HAHAHA!

Photo from Yahoo.com by Jaff Chui

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I hate to say it, but we told you so, Brewers fans!

One game into the regular season, and Gagné has already blown his first save!

He looked his usual Boston self, basically having no control, and when he did manage to find the strike zone, it was right over the middle of the plate.

He still managed to pick up the win after the Brewers got a run in the bottom of the 10th on a Tony Gwynn sacrifice fly, proving once again how baseball models the real world. Sometimes life just ain`t fair.

I`m betting that by mid-June Brewers fans will have started up a collection at all of their games to raise $10 million to pay Gagné not to pitch in games.

The Coliseum

Photo from the Boston Globe by the AP

Before a record 115 300 people, the Sox held on to a 7-4 lead to win the first baseball game played in the Coliseum since Sandy Koufax' 13-inning thriller against the Cubs in 1961. This game was not as remarkable as that one, but it was still an interesting experience.

There were a lot of hits that would have been doubles in every other park that turned into singles, and the center fielder was playing second base, but I was expecting a highter score than what it ended up being. The weirdest play happened when Jed Lowrie hit a ball off the left field screen that fell straight down and landed on top of the wall, going for a ground rule double. Lars Anderson also managed to break his bat on a pitch and get the barrel of the bat stuck in the backstop screen.

Wakefield pitched pretty well, only allowing one run on five hits in five innings, but there were 3 stolen bases off of him, and he made a throwing error in the first inning that led to the run he gave up.

On the offensive side of the game, Kevin Cash hit a 3-run home run, and then struck out in his next 3 at bats, and Youk hit a 2-run homer. Pedroia went 0-4, but he hit two sharp liners right at the 3rd baseman that would have been hits if they were a couple of feet in either direction.

With the Sox winning 7-2 going into the bottom of the ninth, Papelbon decided to make things interesting by allowing a 2-run homer to Dodgers third baseman Blake DeWitt to make it 7-4, and then allowing another hit to bring the tying run to the plate, after Argenis Diaz made an error. He held on to the win, though, by striking Jason Repko to end the game.

The Sox play one more exhibition game against the Dodgers today before finally continuing on with the regular season.

Team MVP Award

Photo by Matt Stone of the Boston Herald

I wonder if it is possible for a whole team to win an MVP award. Because if it is, the Bruins would definitely get it.

They have suffered through so many injuries this season, and have just lost Chuck Kobasew for the rest for the season, and Marc Savard(No!)for at least a week. It is basically like the end of the Sox' 2006 season, but throughout the whole season, not just the end.

It seems like whenever the Bruins get an injury, at least one player steps up, and helps fill the role of the missing player. None of them have outstanding numbers, except for Savard's assist total, but they get the job done night in and night out.

Rather than getting discouraged over bad losses, they get motivated to become better, and improve their weaknesses.

The team doesn't depend on one player, it depends on team unity, and defining every player's role within that team.

I am proud of this team for all they have accomplished this season, even if they don't make the playoffs, or get swept in the first round. They have exceeded every expectation I had for them at the beginning of the season, and look to be in good shape for the next few seasons with all of their young talent emerging.

I would also like to congratulate Milan Lucic for winning the Bruin's 7th Man Award. He is a throwback to the Cam Neely days, and embodies what being a Bruin used to mean, and what it will hopefully mean in the future.

My Favorite Player

The first time I laid my eyes on Manny, I was four years old, and attending my first baseball game at Fenway. I got to the ballpark in time to see Manny take BP.

He was leaning against the batting cages, waiting for his turn to hit. He looked just like another ballplayer to me, until he stepped into that batting cage. The very first pitch he swung at, after letting 3 pitches go by him, he hit a long fly ball to the left field warning track. After letting two more pitches go by him, he got ahold of one, and launched it high over the monster. He did the same for the next four pitches, before hitting ones to dead center, and then right field.

Being four years old, seeing any home run hit was like finding a giant mud puddle to jump into; awesome. But this display of hitting was like no mud puddle I had ever jumped into before. I just stood and watched him, before tugging on my dad's shirt and whispering in his ear for him to tell me the name of this person.

"That's Manny Ramirez," my dad told me, "he's a really good hitter."

I don't remember who won that game, or by how much, but I do remember those five minutes I saw Manny in the batting cage. And the drunken old lady sitting behind me, but I'll save that story for another day.

As Manny enters his 15th season in the major leagues, and his 8th with the Red Sox, this could perhaps be the best season of his career.

