Our Friend Jeanne

My blog partners Gaff & Steve & I are remembering a good friend, fellow coach & co-worker this weekend. It would have been Jeanne's 53rd birthday had she not succumbed to cancer this past September after a long & hard 4-year battle. Jeanne was someone who preferred to work in the background & away from the limelight. She quietly took players aside & helped them one on one. If she were to see this article, her OCD would come out as she was a great proof-reader & always detected spelling errors for us. Gaff & Steve & their spouses helped Jeanne with home visits, doctor visits & bringing work to & from her house. The last time I had dinner with Jeanne I saw in her eyes that she knew the end was coming soon. When she was hospitalized for the last time Gaff, Steve & I were able to be with her, as well as her sister, friends & co-workers. Jeanne passed away surrounded by the people in her life who were important to her. I was told that her estate has helped her nieces & nephews with their education, something she would have been proud of. It's a melancholy weekend for those of us who miss her. Happy birthday, Jeanne! You are not forgotten.

Sox Perfect On Home Stand So Far

Can't do better than 4 wins in 4 home games. Sox beat the Blue Jays again, this time by a score of 7-5. Allen Webster was much better, even though he ran into some trouble in the 5th & 6th. He left with a 5-4 lead & a chance for a win. Then came Andrew Bailey & it was quickly 5-5 after he gave up a 2-out homer to Encarnacion. I'd find a mystery illness to put Bailey on the DL & bring up another arm from Pawtucket. Not to worry though. In comes my buddy Jonny Gomes to pinch hit with the bases loaded & he delivers the winning run with a laser to 3rd that couldn't be handled cleanly. Koji Uehara pitches a 1-2-3 9th for his 3rd save in 3 days. While the Bruins are in the news for their Stanley Cup playoff run & the Celtic are in the news for moving Doc Rivers (a low-class move by Rivers in my opinion), Pierce & Garnett & the Pats are in the news for the Hernandez murder the Red Sox are rolling right along in first place - almost under the radar.

Sox Roll over Jays 7-4

If you score 7 runs in any inning, it's a pretty good indicator that you might win the game. The Sox scored 7 in the 2nd, capped by a Dustin Pedroia homer, to beat the Jays 7-4. Jon Lester looked much better & pitched into the 8th until he tweaked his hip on a landing. Afterwards, he said he felt fine. Meanwhile, before the game it was announced that Clay Buchholz had no structural issues, just inflammation in his bursa sac (whatever that means). Buck will try throwing again after a couple days of rest as he tries to settle down the inflammation in his shoulder. The Sox need Lester & Buck if they are to hold off the other AL East teams over the 2nd half of the season.

Game 81 Tonight

OK, we've made it to the official halfway mark as the Boston Red Sox play game #81 of the 2013 season against the surging Toronto Blue Jays tonight, weather permitting. If the season ended today, AL division winners would be Boston, Detroit & Oakland with wild cards going to New York & Texas. In the NL it would be division wins for Atlanta, St. Louis & Arizona with both wild cards going to the NL Central teams in Pittsburgh & Cincinnati. Baltimore would miss a wild card berth by .002 of a percentage point behind New York. Cleveland & Tampa Bay are on the outside looking in, but within striking distance. NL East & NL West teams will have a hard time unseating Pittsburg or Cincinnati as the NL wild cards. But lots can happen over the next 81 games. Surprising to see teams like the Red Sox, Yankees, A's & D-backs in playoff positions. That's why you play the games.

Lackey Awesome!

John Lackey & awesome are words that don't usually go together. But Lackey's 7 inning, 12 strikeout performance last night has to be his best mound appearance in a Red Sox uniform. Sox win 5-3. Uekara gets a save in his new role as closer. All is good.

Hernandez Arrested for Murder & Guns

One reporter said that there have been 27 NFL players arrested just since the Super Bowl ended in February. If Aaron Hernandez is convicted, he will not go down as one of the smarter criminals. Body dumped less than a mile from his house. Rental car keys found in deceased pocket. Shell casing left in the back of rental car. Last text from deceased says "NFL, just in case." The Pats cut ties 2 hours after his arrest. And millions of dollars in guaranteed salary up for grabs, most of it probably going to the Hernandez legal team now. Too bad. Very sad.

Sox Pound Rockies 10-4

A good starting performance by Dempster over the first 6 innings. Many Sox players with multi-hit games as the offense bangs out 20 hits. Sox win 10-4 in Colorado's first trip back to Fenway since the 2007 World Series. It was a good win to start the 9-game home stand. Now we need 4 more good starts by the Sox rotation to get back on a winning streak.

