Sox Sign Wakefield for 2009

Tim Wakefield will be a Red Sox again in 2009. The Red Sox exercised their option to sign him for $4,000,000.

Wakefield is a solid #4 or #5 starter who can eat up innings and give you 10+ wins a year. Lately, Wake has been plagued by some nagging back injuries, but he managed to finish this past season with 150+ innings. When he gets into a groove Wakefield is unhittable at times.

Someone very happy to see Wake re-sign is Kevin Cash. Cash is Wake's personal catcher, so it looks like Cash will be back as well.

Wakefield's signing gives the Sox another year to get Clay Buchholz settled down before taking a regular turn in the rotation. Wake will join Beckett, Lester & Dice-K to form a great starting staff.

Good move to re-sign Wake.

2009 Version of Big Papi

Do we give Big Papi a pass this year for turning into A-Rod in the playoffs? Of course we do.

Hip, knee, wrist -- all injuries that take something out of your natural swing. I'm looking for Ortiz to have a monster year in 2009. He has a great eye at the plate. Plus he will be more comfortable with Youk, Bay & Drew surrounding him.

If not every fan - like my anonymous commentor - has given up on Lugo yet, we certainly can't give up on Big Papi. I think he has several more good years in him. I don't see free agents like Adam Dunn or Ken Griffey, Jr. being a plus on this team.

Phillies Win

Let's give the Phillies their due for beating a very hot Tampa Bay Rays team. It would have made for a better Cinderella story had the Rays completed the series with a win, but the people of Philadelphia haven't had much to cheer about in a long time. So congrats to the Phils & the Rays for 2 great seasons.

One sports writer said that the Boston series may have taken too much out of the Rays. Similar to the Yankees - Red Sox when they play. There may be some truth to that. But, as one of my blog commentors said, let's see if the Rays can do it again next year.

10 days & counting now until free agency begins. The big names out there are C.C. Sabathia, Jake Peavy, Ken Griffey, Jr. & Mark Texeira. Our biggest free agent is Jason Varitek who will probably resign with the Red Sox fairly quick. There needs to be a meeting of the minds on how much & how long. Neither side wants the other to leave.

Will Coco, Ellsbury &/or Lugo be used for trade bait? I say no, but you never know. It should be an interesting hot stove.

Did Selig Blow Game 5?

I read a newspaper article today that expressed my thoughts about the World Series.

- It slammed Selig for starting these World Series games so late. Viewers on the East coast have to stay up until 1:00 - 1:30 to watch an entire game. Kids don't get to see the Series at all.

- It slammed the TV media for requiring managers to do "in game" interviews. These interviews are a waste of time. No manager or pitching coach ever comes on & says their team is doing poorly or is going to lose. Let the coaches coach during a game.

- Finally, it slammed Selig for even starting Game 5 under the poor weather conditions in Philly. I guess Selig had to appease FOX so that their ratings wouldn't suffer.

The point of the article is that the fan always pays. It's commercial after commercial in-between innings, so much so that you miss the 1st pitch sometimes. It's late nights. It's higher ticket prices.

Baseball needs to do something for their fans soon, or risk seeing stadiums with more vacant seats. This sport is not immune from the economic slowdown.

The Case for Julio Lugo

Julio Lugo has been a less than "as advertised" addition to the Red Sox. The Sox have had a revolving door of shortstops over the past several years since Nomar's departure. Julio is the only one to last more than one year.


The expectation was that Lugo would be a leadoff threat to hit near .300 every year & steal several bases on offense. His defense was average at best, but the thinking was his offense would make up for it. In Year One his batting average was down, but his RBI were in the 70-80 range which made up for the poor average. His fielding was average and the Red Sox were able to win a World Series with him at short. In fact, Lugo played very well in the series on both sides of the ball.


