Conventional wisdom tells us that a Clay Buchholz (near 6 ERA) - Felix Hernandez (sideways cap and MEAN stuff, polished already) in Safeco is as close to a guaranteed loss as one can imagine for our boys. But games are, as they say, played on the field and not in the highly negative mind of overworked keyboard tappers. So to that end, the Sox will take the field today, they will try to win, and they may, in fact, emerge victorious. But we will most definitely not be betting.
Discuss the getaway game here.
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Manny out today with king Felix itis...err, I mean a sore right knee. not a good feelign about this game, but the Mariner's lineup is very weak, so maybe it's be decided in the 9th inning.
Posted by: dw (sf) | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 04:24 PM
Am I the only one annoyed by the sideways cap phenomenon? Maybe it's my newly realized old age, but it bothers me...
Posted by: Paul SF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 04:31 PM
Not just the sideways cap but the flat bill, too.
How geeky.
Posted by: I'mBillMcNeal | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 04:36 PM
A real screwup at MLB.com.
WEEI has the game today but after starting the pregame, mlb.com switches to WRKO and I'm getting the blathering W apologist Howie Carr. Worse, he cites Rush in his own defense.
I need a shower.
Posted by: I'mBillMcNeal | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 04:38 PM
Reverse jinx? =P
Posted by: Lar | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 04:38 PM
How so, lar?
Posted by: I'mBillMcNeal | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 04:41 PM
But inDemand picks up the NESN feed.
Excellent.
Posted by: I'mBillMcNeal | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 04:43 PM
Was referring to the title of the post, not your posts.. =)
Posted by: Lar | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 04:45 PM
MLB.tv's reception is awful today. How am I supposed to get nothing done at work if the game is unwatchable!?
Posted by: SF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 04:45 PM
Ah. got it.
Posted by: I'mBillMcNeal | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 04:46 PM
in Boston visiting a friend and it's rainy. Anyway, I'm checking this game out on NESN. I like Remy. This other guy is boring.
Posted by: Nick-YF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 04:52 PM
Raul Ibanez-the guitarist from Rage Against The Machine.
Posted by: Nick-YF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 04:53 PM
uggg, couldn't stand the KOMO guys when I lived in Tacoma, and since the feed is wrong, have to list to RIzz and Blowers. yuck
Posted by: dw (sf) | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 04:55 PM
nasty 12 to 6 curve gets Ibanez swinging. Good inning for Clay.
Posted by: Nick-YF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 04:55 PM
But a NICE first inning from Bucky.
That pick off of Itchy was HUGE.
Posted by: I'mBillMcNeal | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 04:56 PM
Come on, Nick. Raul Ibanez is a BRAND of guitar.
Posted by: I'mBillMcNeal | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 04:56 PM
Is Lowrie the first major leaguer named Jed?
Posted by: I'mBillMcNeal | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:00 PM
And up comes the rally killer.
Posted by: I'mBillMcNeal | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:01 PM
The feed seems to be fixed, at least for me.
Posted by: rootbeerfloat | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:04 PM
but he looks so much like that guy from Rage. One of these days I'm going to do a post about the dopplegangers in baseball.
Raul Ibanez: The Guitarist from Rage Against the Machine
Doug Mirabelli: David Remnick from the New Yorker
Ronny Beliard: The love child of Manny Ramirez and Manny Ramirez
Posted by: Nick-YF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:05 PM
Jesus, Jose Vidro has an OBP of .266 and is the DH. That's embarrassing. Who runs the Mariners? The last place team owner in my fantasy league?
Posted by: Nick-YF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:06 PM
How often does Jacoby swing at the first pitch? I hate it when Manny does it, but at least it's, uh, Manny, a Hall of Famer. Ellsbury did it last night, he just did it again. He needs a good talking-to.
Posted by: SF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:18 PM
re: Jed uniqueness
Nope
http://www.baseball-reference.com/player_search.cgi?search=jed
Posted by: SF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:19 PM
Pedroia singles, two on base with one down.
Posted by: SF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:21 PM
Felix is pitching like DMat today! =P (King Felix is on one of my fantasy teams..)
Posted by: Lar | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:21 PM
wow! Ichiro steals a homer away from Drew. Nice play. He's the Anti-Abreu out there.
