Lucky in Houston - for once

After all these years of hardship, and being the laughingstock of the National League (now in the AL West - you're welcome, Mariners), the Houston Astros had to catch a break sometime. The Astros have kicked off their first season in the American League by introducing a new logo and new uniforms, but that probably won't be enough to turn their fortunes around.

However, it's interesting to note that there is a certain anomaly that is currently favoring the Astros over all twenty-nine other MLB teams. According to the injured player list that MLB provides (mostly for fantasy baseball players looking to set their rosters), the Astros are the only team without any current injury concerns. There isn't so much as a strained hamstring on the entire roster.

Now that I've called attention to it, I'm sure the entire pitching staff will require immediate Tommy John surgery, so I apologize in advance to any Astros fans who stumble upon this blog. They say that you have to control the controllables, and injuries certainly fall into the "uncontrollable" category. Perhaps some kind of fate or karma or higher power of your choice decided that since the Astros couldn't control anything about themselves, the injury bug could skip them - for now.

Injuries abound

Ryan Kalish can't catch a break. I wrote his projections post a week ago today, under the assumption that he would be healthy and ready for spring training and Opening Day - and it's become clear that's not the case.

Kalish has struggled with myriad injuries in his short career (he's just 24), and had surgery last offseason in an attempt to fix his torn labrum, and he's had other surgeries, as well. Everyone had been optimistic that the light was on at the end of the tunnel, that Kalish would finally be healthy enough to fulfill his potential. Alas, this is not the case, and he will be out "for the foreseeable future" because of impending surgery on his right shoulder.

If you should need some schadenfreude to brighten your day after hearing that, I definitely have some news for you.  The Yankees should be without Alex Rodriguez until at least after the All Star break, and quite possibly for the whole season.

Of course, A-Rod is 37, and he's been injury-prone for a number of years, so this isn't surprising. And yes, the Yankees have proven that they can win without the power-hitting Rodriguez, but I take a certain amount of satisfaction in knowing that they'll be paying him at least $28 million dollars to play a maximum of about two months.

I would never, ever wish injury on anyone - including A-Rod, who is very close to the top of my most disliked player list - but it is nice to remember that the Red Sox aren't the only team dealing with serious injuries before the season is even underway.

Making it interesting?

Alright, things look pretty bad. By losing two out of three to the Rays (and heartbreakers, at that), the Red Sox fall to 6.5 games out of first place and the Wild Card - seven games out in the loss column.

So does this mean it's over? Not necessarily, but barring a spectacular collapse by one or both of the teams they're chasing, it's now going to be damn near impossible. Unfortunately, we're behind the wrong New York team when it comes to hoping for a collapse, as the Yankees' Queens neighbors are particularly practiced at late-season floundering theatrics.

Where are the moribund Mets when you need them?

Many of you might ask: So what's the point in watching? Well, first of all, if these Red Sox get their act together and somehow scrape a spot in the postseason, you'll want to say that you're one of those fans who kept the faith.

Even if they don't, and even if this series turns out to be the straw that finally broke the camel's back, there's a lot of good baseball left. This is a good team, and they play exciting baseball most of the time. Sure, the last two nights have ended badly for us, but there was a lot of edge-of-your-seat performances before the final score made us all collectively bang our heads against that proverbial wall.

Take Saturday's game: we had a gem from Buchholz, an impressive catch from Drew (while the wisdom of catching that ball is open to question, the degree of difficulty involved in actually getting to it through those awful bullpens is not), and a SportsCenter Top Play from none other than the young Ryan Kalish.


During the series we've seen a lot of skill from guys most of us had never heard of until the 2010 Parade of Carnage got underway: a couple of assists by Darnell McDonald, some key hits by Daniel Nava, and an RBI from Yamaico Navarro. I mean, we've all heard about Ryan Kalish, but you'd have to be SUPER tuned in to even have known what position these other guys played in the Sox minor league system, let alone think they could make an meaningful contribution.