Year 2 was a different story. The RBI did not come this past year. The batting average was still low. On defense Julio accounted for 50% of all the Sox errors. In July Lugo sustained a major leg injury that kept him out of the lineup for the rest of the year. His replacement, Jed Lowrie, started getting those key RBI & played a solid shortstop. At one point the Red Sox defense went from middle of the pack to top of the pack with Lowrie at short. Lowrie's bat, however, peetered out at the end of the year & into the playoffs. Jed did get the ground ball through the infield to beat the Angels in the ALDS.


Lugo has 2 more years on his contract at $9 mil a year. Theo says that the Sox are glad to have 2 players at short. At this point Theo & Co. can keep both or try to move Lugo by splitting his salary with another team.

Here's the questions for this week:


- Should the Sox move Lugo?


- Is Lowrie ready for a 162-game schedule?


- Is there another shortstop out there?


- Does resigning Cora figure into this scenario?

I know one of my brothers is all for moving Lugo. I think it depends on what you can get in return.

I look forward to your thoughts this week.

3 No-Hitters Goes International

I'm proud to say that we had our first international visitor to this blog. My stat report shows that we had a visitor view the blog from the country of Turkey. I assume that our visitor is an American soldier stationed there who also happens to be a Red Sox fan.

If I am correct & our visitor logs on again, please know that we hope you stay safe & come home soon. Thank you for your service to our country.

Varitek Re-Signing Still Hot Topic

I've had several people talk to me about the resigning of Jason Varitek being the top off-season priority for Theo & Co. I had one in-depth comment from "crue4ryan" with many facts about other catchers who might be available & why we should stick with Varitek. (See previous posting.)

The general consensus that I put together from everyone so far is:

1) We want Varitek back. No doubt about that.

2) No sweetheart deal like Posada's. Too long & too expensive.

3) Length of contract should be 2-3 years.

4) Money should be between a low of $5 mil to a max of $8 mil per year.

Varitek makes no bones about wanting to finish his career in Boston. So, as long as Mr. Boras doesn't get crazy, calmer heads should prevail & a contract get worked out before the Christmas holiday.

I appreciate everyone's thoughts. Drop a comment if you want to be heard on re-signing Jason Varitek.

The Case for Jason Varitek

If you read the Red Sox website, Theo & the players are all saying the right things about Jason Varitek. He works hard, studies to be prepared & handles the pitching staff well. Youk said it would be a shock not to see Varitek in the locker room in Fort Myers next year. Offense is obviously the weak point.

On the negative side is Scott Boras, the agent for Varitek. While the Sox seem to negotiate with Boras pretty well (a la Dice-K & others) the fact that there are not a lot of quality catchers out there will definitely be a bargaining point in favor of Boras - Varitek. Theo, however, is not interested in a Posada-type deal for similar length of contract or money.

So let the fun begin. If I'm Theo, here's my offer to Varitek:

- 2 years guaranteed, $8 million a year

- club option for 3rd year, $8 million again

Let me know what you would offer the Captain if you were Theo. I believe that Varitek's last contract was 4-years, $10 million a year.

Hot Stove Begins Soon

It won't take long for the end of 2008 to fade & thoughts will turn to 2009. There will be several interesting topics for discussion over the next four months.

- Will Jason Varitek reach an agreement on a new contract?

- Will the MASH unit of Ortiz, Lowell & Drew all require off-season surgery?

- Will Julio Lugo be on the roster come Spring Training?

- Is Curt Schilling all done?

- Will Mark Kotsay be offered a contract?

- Does Paul Byrd fit into the future plans?

- Will Wakefield & Timlin call it a career?

- Will Manny sign with the Yankees?

These & many more questions will be bantered about during October, November, December & January before the boys report to Fort Myers in February. It will be a fun hot stove season.

I look forward to your comments.

A Job Well Done

The goal of every MLB team is to win the World Series. However, sometimes coming in second is still a great accomplishment. That's how I feel about this season.

