The longest and stupidist Red Sox game I have ever seen

I actually thought the game wasn't going to end. I thought it was actually going to bleed into the game tomorrow afternoon and the two games would be concurrent.

The game started at 4PM West Coast time.
It JUST ended at 11:45 PM.

And oh yeah, somehow Marco Scutaro didn't score the tying run in one inning and was stupidly thrown out in the 12th inning when the ball was already in the infield.

Dice-K got the loss in a game where I am convinced he was in the hot tub reading a book for the first 10 innings.

Ervin Santana was throwing a no hitter and Josh Beckett was awesome until the heavens poured and took them out.

The Red Sox got some 9th inning heroics by Jacoby Ellsbury... all for nothing.

And someone named Trevor Bell threw 4 innings of shutout ball, the first three innings he was facing the winning run with every pitch.

But the stupidest thing of all?
I STAYED UP TO WATCH THE END?
What the hell is the matter with me?

Let's update the miserable tally.

DODGED BULLET GAMES - 6

April 8 - 9-6 win against the Yankees. (The Sox end their 6 game losing streak with a slugfest. John Lackey stinks but Phil Hughes stinks even more.)
April 10 - 4-0 win against the Yankees. (Beckett and Sabathia duel in a game that was 1-0 until the late innings.)
April 20 - 5-3 win in Oakland. (Red Sox survive a lead off homer and two bases loaded situations and facing the tying run at the plate to win their first road game.)
April 21 - 4-2 win in Anaheim. (The Red Sox stranded 15 men on base and Josh Beckett's went 8 strong with no decision. But the Sox rallied in the 11th to win.)
April 22 - 4-3 win in Anaheim. (Peter Bourjos makes a 2 run errors and the Red Sox survive a bizarre passed ball by Jarrod Saltalamacchia that let a run scored from second.)
May 1 - 3-2 win against the Mariners. (Ichiro loses a ball in the sun that turns into a 9th inning triple for Lowrie. Crawford singles him home for the win.)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 11

April 1 - 9-5 loss in Texas. (The Sox tie Opening Day in the 8th with an Ortiz homer only to have Bard implode and the Sox let up 4 in the bottom of the 8th.)

April 5 - 3-1 loss in Cleveland. (The Sox drop their 4th straight as the bats are dead in Cleveland.)
April 7 - 1-0 loss in Cleveland. (Sox blow a great Lester performance on a squeeze bunt and Darnell McDonald overrunning the bag to end the game.)
April 12 - 3-2 loss to Tampa Bay. (A solid Lester performance is wasted as Kyle Farnsworth of all people shuts down the Sox.)
April 15 - 7-6 loss to Toronto. (Bobby Jenks implodes with a 4 run seventh inning as the Red Sox waste Pedroia and Youkilis homers and a clutch RBI double by Scuatro.
April 19 - 5-0 loss in Oakland. (Pedroia gets picke doff, the Sox bats go dead and waste a solid Lackey start.)
April 26 - 4-1 loss in Baltimore. (Buchholz pitches tentatively and the Sox let Kevin Gregg of all people to close out the 9th.)
April 27 - 5-4 loss in Baltimore. (The Sox tie the game with a 3 run 8th only to have Bard lose it in the bottom of the 8th.)
April 29 - 5-4 loss to Mariners. (Bobby Jenks blows a 7th inning lead, wasting 2 Mike Cameron homers.)
April 30 - 2-0 loss to Mariners. (The Sox strand 11 runnerss and let Milton Bradley double home the go ahead run.)
May 4 - 5-3 loss to Angels. (7 hours with rain delays and stranded runners. Marco Scutaro was thrown out at the plate in the 12th)

-5

And oh yeah!
They play again in 10 hours.

Better start downing the Red Bull!

Sox look good... their hats don't

OK, there were a lot of things that were odd and could have cost the Red Sox the game. Lester was great but only lasted 6 innings. Saltalamacchia couldn't find a baseball in a little league play that cost the Red Sox a run. Hey Jarrod, it's BEHIND YOU!

The Sox won, and no matter how low Carl Crawford's average plummets, that's all that matters. Inching closer to .500... and oh yeah Dan Haren lost at the Red Sox hand.

That is awesome. The hats with the Sox on it are lame.
My wife thinks they look like booties... and that's all you need to know.

Let's update the tally.

DODGED BULLET GAMES - 5

April 8 - 9-6 win against the Yankees. (The Sox end their 6 game losing streak with a slugfest. John Lackey stinks but Phil Hughes stinks even more.)
April 10 - 4-0 win against the Yankees. (Beckett and Sabathia duel in a game that was 1-0 until the late innings.)
April 20 - 5-3 win in Oakland. (Red Sox survive a lead off homer and two bases loaded situations and facing the tying run at the plate to win their first road game.)
April 21 - 4-2 win in Anaheim. (The Red Sox stranded 15 men on base and Josh Beckett's went 8 strong with no decision. But the Sox rallied in the 11th to win.)
April 22 - 4-3 win in Anaheim. (Peter Bourjos makes a 2 run errors and the Red Sox survive a bizarre passed ball by Jarrod Saltalamacchia that let a run scored from second.)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 6

April 1 - 9-5 loss in Texas. (The Sox tie Opening Day in the 8th with an Ortiz homer only to have Bard implode and the Sox let up 4 in the bottom of the 8th.)