Will Middlebrooks Sent Down

Give John Farrell credit for having guts. Farrell demotes Will Middlebrooks to Pawtucket to get him playing everyday again & to get him everyday at-bats. The Sox need a power bat & Middlebrooks showed signs that he can produce - but it was too sporadic. He gets a chance to work on his swing & get back to driving the ball wherever it is pitched. Too many strikeouts with the big club. Too much pulling of the ball into easy ground outs. This trip to RI could be a good thing in the development of Middlebrooks.

Red Sox Get Full Focus on Sports Fans

With the Bruins season over the Boston Red Sox take center stage for New England sports fans until the Patriots begin playing in September. June, July & August - it's all Sox all the time now. Anytime you are in 1st place there is only one place to go - down. However, the depth of the roster with quality players this year has prevented the Sox from tumbling too far away from the top spot. A good home stand could go a long way towards putting a little distance between the Sox & O's, Yankees, Rays & Jays. It starts tonight with Ryan Dempster taking on an improved Colorado Rockies team. We need 5 good performances from Sox starters once around the rotation, something that hasn't happened much lately. After a day off the back of the bullpen should be ready to go with Uehara as the new closer. It's a good time to get hot before the all-star break.

Hawks Win Cup 3-2

The Chicago Blackhawks close out the last 1:17 in the 3rd period with 2 goals to win the Stanley Cup. A season that started with a strike, lockout & was almost cancelled entirely ends with a great series between 2 teams that gave it their all. The Bruins have nothing to hang their heads over. Chicago was the better team, particularly in the last 3 games. Speed & skill won out over power & toughness. It's onto the 2013-2014 season now for the Bruins as they begin to tweak their roster for next year. Good effort!

Red Sox 3 Games From Halfway Mark

With 78 games in the book for the 2013 season the Boston Red Sox have thus far outperformed their critics by staying atop of the wild AL East where every team has a chance to finish above .500. The Red Sox have the 4th best record in all of baseball behind 3 NL Central teams. St. Louis, Pittsburgh & Cincinnati all have better winning percentages. Yes, the Red Sox are better to this point than the Yankees, Rangers, Tigers, Orioles, A's & Rays. Each week or 10 days seems to bring its own set of challenges to John Farrell. The bullpen is in flux now with Andrew Bailey no longer the closer & just no longer effective period. That gives an opportunity to guys like Wilson, Beato & de la Rosa. With Victorino coming out of the lineup yesterday we may see JBJ back in Boston. Ryan Lavarnway is getting a chance to fill-in for David Ross. Iglesias plays everyday now while Drew & Middlebrooks rotate in & out. Aceves & Webster are serviceable as spot starters for Buck. The depth of this team & the quality of the 40-man roster is what has kept the Sox in 1st place. Give Ben Cherington some credit.

Sox Lose Again 7-5

I learned a long time ago that umpires make mistakes. One athletic director told me that the trick is to not have your team get in a situation where one call can make the difference. The ump that called Daniel Nava's catch a non-catch will be eating crow when he sees the basket catch on replay. He was wrong, but the Boston relief staff, particularly Andrew Miller & Andrew Bailey, were not good. Bailey is like a cancer anytime he gets into a game, facing only 3 batters & giving up 2 hits. Miller hits a batter with the bases loaded. Sox lose 3 of 4 in Detroit. Last year I was in Detroit for the opening series when the Sox went 0 for 3, so I guess 1 win is an improvement. Sox come home for 8 games & get a day off on Monday. Maybe some home cooking will be what the doctor ordered to get back on a winning streak.

Bruins Drop Game 5 3-1

Too late. The Bruins got aggressive in the 3rd period, but the damage was already done by being down 2-0 after the first 2 periods. Patrice Bergeron was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital. No one knows if he is done for the series now. Can the Bruins build off their 3rd period last night? They better or it will be all over on Monday.

Tigers Slug Sox 9-2

Allen Webster wishes he had the 1st inning back. A little nervousness lead to 2 cheap ground ball singles, a walk & a grand slam to Victor Martinez. This after the Sox had taken a 2-0 lead on a David Ortiz homer. Sox lose 9-2. Scherzer was very effective & had Sox batters off balance the rest of the night. Detroit is good & they are playoff team. Felix Doubront will need to come up big in today's finale to salvage a split. He will need a performance like his last 8 inning gem. It would be nice to see Doubront get on a roll with Lackey & Dempster while Lester tries to figure things out & Buchholz mends on the DL. Don't give up on Webster. He has great stuff & is just having a young pitcher's learning pains at the big league level. He will figure it out.

