Results tagged ‘ Josh Beckett ’
Yard Sale at Fenway
No, I am not even talking about the Mike Lowell deal (which is not official, yet).
Yesterday, when I got home from work around 3pm, this email was sitting in my inbox:
Everyone,
I
know this is extremely late notice but the Red Sox have just invited all ARAMARK
employees to come on down to the yard sale today. You can enter through Gate
E. They are selling a number of different things ranging from $10-$700+.
Please forward this along to your distribution lists if
possible.Thanks,
This, of course, was the first I ever heard of it. What notice! This would have been awesome to go to. However, apparently, the Red Sox weren’t too keen on promoting this event. I did a google search for “Yard Sale at Fenway Park” and didn’t really see much pertaining to 2009 except for this, a post Fenway neighborhood blog:
1:22 PM
Posted by
Stephen BrophyDear Fenway Neighbors,
Please join us for a
great opportunity to finish up (or begin!) your holiday shopping at the
Great Fenway Park Yard Sale today at Fenway Park until 5pm!Items for sale include unique Red Sox memorabilia and one-of-a-kind items from Fenway Park.
Please enter through Gate E and let them know you’re a Fenway neighbor.
Hope to see you there!!!
Happy shopping!!
Beth Krudys
Interesting to find out how many people knew about this and how many people were there. However, apparently it was quite successful because today the Red Sox have agreed to a 5 year contract with form Los Angeles of Anaheim Angel John Lackey and have made an offer of $15.5 million to Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman and are close to a deal with perennial Gold Glove outfielder Mike Cameron.
While Lackey is a quality starting pitcher who has won quite a few big games in his career, I cannot say that I am truly enamored with this signing. This does make a strong rotation for 2010 with Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Clay Buccholz, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Tim Wakefield, and now Lackey. However, with this contract being reported as a 5 yr / $85 million contract, you have to wonder how this signing is going to affect the Josh Beckett negotiations. Beckett will become a free agent at the end of 2010. Beckett will command a contract AT LEAST the length and size of Lackey’s deal. With the Red Sox’ history of re-signing their own free agents (case in point Jason Bay right now; hence the news of an impending deal with Cameron), this has got to put up some red flags that this is Beckett’s last season in Fenway. Besides Varitek a few years ago, I can’t really remember a premier player that the Red Sox re-signed once the player filed for free agency. I hope this will not be the case, as Beckett still has quite a few years of top of the rotation pitching left in his career. Time will tell.
This has not only been a busy Monday for the Red Sox, but a busy Monday baseball wide. The big news of the day is the big Roy Halladay / Cliff Lee trade that is on the verge of being finalized. This is a 3 team trade in which Halladay goes to Philadelphia (pending a contract extension being signed), Cliff Lee heads off to Seattle, and a bunch of prospects will go to Toronto. This will be exciting to hear about the finalized deal.
A lot of times, the MLB “Hot Stove” season is a bit over-hyped and over-rated, but today has been an exciting day. It has made me tune back into the MLB Network today after their rude programming where they replayed the Bucky “Bleeping” Dent game. Gahhhhhhhh!
Go Sox!!!!
Let Down
All the expert were saying it. All the articles I read were saying it. The Red Sox own the Angels. The Red Sox are in the Angel’s head. Here comes another Red Sox – Yankees ALCS. Well, three games into the ALDS, and it was over. However, this was not supposed to happen:
Getting swept? Jonathan Papelbon blowing a post-season save? Carlos Ruiz hitting a 3-run homer? (Ooops, sorry about that. Watching Dodgers-Phillies game 1 while I type this) Going down 1-2-3 to Brian Fuentes to end it? Well, I guess there is something to say about ending it like you started it, isn’t there? There were certainly a lot of 1-2-3 innings for the Red Sox offense this series. What went wrong?
I don’t know, really. The whole team was pretty flat. The offense was anemic in Games 1 and 2. Scoring only 1 run of Lackey and Weaver. The starters weren’t sharp. Well, Clay Buchholz looked very good. Much better than Jon Lester and Josh Beckett.