The Red Sox gave their fans more than expected this year. Other than Jon Lester, every starting pitcher spent time on the DL. Big Papi missed 1/3 of the season. J.D. Drew missed 2 months. Both were playing hurt. Mike Lowell was out during the year & for the better part of the post-season. Hard to replace all those contributors from the past, especially Lowell at the plate. I still think the Red Sox have the best starting 9 when everyone is healthy.

Game 5 was a magical comeback for the ages. Game 6 was a grind-it-out win. Game 7 was just one big hit short with men on base. You can only comeback against good teams so many times.

As one of my blog commentors said, Tampa Bay seems to be a team of destiny this year. You knew Game 7 was not going well when a little ground ball by Baldelli finds a hole to produce a run. It's a game of inches & we couldn't find any holes tonight.

Good year by the Red Sox players. Good luck to the Rays in the World Series.

Nothing Like a Game 7

You can't get more suspenseful. One game to go to the World Series.

If you are the Rays, you have one game to turn things around. The big choke in Game 5 by the bullpen & lack of offense in Game 6 have your team in a tailspin.

If you are the Red Sox, you have one game to win & head back to the World Series to defend your crown. Winning two in a row at the Trop would take away the 8 out of 9 losses during the regular season.

Fans from both sides are getting their money's worth. Watch for both managers to have quick hooks tonight & unload every pitcher necessary to get a win.

One key for me is the inconsistent defense shown lately by the Rays. Longoria in Game 5. Bartlett in Game 6. Gabe Gross in right in the last 2 games. I think the pressure is getting to them.

Get ready, Red Sox fans, for another long night of baseball. There will be many tired eyes at work on Monday.

Deja Vu All Over Again

Beckett, Okajima, Masterson & Papelbon provided the pitching. Youk & Varitek provided the power. Game 6 goes to the Red Sox 4-2. Now onto Game 7.

Those who answered "yes" to our poll question are correct. This series is going to 7 games. And it's another ALCS series comeback to the credit of the Sox who just won't give up.

Don't you feel good for Varitek? His one hit is a home run that puts the Sox ahead to stay. And how about Coco getting on base 4 times? He's a guy that was benched last year for lack of offense.

Momentum has definitely changed. The World Series is 1 win away. But winning 2 in a row at the Trop will be no easy task.

I look for a blowout win for the Sox as the Rays crack under the pressure of a Game 7.

Talking Heads Pick Tampa Bay

The national media is still picking the Rays to finish off the Red Sox. Let them.

The TBS announcers pulled out stat after stat about who did what in the regular season. Hello, boys! This isn't fantasy baseball. The only stat that matters now is how a pitcher feels on Saturday or how a hitter feels on Saturday. It's why you play the game.

How many times did we hear that when Longoria knocks in a run the Rays almost always win? How many times did they say when Tampa is up by 5 runs in the 7th they never lose? Wrong on both counts, weren't they?

I heard a speech once by Mike Eruzione, captain of the 1980 US Olympic Hockey team. He said on paper the US team should have never won the Gold Medal. But it's the intangibles that define a team -- your hustle, your work ethic & most of all your heart.

The Sox showed a lot of heart on Friday. They proved all the experts wrong. Let's hope the intangibles take them to another win on Saturday.

Feel Good Friday

Didn't you go to work with a little more zip in your step today? Or maybe you went to school with a smile on your face?

A Red Sox win makes everything right with the world. Even better is a huge come-from-behind win in the playoffs.

Pump out your chest, fans. Our boys just won't go down easy. They make you believe again that anything is possible.

Beckett Due

There is no question that Josh Beckett does not have the velocity of 94-95-96 anymore. However, 91-92-93 with good location to compliment a good curve & change may be enough to keep the demoralized Rays in their current funk.

Maddon was quick to comment that his team will put this Game 5 behind them. No, no. Not so fast, Joe. As a player, you know that you just blew a chance to go to the World Series. Now the shoe is on the other foot. If the Rays get behind, they will have hitters that are pressing. And the bullpen knows that they can give it up.

