Boston 2, Toronto 0 | Les is More Lester Turns It Up to 11... Strikeouts... Sox Now 11-11 Run DMc Keeps on Producing: McDonald Scores One, Drives in Another So What We've Got Is an Adrian Beltre That Hits... But Just Not Home Runs Papelbon Does His Best Ramon Ramirez Impression: A Clean 13 Pitch Save Seems Like Old Times in Toronto... Is Ricciardi Still in Charge Up There?
"Once we get on a bit of a roll it's hard to stop us. If we keep putting games together like that, pitching and hitting when we need to, things will take care of themselves." -- Jon Lester, back to being his old self
Lesterrific!
(Reuters)
The Big Lefty Finally Gets It Right
They're Baaaaaack ...
(BDD Photo Illustration / Nick Brown)
They're Making a Fortune and They're Finally Back to Playing .500 Baseball
Buchholz Has Right Stuff to Ground Blue Birds Big Effort By Sox Best Performing Righty
Boston 2, Toronto 1 | Sox Win Rare Low Scoring Affair, 2-1 Mike Lowell Just Keeps On Finding Ways to Contribute to Wins David Ortiz, Pinch Hit for Again, Thanks Tito Wait, What Was That? An 11 Pitch Clean, One Inning Save? This Just In: Buchholz Will Be the Sox Starter Going to the All-Star Game Ortiz-Beltre-Hermida Manufacture a Big Run
"I was glad I was able to go deep in the game today. It doesn't happen like that all the time. You've got to be thankful when it does." -- Buchholz, who threw a career-high 117 pitches
Who Is That Unmasked Man?
(AP)
The Old V-Tek Just Kicked In, Sox Win Singles Slugfest
Boston 13, Toronto 12 | Beckett Bad, Sox Batters Better Pitching and Run Prevention, Again: 25 runs, 34 hits, 13 pitchers What Was the Rush on that Beckett Contract, Again? Let Us Guess, He Wasn't Executing His Pitches and Was Missing His Location 4 RBI Captain Is Still Crunching the Ball. Will He Be Back Behind Plate Soon? Doubles Down Jays: All Those Runs on Just 4 Extra Base Hits
"That was not the way we drew it up. I think I've said that a few times this year." -- Terry Francona, deja-vu all over again
"[Theo] Epstein and manager Terry Francona visited the Teixeira family, and to hear Tex and agent Scott Boras tell it, the deal could have been done the next day for $180 million. Oh, there was posturing for ways to make it a 10-year contract, but that could have been worked around. Then something happened when principal owner John Henry and CEO Larry Lucchino went to visit Teixeira, and the player had soured on the Red Sox.
The future directions of both teams were altered. Teixeira is now a major franchise piece of the defending World Series champions. Instead of having Teixeira at first base and Kevin Youkilis at third for years, Boston now is trying to deal with an aging process that is uncomfortable. At the end of this season, the Red Sox will have to look at another uber-contract, perhaps for either Carl Crawford (if he isn't already on the Cross-Bronx Expressway) or Jayson Werth, or empty the farm system for Adrian Gonzalez, whom the Padres don't have to trade." -- Peter Gammons, MLB.com columnist
Bullpen Doesn't Exactly Pay Last Respects to Fallen Starter
Baltimore 7, Boston 6 | Tejada They Fall Theo Prays the Bruins and Celtics Stay Around for a While Mike Lowell's Only Hitting 120 Points Higher Than Ortiz Right Now It's a Chokajima Sunday Mr. Atchison: 'Pen Fails to Write Winning Script Yes, You Can Put This Loss Squarely on the Back of the Gum-Chewing Manager Why Can't We Get Relievers Like Cla Burned-By-Tito Meredith? Bright Side: Youk Stays Red Hot, J.D. On Fire... Sort Of
"I don't have any." -- Tim Wakefield sharing his thoughts about going to the bullpen
Boston 7, Baltimore 6 | Scutaro, Youkilis HRs Do Trick Against O's Jonny Drama Papelbon Saves Himself from Himself Lack Good Enough To Get Back on Win Track So Is It Time to Reinstate the Captain Behind the Dish? Can We Take a Look at the Other Ramon Ramirez Now? UZR = UGLY for Sox in the Field
Check Is In the Mail
(AP)
Julio Lugo, The Best Out Our Money Can Buy
