The last time...

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The last time the Red Sox won a playoff game at Fenway Park, Justin Masterson earned the win. The last time the Red Sox won a playoff game at Fenway Park, JD Drew hit a home run. The last time the Red Sox won a playoff game at Fenway Park, they overcame a seven-run deficit by scoring eight runs over the last three innings, beating the Rays 8-7 in Game 5 of the 2008 ALCS.

This year things look different. For one, Justin Masterson's season just ended - in Cleveland - and JD Drew is enjoying his retirement, probably hunting an alligator or something.

For another, the 2008 playoffs began with the Rays as the AL East champs, while the Red Sox were the Wild Card entry. Luckily for us, this was before the introduction of the second Wild Card and the one-game playoff.

In 2008, the Red Sox were looking for their second World Series title in two years, and their third in five years, while the Rays were looking for the first title in franchise history.

This year, the Red Sox are looking for their first World Series title in five years, and the Rays... are still looking for the first title in franchise history.

The ALDS starts this afternoon. A best of five series isn't nearly as terrifying as a one-game playoff, but it's still far from a sure thing, especially with the Rays pitching staff. That being said, I have faith in this team. These guys have proven over and over that they're worth believing in, and I can't wait to have my faith rewarded.

#DrewCrew comes through

Stephen Drew has had a rough start to the season, as he suffered a concussion in spring training, and was able to get just a fraction of the at-bats a player typically relies upon before starting the season.  Because of this stumbling block, he's struggled pretty seriously at the plate so far in 2013.

In addition to the actual problems Drew's been having, fan perception of him was already clouded because of the fact that Stephen Drew is JD Drew's younger brother. JD, of course, was one of the least popular everyday players of the last few years, as fans considered him overpaid, overrated, and fragile. I'll always stick up for JD - after all, it's not his fault Theo wanted to throw so much money his way - and I'll certainly always judge Stephen by his own merits, not those of his brother.

Last night, Stephen Drew was an offensive hero, going 4-for-5 while hitting a game-tying homerun in the seventh inning, and hitting a walkoff RBI double off the Green Monster in the bottom of the eleventh inning. Drew has finally gotten his batting average over .200 (currently at .225), and his defense has been solid throughout the young season.

So if anyone wasn't convinced before, I hope last night's performance has made you eager to jump on the #DrewCrew bandwagon, because there's plenty of room for everyone. But be warned - if you do decide to jump on the Stephen Drew bandwagon, you might find yourself sitting next to JD.

Bringing back the #DrewCrew

Though JD Drew was never an extremely popular player during his time with the Red Sox, he did have a band of loyal fans on Twitter, and we called ourselves the #DrewCrew. Poor JD never stood a chance with fans. The front office knew they were getting a relatively fragile guy with good OBP and excellent defensive positioning, but many fans just saw a constantly injured player who was unexciting at the plate and wouldn't dive for a ball like Trot Nixon did (though that was mostly due to the fact that JD made it look too easy).

But I always liked him. JD Drew was sometimes bland, to be sure (I once wrote a post entitled "JD Drew has no feelings"), but he was a solid player, if somewhat overpaid.  As I'm sure you're aware, JD's brother Stephen has joined the Red Sox this year as a shortstop, and I'm predicting a huge season for him.

As such, I would like to take this opportunity to announce the revival of the #DrewCrew, this time in support of the Drew brother still playing professional baseball. You can even recycle your old JD Drew jersey (I know SOME of you have to have one of those), because Stephen is wearing #7, just like his brother did.

Red Sox or rednecks?

As a native New Hampshirite, I'm well acquainted with what some people might call rednecks. The kind of people who not only like to hunt, they live to tell the tale of the one that got away.  Normally, these types of people are not millionaires, but in recent years the Red Sox have boasted more than a few legitmate rednecks as part of their roster.

First, there's the photographic evidence:

And then we have the terrifying stories, like this one about JD Drew from last Spring Training (courtesy of Boston.com's Extra Bases blog):

Drew said he was in a boat with his son once when they hooked an alligator with a fishing lure. He had his son hold the pole and took position to try and leap on the alligator.

"I figured I could get him myself," he said. "He was about five or six feet."

"With your bare hands?" I asked.

J.D. gave me his best "no, you stupid city boy" look.

"I had a knife," he said.

But the line snapped and the gator got away. J.D. missed his chance.

