As awesome as the Red Sox and Fenway Park were on Saturday, Sunday was the complete opposite. With Friday night’s game cancelled because that terrorist maggot still at large, a day/night double header with the Kansas City Royals was on the schedule for Sunday. And while the Sox aimed to keep their current winning streak on track, the Royals had other plans. Unfortunately, the Royals prevailed. Bastids.

When I heard about what Jonny Gomes had done for the game—engraving the names of the three victims killed in Monday’s attack and slain MIT officer, Sean Collier into his bat for the first game, I thought there was really no way the Red Sox could lose at least this one. I figured the bat had to be magic. Unfortunately, I was sadly mistaken.

Game 1: Red Sox 2 : Royals 4
Ryan Dempster was thwarted in his attempt to win his first game in a Red Sox uniform by one stupid 4th inning. The home team hopped out to a quick 2-1 lead by the bottom of the 1st, but unfortunately, those would be the only runs they would score all day. Ervin Santana kept the Sox bats relatively quiet all afternoon—scattering eight hits, three of those by David Ortiz.

It’s not like the Sox couldn’t get guys on base. I mean eight hits is eight hits. They just couldn’t get those guys home, successful plating just one of seven runners in scoring position. Oh well, can’t win ‘em all I guess…although it would’ve been nice if that seven game winning streak went just a few more. For Boston, you know. Click here for the sort of really boring box score.

Game 2: Red Sox 4 : Royals 5 (10 innings)
This loss was especially hard to swallow. Mainly because newly promoted Allen Webster had such a solid start—six innings, five hits, two earned runs and five strikeouts—not too shabby for a 23-year-old making his major league pitching debut. He took a no decision.

The Sox had a 4-3 lead going into the eight inning and seemed to be steaming right along with the ever so reliable bullpen taking over for Webster. Koji Uehara, who had yet to give up an earned run this season, served up an 89 mph fastball that Billy Butler lost over the centerfield wall. Game tied. It would stay that way until the top of the 10th when Andrew Miller fell completely apart—and by fell completely apart, I mean he walked in the winning run. AAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHH! Click here for the frustrating box score, courtesy of the Red Sox.

At least the Sox seem to have snapped out of their current skid for the moment and are presently kicking the crap out of the Oakland A’s. Go Sox!

Of course no one will actually confirm that this 2013 Red Sox roster is official, but if you ask me, it looks pretty solid so I’m going with it. There was no ceremonial announcement that Jackie Bradley Jr. was a definite to be in New York on Opening Day but word on the street is he is headed to NY with the club. [Yay!] After finishing up the spring with impressive numbers — .419 average and a 1.120 OPS — it would’ve have been a damn shame if he found himself in Pawtucket.

So without further ado…

Starting pitchers:
Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, Ryan Dempster, Felix Doubront, John Lackey
No surprises here, although I thought Felix might grab the #3 spot.

Bullpen:
Joel Hanrahan, Andrew Bailey, Andrew Miller, Koji Uehara, Junichi Tazawa, Alfredo Aceves, Clayton Mortensen
Daniel Bard, who the Sox broke last season, will start the season in Portland! Sounds like a rebuilding year for Bard. And I wonder what the over/under is on when Aceves has his first whiny meltdown.

Catchers: 
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, David Ross
And once again, Ryan Lavarnway is sent to Pawtucket. He’s like the high school senior that can’t seem to make the varsity club. *sigh*

Infielders:
Mike Napoli, Dustin Pedroia, Jose Iglesias, Will Middlebrooks, Pedro Ciriaco, Mike Carp
With Stephen Drew on the DL (WHAT? a Drew on the DL?), Jose Iglesias will get a shot to show us his moves and his greatly improved offense. He did hit a respectable .294 this spring.

Outfielders:
Shane Victorino, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jackie Bradley Jr., Jonny Gomes, Daniel Nava
I’m most excited about the outfield this season — Bradley, Ellsbury and Victorino could make up one of the best defensive outfield we’ve seen in a loooong time!

Tomorrow’s the day, Sox fans. The Red Sox visit the New York Yankees for an Opening Day matinee with Jon Lester taking on CC Sabathia. Game time is 1:05pm. Where will you be?

