SawxBlog

Return to Fenway

 
Fenway Park 98 years old and going on priceless. (SawxBlog Photo - K.Chandler)

I've been sitting here for well over an hour trying to figure out how to start this post. How to put into words just what an amazing day Tuesday was for me. Trying, and failing. So, let's start simple. Saturday afternoon I got a call from DHix, who was headed south to the Dirty Jerz with J9...

• DHix: "How would you feel about taking a half-day, maybe the whole day off Tuesday?"
• Me: "For..."
• DHix: "Sawxblog got invited to the DD Perks Rewards Most Valuable Tour. We're going to go hit balls in the visitor's batting cage, take a tour of Fenway, go inside the Monster, and meet Dustin Pedroia."
• Me: "WHATWHATWHAT?"

To say I was excited is an understatement. I actually hesitated at first, for two reasons. First, I'd been having some trouble with my shoulder, and wasn't sure my arm (or my pride) could stand up to taking swings at live balls in front of Frodo, and doing a piss-poor job. Second, since my man was kind enough to invite me to the Jimmy Fund Fantasy Day back in July, I contemplated seeing if one of our other diehard Sox fan friends would want to go. However, I told Vanilla Bear about this and he summed it up best when he said "if you don't go, you'll regret it." 'Nuff said. I texted DHix later that night and confirmed...

Fast-forward to Tuesday, a gorgeous autumn morning, and I'm headed down to Yawkey Way where I meet not just DHix, but his now-fiance, J9. He gave her the ring and popped the question the night before, and I was going to spend the day with them, their first as an engaged couple. Which really made the day even more special, even if I might've felt a bit like a third wheel at times. J9 was gracious enough to allow me the chance to go to the Jimmy Fund thing in her place a few months prior, so I would gladly have stepped aside for them to have the day to themselves. Boy, am I glad I didn't...

We get there and sign in, and are whisked down into the lower levels of Fenway, through a maze of corridors and offices, and down the hall to where visiting teams take their batting practice. As we wait for the batters ahead of us to get their swings, both DHix and I were growing huge grins across our respective faces, anticipating donning a Red Sox batting helmet and squaring up against the pitching machine. And it couldn't have gone better. Yes, we both wished they were throwing something harder than a 40-mile-per-hour sinker, but it diminished the feeling not one bit. DHix and I both represented Sawxblog and the O-Sox by going a perfect 10-for-10 apiece...

After we displayed hitting prowess that surely would have made Pedroia proud (he didn't actually show up during our at-bats) we began our guided tour of Fenway. Even having been there before, with nearly all-access to the park, this was still great. We walked out onto the warning track, and the group made its way over to the door that leads inside the Green monster. Inside, it was like another world. The sun shone through the slots in the wall where the scorekeepers slip the large metal numbers as they update the game's score, as well as the scores from around the league. Graffiti and signatures were scrawled over nearly every inch of that tiny little room. Just imagining how many innings men and women have logged behind this wall, this Monster, through the start of a season, into the blazing-hot days of summer (no A/C in the Monster), through frosty fall nights, gave me chills of my own. Exiting the Monster, we climbed atop it now, to gander at the marvelous view, the verdant sea of grass below us, the sparkling seats empty, save for the ghosts of victories past. Our guide was spouting some great history, but I was too enamored with the view to listen. When we went into the press box (old hat for DHix and I) he did tell the story of the lone red seat in the bleachers, the seat where once a Yankee fan sat and dozed, where Ted Williams hit the longest homerun ever at Fenway. This fan had been wearing a straw hat, tucked down over his eyes, and Ted blasted a shot that conked him right in the bean. The man, who hailed from Albany, NY, was from that day onward a Red Sox fan, the headline in the paper reading "William's Shot Knocks Sense into Yankee Fan". Only at Fenway...

On to lunch in the State Street Pavilion, one of the few places inside Fenway I'd yet to visit, followed by a short interview with Pedroia, a little Q-and-A during which DHix queried our MVP about whether or not the guys in the lockerroom ever read non-major-media blogs, and a photo op. Everyone lined up and got the chance to meet Dustin, shake hands, and have a quick pic snapped. All-in-all, it was awesome. A perfect follow-up to that beautiful July day we had sat in the booth and announced batters for the Jimmy Fund. Even if I did get slightly tongue-tied when I met him, and could only get out a "good to meecha"...

