Random Thoughts

If you noticed, I didn’t post on Monday.  I’ve been trying to stick to posting three times a week (mostly Monday, Wednesdays, and Twitter-Mania Fridays).  Monday was Memorial Day- a day to enjoy our freedom in this great country of the United States of America and reflect on those who serve and have given the ultimate sacrifice for this freedom.  I hope all you followers enjoyed your Memorial Day; I know I did.

I also thought I’d do a “Random Thoughts” post this second-to-last post of May.  May’s been an interesting month for the Red Sox.  They started out in a quasi-slump and seem to be ending strong, minus their loss to the Phillies last night.  So, without further delay, here are some things I’ve been thinking about in terms of the Red Sox.

∙  The Red Sox are currently in first place in the division, sitting at 32-21 with the Yankees a game back.  At the beginning of the season with the Red Sox uncertainties and the Yankees injuries, who would’ve thought the Red Sox and Yankees would be leading the division at this point?  Well… I thought the Red Sox would be contenders.  This team seemed to click from the start.

∙  Speaking of the Yankees, Mark Texeira and Kevin Youkilis are rumored to be coming off the disabled list for this weekend’s Yankees-Red Sox series. 

∙  I think it was great that the Red Sox had Boston Bombing heroes Jeff Bauman and Carlos Arredondo throw out the first pitches of the game last night.  The picture of Carlos Arredondo helping Jeff Bauman in the wheelchair is iconic.  Both of these men were heroes during that tragic incident, each in their own way, and I think it speaks volumes that the Red Sox have honored them.  I saw Jeff Bauman at the Bruins game a couple weeks ago, and it literally sent chills down my spine.

∙  I knew there would be some boos for Papelbon when he returned to Fenway, but I couldn’t believe the boos outweighed the cheers last night.  Papelbon is a very polarizing person, I get that, but he did great things for the Red Sox team and organization.  Who is ever going to forget his celebratory jigs after clinching the 2007 ALCS and World Series?

∙  Despite the loss last night, Dempster had a great night pitching.  In 7 innings, he gave up 6 hits, 2 earned runs, 1 home run, walked 3, and struck out 4.  That’s a good night for any pitcher, but especially one who has been struggling as of late.

∙  In 34 games, David Ortiz is hitting .336 with 11 doubles, 8 home runs, 2 stolen bases (he stole 3^rd base twice last week), and 34 RBIs.  In 53 games, Dustin Pedroia is hitting .332 with 14 doubles, 3 home runs, 8 stolen bases, and 28 RBIs.  Even on an impressive team thus far, these two are who I am most impressed with.

∙  Clay Buchholz, who skipped his last start due to irritation in his AC joint, is slated to start on Friday versus the Yankees.  When Buchholz was skipped on Monday, I made the comment that the Red Sox were holding him so he would start against the Yankees, and that’s what happened.  Not sure what the pitching match-ups are at the moment, but it should be an interesting weekend.

∙  Have to say it, but it’s a little sad that the subway series isn’t getting more people at the games.  Monday night, the Red Sox had 33,627 people at the game versus the Phillies, and the Yankees-Mets game drew in under 33,000. 

A Few Observations So Far

- The Red Sox are currently in first place in the American League East. Granted, it’s only 7 games in, but that’s reassuring for a team that many predicted to be in 4th or 5th place. Plus, the Sox have played the Yankees (3 games), the Blue Jays (3 games), and the Orioles (1 game). The play the Orioles and Rays this week, so it should be interesting to see where everyone ends up by Sunday. The standings so far:

Red Sox     5-2
Orioles      3-4
Yankees    3-4
Rays          3-4
Blue Jays  2-4

- Middlebrooks’ 3 Home Run game on Sunday versus the Blue Jays was a lot of fun to watch. For one, this is a guy who hit 15 home runs in 75 games last year before getting hurt. Who knows what he’ll do in a complete season. He also showed great defensive ability on the field. As great as all that is, I had an uneasy feeling in the back of my mind because of what happened to the last Red Sox to hit 3 home runs in 1 game. That was Dustin Pedroia in 2010. The next day, Pedroia was injured and out pretty much the rest of the season.

- How great have Buchholz and Lester been so far? Buchholz is 2-0 with a 0.64 ERA in 14.0 innings, giving up 9 hits, 1 run, 6 walks, and striking out 12. Lester is 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA in 12.00 innings, giving up 10 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and striking out 13.

- I unfortunately didn’t watch Lackey’s start the other day, but I did see the replay when he injured his arm. Hopefully, it’s minor. The guy worked hard to return, and everyone likes a comeback story. However, if Lackey does go on the DL, who do the Sox get to start? Aceves is one name that’s floating around, but I’m hoping they pull someone up from Triple-A. Aceves has already given up 5 runs in 4.1 innings, including 2 home runs.

- The Sox team ERA is 2.95. That’s good enough for 3rd best in the American League.

- How about Daniel Nava? Most people think of Daniel Nava as that rare player who makes a huge impact once (Nava’s first-pitch Grand Slam from 2010). Yesterday, Nava, in place of JBJ in left field, hit a MONSTER game-winning 3-run home run. Farrell had said he felt Nava, a switch-hitter, was seeing the ball well. His instincts paid off.

- Shane Victorino, the “Flyin Hawaiian,” has safely made it on base every game so far this season. He’s hitting .345 for the season with 1 double, 4 RBIs, and 2 stolen bases (he’s also been caught stealing twice).

- Speaking of stolen bases, the Sox currently have stolen 8 bases total while being caught twice (again, Victorino). Ellsbury leads the team with 4, then Victorino with 2, and  Ciriaco and JBJ both have 1. By comparison, Ellsbury had 14 stolen bases in 74 games last year. If my math works correctly (may be a big IF) and the Sox keep stealing bases at this clip, they could have approximately 185 stolen bases by the end of the season. They had 97 last year. (My math: 8 stolen bases/ 7 games multiplied by X stolen bases/ 162 games).