So maybe the tail end of 2010 will turn out to be an audition for 2011, and it's not the end of the world. Most teams would have packed it in long ago: where would the Rays be with season-ending injuries to Carlos Pena and Ben Zobrist? If BJ Upton played just 20 games? If Matt Garza was doing his best 2006 Matt Clement impression and David Price missed two months?

Likewise, where would New York be without Mark Teixeira, Robinson Cano, and Curtis Granderson for a sizable chunk of the season? What if you subtracted CC Sabathia from that rotation? Phil Hughes?

I know this is all hypothetical, but the point is that this team is nothing to scoff at. The fact that we can even boast the seventh-best record in baseball at this point in the season is borderline absurd - factor in the toughest division in the game and you're really talking crazy.

I hate to quote a Yankee to sum up a post about the tenacity of the 2010 Red Sox, but as Yogi Berra famously said: "It's not over til it's over."

It's not over yet, Red Sox Nation. I don't know about you, but the one thing I've learned this season is to never count this team out.

Another Crushing Blow

As you all know, I missed my hubby's first two games back from the disabled list to watch some Baby Sox play in Portland. It seemed like a reasonable idea at the time; after all, he'd be back for the rest of the season, and it was a good chance for me to get over to Hadlock Field.

God, I miss this face.

As usual when I show a moment of weakness is my dedication to the big club, the baseball gods have their revenge by smiting one of my boys. In fact, the only major injury I've seen this season was that of Jacoby D-Ellsbury, and you already know my feelings about him.

But I digress. The plucky second baseman played a total of two games up in Boston before that left foot started hurting too much for him to bear - and that's quite a lot for a man who was taking ground balls on his knees just days after the initial break.

So it was back to the DL for Pedey, and what's worse is that his absence is likely to be longer for 15 days. Obviously, the in-your-face infielder wasn't pleased with the news: "I'm upset. I feel like I let everybody down... I can't really do much. I tried, so hopefully it heals up and I'll get back in there."

It's a huge blow to a team that was waiting on tenterhooks for its most spirited player to return: Pedroia was supposed to be the motivating factor for a hotstreak that would carry the Red Sox into the playoffs. Pedroia is not worried, at least out loud: "We'll be fine. Guys will step up. They have all year. I'm just one guy. Guys have gone down all year, and guys have been able to step up and help us win. We still have a great chance at getting to the playoffs and winning the whole thing."

I actually agree with all this bluster... If the Red Sox pull off a miracle and make it into the October party, I think they can win it all. However, they no longer "have all year." There are thirty-nine games to play, and they currently sit seven games out in the division and 5.5 back in the Wild Card. They either have to catch the seemingly tireless Rays, or the Yankees with the bottomless pockets, and with each passing day it seems less likely it can happen.

Of course, I hate counting ANYTHING out until the numbers say I absolutely must, because I learned my lesson in 2004: never say never, especially when the team in question is as talented and determined as this one.

As Kevin Garnett would say: ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE!!!!!!!!!

I'll say this much for certain: if these Sox make it to the promised land of the playoffs, it might be the best ride they've had, and a joy to watch for sure.


[Quotes are from this article at redsox.com, and standings are as of this evening.]

Today's the day!

Good lord, I've missed this man.

This is it. The day we (I) have been waiting for since June 25th. Seven weeks without Dustin Pedroia, while the Red Sox have fought to keep their collective heads above water. While we fans missed the diminutive second baseman and his antics, the Sox at least got to keep him in the dugout, even as certain other injured players chose to stay away.

I believe in this team. As things stand this morning, the Red Sox are 5.5 games back - both in the division and the Wild Card, as the Yankees and Rays are tied. They have 42 games to play, and though it seems unlikely, I think they can make a run at it.

More importantly, the Red Sox believe in themselves. They think they can get it done, and Dustin Pedroia backs up his smack-talk with action. I fully expect him to go on an absolute tear.

Remember the laser show he put on the day before Doomsday? Three home runs in a game at Colorado? I know we'll get to see him pick up where he left off: if it's possible for one man to pick up a team and win them a spot in the playoffs, Pedey will do it.