For anyone who has never taken the Fenway tour, I highly recommend it. I can't guarantee you'll get to go inside the Green Monster, and you most likely will not meet Dustin Pedroia, but that isn't what made the day so special. It was everything, really. Being in that ballpark, especially when it's empty, is akin to being in an old cathedral, its architecture seemingly reverberating with history. From the original signage that adorns the interior of the concourse, to the 50-, 60-, 70-year-old photographs that hang in and around the offices, to the views that often go overlooked when the place is teeming with 37,000 people, Fenway simply has no equal...

I can't wait to see if filled with fans again, cheering on our Red Sox, who will be playing meaningful baseball in just a few short days...

SawxBlog Enjoys Dunkin Donuts Perks Rewards Most Valuable Tour with Dustin Pedroia at Fenway Park

Derek and Kris looking into the Green Monster. (SawxBlog Photo - J.Booton)

Yesterday morning and afternoon the SawxBlog Team was lucky enough to attend the Dunkin Donuts Perks Rewards Most Valuable Tour with Dustin Pedroia at Fenway Park - and it was some of the most fun times I've ever had at the Park. This is a great program that's being run by Dunkin Donuts to show some customer loyalty - and there's tons of great sports packages such as this that are available to lucky winners that are part of the program. Future events will include some flag football with Wes Welker at Gillette, Pick-Up basketball at the Garden, among other great New England sports events. If not a member yet, you should be, and can sign-up here: https://www.dunkindonuts.com/DDperks/

Our day started off with us heading down deep into the bowels of Fenway Park on an elevator, as we made our way to the Batting Cage - not a bad way to start the day at all. People from all ages and abilities were taking their hacks in the cages, and the one constant that seemed to be surrounding the cages was the ear-to-ear smiles by everyone. Both Kris and I represented SawxBlog well as we went a collective 20/20 in there, and it was the first time I've taken hacks with a wooden bat in a long, long time. Wearing a batting helmet with a red 'B' on it was beyond cool, and I'm now one step closer to actually taking batting practice on the field.

Next up was a guided tour of Fenway with the highlight being able to walk on the warning track and go inside the Green Monster. This is the second time I've been able to walk on the track and the giddiness has not subsided in the least. I was jumping and running around like I was a 12 year old kid, an effect that Fenway often has on me. Being able to actually go inside the Monster was a first for me and was my favorite part of the whole day. Seeing all the signatures in there was really neat, and just being in there seemed to be an honor, as it's not a place most people get a chance to go inside. Thankfully no rats decided to show up while we were in there, and our tour guide dropped some great history on us as we all looked on in awe.

After the Monster we went up to the Press Box where it may be the best view of the Park. From there we were provided lunch in the State Street Pavillion where Dustin Pedoria showed up and took questions from the crowd. Dustin was way chill and seemed like a real cool guy as he answered honestly and with ease. He then took some pictures with everyone with the 2004 and 2007 World Series trophies. I asked him if he ever checked out any of the baseball blogs out there, and he said he pretty much only uses his laptop to check out his Fantasy Football team, which I thought was pretty funny and true. I let him know how much I appreciate the way he plays the game, gave him a fist bump, and told him to kick some ass in the playoffs, which I'm sure he will. Again, he was a way cool dude, and it was a nice end to a pretty amazing day. Many thanks again to Dunkin Donuts for the amazing opportunity - and be sure to sign-up so you can possibly take part in a future event.

Click Here for more Pictures from the event

Walking the Razor's Edge

Tom Brady celebrates on another improbable night for the Patriots. (AP Photo) It began promisingly enough. The Patriots, decked out in the classic throwback uniforms from the 1960s, took the field to thunderous applause from the Foxborough faithful and, for the first time in a year, I felt like Patriot football was back. Mr. Handsome, Tom F**king Brady, was leading his team back onto the field, and back to the greatness that has defined them for much of the past ten years. It only took one series to cast that feeling in doubt. They looked anything but sharp, going three-and-out on their first possession. OK, there's some rust, but that's to be expected. At no point in the first half, however, did the Pats look good. They slowly built up some momentum with each possession, but really never put themselves in a position to score. Dropped passes, a penalty here, a Brady INT there, and at the half, the Bills were looking to be in control...

When the second half started, I thought to myself, they have to have regrouped in the locker-room, and will come out and dominate. Alas, that is not what happened. The defense held up for the most part, allowing just a Bills field goal in the third frame. But the offense swooned and could put no points on the board. Which led to a fourth quarter in which their backs were firmly against the wall, with no sign of Buffalo's defense letting up. They scored a measly three points before finally remembering they are the Patriots, and they don't lose games to the Buffalo Bills. Of course, this was after the so-called Foxborough faithful began clearing out, presumably to beat the traffic home. Tom Brady remembered who he was, and began executing like a Super Bowl MVP. They drove 81 yards down-field, on the strength of 8 tight pass plays culminating in an 18-yard Ben Watson catch in the end-zone. THIS is Patriot football! Marching down the field, keeping the defense on its heels, gaining yards on nearly each and every play...