However, when you’re leading batter in the series hit .250, your starters weren’t sharp, and your closer allows 5 runs (2 inherited runners, and the first 3 runs of his post-season career), that is a recipe for failure. A disappointing way to lose a series and end a pretty nice season. It took a few days to let it sink in.
When I left the game, the Sox were up 5-2. I was pretty much expecting to be spending Columbus Day back at Fenway for a cold night of work. Oh, here is me at work, for those who don’t know (sorry for the size, I used my digital camera to record it off the DVR, and then took a screen shot while replaying it using Windows Media Player):
However, the biggest let down of losing that game aside from no World Series for the Red Sox was a hit in my wallet. Working on Columbus Day would have given me Holiday Pay as well as an added incentive bonus pay for working my 65th game of the Season.
Oh, Red Sox, the ways you hurt me.
GO ANGELS!
P.S. Yes, I will still watch the the rest of the playoffs. Even though, I am a Red Sox fan. I am first and foremost a baseball fan. I love the game, no matter who is playing. Even the Yankees. Now, back to the Phillies ~ Dodgers NLCS Game 1.
P.P.S. Sorry if I let down you readers (if there are any) this season. Working two jobs, and two young children really don’t leave a lot of free time to sit down and write. Thanks to all who still check in. I should have more time during the off-season to write a bit more.
The Right Foot
It’s only one game in the scheme of it all. However, it is always great to get out of the gate with a win. The best part of the day, was that Josh Beckett was DOMINANT! Will be nice to have the real Josh Beckett this season, provide he remains healthy. Nice looking line:
7 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 10 Ks. All on only 93 pitches thrown.
Dustin Pedroia picked up right where he left off. A home run in his first AB. Kevin Youkilis with 2 hits. Everybody seeming to chip in today. Jason Varitek with a HR. Mike Lowell and RBI double. Jason Bay an RBI. JD Drew with an RBI as well and he didn’t leave the game with an injury which is always a plus.
The only real blemish on the day was Hideki Okijima’s performance. Remember two years ago, what happened to Okijima on Opening Day in KC. If the same patterns follows, we’ll be happy with him come August.
As for me, I was at the ballgame. It is always great to be at the park, especially on Opening Day. Even when it is a cold day. I didn’t see any of the pre-game festivities, as I was underneath the RF grandstands, selling programs. However, I did get to see a lot of the game, since the product I was selling during the game wasn’t a hot item to sell today.
Game two tomorrow night, should be another good one. Jon Lester against Scott Kazmir, two of the top lefties in MLB.
Let’s build a streak!
Go Sox!
Opening Day & Eve
Wooooooohooooooooooooo! FINALLY!!!!!! OPENING DAY IS HERE. However, the forecast is for rain, which is scheduled to begin around game time. Doh!!!!!!!! Let’s hope it can hold off for 3 or 4 hours. How disappointing.
However, what wasn’t disappointing was yesterday’s beautiful day that I spent at the olde (really OLD) ball park. I went to Fenway yesterday for 2 reasons.
1) Pick up my uniform:
Oops. That’s not my uniform. I wish.
Check. Look for me on TV. It’s funny though. Whenever I am watching a game on TV, I am always trying to notice fellow vendor’s working in the stands. The yellow shirts just stand out so much.
2) Try and meet up with Julia of Julia’s Rants and other bloggers she was trying to get to meet outside Fenway. Unfortunately, I did not make it in time to meet up. When I was finally finished picking up my uniform, I called Julia and she and Scott from I’m Not a Headline Guy were on top of the Prudential Building. Here is a picture of them:
No, really, they are up there. I was on the phone with her exactly at that moment, as I was standing behind the Red Sox dugout.