Well, that’s about it for me today.  I originally tried posting this last night without much success, so hopefully it works now.  I hope everyone is enjoying this season so far. I know I am!

Random Thoughts

There are 5 days left until the season starts, roughly 120 hours until the first pitch to the Red Sox’s opening day. I don’t know about you, but I’m excited. I have a few things on my mind regarding this Red Sox team that I thought I would share in this post. Enjoy!

- Jacoby Ellsbury is not in today’s lineup after jamming his ankle on Sunday. It was originally reported that the Sox would give Ellsbury Monday off to rest, there was an off day yesterday, and he should be ready to go today. That’s not the case. I haven’t seen/heard anything to indicate that his injury is more serious, but it’s a little unnerving considering we’re five days away from Opening Day.

- With Ellsbury out of the lineup today, Jackie Bradley Junior will be playing center field and leading off. Bradley’s hitting .444 for Spring Training in 65 plate appearances. He’s making this team. Bradley is by far the most exciting story to come out of Spring Training. With the success of young, exciting players like Mike Trout, Stephen Strasburg, Giancarlo Stanton, and Bryce Harper, the Red Sox really can’t afford to NOT have Bradley on the team.

- The Red Sox are dropping the prices of concessions during April, in a part to lure fans to Fenway. It’s sad, really, that things have gotten so bad that Sox fans won’t want to go to every game. I live in Iowa, and I try to make it to at least one Sox game a year, whether that’s in a city in the Midwest or a chance to head to Boston. If I lived in or around Boston, I’d be going to as many games as possible. Fans love the team, not the drama that has encompassed them the past few years.

- I plan on going to two Red Sox games this year, one in May in Minneapolis and one in September in Boston. The game in Boston will be against the Yankees, which will be a first for me, and I’m really excited about it.

- Jon Lester was officially named the Opening Day starter today. Is this really significant? Not really, considering the Sox have pretty much been going with a rotation of Lester, Buchholz, Dempster, Doubront, and Lackey all of Spring Training.

- There are a few reports out there that David Ortiz won’t be ready til around May 6th (again, estimate). Depending on how quickly Ortiz progresses, the beginning of May does seem likely for a return date. Remember, he needs to get his swing ramped up as well, which Ortiz has said takes about 50 at-bats.

- Kind of getting lost in the shuffle is Stephen Drew. He’s been out with concussion symptoms for weeks now, and he was cleared to resume baseball activities last week. However, it appears Iglesias will be the Opening Day starter at shortstop. If Iglesias takes off, will Drew resort to a bench player, traded, or will Iglesias be sent down to Triple-A?

- My goal is to finish Francona’s book by Monday and get a review out next week. It’s taken me a little bit longer than I would’ve liked. I read before I go to sleep; and most nights lately, I’ve pretty much passed out as soon as I’m in bed. Thank goodness for my (almost) weekly trips to Starbucks to read.

- Speaking of Francona, there's a new video out from the Indians featuring the Sox's former manager.  You've heard of SIRI?  Well, wait to you see TERRi: http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=25874721&c_id=mlb

- Next weekend, April 6th, I’m doing a 5k sponsored by our local Single-A affiliate, the Quad Cities River Bandits (now part of the Astros organization). Here’s the link for the race: http://www.milb.com/news/article.jspymd=20130321&content_id=43071808&vkey=pr_t565&fext=.jsp&sid=t565
It’s pretty cool, the route actually goes through two states (Iowa and Illinois) and goes across 3 bridges. I’m a little nervous about it, since I just completed my first 5k two weeks ago. But, it should be fun. If you live around the area and are interested, sign up.

And that’s about it for now. Hopefully, I’ll get another post out tomorrow or Friday to let you know about my predictions for the season.

Random Thoughts

Spring Training is still going strong with a little over two weeks left before Opening Day. I thought I’d do a “Random Thoughts” post to get some of what I’ve been thinking with the start of the season approaching.

- I admit that I’m always skeptical when it concerns Clay Buchholz; I find him inconsistent. But, if he can translate his great Spring so far (8.1 IP, 6H, 0R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO), he’s going to be a great #2 starter. Lester, the slated #1 starter, is also having a great Spring (14.0 IP, 6H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 10 SO).

- Also with pitching, the Sox have been impressed with Allen Webster, who came over from the Dodgers. This Spring, Webster is at 11.0 IP, 9H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 14 SO. He’s also held opposing batters to a .220 Average while keeping his WHIP below 1.00 (0.91 currently). I’m sure he’ll start the season in Pawtucket, but it’s a nice feeling to know if someone goes down in the rotation, there’s adequate help in Triple-A.

- Does Hanrahan’s performance this Spring concern me? No. Closers are a different breed than starters or even other relievers. Closers come into the game (most of the time) when the win is on the line; it’s up to them to keep the win in tact. Spring Training is a way for pitchers (and hitters and fielders) to get lose and into the baseball-frame-of-mind. Hanrahan will come along.

- I’m currently reading Terry Francona’s book, The Red Sox Years. I’m only about a quarter of the way through with it, which is a shame because it’s really enjoyable. I just finished the Duck Boat Parade of 2004. If you haven’t read or planned on reading the book, I highly recommend it. Reliving some of the “glory days” of the Red Sox’s recent success (last ten years) is always great, especially after suffering the past two seasons.

- Speaking of Terry Francona, if you have not watched the Cleveland Indians Harlem Shake video, you need to. Here’s the link from the Boston Gobe:

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2013/03/tito_gets_his_g.html

And here’s the link to a list showing which players/managers were dressed as which characters:

http://tribevibe.mlblogs.com/2013/03/13/harlem-shake-bring-your-own-costume-monday-2/

It made my day. Take note of the former Red Sox affiliates: Terry Francona (Big Baby), Justin Masterson (Human Bear), and Rich Hill (one of the two Easter Bunnies). A little sad that there wasn’t Dice-K dressed up as a Teletubbie again.