Sox Out-Muscle Tigers 10-6

Lester gives up 5 runs in 5 2/3 innings, but the bullpen (minus an appearance by Bailey) shuts down the Tigers with just 1 run over the next 4 1/3. The flyin' Hawaiian has a big offensive night with 5 RBI. Sox win 10-6. As good as Cabrera & Fielder are on offense, they are below average fielders at first & third. Example, Ells ripped a ball down first base line with the bases loaded that Fielder never even moved for & that led to 2 RBI with 2 more RBI to follow. It will be a good test for Allen Webster today in his 3rd start for the big club. One was good. One was bad. I hope this kid has a good start today. He could be a valuable piece down the stretch.

Bring Back Pap?

The right answer is no. While some reporters would like the Red Sox to fill their open job of closer with old friend Jon Papelbon I don't expect the Sox to pay his salary &/or give up valuable prospects. That would be a step backwards with the youth movement that the Sox are undergoing. A younger guy like Tazawa or even Rubby de la Rosa may fit the bill. Try someone from within. Keep moving forward with changes like Iglesias to fill vacant spots. Bogaerts will be up soon. JBJ is waiting for another crack at the big team. We can find a suitable closer from the guys they currently have. For my 2 cents I'd try Tazawa or Andrew Miller.

Bailey Blows Another Save

He has to go. Try anyone else - Tazawa, Uehara or Miller are the guys mentioned on the Red Sox blog as possible replacement closers. Let Bailey serve as a mop up guy when the Sox are ahead or behind by 5 or 6. I starting thinking of Andrew Bailey in the same light as Daniel Bard. Maybe it's mental. But Bard has no idea where the ball is going while Bailey is serving up grade A meatballs every night. Lackey & Doubront both deserved better fates. Detroit is a tough team to beat & this blown game by Bailey may come back to bite the Sox by the time this series is over. It's time for Lester to improve & throw a good game tonight. He can rest easy if he does go 7 or 8 because Lester won't be turning it over to Bailey in the 9th - not tonight, not for the rest of the season. I think the Bailey days of closing games is over for 2013.

Tom Caron, Stop Talking!

OMG! Was that the worst use of a play-by-play guy by trying out Tom Caron with Don Orsillo? He just wouldn't stop talking! We should call Caron the talk-talk-talk nonstop guy. My granddaughter talks fast, but Caron would give her a run for the money. Stay on the pre & post game shows & pitch all your products, Tom. NESN - don't let him in the booth again with Orsillo, please!

Hernandez + Guns + Homicide Investigation

Aaron Hernandez is now the bulls eye of an all-out media frenzy about his involvement in a homicide in No. Attleboro, MA. As reporters dissect his past, the shooting of a man in the eye in Miami after a night at Tootsie's Strip Club is coming to the surface in a civil suit. There is also another incident during Hernandez' college days at Florida State. Today police asked Hernandez for his cell phone & surveillance footage at his house. What they received was a broken phone in pieces & a broken surveillance system with no footage. Not a good indicator of innocence. This is just another story of football players & guns. Hernandez may face punishment & possible suspension from the NFL if his role in the events of the No. Attleboro homicide becomes clearer. Too bad.

Sox Take 2 Out Of 3 From Tampa

Ryan Dempster, like Felix Doubront the night before, gets a no decision. Dempster gave up 3 runs over 6 innings, but the Sox batters left their hitting shoes behind as they lose the finale 6-2. Every hard hit ball was right at a Rays fielder last night. But the Sox win the series & move on to Detroit now for 4 with the Tigers. Looks like Lackey, Lester, Webster or De La Rosa, & Aceves get the pitching assignments against a hard hitting Tigers lineup featuring Miguel Cabrera. With an off day on Monday Farrell can use his bullpen as needed. The Sox could use a split to stay in 1st as they near the halfway point of the season. Baltimore is only a game or two back & the O's are for real. Sox hitters will face a tough pitching staff in Detroit with 4 possible starters going to the all-star game. Should be a good series to watch.

Bruins Lose in OT

What a game! It was similar to a heavyweight fight where one team wound punch & the other would counterpunch. The Chicago Blackhawks played with desperation in game 4 & it paid off in a 6-5 win in OT at the TD Garden. The Bruins get a lot of credit for answering every Hawks goal with a goal of their own. Behind at one point 4-2 the B's fought back to a 5-5 tie in regulation. An errant play on a puck in their own zone by a Bruins defenseman led to the game winner. Tied at 2 games apiece this series is headed back to Chicago for a best 2 out of 3. You have to expect that this series will go the full distance to a game 7 & probably come down to one goal in overtime to win the Cup. Exciting & excellent hockey for fans in both cities with 3 of 4 games decided in overtime. Can't get any better than that.

Good Day to Win 2!