Since I was at the ballpark, I’d figure I might as well take in the Red Sox workout. It was a gorgeous day for baseball; warm and not a cloud in the sky. Since I brought my camera, I figured I might as well take a few (or 20 or 30) pictures. Here are some of them:
The view from the RF boxes next to the visitor’s bullpen:
Justin Masterson:
Dice-K:
John Smoltz:
Jonathan Papelbon:
Big Papi:
Dustin Pedroia:
Big Papi & Kevin Youkilis:
Evan Longoria: (thanks to Rays Renegade for the ID)
Theo Epstein (well, the back of his head, anyway):
Mike Lowell (talking with Longoria (l.) and Pat Burrell (r.) thanks to Rays Renegade again on ID of Rays players)
Jason Varitek:
Finally ~ View from the Budweiser section in upper RF:
It was quite a blast. It seemed like I had the whole park to myself. There were a couple of tours going on. Also, there were some other Red Sox employees who had their children there, but the greatest perk of working at the park is being able to be there without any fans.
EDIT: I forgot to mention that I noticed the lower (field level) and upper box (red) seats seem to have brand new seats in there. The actual seat parts have padding. I sat in one, and it was pretty comfortable. However, the only problem is that back rest seems to be the same height. So, now with a cushion there, the
back rest is on the lower part of your back which probably won’t be as comfortable as the game goes on. I think these new seats are only in the infield box seat sections. It looks like the RF boxes, grandstand (blue seats) and bleachers have the same crummy seats.
I talked to Boston Globe reporter, Tony Masserotti for a few minutes. Mostly about how much he misses (note sarcasm) being on the Big Show on WEEI sports talk radio.
As I was leaving, I almost walked right into a Tampa Bay Ray coming out of the Red Sox clubhouse. I am not sure who it was though. Maybe B.J. Upton, (did he travel up north with the team while being on the DL?) but I am not sure at all. He was just wearing some shorts and a T-shirt and not a name tag.
All and all, it was a great day. Quite the opposite of what I am looking at through my window as I type this. I better bring my galoshes with me, as I am on my way to the ball park just after I finish posting this.
Josh Beckett vs James Shield. Should be a great game!
Go Sox!!!
Photos:
Red Sox Jersey courtesy of MLB Stores
All others property of Red Sox Ramblings
WOW! CRAZY! UNBELIEVABLE!
Let’s recap my evening last night.
I get my son into bed and back downstairs ready to watch the game at about 8:40 or 8:45. I turn on the TV, flip over to TBS and it is the top of the 2nd and the Rays already have a 2-0 lead. Christ! I sit down at the PC and head to ESPN.com to see how it happened. Iawmura hit followed by another Upton HR. Damn!
The Sox get a couple on against Kazmir, but can’t deliver. Kazmir seems to be pitching okay. Certainly not the Kazmir of old, but definitely not the Kazmir of recent either. However, it’s just a matter of time before the Sox get to him…right?
Top of the 3rd, and Upton gets another hit. Can we get this guy out yet? Pena HR, next. Longoria HR next. Gawd! Well, when 1 team is hitting on all cylinders and out pitching the opponent, what are you going to do? You just have to give credit to the Rays. It’s not going to be the year this year.
I check with the wife, see if she wants to watch a show. We’re both tired (my wife works nights, and worked Wed night, so she’s way more tired than me. But you know how it is with kids, your ALWAYS tired.), but I pull up the DVR and see what we have waiting to watch. How about Survivor? Great! We watch the Fang tribe (which could be like the Rays of old, or the Pirates, always losing) lose both challenges and GC get voted out.
The wife’s ready for bed, so she curls up on the couch with a blanket and is off to dreamland as I turn the game back on. It is the Top of the 7th, and Delcarmen just walked the 2nd of two batters, so the Rays have 1st & 2nd with nobody out and Upton (him again?) coming up. Francona, in a desperation moves, brings in Papelbon. However, after a double steal, runs are at 2nd and 3rd. Papelbon works back to a full count on Upton, but gives up a wall ball double that extends the lead to 7-0. That just about sealed up the MVP for Upton.
I get back on the PC, as I’m thinking about going to bed, and type up a little blog to congratulate the Rays, as I’ll probably type up more in the morning.
However, even though I am tired, it is a bit early for me to go to bed. I am a night owl. I like to stay up late. Not sure why, but I’ve always been that way. Sometimes I regret it in the morning, but most times I’m fine.
So, I start surfing the net, checking out some other blogs. I went to a message board that I frequent. I played a few games, all as the game was still on.