The message for the Sox in Game 6 is clear. Get "Big Game" James out of there early & let's get to their shaky bullpen.

Rays Bubble Bursts

As Casey says,"it ain't over till it's over."

The fans of Red Sox Nation were treated to another October gem last night in Game 5. Instant classic -- I'd say so.

It's seemed like a night for the lefties -- Coco, Kotsay, Big Papi & J.D. Drew twice. Jon Papelbon & Justin Masterson closed the door for the final 3 innings. Meanwhile, the Rays bullpen imploded.

My contention all along is that the Red Sox have already overachieved this year by making the playoffs & beating the LA Angels of Anaheim in the first round. They just had too many injuries to overcome & suspect starting pitching to go this far. And yet they have. And here we go with another Game 6.

The sleeping giants on offense for the Sox are awake now. The Rays are coming back down to earth. Are the sun, the moon & the stars aligning again?

Youth 3, Experience 1

The ALCS was billed as a match-up between the youth of Tampa Bay & the experience of Boston. So far, youth has come out way ahead.

Longoria, Upton & Company have performed at the highest level thus far in the ALCS. The Rays starting pitching of Shields, Garza & Sonnanstine have shutdown the Red Sox offense. Only Kazmir has been touched up by the Sox bats.

Dice-K will try to spin another gem against Shields in Game 5. Then it will be up to Beckett & Lester to redeem themselves from their first game losses. If not, we will be spectators & not participants in the World Series.

Let's see if the Sox can pull it together in Game 5.

No Pitching Equals No Wins

I feel like I'm writing a eulogy for a dead team. Down 3-1 now to the Rays the Red Sox will need to pull another rabbit out of their playoff hat. Giving up 9 or more runs per game in each of the past 3 consecutive losses to Tampa Bay is a recipe for disaster.

However, no team is ever as bad or as good as they appear. Law of averages suggests that the Red Sox pitchers cannot continue to give up 9 runs per game. It also suggests that the Red Sox hitters will start to have their balls find holes.

Maybe the day off is coming at the right time. It may cool of the Rays. If the Sox can get some momentum going in Game 5 & eke out a win, you never know what can happen. Dice-K will need another big performance as in Game 1.

I'm ready for a day off. It's been tough to watch lately.

Recipe for Game 4

Tampa Bay demolished the Red Sox by a score of 9-1 in Game 3. The Sox were outhit, especially by the long ball, & outpitched. Their few opportunities to score runs just didn't materialize via a key hit.

Recipe for Game 4:

1) Forget Game 3. It's history.

2) Get a lead early & keep it.

Cash will catch Wakefield, so we don't need to worry about Varitek at the plate. I'd give Coco a start in center since Ellsbury is so cold. I'd start Lowrie at short instead of Cora for a better bat.

Other than one long ball, Drew has been ineffective at the plate. Ortiz has been absent from the offense as well. Both of these guys need to figure into the offense starting tomorrow. It can't be Pedroia - Youk - Bay every game. It's nice to see that Kotsay has hit the ball hard just about every time at the plate.

If Drew can't go, I'd put Casey at first & move Kotsay to RF. Casey is good for at least one hit every game.

It's time to shake things up a little with the non-productive parts of the order. I wouldn't mind seeing Casey hit for Ortiz & give him a day off to clear his head.

We did come back from 3-0 against the Yankees & 3-1 against Cleveland last year. But you can't go that route too many times before getting burned. We need a win in Game 4.

Jon Lester's Time

It's another coming out party.

Dustin Pedroia has followed-up a Rookie of the Year season with an MVP season.

Kevin Youkilis has gone from an anywhere-in-the-order hitter to clean-up hitter with a power stroke.

Jed Lowrie has made the jump from the minors to play steady defense & contribute timely RBI for the big club in just over half a season & the playoffs.

And maybe the biggest change is Jon Lester's evolution from cancer survivor & middle-of-rotation starter to the Sox's ace. Once you survive cancer there is no pressure. So Lester is the perfect starter for Game 3 this afternoon. I'm confident that he will give the Red Sox a much needed 2-1 lead in games & take back the momentum of the series.

