sox Finish Road Trip in Style

_{Dustin Pedroia hustles to first for an infield single. (AP Photo)}

Great win last night for the Sox, and a really good road trip in retrospect. They won six out of their nine games during the trip and helped turn around what was a dreadful start. They take on the Mariners at home tonight for a long 11 game home stand that should hopefully garner some similar results. The weather is gorgeous in Boston today and should be a perfect night for a ball game. Dice-K should get a very different response from the Faithful tonight, as he looks to get a hat-trick with his third solid start in a row.

Game Seven is Heaven for Bruins

_{Zdeno Chara, Nathan Horton, and Milan Lucic rejoice together on the Garden ice. (AP Photo)}

I figured it would be OK to skip writing about the last place Red Sox for a day to comment on the amazing series just witnessed between the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadians. So apologies to Josh Beckett and his foul language, as well as Jason Varitek for being a shell of his former self - I'm still too excited after watching another thrilling game between the B's and Habs.

This was a playoff series that pretty much had everything. The Montreal Canadians scored more goals on Boston's penalty than the Bruins. The Canadians thieved home ice by winning the first two games in the Garden, with the B's valiantly responding by winning three in a row. There were Sudden Death games, dehydration, 911 calls, plenty of flopping, diving, and acting by the Canadians - but most importantly, there was a lot of good hockey.

This is what the playoffs in any sport should be about. Two teams whose fan bases despise each other with little to no love loss on the ice between the Teams as well. Two Cities who cherish their Team's, with players who leave it all on the ice. The goal tending by Tim Thomas and Carey Price was off the charts in this series, and I tip my cap to the young Canadian for playing on his head for most the series. Both of these net minders are at the opposite end of their career trajectories, but both played with a lot of guts and honor that'd make any fan proud. Win, Lose, or Draw.

In the end, the Bruins somehow pulled out the Series win, and now face the Flyers in Round Two, where the ghosts of last years choke job are bound to creep out of the cracks in the boards. We'll see how the Bruins react, but for today at least, the Sun is shining bright on the spoked B.

No Quality from Clay Buchholz in 2011

_{Clay Buchholz had another shaky start last night in Baltimore. (AP Photo)}

The Red Sox five game win streak was snapped as they lost 4-1 to the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards last night. Clay Buchholz (1-3) gave up a career high in hits allowed with 12 total, and saw his ERA balloon to 5.33 on the season. Buchholz has taken the hill five times for the Red Sox in 2011, and is now 0-5 when it comes to having quality starts, as pointed out by Ian Browne on Twitter. Of all the Red Sox starters, Clay's off to the slowest start, and you hope that he can start to turn it around and build off of the brilliant year he had in 2010. With all the attention that's being paid to Jason Varitek calling "good" games and handling pitchers more affectively  than Salty this year, ESPN's Gordon Ede's pointed out that Clay may actually be missing Victor Martinez more than anything. Martinez caught 27 of Clay's starts last season and the hemp necklaced righty sported a 2.13 ERA in those starts. As Gordo point's out, it's too early to take true stock in those numbers, but at the least, it's an interesting stat.

For as bad as Clay pitched last night, he did end up walking in-between the raindrops, and having him only give up four runs was somewhat of a victory given the base runners the Orioles had throughout the night. The Red Sox bats couldn't cash in on their opportunities as well, which is a reoccurring theme for 2011, as they left a total of eight runners on base compared to Baltimore's 11. The last two Red Sox losses have come directly after cross country flights, not sure if that really has anything to do with the actual loss or not - but it is something to note.

Operation .500 will have to be placed on hold for a couple more days at least, and with a long homestand looming for the Sox I have faith they'll be able to get there and beyond. Cy Beckett takes the mound tonight for Boston, hopefully with some run support behind him.

Remembering Manny Ramirez Through Pictures

_{The relationship Manny Ramirez has with Sox fans is a complicated one. (SawxBlog Illustration)}

Since we had a night of respite I thought I'd throw my hat in on the whole Manny Ramirez "retirement" saga. First of all Manny Ramirez did not retire, he quit, just like he did on the Red Sox. He's a liar, fraud, and cheat whose selfish ways have finally polarized himself on an island by himself, which might be where he was all along. This all said, the relationship and feelings that Red Sox fans have with Manny are complicated. It's like we have battered wife syndrome or something. When things were good with Manny they were the best ever, but when they were bad you had a black eye and the police at your doorstep. So instead of waxing nostalgic or debating about his Hall of Fame potential, I thought I'd let some SawxBlog Illustrations made throughout the years do the talking. So long Manny, it was fun while it lasted...I think.