Maddon decides not to bring Kamir out for the 7th, and goes with the flame thrower Grant Balfour. Lowrie crushes a ball to RF, that just misses a HR. However, that gets you to take notice. Then when Varitek and Kotsay fly out, oh well. However, Crisp lines a single, but too hard for Lowrie to score. Pedroia then singles, and the Sox are on the board. At least they won’t be shut out.
Now, up comes Papi. He crushes one deep into the night.
Papelbon comes out and gets the Rays 1-2-3 in the 8th. Sweet!
Then, a 4 pitch lead-off walk to Bay, and you can just see how tightly Wheeler is squeezing that ball. Drew crushes a HR to right, and WOW! But, your still thinking how HUGE those 2 runs the Rays got in the top of 7th are. Walks will kill you. But, the Sox are now down a run. If you’re going to lose, if you’re going to get eliminated, this is the way to go out. Not some pathetic 7-0 loss. Wheeler gets Lowrie and Casey, and is almost out of the inning. But here is where some “weird” things happen:
- Kotsay’s line drive goes off the glove of B.J. Upton in CF )who has been tracking down EVERYTHING) for a double.
- Gabe Gross’ throw to home goes straight into the ground, allowing Kotsay to score on Crisp’s single to tie the game.
- Carlos Pena (who had ground into only 2 DPs all season) grouned into an inning ending DP with the leading run on 2nd.
- Evan Longoria, one of the best fielding 3B in the league, makes an error. That runner ends up scoring the winning run on J.D. Drew’s game winning hit.
There I am, dancing around the living room while my wife is fast asleep on the couch. Haha. But, who would have thought? Seriously!! Down 7-0 in the 7th?
We go back to Tampa. There is still a lot of work to be done, but ANYTHING can happen, as we just witnessed. There are lots of questions though:
Can Beckett be Beckett?
Is the offense back?
Should Francona swap Lester to game 6 (on normal rest) and Beckett for game 7 (on extra rest)?
Saturday can’t get here fast enough for me.
Whew!
Time to Panic? I think not!
It’s been a busy week, both for me and for baseball. Sorry for the absence of posts, however, I was helping the little woman prepare the house for a party in celebration of our daughter’s 1st Birthday / Baptism which took place on Sunday. The event was a success, while the Patriots game later that night was not a success.
Anyway, a lot has happened. The Phillies are on the verge of returning to the World Series for the first time since 1993 (oh Mitch Williams, your redemption may come) after taking a 3 – 1 series lead over the Dodgers. Game 3 of the series provide a weak attempt at recreating the Red Sox – Rays brawl from this summer. It was another humorous square dancing event, rather than a fight.
Meanwhile, our beloved Red Sox started out great, shutting out the Rays in Game 1 behind a great pitching performance by Dice-K. Red Sox fans had visions of a 3 game to zero lead in their head with Beckett and Lester to follow, but the Rays bats through in a monkey wrench. Tampa’s offense came alive with back-to-back games of 9 runs, bashing 7 HRs in the processes, reducing Beckett and Lester to the likes of John Wasdin and Matt Young (minus the walks).
Meanwhile (I feel like the narrator from the old Batman TV series with all of these meanwhiles), the Red Sox lumber have seem to take an extended slumber. Aside from Pedroia (.545), Youkilis (.429), and Bay (.455) not another batter is batting above .250. Ellsbury, Ortiz, and Varitek are all hitless in the series.
Should we be worrying? History says no. We all remember 2004, down 3 games to zero to the Yankees, don’t we? How about 2007 where we were down 3 games to 1 to the Indians and had to face their 2 best pitchers in games 6 and 7? So, being down 2 games to 1 while troublesome, is not worrisome on the whole.
Tonight, we have Tim Wakefield slated to start against Andy Sonnanstine in Game 4. In 3 starts this season versus TB, Wakefield is 0-2 with a 5.87 ERA. The Red Sox have lost all 3 of those games. Sonnanstine, in 2 starts, is 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA. He has given up only 7 hits, 2 walks and 2 Unearned runs in 13 innings while Tampa has won both of those games. So, looking at those numbers, it doesn’t look good for tonight.
