08/29-31 - Yankees at Fenway

PROUD TO HAVE STARTED THE "RO-GER" CHANT AND PROUDER TO HAVE LOUDLY CHEERED CLEMENS FROM BEHIND THE YANKEE DUGOUT WHEN HE LEFT THE GAME.

First Class Farewell

Fenway Faithful Have the Right Stuff. Sox Fans Were Winners Today as Emotional Roger Clemens Exits the Big Stage

Even Lucchino Gives a Standing O

Distracted Sox Don't Bother Showing Up for Sunday's Game

Yankees Win Easy 8 - 4

The Ohio Con Man's Fenway Finale

The Skinny on Clemens

Glaring at Rocket

From today's Gordon Edes' Notes column in the Boston Sunday Globe:

Dispatch from the Left Coast: Kevin Hench, coffee drinker, democrat, red pepper hater, recently married, civil war buff, excellent parallel parker, softball ringer, moviegoer, and glasses-wearing member of Red Sox Nation offers these thoughts on Roger Clemens: "Over dinner last week, my fellow University of Vermont alum Kirk McCaskill suggested that Roger Clemens may just be the greatest pitcher of all time. I had to explain. Clemens made eight postseason starts for the Red Sox and managed one win, putting him right behind Steve Crawford on the team's all-time playoff win list, tied with Rich Garces. Not exactly Bob Gibson's seven wins in nine World Series starts, now is it? Clemens went 152-72 in his first nine seasons with the Sox and has gone 113-48 since leaving. In the bizarre, four-year, mid-career decline phase in between, as you all know, he went 40-39. Clemens was 30 at the start of the '93 season and 34 at the end of '96. No other 300-game winner has won so few games between those ages. It will be those four years in the wilderness, Blistergate in Game 6 of the '86 Series, and the Terry Cooney ejection in yet another postseason loss to the A's in 1990 that, for me, will define Clemens's career in Boston. His post-Boston defining moments? Drilling Mike Piazza in the head and throwing a shattered bat at him in the World Series. The interesting thing about Clemens's 40 wins from ages 31 to 34 is that the stat really vindicates Dan Duquette's offer. Bill James can say in retrospect that power pitchers last longer, but the fact is that nothing in the history of baseball suggested Rocket's twilight would be quite so bright. In 100 years of baseball, no pitcher had ever been so mediocre over such a protracted period in his early 30s and gone on to turn it around like Roger. I hope they slap a Blue Jays hat on Clemens's bust in Cooperstown because that is the only team he ever chose to play for when the decision was entirely his. He wasn't drafted by the Blue Jays. He wasn't traded to the Blue Jays. There were no other factors involved, just Roger, a pile of money and his terrible sense of geography -- since, after all, he moved on only to be close to his family."

The Yankee Iller

Another Pedro No Show

Pete Can't Compete, No Excuse Necessary, Nation Sick of Second Place,
Yankees 10 Red Sox 7

Joe Torre was worried Ramirez might bat as a pinch-hitter in the pivotal
eighth, but Ramirez wasn't even at Fenway then.

"I never believe that stuff," Torre said, referring to news reports of
Ramirez's illness. "I keep thinking Kirk Gibson will walk to the plate."

Yanks Nick Then Dent Sox

The Dangerous Enrique Wilson and
Nick Johnson Take Down Martinez

Sox Lose to NY for the 15th time in the
23 games that Pedro has started

Andy turned dandy, and Pete outpitched by Bronson

Pedro runs afoul of Puritan Sox fans

"When he's happy, everybody's happy. When he's not, it's not the same in here (Red Sox clubhouse)." - member 2003 Boston Red Sox

Mission Kimpossible

BK Can't Close the Big Ones. Period.
(and somebody wipe that s***-eating-grin off his face)

The Pharaohs of Pharyngitis

Should We Quarantine These Two?

SERENITY NOW...SERENITY NOW... get well soon Manny... we love you Manny... Manny is God... you're the King Manny, the King, you come up so big (think Stepford Wives here). Want me to bring some chicken soup over so we can watch the game together at the Ritz?...SERENITY NOW... SERENITY NOW...
(deep breath...deep breath)...

Go Sox!!! And Go Pedro!!!

(Breaking News: Manny's Mother Has Not Fainted)

What is causing them to get sick in the first place?

Manny was speaking just fine last week when he was dreaming about being a Yankee:

Ramirez, despite having five more seasons on an eight-year, $160 million Red Sox deal that runs through 2008, told Morgan that playing for the Yankees "is one of my biggest dreams right now. I know I've got a big contract here in Boston, but maybe when it's over, I'll go out there and try it.''  -- Manny Ramirez to ESPN's Joe Morgan, 8.31.03

SoBigF'nVirus?

Manny Out Sick for Second Yankee Game in a Row

(expected to play Sunday, but not sure if he'll show up)

Lip Synch Bruce is on the Loose

But Rally Comes Up Short Again

Empire Fate Building

Spankorama

Au Contreras, Sox Bomb Bombers Out of the Gate

Boston 10 New York 5 for Openers

Mueller Timely

Along with Nomar, Night Kap, Star of David

Evil Eye for the Good Guys

Let's Party Fellas

Sox, Yanks Lock Up Tonight

Get into the Groove, New York's Gonna Lose,
D-Lowe's Tough to Beat, Yeah.

(we agree, most gratuitous use of a photo ever)

All Systems Lowe

(Our good luck headline) Derek vs. The 43-year-old Cuban Con Man Tonight,
The Pitcher of Health Goes Tomorrow.

Gammons: Martinez is No Longer a #1 Starter

ESPN's Peter Gammons on WEEI's Baseball Show with Bob Neumeier, Sean McAdam, and Steve Buckley

The Red Sox starting pitching is OK, but there isn't anybody that goes out and pitches eight innings and shuts the other team down, and they need a #1 starter, they don't have one here. Lowe comes the closest, but he can be inconsistent, but they don't have that guy who goes out and throws complete games and I think that's what's really strained the bullpen and they don't have a Mussina, or a Pettitte, they don't have people like that and that's what worried me most about them trying to win.

Where's the indication (that Pedro's a #1 starter)? Where's the 20 wins, and the 240 innings... he's a very good pitcher, but because of the injuries... he pitched as well as he could yesterday, he threw one pitch above 88, but the innings are not there, he's a very good pitcher, he pitches with a ton of heart, and a lot of things have happened to him, but the record wouldn't really indicate that. The last 17 starts against the Yankees, he's pitched very well, but the fact is he's won three of those 17 starts, and they don't have that big huge guy that throws all those innings. A number one starter in my mind is a guy that throws well over 200 innings. If you gave Pedro that compliment, I think that's one of the problems is that there's so much pressure on Pedro to be the guy who bails them out at different times, I don't it's really fair to him. If you had a guy who went out and threw 240 innings, and was out there every fifth day averaging about 7-1/3 innings a start, I think it would make Pedro that much greater a pitcher. He has to shoulder something right now that he really can't do.