April 5 - 3-1 loss in Cleveland. (The Sox drop their 4th straight as the bats are dead in Cleveland.)
April 7 - 1-0 loss in Cleveland. (Sox blow a great Lester performance on a squeeze bunt and Darnell McDonald overrunning the bag to end the game.)
April 12 - 3-2 loss to Tampa Bay. (A solid Lester performance is wasted as Kyle Farnsworth of all people shuts down the Sox.)
April 15 - 7-6 loss to Toronto. (Bobby Jenks implodes with a 4 run seventh inning as the Red Sox waste Pedroia and Youkilis homers and a clutch RBI double by Scuatro.
April 19 - 5-0 loss in Oakland. (Pedroia gets picke doff, the Sox bats go dead and waste a solid Lackey start.)

-1.

Think about that. After the rotten start, they are nearing .500 and have only one more teeth grinder loss than dodged bullet wins.

But those hats still suck.

It's a brand new month

Remember how crappy Carl Crawford started the season?

Remember how he batted in 10 different spots in the first 9 games? I will have to double check my work, but that seems right.

And here we are with hitting up a storm including a walk off hit.

Maybe signing Crawford WASN'T a mistake.

Maybe Josh Beckett can continue to dominate.

One thing I DO know:

It's time to update the tally.

DODGED BULLET GAMES - 8

April 8 - 9-6 win against the Yankees. (The Sox end their 6 game losing streak with a slugfest. John Lackey stinks but Phil Hughes stinks even more.)
April 10 - 4-0 win against the Yankees. (Beckett and Sabathia duel in a game that was 1-0 until the late innings.)
April 20 - 5-3 win in Oakland. (Red Sox survive a lead off homer and two bases loaded situations and facing the tying run at the plate to win their first road game.)
April 21 - 4-2 win in Anaheim. (The Red Sox stranded 15 men on base and Josh Beckett's went 8 strong with no decision. But the Sox rallied in the 11th to win.)
April 22 - 4-3 win in Anaheim. (Peter Bourjos makes a 2 run errors and the Red Sox survive a bizarre passed ball by Jarrod Saltalamacchia that let a run scored from second.)
May 1 - 3-2 win against the Mariners. (Ichiro loses a ball in the sun that turns into a 9th inning triple for Lowrie. Crawford singles him home for the win.)
May 8 - 9-5 win against the Twins. (Dice-K lets up 3 runs in the first but settles down as the Red Sox clobber Carl Pavano.)

May 9 - 2-1 win against the Twins. (A bullpen breakdown cost Beckett the decision but Cark Crawford ended the game with an 11th inning walk off hit.)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 11

April 1 - 9-5 loss in Texas. (The Sox tie Opening Day in the 8th with an Ortiz homer only to have Bard implode and the Sox let up 4 in the bottom of the 8th.)

April 5 - 3-1 loss in Cleveland. (The Sox drop their 4th straight as the bats are dead in Cleveland.)
April 7 - 1-0 loss in Cleveland. (Sox blow a great Lester performance on a squeeze bunt and Darnell McDonald overrunning the bag to end the game.)
April 12 - 3-2 loss to Tampa Bay. (A solid Lester performance is wasted as Kyle Farnsworth of all people shuts down the Sox.)
April 15 - 7-6 loss to Toronto. (Bobby Jenks implodes with a 4 run seventh inning as the Red Sox waste Pedroia and Youkilis homers and a clutch RBI double by Scuatro.
April 19 - 5-0 loss in Oakland. (Pedroia gets picke doff, the Sox bats go dead and waste a solid Lackey start.)
April 26 - 4-1 loss in Baltimore. (Buchholz pitches tentatively and the Sox let Kevin Gregg of all people to close out the 9th.)
April 27 - 5-4 loss in Baltimore. (The Sox tie the game with a 3 run 8th only to have Bard lose it in the bottom of the 8th.)
April 29 - 5-4 loss to Mariners. (Bobby Jenks blows a 7th inning lead, wasting 2 Mike Cameron homers.)
April 30 - 2-0 loss to Mariners. (The Sox strand 11 runnerss and let Milton Bradley double home the go ahead run.)
May 4 - 5-3 loss to Angels. (7 hours with rain delays and stranded runners. Marco Scutaro was thrown out at the plate in the 12th)

Down to -3.

We'll see what the new month will get us.

So much for a .500 April

The Red Sox had a late lead. They were playing the Mariners, not exactly a team that was a preseason pennant pick for anyone.

All they needed to do was hold on to the lead and then on Saturday beat the Mariners at Fenway again. Then they would be 13-13.

I grant you that is the definition of a mediocre record after 26 games.
But with the rancid start the Red Sox had, finishing April at .500 would have been a good first step.