- This weekend is St. Patrick’s Day, which means one thing to me: the Sox wear their green uniforms on Sunday. I’ve been wearing the same, green Varitek shirt for the past 5 or so years on St. Patrick’s Day, and I don’t intend to break tradition. However, on Saturday, my boyfriend and I will be sporting matching, green “Drink Like Wade” (as in Wade Boggs, if you needed a hint) shirts for our St. Patrick’s Day celebrations with our friends.

- Opening Day for the Sox is April 1st. Like every year, I will be taking that day off work to watch the game.

Well, that’s about it in my post today. I hope everyone has a fun, and safe, St. Patrick’s Day weekend.

Random Thoughts

* MLB blocked the Pesky tribute prior to the game last night, so I missed all of that. What I did see: all the Red Sox players wearing #6, the #6 in the outfield, and the Angels players wearing the patch in tribute to Pesky. I thought the whole thing was very thoughtful and respectful. I know the Red Sox had to get permission from MLB to all wear #6, and I’m glad MLB allowed it.

* I think the Matsuzaka pitching in Pawtucket last night was an imposter. Matsuzaka pitched 7+ innings, threw 102 pitches, only gave up 1 run, walked 4, and struck out 7? I might have to check those stats again.

* Wasn’t it last season the term “bridge year” was thrown about. I think the Sox should call this year the “bridge year.”

* Clayton Mortensen has done a really good job this year in relief, despite being bounced between Triple-A and the Majors. Do the Sox hold on to him in the off-season or trade him?

* I would really like to find the stat of how many times Joba Chamberlain has thrown at KevinYoukilis, and how many times he has actually hit Youk. I read the box-score for the White Sox-Yankees game yesterday and saw that Chamberlain had hit Youkilis. I did a quick Google search for the stats and didn’t find any results. You’d think after all these years, MLB would step in and start fining Chamberlain since it appears to be EVERY at-bat these two meet.

* Youkils got his revenge on the Yankees last night; he hit a grand slam.

* It’s been cooler here in Iowa this past week (short-lived), and the trees are starting to turn colors in my neighborhood. As much as I love baseball and will always be a baseball girl at heart, I’m excited for football season to start. New England Patriots and Iowa Hawkeyes are my teams (and I will root for the Iowa Stat Cyclones when they are not playing the Hawkeyes, since that’s where I graduated from).

Random Thoughts

* It pretty much goes without saying that the Red Sox are out of contention for the year. Yes, there is still a slight possibility. According to Baseball Prospectus Playoff Odds Report, the Sox have a 6.7% chance to make the playoffs. The Yankees have a 99.2 % chance; the Rangers 99.9%.

* Will Middlebrooks is likely out for the rest of the season with a broken wrist. I watched the video of the pitch hitting his wrist, and it’s painful to even watch. It’s a shame that a rookie having such a great season has to go out this way, but as mentioned before, there’s only a slight chance the Sox will make the playoffs. Might as well let Middlebrooks fully heal from the injury and come back stronger next year.

* Speaking of injured wrists, Crawford came out of yesterday’s game in the bottom of the 5th inning due to his surgically repaired wrist being sore though he’s expected to possibly getting a cortisone shot and staying off the DL. He went 3-for-5 yesterday with 3 doubles, 3 RBIs, and 2 runs scored. He is currently hitting .280 for the season (25 games). Even in the limited sample sizes, the fans have to be happy with the way he’s playing.

* Valentine thought it was a good idea to have one of the relievers, Mortensen, bat yesterday. Mortensen struck out. I know the 14-1 win was a blow out, but with all the injuries this team has endured, is it really smart to have a pitcher bat in a non-need situation?

* On a related note, Saltalamacchia played first base yesterday. Okay…

* There’s a chance Bailey might be joining the Sox sometime this week. Would he be a reliever or closer? My guess is he’ll start in a set-up role and possibly get to closing out games sooner (if Aceves completely melts down) or later (last couple weeks of the season to get his feel back).

Random Thoughts

* The Red Sox lost 3 of 4 to the Twins this weekend. Friday and Saturday’s losses were the toughest, as the Sox had a chance to win and blew it. Friday, Lavarnway hit a double in the bottom of the 9th with two outs, but Middlebrooks grounded out. On Saturday, the Sox were up 4-2 heading into the 9th inning when Aceves blew the save, and the Sox loss 6-4.

* Crawford and Gonzalez were the stars of the weekend. Crawford went 7/18 with 2 doubles, a home run, a stolen base, and 5 RBIs. Gonzalez went 6/14 with a double, a home run, and 5 RBIs. Fans- lay off them.

* Saltalamacchia now reminds me of Adam Dunn from last year. It seems he either hits a home run or strikes out (I know that is not literally the case, but it appears to be that way).

* Both Ciriaco and Aviles had home runs this weekend. Who would’ve thought?

* I really don’t understand why Twins, Royals, Brewers, and Cardinals games are blacked out on MLB.TV. I understand Chicago, since that’s the closest team. I didn’t get to watch a single game this weekend.

* Can we call this team cooked yet? I’m beginning to think that the season is over for them. Yes, they are not in last place, but they are close. Unless the Sox go on some dramatic run the next two months, I think it’s safe to say the Red Sox will not be making the playoffs this year. I’m still a tiny bit optimistic that the Sox can pull something off, but the team is not consistent and hasn’t been all year.

Random Thoughts

* The 45-second standing ovation Kevin Youkilis received in his return to Fenway last night was great. It shows Youk that the fans did appreciate him, and he’ll always be regarded with respect despite playing for the “wrong” Sox. Sometimes, a change of scenery is good. In Youk’s case, I think that’s what he needed.

