tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67802765843646048672024-03-13T14:53:23.131-04:00Brothers at ArmsSame family. Very different allegiances.Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881643554796423918noreply@blogger.comBlogger707125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780276584364604867.post-45692655444647106372011-07-17T20:43:00.005-04:002011-07-17T21:48:09.248-04:00Original Phil Hughes ReturnsBack when Phil Hughes was a top five prospect in all of baseball, he had everyone raved that he hard outstanding fastball control, and a knockout curveball. Here is even a snippet from <span style="font-style:italic;">Baseball America</span> when they rated Hughes the Yankees top prospect prior to the 2007 season:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"Hughes' greatest accomplishment as a pro has been to forsake his slider in favor of a knockout curveball, which is more of a strikeout pitch and produces less stress on his arm. It's a true power breaking ball that sits in the low 80s with 1-to-7 break. Club officials call it the best in the system because Hughes can throw it for quality strikes or bury it out of the zone, and because he uses the same arm slot and release point he uses for his fastball."</span><br /><br />High praise indeed, but after Hughes reached the majors and following his long DL stint after he pulled a hamstring mid-no-hitter in Texas, he forsook his conventional curveball grip for the grip of a knucklecurve a la Mike Mussina. Since then it has seemed that he has always had trouble with putting hitter away, and if you ever saw one of them take his curveball, you would know he wasn't following anyone with it.<br /><br />It seems the biggest difference with the curveball is the velocity he throws it with. Now his curveball sits in the upper 70s rather that the 72-73 he threw with the knucklecurve. That seem to keep the Jays hitters off balance more and didn't allow them to foul of the pitch when they were fooled.<br /><br />Since 2008 Hughes has had to rely primarily on his fastball and cut fastball to get hitters out, and as the second half of last year showed, he cannot survive an entire season with just fastballs. Forever it was thought that Hughes needed to add a change up in order to move to an elite level as a starter. The reality might be that he needs to return to his roots with his curveball and, of course, a change would be nice too.<br /><br />Now I'll actually be able to look forward to his Friday start against the light hitting Oakland A's.Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881643554796423918noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780276584364604867.post-85777907621382379002011-07-14T16:52:00.004-04:002011-07-14T20:09:34.534-04:00Ortiz SuspendedFor the altercation with Baltimore pitcher Kevin Gregg, in which Gregg was the instigator, David Ortiz received a <a href="http://www.nesn.com/2011/07/david-ortiz-suspended-four-games-for-altercation-with-kevin-gregg.html">four game suspension. </a> Ortiz should not have responded physically. Gregg had already been tossed for jawing at Big <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Papi</span> as Papi trotted to first. Four games is probably about right, although I think there's a fair chance Ortiz will get the penalty reduced on appeal. Gregg seemed to be operating with some kind of a chip on his shoulder for an imagined disrespect from the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Sox based on his post game comments</span>. I guess you have to get yourself riled up and motivated somehow when your team is destined for the basement, and you have 70 or so games to play.<div><br /></div><div>In other news, one of my favorite shows, Curb Your Enthusiasm, will be <a href="http://www.nesn.com/2011/07/larry-david-doesnt-hate-the-red-sox-as-much-as-he-used-to-will-feature-bill-buckner-in-upcoming-epis.html">featuring Bill Buckner</a> in a future episode. God knows how Larry David, a die hard Yankee fan, will use Buckner in the episode. It's good to know that Buckner has developed a sense of humor about his place in history after all of the grief the city of Boston put him through.</div>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548707517391398364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780276584364604867.post-50593775540286040952011-07-09T13:40:00.002-04:002011-07-09T14:04:56.851-04:00Mr. 3000... Derek JeterWell I would be extremely remiss in my Yankee blogging duties if I didn't post something about my all-time favorite player getting his 3,000 hit in the big leagues. <br /><br />With a home run in the 3rd inning off of David Price, Jeter joined an elusive club that only has 27 other members before him. That is crazy when you think about it. Baseball has been a national institution in America since 1876. That's 135 years of baseball and Jeter will only be number 28 to get 3,000.<br /><br />I have been watching Jeter from almost the beginning of his big league career. His rise to stardom coincided with my own interest in the baseball and the Yankees. Like millions of other little league ball players past and present I always tried to emulate Jeter. <br /><br />Even with Jeter's recent struggles it is hard for Yankee fans not to love him and hard for any opponent not to respect him for the class and dignity he provided baseball with through one of its darkest eras.