5-1 & 3-1. 2 more wins against Tampa Bay. Throw in a 3 hour rain delay. Felix Doubront, Alfredo Aceves good. Andrew Bailey bad. Bailey needs to be replaced as the closer. Not only is he giving up runs, he's giving up a home run per appearance lately. Daniel Nava, Jonny Gomes good as each went yard yesterday. Gomes' bomb was a walk-off to save Bailey's hide, even though Doubront's 8 shutout innings go for not. I love Gomes' enthusiasm when he plays & he contributes. Nice punt of his helmet! Bad that Clay Buchholz goes on the DL. Bad that David Ross goes on the DL also & too bad that Saltie had to catch both games. Looks like we may see Ruby de la Rosa make a start in Detroit. Lots of moving parts as Ryan Lavarnway gets called up for tonight's game to take Ross' spot. But the main thing is that the Sox beat up on Tampa like the O's do on the Sox. Overall, maybe it's a wash between those 2 opponents. Dempster goes for the sweep tonight. As we approach the 81 game or 1/2 season mark, the Sox are still in first. You have to love the depth of players that have filled in more than adequately at different stretches so far. I think that's the biggest reason the Sox are still in first.

Bruins 2, Hawks 0

Can't win if you don't score. Tuukka Rask was good & he had a little luck on a puck that hit one post & wandered over past the other post without ever going across the line. But we'll take it. Paille & Bergeron were the goal scorers. Seguin was skating with purpose. And the B's were definitely the better team last night as the Hawks looked totally inept on their power play, giving up 2 or 3 scoring chances to the shorthanded Bruins. The non-play of Marian Hossa upset the line makeup for the Hawks. Good! Stay in chaos for 2 more games!

Aceves & Doubront Get Starts Today

No name brand pitchers on the mound for either team in today's doubleheader between the Red Sox & Rays. To be honest, the name brand guys haven't performed very well. Aceves has been steady in his limited starts for the big club, so I hope he's not due for a meltdown. Doubront has been frustrating at best, giving more poor than good performances lately. We may see some carryover of the HBP war from Tampa Bay the last time that these 2 teams met. A double win today to help put some space between the Sox & the O's who lost in Detroit last night. It would be nice to see Napoli back in the lineup, so let's hope that happens. Should be a fun day of baseball. I'm getting my VCR going.

How Many Outs Are There, Alexi?

I couldn't let this mental error pass without a comment. The one game that the Red Sox won this weekend (Saturday) ended with a blunder on the bases by Alexi Casilla. Baltimore had just pulled within 1 run of the Sox on a 2-run homer by Chris Davis. Casilla was the tying run on first with one out in the 9th. On a fly ball to right easily catchable by Shane Victorino Casillo takes off for 2nd & keeps going. Victorino easily throws to 1st for a double play that ends the game. How stupid! You have to know that the first base coach told Casilla how many outs there were before the play. Obviously, he didn't listen & he thought that there were 2 outs. Showalter should have fined Casilla & the 1st base coach for the mental mistake that ended the game.

Pitch Around Chris Davis

Alert, alert to all Red Sox pitchers! Pitch around Chris Davis from now on. He single handed won the 3 games against you in Baltimore this weekend. If not hitting homers, he's dropping in cheap hits to beat you. Take out his at bats from deciding the result of games & maybe it's the Sox who win 3 out of 4. Davis is on a tear with his bat in the 1st half of 2013. He hits lefties & righties as Jon Lester & Ryan Dempster found out. Don't let this guy beat you again, not one more time this year. 4 curveballs in the dirt & give him first base. Let's pitch smarter & take his bat out of the equation. We might get a better result.

Sox Lose 3 of 4 to Baltimore

The Red Sox did enough to hold onto 1st place. They beat the Orioles once in 4 tries. They lose today 6-3 despite a 3-run homer from slumping Middlebrooks. Maybe that jack will get Will going again. Jon Lester could only muster 5 innings & he gave up 5 runs. Not the Lester of April & May by any means which is a concern since Buck may go on the DL. Bad break that Mike Carp came out of the game with an apparent leg injury. The Sox will enjoy a day off on Monday before playing 2 on Tuesday vs. the Tampa Bay Rays. Yankees have lost 5 in a row & the Rays lost 3 out of 4 at home to Kansas City. The Rays may have lost Alex Cobb for the season as well. So maybe the Sox are catching the Rays at a low point for them. One game at a time.