So next time you read about J.D. missing a game with a bad hamstring and consider complaining, consider that this is a guy who was willing to jump out of a perfectly good boat and attack a man-sized alligator with a knife. 

And now we have an anecdote about panthers, courtesy of Clay Buchholz (and Boston.com's Extra Bases blog):

A Fort Myers resident told me that the woods beyond the practice fields are known to have panthers and wild hogs.

According to Clay Buchholz, who knows of such things, panthers can be five or six feet long. "I'd want to shoot it before it could hunt me," Buchholz said.

New Hampshire would be proud to have them.

Off day thoughts...

Since I've last blogged, a lot has gone down in Red Sox Nation, most of it bad (I'm sorry for neglecting my duties here, but I'm on Spring Break on a beach in Africa, and internet is hard to come by). The Sox have yet to win their third game, and they currently have the worst record in baseball.  I know we all keep saying that they're too good for this, that something's gotta give eventually... but when is "eventually"? And how do we get it to come faster?

Sadly, I don't have any answers for you (other than this fantastic list of suggestions compiled by Peter Abraham over at the Boston Globe), but at this point we have no other recourse but to keep believing in this team.  We know they're better than this. THEY know they're better than this.

What needs to happen immediately, though, is for everyone to start hitting.  Dustin Pedroia, Adrian Gonzalez, JD Drew, David Ortiz, and, strangely enough, Jed Lowrie, are all hitting at an acceptable clip (Lowrie is leading the team at .438 in 7 games).  As for the other members of the team? They need to get their act together - soon, and preferably with runners in scoring position.

Champion.

The pitching rotation can take a lesson from Mr. Joshua Patrick Beckett on how to be a badass who beats CC Sabathia by stymieing a Yankees lineup that might be aging but is still formidable.  Jon Lester did a passable job the other night, holding the Rays to just three runs, but if the bats aren't going to get it done, three runs is too many.  Perhaps a rainout and day off will get things back in order: John Lackey will be skipped this time through the rotation, so he has extra time to get his act together while the other hurlers stay (mostly) on schedule.

They will snap out of this skid. They HAVE to snap out of this skid.  If it were possible to will a team to victory, Boston's devoted fans would make sure the Red Sox never lost a game, but we live in the real world.  The games have to be played, and the players have to prove themselves.  We're 4.5 games out of first with 151 left to play. I'd day it's definitely doable.

2011 Bill James Projections - Red Sox Lineup

I know, I know, this is what you've all been waiting for - and I have kept you waiting. In my defense, had I done this any sooner, I wouldn't have been able to include Adrian Gonzalez or Carl Crawford, and their presence certainly changes things in a big way. Two weeks ago, I presented the Bill James projections for the rotation (58-48 from the front five), and it's high time I did the same for the lineup. Keep in mind, this batting order is just my guess - I'm sure it will change based on who the other team has pitching, who needs rest, and how everyone is doing, so take it with a grain of salt.

CENTER FIELD: Jacoby Ellsbury: 2010: 18 games, .192 BA, .241 OBP, .244 SLG, 0 HR, 5 RBI
2011 projection: 157 games, .300 BA, .355 OBP, .409 SLG, 8 HR, 58 RBI

If Goldenboy lives up to these numbers, I promise to stop calling him D-Ellsbury, and maybe even become a fan. In all seriousness, you could ask for more form a leadoff hitter, but it would be pretty demanding. I could definitely live with this line from Ells.

SECOND BASE:Dustin Pedroia: 2010: 75 games, .288 BA, .367 OBP, .493 SLG, 12 HR, 41 RBI
2011 projection: 158 games, .297 BA, .372 OBP, .462 SLG, 17 HR, 77 RBI

Hubby is expected to be back to his old voracious, impressive, and loudmouth self in 2011, after a season that was a wash due to injury. Pedey hits best when he's batting second, and he seems to like it, so I expect Tito to keep him there.
LEFT FIELD:Carl Crawford: 2010: 154 games, .307 BA, .356 OBP, .495 SLG, 19 HR, 90 RBI
2011 projection: 149 games, .300 BA, .350 OBP, .453 SLG, 14 HR, 93 RBI

Let's deal with the elephant in the room first: is Crawford worth $20+ million a year? Probably not, but I'm thrilled he's coming to Boston at any cost. I REALLY wish he was willing to bat leadoff, but apparently he hates it, and Tito's not one to go against a player's wishes, but he'll definitely be somewhere near the top. His numbers might be slightly better at Fenway than the Trop, but the difference won't be anything crazy.