Posted by: Nick-YF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:22 PM
Did Ichiro just go over the wall to catch a ball? Gameday shows the catch being made behind the fence.
Posted by: SF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:22 PM
dammit
Posted by: rootbeerfloat | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:22 PM
Apparently, based on the comments, yes.
Posted by: SF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:23 PM
Yoooooooooooooooooouk!
Posted by: SF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:23 PM
Ichiro doesn't do such a good job on Youk's single which ends up scoring two instead of the 1 it should have.
Posted by: Nick-YF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:23 PM
Except for he actually gave up the runs. Ah well.
Posted by: Lar | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:23 PM
AW, I could'a done that. I figured you could only search by last name.
Posted by: I'mBillMcNeal | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:24 PM
Yoooouuuuuk!
Posted by: rootbeerfloat | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:24 PM
Ichiro taketh away, and Ichiro giveth.
Posted by: Brownie | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:24 PM
The Drew hit was close. It looked like it was heading out, but it might have hit the top of the wall.
King Felix doesn't look sharp today.
Posted by: Nick-YF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:24 PM
Jacoby needs to go to the plate with a plan. He seems confused up there.
Posted by: I'mBillMcNeal | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:25 PM
I wonder with Ellsbury how you learn pitch recognition if you don't see any pitches.
Posted by: SF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:25 PM
4 hits, three walks for the Sox, only two runs. King's ERA is over 2.00, so not really Daisuke-esque at all.
55 pitches for Hernandez thru three.
Posted by: SF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:29 PM
Sorry, WHIP, not ERA.
Posted by: SF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:29 PM
that was one of the more awkward/athletic plays by Buccholz, as the ump calls the runner safe.
Posted by: Nick-YF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:33 PM
"single on a ground ball to Clay Buchholz".
LaHair is a big first baseman, he can't have bunted - was it a rope that Clay knocked down?
Posted by: SF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:33 PM
Nick, SoSHers (a reliable sort!) all seem to indicate the replay showed the runner out. Is that accurate? Or was it too close to call?
Posted by: SF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:36 PM
he didn't bunt. I wasn't listening that closely but it sounds like it was a legitimate attempt to hit.
Posted by: rootbeerfloat | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:36 PM
It was a high chopper that Clay caught falling backwards, and made a good throw from his ass that appeared to beat the runner.
Posted by: Brownie | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:39 PM
Ichiro out, Lowell to Youk. Man on second, two down.
Posted by: SF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:39 PM
Ichiro out, Lowell to Youk. Man on second, two down.
Posted by: SF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:39 PM
it was a high chopper that went over the mound. In going back he stumbled and fell to the ground, ended up catching the ball on his back and making a hard throw from his back.
Posted by: Nick-YF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:40 PM
yeah, he was out.
Posted by: Nick-YF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:41 PM
Clay, despite only three baserunners in three innings, is not throwing efficiently. Paps not available either, I wouldn't think. Yikes.
Posted by: SF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:44 PM
Terry Francona: Fred Savage's younger brother whatshisface?
Posted by: Nick-YF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:44 PM
Felix reearned the "King" moniker, if only for one inning as he got through that one really quick. 61 pitches through 4.
Posted by: Lar | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:46 PM
Way to work those counts, bottom of the order!
God, Coco and Tek, if you aren't going to hit, at least see three pitches each, right?
Posted by: SF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:46 PM
god, typepad is pretty screwed up recently. Hard time following the thread here. Anyway, a very quick 1,2,3 inning for the King. I think he did that in 5 pitches.
Posted by: Nick-YF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:46 PM
Victory! Thanks to flash floods my class is cancelled. Happy to see us ahead against Felix.
Posted by: Atheose | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:49 PM
Yeah, Nick, Typepad has been brutal.
Posted by: SF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:49 PM
Ibanez rages against the machine with a shot. 2-1 Sox
Posted by: Nick-YF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:49 PM
Dinger for Ibanez. 2-1 Sox.
Posted by: SF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:49 PM
...and apparently I'm bad luck. Ibanez homers.
Posted by: Atheose | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:50 PM
Ugh, meltdown starting? Single for Vidro.
Posted by: SF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:51 PM
wheels. flying off.
Posted by: rootbeerfloat | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:51 PM
Atheose, please go back out into the rain.