And even if he can't? Well, I get to watch him again, every day, out on that field.... where he belongs.

Do you appreciate me NOW?!?

I thought we'd weathered the storm. Dustin Pedroia was out for an extended period with a broken foot, and for me that's top 3 WORST NEWS EVER. Unfortunately, just when we were all thinking that things couldn't possibly be worse, the baseball gods decided to piss all over our feeble dreams.

Kevin Youkilis will undergo season-ending surgery on his right thumb tomorrow, after tearing his abductor muscle. What did we do to get the universe so angry at us?!?

Say it ain't so, Youk!

This is a tough blow. Kevin Youkilis was snubbed by Joe Girardi for the All-Star Game, but his numbers have been more than All-Star worthy, batting .307 with a .975 OPS, 62 RBIs, and 19 homers in 102 games.

Youkilis is easily on the same playing field as the Mark Teixeiras, Justin Morneaus, and even Albert Pujols's of the game in several statistical areas, and yet he's rarely or never mentioned in the same breath as these players.

I'm sure a lot of this bias is simply aesthetic judgment: Youkilis has an unconventional stance, his body type is not that of the traditional star, and his goatee, while impressive, is not the type of facial hair associated with a golden boy. This is such a shame, as Youkilis is truly among the elite first basemen in the game, and, if given the chance, could probably be among the best across the diamond at the hot corner.

Youkilis is a sweaty, sweaty man... but he's also one of the best players in the American League.

Once dubbed "the Greek God of Walks" by Oakland A's GM Billy Beane, Youkilis has certainly branched out. The once-chubby 8th rounder with the funny swing and excellent sense of the strike zone has become a legitimate middle-of-the-order threat, and yet he's consistently overlooked, even in baseball-crazy Boston.

In 2008, there were some fans and members of the media that argued for Youkilis to get the AL MVP Award over teammate Dustin Pedroia, and though it pains me to admit it, they had a point. Pedroia's appearance as a scrappy fighter who succeeds at the major league level on sheer grit and attitude certainly helped him, but the same description could easily be applied to Youkilis. The Globe's Jackie MacMullan summed it up well: "He does not look like an MVP candidate; more a refrigerator repairman, a butcher, the man selling hammers behind the counter at the True Value hardware store."

Pedey, of course, was the 2008 MVP, while Youk took second place.

Youk went undrafted out of high school, and was left out again after his junior year at the University of Cincinnati - despite being first team All Conference USA and second team All-American - mostly because of his strange swing and stout build. Thankfully, the Red Sox took a chance on him in 2001.

In the years since, Kevin Youkilis has been so consistent that no one seems to notice what he brings to the team every day. A Gold Glover at first, and arguably as quick with the leather when Tito slides him across the diamond, Youkilis is not prone to streaks with the bat, but just plods along, ending with a batting average around .300, with nearly 100 RBIs and about 25 home runs each year.

And yet, there are few accolades for the sweaty gamer. The local press might give him a pat on the back once in a while, but he is all but ignored nationally, which is an oversight that borders on criminal. Perhaps his absence will teach Red Sox fans to appreciate him more, and finally show the national media machines what he truly means to this team.

I'm sure his teammates miss him already... I know I do.

You can NEVER have too much pitching...

Remember this guy? Best attitude in baseball.

And ain't that the truth. The Red Sox hurlers were not spared when the injury bug attacked, as they lost starters Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, and Clay Buchholz for differing amounts of time, leaving the likes of Felix Dubrount and Scott Atchison to spot start.

For a team that has such a wealth of pitching on the 40-man roster, this week will mark the first time that Tim Wakefield, Clay Buchholz, John Lackey, Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, and Daisuke Matsuzaka will pitch all within seven days. However, after this week, Wakefield will likely be heading off to join the bullpen band, as he's generally the odd man out when the rotation gets overcrowded.