This game deserves another appearance by the gutter ball. (Photo by: Marcus McCurdy c/o Flickr.com)

What is it with this season? I don’t ever remember the Red Sox giving up so many substantial leads. Or maybe I’ve just chosen not to remember… that is a very strong possibility too. But two six run leads in three days — that is just unacceptable!

After having to sit through that 14-13 torturous loss on Thursday night, I was not interested in seeing a meltdown like that again any time soon. I guess the Red Sox didn’t get that memo.

Aaron Cook started in place of the originally scheduled and recently departed Josh Beckett. And he really stepped up to the plate. Cook gave up three runs in the first inning, but that was it for his six innings outing. After six, the Red Sox had a comfortable 9-3 lead. Or was it…?

The Sox offense was on fire scoring four in the second, three in the third and two in the fourth. First baseman Mauro Gomez had a breakout game going 4-6 with three RBI and launching his first Major League home run. Every starter had at least one hit as the Sox pounded out 20 total hits. In my opinion nine runs on 20 hits should win a game every time. I guess they didn’t get that memo either.

Andrew Miller came in to relieve Cook in the top of the seventh. With two outs and one man on, Miller proceeded to walk the next two men to load the bases, then gave up a single up the middle to score two. The lead is now 9-5 and Miller’s night is over quickly.

Mark Melancon replaced Miller and promptly gave up a ground rule double and a single and the Royals scored two more runs. The lead is now a slim 9-7 and Melancon’s night is over even quicker.

Craig Breslow relieved Melancon in an attempt to stop the bleeding but couldn’t get it under control. He gave up a triple that scored yet another two runs and now the game is tied. Breslow manages to get out of the inning but the damage has been done. I want to throw up.

The Red Sox had their best chance to win the game in the bottom of the 10th when Pedro Ciriaco lead the inning off with a single and moved up to second on a wild pitch. Scott Podsednik sacrificed Ciriaco to third and Dustin Pedroia was intentionally walked. With one out, Jacoby Ellsbury had the chance to be the hero but could manage just a ground ball to second base and Ciriaco was gunned down at the plate. That’s as close as they would get to scoring.

In the top of the twelfth, Junichi Tazawa gave up a two out double and a single for the Royals’ go ahead run. And that’s all she wrote. The Sox are once again unable to come back as they fizzle out in their final at bat. Click here for the disastrous box score, courtesy of the losing team.

I’m going to go out on a limb and say I’m probably not the only one who thinks this constant losing crap is getting really old. It just gets harder and harder to actually take this team seriously. This afternoon Felix Doubront is back on the mound after a knee injury has kept him benched since August 9th. And he hasn’t won a game since July 18th. I’m not optimistic.

For once a Red Sox win is not the biggest news in town. Although it should be big news since it’s not a commonly occurring event these days. In the midst of the trade rumors swirling about Boston last night, the Red Sox finally managed to stop their current four-game skid and beat the Kansas City Royals 4-3 behind another good pitching performance by Jon Lester.

You would’ve thought, especially considering their history this season, that those pesky trade rumors would have sent this team into a spiral of despair. But no… it seemed to do just the opposite.

The Red Sox took the quick lead in the first on singles by Pedro Ciriaco and Jacoby Ellsbury. After Dustin Pedroia moved the runners to second and third on a soft ground out, David Ortiz, in his first at bat since he injured his achilles on July 17th, laced a line drive single up the middle to score Ciriaco and Ellsbury.

After going down 3-2, the Sox came back in the bottom of the seventh to take the lead back for good. Mauro Gomez walked to open the inning. Mike Aviles singled to right and Scott Podseknik sacrificed the runners to second and third. Ciriaco followed with a double to left scoring both Gomez and Aviles.

Jon Lester looked good in his seven plus innings, giving up three runs on six hits while striking out six. He left after three pitches in the top of the eighth with a left hamstring cramp — hopefully, it’s nothing serious. Lester didn’t appear too concerned about it when talking to reporters after the game.

“I’m fine, it just cramped up on me,” Lester said. “I’d been kind of battling with it a little bit since the fifth inning. It got a little worse as the game went on.”

Vicente Padilla, Andrew Miller and Andrew Bailey held the Royals scoreless and secured Lester’s eighth win of the season, and third straight. Bailey, who had originally been acquired to fill the departed Jonathan Papelbon’s closer role, got his first save of the season.