If Dice-K & Lester can each win 2 games, we go to the World Series. I'm still expecting a back & forth 7-game ALCS with the Sox winning 4-3.

The Pedroia-Youk-Bay Show

The 2008 playoffs are certainly different than 2007. Just look at who's doing what this year.

2007 -- Manny, Big Papi, Beckett, Schilling, Lowell

2008 -- Pedroia, Youk, Bay, Lester, Dice-K

It's mind-blowing to see the change in one year. The cast of characters & the roles that they bring to the team have changed immensely.

2008 is now the offensive team of Pedroia, Youkilis & Bay. You may get spot contributions from Big Papi, Drew & Lowrie, but the #2, #4 & #5 spots in the order have been the most consistent.

2008 pitching staff is now anchored by Lester & Dice-K, along with Masterson in the pen. Pap is still the closer & a good one.

It goes to show you how quickly things change from year-to-year. Without the youth movement & some key trades the Red Sox would be at home this year like the Yankees.

Where is David Ortiz?

Big Papi -- where are you? It's hard to be slumping during the playoffs because every at-bat is more noticeable.

With Mike Lowell out, J.D. Drew questionable (especially when a lefty pitches) & Beckett not pitching Beckett-like, I guess Big Papi feels the need to stay in the lineup. One positive is that Ortiz still has a good eye at the plate & draws a walk or two every game. With Youk & Bay hitting well behind him the Big Guy has actually become a table-setter for them.

If you have ever seen a Red Sox game in person, you know that Ortiz is a presence when he walks into the batter's box. He would scare me if I was pitching. One mistake could cost you a run. The Rays respect that & are still pitching carefully to him.

Ortiz is just one in a long list of players who are physically beat up at this time of year. Now in his 30's like Lowell & Drew the marathon of 162 games plus playoffs begins to add up on a body. It was Ortiz' knee last year that had to be operated on & rehabbed in the off-season. This year it will be his wrist.

Don't count him out, yet. There are still more games to go. Big Papi will find a way to contribute, even if it's just getting on base & scoring runs instead of knocking them in.

Francona Pulls a Grady Little

Game 2 of the ALCS had a little of everything, in fact too much to re-hash today. My beef is about how long Francona stuck with an ineffective Beckett who gave the lead back to the Rays 3 times before his exit in the 5th inning.

It was reminiscent of Game 7 in 2003 when Grady Little stuck with Pedro after he got hammered by the Yankees. We all know how that one turned out.

As a pitcher, you know when you're going good or struggling. You may not like an early hook from a manager, but the question for the manager becomes "do you want to win or not offend a star."

Just like in the Pedro incident, prior to the inning, I would have told Beckett that if anyone gets on, you're coming out. That way there are no surprises. Yes, I would have let him go out to start the 5th, but the leash would have been much shorter.

Think back to Game 1 when Tito let Dice-K start the 8th. That was a bit odd with the whole bullpen available & could have cost the Sox an opening game win.

In the big picture the Sox did what they had to do -- get a split at the Trop. Game 2 was certainly winnable, though, & I hope it doesn't come back to bite us.

Red Sox Drop Rays at Trop

It only happened once this year that the Red Sox won at the Trop. Make it 2 now as the Sox start the ALCS with a stunning 2-0 win. The loss in Game 1 now takes home field advantage away from the Rays.

As I watched the game from the 7th inning on, the TBS announcers kept mentioning how badly the Rays outscored the Red Sox in late innings. That was the regular season, boys. None of that happened last night.

Dice-K was superb. Oki got a big out with Pena on a 3-0 pitch. Masterson got his usual double play ball. And Pap was lights out in the 9th. The offense did just enought against Shields to scratch out 2 runs for the win. Lowrie had a big sac fly for the 1st run & Youk drove in the 2nd run on his 3rd hit of the night.