He spent his off season working out at the API with Pedroia and Youk, and seems to be in the best shape he has ever been in. So far that work seems to be paying off, as he hit 2 doubles today, and drove in 2 runs, including the game winner.

With his new found love of meditating, reading motivational books, and manpris, this could be the beginning of a whole new Manny Era. One that will, hopefully, last at least 2 more years.

JD On Fire Drew!

Photo from the Boston Globe by Barry Chin

That's JD Drew.

Know what JD is doing in that picture? He's watching the flight of his Grand Slam, and second home run he has hit during this Japan trip.

That's right. JD has hit 2 home runs in 2 games.

After being ridiculed and booed by the fans all last year, it seems like he has finally found his swing. It all started with his GS in game 6 of the ALCS last year, and now he can't be stopped.

This was just one of the many highlights of this morning's game against the Yomiuri Giants, whom the Sox beat 9-2.

The game started out frustrating, as the Sox had runners on first and second with no outs in both the first and second innings, but failed to score either time. After the first four innings, the game was looking like a typical Wakefield game. He was pitching well( 2 runs, one unearned, in 5 1/3 innings) but was getting no run support through his start, and at the end of 51/2 innings, the Sox were losing 2-0.

Then came the Drew Grand Slam. After that hit, everything seemed to fall into place.

David Aardsma, Bryan Corey, Oki(who entered and exited the game to a standing ovation), and Tavarez combined to shut out the Tigers for 3 2/3 innings, while Jed Lowrie added a solo shot, Coco had an RBI triple, Brandon Moss had a 2-run single, and Alex Cora had an RBI single.

Even at 7am, after getting 5 hours of sleep(thanks, Bruins and Celtics), I was in the best baseball watching form I have been in yet this ST. I even made a sign!

Bring on the regular season.

And bring on some English speaking announcers.

You Cannot Contain the Beast that is Big Papi

Photo from the Boston Globe by Barry Chin

I stayed up and watched the whole exhibition game last night, and then I had to get up at 8 this morning, so this post might not be too coherent, but I'll try.

I was amazed at how into the game I got. I jumped up and down after Papi hit his home run. It wasn't a 514 footer, but it sent the message after Pedroia and Youk struck out to start the game.

I added screaming at the top of my lungs to the jumping up and down, after JD Drew hit that 3-run shot, and I nervously paced so much as Clay began to get pounded, that I literally wore holes in my socks.

I live for that nervous feeling I get in my stomach, as I watch our Boys squeak out a 1-run win. It feels right to have a hoarse voice after 3 1/2 hours of of yelling at the tv, and cutting deals with the players to get out of the inning, or to get a hit.

Going back to the game, Clay was hardly spectacular, giving up 4 runs in 3 2/3 innings, but Papi and JD made up for that with home runs, and Youk added another 2 RBIs on two singles. Kyle Snyder pitched 2 1/3 innings, giving up one run, before Javier Lopez, Manny DelCarmen, and Papelbon shut the door on the Tiger's offense.

After a less-than-stellar Spring Training, maybe this trip to Japan is just what this team needs.

Construction Helmets?

Photo from the Boston Globe by Barry Chin

The Red Sox had their first workout in Japan Today (yesterday?), and are preparing to play their first exhibition game against the Hanshin Tigers tonight.

The game starts at midnight, so it's a good thing that it's the weekend, 'cause I am not pleasant when I don't get enough sleep.

In my last post, I said that I hoped the Sox could just get back to America without some international incident happening. Jonathan Papelbon is, apparently, trying his best to make sure that I am disappointed, by finding a construction helmet somewhere, and deciding to wear it during practice. Seriously, I am pretty certain that he is not supposed to have that helmet, but it does look funny on him, and it gave me a laugh, so he gets a pass on it for now. But if he comes out to pitch in the game wearing it, I may have to fly to Japan and be his personal escort, to make sure that he behaves himself.

Yes, I am willing to sacrifice my internal body clock to keep Papelbon out of trouble. All I do is give, give, give.

I will be very cranky if this team loses the AL East to the Yankees by 2 games, because they had to forfeit some of the games, due to the fact that they were in jail.

The Sox are International

Photo from the Boston Globe by Koichi Kamoshida

After poossibly boycotting the trip to Japan yesterday, the Sox mit safely there at around noon today.

When this trip to Japan was first announced, I had high expectations for the team, hoping they could win both of the games against the A's, and maybe even both of the exhibition games. As I read article after article yeaterday and this afternoon about their trip, I found myself just wishing that this team could make it back to America without causing some international incident that would require them to be detained for a 48 hour period.