Odds & Ends

Bruins win 2-1 in OT to even their series with the Blackhawks. After a slow start in the 1st period anything in red with the puck was being hit by the black & gold for the rest of the game. The Bruins were the better team in game 2. Tuukka Rask gets a lot of credit for keeping the game close. Nathan Horton gets kudos for playing with a just about a broken shoulder. And Tyler Seguin was a force on both goals by Kelly & Paille. Red Sox won 5-4 against the O's to climb out of a 2-game losing streak. Concern for Mike Napoli being sent back to Boston to be examined for strange flu symptoms. Concern over Andrew Bailey staying in the closer's role as he gives up 2 more runs yesterday. He gave up 2 in Tampa earlier this week. Bailey is giving up home runs with frequency & it may not be long before Junichi Tazawa becomes the new closer. Concern over Clay Buchholz missing another pushed back start on Tuesday. Buck just can't stay healthy, even though he has 9 wins. Farrell may put him on the DL. And how about Mike Carp & Jose Iglesias contributing in the field & at the plate to keep the Sox winning. In fact only the St. Louis Cardinals have a better record in all of baseball. So much for those expert reporters & sabermetric people who picked the Sox for last place. I love proving them wrong. Additionally, Xander Bogaerts moves up to Pawtucket at 20 years old. I was hoping to see him play for the Portland Sea Dogs, but not to be. If his bat stays hot, Bogaerts may crack the big league lineup after the all-star break. You can always find room for a hitter. Finally, Happy Fathers' Day to all the dads out there & all the dads in heaven!

Sox Lose in Extras 4-3

Same score as Bruins-Hawks that went to extras. Chris Davis gets a cheap bloop hit & the O's win game 1 of 4 4-3. The Sox pitching rotation is up in the air as Buck keeps moving back & Felix Doubront can't maintain any semblance of progress. Ryan Dempster goes tonight & he tries to even things up at 1 game a piece. A sweep by the O's would put all 3 contenders, minus Toronto, in striking distance at the top. 3 wins by the Sox would lengthen their lead in the AL East. This is an important series for June.

Sox Ride Nava, Aceves to 2-1 Win

Daniel Nava hits a 2-run homer. Crazy man Alfredo Aceves pitches 6 solid innings of 1-run ball. The bullpen gets the job done at the back end of the game. And the Sox win a tight one 2-1 to take 2 out of 3 at the Trop. It reminded me of April when Ortiz was out of the lineup & good pitching kept the Sox in these 1-run games. Like Iglesias playing well enough to stay with the team, Aceves is ready to step into the starting rotation with the big club should he be needed. Competition is good. I thought for sure that Aceves would plunk one of the Rays batters after Mike Napoli was hit. But it wasn't necessary. The Sox won on the field. Take that, Joe Maddon!

Bruins Lose in Triple OT

Just not as crisp. Big mistake by Krug. 3rd & 4th lines outplayed by Chicago's 3rd & 4th lines. Bruins lose 4-3 in game 1. If this is any indication of how the series will play out, fans are in for quite a treat. The Bruins can & will clean up their game & play better. You almost expected that there would be some sort of a letdown after the Penguins series. And so it was in game 1. It will be interesting to see how the Bruins respond in game 2.

Tebow Time in Foxborough

The New England Patriots sign Tim Tebow to a 2-year contract with zero guaranteed money, so nothing to lose. Hype continues to surround Tebow, at least for now. But you know that Bill will not allow that to continue. Why all the hype? Tebow is just another guy looking to survive in the NFL. As a 3rd QB, it is not likely that he will see much, if any, playing time other than in exhibition games. If he studies, works hard & learns from Bill & Tom, he may get onto the field in 2 years. So leave him alone, press. Let him try to earn a living & win a roster spot on a very competitive team. Is a pro player who is religious really that much of a story?

Lester Regressing After Fast Start

Sox lose 8-3 on a very subpar performance by Jon Lester. 7 walks in 4+ innings. Way to many free bases. 2 more long balls given up. Not what you expect from your supposed "ace" against a team that he has beaten with relative ease in the past. I did some digging. From 2008 through 2011 Jon Lester averaged an ERA of 3.34, 203 innings & 16 wins. In 2012 his ERA ballooned to 4.82 while pitching 205 innings & getting only 9 wins. This year his ERA is 4.12 in 89 innings with 6 wins. Lester is a free agent in 2014 & he is making $11 million a year. I think the Sox will need to really evaluate where Lester is going at age 29 - is he going up or going down? And while it's nice to have a big lefty that can give you 200 innings a year it's the quality of those innings that is starting to diminish. By 2014 Lester will be looking for big money. Should the Sox part ways with the big lefty & start bringing up some of the kids? It will be an interesting negotiation to watch, especially if Lester's numbers continue to tail off.

Pedroia the Destroya' Again

Let's take last night, for example. Petey singles home the first 2 runs of the game. Later in the 8th he catches a pop around the pitcher's mound that could have plated the go-ahead run for the Rays. In the 10th he fields a beautiful bunt by Sam Fuld that could have scored the winning run. And in the 14th he starts the game-ending 4-6-3 double play. This 2013 version of Dustin Pedroia reminds me of Derek Jeter in his prime. Very good in the field. Tough at the plate. Not the guy other teams want to see batting in critical situations. And you can't get him out of the lineup to take a day off. Pedroia is a legit MVP candidate this year.