THIRD BASE:Kevin Youkilis: 2010: 102 games, .307 BA, .411 OBP, .564 SLG, 19 HR, 62 RBI
2011 projection: 151 games, .294 BA, .398 OBP, .507 SLG, 25 HR, 95 RBI

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Kevin Youkilis is under-appreciated by this fanbase - and that's hard to do. He's wildly consistent, and his willingness and ability to slide across the diamond to third base next year is huge.
FIRST BASE:Adrian Gonzalez: 2010: 160 games, .298 BA, .393 OBP, .511 SLG, 31 HR, 101 RBI
2011 projection: 161 games, .285 BA, .378 OBP, .512 SLG, 33 HR, 102 RBI

Keep in mind that Gonzo's numbers are likely to improve due to the Fenway effect. He spent last season playing in Petco Park, where doubles go to die, but even if we only (ONLY!) get the numbers predicted by James, I'll be happy.

DESIGNATED HITTER:David Ortiz: 2010: 145 games, .270 BA, .370 OBP, .529 SLG, 32 HR, 102 RBI
2011 projection: 151 games, .261 BA, .366 OBP, .509 SLG, 33 HR, 112 RBI

Expect the usual from Papi: he'll struggle mightily in April, and then find his stroke sometime in May, just as the howling about his $12.5 million salary reaches fever pitch. In the end, he'll produce what we've come to expect from him, which isn't too shabby when you really look at it.

RIGHT FIELD: JD Drew: 2010: 139 games, .255 BA, .341 OBP, .452 SLG, 22 HR, 68 RBI
2011 projection: 145 games, .263 BA, .370 OBP, .460 SLG, 22 HR, 77 RBI

Mike Cameron: 2010: 48 games, .259 BA, .328 OBP, .401 SLG, 4 HR, 15 RBI
2011 projection: 121 games, .239 BA, .327 OBP, .425 SLG, 18 HR, 58 RBI

Because the outfield is so lefty-heavy, I expect Cameron to get more than enough playing time. I'm coupling him with Drew for the purpose of these projections simply because Drew tends to miss significant time with injuries each year. On the other hand, it is a contract year for Drew, so maybe he'll surprise us.
SHORTSTOP:Marco Scutaro: 2010: 150 games, .275 BA, .333 OBP, .388 SLG, 11 HR, 56 RBI
2011 projection: 153 games, .266 BA, .339 OBP, .374 SLG, 10 HR, 60 RBI
Jed Lowrie: 2010: 55 games, .287 BA, .381 OBP, .526 SLG, 9 HR, 24 RBI
2011 projection: 144 games, .270 BA, .361 OBP, .467 SLG, 17 HR, 75 RBI

Either James is predicting that Lowrie will be a utility guy and get a lot of games at other positions, or he's guessing one of these two will be traded. Either way, both players have respectable lines - though Lowrie's are a bit better across the board. If Lowrie can manage to keep himself healthy (I know that's a big "if" given the history) he'll probably play more, but let's face it: they're both just place-holders until Jose Iglesias is ready.
CATCHER:Jason Varitek: 2010: 39 games, .232 BA, .293 OBP, .473 SLG, 7 HR, 16 RBI
2011 projection: 72 games, .228 BA, .324 OBP, .386 SLG, 33 RBI
Jarrod Saltalamacchia:
2010: 12 games, .167 BA, .333 OBP, .292 SLG, 0 HR, 2 RBI
2011 projection: 110 games, .249 BA, .323 OBP, .422 SLG, 12 HR, 43 RBI

Not the best thing you've ever seen, but if Salty can come into his own defensively while Tek shows him the ropes, I think we can deal with this line. One more note: Salty hits righthanders better, while Tek is pretty good against lefties - I think that's what we'll see.


The very fact that I can plausibly design a lineup that has David Ortiz hitting sixth and JD Drew seventh makes me very excited. I'm sure Tito will figure things out, and his lineup will be fantastic - if we can just keep healthy (PLEASE?!?) this should be a fantastic team to watch.

Pinch me, I'm dreaming.

[Screengrabbed from Boston.com]

This was my thought in the wee hours of this morning. I had gone to be early for me, around 11pm, about 25 minutes before the Globe first reported the Crawford deal. At 4am I woke up to see my phone glowing. I got out of bed, picked it up, and read a text from a friend that said: "Carl crawford signs w/ Boston 7 yrs $142 mill". Since I was up already (and in a slight state of panicked excitement) I checked on the internet, and it was true.

