Thank God

I've never been a huge fan of Alex Gonzalez -- I think he's probably overrated on defense, and we know he can't hit -- but he's been a heck of a lot better in the field than Junicris Lugreenward and the recovering ghost of Jed Lowrie and provided better offense, to boot.

So it's great news that X-Rays on his wrist, which was hit by a pitch late in last night's game, came back negative.

Comments

[stuck working]

Still, I can't shake the feeling that the moral of the story is: don't be too confident in the chances for success of a playoff team that depends heavily on the health of Alex Gonzalez.

[Ethan-SF]

Still, I can't shake the feeling that the moral of the story is: don't be too confident in the chances for success of a playoff team that depends heavily on the health of Alex Gonzalez.

...I think he's probably overrated on defense, and we know he can't hit

Ah, don't be too hard on old A-Gon. Since he's been back he's been the best SS -- both defensively and (surprisingly) offensively -- that the Sox have had for quite a while. Though admittedly that isn't saying much.

At least he hasn't directly cost the Sox any games I can remember. I just realized how pathetic it is that the standards for SSs has dropped so low for the Sox.

[dabize]

Good news!

Sox + A-Gon >>>> Sox- A Gon.

I feel better now.

Now shouldn't there be a R.I.P. thread for J.P. Ricciardi, ex-GM of the Jays?

[IronHorse]

And the Twins beat Greinke. Amazing. Tremendous pressure on Detroit tonight. They've got Verlander tomorrow but they now have to win tonight and the matchup doesn't favor them. The AL Central always seems to generate excitement and the Twins are a fun franchise to follow.

[Paul SF]

Conventional wisdom says the Tigers need to win tonight to avoid pitching Verlander tomorrow and being unable to use him in Game 1.

But if Verlander pitches tomorrow and the Yanks pick the longer series, he can throw Game 2 on regular rest, and then Game 5 -- against AJ Burnett or Andy Pettitte. It strikes me that the Tigers might actually prefer to have Verlander not facing Sabathia twice because Sabathia is the Yanks' best opportunity to beat Verlander. Seeing Verlander in Games 2/5 could conceivably prove better for the Tigers if they can steal either one of the Sabathia games or Game 3, the only matchup not featuring one of the two aces.

Just a thought anyway.

[IronHorse]

AJ has the potential to match Verlander pitch for pitch as well as the potential to fall apart in the 3rd inning. Andy on the other hand would not be able to match Verlander but is a more sure thing to give 6 innings/3 runs. Plus Andy has been excellent on the road (AJ has been worse on the road). I'd like AJ to pitch G2 though I have to admit to fearing what he would do in a game 5.

The problem for Detroit is that they now have to throw Verlander tomorrow no matter what and if they end up tied with Minnesota after tomorrow, they have to throw Jackson in the one game playoff on Monday, meaning neither Verlander nor Jackson for G1 of the ALDS (if they even get there).

Regardless, if Detroit loses tonight the least of their worries will be what to do WHEN they get to the ALDS.

[Paul SF]

Me and a friend had a dice baseball game he invented that produced numbers roughly similar to what you see in real life. He had a terrific ace starter, so when we faced each other in the World Series, I started my worst pitcher against his ace so I wouldn't waste my slightly less good ace in Game 1 and guarantee a win in Game 2. Ended up winning both games, so this doesn't really hold up. Anyway, if I'm facing CC in the playoffs, I don't think I like the idea of using my ace against him, but I know that's crazy talk, and you don't really want concede a game like that in case Sabathia has a bad night (where's Rod to bring up CC's postseason record? ;-)) Still, it's a fun strategy to talk about anyway.

Victor Martinez with a grand slam! The Sox are bailing out a disturbingly shaky Beckett.

[IronHorse]

I was wrong - the 1-game playoff for the AL Central, would be on Tuesday, not Monday, which would suck even worse for Detroit (throw Jackson and your best pen-arms in necessary and then - if you win - jump on a plane to NYS for game 1 of the ALDS the next night with neither Verlander nor Jackson going for you).

Not following the Sox game but find it hard to believe that he would be as disturbingly shaky as was CC yesterday. And the Yanks are arguably more reliant on CC than Boston is on Beckett. Regardless, can't wait for Wed night (or Thursday, perhaps).

[Ethan-SF]

Beckett was very shaky in the first two innings, but it was mainly his breaking ball. He looked very rusty. Pretty much every one he threw was a hanger.

After the second he seemed to regain a bit of command and has pitched better.

[AndrewYF]

Even if it does get to a one-game playoff on Tuesday, with only Porcello able to pitch Game 1, I'd still rather the Yankees face the Twins. Their pitching staff is just that bad.

[Ethan-SF]

Beckett winds up 1 K short of 200 for the year. Oh well, still a very good season for the most part.

[IronHorse]

I agree Andrew re: preferring MIN. And as I type the White Sox take a 4-0 lead into the 7th. If this holds you've got to give MIN huge credit for clawing back into this race and tying it on game # 161.

[IronHorse]

Tigers threatening in the 8th - already scored a run and have 2 on with 1 out, and Cabrera up (4-1 game...)

[IronHorsé]

Wow - Cabrera GIDPs. Ouch.

[IronHorse]

Joba to come out of the pen tomorrow, meaning he'll be on the post-season roster and - for the ALDS anyway - be a reliever.

And the wheels start coming off in Detroit in the 9th. Barring a miraculous comeback the Tigers will lose.

[IronHorse]

Of course dampening the hopes of anyone who is rooting dor the Twins is the fact that while the Tigers put up Verlander vs. The White Sox tomorrow, the Twins pin their hopes on one Carl Pavano. On 3 days rest no less. I fear their impressive surge may well end with a loud thud tomorrow.

[AndrewYF]

Unless the Tigers lose as well!

[Devine]

Gonna be a fun late morning/early afternoon of baseball out here on the west coast. Dodgers made the other possibly interesting game uninteresting by winning tonight and setting the NL matchups. So:

Cardinals@Dodgers
Rockies@Phillies

Red Sox@Angels
???????@Yankees