<br /><br />Congratulations Derek and hopefully there are a few more left in your bat.Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881643554796423918noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780276584364604867.post-88212543905719256432011-07-07T07:43:00.002-04:002011-07-07T07:50:00.236-04:00And to make matters worse...Jon Lester has been <a href="http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110706&content_id=21493128&vkey=news_bos&c_id=bos">placed on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">DL</span></a> with a strain in his <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">latissimus</span>. With John Lackey pitching like he's throwing batting practice and Clay <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Buchholz</span> already on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">DL</span>, the All-Star break cannot come soon enough. It's really unfortunate because <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Buchholz</span>, Lester and Josh Beckett had formed an intimidating three-headed monster in the rotation. However, I think Boston is right to err on the side of caution. If they hope to make a run at a title they will need both of their ailing star pitchers. I guess we'll have to deal with the Kevin <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Millwood</span> era for a couple of weeks.Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548707517391398364noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780276584364604867.post-17323538269861458702011-07-05T18:35:00.003-04:002011-07-05T18:58:51.454-04:00Lackey Lacking AgainYesterday, after another short outing in which he gave up seven runs, John Lackey is starting to become a real liability. I have more confidence in Tim Wakefield at this stage. It's enough to make you long for the days of Dice-K. Last season, while not spectacular, was what I would call productive for Lackey. He was 14-11 with a 4.40 ERA. These stats are nothing to write home about, but they're not terrible, and he made 33 starts and pitched 215 innings. At least he gave the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Sox</span> a chance to win every night and ate up some innings.<div><br /></div><div>Now, with an ERA well over 7.00, Boston has some tough decisions to make about using Lackey. I don't see how they can trot him out there every fifth day with the way he's performing. On the other hand I don't know what other choices they have.</div>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548707517391398364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780276584364604867.post-20802139454270105832011-06-29T07:29:00.003-04:002011-06-29T07:39:53.459-04:00Sox Victims of Cliff Lee's 3rd Straight Shut OutI don't know what to say here. Josh Beckett had an off night. Cliff Lee was world class. It was a very boring game from a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Sox</span> fan perspective. I just sat there waiting for something to happen, and it never did. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Sox</span> had a total of four base runners, and they were scattered around here and there. You can't really point to any instance in the game and say, that's where Boston lost it's chance to make something happen.<div><br /></div><div>Boston is now 6-7 in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">interleague</span> play. It's hard to complain about the system since it's given the Red <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Sox</span> huge opportunities in the past several years with double digit win totals each year in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">interleague</span> play. This stretch of poor performances is starting to get frustrating, especially after the successful run it follows. Can't we just be normal, win two of every three and call it a day? I hate these huge inexplicable swings of the pendulum.</div>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548707517391398364noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780276584364604867.post-78565299558264288602011-06-25T22:07:00.004-04:002011-06-25T22:16:31.698-04:00Sox SputteringAfter a remarkable month long run, the Red <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Sox</span> have lost their grip on the AL East with a 6-4 loss to the Pirates today. A four game losing streak, while always frustrating and detrimental, is not a reason to panic at this stage. But their losses to the likes of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">San Diego and Pittsburgh just always brings the bile to the back of my throat. These are games that the Sox should be handling with relative ease. I'm not asking for a sweep, but you would like to see Boston split these games at least with three games in Philly on the horizon. Who knows. The way things go in baseball I wouldn't be surprised if the Sox swept the Phillies after playing like crud this past week.