* Ortiz pulled his Achilles rounding the bases on Gonzalez’s game-winning homerun last night. Ortiz said it was pulled and nothing popped, and Valentine said Ortiz will be out for a few games. An MRI is scheduled for today. Yes, losing Ortiz is tough, especially since he’s been the team’s most consistent bat all season. However, Pedroia will be back on Thursday, and this will allow some other players to get a bit of a rest. The Sox will work with a “fluid” designated hitter for a few days. I’m guessing Shoppach and Saltalamacchia will share duties of catching and DH-ing for at least one game.

* Crawford was 1-for-3 with 2 runs in his return for the season. HE’S HITTING .333! Break out the champagne! In all seriousness, I’m happy for Crawford. I think he needed to come back and produce from the get-go. Hopefully, he’ll continue hitting like he was in the minors (I believe he had a .306 BA), and the mess from last year will be quickly forgotten.

* Aaron Cook continues to impress. Last night, he pitched 7.0 innings, gave up 5 hits, 1 run, 0 earned runs. He walked and struck out 0. His season ERA is down to a very respectable 3.34, even in the limited time he’s pitched. Does this mean the Sox keep him and trade away someone like Morales?

* The Sox are said to be actively pursuing Ryan Dempster of the Cubs. I’m all for this. One, Depmster has a ridiculous 1.86 ERA. Two, he’s Kevin Millar’s best friend. I’ve seen Dempster a few times on Intentional Talk, and he’s hilarious. I think the Sox need someone who can come in and loosen the team up a bit. There’s no one who is said to be the “fun” one on this team, and I think the Sox need that. They need someone to keep the clubhouse light, to have fun with the media. The fact that he’s Millar’s best friend, well that’s just a bonus.

So Close Yet So Far Away

It’s the All-Star Break, which is much needed for the .500 Red Sox. They are currently 9.5 games out of first place in the Division, and 5 games back for the Wild Card. Can they turn this season around for the second half? My guess is no.

If the Sox were 5 games out of the division, it would be one thing. They are not. They are tied for last place in the division, and you know the Yankees will be making moves before the end of July. The Red Sox will too, but who knows what this team will look like by the end of the week… let alone by the end of the month.

Yes, I’m still in my sour mood over the Red Sox and their frustrating season. How could I not? I successfully predicted the Red Sox would win 1 out of 4 games against the Yankees this weekend, and I successfully predicted that Lester and Beckett’s starts were the ones to worry about. Maybe I am a “Red Sox visionary,” as someone told me last week when I successfully predicted Matsuzaka would land on the DL during his start on Monday night.

I don’t want to be a “Red Sox visionary” though; I want to be proven wrong. I guess in terms of “good” things this weekend, Pedro Ciriaco was really fun to watch. He had this energy about him that we haven’t seen since Middlebrooks came up and started tearing it up. *Sigh* I miss Middlebrooks.

It was also “fun” to see Jeter making errors during the games. For the record, I like Derek Jeter, always have. I find him a very respectable player and a classy individual. However, he frustrated me because he has no range yet makes the All-Star team every year and wins Gold Gloves.

So, instead of dwelling on how horribly I thought the Sox looked this weekend, I thought I would do a few random thoughts regarding the team, this weekend, and where they need to go from here.

* I have a feeling two of the following three players will be traded soon: Nick Punto, Brent Lillibridge, and Pedro Ciriaco. I would love Pedro Ciriaco to be the bench player for the rest of the year, as I find his bat more reliable than the other two (though in limited playing time, obviously). It just seems very redundant to have that many bench players for the infield. Once Pedroia is back, two will be gone.

* My uncle informed my family that the Red Sox had acquired Arroyo via trade, and that it was announced during the broadcast before Saturday night’s Fox game (we weren’t receiving feed from DirecTV for some reason at that point). I quickly checked MLB Trade Rumors, The Boston Globe, and Wikipedia websites to confirm this without any luck. I have to admit, I was a bit crushed. I was ready to “un-retire” my Arroyo shirt, since he used to be one of my favorite players on the Sox.

* Adrian Gonzalez had his 18-game hitting streak snapped last night when he was pulled out of the game due to an illness; he was 0-1. It’s really a shame, but my thought was why did he even start if he was so ill? If he felt that ill, he shouldn’t have played, and his streak would still be active. Of course, that would be “selfish.”

* During our local news program Saturday night, the sports announcer called Youkilis “our Youkilis,” as in the White Sox. My brother had the best reaction: “He’s not your Youkilis; he’s our Youkilis.” I hope we always feel that way.

* My brother and I were having a discussion regarding who will be traded from the Sox and who won’t. My brother seems to think that Lester and Beckett are practically asking for a trade with their play this year; I don’t see that happening. Though, he did mention Lester’s performance is similar to Youkilis’s performance with our Sox, and Lester doesn’t appear to favor Valentine.

* “Thank Tek Day” is scheduled for July 21st. Well deserved. It would be great if they would offer him a position with the club at that point and announce it that day. Wishful thinking.

* Do people really put that much stock into the All-Star Game? I usually watch about two innings, then start switching back and forth between channels until I stop watching it all together. This year may be different, since players were not able to “opt out” of the game/honor unless they were injured or had another pressing matter (Yadier Molina being placed on the bereavement list comes to mind). Last year was the worst, since there were about 40 “All-Stars” for each team, as not many of the starters actually wanted to play.

Random Thoughts

I haven’t done a “random thoughts” post in some time, so I thought I would let you know some thoughts I had on the Red Sox at this point in the season.

* When I came into work on Monday, one of my co-workers asked me if anyone was “sacred” on the Red Sox anymore, meaning Youkilis. As much as I enjoyed Youkilis and was a fan of him, sometimes players need to be moved (Remember Nomar?). I also told him that with the way the Sox are playing lately, Youkilis won’t be the end of the trades for the Sox.