Now, I've heard many people say that the Pats got lucky thanks to Leodis McKelvin's boneheaded play, and rightfully so. However, if Brady doesn't throw the pick in the second quarter, the Pats are up at this point, and McKelvin is running with that ball to get some better field position anyway. As it were, Pierre Woods got in there and rooted out the ball, and the Pats recovered. I couldn't believe it. Are they really going to do this? Am I so assured of the outcome that I can write this off as a win? I don't think I was quite at that point, not after witnessing three-and-a-half quarters of mediocre football. Yet, here they were, again driving the field, again looking to be in control. Tight pass to Moss, to Welker, to Watson again in the end-zone! Pats up, 25-24. Now all the defense has to do was clamp down and keep Trent Edwards from getting a first down. Two sacks later, time expires, and the Patriots have officially raised my blood pressure to playoff levels...

Here's are some thoughts I jotted down before, during, and after the game, in an attempt to spare my meager memory the trouble of trying to recollect such a contest through the haze of a Monday Night Football hangover:

• For all the talk about how many key players the Patriots have lost, I thought their defense looked fairly solid. They had a bit of trouble keeping the Bills to short yardage, but they were helped by some key offense penalties. For the most part, though, the defense spent too much time on the field.
• Listening to Mike Ditka talk about the warrior that Brady is might have given me the chills. This was after Chris Berman's interview with Brady, where Mr. Handsome talked about being over his knee injury way back in January. I got so amped up for this game, I could hardly speak by 6PM last night.
• The old-school unis were pretty awesome, and I'm looking forward to seeing them three more times this season.
• I think most people believed Brady would be 90-95% the QB we're used to seeing, mainly because of the knee. While that may have been true in the first half, highlighted by some replays of him not really stepping into his throws, I really think it's all the time away from playing that has hurt him the most. And that will not be a factor much longer, if last night's finish is any indication.
• That final play, with Buffalo pulling out every trick in the book to keep the ball alive, made the game even more enjoyable somehow. I give them credit for their tenacity, and for believing they were destined to win. Even after that amazing Patriots comeback, the game still wasn't over, and the Bills proved that you're only as good as you defense. Except when TFB is your quarterback.

When the Pats face the Jets next week, you can be sure they will have spent the preceding six days pouring over game film, and being lambasted by their coach for some sloppy play. They'll look to increase their run attempts, try to get Fred Taylor and the other backs into the game plan more. And you can bet Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Joey Galloway, and the rest of the receiving corps will make up for those dropped passes. After all, their last meaningful game with Brady at the helm was a loss in Super Bowl XLIII, which ended a quest for perfection. While Monday's opener was far from perfect, it was a win, and one step towards regaining the fearsome identity they've cultivated for a decade....

Go PATS!

Fall Back

It appears that summer is over. The temps are dropping in the evenings, the mornings take just a little longer to warm up, and baseball's regular season is coming down the home stretch. Also heralded by the seasonal change is the coming of football. Man, I am so very excited for it. I have waited 367 days and counting for the return of the Mr. Handsome himself, Tom Brady. I have waited for over a year to see whether he'll come back the quarterback he once was, or as a shell of his former self. Many questions abound. Will he still have the juice he did in 2007, when he set the NFL record for touchdown passes? Will the Patriots be able to protect him and his bionic knee? Will Peter King spontaneously combust at the sight of Brady's first downfield toss to Randy Moss?

Before we get there, let's go back to baseball. The Red Sox are a mere two games up today, after they absolutely drubbed a woeful Orioles club, and the Rangers swept a doubleheader against the Indians. Clay Buchholz looked like the pitcher who threw a no-hitter against these same O's in 2007, dealing all four pitches with verve and vivacity. He didn't allow a hit until the 11th batter, and retired giving up just three hits total. Dustin Pedroia did it for the Shire in a huge way, leading a homerun barrage with two dingers himself. Papi, JD Drew and his posse, Youk and even Gonzo all got in on the big-hit action, blasting shots to all fields last night. I realize this is the Orioles we're talking about, a team that is about to finish under .500 yet again. But, in September, hitting the ball counts just as much as pitching solidly.