Boston 4, Baltimore 3 | No Easy Wins, Even Against Bad Teams Welcome Back Lugo, One of the Sunk Cost Gang, Whiffs to End It People Will Forever Talk About the Night They Witnessed Adrian Beltre Walk Did Theo Consult with the Orioles on How to Build a Bullpen? Adam Jones Was Packin' for Bard Still Worried About Lester? You Should Be Papelbon Shows Why Save Stats Are Silly David Ortiz, HR No. 1 and Counting
Good Thing No One Saw It
(AP)
Clay Slays Rangers, But Wilson Bewilders Sox
Texas 3, Boston Zip | Celtics, Bruins, Draft Hide Punchless Sox And C.J. Wilson Is the Latest to Turn Into Cy Young in Boston V-Mart the Star of the Night with 2 Hits No Drama, Just a Bad Ending Old Friend Darren Oliver Gets His Revenge Old McDonald? To the Farm
Sox Show Off Walkoffense Again Youk Comes Through in the 12th
Boston 8, Texas 7 | Another Walkoff Win And It All Happened Because of Marco Scutaro's Scoot to Second Youk Can Do It: Kevin Drives In the Winning Run Off the Wall This Just In: Theo Epstein's Job Is Safe for Another Day McLovin' Just Keeps on Serving Up Homers, Hits, and Has An Arm (Sort Of) Holy McNumers Batman: Run DMc Is Still Rappin': .600/.714/1.800 Wonder If Beckett Ends Up Being Another Sunk Cost Contract in a Few Years? Can Anyone Find That Article About the 3 Aces on the Sox Staff Again? Sit Tight David, We've Got Mike From Accountemps Handling Things at DH What Will Happen First? Matsuzaka Earns His Paycheck or Beltre Homers? Sox Tighten the Defense: Just 3 SBs for the Runnin' Rangers Major Props to the Pen: An Efficient Papelbon, Bard Back to Being Bard Nippert Got Lit Up Just Like Al Nipper There at the End And It's the Old Okajima! J.D.... Whew!
"I'd rather get beat up than beat myself up in the dugout. I've been in a little bit of a rut lately." -- Kevin Youkilis back in the saddle again
Welcome to McDonald's Late Night Drive-Thru Walkoff Win
Boston 7, Texas 6 | A Star is Born Billions and Billions in Red Sox Nation Were Served Last Night The Sox Deserved a Break Today, and Got One with a New Addition While You Are Reading This, The Texas Rangers Stole Another Base If This Keeps Up, David Ortiz May Be Working at McDonald's in June Is It Time for Tim Wakefield to Play the Johnny Pesky Good Ambassador Role? Hot Topic Du Jour: Who Should DH, McDonald or The Mess That Is David Ortiz? A Fast Food Win: Looked Good Goin' Down, Don't Feel So Good This Morning Shocker of the Night: The Boston Red Sox Did Not Make an Error Mike Lowell Can Still Walk, and He Drew Two Bases on Balls Adding Injuries to Insults: Ellsbury Joins Cameron on the DL Still Looking for Papi in the Celebration Pile... Do You Want Fries with That, Texas? Some McTrouble with Steroids
"I wanted to be the hero tonight. I wanted to come through. I know the team has been struggling a little bit. When I came up here, any opportunity I got, I wanted to be a spark. I didn�t think it was going to happen like this." -- The venerable Darnell McDonald
Green Monster Now Renamed 'McDonaldland'
(BDD Photo Illustration / Meir Weinberg)
And the Addition of the McDonald's Sign Makes It One Billion Advertising Messages You Will Be Exposed to On a Nightly Basis at Fenway Park
Rays Finish Off Sox on Patriots Day, 8-2 Today Reminds Us That Manny Really Was a Gold Glove Outfielder in Boston Hapless Sox Haven't Had Worse Start Since '96 Longest Losing Streak at Fenway Since 12 Straight in '94 Sox Hitless in Last 32 At-Bats With Runners in Scoring Position We Knew V-Mart Couldn't Catch-and-Still-Hit. Sincerely, The Cleveland Indians Looks Like We Got the 8-Home Run Adrian Beltre... If We're Lucky Really. The Sox Haven't Held the Lead for 48 Innings and Counting When Was the Last Time Kevin Youkilis Was Batting .217? Not Exactly Manny and Papi: Ortiz Hitting .158, J.D. Getting Old at .146 Is Fred Lynn Available to Be Flown In to Play Center Tomorrow? Hall Pass: The Guy's Just Not An Outfielder Anymore Designated Hermida Taketh Away, Giveth Some Back Big John Gets the Early Morning Mulligan Neimann Marked Us
How's That Balanced Offense, Tight Defense, and Run Prevention Plan Going So Far?