Click here for the winning box score, courtesy of the Red Sox. These two teams go at it again tonight and your guess is as good as mine as to who’ll be on the mound for the Sox. Josh Beckett was scheduled to pitch but since he’s been traded… it’ll be a surprise!

Well helloooooo, Cody Ross! With David Ortiz on the DL, Bobby V. decided to slip Ross into the coveted #3 spot in the line up last night, and I don’t imagine he was too disappointed. Cody Ross, in short, kicked ass. He went three for five with back-to-back three-run home runs. He scored three runs, knocked in six and had 10 total bases. If you’re keeping score, this is the highest RBI total by any member of the Sox this season. Cody almost did it again in the sixth when he smacked a double off the left field wall. Cody told reporters after the game he thought he hit that one out too.

Adrian Gonzalez, who accounted for the other four RBI in this game also went three for four and is now just four percentage points below .300. I’d say he’s getting back into the swing of things (pun intended!) Oh and wait, Jacoby Ellsbury also had three hits which just goes to show you that when you sit out for three months for a shoulder injury, you’ve had more than enough time to get really strong!

It’s games like this that make me remember why I love baseball!

Felix Doubront opened the game with a shaky first inning allowing the White Sox to score, but settled down and ended up pitching a gem for his 10th win of the season. Yes, the Red Sox actually have one pitcher who has 10 wins all by himself. Not to be confused with the Beckett/Lester combo that has 10 total wins. (Just in case you were confoosed.) Doubront pitched six innings of four-hit, one-run ball. I’ll take that line every five starts for sure from my “ace.” Matt Albers, Mark Melancon and Andrew Miller pitched the seventh, eight and ninth to finish out the W.

For the high-flying, homer-filled box score, click on over here, courtesy of the Red Sox. The two Sox teams of various colors will finish up their four-game series tonight at 7:10 with Clay Buchholz toeing the rubber in search of his ninth win.

Am I the only one who is SO tired of talking about last place?

Daisuke Matsuzaka, in search of his first win of 2012, pitched a beauty last night giving up just one run in 5.2 innings and struck out five. Unfortunately, he didn’t get the W, but the team did. The bullpen posted yet another brilliant performance keeping the Jays scoreless for the remaining 3.1 innings with a combination of Scott Atchison, Andrew Miller, Vicente Padilla and Alfredo Aceves. Despite his strong outing, Dice K told reporters after the game the has more work to do.

“We ended up winning the game, so I’m really happy about that,” Matsuzaka said through a translator. “I do have to give credit to myself to holding them to one run in the first inning. Other than that, I need to go deeper into the game to be more satisfied with my pitching. … I’m not satisfied with the way I pitched today.”

Padilla struck out two batters in the eighth inning. Honestly, I’m surprised anyone even steps into the batter’s box against this guy. He scares me. And not just because he has a reputation for beaning guys. He just looks mean. Like if I get a hit, he’s going to pull a machete out of his sock and hack me to death on first base. I’ll just take the K, thankyouverymuch. *shivers* Glad he’s on my team.

Jays’ pitcher, Aaron Laffey, really shut down the Red Sox line up allowing them only three hits over six innings. Obviously, they were elated to see him not come back out for the seventh inning and promptly welcomed his three replacements that inning by putting up a three spot on the scoreboard. Jarrod Saltalamacchia got the scoring started with a two-out, solo home run. Pinch hitter Ryan Kalish then doubled, PH Daniel Nava was hit by a pitch and Mike Aviles walked to load the bases for Dustin Pedroia. Pedroia didn’t let me down, shooting a ground ball up the middle for a base hit scoring Kalish and Nava but Aviles was caught in a rundown for the final out.

After Padilla showed the Jays who was boss in the top of the eighth, the Sox decided to tack on a couple more. David Ortiz doubled, Cody Ross singled and Adrian Gonzalez smashed a wall-ball double to center to score Ortiz. Will Middlebrooks, who had a rough night at third, finished off the scoring with a sac fly to score Ross.

Aceves pitched a one-two-three ninth. Game over. Sox win. Bye-bye last place once again.

Clicky here for all the good stuff box score, courtesy of the Red Sox. They finish off their three-game set with the Jays this afternoon with Jon Lester (4-5, 4.48) taking on Ricky Romero (8-1, 4.34). This is an interesting match-up — they have nearly identical stats but their records are worlds apart.