(Why can't he perform at that level at such a relatively young age?) He doesn't let on much about his shoulder, he endures a lot more than he'll ever let on. He's so proud and so competitive, that he tries to do the mind over matter thing, he probably hasn't recovered from that flu he had, so physically, I'll grant that yesterday, but I think he's battled through an awful lot more than we know and he doesn't let on about it, but it's very clear, the three times that he's pitched 8 innings, in those three starts afterwards, he's 0-3 with a 10.79 ERA, tells you it's got to be more difficult for him to bounce back than we ever imagined.

I don't know in his mind what he thinks he should be getting. If he thinks he's going to be getting $17.5M after next year, he's not going to be here. They're not going to have Garciaparra, Ramirez, Martinez here after 2004, that's fairly well guaranteed. It's just a matter of which guy they get signed and how they go about doing it. As I said all along they'll go very hard after Nomar and try to get him wrapped up during the off-season.

"Privately, there are players in that clubhouse who have issues with Pedro off the field. They aren't very happy with him." - Sean McAdam

A Little Doubletalk for the Nation

Before the game, Red Sox manager Grady Little was asked this question: "Is Pedro back at complete, full strength?" This was Little's response: "Yes, we feel like he is. He's ready to go today."

After the game, Little said something substantially different. "He [Martinez] wasn't 100 percent today," the manager said. "He's still a little bit affected by the sickness he had last week and it caught up with him pretty good there about the fourth inning. He's had better days and he'll have better ones later. He just gets fatigued."

For $15 million, which is what Martinez makes this season -- or even for the Major League minimum, for that matter -- a guy ought to be able to answer the occasional question about the way he played the game. The issue is not "the media." The reporters are not a privileged class. They are in the clubhouse only because the fans, the people who pay the freight, have an abiding interest in the games and the people who play the games.

In a case such as this, Pedro Martinez leaves all of the pertinent questions of Red Sox Nation directly unanswered. Was he still really weak? If so, maybe he shouldn't have pitched in the first place. Or was he just ineffective? Or was it a combination of the two? He's won nearly 78 percent of his decisions as a Boston pitcher, but he's only .500 lifetime against the Yankees. Are they that good, or what? The questions are more than numerous, but the answers are exactly zero.

(...a little scary when you have to go to mlb.com for the hard-hitting commentary.)

Putting Pedro in Perspective

There will clearly be plenty of Pedro apologists out there today. And, yes, the man deserves to have some benefit of the doubt, especially due to past performance.
But let's also deal with the reality of baseball today, and the decision to lock up Pedro for next year at $17.5 million was the silliest decision of the (thus far) exceptionally well run Epstein administration.

I love Pedro. The Fox graphic today that listed him favorably versus Koufax was brilliant (even if they have used it before). But the reality is that he is not a $17.5 million pitcher right now, and strong historical, statistical evidence notes he won't be again.

Pedro's fragility hurts this team at precisely the wrong times. He cannot be counted on to go deep into the game on back-to-back starts, be it because of illness, injury or ineffectiveness. He has not pitched into the eighth inning on three consecutive starts, for goodness gracious, since 2001. And, let's also note that he is now 7-8 lifetime against the Yankees. (Folks, we do not play in the same division as the Mariners.)

Pedro is a terrific pitcher. An ace on almost every team, including this one. But here's the thing. He is not a $17.5 million starter. No-one in baseball -- no-one -- would have shelled out that kind of money for him next year.

Well, now you have Pedro for next year, and we have limited financial flexibility in the off-season. We'll have to cross our fingers and hope that Arroyo or Lyon can become a quality starter to replace Burkett. We'll have to hope to get 180 innings (tops) out of Pedro. We'll have to hope Lowe stays injury free. OR, we're going to have to trade Nomar for top-quality (maybe Kevin Brown) starting pitching.

That's the predicament we are in because of the Pedro option. So apologize for his performance today all you want, and glorify his past performance. I don't begrudge that... just keep it in perspective because keeping Pedro next year is a very, very risky proposition.

Final point... it's truly ironic that Pedro was matched up with Pettitte in this one. In today's baseball, an inning-eater like Pettitte who also has big-time stuff and make-up is the most valuable kind of pitcher you can have. There is absolutely no coincidence that this current Yankee dynasty began in Pettitte's rookie year.

- Big Tools, redsox.com fan forum

Manny Happy, Returns?

8.31: "Wearing baggy jeans and a leather hat that looked like something from LL Cool J's collection of lids, Manny Ramirez walked around the Red Sox clubhouse with a smile. He joked with teammates and told one of the clubhouse attendants to pack his bags." - Dave Heuschkel, Hartford Courant (glad to see Manny so happy about missing two critical games).

LET ME CLEAR MY THROAT
DJ KoolManny

At the count of three
I want everybody in the place to be
To make some noise if ya down with me
One, two, three

Hit me with the horns Petey
Keep makin' noise, keep makin' noise, yeah, oh...
Here we go now, here we go now, here we go now...
Here we go, here we go, now listen

Some of y'all might know this
And some of y'all don't (jam jam)
Some of y'all might be with this, and some of y'all won't
But listen, let me clear my throat
Oh, have mercy babe, Ha!
I hope ya don't mind, let me clear my throat

Special dedication going out to everybody there
In Manoguayabo Bay in Dominican Republic here we go now
Check it out, ah huh, ah huh, ah (God Damn)

Yeah, rock to the rhythm of the funky rhyme
So I can get this in just one more time
To the bat and ya don't quit
It's that ol' skool rap with that new skool hit
Peter Petey picked a pepper but MannyKool got the Runs
And I can still rip up the park
Every God damn time I get on the plate, I go crazy
Peace out to D-Lowe, Tek, and Doug Lazy
I bet 'cha never knew but now ya know
I'm the undisputed king of this fiasco
And I never let the bat, might not tire me no more
Cuz DJ KoolManny rip up the clubhouse floor

Now I'ma rap a rhyme with the greatest of ease
And swing it like the man taken out by a sneeze
And if you don't like it you grab on these
And now I need some help from the Pedro please

Jam, Ha! So look it here check the flavor of the rhythm
I wrote and while I got a chance here
Let me clear my throat oh, have mercy babe, ha!
I hope ya don't mind, let me clear my throat
I need these monitors right here
Music and the monitors, and it goes a little something
Like this here ah huh ah huh ah

Now if y'all wanna party like we do
If y'all wanna party like us, lemme hear ya say
Ah ah ah ah ah, if y'all wanna party like we do
If y'all wanna party like us lemme hear ya say
Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah
Now when I say uh, you say ah
Uh (clubhouse crowd) Uh (clubhouse crowd)
And now when I say hey, you say ha
Hey (clubhouse crowd) hey (clubhouse crowd)
Now when I say uh, you say ah
Uh (clubhouse crowd) Uh (clubhouse crowd)
Now when I say hey you say ha, hey (clubhouse crowd)
Now when I say Frazee you just freeze one time
When I say Frazee y'all stop on a dime
When I say Frazee you just freeze one time
When I say Frazee y'all stop on a dime freeze

Ah huh ah huh ah (God damn)
Oh, lemme send my little shout outs here
Special dedication once again going out to everybody there
Manoguayabo Bay in Dominican Republic, we love y'all madly
Special dedication going out to David O
Todd Walka da' joiner, Dirt Dog, Billy M, DJ Johnny
Cosmic Kev, special dedication going out to Nomar G
Sweet Lou, BH K, and if you're with me, if you're with me
I need some help from the music, from the Pedro
Check it out somebody make some noise in this joint man

Governor Recalled from California

Second Chance

The Vote is Official.
Lou Wins in a Landslide.