 

Winning Weekend: Boston 8-0 VS. Knicks, Angels, & Habs

_{Boston Sports went undefeated on an impressive weekend.}

Let the good times roll 
Let them knock you around 
Let the good times roll 
Let them make you a clown 
- The Cars "Good Times Roll"

For the Boston sports fan, this weekend was as perfect as could be. It included two sweeps, three overtime/extra inning wins, and a good ending to each story watched. We saw the Boston Celtics sweep the Knicks out of the playoffs, decisively winning their two games in New York, and are again looking like Championship contenders. Across the country in California the Red Sox stayed hot and swept the Angels in a four game Series, which was the first time they've accomplished this feat since 1980. While back in Boston the Bruins, who in an effort to shake the ghosts of last years choke job, are staging an inspired comeback against their original six rivals, and are now up 3-2 in a series of epic magnitude.

We all knew the Red Sox would eventually start pitching better, scoring runs, and winning games. During the abysmal start to their season this became the company line. The real questions were when would they start to turn it around, and would it be too late? In truly schizophrenic fashion the Red Sox have pulled a complete 180 on how they started out the season, and have now won seven out of their last ten games, and look like the Team everyone predicted them to be. Our starting pitchers are the story behind this recent streak, and John Lackey did his part yesterday, pitching a strong eight innings while striking out eight and walking only one.

The Red Sox starting pitchers have now had nine consecutive games in which they've gone at least five innings and allowed fewer than three runs. Their collective ERA during this streak is 0.88 - and ties their longest such streak in franchise history (1946). It's pretty remarkable seeing how affective the Sox can be when all their starters are at the top of their game, and you hope winning streaks such as this are not an abnormality, but a consistent result of the Team assembled.

It's not only the pitchers who've picked it up though, as the Sox offense has started to put up some crooked numbers on the board, averaging 5.2 runs over the past ten games. Compare that to the 3.5 runs they were scoring the ten games prior to that, and it's easy to see that both their pitching and hitting have awoken from their Spring slumber. The Sox have the night off tonight, and tomorrow they'll be back on the East Coast in Baltimore, where they look to keep the good times rolling.

Japanese Phoenix

_{The Mythic Dice-K of our dreams has suddenly taken hold. (SawxBlog Illustration)}

Is this all too good to be true? Am I in need of a firm pinch? Could Dice-K be a Phoenix rising out of the disappointment ashes - spreading his wings and pitching in a triumphant fervor like he's some sort of best case scenario on a sunny spring day? Could this really be?

A Posse Ad Esse.

These last two games pitched by Matsuzaka have made the impossible real. Dice-K unquestionably reached the low point in his professional career on April the 11th - two thousand and eleven. He was booed like the most hated Yankee on his own home field at Fenway Park -- and his Manager, the Media, and Baseball Cranks from Haverhill to the Hub had taken off their verbal gloves and went after Matsuzaka's kidneys like it was Ward vs. Gatti. 

It was ugly, bloody, and a sad sight to behold.

But the Pride of Japan has begun to validate that nickname, getting off his canvas, to turn it into something of his own making - painting back-to-back master pieces in defense of both his honor and career, while steadily rising out of the ashes, to begin a life anew.

Do NOT Take Jonathan Papelbon for Granted

_{Jonathan Papelbon shakes hands with teammates after another good outing. (AP Photo)}

The Red Sox gave Terry Francona all he wanted for his 52nd birthday, and that was another win, improving his Club's record to 8-11. The Red Sox were able to hold off the Angels despite Bobby Jenks worst efforts, gaining a 4-3 victory, and have now won three games in a row on this West Coast trip. J.D. Drew and his Posse led the way for the the Sox offense with two hits, one run, one RBI, and one walk as he continues to have a sneaky good year. On the hill, Lester may have nibbled a little more then I would have preferred, but he had yet another solid outing for our Red Sox starters. Jon pitched six innings striking out eight and walking two, and if he could have trusted his defense a little more, he would have been able to go even deeper.

One of the best stories of this young season aside from Lowrie and Beckett is the excellent start Jonathan Papelbon has had. Pap's now has five saves on the young season with a 2.16 ERA and has only two walks to 11 K's. He's quelled any rumblings of there being a closer controversy, and is showing why he's been so key to the Red Sox success over these past few years. I defended Paps importance to the Team back in December, and I think a large part of Red Sox Nation has taken the righty for granted. Shutdown closers are an endangered species, and Papelbon is a perfect mix of preparation, crazy, and intensity. I hope this isn't his last year with the Team, and if he continues pitching like this, it may very well not.

Extra! Extra! Red Sox Win in Extras!

_{Dustin Pedroia and Carl Crawford celebrate together in extra innings. (AP Photo)}

The Red Sox won their second game on the road last night, outlasting the Angels 4-2 in extra innings. A starting pitcher again pitched a phenomenal game for the Sox (that's six in a row), and for awhile there, it looked like Josh Beckett might throw a no hitter. I was proud of my buddy Josh when he texted me "Crap" at 11:57pm, just after Erick Aybar got the dinky first hit of the night for the Angels. Josh and I were together with Kris when Lester threw his no-hitter, and we, like most fans, pay close attention to the zero's on the board when a pitcher's really grooving. I root for a no-hitter every Red Sox game I watch, and it's always good to know others are too.