Tonight the Byrdman faces the Birds, and I'm hoping for a solid outing from Paul. The Sox really need all of their starters to pitch well over the coming days, to right the ship as it were. Jon Lester has been pretty decent, but Josh Beckett still needs some refinement on that arsenal of his. While giving up just three runs (and zero homeruns) his last time out, he still suffered the loss, and looked like a hollow version of the once-dominant pitcher we've come to know and love. He hasn't been the mean, spit-in-your-eye Beckett lately, and I'd really like to see that guy back on the mound before the playoffs start. There are just 24 games left in the regular season. The Sox have a favorable schedule, played mostly in the friendly confines. Aside from a 10-game road trip that ends in new Yankee Stadium, they face a mediocre bunch of clubs. And, if they keep pitching well, and the balls keep flying out of the yard, the Sox should have no trouble maintaining the Wild Card lead, and entering the post-season. As wary as I am of the Rangers, even with their two-game sweep yesterday, they looked ripe for a fall.

Back to football. While the Pats have looked pretty good this preseason, I am more than a little hesitant to call them favorites. I mean, yes, they still have Brady, and Belichick, and the one-two punch of Welker and Moss. But they have lost some significant players this off-season, even as recently as Sunday. Mike Vrabel is gone. Tedy Bruschi retired. Now Richard Seymour seems poised to don the silver-and-black out in Oakland. Am I worried? I wouldn't go that far, but I'll say I am slightly concerned. Curious even, to see if, without the presence of these All-Pros, the Patriots can prop up what was a fairly weak defense last season. They still have Adalius Thomas and Jerod Mayo who, under Bruschi's tutelage, has become a leader as well as an intense defender. They still have battle-tested guys like Ty Warren, Vince Wilfork and Jarvis Green. And, of course, if Brady can lead the offense back to being one of the premiere point-scoring schemes in the NFL, the defense might not have to work quite as hard on every down.

It's Wednesday. Four more excruciating days of waiting. While an O-Sox game and a parental visit will provide some minor distraction, my mind is firmly set on 7:00PM, Monday night. As I gorge myself on homemade chili and mac n cheese, and drink a few tasty cold beers, my eyes will be affixed to the screen, eagerly awaiting the start of what promises to be a very exciting (and hopefully, fulfilling) Patriots season-opener. And, with any luck, my next post will be celebrating a righteous Pats victory...

Go Sox, and go Pats!

He Must Be

Drama King - David Ortiz is starting to look like Big Papi once again. (AP Photo)
David Ortiz is juicing again. He must be, right? I mean, he had such a dramatic drop-off in production to start the season that he must be doing something to augment his hitting. Right?

This is all I've heard lately, and I think it is pure and utter bullshit. Ortiz hit 12 home runs before the All-Star break. He has hit 10 since. He had 47 RBI before the July break. He has 30 since. This is not a vast improvement from one half to the next. In fact, it's pretty average. He is on pace to hit roughly 30 home runs and drive in 90-95 RBI. An average year for Papi. Yet, with his admittance that he did in fact test positive for a banned substance (not necessarily steroids), the baseball community views him as a shell of his former self, and every time he hits a long dinger he is accused of juicing again. But I have my own theory. While I'm not dismissing the possibility he took the Cream, or the Clear, or the Eye-drops, I do believe he simply started off the season rough, maybe missing his former partner-in-crime, maybe feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders intensify with every strikeout, every ground-out.

What I believe is that David Ortiz is just regaining his form, and he's doing it at just the right time. I also believe that he has found another teammate with whom he has a solid rapport, and that teammate is Victor Martinez. Since being acquired from Cleveland at the trading deadline, Martinez has ignited the Red Sox offense, as well as the clubhouse. Despite his initial misgivings about leaving the only team he's ever played for, V-Mart has made himself right at home in a Red Sox uniform, and has helped take some of the pressure off Ortiz and the other Sox batters who may have been slumping a bit. Notice Jason Bay's resurgent stroke (8 HRs, 15 RBI since August 1st). Notice the way the lineup as a whole has produced, often late in games, and with two outs. Yes, they still fumbled against the Yankees, but it's tough to ask your hitters to come up with 12+ runs a game. Martinez has posted some pretty encouraging stats since August 1st, with 6 home runs and 18 RBI, playing first base, catching, and DH-ing. Not enough can be said about getting a player like that, a guy who can play multiple positions and give you a strong presence in the batting order. And, if it's true that Ortiz and Martinez are cavorting about the clubhouse as Ortiz and Manny once did, then even more praise should be heaped upon the front office for making sure this deal got done.