Minnesota 8, Boston 0 | Twins Blank Hapless Sox Regarding Wakefield, How's Dice-K Coming Along These Days? Et Tu, Hermida? 0-for-3 for Everybody's Favorite New Ortiz Replacement Liriano Won't Be the First Lefty to Own the Sox Lineup This Season This Just In: Wakefield Would Like a Do-Over at the Old Metrodome As an Outfielder, Bill Hall Makes a Tremendous Shortstop Mike Lowell Gets a Start, and It Makes No Difference Every Day Is the Same, Our All-World 2B Shows Up to Play How Come the Godawful J.D. Drew Gets a Pass? Sincerely, David Ortiz Even Our Oldest Friend, Ron Mahay, Can Handle This Offense
"It was a very ugly game and it started with me." -- Tim Wakefield, 10 hits, 5 earned runs in 5 1/3 innings
Sorry Papi, But It's Time to Take a Seat Hermida Has to Stay in the Lineup
Hermida Does It Again, Leads Sox to 6-3 Win Over Twins | Box With Ortiz and Lowell on the Bench, the Sox Will Have Just $25M in DH Reserves Lackey Lackluster in First Sox Win, But He'll Take It Bard Hit Hard Again, But He Doesn't Blow It Just Can't Get a Clean Inning Out of Jonathan Papelbon Pedroia Right Back in the Saddle as AL's Best 2B Or Does Cameron Sit? Ellsbury Back to Center, Hermida in Left? Is Putting $14 Million J.D. .182 on the Pine the Answer? The Obvious Report: Ortiz Told He Will Not Be in Lineup Thursday vs. Lefty Liriano The Designated Survey: Who Should Start for the Sox at DH?
Sox Offense Comes Up Small Twins Win in The Great Outdoors
Field of Dreams for Twins | Minnesota 5, Boston 2 Here We Go... Is David's Left Wrist Hurting Him? Carl Pavano Outpitches Jon Lester? Is Brian Rose Taking Down Lackey, Next? Good to Know Scutaro Can Handle the Top of the Order... Just Forget Stealing Is Being Behind the Plate Catching Up with V-Mart's Bat? Just for Fun, Let's See If Hermida Plays Himself Out of the Left First Put the B-Team in Again! Sincerely, Jason Varitek So That's the KKameron They Told Us About J.D. Drew... .182
"I just stunk. Didn't make pitches, and I really don't know what else to say." -- Jon Lester, 'Nuff Said... Maybe there's an opening in the rotation for Daisuke after all?
Signed, Sealed, and Time to Deliver Show Me the Money, Josh!
SHOW ME THE MONEY!
Bottom Line: The $162.4 Million Team's Ace Has to Beat the $70.1 Million Team's Ace Sun: Boston 8, Kansas City 6 | Sox Take Series in KC Does Pedroia Have Room for Another MVP Trophy? And Once He Homers, Beltre Will Have Arrived Buchholz Will Just Keep Getting Better KC and the Sunshine 'Pen: Bard in the 8th, Papelbon in the 9th Hitting Bottom and Digging Deeper: 4K's for DO Sat: Boston 8, Kansas City 3 | Beckett Steps Up, Okajima, Ramirez Save It Out Brushback for Beckett: Line Drive Just Misses Nailing Josh on the Noggin Captain Fantastic: 'Tek Belts Two in Debut, Hermida Homers, Too Youk Gets Off the Schnide; Pedroia Gets No. 2 Out of the Way Early That's Five, Count 'Em, Five Homers for Embattled Sox Offense This Just In: Mike Lowell Can Still Make Plays at Third Base
It's Been a Bard Day's Night
(AP)
And They've Been Playing Like Dogs Okajima, Rifleman Blow It This Time
Kansas City 4, Boston 3 | 'Pen Can't Finish Off Royals Oh Sure, The Offense Is Just As Good As Last Year, Probably Better... Wake Should Still Be One of the Five. Sincerely, Daisuke Matsuzaka What's Eating David Ortiz? Tossed for Arguing Correct Call J.D. Drew Comes Through for Two Take Out Wrenched Ankiel
"Thought I made a decent pitch 2-0, trying to go in with a fastball. It was in. Broke his bat, but it carried over the infielder�s head. That�s baseball." -- Daniel Bard, taking a hard loss
"He hates Boston more than any other city, wants to live in Florida, and we're talking to Manny Ramirez here, so why bother telling him that's exactly where Manny Ramirez lives?" -- T.J. Simers, Los Angeles Times... who spoke to Emanuel Ramirez, the jockey, not the ballplayer, but June 18 can't come fast enough.
