YFSF

Seven Days

I'm back! I was in Denver, working on some humdrum event that was going on there this past week, and it's nice to be home. I seem to have missed a few things, though:

• The Red Sox failed to gain much ground on the Tampa Bay Rays. When I left town last Saturday, the Sox were 5.5 games back. Now they're 4.5 behind.
• On the other hand, they have opened up some significant breathing room in the Wild Card race -- tied with the White Sox, one up on the Twins and five ahead of the Yankees. Now they're three up on Chicago, 3.5 ahead of Minnesota and seven up on New York. All in all, the Red Sox made huge strides toward the postseason. Six of the seven games this week came against two of those three teams, and the Sox went 5-1. That's huge.
• Dustin Pedroia vaulted himself into the MVP race by batting .448/.529/.724 during perhaps the Sox' most key week of the season thus far. He's also eight for his last eight and nine for his last 10 and reached base in 10 straight plate appearances. Have you got your sunglasses?
• Theo Epstein has looked like a genius. Jason Bay? Three multihit games and 11 RBI in the week. Paul Byrd? Three decent starts since his acquisition and a key win against the Yankees this past week. Mark Kotsay? Acquired this week, he's gone 5 for 13 (.384) with three extra-base hits and four RBI in his first three games. And for what it's worth, the Red Sox are 18-8 since The Trade.

I keep using the word "key." That's exactly what that week was. The Red Sox' last 11 games were all against teams who were potential Wild Card threats. The Sox won two of three from Toronto, two of three from New York and at least two of three from Chicago. They pulled within five games of .500 on the road, and they've done it without Josh Beckett. Since he went down Aug. 17, the Sox are 7-3, with two wins from Paul Byrd and a win from Michael Bowden.

The Red Sox have had their share of adversity this season: Key (that word again) injuries to David Ortiz, Josh Beckett, Curt Schilling, J.D. Drew, Tim Wakefield, Sean Casey and Mike Lowell. Jacoby Ellsbury has struggled. Manny Ramirez was traded. They've been forced to use 11 starters  -- just one fewer than the lost season of 2006. Yet this club looks more and more like it will be headed toward its fifth postseason in six years, a testament to the breakout years of Jon Lester, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Pedroia and Youkilis, as well as to Theo Epstein's smart moves in acquiring Bay, Byrd and Kotsay.

It's been a good week.

C'mon, Meat! Sox-Sox Gamer VI

2005 supplemental draft pick Michael Bowden makes his major-league debut with the rock for the RedSox, while Mark Buehrle gets the go for the South Siders.  Dusty is the starter cleaner for the first time in his career.  Yes, a four-foot thireen-inch second baseman who weighs about a buck-thirty-five soaking wet is bringing his laser show to the four-slot for Beantown.  Cool.

Lineups follow, comment away.

In Progress: Jays-Yanks Gamer XIV

The Yankees have jumped out to an early lead with two runs off John Parrish and Toronto.  Comment here on your Saturday afternoon Bomber action.

Cy Matsuzaka?

I'm not saying he deserves it, but there's a chance that Dice-K will win the Cy Young award this season. He has the record (16-2) and ERA (2.82) that make voters swoon. He also pitches for a team that will likely make the post-season. Cliff Lee's wins and ERA might be better, but he pitches for Cleveland.

On the other hand, will the writers punish him for walking 80 batters in 140 innings, and pitching only 12 quality starts? Will his inefficiency hurt his case?

I may be misreading Sox fans' perception of Daisuke, but my guess is that most Boston rooters don't think he deserves the honor since many of his starts are excruciating affairs. Am I wrong to think that most Sox fans don't even think he's been the best starter on the team?

Freeze Frame! Doodle-Oodle-Oop! Jays-Yanks Gamer XIII/Sox-Sox MashUP!

I could see it was a rough-cut Tuesday
Slow-motion weekdays stare me down
Her perfect picture got me wound
Snap shot image froze without a sound

Ex-Floridians AJ Burnett and Carl Pavano square off tonight.  The Yankees are hitting .200 in three games against AJ, so it is doubtful that there will be any issue with where erstwhile foul balls-cum-homers are landing, but in the unlikely event that the Yankees actually hit something contestable, instant replay will be there to save the day, if not the season.