</span>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548707517391398364noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780276584364604867.post-24854502738727768872011-06-16T06:11:00.003-04:002011-06-16T06:28:40.943-04:00Beckett Tosses One HitterAfter Kevin <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Youkilis</span> failed to make a tough throw to first on a grounder to third in the third inning last night, Josh Beckett didn't allow another <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">base runner</span> for the rest of the night. Beckett went the full nine, <a href="http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=277417&c_id=bos#sectionType=career">earning the third shutout of his <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Sox</span> career.</a> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Youkilis</span> would make up for his play in the field later by providing the margin of victory with a three run homer in the seventh. The fact that it came against the Rays, for whom I have the most contempt, makes it all the more sweet.<div><br /></div><div>Beckett is emerging as a Cy Young front runner. These things are always debatable of course, but he is leading the AL in ERA (1.86), batting average against (.174), and is tied for the lead in WHIP (0.92). Now if he can keep from getting a blister or some slight indigestion that puts him on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">DL</span>...</div>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548707517391398364noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780276584364604867.post-85724048116377831392011-06-15T16:41:00.003-04:002011-06-15T16:52:58.555-04:00Derek Jeter's InjuryAs we all know Derek <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Jeter</span> is out of the Yankee line up for an as yet to be determined amount of time with a calf strain. New York is still debating whether to put him on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">DL</span>. What I am posting about is an interesting conversation I heard on ESPN radio last night regarding this injury and injuries in general. It's funny when they put the intelligent stuff on at 8pm when practically no one will be listening to the radio.<div><br /></div><div>The host had a physical therapist specializing in orthopedics and sports medicine call into the show. They discussed the nature of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Jeter's</span> injury, possible treatment plans, and the issue of athletes' non-disclosure of injuries in order to stay on the field. The PT (of course I can't remember her name) successfully gave medical explanations in layman's terms, and I left with a clear understanding of the situation. My point is that I wish sports media gave more time to this type of in depth analysis regarding injuries, training, and self-care issues that modern athletes face.</div>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548707517391398364noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780276584364604867.post-2726395177649482522011-06-11T20:07:00.003-04:002011-06-11T20:35:52.313-04:00Big Shots Considering RealignmentI could write about the Yankees because they have actually won two straight, but the injury to Bartolo Colon has me slightly depressed. Anyway, it looks as though and age of ignorance might be coming to an end for Major League Baseball. Welhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifl... at least sort of.<br /><br /><a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=6651634">Buster Olney</a> that MLB and the players union are talking about realignment to balance the leagues out to 15 teams a piece. Of course this would never have been a problem if Selig didn't insist on adding four new franchises to the game during the 1990s.<br /><br />There is talk of reverting to a singular division that would allow the top five teams to make the playoffs (because they absolutely need that second wild card so fewer people's feelings are hurt). That would make the situation better and allow the AL East to represent the AL in the playoffs every season. <br /><br />The one point I don't like about the proposed realignment, would be that interleague play would constantly be going on. That means some teams would be playing interleague games that would decide the pennant in September. But at least this is a step in the right direction.Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881643554796423918noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780276584364604867.post-2000076541635442042011-06-09T18:18:00.002-04:002011-06-09T19:26:04.841-04:00Good News for Hughes Tainted By Joba's InjuryWord has come out of the Yankee camp that Joba Chamberlain will most likely have to undergo Tommy John surgery which will end his season and knock him out for most of 2012 as well. <br /><br />The Chamberlain injury is perplexing. Joba hit the DL two days ago with discomfort in his arm that was diagnosed as a strained, then torn flexor muscle. Both of those would have laid him up for a month or more, but news that it is actually a torn elbow ligament is devastating to an already shorthanded bullpen. <br /><br />For right now the burden of setting up Mariano Rivera will fall to Dave Robertson, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Robertson has excelled in higher leverage situations this season and while his walk numbers are still worrisome, his strike out rate is more than impressive. However, this now means that relievers in the class of Luis Ayala and Boone Logan... Yikes.