My efforts to go back to sleep after the confirmation that Carl Crawford is now a Red Sox were pretty futile, but I managed to doze off around six. When I woke up for class two hours later, my first thought was that the whole thing had been a wonderful dream, but, as you know, it was true.

I have to be honest: I never thought Crawford would be coming to Boston. Especially after the Adrian Gonzalez deal, I assumed the Red Sox would stay in on the speedy outfielder simply to drive up the price for New York while they were still preoccupied with Cliff Lee. Like many people (Torii Hunter among them), I took it for granted that Crawford would be patrolling the field at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, but I'm certainly thrilled to have him in Boston.

Bill James predicts a typically good year for Crawford in 2011: 149 games played, .300 BA, .350 OBP, .398 SLG, 14 HR, 71 RBI, and 42 SB. Keep in mind that Crawford's power numbers will likely improve from those predictions because he'll be playing 81 games in the friendly confines of Fenway.

Perhaps the best part of the Crawford deal is the fact that he'll no longer swipe about a million bags on us every season (including six in one game) - he'll be stealing all those bases on our behalf. Coupled with a (hopefully) recovered Jacoby Ellsbury and the perennially discounted JD Drew, Crawford makes our outfield one of the speediest in baseball.

I can't believe this is real...

Save us, Jon!

Has anyone ever noticed how many Red Sox possess some form of the name "Jon?" There's Jon Lester, Jonathan Papelbon, John Lackey, and John Farrell... And guess what the "J" in JD Drew stands for? Yes, Jonathan (his name is, in fact, David Jonathan, so I'm not sure how he came up with JD, but I digress).

Does one of these players hold the key to salvaging the season? I'm temped to say it's John Farrell, since he has influence over so many of the players, but in the end these are grown men who are responsible for their own performances.

Personally, I'm hoping they ALL turn it up a notch and start getting it done, starting with Jon Lester's start this afternoon.

Lester is 4-1 against the Yankees in his career, with a 4.01 ERA in ten games; in 2010, he is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA in two starts. Take from that what you will, but Jon's not been at his best since the All-Star break.

Sometimes the rivalry is just what a pitcher needs to turn it on, and I hope he can... because I'm not sure those other Jons can go it alone.

In Defense of JD Drew

I was in class the other day, listening in (okay, eavesdropping) on a conversation about the Red Sox. The participants seemed to have a good general grasp of the team; at least, they knew all the players - even the scrubs and the new acquisitions. However, there was one comment I just could not let go:

"JD Drew hates baseball."

Yeah, and he obviously HATES his fans, too.

Um, no. If Drew HATED baseball, he would have called it a career after the first few million bucks. Is JD the most enthusiastic player in baseball? Of course not, and you could even make the argument that he's not even the most enthusiastic guy in right field (I'm pretty sure the umpires show more passion). It's easy to see why JD has not endeared himself to the vast majority of baseball fans, but he's an extremely skilled player all the same.

JD Drew had the misfortune of replacing an absolute fan favorite in right field, the original Dirt Dog, Trot Nixon. Nixon never had a clean uniform by the third inning, as he dove all over the field, trying for any advantage he could. Not offense to Trot, but Drew doesn't NEED to do that: his physical gifts and superior positioning make diving for balls or bases unnecessary, and why risk injury when you can just as easily get there standing?

There was a fan on Twitter this evening who said Drew should soon be arrested for theft, as he steals his salary every game. This is absurd. Drew, by virtue of having the highest salary on the team, has a great big target on his back. The fans want their money's worth, and that's okay, but what most people don't realize is that Drew is a very valuable commodity.

JD Drew has a career OPS of .896. If you take out 2007, when his young son was ill for most of the season, that number jumps to .949. For a guy who is speedy enough to steal bases and get to most balls (10.5 UZR in 2009, 2nd best in baseball for his position) - in Fenway's vast right field, no less - JD is very good with his bat.

Pedroia has enough passion for the two of them.

Is baseball his passion? Of course not, and he'll never be a Dustin Pedroia or Kevin Youkilis in that regard. But a man who hated baseball would never put up the numbers he does. I was disgusted to hear the home town fans booing him on Sunday night: let's keep it classy, Boston. JD Drew earns his keep, and I'd like to see him get the appreciation he deserves.