From what Pete tells us, "boundary calls" all across the continent are going to be resolved within two to three minutes.  This will happen by way of Blue phoning home to a super-secret spy bunker in New York wherein some ÜberMediaDude who has feeds for every game in the nation will alt-tab out of redtube and slingbox the play in question back to a special TV hidden in a lock box built just for Ump review.  Any manager who argues past the invincible power of the vidiot's decision is subject to summary execution, or at the very least, ejection.  Except on Saturdays, when FOX blackout rules will apply.

edit: Might as well make this tonight's gamer..

As noted above, AJ has owned the Yankees this year and is on a tear against everyone else as well, winning six starts in a row before receiving a no-decision in his last outing against Boston.  However, Carl Pavano hasn't been beat in the bigs since June 22nd, 2005!  Yeah, Boiiiieeee.....

It's the hotly-contested battle for third place, with the Blue Birds bringing their game to the Bombers, rooted on by ARod's Boo Birds.  Lineups to follow, comment away.

edit pt. the 2nd: Per IBM's suggestion, this is you FRIDAY NIGHT GAMER MASHUP!!!

Red Sox on top of the Pale Sox in the fourth... AND.....GO!

Move Over Gyroball

Satoru Komiyama has come up with a new pitch and it's called the "Shake."  Move over Gyroball there's a new pitch in town.  How long before this video reaches Hank and the negotiations begin?  According to NPB Tracker "Komiyama never throws the shake faster than about 55 mph."  Sounds like the Japanese version of Mike Mussina.       

"I Want a Golden Goose"

I stumbled across this new site thanks to Pete Abraham over at LoHud.  We have all been hard on Alex at one time or another, but nothing like this.  Never, ever have I compared Alex to a high priced copy machine.  This guy means business.  There isn't a lot of substance to it, but it's an entertaining read none the less.  "When you think about it, if you were A Rod, would you want to make the playoffs? I mean, seriously."  I dare you to read it and then tell me you didn't think of Veruca Salt, the spoiled rich girl from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  Clutch or unclutch do you think the Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Phillies, Twins, White Sox and so on, wouldn't kill to have one of the best players in the game on their roster for their post season run?  Seriously.  I am not trying to attack this young man or his cause, but it's things like this that make Yankees fans look like spoiled rich kids. 

I want a party with room fulls of laughter
Ten thousand tons of ice cream
And if I don't get the things I am after
I'm going to scream!

I want the works
I want the whole works
Presents and prizes and sweets and surprises
Of all shapes and sizes
And now
Don't care how
I want it now
Don't care how
I want it now    

2006 Redux

More good news! Beckett to go the Joba way and head to Alabama.

Despite some recent successes and a wild card lead, the likelihood of post-season success (should the team get there, still a decent prospect) does feel like it is beginning to slip away.

If a Tree Falls in the Woods: Yanks Vs. Sox 3

Here's your place to talk about all the excitement of today's game. It's a beautiful day for baseball, try not to ruin that Yankees. Moose is going for 17 wins today, while Lester tries to stay hot. Comment away!

Times Change

The playoff push, that would have ensued had the Yankees showed up for this series, needs to be called off.  Please don't tell me about the Rockies or other miraculous events regarding the wild card.  The Yankees post-season streak is over.  For the first time since I was a college Sophomore, the Yankees will not make the playoffs.  If you told me be back then that the Yankees would make the playoffs thirteen straight seasons and have four more World Series titles I would have called you crazy.  But back then I also thought Candlebox was going to be the best band ever, that Zima was the beer of the future and that A**hole was the greatest drinking game ever.  It was a great run for us all, but in 2008 the Yankees are best served by not making the playoffs.  This team isn't healthy or clutch enough right now to make a legitimate push in the playoffs.  It's not going to be easy to watch baseball in October this year, but long term this is going to be beneficial, mark my word.  (So what I was wrong about Candlebox and Zima, I am certain I right this time.  I think.)