Posted by: rootbeerfloat | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:51 PM
Beltre Ks looking.
Posted by: SF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:52 PM
Looks like he's getting out of it though. After the "leadoff single", struck out two straight.
Posted by: Lar | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:54 PM
Reed Ks. Six for Clay.
Posted by: SF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:54 PM
Thanks, Kenji. Second pitch ground out. 2-1 Sox after four.
Time to head home, see the kids. Go Sox!
Posted by: SF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:56 PM
OK, Ath, you can come back in now.
Posted by: rootbeerfloat | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:57 PM
Not gone yet. Hey, an improvement, Jacoby saw two pitches!
Posted by: SF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:58 PM
Thanks RBF ;-)
Posted by: Atheose | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:01 PM
Does anyone know Ellsbury's PPA?
Posted by: SF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:04 PM
Afraid to look, SF.
Buchholz gets a 1-pitch out to start the 5th.
Posted by: Atheose | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:06 PM
what's PPA?
Posted by: soxgirl | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:06 PM
1414 pitches in 345 AB, or about 4.1 pitches per AB.
Posted by: Lar | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:08 PM
Not including today's game, of course.
Posted by: Lar | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:08 PM
8-pitch inning, with some nice defense by Buchholz and Lowrie. 75 pitches after 5, pretty damn good.
Posted by: Atheose | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:09 PM
Sorry, that's 388 PA (as opposed to AB's), so that's 3.65 a PA.
Posted by: Lar | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:10 PM
Red Sox have ~75% chance of winning as of right now.
Posted by: Lar | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:15 PM
Bases loaded, no outs for Lowrie-Tek-Crisp.
Posted by: Atheose | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:16 PM
With the walk, it's actually 82% now. They should win a tough one against King Felix.
Posted by: Lar | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:16 PM
Lowrie is 2 for 4 career with the bases loaded? Wow, not bad for someone whose only played in like 20 games.
Posted by: Atheose | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:17 PM
King Felix at 97 pitches, so probably last inning for him in some way.
Posted by: Lar | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:19 PM
Lowrie K's. I smell a Varitek GIDP.
Posted by: Atheose | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:20 PM
Ick. But I'll take a K over a GIDP. Crisp can hit his fastball.
Posted by: I'mBillMcNeal | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:21 PM
Good, only a strikeout by Varitek.
Posted by: Atheose | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:21 PM
3-0 pitch to Crisp with the bases loaded..
Posted by: Lar | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:22 PM
Or not!
Posted by: I'mBillMcNeal | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:22 PM
Walks in a run - do those pitches look as close as on GameDay?
Posted by: Lar | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:22 PM
OK, jacoby. What's your plan? Look for a pitch to hit, not to hit a pitch.
Posted by: I'mBillMcNeal | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:23 PM
Well, we get onem but it's still an enormous squander.
Posted by: I'mBillMcNeal | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:25 PM
King Felix got out of that one, giving up one run on a bases loaded walk. Is that all you need against this offense? We'll see!
Posted by: Lar | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:25 PM
Sox now at 74% chance of winning.
Posted by: Lar | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:25 PM
Bases loaded, no outs, and we score one. THAT's why we are sucking on the road.
Posted by: Paul SF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:31 PM
I'm late, but GOD BLESS COCO for that walk!
Posted by: Atheose | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:32 PM
Lar, don't post that "chance of winning" garbage. A 2-run lead in the 6th on the road with this Sox bullpen means something other than a 74% chance of victory.
Posted by: stuck working | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:32 PM
Hey, Masterson warming up in the 'pen! Nice!
Posted by: Atheose | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:33 PM
Fuck Vidro.
Posted by: Atheose | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:34 PM
I blame the win percentage for that HR. Gonna tell us what is it now, Lar?
Posted by: stuck working | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:35 PM
These squanders ALWAYS kill us. I hate this team. Buchholz should not be fighting for this game, giving up only three runs.
Posted by: Paul SF | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:37 PM
On mlb.tv the Mariners posted the starters line scores, and it showed Buchholz as giving up 3 runs, 1 earned. Am I missing something here?
Posted by: Atheose | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:38 PM
Back outside for you Atheose.
Posted by: rootbeerfloat | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 06:38 PM