  08.27/28.03

Walkerrific!

Sox on Halladay. Tek, Tiz, and Todd
Take the Weak (Jays) Off

Cy Old Hangs with Cy Young

Sox 6 Jays 3, Yanks Lose Too

"It's that one hit that makes a huge difference."
- Todd Walker

BACKTRACK CITY

8.28.03: Larry Lucchino ahhh ummm turns into ahh Eddie Andleman overnight. "I meant to ahh say I umm didn't agree with the ahh sentiment after uhh talking to him yesterday... I wasn't very successful."

Lucchino confirms it was WEEI's Pete Sheppard that set Petey off.

"Larry Lucchino has got to be steamed by this." - Shaughnessy

"Be accountable (Pedro), he said it." - Kevin Dupont

"I'm not bothered or disturbed because Pedro has denied he said that those were his sentiments. And we believe Pedro." - Larry Lucchino

Hey Larry, please do not insult the intelligence of Red Sox Nation. You are not in San Diego any more. This Nation may have been born at night, but it sure as hell wasn't last night. He said it. The dirty stuff too. And of course you know it. And you certainly are bothered and disturbed by it. Is the Rasky/Baerlein Group telling you that bullshitting us is the way to go here? Take our advice, let's deal with the truth, as much as it hurts. Then we can really move on and get down to what's important.

"They can (kiss my butt). I'm black and I'm Dominican. I'll make my $17.5 million next year, and then I'm out of here.''

Hey Karen Guregian, there were no "kisses" or "butts" mentioned in Pedro's vile statement to his fans that pay his salary. You're close on the action he'd like us to take, but not quite. As legitimate media, aren't you supposed to get the quote correct?

Sox brass will let it slide: Hopes Pedro storm blows over

Optimism 101

Everyone looks for something to set themselves apart, something to make them different. Everyone has their own little unique routine or style, something that is, uniquely, theirs. This is especially true in the world of sports: Nomar has his rituals at the plate and leaving the dugout, Trot has the dirtiest hat in the history of the MLB. Then there is Manny, who is, simply, Manny. And it is these differences, these bits of self in a uniform game that we love and cheer for.

In another facet of the sports world, the ink stained and carpel tunnel syndrome cursed land of the sports writer, these personal touches are not only nice, but required. Bob Ryan has his two voices: the cranky old man lamenting how it used to be or the genuine old timer, steeped in the game's rich past, who can appreciate what he sees now on the field. The same is true for all the other columnists in the papers, the voices on the radio and the masses that lend their views to the internet, including yours truly. The Sports Guy is funny, Rob Neyer is a stat head and Gordon Edes knows pretty much everything.

Everyone has an opinion about everything Sox related, and a good number of people can write pretty darn well. Then what gets people to read what you have to write? Those individual special touches you, and only you can put into your writing. Some may call them gimmicks, and yeah, they probably are. And sports fans, I have found one for me. No longer is the fact I am only entering the senior year of high school enough to keep the eyeballs here. Times change and I will change with them. And with that, I'd like to unveil my new gimmick. I'm going to be happy and positive about all things in Red Sox Nation. I'm going to be an optimist.

To quote the adjective defying, disgraced ex-coach of the Boston Celtics, one Rick Pitino: "The negativity in this town sucks." You know what? Rick was right about that, it does. Maybe we, the hometown, homegrown faithful, don't realize it, but we are a very pessimistic and downtrodden bunch. It seems we are always complaining, lamenting our fortune or screaming about how the sky is falling. Just this week, several mean callers harassed Kevin Millar while he was on WAAF. I guess they spoke too soon. Millar won it in the 10th on Saturday, did he not? Well, I for one have learned my lesson. Take, for instance, the Sox record since the all-star break. Did you know that it is 21-17? Before their current winning streak, it was 16-17. But you know what, all that means is that they have gotten their second half losing out of the way early, and now can start up winning. Just like Jeff
Suppan! He had three lousy starts after Theo snatched him from Pittsburgh. We saw Friday how good he can be, as he went 6-2/3 innings and allowed only two runs to a solid Mariner lineup. So for those of you writing off the other recent acquisitions, Sauerbeck and Williamson, just give them a chance. Things should work out for the better.

How about the fact every expert on ESPN has decided that the Sox will be the odd man out in their four teams for three spots race with the Yankees, Mariners and A's. It's not just the commentators. ESPN.com poll results show that 44% of the 160 thousand voters agree with the on air talent that it will be another cold October in New England. You know what that means? Just that the Sox will have a little Cinderella magic going for them when they do make the playoffs. They can draw on the fact they have been discounted all along for an extra drive. Surely, it does not mean that it is clear to anyone anywhere the Sox are cooked.

Maybe it is just the five game winning streak, including a four game sweep of the Mariners, but I am feeling great about this team. However, what I'm feeling even better about is this new optimism of mine. The glass is half full and the Sox are catching the Yankees, A's and Mariners, not falling back of them.

There's negativity just swirling all around this team, and you know what, it just stinks! I promise I will not be a part of it. At least, until they lose another game.

JJ Feigenbaum

Look for Lou to Come Home
for the Fall (and the Rise)

    08.26.03

Cowboy Down

Wake Mistakes Costly, Manny Chokes in the Clutch, Sauerbeck "Rusty" Again.

 Jays 12 Sox 9, Missed Opportunity to Move Up

To Little: Too Late

Grady Leaves Tim in Too Long, Takes Soup Out Too Soon

Little: Margin for Error

Grady Makes All the Wrong Moves, More Fan Mail Coming

Grady's Gamble

McCarty in Left, Jackson in Center, Kapler in Right Tonight. Damon, Trot, and Ortiz will Sit.

But How Will it Sit with Them?
(At least Mirabelli is catching)

    08.25.03

The Full Petey

(This is what he said, anything else is BS)

"The media and fans can (expletive) my f***ing (expletive). I'll make my $17.5 (million) next year and I'm outta here. They're criticizing me because I'm black and Dominican."

(Yeah right. Umm, and shouldn't we go out to dinner first Pete?)

"I can look myself in the mirror. I wasn't eavesdropping. I asked the Pedro about the criticism he received while being attacked by hosts and callers. I hope he isn't calling me a liar. I hope he just had second thoughts about what he said."
- Jon Miller, WBZ radio

 Sox Brass Sick of P. Dirty. Take That to the Bank.

"We're Not Negative, We're Not."

