YFSF

Sox-Jays Postmortem: Hoping for Next Year

It was quite a day for the Red Sox, what with winning their first game since last week -- including two home runs. The news was a mix of good and bad and terrifying. Here's a rough chronological rundown:

• The Boston Herald reported that Jon Lester is undergoing tests for cancer.
• The Red Sox scratched David Wells from his start, called up Lenny DiNardo and announced Julian Tavarez as their starter.
• David Ortiz told a Dominican radio station that he would rejoin the Sox' lineup Saturday, setting off shouts of joy across Red Sox Nation.
• About the start of the game, the Sox traded Wells to San Diego for the ever-important PTBNL -- likely minor-league catcher George Kottaras, hitting .271 with 10 HR and an .800 OPS over two levels this season.
• After the game, the Sox traded for 37-year-old Diamondbacks minor-leaguer Kevin Jarvis, who made his major-league debut in 1994, has bounced around the majors and minors in nine organizations (with two of those acquiring him twice), and compiled a 5.97 ERA in 753 innings -- nearly exclusively in the National League. No word on who the Sox gave up for him.
• Then the Sox said Ortiz's declaration was "very premature," and that he had not consulted with his doctors in making such a prediction.

Whew! Kuds to the Sox FO for facing reality about the current season  and trading Wells for something the organization was solely needing, particularly after the panic-move tradeaway of Bard -- a catching prospect, and one who looks like he's got a pretty good stick, to boot. I think this essentially makes 2006 Mirabelli's farewell tour in Boston.

Any other comments or thoughts about all the day's action are welcome.

Bye Bye Boomer: Sox-Jays Gamer I

From the Associated Press:

David Wells was scratched from his scheduled start Thursday night amid indications that the Boston Red Sox were close to trading the left-hander to a contender.

Wells' locker was nearly empty and four cartons were stacked in front of it before the game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Reliever Julian Tavarez was picked to start in his place.

Ouch. The "contender" referred to in the article is the San Diego Padres, which is of course Boomer's home town where he has already seen a tour of duty, and a team that won the division with a .500 record last year. If the Red Sox were in the NL West, global warming and tectonic drift would have really run its course. Also, Boston would be tied for the best record in said division, three games up on also mentioned "contender".

Instead, you loyal Boston fans get to watch Julian Tavarez face Roy Halladay. Here's your place to comment on tonight's game. Hang in there, Sox Fans. Baseball is a great game, and we play 162 for a reason, though that might not be such a consolation at this particular moment.

Ortiz To Play Saturday

This just in from the AP:

"My health is fine. The doctors have told me to rest today and practice Friday so I can be ready to return to the playing field on Saturday," he told radio station Z-101 of his native Dominican Republic.

Glad to have you back on the field, Papi. It's a joy to watch you swing the bat. Except against New York.

If He Hollers: Yanks-Tigers Gamer III

If you shave a tiger, you would see that the stripes go through all the way to the skin, not that I recommend shaving tigers.  Detroit showed its stripes last night, waiting until the final out of the ninth to take the lead off of Scott Proctor on a three-run homer by Craig Monroe.  New York had no answer in their half of the frame and lost the game.  Joe Torre double-dipped Proctor, though to be fair he threw only one pitch in the first game of the double header.

Randy Johnson, who pitched a complete game loss to Seattle last Thursday, takes the mound for New York.  I attended that game, and it was the second time I have had the opportunity to Johnson live.  It's amazing how short he makes everybody else look.

Jeremy Bonderman throws for Detroit today and is winless since July 24th, suffering two losses and four no-decisions since his last victory.  The battle for a split starts at one o'clock.  Line-ups are in the extended (thanks to Peter Abraham).  Here's your place to comment on today's game.

Breathe Deeply

Yes, the Boston Herald is reporting this morning that Jon Lester is being tested for cancer because tests in Boston showed he had enlarged lymph nodes.

Clearly, this is frightening on a personal level. Lester is very young, younger probably than the vast majority of the people who read, post and comment on this site. Our thoughts and prayers go with him and his family.

But let's also not succumb to the fear caused by headlines linking "Lester" with "cancer."

A quick WebMD search shows that while swollen lymph nodes can be symptomatic of lymphoma and leukemia, they also can be symptomatic of the common cold, mono, cat-scratch fever, tonsilitis, an abcessed tooth and STDs.