I am JD Drew

For all of my jabs about Drew and the fact that he seemingly has no feelings, I like him a lot. I don't really rank my favorite Sox players, after the obvious (Pedroia is number one in my book), but Drew would definitely be in the top half. I never really could have explained to anyone just why that is, short of citing the ridiculous production he had last June. Drew is as advertised, missing a significant amount of time due to injury in the last two years, but very consistent when he's on the field.

One of the reasons many Sox fans were slow to warm up to Drew is that he had the misfortune of replacing one of the most beloved right fielders in recent memory, Trot Nixon. Unlike Jason Bay, who replaced a petulant and whiny import who forced his way out of town, Drew replaced a homegrown dirt dog who was a fan favorite during his tenure in Boston, and lacked those traits that had made Trot so admired. Drew doesn't dive all over the field (the fact that he rarely needs to is often overlooked - he gets to almost everything), and he doesn't get visibly upset or excited, except in very rare circumstances.

Unlike a lot of other Sox fans, I have never been bothered by Drew's even-keeled approach; I figured that if it works for him, it works for me. My high school softball coach, on the other hand, (who has a dog named "Trot") didn't like Drew (or his attitude) from the very beginning. I never quite understood why we couldn't see eye to eye on the issue, until yesterday.

As many of you know, my sister got married yesterday, and I, of course, was a bridesmaid. The bridal party spent the morning getting primped and polished, and while $70 hairdos aren't usually my thing, I was enjoying myself somewhat. Everyone was chattering about how nervous they all were, but I assumed they were exaggerating to make the blushing bride feel like she wasn't alone in her anxiety. The complaints of nerves mounted, culminating in the five of us (the bride, maid of honor, and three bridesmaids) gathered in the back of the ceremony hall. I looked around, and my four companions looked absolutely green. One claimed she was going to be sick.

I didn't get it. I felt fine, even when I looked out and saw all of the people watching. That's when it clicked. I am JD Drew. Clearly, I don't have any feelings in big situations, either, and that must be why it never bothered me that Drew was so nonchalant. Thrilled with this realization, I shared it with the girls. None of them had any idea what I was talking about, not being baseball fans, but I was still thinking about it as I stepped out to walk down the aisle. Was there something wrong with me?

I decided that the emotionless feature could be a good one: with me, it allowed me to walk in front of a hundred plus people in unstable shoes without flinching, and it allows Drew to stare down ace pitchers in clutch situations in the playoffs like it was Fort Meyers in February. The moral is the story is this: it's not Drew's fault he has no feelings - it can happen to the best of us. For any holdouts still left, give JD a chance.

So that sucked...

I had to go to bed right about when play resumed last night due to a wake up time of 6:00am. Normally, the game would be over at that point, but due to the rain delay, it was only the middle of the fourth inning. Needless to say, I figured the Red Sox lead would be safe. Not so. I woke up this morning to a text message relaying the bad news, and I couldn't believe it. I immediately got online to check the game recaps, and was forced to accept that the so-far almost infallible bullpen had absolutely imploded. Ugh. So I decided that today deserved a funny "Photo of the Day," because, in addition to that disgusting FAIL by the Sox last night, it's STILL raining in New Hampshire. Really, really, hard. And somehow, I need to figure out how to entertain around 50 4-8th graders inside for eight hours. I stumbled upon this gem, and just had to post it: it obviously is a paid endorsement for the wine pictured, but the photo(s) are priceless!From old friend Bobby Kielty with a double serving to JD Drew showing some emotion (even if it is awkward and obviously contrived), this grouping is all kinds of awesome. Manny and Papi are reunited in their former glory, which just has to put a smile on your face... I know I would be lying if I claimed that I didn't enjoy Manny's antics in the glory days. However, the best part, hands-down, is Youk "drinking" the product in question, with serious gusto. Or, in reality, pretending to drink it, since close inspection of the picture reveals that the seal is still firmly in place.

Yesterday's debacle convinced me that the players were ... erm... indulging... during the rain delay. At least, I would rather believe that than find an alternate explanation for why the bullben was an epic bucket of SUCK last night.

That's it for now, but here's hoping the game this afternoon is better, and also that I'll find some way to watch it, as I'm supposed to be watching the kids until at least five...