The numbers continue to tell the tale of a Red Sox team that, while pretty much out of any pennant discussions, is still very much the favorite to win the Wild Card, and make the post-season. As a team, they've hit 48 home runs in the month of August, the most in MLB history. They've also had multi-HR games in 11 of their last 13 games. On the whole, they're producing. Their recent success cannot be attributed to one or two players, but to the whole team. Consider Alex Gonzalez, acquired to shore up that woeful shortstop position. He hit all of three home runs before the Sox picked him up nearly two weeks ago. He's hit two since, and driven in 4 RBIs. Not huge numbers, but contributions nonetheless. Mike Lowell and his bionic hip have also come alive, with 5 dingers and 15 RBIs since the start of August.

My point is this: if there were ever a time for this team to really start clicking, and playing like a team that can go all the way, that time is now. They got Old Man River back last night and he pitched a stellar 7 innings, allowing 1 run on 6 hits, with a walk and 3 strikeouts. Undone by a solo home run off Ramon Ramirez, Wakefield still showed us that nearly two months on the disabled list hasn't kept him from being a reliable starter, and one who should have great success in the post-season. Beckett and Lester are still their aces, though Beckett has shown some weakness of late. Brad Penny is gone. I'm hesitant to talk about Daisuke Matsuzaka, but he's completed his conditioning program, and is pitching well in the minors. An early September return to the rotation is expected and hopefully he can regain his control and dominate with his vast array of pitches. The Red Sox have all the tools they need to make a serious run.

Say what you will about Ortiz. As I've said in the past, I still believe in him as a ballplayer. I still believe that most of the things he's done in the past were pure and true. Most of them. And I still believe he is as prolific a hitter as he's ever been, those muddling years on the bench in Minnesota aside. And, finally, I believe, with the help of V-Mart, Youkie, Iron Mike and Jason BayBay, that he can and will lead the Red Sox to the post-season and beyond...

Go Red Sox!

Indefinable

I returned to the friendly confines of Fenway Park last night, for the first time since I dragged my entire family there for a July 3rd game versus The Kid and his Mariners. Having spent the previous four days in the relative seclusion of Charlemont, MA, and the Deerfield River, coming home to prime seats for the Pale Hosers was a nice treat. Our camping trip was mostly uneventful, save for all of my gear getting soaked by the second day, and Mother Nature doing her best to give me and my cohorts the Big Shocker. Many river runs, cold beers, and delectable dinner treats later, we packed up and returned to city life. I didn't even really want to go to last night's game, but with the opportunities for premium seating so few and far between, I couldn't pass up going. Nevermind the fact that it was a beautiful late-summer evening, not too heavy on the heat or humidity. Suddenly I was getting pretty stoked...

I met my roommate, Vanilla Bear, down at our favorite pre-game watering hole, Cornwall's. After sucking down three BL smoothies in roughly 35 minutes, we trekked across the Brookline Ave. bridge, and into Fenway proper. Immediately, something was amiss. I'd brought my best Tito pullover with me, as protection against any further rain, and realized just as we stepped onto Yawkey Way, that I'd left it at the pub. Curses! I almost went back, but thought better of it, with only 15 minutes until the opening pitch. We got to our seats, grabbed a beer, and waited for the game to start. We sat roughly 25 feet from where Ozzie Guillen was perched outside the opposing team's dugout, and began yelling at him whenever he turned his head. The fellows sitting next to us were amused. But something was troubling me, even more than losing my prized thermal pullover. They raised the concession prices. Just about everything was raised a dime, presumably to offset the increased state tax. VB and I were suitably shocked. The management had reached an agreement in the off-season not to raise concession prices until 2010. Apparently that means jack s**t now that Massachusetts state tax went up. Oh well, what's another 10 cents when you're already paying $7.25 for a delicious beer?

The game started off a little rocky, with Clay not really hitting his spots, and the White Sox hitting his mistakes. But then they had that great third inning, and suddenly a 4-1 deficit became a 7-4 lead. We had flashbacks to the last time we had premium seats, behind the Red Sox' dugout, and met our friend Jae from Korea. Jae had never been to the U.S. before, nor a professional baseball game, and he was awestruck by the sights, the smells, and the history of our beloved Fenway. Jae, we were thinking of you last night, buddy. Hopefully you can return to the States and catch another game with us.