"Where has the media been so negative? I've heard the boos at Fenway Park, when Sauerbeck walks two guys, then Williamson comes in and gives up the home run. I've heard the boos, fine. Boos are boos. Boos are legitimate. I don't know where this great negativity is coming from. I don't hear it. I don't think this is a great negative town, these are people who want to win. What's the problem?... We're not negative, we're not. I mean we're trying to have a sense of humor. OK, we're cynical. Cynical is one thing. Sarcastic is one thing. Negative? You want to see negative? Print the headline "We Hope You Lose, You Losers." That's negative. "You Guys Really Stink." That's negative. I mean this is kid glove stuff. There's no atmosphere of negativity around here, there's an atmosphere of caring but in a cynical and humorous way." Guys like Nixon and Varitek understand it. You want to pick out something negative, pick out the way the media handled the Catholic church, that's negative. But it's directed in the right places. You want to pick out something negative about the Red Sox? Point out the way we handled the previous ownership, that's deserved. - Bob Lobel, WBZ-TV4 Sports Director

Just What the Doctor Ordered

He's the Pitcher of Health

How Sweep It Is!

The Red Sox Have Done it Again Today, Sox 8 Mariners 1

P. Dirty is Pitcher Perfect Against Seattle

Star of David

Ortiz is the Real Deal.
Hi Manny (He Must See Us Waving Our Little Dominican Flag).

Here's Johnny's Honey

Nicely Done Mr. Damon

Talk of Division in Sox Clubhouse!

Red Sox Ready to Go After Yankees Now.

Going, Going, Gone

Pedro is All Done in Boston

(He will not be resigned by the Boston Red Sox. End of discussion.)

"You think I'm f***ing lying. I'm only f***ing human. Can't I get sick? I'm not f***ing fine. Can you see I'm not f***ing fine? I would have been in that f***ing game if I was fine.

(Conditions seem ripe for a no-hitter today)

I'll make my $17.5 (million) next year and I'm outta here.

(Don't kid yourself, he said it, and then some. Period.)

"Already, some teammates silently seethe about the star treatment afforded Martinez." - Sean McAdam

How Will Sox Spend the Extra Dough?

    08.24.03

Exciting Sox Playing Now

Blistering at Home D-Lowe and D.O. Steal the Show

Boston 6 Seattle 1

  08.23.03

Cowboy Up and
Off the Wall

"Lights Out" Kim Blows it Again But Sox Win in 10

Sox 7 Seattle 6 in 10

Old Man Winner Goes Today

Will the real John Burkett please step up?

Strep Tease

Pedro only has a sore throat from Wednesday night's episode. May start Tuesday vs. Jays.

Lightning Strikes

And Suppan Throws Them

Red Sox 6 Mariners 4, Wild Tied

Let the Manny Come Through

Williamson, Trot Save the Day. Ramirez, Tek Put M's Away.

(BHK Almost Leaves Sox DOA)

Pedro Covers Up!

Recovering from flu-like symptoms, Pedro Martinez (with wig and beard disguise to avoid fans) gets some fresh air in Cambridge yesterday as Janet Marie Smith tucks him in.

But his Dream Team at St. E's says he still needs more rest after being diagnosed with a sore throat.

Feelin' Stronger Every Day

We do believe the news
And we know you believe in Pete
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
And now we realize
Pete's not all that he's supposed to be
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
And knowing that you would have wanted it this way
We do believe he's feelin' stronger every day
Feelin' stronger every day
Feelin' stronger every day
Feelin' stronger every day
(You know he's alright now)
Feelin' stronger every day...

The Came, They Saugus, They Conquered?

Does Saugus Have the Right Stuff?

Newsflash: Nomar Unhappy

New at 11:00, Oakland's Frank Menechino breaks the news that Nomar is very unhappy here. NESN PR gurus to respond with Tom "Mike Wallace" Caron doing a fireside chat from the East Oakland Marriott Courtyard (as soon as Larry Rasky removes the Millar tape).

Video Killed the Radio Story

Here comes Millar the Video Star. I guess we were Born in the Yesterday.

Down Goes Fossum. Down Goes Fossum.

Bronson on the Front Burner

Pesky and El Tiante Weigh in on Pedro's No Show

Spin Doctors Give an
Extra (Innings) Opinion

Larry Lucchino: "Doctor Morgan will be on to put this issue to bed so to speak. Pedro is a real competitor, anyone who knows Pedro knows that he wanted that ball tonight (so why didn't he sleep it off and take it for one inning?), that his teammates wanted him, were counting on him, and it took some serious, uh adverse medical, uh information to keep him from pitching tonight, so I think we should not run off half-cocked on that theory because that's just nonsense. This guy had some serious medical issues to deal with and as it turned out it worked out pretty well, Casey came up big and stepped right into the breach (of contract?) ... People that know him, people that played with him, that know something about his personality will testify to the fact that this guy is an intense competitor (no doubt), when he gets that baseball in his hand (that's the problem, doesn't happen enough), he is as intense and competitive as anybody I've ever seen on a pitcher's mound and so the notion that somehow that he backed away from the night is complete nonsense (obviously, but he should have called the doctors at night and tried to get ready to pitch in a critical pennant race game.)

Doctor Makes a House Call

A Little Morgan Magic Over at NESN

Pedro could be 'upgraded' to strep throat by the morning. He was taking evaluation tests until 2:00 (or "hospitalized" for the apologist inclined)

Dr. Broadway Bill Morgan: That was really the first indication there was a problem (phone call from Pedro), we don't hear from Pedro early in the morning very frequently and he's so intense on the day that he's pitching, he contacted Chris Correnti around 7:00-7:30 (late eh?) this morning, Chris contacted me. And just that series of phone calls indicated there was a problem. Pedro came in, he had a problem with uh a lot of problems with sore throat he had a fever, a significant fever, over 101 when he came in. He had some abdominal pain as well, and Pedro essentially spent the whole day at the hospital being evaluated from approximately 8:00 o'clock in the morning until about 2:00 o'clock in the afternoon.

Rodgers: A lot of issues too, he wasn't able to sleep last night because of the symptoms that he had that came on last night and then as you, you know, diagnose him I mean basically the medical staff advising him, there's no way he could pitch tonight...

DBM: Yeah, I have to tell you, since the time he arrived at the hospital, he was intending on pitching tonight and as the series of events went through, with the fever, with the blood work that he had that showed he had a high white count, meaning he had an infection going on, I advised against him pitching. I mean he was tired, he had to have an IV put in because he was dehydrated, he was a sick guy and he's a little better right now but he's still a sick guy.

Rodgers: So what's wrong with him?

DBM: He has a series of things, he has what looks like strep throat and this is the pharyngitis that we're talking about, a very bad red throat, and we're waiting for the cultures to come back to be sure but he's being treated with the antibiotics for that. He's also had some abdominal pain and he went through a series of tests today that luckily were negative, including a CT scan, uh but he still has some pain, and we're watching closely for that.

Rodgers: He's at home resting comfortably right now? He's not in the hospital?

DBM: That is correct, we'll see how he's feeling tomorrow morning, if he has continued problems with his abdomen, then we need to do a little more testing to see where he is. If he's feeling better and his temperature's down, and his energy level is up, then I think it's safe for him to be mobilized again.

Rodgers really laying it on heavy: Sometimes when you pitch when you're sick, sometimes you can get other injuries when your body's not ready to recuperate after throwing, is that right or no?