JD will never be a Dirt Dog

So as I was studying for my last final reading the morning's Red Sox news I stumbled upon some comments about JD Drew.  Now, I know JD can be infuriating, especially in the injury department, but the disparaging remarks are getting old.  I actually saw a commenter who intimated that Drew "will never be a Trot Nixon."  What!?  Don't get me wrong, I like Nixon as much as the next fan, but across the board his stats are inferior to Drew's.  Nixon made it look like he was the much superior fielder, but mostly because of his style: he threw himself around the field with reckless abandon.  However, just because Drew lacks the weakness for theatrics does not mean he is an inferior ballplayer.

Yes, we're probably paying Drew too much money, as he is currently the highest paid player on the team, with a 2009 salary of $14 million.  But before you grab the torches and pitchforks, you might want to check who comes in second, with $13 million.  Yes, David Oritz is earning money way above his value so far.  In fact, among the top 10 highest earners, two are on the DL (Matsuzaka [$8.3m] and Smoltz [$5.5m]), a third is coming off knee surgery (Lugo [$9.2m]),and  the two (healthy) pitchers are underachieving for their prior standard (Beckett [$11.1m] and Paps [$6.2m].  The only players on the top 10 list who are performing where their salary should place them are Jason Bay [$7.8m], and Kevin Youkilis [$6.2m].

Now, both Bay and Youk are in fact performing above and beyond their tax bracket, but that begs the question: what is the market for average+ ballplayers?  This is precisely the problem that the Sox front office had in its talks with Jason Bay.  Bay is absolutely an elite player, and the market for elite players has been rather confusing in the past year.  Bobby Abreu signed with the Angels for $5m.  Milton Bradley signed for $10m. We all know how Manny ended up, and his stats are eerily similar to Bay's.

So what does all of this have to do with JD Drew?  It's just an excercise in reality.  When we signed JD, the market was different than it is now, and Theo inked his deal knowing very well that Drew would average 130 games a year due to his balky back.  Remember Drew's Grand slam in the 2007 ALCS?  I don't remember hearing much Drew-bashing that night.  The inimitable Chad Finn called Drew "usually one bloodless sucker in the clutch," and it's true.  Drew may have no feelings (ever.), but he comes through when it matters, and I'd rather have the results than the bravado.  So what if he didn't get a hit in last night's slugfest? He didn't need to.  If it's all the same, I'm a-okay with Drew saving the heroics until Nick Green and Jeff Bailey can't carry the offense anymore.

The man in this picture actually looks excited... Who are you and what have you done with JD Drew?!?

Inter-rivalry bromance (TTT)

Introducing a new type of post: Top Ten Tweets of the game.  For any of you who aren't familiar with Twitter, Google it (then join: it's fun!)

10.) "I know I want tickets to the Pedroia gun show!!!" Melky Cabrera tried to stretch a double into a triple in the bottom of the fourth inning, but Drew corralled it and gave Pedroia a great throw to relay in to Mikey Lowell for the out.  Pedroia has an absolute cannon, which we don't really get to see because he's the second baseman.  Also, props to Drew for getting to the ball so quickly and being so spot on with his throw.  (Below: The Dustin Pedroia gun show.)

9.) "Big Papi loves him some Yankee Stadium."  David Ortiz has traditionally mashed at Yankee Stadium, so what better place to get him back on track?  Tonight Ortiz went 1-for-3 with two walks, bringing his average to .225... If the first step is hitting your weight, Papi needs another game or so (he's listed at 230)... but he's successfully hitting everyone else's weight except for Hunter Jones (235), Brad Penny (230... yeah, right), and Jason Varitek (230). (Below: the Curse of Big Papi.)

8.) "Captain Jeter's range is soooo bad... I love it."  Don't get me wrong, I have more respect for Jeter than for any other Yankee (except possibly Rivera), but he is not a productive shortstop anymore.  For all of his crazy pirouettes, Jeter can't reach a dribbler that I would even expect Julio Lugo to make a play on.  I wouldn't want to be the one to tell him he has to switch positions... (Below: Jeter throws to first... unfortunately, the runner is already at second.)

7.) "Oh, but it's so nice to watch Teixeira struggle." The Yankees first baseman went 1-for-4 with two K's (both courtesy of Beckett).  There's one guy who can't wait for A*Rod to come back... if only because it will take some of the scrutiny off of him.  Oh, and speaking of hitting your weight? Teixeira isn't even close (.198 average, listed at 220). (Below: Epic, expensive, FAIL.)