Seriously, I don't think Japan is ready for this team. Godzilla is a cute puppy dog compared to them.

And how awesome is Papelbon? Getting a custom-made, portable poker table ordered for the trip. Too bad he didn't get much use out of it, as it got broken only a few hours into the trip. My guess? Pedroia was losing, and went all Jackie Chan on that thing. Because, y'know, it's the boards fault that Pedroia sucks, and if he wasn't going to win, nobody else was, either.

On a side note, Lester was awesome in his minor league start, today, throwing five perfect innings, with 8 strikeouts. The best part? He threw 42 of his 58 pitches for strikes. Let's hope this is a foreshadowing of what's to come.

He will travel to Japan tomorrow morning, and, as opposed to what the rest of the team was instructed to do, has been instructed to sleep most of the time on the way over. Let's hope he gets lots of rest, so he can be ready to take on the A's in the second regular season game.

We'll get 'Em Next Time

Photo from the Boston Globe by the AP

So, I got MLB.TV on Sunday, just in time to watch the Sox and Yanks play for the first time this year, today.

Apparently those people that run MLB.TV hate me. The Sox lost, and I got to listen to the YES network for 3 hours. What a fun afternoon.

I know it is just a Spring Training game, and they don't really mean anything, but it would have been awesome to beat them.

We'll just have to wipe those smug grins off of Hanky and Captain Intangibles during the regular season, as we win the division for the second year in a row.

While I wait for the next game between these two teams, I will just sit and imagine what Pedroia would do to Shelley, if he went spikes first into Pedroia. I think there would have to be an ambulance parked, waiting in the dugout.

I love Aaron Ward!

I believe that one of the main things it takes for a team to win is chemistry, and this years Bruins team is proving that.

They lost their best player, Patrice Bergeron, near the beginning of the season, and have had to battle though various other injuries, the most recent being the loss of Zdeno Chara. This team has had to battle thought all of these injuries, and is doing it very well. Today's game is a perfect example of that.

They were losing 2-1 in the third period to the Flyers, when Thomas came up with a huge save that led to an Andrew Ference goal wth 24 seconds left in the game.

Thomas came up with another huge save in OT, when Jeff Carter came in on a breakaway. Thomas redirected the puck up the ice, and Aaron Ward scored the OT winner. This is the second time this season that Ward has scored the OT winner against the Flyers.

After he scored, I screamed so loudly, I was surprised that my neighbors didn't call the police with a complaint of disturbing the peace.

This team has restored my faith in Boston hockey, and has made me genuinely excited to watch the team. After they traded Joe Thornton, I thought that it would take a lot longer than just 3 years for this team to be a contender.

I truly love every single person on his team(except for Manny Fernandez), and I can't wait to see what they can do in the playoffs.

Another One Bites the Dust

Photo by Matt Stone of the Boston Herald

Alas, there will be no more of Dougie Going Deep in a Red Sox uniform.

He was released by the Sox today, after being scratched from the game, and replaced by Dusty Brown.

I am having a hard time coping with this news, because I have been a long-time Dougie lover and supporter, but I think it is the best thing for the team.

I just can't imagine how Wake is coping with this news.

Victory is Upon Us!

Photo from Yahoo.com by Charles Krupa

The Red Sox won the Mayor's Cup today, with a 12-7 win over the Twins.

Clay had his best start, going 3 2/3 innings, while giving up 2 runs on three hits and one walk.

Varitek, Kevin Cash, and Jonathan Van Every each hit home runs, and Manny and Ortiz went a combined 4-5 with one RBI each.

The Sox won the Cup in both 2004 and 2007. Needless to say, I was ecstatic to hear that they had won it this year. Not to say that I'm superstitious or anything(even thought I totally am), but this gave me even more confidence in this team than I already had.

I feel like now that we have the Mayor's Cup locked up, we can just start the regular season games right now. Our boys don't need any more training, unless it's not too late to sign up for a class on How to Not Accidentally Offend Japanese People.

Our boys are off to the Land Of The Rising Sun in a week, so there is still time to go buy some Caffeine pills.

The Sox win!

Photo from the Globe by the AP.

So, the Red Sox won today, beating the Mets by a score of 4-3.

With this win, they are now an amazing 4-8, and have given up an average of 5.9 runs per game, while scoring only 3.9 runs per game. I know that ST games don't mean anything, and there are all lot of players getting playing time that won' make the team, but still, this is kind of sad. Especially for WS champs. Maybe they are still drunk from all of the celebrating they did? Yeah. That's my excuse. And I'm sticking to it.