DBM: Oh sure, particularly somebody like Pedro who's such a gamer (yikes) you know, you see the difference in how he is when he's not playing than when he is playing. He's focused, he doesn't speak a lot (either way right Doc?), and he's intense and he's going to throw and pitch and move as quickly and as hard as he possibly can despite how he feels, and we all know that, and this is not the time for him to be pushing it (of course not, it never is) with a 101 fever and really his energy level being way down (from all the horseplay in the dugout I guess).

Stay tuned for some good blister talk when we continue...

Pedro Has a Sore Throat!

(Or Pharyngitis in Apologist Speak)

Imodium and Halls

(Apparently Sold Out at Store 24 in Newton)

What did Pedro do on his night off? After he watched the gritty Saugus Americans battle their hearts out against Texas, Petey watched ESPN Classic Sports where prima donna Michael Jordan was throwing up his own guts just moments before Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals in Salt Lake City. Jordan brushed aside a fever, vomiting and other flu-like symptoms and out-hustled the Jazz for 44 minutes. Pippen helped MJ off the court during a fourth quarter timeout. Michael was exhausted and dazed. His eyes were more bloodshot than Robert Downey Jr.'s after touring the Los Angeles rave scene. In the 1987 finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, Kevin McHale played with a broken battered right foot. He reportedly used a patio chair as a walker when he was off court. "With all that pain, we don't want you to play,'' K.C. Jones said, adding "He said, `I'm doing this!' "It's a testament ... to his fiber,'' Parish said. "Most players with a broken foot wouldn't think of playing.'' Back in 1997, the big wuss Sid Fernandez pitched with a fever and sore throat. "I've got the flu, it looks like," Fernandez said, sucking on a cough drop. "I started feeling it Friday." But he pitched his turn on Saturday.

"I'm Sick of Him!"

Dan Shaughnessy's Two Cents on FM Talk 96.9 with Bob Lobel: The guy might have been sick, we have to take that on faith that he was sick, but there's certainly reason to be suspicious of some of these guys right now and he's one of them. He blows off the team picture, he's been hypersensitive this year, he's lugging around 9 wins on August 22nd which is hardly Cy Young caliber. I'm sick of him, you know? He's a great pitcher when he's on. He's become 3/4 of a pitcher that you cannot count on anymore. It's unfortunate that he got sick so we hope he gets well, how's that. But I think as many have said, you got to be near-death-bed to be not pitching that game last night under the circumstances.

Bob Lobel: I would say that you have to have a near-death experience to not come out.

DS: And you know what? The team picture is just one more thing, it's like "you suckers gotta do this stuff and I don't."  And I'm sorry, say it's a small thing, but if I'm John Henry paying this guy $17 million after they extended him for next year out of the goodness of their hearts when they didn't have to, and he's lugging around 9 wins in August, um, show up for the team picture, don't make chumps out of your teammates.

Bob Lobel: And now you're being told that we should feel lucky that this was all he had. This wasn't like malaria or dysentery.

DS: Oh yeah, thank God he's not a patient over at the clinic, it's like, geeze, c'mon.

Bob Lobel: So let's say you have what we affectionately used to call "the green apple quick steps" in Ohio. That would be diarrhea. That's why they have Imodium. That's why they have this medicine at your local store. So let's say you have a sore throat, I mean, that's why you... he hasn't talked all year anyway. I don't get it.

DS: Bill Ballou's lead today in the Worcester Telegram : "Pedro Martinez wasn't the only one around here who had felt something tightening in his throat in recent days..." Isn't that a great lead?

Has Millar Gone Too Far?

Millar in the media: "I want to see somebody cowboy up and stand behind this team one time and quit whining about all the negative stuff and talking about last year's team and 10 years ago and 1918. When you play for the Red Sox and you're in the race and you get to this time of year, you're going to hear about The Curse. There's no way around it."

Yeah Kevin, there's no way around it. Especially when the Red Sox run ads for "Red Sox Rewind" that say "You can't reverse the curse, but you can rewind the week."  There's no way around it when you star in a commercial for W.B. Mason that shows fake World Series banners from years like 1945 and 1965 that never happened because of "The Truth about Ruth" in 1919. Who knew Kevin? Who knew?

Millar in the media: "Three things particularly rankled Millar in recent days: a group of television commentators writing off the team, a postgame television analyst suggesting Derek Lowe should have tried to go deeper in Tuesday's game despite a finger blister, and several callers to a radio show describing the Sox as inferior to the Yankees during an appearance by Millar. Four of the six (callers) were telling me, 'You (stink). You guys (stink),' " he said. "I mean, four of the six callers are against you?"

Hey Kevin, take it up with Eck and Gary Tanguay, but you were on WAAF when callers told you to "dust off your clubs." It's a hard rock station with a bunch of headbanger listeners you goof. They're not baseball fans. You asked for more Yankee callers yourself and now you're bitching about it you goof.

Millar in MLB.com column: "We have a bunch of dirtbags and we're ready to win. It's almost to the point where the media is waiting for you to fail. The radio shows, the TV shows, the newspapers, want you to fail. You almost get that sense."

You forgot to add that "Nomar Garciaparra contributed to this report" because you haven't been here long enough, you goof.

Yesterday's Owner/Player Roundtable Leaves Media Mess Unresolved.

   08.22.03

Destiny's Child

Don't Mess with Saugus!

Eight Run Lead Vanishes But Americans Come Back to Beat Richmond Texas 14-13

(Timmy had a tummy ache but played anyway)

Emergency Boom

SOX STEP UP AND
STOP THE BLEEDING

D.O. Gets it Done. Casey OK.

"It was the biggest game of the year because it's today." - Fossum

Manny, Walker Run Away from A's 14-5

Grady: "Pedro was still laid up in the bed."

08.21.03

SICK OF IT ALL

Pedro Misses Photo and Doesn't Get the Picture

Fans Are Sick to Their Stomachs!

ACE DISGRACE MAY TAKE SOX OUT OF RACE

(Yes, Over the Top, Lighten Up)

PART-TIME TAKES SICK TIME AFTER HAVING A FUN TIME IN THE DUGOUT LAST NIGHT

PRIMA DONNA PEDRO CALLS IN SICK WITH THE SNIFFLES

FOSSUM STARTS FOR DOMINICAN DIVA

Dr. Do-Little:

Things that make you go hmm: First Grady says "He's been battling something all week." Later in the day he says "This just kicked up last night." 

Pedro Didn't Call Grady Until the Morning, Went to St. E's to Have "Stomach and Sore Throat" Checked Out. This Can't Be Happening.

Did NyQuil Go Out of Business?

Is Pedro Run Down Because of All the International Travel this Season?

Is This Photogate Discipline Backlash?

Hey Kevin Millar, Is Pedro Going to "Cowboy Up" Tonight?

MUST WIN GAME AT 7:00

As New England Battles Texas Tonight

(and Sox play out string at Fenway... KIDDING... Lighten up Sunshine, a.k.a. Mediabasher Millar, we want you to win, you goof.)