Sox Outlast Rays 10-8 in 14

I couldn't stay up & watch anymore. After Andrew Bailey coughed up a 2-run lead in the 10th & had the bases loaded with no outs I turned the TV off. Imagine my surprise this morning to see that the Sox won in 14 innings 10-8. Both Rodney & Bailey were horrible last night. I applaud Lackey for drilling Matt Joyce earlier in the game. Enough with these hitters dropping the bat after a home run & doing their dance around the base paths. Dempster drilled Pujols the other day after his home run. It's only a matter of time before Ortiz gets drilled for his toss & gawk & slow trot after he hits one. I'm glad to see the pitchers fighting back. In the marathon game last night Nava & Saltie got the game winning hits. Franklin Morales was suppose to start on Wednesday, but Farrell will have to re-think that after using him in relief last night. It was a good win to start the road trip. I'm sure that Farrell would like to see Lester pitch a complete game tonight to give many tired arms a breather. Joe Maddon is in the same boat. I expect that we will see some young arms from the farm joining the team for a few days.

Sox Win 10-5, Take Another Series

Another 2 out of 3 wins by the BoSox, this time against the LA Angels of Anaheim. The Angels name is similar to the performance of the team -- confusing. Superstars Albert Pujols & Josh Hamilton have been subpar. Angels pitching has been subpar. And the result is a team underperforming, several games below the Mason-Dixon line of .500. As the Yankees found out years ago, signing superstars doesn't equate to World Series wins. The Red Sox, meanwhile, with lowly players like Jonny Gomes, Daniel Nava & Mike Carp just keep rolling along with the best record in the AL. Even Saltie ran into 2 bombs yesterday. The next 10 games against AL East opponents Tampa Bay & Baltimore will be a test of tightening up the AL East pack or expanding their lead. Given the way they are playing right now, I say that they go 7-3. Anyone else want to make a prediction? Come on, don't be chicken! Cluck! Cluck! Cluck!

Sox Split, Stay in First

It was a tale of 2 pitchers yesterday. Franklin Morales - bad. He gave up 4 runs in the 7th to give away game #1 9-5. Clay Buchholz - good. Buck kept the Angels to 2 runs over 6+ in game #2 before leaving with a sore shoulder from his roll-around in the dirt at 1B. Why do pitchers look so awkward fielding their position these days? David Ortiz admired his moon shot to support Buck en route to a 7-2 win. Big Papi is going to take one under the chin if he gets the right pitcher pissed off about his antics on home runs. But the split allows the Sox to retain first place & the best record in the AL. Ryan Dempster get the rubber game today.

Ron Washington, What Are You Thinking?

Let's see. You're the manager of the Texas Rangers. It's a tie game in the 9th. The Red Sox have used their closer. Extra innings means you get into the Sox secondary bullpen guys. You have Michael Kirkland & closer Joe Nathan warming up. Who do you use to pitch the 9th? Ron Washington goes with Kirkland & his 6.05 ERA over Nathan. A double, an intentional walk & a homer to Big Papi follows & you lose 6-3. What are you thinking, Ron? But thank you. We'll take the 6-3 win. We'll take the series 2 out of 3. Besides Washington's choice of pitcher in the 9th, the return of Jacoby Ellsbury was awesome as he went 4-4 in his first 4 at bats, using all fields to spray the ball around. Nice series win against a potential playoff foe. The Sox didn't face Darvish, but I have my doubts about his numbers. Seeing him in spring training, Darvish reminds me of Jon Lester - can be good or can be wild. This was a nice comeback series for the Sox who got demolished in Texas earlier this year.

Sox Fall to Texas 3-2

Good pitching kept scoring chances by both teams to a minimum. The Rangers converted on a big hit by Andrus to break a 1-1 tie. And the Sox tried a comeback, but fell a run short. In a game where there were few scoring opportunities I saw 2 big outs by Red Sox batters in key situations. Jackie Bradley Jr. had a chance to bunt runners over to 2nd & 3rd with no outs & he fails, striking out without any advance. David Ortiz had worked his count to 3-1 & he also struck out. In a game of few chances you need to perform in the clutch &, unfortunately, neither JBJ or Ortiz did last night. John Lackey pitched well enough to win, giving up 1 run over the first 6 innings. But a double by Andrus to score 2 runs on the first pitch from Uehara sealed the win. Lester goes for the series win against Holland tonight. 2 out of 3 against the Rangers would be fine by me. We are watching the 2 teams with the best records in the AL.