* Ben Cherington has said that starting pitching remains a priority for the Red Sox as the trade deadline approaches. Matt Garza’s name has been floating around for weeks, almost months, now. Do the Red Sox overpay for Garza (since it’ll look really bad on Hoyer and Epstein’s part if they only get one or two prospects in return)? Greinke might be available, but could he survive in the AL East? I, for one, would love to get back Masterson, but the Indians are in the AL Central race at the moment. With Sabathia and Pettitte both going on the DL for the Yankees today, you know the Sox will be competing with the Yanks for pitching.  Should be interesting.

* I had a post awhile ago about something being wrong with Clay Buchholz. Not that his condition went that far back, but something WAS seriously wrong with Buchholz. He spent five days in the hospital, two days in ICU, with esophagitis, which lead to corrosion of the esophagus and an associated bleed (gastrointestinal, by reports). In Buchholz’s word that appeared in The Boston Globe:

It was real scary I never really felt the urge to pass out every time I stood up and I didn't know what was going on. Whenever you got doctors telling you, 'Alright, come on over to my office and we'll check you out,' and you're like, 'I can't get there, I can't walk,' it was pretty scary for about three days.

They were trying to downplay it, but when you're laying in an ICU [intensive care unit], where I'm from it usually means that stuff's not going really well. Once I got out of there, the doctors were pretty upfront about it, saying it wasn't really life-threatening at this point. They just had me in [the ICU] to make sure that I wasn't really losing any more blood.

They were basically giving me medicine to coat my stomach and put it wherever the bleeding was coming from to stop the bleeding. That's when they started doing the tests. I really never cared to know what was going on, I just wanted to get out of there and that's where I'm at now.

I'm sure I'm going to have to go in and do some more tests when the guys go on the road. We might know a little bit more from that. But they still really hadn't put a finger on what happened or what caused it and why it stopped bleeding or when it started, so, yeah, it would be news to me, too.

Buchholz was in the clubhouse before today’s game, but who knows when he’ll return to the mound.

* Josh Beckett is reportedly going to be returning from the disabled list and pitching on Saturday versus the Mariners.

* I saw two videos provided by MLB this week that I am really enjoying. The first is Omar Vizquel’s dancing in the dugout during the rain delay on Monday night to LMFAO’s “Party Rock Anthem.” Here’s the link: http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=123744

The second is Aroldis Chapman’s somersaults after his save last night. I know there’s been some outrage about it; but really, who does a somersault? Here’s the link: http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=547973

Random Thoughts

* The Sox won today 6-5, taking 2 of 3 from the first-place Orioles.

* For the 8-gam road trip, the Red Sox were 5-3, losing one game a piece to the Rays, Phillies, and Orioles. Not too shabby.

* The Sox are at .500 again and have won 10 of 13.

* Bard wasn’t horrible today; his line: 5.1IP, 5H, 2R, 4BB, 2SO, 1HR. He has to watch the walks. I didn’t get to watch the game live due to being at work today, but I was following it on Gameday. I could be mistaken, but I believe he walked like 3 batters in a row with only throwing 3 strikes in that span.

* Scott Podsednik, who has been in the minors since 2010, hit a home run in the 8th inning. He was 2 for 3 for the day. Incredible!

* Nava and Shoppach also hit home runs today… must have been the day for the unlikely players to rake.

* Youkilis was 2 for 3 today, bringing his average to .243. I’ve heard reports that the Red Sox are showcasing him as trade bait (thus, showing his versatility by putting him at first base), but could Youkilis be out to prove to the Red Sox that he’s more valuable on the team than in a trade?

* I do not like the fact that Valentine is putting Gonzalez in right field to play in non-interleague games. I understand that Gonzalez went to Valentine and said he would play right field, but you don’t put a gold glove winning first baseman in right field. Not a fan.

* The Red Sox’s outfield today consisted of: Daniel Nava in left, Scott Podsednik in center, and Gonzalez in right. Che-Hsuan Lin took over for Gonzaelz in right (A-Gon went to first base) in the 7th. Who would’ve thought at the beginning of the season that this is what our outfield would consist of in May? Crawford, Ellsbury, Ross, Sweeney (7-day), McDonald, and Kalish are all on the DL. Feels a bit like 2010, doesn’t it?

* Speaking of DL-bound outfielders- Darnell McDonald took batting practice on the field today.

* Andrew Bailey has started throwing in Florida.

* Carl Crawford could start swinging a bat this weekend.

* Ryan Kalish is playing in extended Spring Training games, but it still a long ways from being MLB
ready.

Random Thoughts

* Jon Lester’s performance last night was great- just what the team needed in “squeeze week.” A complete game with a line of 8H, 1R, 1ER, 0BB, 6Ks. His ERA stands at a respectable 3.71 for the season, and his WHIP is 1.275.

* Lester also recorded his 900th strikeout last night.

* Dustin Pedroia’s 14-game hitting streak ended last night, but he did score a run off a walk in the first inning.

* Surprise! Daniel Nava is not a one-hit (home run) wonder! Nava recorded his second career, Major League home run last night; his first since his first-game, first-pitch, grand slam in 2010.

* The Red Sox have now won four games in a row (five, according to our local papers since they stated yesterday that the Red Sox swept the Indians). Let’s keep it going, Sox!

* The Red Sox currently rank 1st in the Majors in doubles with 103. Second place is Kansas City with 76. They are second, behind Texas, with 187 RBIs. They are fourth in team batting average with .276.

* On the flip-side, the Red Sox are third from last in team ERA with 4.89, and fourth from last in team WHIP with 1.432.

* Since April 23rd, the Red Sox bullpen leads the Majors with a 1.41 ERA in 76.2 innings.

* Today’s game is being heralded as “Thank Wake Day.” Should be fun to see Tim Wakefield at the game (again).