A great win for the Sox. A terrible loss for the Rays who lost their late inning magic -- at least for 1 game. It was a great statement game & assures a split in Tampa Bay. Let's see if the Sox can make it 2 in a row behind Beckett tonight.

Finally, does Jhonny Gomes still bother anyone else besides me? His mohawk is ugly & he looks like he's just waiting for another fight. Just my prejudice I guess...

Dice-K Gets Game 1

Dice-K gets to start the best of 7 ALCS tonight against the Tampa Bay Rays. His last outing in the ALDS against the Angels was a short 5 innings. Maybe the extra rest will keep him strong & sharp tonight.

His counterpart in James Shields has pitched well against the Sox & just about every other team in the league. Shields also has the comfort of knowing that the Sox have lost 8 out of 9 at the Trop this year.

Who's pitching will step up? Who's offense will get the key hits? Just like the Angels series, it may come down to a missed bunt or one throw to the plate. Strap in & get ready for a great series.

I like the Sox in 7 games.

Manny Ramirez

Like a lot of Sox fans, I'm mean when it comes to ex-Red Sox players. I'm glad that Johnny Damon & the Yankees are out. I'm glad that Pedro Martinez & the Mets are out.

It's too bad that Manny & the Dodgers are in. I hope that the Phillies sweep the Dodgers in 4 & they send Manny packing for the season. Joe Torre has had a little taste of what Francona has had to put up with for 5 years. How do you treat Manny & his hair differently than the other 24 players & still not sacrifice control of your team?

I was in a restaurant after the Manny trade. On their sideboard it had a drawing of Manny & in Spanish it said"Good luck Manny in LA. Thanks for everything." I wanted to barf.

If you or I show up for work & do nothing all day, we get fired. In a perfect world, that would have happened to Manny. The Red Sox should have fired him & withheld his pay. Maybe that would have got his attention & had him come back down to Planet Earth.

But Manny lives in a different universe. He gets to set the agenda. He gets his wish that the Red Sox not pick-up his options. He gets to play hard for 2 months, even run out ground balls, so he can make $25 million or more for the next 3 or 4 years. It's a crime.

I guess what irked me the most was his comment during the first press conference in LA. Manny wanted to thank all his loyal fans in Boston. Wake up, people! Let me translate his comment for you. I want to thank all you fans who let me do whatever I wanted -- knock down a member of the Red Sox management for not getting me 200 tickets at a moment's notice; pick a fight with Youk in the dugout; not play hard or run out my hits if I didn't feel like it; take 3 straight pitches for strikes against the Yankees. The list could go on & on.

In this economy the average person is hoping to keep their job. The average guy is wondering how he will pay his heating bill this winter. The average family is trying to pay their mortgage, keep their home & save for their kids to go to college. Remember that when you hear about Manny signing his next contract & getting his way.

Manny is a shining example of the "me" culture in sports & once again shows how talent makes everything else OK.

ALCS Don'ts

Do you have pet peeves? Of course you do.

There are several things that will irk me in the Rays series & interfere with my enjoyment of the ALCS. Here they are...

- If FOX shows the brawl footage over & over again with Coco & Shields. It's over & done with. Let it go. Stop re-living something that happened 5 months ago. Stay in the present.

- If we see anymore "head cases" waiving to the camera during the game with their cell phone in the ear. Having been at Fenway & annoyed by those idiots around home plate, I know how exasperating it is to the real fans around them. Sit down. Watch the game. Cheer. Do you think that your 5 seconds of air time is going to change you life or get you a better date? Idiots.

- If FOX shows so many commercials between innings that we miss the first pitch. I think Ortiz hit a home run last year that they had to show on replay because they were late coming back from a commercial. The TV network knows to the second how long the break is in-between innings. Yet they have to show that one extra 30 -econd commercial & run over.

What's the chances of changing any of the 3 items above? Probably none, but it's good to get them off my chest.