Instead Dice-K is hurt which could mean anything... and the White Sox are looking super smart for letting go of Bobby Jenks.

Another one run loss... now a losing record in April is clinched. And the tally must be updated.

DODGED BULLET GAMES - 5

April 8 - 9-6 win against the Yankees. (The Sox end their 6 game losing streak with a slugfest. John Lackey stinks but Phil Hughes stinks even more.)
April 10 - 4-0 win against the Yankees. (Beckett and Sabathia duel in a game that was 1-0 until the late innings.)
April 20 - 5-3 win in Oakland. (Red Sox survive a lead off homer and two bases loaded situations and facing the tying run at the plate to win their first road game.)
April 21 - 4-2 win in Anaheim. (The Red Sox stranded 15 men on base and Josh Beckett's went 8 strong with no decision. But the Sox rallied in the 11th to win.)
April 22 - 4-3 win in Anaheim. (Peter Bourjos makes a 2 run errors and the Red Sox survive a bizarre passed ball by Jarrod Saltalamacchia that let a run scored from second.)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 9

April 1 - 9-5 loss in Texas. (The Sox tie Opening Day in the 8th with an Ortiz homer only to have Bard implode and the Sox let up 4 in the bottom of the 8th.)

April 5 - 3-1 loss in Cleveland. (The Sox drop their 4th straight as the bats are dead in Cleveland.)
April 7 - 1-0 loss in Cleveland. (Sox blow a great Lester performance on a squeeze bunt and Darnell McDonald overrunning the bag to end the game.)
April 12 - 3-2 loss to Tampa Bay. (A solid Lester performance is wasted as Kyle Farnsworth of all people shuts down the Sox.)
April 15 - 7-6 loss to Toronto. (Bobby Jenks implodes with a 4 run seventh inning as the Red Sox waste Pedroia and Youkilis homers and a clutch RBI double by Scuatro.
April 19 - 5-0 loss in Oakland. (Pedroia gets picke doff, the Sox bats go dead and waste a solid Lackey start.)
April 26 - 4-1 loss in Baltimore. (Buchholz pitches tentatively and the Sox let Kevin Gregg of all people to close out the 9th.)
April 27 - 5-4 loss in Baltimore. (The Sox tie the game with a 3 run 8th only to have Bard lose it in the bottom of the 8th.)
April 29 - 5-4 loss to Mariners. (Bobby Jenks blows a 7th inning lead, wasting 2 Mike Cameron homers.)

-4.

Can we PLEASE end this awful month?

It is 1:18 AM in Boston...

And the Angels and Red Sox are still playing in the rain and going into the 10th.
I hope it goes on for 18 innings (with the Sox winning of course.)

Can you imagine what kind of Sox fans are left?
PLEASE tell me the concession stands are still open.

Hey! Where are our bats?

Oh great.
The Red Sox take a 3 game winning streak into Oakland, get a solid start from John Lackey... and the left their bats in Boston.

Fannnntastic! Look, it is encouraging that Lackey had a good solid start right after Dice-K's start. But should the Sox really be WASTING them?

And Okajima didn't exactly look great.
I gave him a tearful good bye last December. That would be a more fitting ending to his Red Sox career than being put on waivers.

The Sox play tomorrow afternoon. Let's hope their bats showed up.
Lets update the tally.

DODGED BULLET GAMES - 2

April 8 - 9-6 win against the Yankees. (The Sox end their 6 game losing streak with a slugfest. John Lackey stinks but Phil Hughes stinks even more.)
April 10 - 4-0 win against the Yankees. (Beckett and Sabathia duel in a game that was 1-0 until the late innings.)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 6

April 1 - 9-5 loss in Texas. (The Sox tie Opening Day in the 8th with an Ortiz homer only to have Bard implode and the Sox let up 4 in the bottom of the 8th.)

April 5 - 3-1 loss in Cleveland. (The Sox drop their 4th straight as the bats are dead in Cleveland.)
April 7 - 1-0 loss in Cleveland. (Sox blow a great Lester performance on a squeeze bunt and Darnell McDonald overrunning the bag to end the game.)
April 12 - 3-2 loss to Tampa Bay. (A solid Lester performance is wasted as Kyle Farnsworth of all people shuts down the Sox.)
April 15 - 7-6 loss to Toronto. (Bobby Jenks implodes with a 4 run seventh inning as the Red Sox waste Pedroia and Youkilis homers and a clutch RBI double by Scuatro.
April 19 - 5-0 loss in Oakland. (Pedroia gets picke doff, the Sox bats go dead and waste a solid Lackey start.)

-4.

The Red Sox are not the worst team in baseball right now. (That would be the Mets.)
But is THAT really the standard we are going for?

A punch in the crotch... thank you very much

Lester on the mound...
Multiple home runs...
8th AND 9th inning heroics.

And in the end, the Red Sox might as well have been clobbered.

I hate losses like this. There were so many ways this game could have been won so naturally none of them come to fruition.

WHO THE HELL IS DAVID COOPER?