* Josh Beckett pitches today too. He’ll either be terrific or terrible; there’s really no in- between with him these days. As my mom stated this morning, “Beckett better step it up” after Lester’s performance last night.

* It’s also Beckett’s 32nd birthday….

Random Thoughts

* Will Middlebrooks hamstring tightened up during yesterday’s game- in the second inning specifically as he was rounding the bases. But, Valentine kept him in to finish the inning, then substituted Nick Punto to take over third base. If Middlebrooks was hurt, why did Valentine wait until he finished running to sub in for him?

* While I’m talking about Valentine, I have to ask what happened in the eighth inning. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not able to watch the games when the Sox are playing the Royals (they’re considered regional and blacked out, even though Kansas City is 7 hours away). I understand Bard was only in the mid-80s range for pitch count, but why leave him in when his command was obviously down and it was a one-run game? The bullpen’s done well the past few weeks, the pitchers were rested up after Sunday’s game, and the Sox needed to win this game. Valentine doesn’t seem to worry about pitch count too much (see Lester and Beckett’s 120+ pitch games from a week and a half ago), so why leave Bard in?

* Bard had two balks last night- two balks in the same inning for that matter. Because of those balks, the Red Sox lost their lead. The Sox eventually gained it back (only to lose it at the end of the game), but the balks hurt them. I think Bard’s been the Sox’s best starting pitcher this season, but something was definitely off last night.

* Ryan Sweeney needs to play more. He didn’t start last night, and he didn’t start Monday. I understand that Valentine’s trying to match up his players based on which arm the opposing pitcher uses, but it shouldn’t always work like that. Sweeney’s still hitting .360 for the season and is tied with Ortiz with 13 doubles. I’m tired of the politics. I want the best players on the team playing. That’s the end of it.

* Speaking of Sweeney, I was asked if I was going to by a Sweeney shirt this season. I’d like to, but I know he’s one of the first to go for a trade. If Sweeney’s still on the team after the trade deadline, I will more than likely buy the shirt. I was also asked about Middlebrooks. Again, I’m going to wait a bit and see what happens. While I don’t think Middlebrooks will be traded (can’t say the same thing about Youkilis though), I don’t want to buy into the rookie-dream. Middlebroooks might become an elite baseball player of the years, but he’s still young. Now, if Yawkey Way ever has their 30% off sales, like they use to, I might reconsider.

* I think people need to lay off Adrian Gonzalez. There was a lot of fan chatter against him happening on The Boston Globe comment sections. The guy’s still hitting .280 for the season and went 2-3 last night. He’s admitted his swing is a tick off, and he took blame for a game when he struck out in the 9th with the bases loaded. His defense is still impeccable. Just because he’s not in your face and has a lot of quotable saying, doesn’t mean he’s not as invested in the game. He’s a quiet leader, and we, as fans, should embrace that.

* The Red Sox PA announcer at Fenway Park, Carl Beane, was killed in a single car accident today.

* Beckett reportedly played golf on Thursday, an off day for the Red Sox, while having his start skipped on Saturday because of a lat strain. I’m not sure how I feel about this. On the one hand, Beckett was not on the DL and was playing catch on the field on Friday. He was skipped for precautionary reasons, not because he physically could not pitch. On the other hand, obviously his lat was bothering him while he pitched. Like I said, I’m not sure how I feel about this. It was an off day, and he didn’t have any limitations. Maybe golf was a good way to work through the strain (I don’t play golf nor have every played golf, so I’m not sure on that one). I guess we’ll find out tomorrow
how the golfing affected his pitching.

A Peak into the Future

Will Middlebrooks made his Major League debut last night, filling in for DL-bound Kevin Youkilis. While his debut may not have been the most exciting for a Red Sox rookie in recent memory (Daniel Nava’s grand slam, anyone?), it was a boost for the Red Sox as a whole. Middlebrooks went 2 for 3 with a double, a walk, and a steal. Not to shabby.

There’s been a lot of talk about the Red Sox bringing up Middlebrooks this season, especially with Youkilis struggling so much. In 24 games with Pawtucket this season, Middlebrooks hit .333 with a .380 OBP and .677 SLG. He had 9 home runs, 1 Triple, 3 Doubles, drove in 27 runs, and walked 7 times. He was successively in 3 out of 4 stolen base attempts. With numbers like those, it’s a wonder why the Red Sox called up Jose Iglesias a game before Middlebrooks (Middlebrooks reportedly had a “minor” thumb injury).

With the arrival of Middlebrooks, there’s been some speculation that Youkilis will be traded this season. The Red Sox hold a $13 million team option or a $1 million buyout on Youkilis’ contract for 2013. I’ve heard most predictions, if Youkilis is traded, is for Youk to be traded to the Reds (for Arroyo, is what my brother predicted).

Personally, I don’t think Youkilis will be traded. Besides the fact that Youk is Boston Royalty (he recently married Tom Brady’s sister), I don’t think an agreement could be made for Youkilis. He’s had a few injury-ridden seasons in a row, and he started off slow this year. He hasn’t played more than 136 games since 2008. And before that, the most games Youkilis played in a season is 147, in 2006.

I like Youkilis; I honestly do. I think he’s got a fight in him that the Red Sox need, but I also think that it may be time to pass the reigns on to someone younger, like Middlebrooks. Granted, Middlebrooks has a lot to prove, and he’s not going to do that in one game (though some comments I’ve read on The Boston Globe’s website seem to think that he’s already done that). If anything, I think Middlebrooks should remain on the Major League roster this year, play when he can, watch Youkilis, and next year, if he proves himself, third base belongs to Middlebrooks.

It’ll be interesting to see how much time Valentine allows Middlebrooks to play third base while Youkilis is on the DL since Nick Punto is also on the roster and is being paid more. A player’s salary really shouldn’t determine the amount of playing time a player gets; but unfortunately, I think it does (see Ryan Sweeney). So, we’ll have to wait and see how much time Middlebrooks plays while he’s up and how well he does.