It was great to be back there again, albeit a little odd. I hadn't been to the park since Derek and I were granted the opportunity to participate in the Jimmy Fund Fantasy Day, and being back amongst the general populace was a little weird. We had had almost all-access that fine Sunday afternoon, walking all over the park, seeing hidden corners and offices and just getting a really good feel for the park as a whole, sans 37,000+ people milling about. Now, VB and I were just normal fans, part of the throng of diehards and tourists who come to root for and be part of the Nation. And I remembered why I love baseball, and Fenway so much. Because everyone is a part of it. Everyone is on equal terms. We all go to watch our team, watch our players do that magical thing they do, and it unites us. It makes the poorest man feel rich, and the richest man feel humble. And that's what I love. When Iron Mike hit that bomb over the Monster, VB and I hugged it out. Then, as I turned to high-five the fans in the row behind us, the girl directly behind me grabbed me in a hug as I high-fived her boyfriend. This is not something that happens just anywhere. It takes a whole stadium, everyone being connected by that common thread, to achieve such synergy (pardon the dot-com buzzword, but it fits).

I do not know what is going to happen down the stretch. The star pitcher hasn't been much of a star. But, the offense has come alive like a hungry bear just awakening from a long winter slumber. Old Man River, and the former Japanese phenom are set to return, and the rotation might actually be headed for some semblance of balance. With eyes firmly set on the Wild Card, the Red Sox are making a push. They're swinging the bats, making the moves, and acting like a team that can win it all. And we've all got the best seats in the house...

Go Red Sox!

Jimmy Fund Fantasy Day, Red Sox Stumbling, John Smoltz Sucking, and Jawa's Taking Over All-Star Game

The Good

Derek announcing at Fenway Park during Jimmy Fund's Fantasy Day. (SawxBlog Photo - K. Chandler)

SawxBlog was lucky enough this past weekend to participate in the Jimmy Fund’s Fantasy Day at Fenway Park. Kris and I represented SawxBlog and were given the duty of announcing the batters and fielders as they lived out their dreams below on the field. The weather was absolutely perfect as the sun smiled down on this sunny Sunday morning. Hearing your voice booming over the Fenway PA system was a fairly surreal experience to say the least, and we definitely made the most of our time in the booth. However, what truly made this a worthwhile and memorable experience was the cause we were helping to support.

Since its inception in 1992, Fantasy Day has raised more than $6 million in support of cancer research and patient care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Seeing the kids take their swings and run around the bases truly was a heart softening moment. Cancer is something that unfortunately touches all families and baseball denominations, and causes like the Jimmy Fund are an easy one to get behind. Helping out kids with cancer seems to be a no-brainer, and SawxBlog will hopefully be doing a lot more volunteer work in the future for them, and I urge you to donate some of your time and money as well.

For more on the Jimmy Fund please visit here: http://www.jimmyfund.org/abo/default.html

Many thanks again to Sarah, Dana, and Joe from Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund who allowed us to be a part of this special day in such a fun and rewarding way. Below is some video of the event.

The Bad
The second half of the baseball season is now officially upon us with the All-Star Game quickly receding in the rear view, and the Red Sox appear to be stumbling out of the blocks. The Sox are now 1-3 since the All-Star break and their offense still seems to be on vacation. They have been outscored at a 16-10 pace, and are averaging a little under three runs a game, which isn’t going to get the job done. This is not the result you would expect to see with the returns of both Jed Lowrie and Mike Lowell, but they're the results we're getting.

With Beckett on the mound tonight you hope the Sox can rebound from last nights awful game (more on that in the ugly). However the three game lead we seemed to have ballooned at the last minute before the All-Star break has now disappeared in...well, a NY minute. After the Sox get out of Texas we have seven games in a row against the Orioles and Athletics which should be a good chunk of wins. The true test, however, for the entire year will be the month of August, where we’ll face the Rays, Yanks, Tigers, and Rangers all in a row, and with three of those tough series being on the road.

The Ugly
Don’t get me wrong here, I appreciate everything John Smoltz has done for his career, however I’m not appreciating this continued “experiment” the Sox are pulling with him. He’s a 40+ year old guy coming of surgery who the Red Sox are trying to will back into his old form. I hate to break to you Red Sox Nation, but Smoltz is far from the answer here. John is now 1-3 since joining the Sox and has an atrocious ERA of 6.31. His only win where he looked even remotely good was against the AAAA Orioles and opponents are hitting .303 off of him. Screw the work in progress talks too, he’s on a one year contract and this time just seems wasted with him. I say file him under the Wade Miller file, and cut your losses.

Meanwhile the only win the Red Sox have received in the second half was via Clay Buchholz spot start, where he only gave up 1 ER and got out of some pretty tough jams. All Clay’s been doing is pitching his ass off while wasting his efforts and innings for Pawtucket when he clearly should be with the Sox. He's the future not Smoltz, and the future is now. All the talk is about trading Penny or Clay, but why not Smoltz? The honest answer there is no other team wants him, or would give up NOTHING of true value for him. What does that tell you? I don’t see Smoltz winning any pitching duel for us this year, and if he really wants to revive his career he should go back to the bullpen, because when lineups are seeing him a second/third time through it’s lights out for him and the Sox.