6.) "Joba's obviously upset that Youk's not in the lineup tonight.... I wonder who he'll throw at instead...?"  Though Joba had exceptional control tonight - the NESN commentators were waxing poetic about him - he still managed to do this...

5.) "Guess Joba just likes to hit the cleanup batter... Youk? Bay? Doesn't matter to him."  Hall of Fame Pitcher Dennis Eckersley was in the booth tonight, and was immediately up in arms about Joba's bean ball pitch.  He called it "obviously intentional," as well as "inexcusable," especially since Joba had been putting the ball exactly where he wanted it all night.  I just think Joba's pissed that his mom got caught dealing meth. (Below: Joba's mom.)

4.) "Wow. Do you think NESN's cameras could zero in on someone else when Pedroia is packing a HUGE lip?" I mean, I know he's one of the most recognizable people on the team, but seriously... He's not someone you zoom in on in the dugout.  If he's not dropping vehement f-bombs, he's packing a bomb.  Obviously, the whole spitting tobacco juice thing is super attractive AND healthy, so I understand why NESN would want to showcase it to America's youth. (Below: Pedroia, packing a lip as usual.)

3.) "I'll take hit batsman to load the bases, for $600, Alex." The Yankees intentionally walked JD Drew in the eighth, which is probably a good call, since he has no feelings and is a great hitter when the pressure is on.  Add that to the fact that Jeff bailey was scheduled up, and I would make the same decision.  However, the Yankees bullpen is just a big bowl of suck this season, and Bailey got hit with a pitch to load the bases.  The Sox would score two runs in that inning. (Below: Alex Trebek loves the Red Sox. No really, he does.)

2.) "Nick Green, will you marry me?"  Now, I know what you're thinking, and it's not just the potential for free baseball tickets that led me to make this proposal.  The Sox have won 15 straight when Green starts, and lost all four when Lugo has.  Green has a .283 average, while Lugo is hitting a dismal .214 (at least he's beating Teixeira!).  All other things being equal (they're both rather error prone), I'll take Green... At least until Lowrie is ready. (Below: Green practicing his Jeterian pirouettes.. coming soon, the patented fist pump.)

1.) "LOVE PEDROIA... Pedey throws out Jeter (his BFFL) for the last out, completing the sweep."  There are so many good things here: Jeter's out, we win, SWEEP.  But after the WBC, we know that Pedroia and Jeter have a bit of a bromance going on, so we should be thankful that they can bear to play each other.  Hey, it could be worse, Pedey could be bosom buddies with A*Rod.... except he thinks A*Rod is "a dork."  (Below: inter-rivalry bromance.)

Best Friends For LIFE!!!  As long as we're winning, I'm okay with this.

Quote of the Day

This one is, of course, from yesterday, since I doubt any of the players are even awake yet, and it concerns, what else, but Ellsbury's epic steal.

"Jeez, J.D., don't swing."

And who but our friend from the north, Jason Bay, could come up with such a commonplace yet awesome nugget like that?

Bay, who was in the on deck circle at the time of the steal (we can't have two capitalized Steals in Red Sox Nation, that honor will always reside with Dave Roberts), had a better view of Ellsbury's daring move than anyone but Posada, Drew, and Ellsbury himself... I don't really think Pettitte saw him at all, until it was too late.

So there you have it, the Quote of the Day. Tell your friends, it's just like Bay himself: simply straightforward, and wise to the details of the game.  Also, hilarious.

"That was a beautiful not-swing.  Way to take one for the team and not give Ellsbury a concussion!"

Five Minute Musings

Five points, based off of five reactionary Twitter posts I made during the game:

1.) "Can you please stop swinging at the first pitch?!?"  This one was the first of the game, in the very first inning, and it was directed towards, you guessed it, leadoff man Jacoby Ellsbury.  Once again, he swung at the first pitch, which resulted in an out.  Does he know what his responsibilities as a leadoff hitter are?  In case he's wondering, he's supposed to GET. ON. BASE.  Ideally, this should happen after he sees a few pitches, in order to wear down the starting pitcher and let his teammates see what kind of stuff the guy has.  FAIL on both accounts.  However, the Pretty-Boy did collect two hits on the night.