That's why I call these games teeth grinders.

And that's why I need to update the tally.

DODGED BULLET GAMES - 8

April 8 - 9-6 win against the Yankees. (The Sox end their 6 game losing streak with a slugfest. John Lackey stinks but Phil Hughes stinks even more.)
April 10 - 4-0 win against the Yankees. (Beckett and Sabathia duel in a game that was 1-0 until the late innings.)
April 20 - 5-3 win in Oakland. (Red Sox survive a lead off homer and two bases loaded situations and facing the tying run at the plate to win their first road game.)
April 21 - 4-2 win in Anaheim. (The Red Sox stranded 15 men on base and Josh Beckett's went 8 strong with no decision. But the Sox rallied in the 11th to win.)
April 22 - 4-3 win in Anaheim. (Peter Bourjos makes a 2 run errors and the Red Sox survive a bizarre passed ball by Jarrod Saltalamacchia that let a run scored from second.)
May 1 - 3-2 win against the Mariners. (Ichiro loses a ball in the sun that turns into a 9th inning triple for Lowrie. Crawford singles him home for the win.)
May 8 - 9-5 win against the Twins. (Dice-K lets up 3 runs in the first but settles down as the Red Sox clobber Carl Pavano.)

May 9 - 2-1 win against the Twins. (A bullpen breakdown cost Beckett the decision but Cark Crawford ended the game with an 11th inning walk off hit.)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 12

April 1 - 9-5 loss in Texas. (The Sox tie Opening Day in the 8th with an Ortiz homer only to have Bard implode and the Sox let up 4 in the bottom of the 8th.)

April 5 - 3-1 loss in Cleveland. (The Sox drop their 4th straight as the bats are dead in Cleveland.)
April 7 - 1-0 loss in Cleveland. (Sox blow a great Lester performance on a squeeze bunt and Darnell McDonald overrunning the bag to end the game.)
April 12 - 3-2 loss to Tampa Bay. (A solid Lester performance is wasted as Kyle Farnsworth of all people shuts down the Sox.)
April 15 - 7-6 loss to Toronto. (Bobby Jenks implodes with a 4 run seventh inning as the Red Sox waste Pedroia and Youkilis homers and a clutch RBI double by Scuatro.
April 19 - 5-0 loss in Oakland. (Pedroia gets picke doff, the Sox bats go dead and waste a solid Lackey start.)
April 26 - 4-1 loss in Baltimore. (Buchholz pitches tentatively and the Sox let Kevin Gregg of all people to close out the 9th.)
April 27 - 5-4 loss in Baltimore. (The Sox tie the game with a 3 run 8th only to have Bard lose it in the bottom of the 8th.)
April 29 - 5-4 loss to Mariners. (Bobby Jenks blows a 7th inning lead, wasting 2 Mike Cameron homers.)
April 30 - 2-0 loss to Mariners. (The Sox strand 11 runnerss and let Milton Bradley double home the go ahead run.)
May 4 - 5-3 loss to Angels. (7 hours with rain delays and stranded runners. Marco Scutaro was thrown out at the plate in the 12th)
May 10 - 7-6 loss in Toronto. (8th and 9th inning heroics, including a homer by Adrian Gonzalez, are undone by a walk off sacrifice fly by David Cooper.)

Back down to -4.
Will this team EVER get to .500??

A 6-3 road trip isn't bad.

The Red Sox had a 2-10 record at one point.

They began this roadtrip after their Patriots Day win with a still awful 5-10 record.

They come back to Boston 11-13. Still not great, but a mere 2 wins against the mediocre Mariners away from .500.

The Mariners are coming into Boston with a 3 game winning streak. The law of averages say they are bound to lose a few coming up.

If they drop the first two in the Red Sox series, then Boston will finish April at 13-13.
When you consider the strife, the frustration and the dreadful start the Sox had, even the possibility of finishing April at .500 is reassuring.

So is the sight of Lester, Beckett, Lackey and Dice-K pitching well.

Maybe the sky ISN'T falling.

The Yankee Illusion

The Red Sox are 3-1 against the Yankees this year and for some reason those wins seem to mask the fact that in mid May the Red Sox are STILL sub .500!

But man it feels good to win by one run against the Yankees.
Bartolo Colon has 2 losses this year and both were hard luck losses against the Sox.

Meanwhile Joba Chamberlain is the gift that keeps giving... if by giving you mean insurance runs.

Daniel Bard made me scream at the TV as it was clear that Jorge Posada can't catch up to a fastball yet he was throwing him curve balls. And of course Jonathan Papelbon had to make it interesting.

But Mark Teixeira popped up and I get to update the tally.