Of course, Wake has made it clear that he's less than fond of the 'pen, which is understandable since he's not getting any younger and getting up and getting warm is more difficult now than it was, say, ten years ago. Unfortunately, he's been pretty inconsistent this season, and the only player with MORE consistency issues is Daisuke, who has been consistently bad in the first inning, which effectively eliminates the 'pen from the realm of possibility.

The importance of the return of a full, heralded rotation absolutely can not be overstated, and the impending return of players like Victor Martinez, Dustin Pedroia, and Jed Lowrie (remember him?) could be the catalyst this team needs.

The Yankees got roughed up by the Angels last night, while the Rays lost - in embarrassing fashion - to the Orioles, so the Sox didn't lose any ground last night, despite losing a heartbreaker to the A's. Today's game is bright and early, at 3:35pm, so i'll actually be awake for the final out. Today is the first day of the rest of this season, ladies and gentlemen... I can feel it.

Good Vibrations

I'm not entirely sure why, but I have a good feeling about the second half of the season. I suppose my philosophy is somewhere along the lines of "what [more] have we got to lose?"

I think Big Papi said it best in his blog: "Injuries were killing us, and the clubhouse is a hospital right now, you know what I'm saying? You have to be walking carefully in there just in case. Everybody is getting hurt so easy and in a way you wouldn't even expect."

Seriously. All these people injured with incidents like fouling a ball off their own foot; colliding with a teammate; running to second base; sports hernias; freak back problems; colliding with that teammate again... the list goes on. (I wonder if Beltre has collision insurance?) I half-expected to see a press release with something like "Kevin Youkilis strangled by own goatee, placed on 60 day DL," or "Adrian Beltre collides with himself, placed on permanent DL."

One man wrecking crew.

This team has had an extraordinary run of poor luck, and it's just got to turn around soon. The All-Star Break couldn't have come at a better time, and even though the American League finally lost it (thanks, Girardi), I couldn't be happier with the events of the last few days. Papi wins the Home Run Derby, Girardi loses the All-Star Game and thus makes the Yankees look bad, and our injured troops got a few days more to rest.

Tim Wakefield goes tonight against Tommy Hunter of the Texas Rangers. Here's hoping Wake continues that march toward the title of winningest Sox pitcher by pitching a gem to start of the second half in proper fashion.

Staggering to the break...

Most years, I dislike the All Star Break: I watch the game, and the derby, but only to fill the void until my Red Sox take the field again. This year, the break felt like it would never come, and in the last week it's been as if the Sox could barely limp to the (more than) half-way point.

If you had told me on April 20th that by July 13th, the Red Sox would have had lengthy stretches without Josh Beckett, Jacoby Ellsbury, Victor Marinez, Dustin Pedroia, Mike Cameron, Jeremy Hermida, Jason Varitek, Clay Buchholz, and Manny Delcarmen, many of them concurrently, I would have assumed we'd be in fourth place, or maybe even dead last.

Dear god, why? [click to enlarge]

As it is, we stand in third place in the AL East, five games behind the Yankees and three behind the Rays for the Wild Card. Not exactly where I'd like to be, under ideal conditions, but let's be honest: this season has been an injury nightmare.

You know that adage about never having too much pitching? Apparently you can never have to much catching... or too many outfielders... or too many infielders... and the list goes on.

If the Red Sox can tread water just a bit longer, and if Theo Epstein can get some bullpen help - stat! - reinforcements should be coming in droves: Beckett needs just one more rehab start, after today's successful PawSox outing, and Buchholz should be ready after the break. The others will return sometime in the next month or so, and besides the beaten-to-death drama surrounding Jacoby Ellsbury, this spate of injuries hasn't hurt morale like it could have.

When October rolls around, if the Sox manage to stay in it, all of New England should buy Terry Francona a drink. The man has somehow managed to stay competitive for months, despite having his Opening Day lineup for just over a week of the season, and fielding a 4A type team for much of it, all in the most competitive division in baseball.

My hero with my future husband.