<br /><br />The Yankees can be somewhat optimistic about another young hurler, as Phil Hughes seems to be progressing well in his rehab. Today he throw 30 pitches in extended spring training where he touched 90-92 on the radar gun. It will be important to see how he bounces back tomorrow and the next time out. Hopefully he will get into a minor league game soon and then into the rotation by the Fourth of July.<br /><br />Things look bad right now, but not as bad as the media may make it out to be. The Yankees just need to survive until the return of Hughes and they need to start testing some of their young arms to see if they are ready to compete in a big league bullpen. Jeff Marquez is not the answer and neither is Ayala or Logan. Time to perhaps expand the role of Hector Noesi or give Kevin Whelan and George Kontos a shot. Both are having exceptional years as relievers at Scranton so why not give them a shot. Hell, even Tim Norton would be a good option at this point. <br /><br />Hopefully once the rain subsides CC Sabathia decides to go into beast mode and allay the fears of Yankee fans for one night.Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881643554796423918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780276584364604867.post-88118532095915581442011-06-08T06:23:00.002-04:002011-06-08T06:49:09.959-04:00Sox Take Fourth Straight from YanksLast night Boston didn't waste anytime as they scored three runs before New York's Freddy Garcia even recorded an out. I haven't watched a whole bunch of Freddy Garcia in my life, but he looked bewildered. He tried to stick with his soft stuff, presumably because he had no faith in his fastball that was topping out at 85 mph. In the end, spurred on by a <a href="http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?c_id=mlb&content_id=15641137&query=game_pk%3D287811">David Ortiz two run homer</a> in the fifth, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Sox</span> held on for a 6-4 victory, their fourth in a row against the Yanks, all at the Stadium.<div><br /></div><div>Lost in the story of the big free agent signings and the slow start followed by resurgence, is the excellent play of David Ortiz. He is now hitting .324/.390/.602 for the year. He has 14 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">HR's</span> and 16 doubles. The biggest difference is that he's finally remembered how to take the ball the opposite way. The past two seasons or so he was constantly looking to turn on an inside pitch. That kind of pitch proved so irresistible that he was literally swinging at pitches up around his eyes and striking out with great frequency (he had a career high 145 last year in the same amount of games). This year he's hitting to all fields therefore nullifying the absurd shift most teams play against him. Perhaps he's learned a thing or two from his new teammate, Adrian Gonzalez.</div>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548707517391398364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780276584364604867.post-41692563632210837092011-06-03T19:23:00.002-04:002011-06-03T19:34:47.338-04:00Dice-DoneOur long national nightmare is over. The report is that <a href="http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/this-just-in/21107861/francona-tommy-john-likely-dice-k-hill">Daisuke Matsuzaka will undergo Tommy John surgery</a> thereby ending his Red Sox career. And what did we get for a quadrillion dollars and our first born child, two halfway decent seasons and a prescription for Zantac for all of the indigestion. Good riddance.<div><br /></div><div>Now, what happens with the back end of the rotation? Clearly, Aceves, while great to have in the pen can't keep starting every fifth day. John Lackey is still on the DL and was ineffective when he pitched anyway. It's not like the back end needs to pitch like Bob Gibson. They just need to be .500 or so. It also doesn't instill me with a lot of confidence when the Sox start their home stand by getting swept and are now down 4-0 to the A's with Buchholz, a supposed top line guy, pitching. The Sox are working very hard to undo the progress they made in May.</div>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548707517391398364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780276584364604867.post-10761644611004458512011-06-02T06:31:00.003-04:002011-06-02T06:39:27.520-04:00Yanks Sweep/Sox SweptClearly this is no good. I don't know what it is about the White Sox. At first I thought it was just my imagination that Chicago always beats Boston. However, I learned today that Chicago has won six straight in Boston. <div><br /></div><div>Now the Red Sox have lost four in a row, three at home. I suppose the pace Boston was on wouldn't keep up for ever. After going an AL best 19-10 in May they were bound to cool off a bit. I won't start to get too concerned unless they continue to falter over the weekend. </div><div><br /></div><div>Yankee fans and the rest of the media are making it sound as if they're playing horribly and the season is doomed. I don't know what team they are watching. Although they've been inconsistent and not all the parts are working at the same level all the time, I would not expect the Yankees to go quietly... not by a long shot.