They do seem to be heading in the right direction, though. Lester looked really good in yesterday's start. He seemed to have control of all of his pitches, and commanded the strike zone. I know that one games doesn't mean a whole lot in how pitchers will do during the course of the season, but with his performance in Game 4 of the World Series, and now this start, things finally seem to be heading in the right direction. Just wait until he starts swearing in his post game press conferences to know that he has finally arrived.

Now back to today's game. Wakey pitched a Wakeish game, giving up 2 runs on 5 hits and 3 walks, in 4 innings. Papelbon picked a guy off first, after Lowrie committed an error. This just proves my theory that nobody shall get on base against Papelbon, by hit or by error(cause y'know Paps doesn't give up walks.) Manny seems to be heating up, going 2 for 3 with a single and a double, while driving in one run. Mikey Lowell hit a solo homerun, and Sean Casey drove in the other 2 Sox runs.

Lets see if this can carry over into tomrrow's game, if we have any players left to play it. Beckett and Lugo have sore backs, Coco has a double groin pull, Pedroia has to flu, and Kielty has a pulled hamstring. Maybe we should just turn City of Palms Park into a hospital.

Here's hoping for good health and another win!

Chemistry, chemistry, chemistry

Photo By Kelly O from www.sittingstill.net

I had the strangest dream last night. I dreamed that Johan Santana was a member of the Red Sox. Theo had traded Jon Lester, Jed Lowrie, Justin Masterson, Coco Crisp, and one other prospect, to get him.

He was making his second Spring Training start, against the Marlins, and was doing pretty well, striking out 5 through two innings, while giving up only one hit-a single- and no walks. This is where it gets pretty weird. The camera flashed to the Sox' dugout, where Beckett was sitting, glaring out at the field, in his Becketty way. He suddenly looked up and down the bench, as though searching for someone in particular. After seemingly failing to find whoever he was searching for, he broke out into a long string of swear words, then went back to glaring out at the field. This time the glare seemed different, less like he wanted to go out there and snatch the ball for Santana's hand and pitch for him, because y'know, Beckett could do it better, and more like he wanted to go out there and beat Santana up.

This is when I woke up, and wrote my dream down before I could forget it. As I was writing it down, I suddenly realized who he was looking for. Of course it had to be Jon Lester! Lester, who tries to emulate Beckett, following him around like a lost puppy. I think Beckett missed that. I think that Beckett truly loves Lester, and loves that Lester looks up to him.

I know that this probably won't make sense on a practical level, but this dream made me realize how glad I am that the Sox didn't trade for Santana. Was he pitching extremely well? Yes he was. Would Lester have pitched better if he were in that game? Probably not. So why am I so happy that we have Lester instead of Santana?

I think it boils down to the reason the Sox won the World Series. They have become a family, wanting to win, not for themselves, but for each other. I think this is what separates the Sox from every other team. Do other teams have good chemistry, and enjoy playing with one another? Absolutely. But none of those teams have pirate themed bullpens, a manager in love with their second baseman, a left fielder that randomly gives away cars and watches to his teammates, and none of those teams have Big Papi, the hugging machine.

This team truly loves one another. They love spending over half the year with each other. You could see it in their eyes all throughout the post season. You could see it when Timlin told Wakey that they won the World Series for him, you could see it when they reacted to JD Drew's Grand Slam, you could see it as Lugo jumped into Manny's arms after he finally broke out of his slump, and you could see it as Royce Clayton- who probably had about 10 AB's for the Sox all year, and struck out in about 8 of them- climbed on top of the table to hold the WS trophy.

I hope that we will witness many more of these events in the future, because they have come to define the team that, just a few years ago, felt like 25 individuals out there playing baseball, and now feels like one.

My First Post! for lack of a better title.

Photo From the Boston Globe by the AP

I have decided to start a blog so I have a place to write down all of my rants and ramblings about sports, and life in general. I would normally tell everything that I will be writing to my family, but they are getting kind of tired of my incessant, incoherent rambling about Tek's thighs, Pedroia's spunkiness, KG's spirit, and how the Bruins are finally playing good hockey.

I am computer challenged, so my first few posts will probably be more or less as painful to read as spraying sunscreen in your eye is. But stick with me, because I promise you, the posts will get a lot more interesting and funny as soon as I get a hang of this blog.

If you have any comments, concerns, or advice, please feel free to leave them. I promise I won't bite.....hard:D