Ho-hum, Lowe Joins Silent Superstars After Blistergate.

Pedro MarTEAMez is Back, Blows Off Team Photo Again

Larry Lucchino: "It's not too much to ask him to show up. Someone will talk to him, either the manager, or the GM, or me. He has a history of this... in six years, he's made two pictures. It's a little bit troublesome... the whole organization was there, it would have been nice... they'll be some kind of discipline."

Red Sox Broadcasting Legend Ken Coleman Has Died. R.I.P.

1925 - 2003... 1967

  08.20.03

Miserabelli!

Doug Plays Dodge Ball,
Doesn't Catch Clutch Throw

Now Entering Choakland, MA

"We've got to find a way." - Jason Varitek

L.O.B. = R.I.P.

Turn Out the Lights,
The Party's Over,
They Say That All
Good Things Must End

Everybody Sing...

Mission Kimpossible

Loser-By-Kimmittee

BK Comes in 8th, Can't Close Again

Belli Doesn't Bunt, Blows Play at Plate,17 LOB Oakland 8 Boston 6

8 Games Behind Yankees in Loss Column After Pig Pen's Latest Effort

We'll Get 'Em Tomorrow

Gotta Tip Your Cap to 'Em

"We need to head upward, tomorrow's a new day, we've got Pedro Martinez going, we'll see if we can't get it headed upward. All of our losses are tough, I can't put any more weight on them, but when you're up two runs and want to get six outs and can't get them, it'll hum up right quick." - real Grady

Yuk.

Manny Looks Bad in Loss,
Nomar Hasn't Had an RBI Since 1998.

Blister on My Thumb

When I'm out pitching I throw my stuff yeah I'm so strung out
ball's high as a kite but I just might stop to strike you out
don't let me go on like a blister on my thumb
don't let me go on bullpen I know your the one
body gets beat I stain my sheets I don't even know why
my fan friends they're at the end they are starting to cry
don't let me go on like a blister on my thumb
don't let me go on bullpen I know your the one...

    08.19.03

A's Add Insult to "Injury

SOX BLOWE IT
Gasoline Alley is Back as
 Not-So-Great-Scotts Light Fire

WHERE WAS EMBREE EARLY GRADY?

Chad Sauerbeck and Ramiro Williamson Give it Away. Sox Get F for Effort Against A's. Little's Big Men Kapler, Jackson Get Sox in Front Early,
But Bats are Awfully Quiet Late.

Oakland 3 Boston 2, No Mas, No Manny

A's Keep Sox Under Their Thumb

Lowe Blistering Through 6,
Grady Thought He Would Go 9,
Maybe He Played 18 on Monday.

Grady's Little League

Blood-and-Guts Derek Fingers the Media,
Eck's Not High on D-Lowe

"He doesn't say the right things to me, doesn't give me a lot of confidence. I wanted to hear him say "I couldn't feel the ball" but he says nonchalant
"I'm worried about the rest of the year"" - Eck

Was Boo-Boo Getting Worse?

"I don't know, not necessarily, it's the same blister. I mean it's hard to explain. It's to the point where you really can't throw effective, and you have to look down the line, you want to pitch every five days, that's the biggest key. Hearsay is pretty easy. Obviously you guys don't want to talk about the game, you just want to talk about the blister." - Lowe

Rust Never Sleeps
(Neither Do the Excuses)

""I'm a guy who needs to be out there every day, I'm a feel pitcher. When I have four days off, if you look at my career numbers, I'm not that good with that amount of rest." - Sauerbeck

Can Theo Claim that Sauerbeck and Suppan are Injured and Get Freddy Sanchez Back?

The Arrogant A Makes an Appearance

Has-Beane GM Doesn't Like Fenway Boo-Birds (Boo-Hoo)

  08.17/18.03

Sox Need to Get Straight A's This Week

All Dressed Up. Somewhere to Go?

Where's the Old Chicken Fajita Stand?

Another Hot Saugust Night in Williamsport

Saugus 4 East Boynton Beach 3

Craig Cole, Second Base.
Why Can't We Get Players Like That?

Ump Dumps on John

Burkett Gets Squeezed
in Fatal Fourth

Seattle 3 Boston 1

Sox Think Wild After West, Pennant Express Derailed

The Long and Grinding Road Leaves Sox Six Games Back in Loss Column

Grady's Post Game Press Conference:

"I'll tell you what, I'm not happy about coming back 3-4 on this trip. No way. We're not here to compete, we're here to win. And that was a game we could have won today. Granted we were the victim of some inconsistencies out there, but if we took a better plate approach early, we might have had a few more runs up on the board. We weren't patient enough and I don't know what the big hurry was... we're all gettin' on the plane home at the same time last time I checked... bottom line is we're running out of time, we've gotta' get it done today, not tomorrow. We'll solve this problem of what appears to be a lackluster performance at the end of these road trips but now we're going home. Our fans will be ready. And I promise you this, this team will be ready to battle Tuesday night and won't be satisfied with nothing less than a win. No excuses. We've got the team. It's time to get the wins, and to get on a roll. This one step forward, one step back bulls*** is unacceptable. We've got the talent to put together a winning streak here and it's got to happen now. We're about .500 since the All-Star break and that's a big disappointment throughout this organization. We should be even with the Yankees, but we're six games out in the loss column... and... well, good thing we got that dang wildcard, but this team wants the division championship, so they better get after it now or it will be gone quicker than a jackrabbit on the 17th green at Pinehurst..."

(yeah right)

Sox Not Ready
for Freddy

Garcia is in Rare Form

Sleepwalking in Seattle

Grady Can't Fire Up Team
on Getaway Day Again

Sox Trip Back Home

Bats Packed for Flight,
While Burkett Puts Up Fight

Saugus or Bust

Muldoon Spells Doom
for Washington, 2-1

  08.16.03

Lock

Stock

And Barrel

Boston 5 Seattle 1

  08.15.03

Son of a Bichiro

Suzuki Throttles Timlin in Sloppy Sixth.

Suppan Stinks and It Sucks.

Walker Runs Up the Score for Seattle.

Shigetoshi Hasegawa, 'Nuf Said.

Mariners 10 Red Sox 5

They Came, They Saugus

They Conquered

Saugus (1-0) a 2-1 win Friday over Tallmadge, Ohio, in the opening game of the Little League World Series.

ALL ABOARD THE PENNANT EXPRESS

NOW LEAVING SPLITSVILLE, NEXT STOP SEATTLE

MANNYFEST DESTINY

A Manny Among Men, Ramirez Rallies Sox

Mr. Clutch Crushes One in 9th,
Gabe, Damon Kap it Off in 10th

Mueller Drives in Winner

Oakland 2 Road Sox 4

Gotta Tip Your Cap to Embree, Kim,
and Especially Tim

(Momma Ramirez Feeling Lightheaded After Rare West Coast August Road Rally Win)

Massive Power Outage Hits Oakland

Sox Wilt Under Lilly
While A's Have a Rude aWakening

  08.14.03

On the Third Day They Rose Again

Manny, Millar, Mueller Break Out the Bats,
Mulder Off the Mark, Sox 7 A's 3

D-Lowe Shows Up,
Puts His Game Face On

"It was time to cowboy up and we needed someone to cowboy up,
and D-Lowe did it for us." -- Kevin Millar

It Takes "2"
(To Make This Thing Go Right)

I wanna pitch right now
Not Cy Young bound but I get Lowe down
I'm not internationally known
But I'm known to rock the pitchers mound
Because I get stoopid, I mean outrageous
Stay away from me if you're contagious
'Cause I'm the winner, no, I'm not the loser
To be a starter is what I choose 'a
Ladies love me, fans adore me
I mean even the ones in Boston that boo me
Like the way that I'll pitch against Oakland
The reason why, man, I don't know
So let's go, 'cause

It takes Lowe to make a thing go right
It takes Lowe to give the A's a fight
Hit it!