Injury Update: Clay Buchholz has been diagnosed with esophagitis which is an inflammation of the esophagus. Ouch. However, Clay is suffering from an erosion of his esophagus which is what caused his internal bleeding. Double ouch. I’m wondering if the 15-day DL is going to be enough to come back from this. In other news, Jacoby “Fra-geeee-lay” Ellsbury is starting a rehab assignment in Fort Meyers this week as the DH. Really? REALLY? Whatever happen to the initial “oh, he’ll be out probably 4-6 weeks report”? Did they really mean 4-6 months? Tape a friggin’ asprin to your stupid sublexed shoulder and get your ass back to Boston. I’m going to start calling him JD Ellsbury.

The Red Sox put away the Miami Marlins 7-5 last night — their fifth win in their last six games. Granted, the teams they’ve beaten (the Marlins and the Cubs) have sub .500 records, but hey, a win’s a win, right? At this point in the season I’m not going to be picky. I just want wins. I want this team to show some life and get their butts out of that dreaded last place spot. Watch out Toronto! Here we come. Maybe.

Clay Buchholz won his eighth… huh? Let me try that again. Clay Buchholz won his eighth. I’m sorry, after the start he had to this season, I never expected to ever be typing those words. Not only that, but Clay also leads the team in wins. My head is spinning.

Buchholz wasn’t as sharp last night as his previous June outings. He did surrender five earned runs on nine hits during his six-inning stint. All five Marlins’ runs were knocked in by DH Logan Morrison who hit a 2-run home run in the first and RBI doubles in the second and fifth innings. But the bullpen was once again spot on with Matt Albers, Andrew Miller, Vicente Padilla and Alfredo Aceves pitching a scoreless seven-eight-nine. Aceves struck out two in the ninth for his 17th save.

The Red Sox got home runs from David Ortiz (his 17th), Kelly Shoppach and Cody Ross (who is fresh off the DL) and doubles from Dustin Pedroia, Mike Aviles, Kevin Youkilis, Will Middlebrooks and Daniel Nava to power the offense. It’s nice to see this hard hitting line up when it clicks like that. And Buchholz needed all the help he could get from the offense. After the game, Cody Ross spoke to reporters about his home run:

“It’s big to get that first one out of the way,” said Red Sox outfielder Cody Ross. “I can’t really explain it — the way we’ve played at home this year is really weird. We all love playing here, obviously. This is a great place to play, and to get that first one on a long home stand is really encouraging. Hopefully we can just go out and get on a good winning streak.”

Click on over to here for the winning box score, courtesy of the Red Sox. The Sox and Fish are back at it tonight in what promises to be a steamy Fenway with temps in the 90′s today. Felix Doubront will shoot for his eighth win of the season. I hope he likes the heat. I’ll be at Fenway tonight, most likely sitting in a puddle of my own sweat. Gross.

Big Papi still on fire (Photo by Keith Allison c/o Flickr.com)

It’s been a long time since the Red Sox have seen the plus side of .500. Actually, they haven’t been over .500 since last season. That’s just scary. But last night, they beat the Detroit Tigers and the best pitcher in baseball, Justin Verlander, 6-3 to get to this point. MV-what? Despite routinely throwing pitches in the high 90′s, Verlander didn’t look much like the best pitcher in baseball. Or maybe the Red Sox hitters are just that good?

The Sox line up jumped on Verlander early scoring one in the second when David Ortiz doubled to left field. After Kevin Youkilis struck out, Jarrod Saltalamacchia singled to left moving Ortiz to third. Mike Aviles grounded to second base in what surely would be a double play but Aviles’ hustle down the line paid off. He beat the throw to first and Ortiz scored the game’s first run.

In the fourth inning, the Red Sox loaded the bases on singles by Kevin Youkilis, Mike Aviles and Scott Podsednik. With two outs, rookie Daniel Nava came to the plate. Verlander pummeled Nava with fastballs hitting 98, 99 mph. Nava managed to work the count full and then fought off a 100 mph fastball and punched it into left field. With the runners already on the move, Nava cleared the bases with a double and put the Sox up for good 4-0.

After the game, Nava told reporters what he did in order to have success hitting against Verlander.