However, so far in these 3 games, nothing has really gone as anticipated. I mean, how many people predicted that Jacoby Ellsbury and David Ortiz would combine for zero hits and 1 RBI in the 3 games? Would you be surprised if Wakefield went 8 innings of 3 hit baseball? Well, maybe! There is still lots of baseball to be played, and lots of thing could be happen. That one thing that would truly be surprising, though, is if Ortiz finishes the series still without a hit.
Go Sox!
Red Sox – Angels Thoughts
- A bases clearing single? (the first in MLB post-season history)
- 2 HRs allowed? (1st HRs by allowed to RH batter since July)
- Beckett looking like Colon.
- K-Rod looking like…well, honestly K-Rod (had the 4th highest WHIP in MLB (2nd highest in AL) of relievers with 30 or more saves.
- 27 runners LOB
- 0 for 13 and 0 for 8. 20 – 39 (.513 AVG of Tex, Vlad, Hunter who combine for over half of the Angels 36 hits so far)
- 7 – 40 (.175 AVG of Pedroia, Papi, and Youk)
Just some interesting numbers, trends, and such.
Was Beckett rusty or is the oblique still causing trouble? This was the perfect situations for the Sox. Up 2 games to none. Their best post-season pitcher on the hill. Back home in Fenway park. Everybody though that tonight would be the clincher. However, the Angels showed why they had the best record in the majors, along with an 8-1 record against the Sox this season. The win was their 6th in a row at Fenway park.
Tonight, we have Lester against Lackey. Lester has been incredible at Fenway (11-1, 2.49 ERA) while Lackey, including his almost no-hitter versus the Sox at Fenway earlier this season, has a 2-4 record with a 6.34 ERA. This is a big game for the Sox, because I am not really looking forward to seeing Dice-K pitch again, especially to that Big 3. So, the question for tonight’s game is which Lackey is going to show up? The battered Lackey from 2007 who blown up in Fenway or the Lackey from July, who lost a no-hitter and shut-out in the 9th thanks to Pedroia and Youk, but was UNTOUCHABLE up until then.
A final ominous sign from Buster Olney’s blog over at ESPN.com:
“Mike Napoli hit two homers, and is just the sixth catcher ever to have a multi-homer game in the postseason. The previous five have all been on the team that won the World Series that year.
Multi-Home Run Postseason Game by Catcher
2008 – Mike Napoli (Angels)
2005 – AJ Pierzynski (White Sox)
1986 (aye curumba) – Gary Carter (Mets)
1976 – Johnny Bench (Reds)
1972 – Gene Tenace (A’s)
1956 – Yogi Berra (Yankees)”
So, with that piece of info, maybe Chip Carey is right. The pressure is back on the Red Sox tonight. Haha.
Go Sox!
Gasp Heard Through Boston
While the Sox appeared not to want the regular season to end, defeating the Yankees with a Jonathan Van Every bases loaded single in the bottom of the 10th, the bigger news of the day was Josh Beckett.
Apparently, Beckett suffered a strained oblique muscle while pitching a bullpen session on Friday. In his post game press conference, manager Terry Francona announced that Jon Lester would pitch Game 1 vs the Angels followed by Matsuzaka for Game 2, and Josh Beckett for Game 3.
With the status of Mike Lowell questionable as well, those are 2 big injuries that could potentially hurt the Sox chances against the Angels in this opening round of the playoffs. Hopefully the extra days of rest will be beneficial to both Beckett and Lowell. Meanwhile, all of Red Sox Nations holds their breath.
A little tidbit: This is the Red Sox 6th Wild Card Appearance since it was implemented back in 1994. That is the most in all of MLB.
GO SOX!
Dreams Drowned Out. Can’t we flood the domes?