But Papelbon's Gonna Use The Videotape for Motivation All Day Mamma Said There'd Be Losses Like This for Theo's Bridgemen
Game 3: Store-Bought Bombers 3, Boston Bridgemen 1 Globe: Yanked Away | Cafardo: Now the Closer Left Open to Questions The One Hit Wonders: No One on Sox Offense Can Muster Two Hits Tough Luck No-Win for New Red Sox Staff Ace, No. 1 Starter, Cy Young Candidate, and Future Hall of Famer and US Senator John Lackey Papelbon Gets Pounded All Day Through Friday, But Bard Blew the Save Paps May Be Expecting Any Day, But We Expect Him to Hold a Tie at Home That's The Papelbon We Remember. Sincerely, The Orange County Angels Just What the Bronx Globetrotters Needed... The Addition of Curtis Granderson Ortiz 2K Drives in the Only Run, But FanBus Will Run Him Over Again Today Fenway VIdeo / Survey: Fans Take Sides on David Ortiz vs. Mike Lowell Pettitte or Forget It?... Youkilis Still Getting Plunked By Yankee Pitchers And You Still Can't Find Any Adrian Beltre T-Shirts at Fenway Does J.D. Drew Still Play for the Red Sox? Wilbur: Sit and Spin
"I liked the way I mixed my pitches. I broke some bats. I was able to throw some first-pitch splits to Granderson and Swisher. I felt I had good command. I felt my legs were underneath me. If I can duplicate the way I felt tonight for the rest of the season, I�ll be extremely happy with that." -- Jonathan Papelbon... umm, so what about that game-blowing homer pitch out over the plate to Granderson?
"Someone inside the Red Sox organization needs to request that everyone look themselves in the mirrors. Yes, they lost 2 out of 3 to the Yanks at the start of the season and no one should overreact over that. Especially considering the start to the '09 season.
"What bothers me is the nonchalant approach to baseball this team has. I doubt I'd ever get under their skin, but I've never seen such poor FIGHT in a team that has the second highest payroll in the league. 162 game season sport or not, you fight and claw for everything. Boston has not done any of that. Not this year and not last year.
"If the Sox do indeed look themselves in the mirror, they will need to solve the Ortiz and J.D. Drew problems immediately. They will stop looking at certain seasons, especially by admission, as bridge years to the future and play to win every year. Prospects have too many questions and rarely make an immediate impact. Find and trade for the best players who fit your profile, don't try to develop the limited." -- Alan S., Red Sox Nation
Pitching, Defense, Run Prevention, and Professional Umpiring? Screw 'Em!
Game 2 Box: New York 6, Boston 4 Sox Tossed for a Loss: Scutaro, Okajima Throw Away Game 2 And Just Like That, Jon Lester Is No Longer the Frontrunner for the Cy Young Was Scutaro Shaking Hands with Nomar Before the Game or Something? I Didn't Think the Throw to Youkilis Was That Bad. Sincerely, Julio Lugo David @*#%! Ornery .000rtiz Not Expected to Be Benched, Yet Bright Side: Ellsbury, V-Mart, and Beltre Came to Work Ready to Play So are Schilling and Pedro, You Know, Available to Pitch In Case This Keeps Up?