“The first at-bat I had I was really trying to pick the ball up, was having a hard time picking the ball up, so from that point — I had that 3-1 pitch that I swung through — and I needed to shorten my swing up,” said Nava, who’s trying out as the Sox’s leadoff hitter. “Fortunately, I got a pitch to do that with and I had guys on base. Just keep it simple. I think I got out of my approach a little on 3-1 because it was a hitter’s count. I just tried to calm myself down and keep it simple.”

But they weren’t done scoring yet. David Ortiz had an RBI double in the fifth and a solo home run in the seventh, his 11th of the season, to cap off his night going 3 for 4 with two RBI and two runs scored.

Daniel Bard was solid in his outing. He went 5.1 innings, scattering four hits and giving up two earned runs – both solo home runs – while striking out four. Rich Hill, Scott Atchison, Andrew Miller and Vicente Padilla handled the next 2.2 innings giving up just one more run. Alfredo Aceves (why does typing his name always make me hungry?) came in for his 12th save in the ninth. After blowing a save last week, it was nice to see him come in and get #12.

Click here for the box score that put the Red Sox one game over .500 and just 3.5 back of first place!! The Sox and Tigers go again tonight with Jon Lester (3-4, 4.72 ERA) looking to get back on the winning track against youngster Drew Smyly (2-1, 3.14 ERA). First pitch is at 7:10pm.

On May 21, 2012, this version of the Boston Red Sox finally caught up with the rest of the AL East.  The Sox brought their winning percentage back to .500 following an 8-6 drubbing of the first-place Baltimore Orioles.  Currently, the Sox are tied with the Yankees for fourth place in the division.  It’s not where anyone thought or hoped they’d be, but all signs point to the tide turning.

“It’s definitely not a goal,” Bobby Valentine told reporters.  “But it’s better than being under .500.”

The AL East, May 21, 2012 (c/o mlb.com)

Another point: what’s going on with the Yankees?  They’re 3-7 over their last ten, have lost their last three, and seem to be sliding downhill just as quickly as the Red Sox – who have won eight of their last ten, and their last three – are pushing uphill.  Is it bad starting pitching?  Is it an inability to hit with runners on?  Is it something else?  Nobody expected the Yankees to be riding the basement with a quarter of the season gone.

The Sox scored eight runs last night, even without Cody Ross.  Word is, Ross will be out six to eight weeks with a fracture in his foot.  Every starter had a hit – including outfielder Che-Hsuan Lin, who notched his first career hit.  David Ortiz launched a home run in the sixth that still hasn’t hit the ground to overcome another shaky Clay Buchholz start.

The real story of this game, though, and of the past week’s renaissance, is the Red Sox bullpen.  The same bullpen that lost its closer the day before the regular season started, had to send its next-most-touted arm to Pawtucket, and couldn’t seem to keep runners from scoring, has recently become a massive strength for Boston.  Andrew Miller stranded two runners in the sixth inning and followed up with a 1-2-3 seventh inning.  Rich Hill stumbled and allowed a run in the eighth, but Vicente Padilla stranded two crucial baserunners to end the Baltimore scoring threat.  And, Alfredo Aceves found his tenth save of the year in the ninth inning.

The bullpen has a 1.59 ERA since April 23, and finally, those results are starting to show up in the standings. Also?  Boston’s disabled list is a great team.  That the Sox are winning games without several of their biggest names is a good sign for when those big names actually take the field again.

Here’ a link to the box score, courtesy of the Red Sox.  Tonight, the Sox toe up against the Orioles again at Camden Yards.  Felix Doubront (4-1, 4.09 ERA) takes the hill against Brian Matusz (3-4, 5.36 ERA).

The Boston Red Sox came back from Wednesday’s loss to Tampa Bay with a vengeance, beating the Rays 5-3 last night.  In a game that manager Bobby Valentine told the Globe he was “going after,” the Sox used five pitchers to get the last ten outs of the game.  Starter Felix Doubront went 5.2 strong innings.  He walked four, but he also only allowed one run while strking out seven.  For a fourth starter (or any starter, really), you take that every time.  Rich Hill, Scott Atchison, and Andrew Miller each took over for one out, before Vicente Padilla and Alfredo Aceves wrapped up the win.