It's scary. It's to be taken seriously. But let's hold off the panic that I'm sure will be sweeping parts of RSN at least until tests come back.

Playing for Home Field: Yanks-Tigers Gamer II

Chien-Ming Wang was spectacular in the day game today as New York defeated Detroit 2-0.  Wang is now is tied for the major-league lead in wins with Toronto’s Roy Halladay and Oakland’s Barry Zito, who defeated Boston and completed the series sweep today.

Jaret Wright takes the ball for New York and faces Wilfredo Ledezma in the night split of the double header.  Let's hope Wright can give us a performance simlar to the ones he was throwing in early August.  If he can't, the bullpen is well-rested as Wang did all the heavy lifting we could ask of him today.  New York is now two games behind Detroit for the best record in the American League. Game two starts in half an hour.  Lineups in the extended.  Comment away.

A Reason to Watch

Tonight, Curt Schilling will likely cement what I believe are his considerable qualificiations for the Hall of Fame. When he strikes out his first batter of the evening (and he has yet to strike out fewer than two batters in a game this season), he will become the 14th player to reach 3,000 Ks. Of the 13 who have previously done it, nine are in the Hall of Fame. Bert Blyleven should be. Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson and Greg Maddux will be.

``I don't know where I'll fall on that scale, as far as how many walks people had when they got to 3,000, but I hope up I'm up there in that," Schilling told the Globe in today's editions. Schilling has just 683 walks entering tonight's game, a fact he said he's proud of.

It shouldn't be too hard to figure out whether Schilling indeed will have the fewest walks among 3,000-K pitchers.

ALCS Preview? (Trash-Talking Edition) Yanks-Tigers Gamer I

The Yanks haven't played in two days and have still managed to pick up a game in the AL East standings. They're that good. Actually, Boston is that bad right now. A month ago it would have been hard to conceive that this game would mean more for the Tigers than the Yanks, but at this moment, Detroit holds a smaller lead over both Chicago and Minnesota in the central than the Yanks hold over the Sox.  Again, this dramatic change in the standings has to be traced mostly to a Sox team in the middle of a historic collapse. The question needs to be asked: When was the last time a $120 million team lost 20 games in a month? Actually, that question doesn't need to be asked, but I can't help but think that so much money could be used to better ends. I kid. This is YFvSF after all. Turn-around is fair play. Also, as many Sox fans have become philosophical and are all about perspective in recent days, we must not forget that this is just a game. Or, if that seems too trite and empty, you can take solace in the fact that you're not an Orioles fan. Again, let's not get too angry at this Yanks fan. I'm a freaking Yanks fan! Despite my generally civil and respectful tone, I can't help but hate the Sox. It's nothing personal. The regular Sox fans contributors here all seem like good people. Heck, I assume we'd all get along famously if we all sat down for a drink at team-neutral bar. But let's not pretend that I'm not above indulging in a little schadenfreude right about now.

And with that I get to the serious part of the program. Really, this is meant in all seriousness. Big Papi, you're a great ambassador for my favorite sport, you're an essential part of the greatest rivalry in sports, you're a worthy MVP candidate, and you seem like a splendid human being. Get better. I hope you're back on the field soon.

Back to the trivial matter at hand. The Yanks and Tigers have been the two best teams in baseball for nearly the whole year (if you, like SF, are a loyal follower of Pythagorean records). This series is quite possibly a preview of this year's ALCS. Most people, however, are discounting the Tigers' chances in the post-season. But my question is why? It's become a truism on this site and others that pitching and defense wins post-season series. The Tigers are basically the best pitching and defensive team in baseball. So, why no love for the Tigres de Detroit from so many posters and experts? Anyway, the game is set to begin soon. It's Wang v. Robertson. Comment here.

Bend It Like Beckett: Break That Slump. Sox - Athletics Gamer II

Josh Beckett just struck out Frank Thomas to end the first. I take that as a good sign. Kirk Saarloos is on the mound for Oaktown. Comment away.

Rainout: Yanks - Tigers Gamer I: PPND

Tigers are one of four big cats with lions, panthers and leopards in the Panthera genus, and love swimming.  Baseball players are one of four big cats along with NFL players, NBA players and NHL players in the MONSTRA MIHI PECUNIAM genus, and hate water.  Game one will be made up as a day-night double-header tomorrow.  Just what New York needed.