"You guys wait till [expletive] happens, then you can talk [expletive]. Two [expletive] games, and already you [expletives] are going crazy. What's up with that, man? [Expletive]. [Expletive] 160 games left. That's a [expletive]. One of you [expletives] got to go ahead and hit for me." -- David Ortiz, miles from being Big Papi
"So the Sox lost on basically two bad calls by an umpire and an error. Can we finally start talking about the absolute necessity for accountability (and potentially replay) for all umpires in this game. ...The Sox still are NOT aggressive enough to win. They don't have a KILLER instinct. I don't see anyone saying 'This is out year and we're going to get this done.' Rather, I see players just thinking, 'Well if things fall my way I'll be fine and things will maybe work out.' " -- L.D., Red Sox Nation
Simers on Manny: "With the season lost now, it appears all that's left to be determined is where Manny Ramirez might end up next year. He's already pronounced his career over in Los Angeles after this season, and so be it, but is Ramirez already finished as a big-time baseball player? ... He's already climbed back into his Boston shell, doing what he did there when he knew he was on his way out. He's no longer the leader in the clubhouse. Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp have taken over, and now there's some suspicion that for the first time in his career he's been hit hard by self-doubt." -- 4.5.10, Los Angeles Times
Wake Up the Bambino, It Was 7th Heaven on Easter at Fenway Rare Pedroia Late Shot Ties It, Sox Rally Back to Win Opener
Opening Box: Boston 9, New York 7 Back-to-Back Beckett Didn't Look So Good, So Good... But His New Contract Does The People Complaining About the 5-Year Old's Language in The Speech? ...Screw 'Em The Ellsbury Move to Left is Working Out Well, Sincerely, Carl Yastrzemski Lineup After Leadoff Looks OK: Pedroia and Youkilis Beef up the Middle Mike Cameron and Marco Scutaro Nicely Round Out the Bottom And Right Now at Fenway, Pedro Martinez Is Still Taking Bows to An Empty Park Neil Diamond Sounded So Good, No? Steven Tyler Looked So Good, No? Yes, Virginia, There's Still Some Offensive Punch in the Boston Lineup Lowell and Behold, Papi's Swinging the Slowest Bat in Baseball Last Night Showed Why the Sox Kept Shoeneweis Around Bard Still Throwing Hard; Pap Gets the Easy Save And a Hat Tip to Hideki Okajima
"We all have faith in ourselves. It's good to get a win opening night. It's good for the city. It's good for the fans. It's good for the players. It's good for everyone. ... But it's still just one game." -- Kevin Youkilis, who should be named co-captain along with Dustin Pedroia immediately
Theo Epstein's Offense Will Shine Like the April Sun Tonight The Boston Defenders Will Catch Every Ball That's Hit in Play CC's Certainly Not Ready for Prime Time; Yanks Can't Even Spell Repeat Always an Ace Josh Beckett Gets Set to Lock Up His Gazillion Dollar Deal The Sox Are in First Place, Another 95 Wins on the Horizon It's 75 Degrees, It's Opening Day, Happy Easter Beloved Fenway to Return to 1912 Conditions John Henry and Linda Pizzuti Are Expecting! All Is Perfect in Red Sox Nation Today The Globe's 2010 Baseball Preview
Lack of Interest and Slow Ticket Sales Force Sox to Lay Off Longtime Mascot Wally the Green Monster
Wally's Got to Get on Monster.com This Morning As the Red Sox Have Shocked the Nation and Relieved No. 97 of His Duties at Fenway This Is a Travesty of a Mockery of a Sham. Sincerely, Former Celtics Mascot Lucky
Boston Dirt Dogs has learned today that longtime Red Sox mascot Wally the Green Monster was relieved of his duties this morning. In a statement released to BDD, Sox owner John Henry said he was saddened by the decision but given today's continued uncertain economic climate, lack of buzz surrounding the 2010 team, and record low ticket sales, even among the Red Sox official scalping partners, the hard choice of cutting Wally's salary had to be made. Sox GM Theo Epstein reportedly fought to keep Wally on the roster but was overruled by team president Larry Lucchino, who sources say accused Wally of leaking team secrets to the press over the last 12 years. Lucchino plans to fill in for Wally, greeting fans at the gate and dancing on the dugout in the seventh inning, on an interim basis.
The fate of Lefty and Righty, the alternate mascots introduced by Dr. Charles Steinberg in 2003, was unknown at the time of this report.
Wally is expected to address the media in a press conference at Jerry Remy's Sports Bar & Grill once the fired mascot scrapes up enough coins for the $500 Personal Seat License owed to the President of Red Sox Nation and NESN broadcasting legend.
* -- Oh, and while you are digesting this story, don't forget to check the calendar. And look back at Sox news on this date in 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004...
The "Curt�s Pitch
for ALS" program is a joint effort by Curt and Shonda Schilling and The
ALS Association Mass Chapter to strike out Amyotrophic Lateral
Sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig�s Disease.