Well, the Sox’ dream of winning the AL East were drowned out last
night, literally, as the Yanks spanked a plethora of pitcher in route
to a 19-8 victory. Hey, that score rings a bell to me. Oh, yeah…I
remember:
We all remember what happened after that game…
Anyway,
congratulations to the Tampa Bay Rays on officially winning the AL East
last night. What an amazing season they’ve had, indeed. It is actually
refreshing to see a team other than the Yankees or Red Sox winning the
AL East. I probably wouldn’t be saying that if the Red Sox didn’t
clinch the wild card, but they did finish third in 2005. The Rays are
actually a team I could root for, except for the 2 things:
1) They play in the AL East.
2) They play in a Dome.
I
hate domes. For baseball or football, it doesn’t matter, it is just
strange to watch a game in those venues. Basketball is an indoor sport.
Not baseball. Not football. Not too mention, the game should be played
on REAL grass, definitely not turf. It is one of the reasons I am
hoping the White Sox win the Central instead of the Twins. The
Metrodome is one of the ugliest looking places I’ve seen. Thank
goodness Minnesota is getting a new stadium in 2010.
This
playoff race is getting great. Twins still lead the White Sox by a 1/2
game after each team lost last night. The Twins have 2 to play while
the White Sox may have 3 to play. The Mets lost while both the Phillies
and Brewers won, seriously crippling the Mets playoff chances. Phillies
need 1 win in the final 2 to lock up the East, or just need the Mets to
lose again which is the more likely scenario. The Brewers took a 1 game
lead in the Wild Card with 2 games to play. Any Brewers win and Mets
loss clinches the post season for Milwaukee.
I wish I had the MLB Ticket today, 4 must watch games, plus Yankees – Red Sox. I will definately refreshing ESPN MLB Scoreboard quite a bit today.
Anyway,
the Sox will send Beckett out today and Matsuzaka to the hill on Sunday
as it appears they will be setting their post season rotation as: 1)
Beckett, 2) Matsuzaka, 3) Lester, and 4) Depends on if Angels pick
“Series A” or “Series B”. There had been a lot of debate on the
airwaves about whether Lester or Matsuzaka should be the #2 pitcher in
the post season. Most of the arugments stemmed from Matsuzaka’s
performance on the road this season and Lester performance at Fenway
while others argued that your 2nd best pitcher should start #2 no
matter the circumstances.
The biggest news, though, is the
status of Mike Lowell. He left last night’s game after he appeared to
be in a lot of pain. So, his status for the post season remains in
doubt. It will be a big blow if he is not on the roster.
It’s
not raining right now, so hopefully they’ll be able to get in today’s
game and hopefully we can finish the regular season on a good note.
Go Sox!
Where’d August Go???
Wow! A month since my last post. Work and vacation can do that to you. To all my loyal readers (all zero of you, I guess), I apologize for that.
However, the Sox were busy in August. Aside from playing .667 (18-9) ball, they acquired Paul Byrd and Mark Kotsay in trades, while signing David Ross and Jason Lane to minor league deals to bolster their depth.
Despite their great August, they went from 3 games behind the Rays to 5 1/2 games behind as Tampa played an amazing .750 ball in August, winning 21 out of 28 games.
With one month left to play, the Sox will definately have their work cut out for them, to catch the Rays. A lot of “experts”, are expecting the Rays to fold under the pennant race limelight. However, I do not think that will happen. The Rays have solid pitching (in both their starters and bullpen) along with a solid defense. Even if their offense does cool down, their all-round ability should be able to carry them through to the end.
The Sox and Rays are pretty much a lock for the playoffs, as I don’t think the Twins or the White Sox will overtake Boston in the wildcard. That leaves just the Twins and White Sox to battle it out for the Central Division and last AL Playoff Berth.
How about Dustin Pedroia. What a month!!! .374 average, 1.060 OPS, 43 hits, 10 2Bs, 6 HRs, 20 RBIs, 5 SBs without being caught. AL Player of the Week, and likely Player of the Month. Clean up Hitter?? Who would of thunk it.
Pedroia on fire. David Ortiz is heating up. Coco Crisp is almost as hot as Pedroia. Beckett and Lowell back soon from the DL. Youkillis, Bay, Kotsay, Varitek all playing well. Going to be a wild September and October.
Go Sox!!!!
GremEQ
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