The Sox managed to end the first half on a strong note, winning a 3-2 match up in Toronto, off a strong start from Daisuke Matsuzaka (what?!), and will send six players to the All-Star Game, albeit no starters, and at least three are currently on the DL. Still, I know they all plan to enjoy the festivities, and so do I.

I believe I can fly...

Wiley Red Sox veteran Tim Wakefield is a study in determination. After a long career spanning eighteen major league seasons, the man could conduct a seminar on what it takes to stick around, and he's not ready to throw in the towel on this team.

As the 2010 Red Sox Injury Tour continues, with Jason Varitek (broken foot) and Manny Delcarmen (sore arm) the latest victims, the Sox keep scratching out wins. After last night's 3-2 whirlwind of a contest (total game time: 2:07), Wake had this to say:

“I think we showed you tonight that we’re resilient, that we believe in each other... We’ve got to keep grinding it out until some of these guys get healthy and get back on the field.’’

If anyone has the right to speculate on resilience, it's Wakefield, who has stuck around so long he claimed the club record for most starts in a Red Sox uniform last night, taking the title from Roger Clemens.



So how realistic is Wake's prognosis? Is it possible that the Sox can continue to survive without Josh Beckett, Manny Delcarmen, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jeremy Hermida, Mike Lowell, Victor Martinez, Dustin Pedroia, and Jason Varitek. It's quite a list, and you could almost field an entire team from the carnage, but there is definitely some hope.

This team is not going to go quietly: Dustin Pedroia is in the dugout daily, and he's even been spotted taking grounders on his knees, and his spirit has to be keeping his teammates motivated. Many of the above players are due back relatively soon, and if Clay Buchholz can come back from his knee strain at a high performance level, I think the pitching can carry this team.


That said, I'll do my best to not miss any more games, because of all the injuries this season, the only time I was able to watch the game in which it happened was when Beltre took out Ellsbury. Obviously, the baseball gods want me watching, and I read them loud and clear. If injured Sox are my punishment for not prioritizing my team enough, I'll become a baseball hermit.

Because I can't take too much more of this.

The walking wounded

Just before the season started, the cynics predicted the Red Sox would miss the playoffs. They claimed that Theo Epstein's roster, as assembled, couldn't compete in the American League East. They scoffed at the signings of Bill Hall, Scott Atchison, and Jeremy Hermida, and insisted that the likes of Adrian Beltre and Mike Cameron couldn't possibly contribute enough.

Three months and change later, and those doomsayers look even more foolish than usual, as key contributions have come from, of all people, Daniel Nava, Darnell McDonald, and Atchison, among others.

Even Kevin Youkilis appreciates McDonald.

Somehow, the Sox are just two games out of first place in their division, while the Rays, who were the fashionable favorites early on to run away with it, are in third place. All this despite a rash of injuries, including many to key players, including Josh Beckett, Jacoby Ellsbury, and now Dustin Pedroia.

According to the Boston Globe's Extra Bases blog, the injury bug isn't about to abate, as most of the key players are weeks away from rejoining the team. Beckett, though feeling better, still needs to complete a rehab assignment, and the Globe's Pete Abraham puts his return around the last week in July. Ellsbury is a mystery. The outfielder is still in Arizona, and no one seems to know how long the recovery will take, so don't hold your breath on seeing him before the All-Star break.

As for the more recent injuries, Pedroia will be out approximately six weeks with his left-foot fracture (I'm dying already), while Victor Martinez is a rare bright spot, who might - MIGHT - be able to play in a few days if his swelling goes down, even with a fractured left thumb.

The heart and soul of the Red Sox... and me.

This team has showed uncommon pluck in 2010, and if they can just weather the storm for a few weeks more and stay in contention until after the All-Star Game, help should be returning in droves. I for one think they can do it, especially if Pedroia hangs around the clubhouse in the meantime. What he means to that team in terms of spirit and drive absolutely cannot be overstated, and if he can be around to encourage and talk trash at the appropriate times, I think they'll pull through.

Baseball gods willing.