A few other tidbits:

* Speaking of Ryan Sweeney, he leads the Majors in Doubles with 12. Ortiz is second with 11. Last year, Sweeney’s season total for Doubles was 11.

* The Red Sox signed Mark Prior to a minor-league deal. Living in the Midwest in “Cubs Territory,” I’ve heard a lot about Prior over the years. He hasn’t pitched in the Majors since 2006, and he’s been with the Rangers and Yankees organizations since then.

* Josh Beckett will be missing his next scheduled start, which is Saturday. The Red Sox are bringing up Aaron Cook to start this game.

* If you watch the NESN broadcast of the games, you may notice that Jerry Remy’s been gone. He is recovering from a sinus infection and will be out for at least the next week. Dennis Eckersley and Peter Gammons are filling in for those games.

* I’m already tired of the Bryce Harper hype. I watched an interview he did with Harold Reynolds, and Harper actually said that baseball players need to be cocky (or something to that effect). I’m sorry, but I can name plenty of players who don’t appear cocky on the field. There’s a difference between cockiness and confidence.

Some Random Thoughts....

* My favorite part from the Red Sox-Yankees game last night was when the foul ball game into the stands. The fan caught the ball, threw it up to the commentator’s booth, Terry Francona quickly signed the ball and threw it back to the fan. Loved seeing that!

* My second favorite part of the game was Ryan Sweeney’s run scoring in the 9th off a suicide squeeze bunt by Repko. That play caused me to get more excited about this team than anything else I’ve seen in Spring Training. Over the years, the Red Sox haven’t played too much “small ball.” Valentine is known to make these plays, but Sweeney scoring to tie the game was very exciting. Kind of makes me want to buy a Sweeney shirt…. Maybe I’ll hold off on that just in case he gets traded.

* Pedroia wants to play after getting hit in the arm during the game last night. X-Rays were negative, and the official diagnosis was a “right arm contusion.” He has a bruise, and he wants to play. I guess in Spring Training you have the ability to be extra cautious, but it’s always nice to see a player WANTING to play.

* I know during Spring Training there are special rules when it comes to extra innings, but Giardi saying he “didn’t have any pitchers left” doesn’t make sense. Valentine said he counted seven pitchers more pitchers on the roster, six of whom could pitch. Valentine had a pitcher warming up in the bullpen, and the Red Sox took the field before anything was said about not playing 10 innings. But, the game was called a tie. Shouldn’t there be more lines of communication here? I don’t know if Giardi said something to the umpires prior to the Red Sox taking the field, but essentially, they made the Sox waste a pitcher. Not cool.

* Bobby Jenks was arrested for DUI and leaving the scene of an accident this morning. Reportedly, he was intoxicated when he left a gentleman’s bar and hit two vehicles in the parking lot. Jenks has only played in a handful of games for the Sox and is questionable for this season, so it’s hard to form some sort of huge disappointment reaction for this. Yes, I am disappointed; drinking and driving is not excusable. However, how many Red Sox “Jenks” shirts or jerseys do you see people having? Probably as many Lackey ones
there are.

* I wonder if Shoppach is going to be traded sometime this year. Salty seems to be doing well behind the plate, and Lavarnway is an exciting, young player that looks like he’s Major League ready. Is it a matter of time? Will he be a trade chip for a started  or relievers come the trade deadline?

* I had to pat myself on the back a little about my Bard as a closer article because the next day, there were reports that the Red Sox are seriously considering him being a reliever this year and going with Aceves and Doubront as the number 4 and 5 pitchers. At this point, it just seems to make a little more sense, since the bullpen is shaky.

* Is there a possibility that the Red Sox land a starting pitcher before the season starts? There’s still reports that the Red Sox are in contact with Roy Oswalt, they’ve been linked to Lannan from the Nationals, and there’s still a few less desirable free agents floating around. Valentine said the other night that he thinks the pitching is strong on the Sox, but isn’t it better to be stronger yet, especially in the AL East?

* So far this Spring Training, I’ve been pretty impressed with Aaron Cook. I think once he’s stretched out, gets some confidence in pitching in Triple-A, he’ll become a starting pitcher for the Sox. Or, he could become trade bait.

Some Random Thoughts...

* Carl Crawford has been shut down for the next 5-7 days because of inflammation in his wrist. As stated in a previous post, Crawford was trying to come back from wrist surgery by Opening Day. It seems that this won’t be happening; and currently, there is no timetable for Crawford’s return.

* I loved this exchange that Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe wrote about regarding Youkilis:

The Red Sox infielders were taking grounders on Field 2 this morning when a kid who looked to be 10 or 11 yelled out, "Hey, Youk, give me a ball."

Kevin Youkilis looked up and said, "What's the right way to ask?"

Chagrined, the kid said, "Can I please have a ball?"

Youk tossed the kid a ball.

"Don't ever forget that for the rest of your life," he said.

"Thanks," said the kid.

It’s nice to see athletes being positive role models for children.

* Carlos Silva was scratched from his start tomorrow for “shoulder inflammation” and is no longer in the running for the fifth starter position. It’s supposedly a major issue too because his long-term future is “being discussed.”

* As I’ve mentioned before, Valentine seems to have more energy on the Red Sox, which is probably a good thing. In an article in The Boston Globe this morning, it was reported that Valentine wakes up around 5:00 every morning goes on fifteen-mile bike rides before reporting to field, and allows himself one cup of coffee. My only question is HOW? I also wake up at 5:00 in the morning and drink one cup of coffee before work, but there’s no way I could do that PLUS a FIFTEEN-MILE BIKE RIDE before reporting to work. And mind you, I sit at a desk pretty much all day.