Credit where credit is due: the Rays staff also pitched a good game.  Rays starter Matt More turned in the definition of a quality start, allowing three earned runs over six innings.  The bullpen held the Sox to one more run the rest of the way, but the damage had already been done.

There were some fireworks last night.  Mike Aviles got ejected in the seventh inning for arguing balls and strikes.  If this surprises you (it surprised me, Aviles seems like a laid-back, cool guy), it should: this was Aviles’ first career ejection.

Also, as is de rigueur these days, Twitter wars commenced.  On Wednesday night, Adrian Gonzalez – who hadn’t hit a home run since April 17 – told reporters that he would hit one the next day, in last night’s game.  A Tampa Bay fan apparently didn’t realize Gonzalez was mainly joking (if it was that easy to predict when you’d hit a home run, then Marlon Byrd – who hit his first home run of the year last night – probably would have had a lot more to say).  The fan tweeted that Moore, the Rays starter, should hit Gonzalez with a pitch.  Tampa pitcher David Price retweeted the tweet, thus supporting the suggestion according to the Unspoken Rules of Tweeting.

PS – Mom, if you’re reading this, I know you’re confused – I’ll explain Twitter to you later.

Anyway, Moore went ahead and hit Gonzalez with the first pitch of Gonzalez’s first at-bat, with runners on first and second.  The HBP loaded the bases, so it was a terrible time to hit someone intentionally.  Then in the third inning, Doubront hit Luke Scott with a pitch with two outs and a runner on first (still not a great time to hit a batter, but not as bad as the Gonzalez beaning).  Scott trotted down to first base, and yelled at Doubront from there.  The jury’s out on whether or not the Twitter wars actually escalated into grown men, millionaires and role models no less, trying to purposefully hit each other with baseballs, but Valentine seems a little mystified.  He told the Globe:

If it was [intentional], it was the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen in baseball. But it might have been. I doubt it. If we have to resort to that kind of stupidity then maybe the game has passed me by. It might.

Oh, Bobby V. – when the team is winning, your post-game interview quotes sound more endearing and fuddy-duddy-grandfather than they sound clueless and impotent.  Let’s keep it that way, ok?

Here’s a link to the box score, courtesy of the Red Sox.

Tonight, the Red Sox head to Philadelphia to start an interleague set against the Phillies.  I’m not a huge fan of interleague play in general, for two reasons.  First, I think it’s unfair to American League teams who can’t use their DH in NL parks, and gives an advantage to NL teams who suddenly have an extra lineup option in AL parks.  Whether you agree with the DH or not, the AL teams structure their rosters around having a DH, and it’s not fair to suddenly make them play without the DH in games that count towards their standings.  Second, I don’t think it’s fair that the interleague schedule is unbalanced.  I compare it to how the NCAA measures strength of schedule.  Some AL teams play the Pirates, the Cubs and the Padres.  Some AL teams play the Braves, the Cardinals and the Phillies (who are a great team, despite their early-season slump).  But each game counts the same in the standings.  Unfair.

That being said, this series should be fun.  First of all, we have the natural delight of David Ortiz having to play first base (would you take the guy out of the lineup?).  Gonzalez says he’ll play right field this series, so that they can both stay in the lineup.  Ortiz and Gonzalez playing first and right?  Hold on to your hats, Sox fans.  Ortiz seems mildly confident, or at least not NOT confident, telling the Globe:

I just don’t want to be in the wrong place when it comes down to catching a fly ball or catching a ground ball.  I try to mark a territory where I can be at and after that let the guys who are out there every day take over.

Good luck, Dustin Pedroia.  I hope you stretch before the game, because I sense you’ll be making a lot of sprints towards first and right field to track down some hit balls.

Also, there’s this closer named Jonathan Papelbon.  Ever heard of him?  I think maybe he was in the Red Sox minor league system once.  He’s closing games for Philadelphia now, and he’s also getting more comfortable in the clubhouse.  Amalie Benjamin – one of the best female sportswriters out there – took an early flight to Philadelphia to catch up with Papelbon.  She has a great piece in the Globe today about the ex-Sox’s adjustment to a new league, a new team, and a new fan base.

Daniel Bard (3-4, 4.30 ERA) takes on Cole Hamels (5-1, 2.28) tonight.  Both teams are currently in last place, but I have a feeling these will be some intense games.