DODGED BULLET GAMES - 9

April 8 - 9-6 win against the Yankees. (The Sox end their 6 game losing streak with a slugfest. John Lackey stinks but Phil Hughes stinks even more.)
April 10 - 4-0 win against the Yankees. (Beckett and Sabathia duel in a game that was 1-0 until the late innings.)
April 20 - 5-3 win in Oakland. (Red Sox survive a lead off homer and two bases loaded situations and facing the tying run at the plate to win their first road game.)
April 21 - 4-2 win in Anaheim. (The Red Sox stranded 15 men on base and Josh Beckett's went 8 strong with no decision. But the Sox rallied in the 11th to win.)
April 22 - 4-3 win in Anaheim. (Peter Bourjos makes a 2 run errors and the Red Sox survive a bizarre passed ball by Jarrod Saltalamacchia that let a run scored from second.)
May 1 - 3-2 win against the Mariners. (Ichiro loses a ball in the sun that turns into a 9th inning triple for Lowrie. Crawford singles him home for the win.)
May 8 - 9-5 win against the Twins. (Dice-K lets up 3 runs in the first but settles down as the Red Sox clobber Carl Pavano.)

May 9 - 2-1 win against the Twins. (A bullpen breakdown cost Beckett the decision but Cark Crawford ended the game with an 11th inning walk off hit.)
May 13 - 5-4 win in the Bronx. (Youkilis homers off of Joba and Bard and Papelbon make it more interesting than it needed to be.)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 12

April 1 - 9-5 loss in Texas. (The Sox tie Opening Day in the 8th with an Ortiz homer only to have Bard implode and the Sox let up 4 in the bottom of the 8th.)

April 5 - 3-1 loss in Cleveland. (The Sox drop their 4th straight as the bats are dead in Cleveland.)
April 7 - 1-0 loss in Cleveland. (Sox blow a great Lester performance on a squeeze bunt and Darnell McDonald overrunning the bag to end the game.)
April 12 - 3-2 loss to Tampa Bay. (A solid Lester performance is wasted as Kyle Farnsworth of all people shuts down the Sox.)
April 15 - 7-6 loss to Toronto. (Bobby Jenks implodes with a 4 run seventh inning as the Red Sox waste Pedroia and Youkilis homers and a clutch RBI double by Scuatro.
April 19 - 5-0 loss in Oakland. (Pedroia gets picke doff, the Sox bats go dead and waste a solid Lackey start.)
April 26 - 4-1 loss in Baltimore. (Buchholz pitches tentatively and the Sox let Kevin Gregg of all people to close out the 9th.)
April 27 - 5-4 loss in Baltimore. (The Sox tie the game with a 3 run 8th only to have Bard lose it in the bottom of the 8th.)
April 29 - 5-4 loss to Mariners. (Bobby Jenks blows a 7th inning lead, wasting 2 Mike Cameron homers.)
April 30 - 2-0 loss to Mariners. (The Sox strand 11 runnerss and let Milton Bradley double home the go ahead run.)
May 4 - 5-3 loss to Angels. (7 hours with rain delays and stranded runners. Marco Scutaro was thrown out at the plate in the 12th)
May 10 - 7-6 loss in Toronto. (8th and 9th inning heroics, including a homer by Adrian Gonzalez, are undone by a walk off sacrifice fly by David Cooper.)

-3.

Win tomorrow and the Red Sox will have won their first two series with the Yankees.

That would make a hell of a birthday present.

Red Sox don't get soaked

Well that wasn't so hard, was it?
Clay Buchholz pitches 5 strong with a big rain delay smack dab in the middle of things and the Red Sox pull out a win. And a pretty easy one at that.

It makes you wonder why they couldn't do that more often in the first month and a week.
Either way, I'll take it.

Dice-K tomorrow... let's get a few wins in a row.

What if Dice-K is good again?

Seriously, was ANY Red Sox fan counting on Dice K for squat this year?
Wasn't the consensus that the Daisuke Matsuzaka era in Boston was grinding down to a whimper?

And yeah he had a great game on Monday. But that was a Patriots Day game and most visiting batters' timing tends to be off with the early Patriots Day start.

So I guess it was easy to dismiss 7 innings of 1 hit ball.

But is it so easy to dismiss 8 innings of 1 hit ball on the road?

That's 15 shutout innings where he let up 2 hits total in his last 2 starts.

Couple this with Beckett's unexpected return to form and it is similar to finding a pair of $20 bills in an old jacket.

I wasn't even COUNTING on those two. What if they give the Sox a good year? What if Buchholz finds his stuff again?

And do you REALLY think Carl Crawford will bat .154 all year?
Do you REALLY think Kevin Youkilis is a .217 hitter?

They will start to hit. (Today they both DID hit.)

Suddenly the Sox, 7-1 in their last 8 games, don't look so helpless.

(I made a 7-11 joke about their record. I just can NOT make a 9-11 joke.)

Hot Carl

April is mercifully over.
If there was one Red Sox player who wanted it all done it was Carl Crawford who was miserable and the symbol of the futile first month.

Well the calendar page has turned and the Red Sox are 1-0 this month and Carl Crawford already has a 2 out 9th inning game winning hit.

A sign of things to come?
Oh let's hope so.

And let's update the tally.