Jon Lester's Rise to #1

My mom passed away in 2007. She was a big Red Sox fan.

When the news broke that Jon Lester had cancer she immediately said he would beat it & pitch again. I asked her why she thought that way. Mom just said that she knew it. Since mothers always know best I never argued.

After the first round of the playoffs & the 2008 regular season I guess Mom was right. Jon Lester has gone from a #3 or #4 starter who might go 5 innings to the #1 starter & closer of the Red Sox staff. His stuff is electric. Lester reminds me of a bigger version of Scott Kazmir. We will get to see both in the upcoming ALCS.

Nice to see good things happening to a good person like Jon Lester.

COMMENTS -- send your opinions to 3nohitters@gmail.com.

Angels Lose Series

Don't get me wrong. I think the Red Sox achieved a great series win over a tough Angels team with Varitek, Bay & Lowrie coming through in the 9th inning for a 3-2 win.

Didn't you think, though, that the Angels really lost it? Shoddy play in the field game after game led to unearned Red Sox runs. Never getting the big hit, except for Napoli in Game 3, when they needed it. Lots of whining over umpire calls. I especially thought that Torii Hunter was way over the top with his emotions, something you rarely saw from him in Minnesota.

In the end it was Varitek's tagout on Willits that turned things around in the 9th. Next thing you know it's a bloop double by Bay & a seeing-eye groundball by Lowrie. Game over. Series over. Onto Tampa Bay.

Congrats to the players, coaches & management on going further than all the experts predicted. In an injury-riddled year I think that making the final 4 is an amazing accomplishment.

COMMENTS - please send your thoughts to 3nohitters@gmail.com.

Lester - Lackey Round 2 Tonight

Game 1 was a nail-biter when Jon Lester outdueled John Lackey. Can Lester work his magic again?

Both pitchers are working on 3 days rest which could effect the velocity of pitches. However, shorter rest sometimes makes your breaking balls better because you don't overthrow them.

It should be another interesting game. The Angels are definitely one of the best 6 teams still standing. Good to know that the Rays - White Sox series is going to a Game 4 as well. No team should have more rest than another if both ends tonight.

I'm looking for Pedroia & Ortiz to find some holes tonight. The offense has been limited to Ellsbury, Youk & Bay, plus one big contribution from J.D. Drew. It would be nice to get the 7-8-9 batters to deliver with RISP.

Get ready for another late night. The Angels are a great test for the Sox.

COMMENTS can be sent to 3nohitters@gmail.com.

Angels Stay Alive

Halloween is coming up soon, but let's hope that this game doesn't come back to haunt the Red Sox. After a colossal blunder by Howie Kendrick with the bases loaded that plated 3 runs the Angels fought back for a 5-4 win in extra innings.

Concerns for the Red Sox:

1) Never let a team who won 100 games get life back in a short series.

2) Josh Beckett showed signs of rust & was average at best.

3) Mike Lowell continues to be a liability in the field & at the bat.

4) David Ortiz has gone cold at the plate again.

Beckett & Lowell, the 2 ex-Florida Marlins who were such a key for the playoff run last year, are struggling this year. Ortiz looks uncomfortable at the plate. In addition to these 3, Pedroia has hit the ball hard, but has nothing to show for it. And J.D. Drew is always questionable.

Francona will have several decisions to make when filling out his lineup card today. The fans at Fenway make a difference, as Kendrick can tell you, so I look for the fans to help the Sox close out the series today. We need to end it.

COMMENTS can be left at 3nohitters@gmail.com.

Cub Fans Wait Another Year

The Chicago Cubs did it again. They lost in the first round of the playoffs. Their fans have to wait another year to break the longest World Series curse in baseball.

I had a coach who would tell our team during tournaments that it is easier to win once you have been a winner. And, on the flip side, it takes a lot of hard work & extra work to get out of a losing streak.