</div>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548707517391398364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780276584364604867.post-4155774644168815542011-05-19T18:51:00.003-04:002011-05-19T18:55:15.458-04:00In the year 2013......assuming the world hasn't ended in 2012 per the Mayan calendar, we will finally have flying cars, food will come in pill form, and <a href="http://joeposnanski.si.com/2011/05/19/the-yankees-in-2013/?sct=hp_t12_a2&eref=sihp">this will happen to the Yankees.</a>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548707517391398364noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780276584364604867.post-79003240433333272362011-05-16T20:38:00.003-04:002011-05-16T20:55:45.179-04:00Sox Sweep StanksAs I write this Boston is losing to Baltimore 3-0 but nevertheless, the Red Sox swept a three game series against the Yankees over the weekend. I can't remember the last time I saw the Red Sox sweep a series in the Bronx. Fortunately, I have every sports media outlet on Earth to tell me that is was in 2004. The Sox won it all in '04 in case you forgot. Am I drawing any parallels? What do you think I am? A stunad? I wouldn't dare.<div><br /></div><div>In fact, I think it's probably a really bad omen. Boston will probably go 5-20 from here. I will say this though. The Yankees look old. That's what happens in sports. One day you're an invaluable, wily veteran. The next, you're dead weight, ready for Shady Pines. That's where Posada is now. Jeter and A-Rod aren't quite there yet. I think they will still show flashes of former brilliance this season. But how stupid do people look who said that Rodriguez would hit 800 HR's? All I can say is, I told you so.</div><div><br /></div><div>All that aside, if the Sox keep getting gutty starting pitching they will be fine. Lester didn't look great last night for a while, but he settled in and kept the Sox in the game. He gave them a chance, and the bats finally came through. No matter who you sign and how much money you spend, sometimes it just comes down to guts.</div>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548707517391398364noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780276584364604867.post-14933060252591582672011-05-15T11:30:00.003-04:002011-05-15T12:34:38.518-04:00Things Begin to UnravelThings are pretty bad in the Yankee Universe right now. The team is losing. Competitive games are few and far between and now Jorge Posada is upset at the Yankees lack of faith in his .165 batting average and .621 OPS. <br /><br />We'll start with Jorge first. It's easy to understand why Posada would have trouble adjusting from catching every game to just taking his four hacks a day, it's hard to understand why he would think the Yankees are in the wrong for handling his situation as they have. <br /><br />It must be difficult for every aging veteran to look at young players doing what they used to be able to do and thinking that they still have the ability, but the fact of the matter is Jorge never had the defensive ability that Russell Martin has and the Yankees are clearly a better team with Martin as a receiver than Posada. And the fact of the matter is that Jorge can't hit then Jesus Montero is sitting in Scranton. Montero is unlikely to complain about batting ninth either. <br /><br />It's a shame that things are going poorly for Posada. But when you hold out for the money and the years that he did after his fantastic 2007 season, you run the risk of embarrassing yourself at the tail end of the contract and your career. Posada will be 40 in August. New York is unlikely to bring him back after the year. Young cheaper players are waiting in the wings and older slower players are waiting for the DH spot in the Yankee lineup. It is tough to watch someone who was great for so long struggle at the end, but it's worse to watch him whining about the unfairness of the situation. <br /><br />I'm sick of players and the media whining about teams owing players things. All the team owes them are the ridiculous salaries they get paid, especially in the case of aging Yankees. The deal is the get paid and then they play. That's what the two sides owe each other.<br /><br />As for the rest of the Yankees, things don't look good and it's not for the reasons everyone was anticipating at the beginning of the season. The pitching has been good. Except for Rafael Soriano, the bullpen has been as strong as anticipated. The starting rotation has been far better than anyone could have reasonable expected. It is the hitting that has been a grand disappointment.<br /><br />While the home runs have come as expected, the Yankees seem to lack the ability to hit with runners in scoring position. For a team that has the scored on average more runs than any other in baseball, they haven't done so lately. It has been almost a week since they have cracked the 5+ run barrier. And if you eliminate that Sunday affair in Texas, they haven't put up more than five runs in a game since April 29. <br /><br />This extended dry spell has made me feel like I'm back in 2008 when the Yankees also had major inconsistencies at the plate. Maybe the whole Posada affair will give the Yankees an open door to make a tough decision and bring up Jesus Montero. It definitely feels like the Yankees will need some kind of spark to get this ship moving in the right direction. Right now it doesn't seem like that catalyst is on the Yankee roster.Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881643554796423918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780276584364604867.post-16384494221952704172011-05-14T11:37:00.003-04:002011-05-14T11:57:52.075-04:00Buchholz Beats YanksSo far this season, Clay <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Buchholz</span> has pitched just <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">a'ight</span> for me dog. Moments of efficiency have been overshadowed by notable lapses. The 4.00+ ERA and the 1.500+ WHIP have been nothing to write home about. But last night in an important game for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Sox</span> against the Yankees, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Buchholz</span> went 7 innings for the first time allowing two runs along the way. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Buchholz</span> showed great control and made only one big mistake, a two run homer to Russell Martin.<div><br /></div><div>Though <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Buchholz</span> left with a 5-2 lead, Daniel Bard and Jonathan <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Papelbon</span> tried their best to give the game away. Bard was all over the place. He looked like <a href="http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=P&sid=t538&t=p_pbp&pid=543616">Daniel <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Osterbrock</span></a> from the AA New Britain <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Rockcats</span> game I went to on Thursday. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Papelbon</span> uneventfully retired the first two batters he faced then allowed hits to Derek <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Jeter</span> and Curtis <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Granderson</span>, which closed the game to within a run.<br /><div><br /></div><div>The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Sox</span> need Clay to have more games like this especially with the back end of the rotation floundering. Dice-K is Dice-K, Wakefield is too old, and who knows what to make of John Lackey. Lackey's wife's battle with breast cancer was recently revealed. Who can blame the guy for pitching poorly? Far be it for me to suggest how person should deal with a major illness in his family, but Lackey seems totally miserable. I wouldn't be surprised if he takes a leave of absence soon. </div></div>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548707517391398364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780276584364604867.post-17502636145577806012011-05-13T16:44:00.003-04:002011-05-13T16:50:01.600-04:00Fulham v. Liverpool<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkW2hIIROexHxNJ8rg30WLQFUTkf_sdcjsZ7bYamrzQ-yEqrnglt-cKA8EuYsCtgeFJAXj7geQowq0_Q4KwcIVF_0cyhAJ9dytZxLgE6Gi9Vd5aomZeOyOTKs7YD-jpPfxTOBHy5UCqbw/s1600/craven-cottage41309e.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkW2hIIROexHxNJ8rg30WLQFUTkf_sdcjsZ7bYamrzQ-yEqrnglt-cKA8EuYsCtgeFJAXj7geQowq0_Q4KwcIVF_0cyhAJ9dytZxLgE6Gi9Vd5aomZeOyOTKs7YD-jpPfxTOBHy5UCqbw/s400/craven-cottage41309e.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606305709040743474" /></a>It seemed about time for a blog post and considering I have been out of the country for the past week and not keeping up with the Red Sox, I have decided to shift gears. Liverpool Football Club is the newest acquisition of the Fenway Sports Group, so this is somewhat related to the Red Sox. On Monday, I was fortunate to be in London watching my team, Fulham, get absolutely embarrassed by the North England club. The final score was 5-2 and Liverpool (Maxi Rodriguez) scored twice in the first seven minutes and once in the first 30 seconds. The Reds came screaming down the field and showed why Simon Davies spent most of the season on the bench. Here are some more observations from my first EPL game.<br /><u><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p></u> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Craven Cottage is a great place to watch a game. Ironically, it is similar to Fenway as it feels like you are on the field. I was so close to the field I could hear Clint Dempsey tell the ref to “fuck off” more than once.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->The Liverpool fans are fanatical. Their chants started before the first whistle and didn’t stop for 90 minutes. This was a regular season game of no real consequence and the atmosphere was electric. I don’t think we have a U.S. equivalent. Even Sox v. Yanks regular season games can be slow and pedestrian. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The only potential equal might be college football or basketball, but their fan bases are built into the student body.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Luis Suarez is the real deal and everyone knows it. Not selling Torres is what got Roy Hodgson sacked and Suarez is more than comparable as his replacement.