DODGED BULLET GAMES - 6

April 8 - 9-6 win against the Yankees. (The Sox end their 6 game losing streak with a slugfest. John Lackey stinks but Phil Hughes stinks even more.)
April 10 - 4-0 win against the Yankees. (Beckett and Sabathia duel in a game that was 1-0 until the late innings.)
April 20 - 5-3 win in Oakland. (Red Sox survive a lead off homer and two bases loaded situations and facing the tying run at the plate to win their first road game.)
April 21 - 4-2 win in Anaheim. (The Red Sox stranded 15 men on base and Josh Beckett's went 8 strong with no decision. But the Sox rallied in the 11th to win.)
April 22 - 4-3 win in Anaheim. (Peter Bourjos makes a 2 run errors and the Red Sox survive a bizarre passed ball by Jarrod Saltalamacchia that let a run scored from second.)
May 1 - 3-2 win against the Mariners. (Ichiro loses a ball in the sun that turns into a 9th inning triple for Lowrie. Crawford singles him home for the win.)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 10

April 1 - 9-5 loss in Texas. (The Sox tie Opening Day in the 8th with an Ortiz homer only to have Bard implode and the Sox let up 4 in the bottom of the 8th.)

April 5 - 3-1 loss in Cleveland. (The Sox drop their 4th straight as the bats are dead in Cleveland.)
April 7 - 1-0 loss in Cleveland. (Sox blow a great Lester performance on a squeeze bunt and Darnell McDonald overrunning the bag to end the game.)
April 12 - 3-2 loss to Tampa Bay. (A solid Lester performance is wasted as Kyle Farnsworth of all people shuts down the Sox.)
April 15 - 7-6 loss to Toronto. (Bobby Jenks implodes with a 4 run seventh inning as the Red Sox waste Pedroia and Youkilis homers and a clutch RBI double by Scuatro.
April 19 - 5-0 loss in Oakland. (Pedroia gets picke doff, the Sox bats go dead and waste a solid Lackey start.)
April 26 - 4-1 loss in Baltimore. (Buchholz pitches tentatively and the Sox let Kevin Gregg of all people to close out the 9th.)
April 27 - 5-4 loss in Baltimore. (The Sox tie the game with a 3 run 8th only to have Bard lose it in the bottom of the 8th.)
April 29 - 5-4 loss to Mariners. (Bobby Jenks blows a 7th inning lead, wasting 2 Mike Cameron homers.)
April 30 - 2-0 loss to Mariners. (The Sox strand 11 runnerss and let Milton Bradley double home the go ahead run.)

-4.

Bring on the Angels.

Is THIS what it has come to, Red Sox?

Seriously?
After the Red Sox swept 4 in Anaheim and went on the 5 game winning streak I thought "Man! The Sox are back!"

Now after losing back to back series to the Orioles and the FREAKING MARINERS AT FENWAY I am thinking "Man, the Sox that started the season 0-6 are back."

11 men left on base?
Being shutdown by the lawfirm of Fister, Laffey and League?
A wasted good Lackey start?
Having Milton Bradley of all people bust out the big bats?

This team is a disgrace until further notice.

Let's update the tally.

DODGED BULLET GAMES - 5

April 8 - 9-6 win against the Yankees. (The Sox end their 6 game losing streak with a slugfest. John Lackey stinks but Phil Hughes stinks even more.)
April 10 - 4-0 win against the Yankees. (Beckett and Sabathia duel in a game that was 1-0 until the late innings.)
April 20 - 5-3 win in Oakland. (Red Sox survive a lead off homer and two bases loaded situations and facing the tying run at the plate to win their first road game.)
April 21 - 4-2 win in Anaheim. (The Red Sox stranded 15 men on base and Josh Beckett's went 8 strong with no decision. But the Sox rallied in the 11th to win.)
April 22 - 4-3 win in Anaheim. (Peter Bourjos makes a 2 run errors and the Red Sox survive a bizarre passed ball by Jarrod Saltalamacchia that let a run scored from second.)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 10

April 1 - 9-5 loss in Texas. (The Sox tie Opening Day in the 8th with an Ortiz homer only to have Bard implode and the Sox let up 4 in the bottom of the 8th.)

April 5 - 3-1 loss in Cleveland. (The Sox drop their 4th straight as the bats are dead in Cleveland.)
April 7 - 1-0 loss in Cleveland. (Sox blow a great Lester performance on a squeeze bunt and Darnell McDonald overrunning the bag to end the game.)
April 12 - 3-2 loss to Tampa Bay. (A solid Lester performance is wasted as Kyle Farnsworth of all people shuts down the Sox.)
April 15 - 7-6 loss to Toronto. (Bobby Jenks implodes with a 4 run seventh inning as the Red Sox waste Pedroia and Youkilis homers and a clutch RBI double by Scuatro.
April 19 - 5-0 loss in Oakland. (Pedroia gets picke doff, the Sox bats go dead and waste a solid Lackey start.)
April 26 - 4-1 loss in Baltimore. (Buchholz pitches tentatively and the Sox let Kevin Gregg of all people to close out the 9th.)
April 27 - 5-4 loss in Baltimore. (The Sox tie the game with a 3 run 8th only to have Bard lose it in the bottom of the 8th.)
April 29 - 5-4 loss to Mariners. (Bobby Jenks blows a 7th inning lead, wasting 2 Mike Cameron homers.)
April 30 - 2-0 loss to Mariners. (The Sox strand 11 runnerss and let Milton Bradley double home the go ahead run.)