2.) "JASON BAY IS MY FAVORITE CANADIAN!!!!"  Bay took the offering from Orioles' starting pitcher Jeremy Guthrie and deposited it in the right field bullpen, making the score 7-2 Baltimore (Drew was on base, having taken a walk).  At this point in the game (bottom second), I was still reeling from the grand slam Nick Markakis hit off of Brad Penny earlier in the inning, and Bay's hit made me hopeful that the Sox' bats could come alive... after all, I'd witnessed it scarcely six months earlier, and the Rays are a tougher opponent than the Orioles.

3.) "JD Drew again!  All those bashers need to STFU."  I will admit to being guilty of Drew bashing at times, but it's all in fun, and always relates to his extensive injury history.  However, despite having a total lack of visible passion (walk? strikeout? home run? All get the same stony faced expression from Drew), he tends to come through when the Red Sox need him.  In this Tweet, I was referring directly to the triple in the fifth inning, but also to his round tripper in the third.  And speaking of coming through, we mustn't forget that Drew carried us through Papi's absence last June, and it's looking like he might have to step up again, as Ortiz's average fell to .158 today...

3.) a. (Bonus Tweet!) "Who are you, and what have you done with David Ortiz?"  Papi looks absolutely lost at the plate so far... I for one am scared.

4.) "Pedroia=Love"  You all already know my thoughts on this topic.  However, this reaction came in the sixth inning, when Pedroia led off with a single, advanced to second when Youk was hit (in the HELMET!) with a pitch, and reached third when Drew walked.  Jason Bay hit a sacrifice fly to left-center field, and Pedroia tagged up and scored, making the score 9-8 Boston.  Mike Lowell would single in another run before the inning was over, but at the time, Pedroia's run was huge.

5.) "Mikey Lowell > Mark Teixeira" This was actually my reaction to Lowell's aforementioned single in the sixth.  However, I would like to quote some statistics to show Red Sox Nation that Lowell is the better deal for Boston.  Mike Lowell is batting .229 with 8 RBIs and 2 HRs, coming off major hip surgery in the offseason, at the age of 35.  Teixeira is batting .160 with 3 RBIs and 1 HR, at the age of 29.  Lowell is owed $12.5 million for 2009, while Teixeira is slated to earn $20.6 million.  Add that to the fact that Teirxeira looks like a small child, and Lowell looks like your favorite uncle, and Boston clearly wins... And just remember the last time a young infielder coveted by the Sox went to the Yankees.  Yeah... I'd say that one turned out in our favor, too.

The two subjects of my posts that uses mathematical symbols.  Picture courtesy of bostonherald.com.

Quote of the Day

"That's baseball.  It's Easter.  I guess the guys just wanted to get together."

Today's quote of the day is technically from yesterday, but whatever.  This was in reference to the benches clearing almost-brawl that Badass Beckett started yesterday.  So who said it? JD Drew:

This picture represents the closest JD has been to fighting anyone, ever:

Pedroia: "Nice hit, dude! We #$#%* won!!"

Drew: "Ouchie, I broke a nail... 15 day DL!"

Pedroia: "Seriously?! i barely touched you."

Drew: *cries*

Tito: *facepalm*

Around the Horn: JD Drew

JD Drew has had five hundred or more plate appearances just once in his career [518, in 2004]. However, in that year, he hit .305, with 31 home runs, a .436 OBP and staggering .569 slugging percentage.

I can't lie, it kills me that Drew has yet to play for anywhere near the whole season in Boston [this year he had a career year in one unique stat: two epidurals instead of his usual one]. Drew's swing is a thing of beauty, all the more so because of the perfectly blank expression on his face after an at bat, regardless of outcome. Seriously, how do you have the exact same look on your face after striking out that you have doing a home run trot? As fragile as JD Drew seems at times, he earned his 2008 salary in the month of June alone. David Ortiz goes down, but Drew steps up and holds down the fort. I don't know about you, but I could not believe the how Drew was producing during Papi's absence. It made me wonder what the Sox could be with a healthy and producing Drew and Ortiz in the lineup at the same time.

This is a phenomenon we have yet to see, mostly because for most of 2007, Drew was dealing with the medical ordeal(s) or his young son, and never really hit his stride. In 2008, as we are all painfully aware, Drew was phenomenal while Papi was out, and then his back started acting up [for approximately the 249874th time in his career], and he sort of faded out down the stretch. Now Drew and Ortiz are both getting older, and they, like all players, will inevitably suffer some decline in their skill sets. The upcoming season might be Red Sox Nation's last best chance to see this unexpected, yet still epic, duo.