Last night was the third great start in a row for Beckett who is now sporting a nifty 1.93 ERA while opponents are hitting just .138 against him. For the time being he's reclaimed the status as the Red Sox Resident Ace, and he's really helped set the standard for the rest of the staff, especially after they all were struggling early on. Competition between the starters is ideal, and when they're all pitching decent, you can begin to understand why expectations were so high going into this year for the Sox.

Situational hitting is still the sketchiest part of the Red Sox game though, and much like Lackey's quality start was spoiled a couple of nights ago, it looked like Beckett may face a similar fate. An astounding 15 runners were left on base last night as the Sox continually squandered the opportunity to put the game out of reach. The silver lining here is that they're getting guys on base, and that's eventually going to translate into a lot of runs. All ended well though, as Adrian Gonzalez hit a tie-breaking RBI double in the top of 11th inning, ending a great sports night for Boston, where earlier in the night the Bruins won an improbable game in Montreal to even up their first round series at 2-2 in an overtime game of their own. The Boston Sports orgy continues tonight with Jon Lester and the Sox continueing to take on the Angels, while Paul Pierce and the Celtics battle the Knicks. Once again, it's looking to be a mighty fine time to be a Boston sports fan.

The Golden Road (To Unlimited Victories)

_{Youk hands out some awkward hi-five's to the Boston bench. (AP Photo)}

It took them nearly a month, but the Red Sox finally got a road victory, and they're now 1-7 away from Fenway Park. What I liked most about yesterday's win is that it was a total grind. Nothing came easy, as the Oakland Athletics seemed to continually threaten the Red Sox lead. These are the wins that help mold a Team while teaching them the perseverance that's needed to last throughout a baseball season.

The Legend of Jed Lowrie continues to grow after another stupendous day for the 27 year old, who went 2 for 4 with a couple of RBI and an HR. Apologies to both Dustin Pedroia and Josh Beckett, but if the apocalyptic start to the 2011 Red Sox season somehow gets turned around, it will be due in large part to the the dogged determination of Jed Lowrie. Who is now hitting an obese .462 with 11 RBI. His smoldering Louisville Slugger seems to have kicked off some sparks and is helping ignite the once dormant Red Sox bats.

On the other side of the plate, while Clay Buchholz didn't have a lights out performance, it was good enough to put the Red Sox in a position to win, which is all the Red Sox need or want. As Alex Speier from WEEI pointed out on Twitter yesterday, Buchholz became the 5th straight Red Sox starter with at least 5+ IP, while giving up one or zero runs. This is the first time this has happened to the Club since 1947. Which is a pretty amazing feat when looked at in that context, and as a result it should be no surprise then that they've won four out of those five games.

If anything, 2011 has not been boring, and with the Sox three games into their nine game trip, you hope that yesterday was just the start of a Golden Road run.

Grateful Dead - The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion)

Red Sox Bats Jet-Lagged in Oakland

_{The night was one filled with frustration and angst for Dustin Pedroia and the Red Sox. (AP Photo)}

I had just left the Celtics vs. Knicks game at the Garden and was in a jubilant mood. The Celtics just won another nail biter at home, and as I walked towards the MGH Train Station I called my Dad to talk about the C's. He reminded me that the Sox were just getting underway, and my mood turned even brighter. Sometimes these West Coast games aren't so bad after-all. 

The first play I was greeted with upon turning on the TV was what looked to be a balk by A's pitcher Brett Anderson, which resulted in Dustin Pedroia being picked off. Tito came out to argue, which like questionable balls and strikes you're not allowed to do, and Tito was quickly thrown out of the game. Not a good start. This was the top of the fourth inning, and the Red Sox wouldn't get another base runner to even sniff second base until they had two outs in the top of the eighth. My mood had changed. Strangely enpough, John Lackey was pitching well, giving the Sox another quality start, but it was all for not as the Sox bats looked lethargic and jet-lagged.

The play on the night that bothered me most was Mike Cameron's interference at home plate. When you get that little playing time each mistake made is magnified - and I think it'd be safe to call the money we've given him as being a certified bust. Sure the umps were sketchy on making the call, but that's beside's the point, Cameron shouldn't have put himslef in that position. A runner on second with one out is much different then no runners and two outs. Regardless, it was a frustrating loss that you could blame on the odd travel schedule, but these guys are Pro's, and it's a shame to see a struggling starter like Lackey get no run support, especially after banging out nine Runs the day before. The Sox look to even the short series this afternoon with the Human Ring Toss aiming to get his first win of the year. Let's hope the Sox bats have adjusted to the West Coast time by then, because last night they looked at least three hours behind.