-5.

How can May be worse?

Hisanori Takahashi better be buying drinks after this game

Seriously, Hisanori Takahashi was a whole lot of suck for the Angels in the first two games of their series with the Red Sox.

Aces Jeff Weaver and Dan Haren got the losses, but they actually pitched well.
Jeff Weaver went 6 innings with 3 earned runs on Monday

Dan Haren was throwing a shutout today into the 6th and finished with 7+ innings, 4 runs, 8 strikeouts and no walks.

But Takahashi gave up 2 earned runs in 1/3 of an inning on Monday. Then today he let up 2 more homers and 3 earned runs in a single inning.

That's 5 earned runs in 1 1/3 innings of late relief. Two tight games that turned into blowouts. I am not even including 2 come from behind wins against two of the best pitchers in the AL on my Dodged Bullet/Teeth Grinder ledger because Takahashi made the games no brainers.

Seriously Takahashi. Pick up the tab at the bar.

Come and listen to a story 'bout a man named Jed

OK, show of hands who thought the Red Sox were going to get 3 homers out of Jed Lowrie ALL YEAR!

I sure as hell didn't!

I don't know how long this will last but having Lowrie hitting means that Marco Scutaro will be giving the Red Sox... wait for it... DEPTH!

Of course today started off pretty badly with a leadoff homer by old friend Coco Crisp. And when the A's loaded the bases in the 6th, I thought it was going to become unraveled.

But alas, things broke the right way and lo and behold the Red Sox got a split in Oakland.

And I get to update the tally.

DODGED BULLET GAMES - 3

April 8 - 9-6 win against the Yankees. (The Sox end their 6 game losing streak with a slugfest. John Lackey stinks but Phil Hughes stinks even more.)
April 10 - 4-0 win against the Yankees. (Beckett and Sabathia duel in a game that was 1-0 until the late innings.)
April 20 - 5-3 win in Oakland. (Red Sox survive a lead off homer and two bases loaded situations and facing the tying run at the plate to win their first road game.)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 6

April 1 - 9-5 loss in Texas. (The Sox tie Opening Day in the 8th with an Ortiz homer only to have Bard implode and the Sox let up 4 in the bottom of the 8th.)

April 5 - 3-1 loss in Cleveland. (The Sox drop their 4th straight as the bats are dead in Cleveland.)
April 7 - 1-0 loss in Cleveland. (Sox blow a great Lester performance on a squeeze bunt and Darnell McDonald overrunning the bag to end the game.)
April 12 - 3-2 loss to Tampa Bay. (A solid Lester performance is wasted as Kyle Farnsworth of all people shuts down the Sox.)
April 15 - 7-6 loss to Toronto. (Bobby Jenks implodes with a 4 run seventh inning as the Red Sox waste Pedroia and Youkilis homers and a clutch RBI double by Scuatro.
April 19 - 5-0 loss in Oakland. (Pedroia gets picke doff, the Sox bats go dead and waste a solid Lackey start.)

-3.

Bring on the Angels... bring on the wins.

Don't forget, Jed Lowrie ENDED the 2008 Division Series against the Angels with a walk off hit.

Go get em, Jed!

The Red Sox are Eric Liddell

The Red Sox are no longer the worst team in baseball. Today's win against the Blue Jays (with Dice-K dealing and Lowrie continuing to go nuts at the plate) put the Red Sox at 5-10.

The Mets are 5-11 as are the Astros. So at least until tomorrow, the Sox are no longer at the bottom.

Now the metaphor that people like to say about the baseball season is "It is not a sprint, it is a marathon." But ironically I think a sprint is illustrating the Red Sox season so far.

There is a great scene in Chariots of Fire, a film that sadly didn't hold up as well as I had hoped. Eric Liddel, played the wonderful late Ian Charleson, is the favorite to win a track event between British and French runners. But on the first turn he falls and everyone, including his rival Harold Abrahams watching in the stands, is stunned. And the incredible Ian Holm mutters "Get up, lad! Get up!"

Liddell got up, the Vangelis music kicked in, and he starts running superfast. You know he was running superfast because it is all in slow motion.

He burst ahead of the other runners and won the race, collapsing in a heap.

That could very well be the Red Sox. Stumbling out of the gate. Looking lost. Even their rivals taking note. And then, composed, taking off at full speed.

Since falling to 2-10 with stupid 7-6 loss last Friday to Toronto, the Red Sox won their next three. They outscored Blue Jays in the three games by a combined score of 21-3.

They head off to Oakland and then to Anaheim and Baltimore. Going 5-4 in that stretch isn't asking a lot.

Bit by bit they'll catch up with the pack.

Cue up the Vangelis.

Happy Truck Day!