The Weird

The Jawa and new camera are eerily similar. (EJ Flex Illustration)

While the American League extended their winning streak against the National League to 13 games, a critical observation went undetected.

Who invited the Jawa to sit behind home-plate during the game?

My good friend Erik texted me about this during the game and the resemblance is uncanny. As you can clearly see from his above comparison this dances past the verge of weird, and into the land of the unexplained, taking its rightful place next to Shoeless Joe’s involvement in the Black Sox Scandal, and Bud Selig shrugging of his shoulders in a tied up indifference. Well, maybe not that bad, but none-the-less, freaking weird.

The Daily Top 3 - Top 3 Places to Sit at Fenway Park

Is there really a bad seat in Fenway Park? (SawxBlog Photo - D.Hixon)

A good friend of mine has started a great new site called "The Daily Top 3" which posts a daily top three list on an endless variety of topics. Today's topic, which is brought to you by SawxBlog's very own Krazy Kris, is asking what the Top 3 Places to Sit at Fenway Park are. Great question, and to find out my answer, and to join the debate, head on over to:

http://thedailytop3.com/

Bookmark the site & visit often, you'll thank me.

A One-Horse Town (Once Again)

I'm not going to spend too much space mourning the Celtics. They played their asses off and, despite losing Kevin Garnett and Leon Powe, fared much better than anyone thought they would. Unfortunately, they were over-matched by a younger, healthier and deeper Orlando team. An Orlando team that will be lucky to win two games against the Cleveland LBJs. KG is scheduled for knee surgery this week, and you'd better believe that after a few long-overdue weeks of sun and relaxation, the Celts are going to get back on the horse, and bring themselves back to championship level for the 2009-2010 season. I envision them signing Glenn Davis to a three-year deal, maybe $5 million a season, and ensuring the rest of the components will be back and ready to rumble. I'm already getting excited...

But, I'm getting ahead of myself. This post is about baseball. The Red Sox have taken a backseat to the Celts and the Bruins over the past few weeks, and now Boston is back to being a one-sport town. And honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way. Don't get me wrong, I watched the Cs and Bs intently, hoping each would pull off a miracle that would land them in the finals of their respective sports. But, in my heart of hearts, I knew they were both long shots (yes, I'm aware the Bs were the #1 seed going into the playoffs.) Last year, the Celtics were the story, having brought together three stars in the primes of their careers, and molding a team that would eventually tie the NBA mark for the greatest one-season turnaround on their way to winning the NBA crown for the first time in 22 years. This year, though the Bruins played insane hockey for the majority of the season, they weren't the story, just a great team that no one wanted to get too excited about. Whether this is due to the general lack of excitement regarding hockey, or Boston fans' reluctance to admit they believed in the Bs, I am unsure. This year, the story in the NBA is LBJ v. Kobe. In the NHL, the story is the resurgence of hockey in Detroit, Chicago and Pittsburgh...

Now, it's time to focus on our beloved Red Sox, who are toiling away in an A.L. East division with four legitimate contenders for the pennant. With the Blue Jays off to a hot start, the Yankees finally getting a little return on their $440 million investment, and those pesky Rays playing that great team ball that made them American League champs last season, the Red Sox have their work cut out for them in 2009. I know a few people are panicking because our best pitcher is old enough to be the manager, but I'm not too concerned. Sure, we've had a couple of injuries, and what was supposed to be the best starting rotation coming out of the gate has looked flat and hittable, but it's early, and there are many, many more games to go. I have a great admiration for Tim Wakefield, who has kept this pitching staff glued together with several gutty, deep starts that have kept some pressure off our bullpen. Am I disappointed with the way Beckett and Lester have started? Of course. But, I have confidence they'll put together some good starts, and build some momentum heading into June and July. We get Dice-K back this week, as well, and we haven't even seen one pitch from what I consider to be a great off-season pick-up, John Smoltz. Our pitching depth remains, so let's turn to our offense...