  08.13.03

Can You Hear Her Now?

West Coast Trip Continues Heading South

Another First Inning Fiasco for Burkett

CHOAKLAND

Sox Can't Push Across Runners in 8th, Mueller, Nomar, Manny Fail Miserably
A's 5 Sox 3

Awful August Continues, Yankees Win

Ted's Hole Head Sits in Can. DNA Gone.

  08.12.03

Sox Can't ComPete

HUDSON FLOWS THROUGH BOSTON, MARTINEZ DOESN'T BRING A's-GAME

Pedro's Pooped After Five,
Team Barely Alive

West Coast Trip:

Bulldog Blows Away Sox,
Oakland 4 Boston 0

Rem-Dog with the mic on: "Something smells like dead fish in here... I think it's that bag of shit over there... Chinese food."
(No Jerry, it's your team that stinks.)

We'll Get 'Em Today
"bring your lunch pail and your hard hat"

"If you don't win this game,
you'll take it to your f***ing grave...
your f***ing grave."

- Herb Brooks (1937 - 2003) before 1980 gold medal game vs. Finland

Hey Pedro, Your Mother Wears Army Boots!

Time to Fire Up Angry Ace Again.

Petey Loves a Parade...

But the Pennant Race Must Be On as Pedro Skips Dominican Parade in Jamaica Plain to fly to Oakland to Prepare for A's.

  08.11.03

Soup Kitchen Feeds Birds

No Mulligan for You! Orioles 5 Red Sox 3

Little – Margin for Error:
Been Caught Stealing Twice.

Project Greenlight Grady:
Manny, Trot Go Belly Up on the Basepaths

Foul Tip: Don't Swing at Balls in the Dirt, Dog.

Sox Limp to Left Coast

Perfect Gamer

Bronson Arroyo Throws Perfect Game

  08.10.03

10,000 Maniac

Millar, Manny Step Up, Stop Skid
Sox 6 Orioles 4

Wake Up to #2?

  08.08.03

OPENING DAY NIGHTMARE

Double Header Trouble

Baltimore, Sox Less. Grady, Error Costly in Nightcap, 4-2

DuBose Does in Sox Early,
Groom Left Grady Disheveled

Division Slipping Away While Oakland Looks Pretty Wild.

(And Where's Bandwagon Hitter Manny?)

D-Lowe Blows Game One Rotten Tomato Shirts Stop Streak 10-4 Good Buddy

And Welcome to Boston Scott Williamson

Sox Stiff Opening Day Diehards:
No Entertainment, No Gifts, No Thanks.

Get Ready for Ray

It's Opening Day!

Special Opening Day Pullout Section Tomorrow with Full Calendar of Events

• God Bless America to be sung by Bette Midler

• Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher to throw out first pitch

• Cal Ripken will introduce the 2003 Baltimore Orioles

• Carl Yastrzemski will introduce the 2003 Boston Red Sox

• Special appearances by Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper, Yo-Yo Ma, and Trauser

• And More

(Update: Duffle bags will bring provided so you can carry your gifts home. Free Plasma TVs will be delivered by August 22nd. The Red Sox thank you for taking two vacation days off and for paying $400.00 for grandstand, $200.00 bleacher.

  08.07.03

Burkett Goes in Final Tune-Up Against Angels Tonight.

Good Times

Florida Goes Deep Twice Against World Chumps

Sox Bring Angels Down to Earth
Boston 9 Anaheim 3, Sweep Up.

Old Man Winner Does it Again, Burkett Workin' 9-5

(Sign him for '04 before the price goes up!)

Nomar on NESN: In an Effort to Steal Pedro's Thunder He Will Offer Mia Culpa to Red Sox Nation, Shed Some Tears, and Sign On for Eight More Years at $72.5 Million

"yeah (shoulder shrug) I like it here..." - N. Garciaparra

  08.06.03

COMPLETE PETE CAN'T BE BEAT

Pedro Pride is Back.

Motivated Martinez Silences Angels Bats, And Devilish Critics.

Ace Positively Accentuates the Negative, Gets Sox Back in Division Race

''You could see it in his eyes -- he wanted to go out and get it for himself.''

Put Him On Standby to Santo Domingo!

 Pete Finally Steps Up to the Plate, And Ump, Wall Offer Second Helping

Ortiz, Manny, Nomar Bring the Sticks. Pedro Brings the Stones.

NINE WAS NECESSARY
(pitch counts are for wussies)

Life in the Fast Lane:
#1 Goes 96 on 128
(after flying around on 747)

Boston 4 Anaheim 2

Rock Star is Quite the Catch

  08.05.03

If Pedro Gets Torched Tonight, He'll Only Need a One-Way Ticket for His Next Trip

Hate to Rain on Pedro's Parade But He Has to Punch in for that Pesky Red Sox Pitching Job Again

Pressure's on Pete

Can He Shoulder the Load Tonight?

8.5.03 ESPN's Tim Kirkjian Chimes In with Craig Mustard & Larry Johnson on WEEI 850:

TK: Pedro is different in that he has to be a little bit more protected than your normal ace starting pitcher. And he should. He's a little guy who's had some arm problems, and he's the most important guy on the team. Anytime that he's been hurt over the years, the team goes in the tank. They win without Nomar occasionally, they don't win when Pedro goes out for a long period of time. So I think everyone in the organization understands that Pedro needs to be treated differently than say Barry Zito needs to be treated. Or than Curt Schilling needs to be treated. And everyone needs to understand that's the way it works.

CM: Well in other words then if Pedro wants to go to the Dominican Republic for the All Star break and then wants to return for the Pan American games two weeks later then the organization has to allow him to do that because he's a temperamental, delicate, fragile psyche that needs to be pampered.

TK: I think there's some truth to that, however, I still can't understand for a second how Pedro doesn't start the first game back after the All-Star break (CM: Makes no sense to me, how does the best pitcher in the American League... you're going against Roy Halliday, having a great year, maybe the Cy Young winner, he was allowed to go a day early. How can he not come after leaving the Dominican Republic and pitch in the first game.

TK: Well I don't understand that one at all. I was talking with my old writer friends the other day about when we used to cover Earl Weaver in Baltimore... imagine telling Earl Weaver, "look, I'm gonna be back Thursday but I'm not gonna pitch Thursday, I'm not gonna pitch until Sunday." That would not have flown 20 years ago certainly, and only Pedro can get away with that. Now should he get away with that? No, I don't think he should. All I'm saying is, if he says "my arm is hurt" or "I'm in trouble here," then you have to protect him. But as long as he's healthy, he should have started the game back after the All-Star break.