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->The speed and accuracy of the game is incredible. </p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Dirk Kuyt is a lot bigger than you think. Dude must be a gym rat.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->If Liverpool’s right back, Glen Johnson, was American he would probably lead the NFL in rushing. He is compact and explosive. </p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->18 year old left back John Flanagan was impressive. He was very composed on the back line and fit right in next Jaime Carragher.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->I am calling it now; Liverpool will be at the top of the Top at the end of 2012. Steven Gerrard will be back and Kenny Daglish seems poised to lead the lads to another title.</p><p></p>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07243315072384918852noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780276584364604867.post-28440505579381035582011-05-10T22:27:00.003-04:002011-05-10T22:36:02.246-04:00Gonzalez Going the Other WayOne of the finest sights during the first six weeks of the season has to be watching Adrian Gonzalez smash home runs to the opposite field. When the Sox got Gonzalez and Carl Crawford, I knew much more about Crawford as I've seen him wear out the Sox year after year. Therefore I was more excited about his acquisition than Gonzalez just because of familiarity. But Adrian is a big time hitter. It's just awesome to see a guy with no weaknesses in the middle of the order.<div><br /></div><div>Most of the time pitchers try to stay away from left handed hitters (ie: David Ortiz). You can't do that against Gonzalez. And when he hits one out the other way, it just looks so effortless. I bring this up because I'm watching the Sox now. Down a run against the Jays, Gonzalez leads off the top of the ninth with an opposite field bomb on a pitch you didn't think he could reach never mind hit out. I think I have a jersey to purchase. </div>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548707517391398364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780276584364604867.post-17269804754737135682011-04-29T20:10:00.004-04:002011-04-29T20:21:18.883-04:00Sox Return to Fenway<div style="text-align: left;">Before the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Sox</span> went on the road I wrote that I was worried that the small amount of momentum the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Sox</span> had going before the left would be sapped once they flew to the left coast. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Sox</span> have got to be pleased that they finished 6-3 on the trip. Now they face off against the Mariners this evening. That's nice way to get re-acclimated after a long journey.</div><div><br /></div><div>As I write the Red <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Sox</span> have taken a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the 3rd on two RBI singles by Kevin <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Youkilis</span> and David Ortiz. The pitcher must have been blinded by gleam from Big <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Papi's</span> Run-D-MC style chain around his neck. That thing looks like it weighs more than my cat.</div><div><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEqceimT036vuoFwRm1LrH0xp0EgNNdc-i2at2NOp9bQH5fZPSx5DpX3T8f1liAvmuI4B-b0gzdmqek4YuLRlbhTyzzcO7abQYawiOWrDJZRE75VacsCMUHd_ZvbEyi3emHW29gQlWJGMM/s320/STA60751.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601164746034968834" /><div><br /></div>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548707517391398364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780276584364604867.post-91881974099814664732011-04-27T21:30:00.005-04:002011-04-27T22:27:05.256-04:00Colon Relives Past Glories; Puts Yanks On TrackIt has been a long time since Bartolo Colon was mentioned among the top echelon of starters in baseball. It has been almost equally as long since Colon pitched eight complete innings. <br /><br />Colon was masterful tonight, using his two-seamer to freeze hitters while pounding away with his four-seamer that hummed through the strike zone at an average of 93 mph and even touched 96. It doesn't seem likely that Colon will hold up for a full season at age 38, but right now he is giving the Yankees quality and length and doing far more than eating innings out there. <br /><br />Using a steady stream of fastballs Colon doesn't mess around. He pounded the zone and rarely threw anything off-speed, throwing just nine off-speed pitches out of 99. He never really needed the change up or slider he recorded 17 outs on the ground or via strike out, and all but one of those came from a fastball.<br /><br />Right now the Yankees need all the pitching they can get. With Rafael Soriano struggling and the bats falling silent the length the starters give the Yankees will become that much more important. Right now they are doing they doing that. The past four games New York starters have thrown quality starts and at least pitched into the seventh (or in Freddy Garcia's case they should have). It is a reassuring trend, but Brian Cashman is sure to continue to keep his ear to the ground in search of another top end starter. There will always be doubt as to whether Colon's or Garcia's shoulder breaks down again or even both. <br /><br />With the recent disheartening news that Phil Hughes might have thoracic outlet syndrome, every quality start until the tradeline will be that much more vaulable.