If you'd asked me a year ago if the Red Sox would be in contention for first place without Manny Ramirez in uniform, and with David Ortiz homer-less in his first 133 at-bats, I wouldn't be able to stop laughing long enough to answer. But, after watching the first month-and-a-half, and seeing the way guys like JD Drew, Jason Bay and Mike Lowell have kept this offense alive and flourishing, I'm starting to realize losing Manny might have been the best thing to happen to the Sox. It is sad to see Papi struggle, but the lineup is still fierce from top to bottom. Even Julio Lugo is hitting the ball and with Ellsbury hitting atop the order, we have several legitimate steal threats every game. They've shown some great late-inning power as well, something that dogged the team last season. Add to that the contributions made by their rookie class in place of a few regular starters, and you start to realize that this ball club is built to win. The only thing that slightly worries me is injury, as Youk, Pedroia, Dice-K and Jed Lowrie have all spent time on the disabled list. But, again, the Red Sox have one of the greatest training staffs in the game, so even when they do suffer some injuries, they aren't down for long...

All-in-all, the 2009 Red Sox have me straight-up pumped for baseball. We haven't really even seen this team fully click yet, so imagine what will happen when everyone's back, healthy, and focused. From the starting rotation, which still needs a little fine-tuning, to the bullpen which, when not over-worked, has been fairly lights-out, to a batting lineup stacked nearly top-to-bottom with timely hitting, I'm laying my money down on the Red Sox as favorites. It will be a battle, make no mistake, particularly in the A.L. East. But, whereas the Yankees have once again bought out the store, and Toronto is playing on borrowed time, the Sox will remain in contention from now until the end. Go Sox!

Big Baby Steps

Big Baby is swarmed after hitting the biggest shot of his career. (AP Photo)

The Big Ticket. Mr. Big Shot. Big Shot Rob. The Big Aristotle. These nicknames represent some of the best to ever set foot on an NBA basketball court. Some of the most clutch performers to ever lace 'em up. And after watching last night's game, I'm adding another name to this pantheon of players: Big Baby. Say what you will about the level to which Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins have risen this season, but no one has come even close to matching the jump in skill and basketball IQ that Glen Davis has. Rondo and Perk were starters last year, albeit starters with very little experience. Davis was a bench guy who played some minutes in key games, but wasn't nearly as reliable as he's become this year. While it may have shaved several months off my lifespan, losing Kevin Garnett for the playoffs may have been one of the best things to ever happen to this team.

Before you get yourselves worked up about that last comment try to remember that, had Garnett not been injured, Big Baby would still be logging 10-12 minutes off the bench, scoring a half dozen points here, grabbing 4 rebounds there. He would be nowhere near the player he is today, nor would the Celtics have had him in the game to hit the winning shot over Orlando. Don't get me wrong. Rajon Rondo is playing the best basketball of his life, and will only get better. He will be one of the top 3 point guards in the NBA until he retires. And Perkins has become a beast inside, legitimately challenging every big man in the league, while learning the discipline it takes to go toe-to-toe with guys who are a half-step quicker or an inch taller. However, Big Baby has stepped up in so many ways, come through in enough clutch situations, I'm starting to wonder what it is that Garnett imparts to him each time the camera pans to find him speaking into Baby's ear. Make no mistake, losing Garnett may very well be the thing that keeps the Celtics from beating Cleveland and advancing to the NBA Finals. But, even in a impeccably-tailored suit, Garnett has helped transform Davis from a rookie into a bonafide sixth-man, capable of taking big shots in key moments.

Let's back up a bit to earlier in the season, prior to Garnett going down. After Baby made a critical mistake in a game against the Trailblazers, he sought refuge on the bench, away from the coaches and his teammates. But there was Garnett, grabbing him by the elbow and dragging im over to the huddle. While Davis may have been reduced to tears by the tongue lashing KG gave him, the message was clear: you're a part of a team, and if your teammates can't depend on you, you're nothing. I believe this was a key moment in the evolution of Glen Davis. From that point on, no matter what mistakes he made or how intense the action was, Baby kept a level head, kept KG's lesson in the front of his mind, and became a better player for it. And, when the Celtics needed him to step in for the injured Garnett, he did so and proved a capable replacement. Let's not forget that, up until the last three games of the season, Garnett was projected to return, albeit in a reduced capacity, and Davis was headed back to the bench. But, fate decided that Big Baby's time was now, and without him helping the anchor the Celtics front-court, they may have already been eliminated.

Glen Davis isn't Kevin Garnett. He doesn't pose the defensive threat KG does, nor does he intimidate opponents like KG. But he does play solid defense for a guy nearing 300 pounds, he can shoot a decent outside shot and has good all-around basketball skills. And he's only in his second year. While losing Garnett may be the blow that keeps the Celtics from repeating, what they've gained in Davis as a player cannot be quantified. So, when the Celtics are down by a point with 10 seconds remaining, and Pierce, Ray Allen and Eddie House are on the floor, keep your eye on the stocky 6'9" guy running through screens and setting pick-and-rolls. 'Cause he might just save the day in a Big Baby way.