CM: Now here's the problem, if you project it out, not only does he miss a start against I believe it was Tampa Bay, he still gets to pitch against the Yankees in his third start back if he pitches Thursday against Halladay and the Blue Jays. He missed the Baltimore series altogether for the Pan American games. If he starts that Thursday after the break, he pitches in Baltimore and probably beats the Orioles.

TK: Well again, if he starts Thursday, he starts again the following Tuesday, so clearly he's going to miss a start because he was spending time in the Dominican and he wasn't starting a game he should have started. And if the Red Sox end up losing the wild card by one game, yeah you can look at that, but, again, that's Pedro, and you have to be a little bit cautious with him, but I didn't understand that one.

Sox Found Out About Pan Am Trip Two Weeks Ago
Then why wasn't it announced until the night before the flight?

From Soup to Nuts

No Soup for You! (Jeff Gets a Mulligan), But Manny, Millar, Nomar Lead Sox Comeback in Wild One

Nixon Gets the Game Winner Against Angels Best; Timlin, Williamson Hard in the Middle, Closer by Kimmittee Finishes Job.

10-9 "Big at-bat (by Trot Nixon)" - G. Little

  08.04.03

McCarty Parks at Fenway,
Sox Pick Up Oakland Waiver
Giambi on 15 day DL with Hellenic Shoulder Tendonitis
(He's actually really hurt)

McCarty, 33, an outfielder who hit .269 with two homers in eight games with the Athletics before being released is a career .236 hitter with 31 homers and 150 RBI in 512 games with Minnesota, San Francisco, Seattle, Kansas City, Tampa Bay and Oakland. He will also be a defensive backup at first base for the Red Sox.

SOUPS ON TONIGHT

Jeff's Cookin' in Fenway Kitchen

"Pedro Pitches His Ass Off, Who Cares
What He Does On His Off Days?"

"Uh, oh. I knew someone was going to get around to it.

The problem is, Pedro ISN'T pitching his ass off, and that's obvious to anyone who watches him obsessively. He has been merely pedestrian vs LH batters, rarely going 94-95 mph, and with much less velocity delta and movement on the change and two-seamer -- essential to getting LHs out. His command is not there -- and with an injury, that's the first thing to notice, not a loss of velocity. I raise my glass to him for gutting it out as long as he has.

My guess is, he's hurting, especially after laboring through several high pitch count, tough outings. The extra time off was probably a gamble. Imagine trying to make a deal for a starter at the deadline if Pedro's on the DL with another "back strain."

This is the way it is, IMO. And it's only my opinion. But I've watched so many Pedro sequences of hitters, left-handed and right-handed, where he would masterfully move from pitch to pitch, changing velocity/location/movement, like a maestro. Now, it's pretty obvious after one time through the lineup what he's got on the menu on a given night." - Carroll Hardy, SoSH

pedro marteamez pan scam game

SURPRISE SURPRISE

PEDRO, GRADY PUT
PAN AM GAMES AHEAD OF RED SOX ROTATION

POST-ALL STAR GAME STARTS SCHEDULED WITH SECOND DOMINICAN VACATION IN MIND

The 13 Game Schedule They Went With:
Pedro Starting on Eight-Days-Off Sunday After All-Star Break.
Third Start is Conveniently Thursday 7/31 at Texas, Next Start is Wednesday, 8/6 vs. Anaheim, Allowing Pedro to Go to Back to Dominican Again for Pan Am Games Parties.

The 14 Game Schedule They Didn't:
Pedro Starting on Thursday After All-Star Break: 
Third Start Would Have Been Sunday 7/27 vs. Yankees (last game of series). Fourth Start Would Have Been Saturday Night in Baltimore,
Party Time in Santo Domingo.

Tim Kirkjian, ESPN: "He should have started the first day back from the All Star break, I don't get that one at all."

SOX KNEW PAN SCAM SCHEDULE THEN, BUT MADE ANNOUNCEMENT THE NIGHT BEFORE FLIGHT

Who Asked Who, When?

From panamgames2003.com, 8.1.03: "It is reported that baseball star Pedro Martínez has received special leave from his team, the Boston Red Sox, to take part in the ceremony. President Mejía will declare the Games open, and at long last the torch will be lit by Dominican baseball legend Juan Marichal."

  08.03.03

Two for 'Tiz

Change in the Weather,
Bats Show a Little Thunder, Sox Pour it On Late

Skid Stopped, Boston 7 Baltimore 5

Solo Shots Reign Down on O's

  08.02.03

All Time Lowe

Sox Shamefully Drop Fourth Straight.

Buckley: "Is it a Curse?"
Gammons: "Oh God, please, I just can't stand garbage like that... sounds like something the Globe would run."

Where the Rubber Meets the Road: Sox 0-3 When Martinez Leaves the Country.
Sox Two Games Under .500 on Road.
Since the All-Star Break: 8 wins, 8 losses
93 runs scored, 93 allowed (5.8 runs per game)

Bats Silent at Fenway South.
Nomar: "You gotta tip your caps to them too."

Sox Have Become Comfortably Numb

Has Manager Trading Deadline Passed?

O's No! Dropping the
Ball in Baltimore Again

Pedro Parties While Lowe, Pen
Go Up in Smoke, 11-2 Birds.

Birds Bury Sox in Camden Yards

Lopez Outpitches Lowe, Kills Sox Again

  08.01.03

Season Going Down in Flames?

Martinez Can't Be David Ortiz' Rally Monkey from Another Country Can He? Pedro Fiddles While Rome Burns. Ace to Do Critical Side Session Under the Expert Eye of Condo Developer and Baker Ramon Martinez.

"Hope Pedro doesn't have to work the North End's
Columbus Day parade during the ALCS."

Where's Pedro?

PART-TIME PARTIES AT PAN-AM GAMES,
NOT BACK IN BOSTON UNTIL MONDAY

"These games will be a party for all Dominicans''
- Dominican Republic President Hipolito Mejia

Frequently Fragile Flier Leaves On a Jet Plane

(Don't Know if the Dominator Will Ever Be Back Again)

Gammons on WEEI Big Show: "Pedro has not been sharp his last two games, his command had not been the same, he hasn't been dominant. Great pitchers do win 1-0 games occasionally, even in the American League and Tim Hudson's had three more leads blown for him than any pitcher in AL over the past two years, he wins those 1-0 games once in a while."

Hey Pete, How About the Baseball Games?

Even Duquette Singing Theo's Praises

This is for the Birds!

Sox Winning Everything
Except the Games

Was Pat All That?

Sox Production is Offensive,
Boston Drops Third Straight,
Burkett Deserved Better Fate,
What Happened to Patience at the Plate?

Orioles 2 Red Sox 1

Batters Hack Away Again on Hentgen

"What Happened in Texas, Stays in Baltimore"

Breaking News: Grady Tips His Cap to Oriole Starter