* If you have an iPhone, iPad, or Android, I highly recommend the MLB.com At Bat app. If you already have MLB.TV Premium package (which I do), the app is free; otherwise, I think it’s like $14.99 for the season. Last night, I was able to watch the game on my iPhone while on the treadmill. Today, I listened to the commentary of the game on my way back to work at lunch. There’s also news, highlight reels, Gameday action, and a ton of other information.

A Few Notables...

* For those who have the MLB Network (far superior to anything on ESPN… sorry, Tito), “30 Clubs in 30 Days” have released their schedule. (Un)Fortunately, the Red Sox are the last club the Network visits, airing on April 3rd at 5:00 CT. If you’ve never seen any of the “30 Clubs in 30 Days” coverage, definitely check it out. It’s an in-depth look at each, individual club. Very informative and fun to watch. (Of course, anything on the MLB Network is great).

* Crawford was working on bunting today, which is a great sign. Valentine said he wanted Crawford to work on his bunting, and it’s one step closer to Crawford swinging.  Again, I think Crawford is going to have a fantastic, rebound season. Here’s hoping he’s ready by Opening Day!

* Rich Hill, who impressed me with his brief stint with the Red Sox last year before blowing out his elbow and having Tommy John surgery, is now throwing change-ups and will be working on curveballs next week. Having Hill in the bullpen, if he’s still as impressive, will be much appreciated.

* I’m pretty sure Bobby Valentine has more energy than any of the members of the Red Sox team. Hopefully, this rubs off on his team.

* In case you missed it, here’s a picture from the Yankees Photo Day:


*Photo courtesy of SI.com

Some Random Thoughts

*Alcohol- Two things:  One- David Ortiz said he gave up alcohol for a diet and reportedly has lost seventeen pounds.  Bobby Valentine said "Yeah, me too... until next dinner."
Two- Valentine has banned alcohol in the clubhouse, and he says it's what he's always done.  The Red Sox certainly aren't the only team to ban alcohol either- they're actually the 19th.  This means that over half the teams ban alcohol in the clubhouse, so it shouldn't be an issue.  When asked about the players reaction, Valentine replied, "It was probably somewhere between (a standing ovation or booing)."

* John Henry has apologized to Carl Crawford for his remarks about Henry never wanting to sign Crawford.  Henry made this comment during a radio interview and described the remark as "off-the-cuff."  Crawford accepted the apology and said he doesn't hold it against the owner.  Henry should've never have made that remark, regardless of how he feels.  He needs to be rallying behind Crawford, who I'm sure will have a bounce-back year.  It sort of reminds me of some people's remarks about Jacoby Ellsbury's injury-plagued season in 2010, and we all know Ellsbury made those people eat their words last year.

* Andrew Bailey is trying to decide on his walk-out music and said he's considering something rock and keeping in the Boston location, probably Aerosmith or Godsmack.  As much as I would love to hear "Back in the Saddle" by Aerosmith, Steven Tyler is now a judge on American Idol and doesn't exactly strike fear into people (sorry, Aerosmith).  While Godsmack's songs "Keep Away," Voodoo," and "Straight Out of Line," all seem like good walk-out music for a cloers, I suggest "Awake."  It has a great intro, is one of their heaviest songs, and a "classic" Godsmack song.  If would also suggest a Dropkick Murphy's song (like "Going Out in Style" or "State of Massachusetts"), but Bailey won't want to seem like he's copying Papelbon, who used Dropkick Murphy's "I'm Shipping Up to Boston."

* Bobby Valentine might want to reconsider is bicycle attire.  That's all I'm going to say about that (do a websearch for a picture, if you must).

Well, that's it for now.

A Few Random Thoughts....

* Danny Woodhead wants to meet Dustin Pedroia. This makes sense on a few levels since they are roughly the same size, were told they were too small to play their respective sports, and proved the doubters wrong. Plus, who wouldn’t want to meet Dustin Pedroia?

* Vincente Padilla was arrested in Nicaragua for not paying child support. Reportedly, he’s been released but the issue is still pending. He failed to pay $540 a month for his tenth child and has made roughly $50 million in his career. I say release him. The Sox need to get away from the drama (see John Lackey).

* Cubs-Red Sox tickets are expensive! I know, this isn’t news. I checked StubHub yesterday for tickets, and the cheapest are $74.90 for standing room only. I don’t think I’ll be making it to a game.

* Cherington said it’s highly unlikely the Red Sox sign another starting pitcher. I’m not sure if this is true or misdirection. I’m still holding out on a Garza deal, though I know that’s just a dream.
**UPDATE: Edwin Jackson is reportedly signing with the Nationals, and it appears Roy Oswalt will either sign with the Cardinals or Rangers.

* Josh Beckett needs to address the issue of last year prior to going into Spring Training.  He’s been the only one out of the “Big Three” (Beckett, Lester, Buchholz) who hasn’t made a comment. I know he likes his privacy, but a simple “We screwed up, and I’m sorry about that” is all he needs to say. Otherwise, Spring Training could be a nightmare for him.

* I made Dustin Pedroia’s Pasta Primavera out of the “Diamond Dishes” cookbook by Julie Loria a few weeks ago. I highly recommend the dish and the cookbook (Thanks, Mollie!). I already made David Wright’s Chicken Parmesan as well (Delicious! Chicken Parmesan is one of my favorite foods). I also want to try Pujols’ “Home Run Chicken” because one of my co-worker’s has been talking about the chicken for years. Literally.

* I’ve never been a collector of baseball cards, except for a few occasional ones my brother would pass on to me (mostly, because he didn’t want them), but I think it would be fun to have one of the Skip Schumaker cards featuring the Rally Squirrel. If you haven’t seen it yet, I recommend looking it up on the internet. Hilarious!

* Lastly, I’m not planning on doing any more updates until after Monday (though if something does come up, I will probably do a post). Busy weekend with the Super Bowl and attempting to celebrate my birthday if the weather holds out. Have a great weekend!  Go Patriots!