<br /><br />CC Sabathia should continue the trend tomorrow night since the White Sox still haven't come close to pulling out of their own hitting funk.Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881643554796423918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780276584364604867.post-56973998031170203092011-04-24T12:16:00.004-04:002011-04-24T19:33:25.365-04:00Dice-KonquererSometimes I think I post on Dice-K just to see what kind of play on words in the title of the post. Anyhow... I don't think I have ever seen him <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/gameflash/2011/04/23/36065_boxscore.html">this dominant</a> after two awesome starts in a row. Last night he pitched eight shutout innings and gave up just a single hit as Boston has now taken the first three games of this four game series. Usually I'm happy if he can get through four with less that three runs. I'm trying not to get used to it, but if this continues with Jon Lester and Josh Beckett on the rolls that they're on, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Sox</span> will be a force to be reckoned with.Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548707517391398364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780276584364604867.post-4751213143714226462011-04-22T07:04:00.003-04:002011-04-22T07:19:16.313-04:00Red Sox: Road WarriorsUsually this west coast road swing is the kiss of death for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Sox</span>. In spite of the team's improved play recently I still had some trepidation as they headed for the bay area to start this trip. So far, so good. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Sox</span> have won three in a row and are getting ever closer to .500.<div><br /></div><div>Josh Beckett continues to be masterful, and I for one am going to enjoy it until he gets a hangnail or goes on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">DL</span> after a paper cut disaster. He pitched eight innings allowing only two runs last night against the Angels. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Sox</span> certainly needed him as they stranded 13 runners. Hitting with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">RISP</span> continues to be an issue, but Boston was able to push runners across when it mattered most in the top of the 11<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">th</span>. Adrian Gonzalez got it done with two run double.</div><div><br /></div><div>Another thing that is tempering my enthusiasm is the injury to Kevin <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Youkilis</span>. He fouled a pitch off his shin early in the game and was forced to leave. The severity of the injury has yet to be released, but TV cameras showed an egg plant colored welt. </div><div><br /></div><div>The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Sox</span> still have a long way to go on this trip. They have three more game in Anaheim then they fly back east to the Charm City for a series with the Orioles. I will hold on to my optimism for now, especially with Jon Lester toeing the rubber tonight. </div>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548707517391398364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780276584364604867.post-22132461580071617132011-04-16T12:04:00.002-04:002011-04-16T12:24:14.157-04:00We want a pitcher, not a belly-itcher.When Bobby <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Jenks</span> came into the game last night and Don <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Orcillo</span> pointed out that he had not surrendered a run or even a hit yet this season, I knew the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Sox</span> were toast. Clay <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Buchholz</span> labored through 5+ and left with a one run lead. Alfredo <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Aceves</span> allowed an inherited runner to score, but that's not where the trouble started. It was Bobby <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Jenks</span> and his absurd goatee that ruined the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Sox</span> this time giving up four runs in the seventh. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Sox</span> rallied within a run to no avail. They went quietly in the ninth, even with the top of the order coming up.<div><br /></div><div>Speaking of the the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Sox</span> failed rally, Carl Crawford led off the ninth and I have to say, in the time that I've watched him, he looks utterly clueless at the plate. Adrian Gonzalez hasn't lived up to his billing either, but a least he's put solid wood on the ball. Crawford is swinging like a broken screen door.</div>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548707517391398364noreply@blogger.com1