The Super Bowl is over... football is done... and the promise of the new baseball season is right around the corner.

It's Truck Day everyone!
And I don't care who thinks the Red Sox are evil now... I want a pennant in 2011!
(I WANT a World Series title, but I'll settle for a Pennant!)

Let's get this Spring Training going!

There's a lot of sports going on today

There is a ton of baseball to watch.

Matt Cain is on the mound for the Giants.
The Blue Jays and Yankees are going at it.

The Indians are looking to continue their winning ways into May.

The Red Sox game is starting as they try to avoid a sweep by Seattle.

Phillies play the Mets later tonight.




Meanwhile my San Jose Sharks are looking to go up 2-0 in their series against the Red Wings.








And the playoff series people have been drooling for, the Heat versus my Celtics, starts today. (And that's after Oklahoma City and Memphis square off THEIR Game 1.)






So which one am I watching?

None.

I am off to the beach with my family.
It's called priorities. It's a beautiful Sunday in California.

(But if the Celtics make it back to the NBA Finals and the Sharks play for the Stanley Cup, my butt is parked on the couch.)

I am NOT going to make fun of people watching the Royal Wedding

When I heard there was a Royal wedding, I thought "Does it involve George Brett? U. L. Washington? Pete LaCock?"

The I realized it was Royal as in "someday king of England" royal.

I couldn't possibly care less about this wedding in England today.
It's not for me.

Two 20 somethings are getting married. Both will spend the rest of their lives waving and not paying taxes.

If you ARE caught up in it, I won't make fun of you. It's easy to act too cool for school and laugh at people who are crying over the wedded bliss of a gold digger and the dauphin's dauphin.

But guess what? We ALL get caught up in something that other people roll their eyes at and say "Who cares?"

Oh you can claim that all you do is work, charity, family work and catching up on classic literature, but EVERYONE has that obsessive vice.

It could be a show.
While you are talking excitedly about the latest episode of Glee, or Mad Men, or The Wire or Breaking Bad or True Blood or American Idol or Top Chef or Survivor or whatever your show is, there is someone who is thinking "Oh why are you wasting time watching that?"

It could be movies.
If you are a film buff talking about classic or cult films or a movie lover who ran out to see the latest new release, someone is shrugging saying "that doesn't interest me at all."

Maybe it is music.
You know how interesting you find that latest band or some deep track? Well you sound like Charlie Brown's teacher talking to some of us.

Maybe it's art. Maybe it is politics. Maybe it is religion. Maybe it is your latest hiking expedition.
They mean everything to you but to some other people they think "Borrrrring."

I obsess over the Oscars and I have so many friends think "Why? They are lame."
But I do anyway.

And oh yeah. I write 2 or 3 times a day on this blog about baseball.

I can make fun of people crying over this wedding and act like I am above it all. But I bet most of the people watching the wedding with a box of Kleenex in their hands don't care about Daisuke Matsuzaka's start against Seattle tonight at Fenway.

So I won't throw stones.
Good luck William and Kate. You look like a cute couple.
And I assume you read this blog.

Now LET'S GO SOX!

Sox are out of sync... but haven't we heard this song before?

A big market team was coming off a season where they improbably missed the playoffs. They spent big on players in the off season, shockingly signing one free agent that seemed to be heading to a different playoff bound team.

People started bitching and moaning how it wasn’t fair that they signed all of these great players but made the team the prohibitive pick going into the season.

Then things started going badly. They stumbled out of the gate, lost some embarrassing games and were a losing team in May. The team just didn’t seem to fit together. And the biggest superstar looked like a post steroid shell of his former self. People seemed to take great pleasure in pointing out that they were a great group of players but not a TEAM.

What team am I talking about?
Am I talking about the 2011 Red Sox?
Or the 2009 Yankees?

Remember how the Yankees stubbed their toe out of the gate after picking up Mark Teixiera, CC Sabathia and A. J. Burnett? They had missed the 2008 playoffs and the new pick ups didn’t look like they were going to help. The A-Rod steroid mess was the embarrassment of the off season. The new Yankee Stadium looked like a huge mistake and as late as May 13 they were on the wrong side of .500.

Then they won 10 out of their next 11 and by May 31st were in first place. By July they were in first place for good and in case you didn’t remember, they had a decent end to the year.



It took one positive stretch to put the Yankees back on track and by the end of the year they won their first World Series title in 9 years. (And which everyone reacted “They win it EVERY year!”)

So yeah, the Red Sox look out of sorts right now. Carl Crawford looks rotten now. The bats go dead one day, the pitching stinks the next.

The Red Sox look as out of sync as a Godzilla movie or an Italian Hercules film. But once thinks click, the Sox will go on a nice run and make all of us forget these bad first few weeks.

By the way, when the Yankees were a sub ,500 on May 13, do you know who was tied for first in the AL Central?

The Royals.

The Yankees went 87-42 the rest of the was and won the World Series.
The Royals went 47-81 the rest of the way and barely avoided 100 losses.

There’s a lot of season left.
Just get in sync.