Classic Struggle & Win By Bruins 2-1

Fans at the Garden are getting their money's worth during this year's NHL playoffs. You wouldn't think that anything could top the Bruins 4-1 3rd period comeback in Game 7 against Toronto & their eventual overtime win. However, last night's double overtime win over the Penguins was like watching Ali & Frazier. One team would punch & the other would counterpunch. Both teams gave it their all for 95 minutes. And the Bruins came out on top 2-1, now with a commanding 3-0 lead in the series. Tuuka Rask - awesome. Gregory Campbell - inspiring as he played his penalty kill shift with a broken ankle. And Jagr - Marchand - Bergeron combining on a hustle play for the winning goal 15 minutes into the 2nd overtime. The Penguins gave it their all & still lost. I think this series is over.

Owner of Miami PED Factory to Testify

ESPN broke a story yesterday that as many as 20 MLB players will be suspended for PED use from a Miami health clinic. The CEO of the clinic has agreed to testify & name names. Guys like Ryan Braun, Alex Rodriguez & Melky Cabrera could get up to 100 games for their suspension. Gio Gonzalez & Nelson Cruz were a couple more names that were also linked to this clinic. Overall, this would be another black eye to MLB & to all the players who are clean. Just when the sport was cleaning itself up you find these guys cheating again. As Steve Buckley said last night, there are high school & college athletes from all sports - men & women - who are taking PED's without the supervision of a doctor or trainer & these kids are dying. MLB needs to come down hard on these pro athletes for the sake of these younger kids.

Sox Embarass Rangers 17-5

There was payback in the air at Fenway Park last night. Earlier this year the Red Sox looked horrible in 3 losses to the Rangers in Texas. Given that Texas has the best record in the AL & has been in first place in the AL West since the start of the season, doubts about what the Sox could do in this 3 game series were there. No longer after last night's huge, lopsided win 17-5. It was embarrassing to the Rangers who used a position player, David Murphy, to pitch the 8th. That's sending up a white flag. No mas! JBJ hit his first big league home run. Stephen Drew went 4-4 with an HR. Saltie ran into a pitch & put it over the green monster. And Mike Carp sent one into the bullpen. Ryan Dempster pitched a solid 7 innings, indicating that he is getting back on track. Lackey & Lester get the final 2 games of this series. It's always a big plus to win game 1 of a short series. One more win in the next 2 is fine with me. BUT, wouldn't it be nice to sweep the Rangers for full payback.

Victorino, Middlebrooks Almost Back

Shane Victorino may need a few extra days after Wednesday. Will Middlebrooks is on track for a return on Saturday. Victorino's return means less playing time for Gomes & Carp. JBJ becomes the odd man out & goes back to Pawtucket, unless Ellsbury goes onto the DL. Daniel Nava should continue to play regularly because of his bat. Middlebrooks' return will force John Farrell to make a hard decision between demoting Jose Iglesias or Pedro Ciriaco. Depth is a wonderful thing & these replacement players have done a wonderful job. Farrell has some tough decisions to make, all the while keeping everyone happy & motivated.

Ells Out of Lineup Again

It's been 5 days & still no Jacoby Ellsbury in the lineup. A groin injury after his 5 steal performance is keeping him on the bench. Is a DL stint the next step? Perhaps. As said before, it's too bad that this groin injury hits just as Ells was burning it up on offense. So, in his place continues Jackie Bradley Jr. who contributed 2 doubles in his last full game at Yankee Stadium. It's almost as if JBJ is another leadoff hitter when he hits 9th, then has Daniel Nava behind him. Jacoby Ellsbury & Jackie Bradley Jr. will be talked about a lot in the coming months & certainly Ells quite a bit at the trade deadline.

Syd, Pens Crushed by B's 6-1

It only took 38 seconds for Boston to score the first goal. If you are the Pittsburgh Penguins, that when you know it's going to be a long night. Brad Marchand scored his first goal on a breakaway & he scored again later after the Pens had broken the ice to make it a 3-1 game. Marchand's 1st & 4th goals were both back breakers. Bruins win 6-1 in a game that looked like players on each team had reversed jerseys. The B's were flying around & scoring at will like everyone expected the Penguins to do. Pittsburgh had no answer last night & now comes to the Garden for the next 2 games. Crosby has been blanketed & frustrated by Bergeron & Chara this whole series. The Pens goalie situation is up in the air. Pittsburgh is a team in trouble. I love it!

Pirates & Reds Can't Catch Cards

If the Pittsburgh Pirates or Cincinnati Reds played in the AL East or in several other divisions, they would be in first place. Both teams are 11 & 12 games over .500, winning at a clip of .605. However, the St. Louis Cardinals are streaking out of the blocks with a record of 37-19, a full 18 games over .500. You wouldn't expect the Cards to keep up that pace. An influx of young pitching with timely hitting & good defense has served them well to date. Wouldn't it be interesting if both wild cards came out of the NL Central? Keep an eye on these 3 teams going forward.