We Red Sox fans know the history of losing quite well during the 20th century. It took a bloody sock, a fortuitous bounce & other crazy happenings for the Red Sox to win in 2004. Maybe the sun, the moon & the stars will align for the Cubs next year.

Don't give up, Cubbie fans. 2008 is just another memory now. Spring training for 2009 is only 4 months away.

9th Inning Belongs to Sox

In Game 1 the Red Sox added 2 runs in the 9th to break up a nail-biter & beat the Angels 4-1. Again last night, J.D. Drew's 2-run homer provided the difference in 9th as the Sox take a 7-5 win in Game 2. Like the Phillies, Dodgers & Rays, the Sox now have a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five opening round of the playoffs as they return home to Fenway.

Huge performances for me last night...

1) Obviously, the J.D. Drew homer after Ortiz almost knocked one out before him. K-Rod may be feeling the need to pack his bags after this season & take the Manny shuffle out of town.

2) The play of Kevin Youkilis at 3B in the 9th with a great bare-handed field & throw of a bunt by Torii Hunter for the first out. Then, his reaching into the camera well of photographers to snare a foul ball for the 2nd out. Mike Lowell couldn't have played either ball any better.

3) Jonathan Papelbon coming on in the 8th inning to limit the damage to one run, then returning to close the 9th for a 2-inning save.

I question Francona's use, or non-use, of all his weapons in the bullpen. It's as if Delcarmen & Lopez don't exist except to warm-up. Why have Okajima start the 7th? Why have Masterson start the 8th? Unless there are sore arms we don't know about, why not go for the best matchups? Hard to complain, though, when you are 2-0 in road wins.

Look for Josh Beckett to have a solid outing on Sunday & wrap this series up.

Can Dice-K Go Deep?

It's a hard act to follow what Jon Lester did on Wednesday. I know something about that since I was a #2 pitcher most of my playing career. My advice for the Dice-man is to pitch his own game. Do what he does best.

We have a rested bullpen. With a day off everyone is available -- Lopez, Masterson, Delcarmen, Okajima & Papelbon. Even if Dice-K pitches 5 scoreless & out, we should be able to handle it.

On the offensive side I look for Pedroia, Youk, Drew & Ortiz to get more involved. We got a win without a lot of production for #2, #3, #4 & #5. It was basically the Ellsbury & Bay show in Game 1.

I still think Mike Lowell should take the next game off. His liabilities are too overwhelming.

Look for another nail-biting, low-scoring affair.

Red Sox Bring Angels Down

Last night's opener was a game of role reversal. The speed & timely hitting of the Red Sox brought down the high-flying Angels in Game 1 of the ALDS.

Did I mention Jon Lester? The trio of Lester-Masterson-Papelbon shutdown the Angels offense & outpitched Lackey & Co.

Here's my takeaways from last night.

1. Jacob Ellsbury is back offensively. He is money in the outfield too. Coco doesn't make that catch in the 8th with his glove on the left hand. Baseball is a game of inches.

2. Big Papi got a big RBI in the 9th by hitting one through the shift. That may settle him down for the rest of the series.

3. Jon Lester is the Sox ace, at least for the rest of the post-season. He & Varitek had a great game plan that kept Angels' hitters off-balance the whole game. He threw cutters & curveballs in hitters' counts 2-0, 3-1, 3-2. That's confidence.

4. I take Jason Bay over Manny any day. Bay looked horrible in his first 2 AB's against Lackey, but drives the ball out of the park in his 1st post-season game. Nice adjustment.

5. Jed Lowrie recovered after a costly error to make several nice plays & chip in a hit. His first playoff game is out of the way now & he too should settle in.

6. Mike Lowell should not be playing. I applaud his tenacity, but his running ability is non-existent. I'm surprised that the Angels did not bunt a few balls down his way to test him. He did make a big putout when Guerrero thought he was Ellsbury & was out at third on a dumb running play.

The Sox showed their experience last night as a playoff tested team. I bet all the experts who picked the Angels are re-thinking their pick.