May Ends Better Than It Started

The month of May had the prospects of becoming a train wreck like September of 2011. The Sox had a quick start in April which defied all of the odds makers. Could they sustain it in May? The answer was very dubious as the month started with a 5-10 record halfway through. Red Sox Nation had to wonder if April was a fluke & now we were settling into a season of disappointment & "wait till next year." But, very much to the Sox credit, they turned it around in the second half of May to go 10-5 & bring their record to 15-15 for the month. They turned a nose-dive & certain wreck into a safe landing as they start the month of June, now winning their first series of the month against the evil Yankees. Their turnaround is due to Jon Lester & Clay Buchholz pitching well. It's also due to steady play by Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz & Mike Napoli in the middle of the order. It's also due to contributions by guys like Daniel Nava, Jonny Gomes, Mike Carp & recently Jose Iglesias & JBJ. And the Sox get Ellsbury, Victorino & Middlebrooks back soon. Even though June poses a very tough schedule I'm counting on the Sox to finish the month in first or second as the standings get congested in the AL East with Baltimore & Tampa Bay making pushes towards the top.

Buck Shuts Out Yankees 3-0 Before Rain

Clay Buchholz showed no signs of rust. A 10 day layoff did nothing to dampen a great start to the 2013 season by Buck as the Red Sox beat the Yankees 3-0 in a rain shortened 6 innings. Buck gave up only 2 hits & looked very much in control of all his pitches. The Sox win this series 2-1 after splitting 4 games with the Phillies. Jose Iglesias hit his first HR of the year off of Hiroki Kuroda who looked like he couldn't believe it. Iglesias is again making his case to stay with the big team once Will Middlebrooks comes off the DL. And this time he may do it. For good measure Big Papi lofted a towering HR of his own into the upper deck in right. Then the rains came & that was it for Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN. Sox get a day off on Monday before starting a home series with the Texas Rangers.

No Ells

A night after his 5 stolen bases in a game Jacoby Ellsbury misses the first 2 games of the Yankees series with a groin pull. It's too bad that an injury occurs now when Ells is getting his offense back on track. He looked like the player of 2011 for a week or so, ever since his walk-off hit against ex-manager Terry Francona's Indians. Let's hope that he is not out too long as we already have Victorino & Middlebrooks trying to make their way back into the lineup this coming week. Give Nava, Gomes & Carp credit for doing an admirable job filling in the outfield holes. Now we have JBJ taking over in CF for Ells & Bradley seems a lot more comfortable at the plate. And let's not forget Iglesias being a vacuum at SS or 3B. It may not be so easy for some of these guys on the DL to get their jobs back. Maybe Stephen Drew will have a mystery injury when Middlebrooks comes back that moves Iglesias over to SS. Nice to have depth that produces.

Red Sox, Bruins Win On National TV

The Boston Red Sox, despite Joe Buck's bias towards the Yankees & his own self-promotion, beat the Yankees 11-1 on Fox's game of the week. The game was lopsided after Mike Napoli's grand slam, so we had to constantly hear promotions for Fox Sports 1, their new sports network. Of course Buck had to bring up the Boston collapse of 2011 & promote his coverage of an NYPD vs. NYFD football game. Unless you are in New York, which a national audience is not, who cares? Sure, Joe, we'll all stop by today just to see you. And he had to work in his 2 back surgeries. Blah! Blah! Blah! In Pittsburgh NBC covered the Bruins 3-0 win over the much-favored Penguins. The only criticism I have of NBC are the length of commercials, but that's national TV for you. Even a stupid penalty by Brad Marchand couldn't get the Pens on the board as lady luck & 3 shots that hit the post by the Pens all bounced the Bruins way. All-world Sydney Crosby looked like a prima dona whose candy got stolen & he seemed to whine about everything that didn't go his way on the ice. It was nice to see the Bruins get a win to show the Pens that they are beatable, despite reports to the contrary. A very good Saturday night in New England.

Yankees 4, Red Sox 1

I can already here my podcast buddy Steve saying the Red Sox can't beat a lefty. He was right - again - last night as CC bested Lester 4-1 in the opener of a 3 game series in the Bronx. Not much offense on either side, but the Yankees made better use of their limited opportunities than did the Red Sox. I think that these games are where it shows how much the Red Sox miss Middlebrooks & Victorino as right-handed bats in the order. Nava is not as effective from the right side. Same for Saltie. David Ross isn't going to run into a big fly more than once or twice a month. And Iglesias is no threat. That leaves Petey to do it all which isn't going to happen all of the time. Tonight's another opportunity to get back into this series. I'd like to see Felix Doubront, a/k/a Dice-K Jr., go more than 5 innings before he reaches 100 pitches.