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2012 MLB Team Preview: Boston Red Sox

Posted by on 19 March 2012, 11:56 am

The Boston Red Sox were the talk of sports after the 2011 season, but for all the wrong reasons.

Boston Red Sox logo.

After missing the playoffs on the last day of the season, revelations started pouring out about players’ lack of discipline in the clubhouse, as a collective group took to partying during games instead of supporting their teammates.

For Boston Fans, the humiliation from last season’s nightmare still lingers and now it is up to the players to earn back their trust.

Nothing is worse than underachieving when you have oodles of proven talent but lack the attitude to go with it.

As the great Vince Lombardi once said, “It’s not whether you get knocked down; it’s whether you get up.”

Now the question is do the 2012 Red Sox have the drive to work themselves back to the top in the face of adversity?

Let’s see how things are shaping up in Beantown:

THE POSITIVES:

The biggest positive for the Red Sox is that 2012 brings a fresh start so they can get things back on track again. The organization needs to show that last season will never be repeated, as their loyal fans deserve that. This has been a contending team enough times in the last decade to know how to win and there are no more excuses…THE PARTY IS OVER.

The Red Sox offense is almost the same as 2011, which is a good thing as the bats were the best in baseball. Collectively the Boston bats led the Majors last season in RBIs (842), doubles (352), hits (1600), runs (875), total bases (2631), OBP (.349), and slugging (.461). They hit the third most homers with 203 and had the second best batting average posting a .280. This line-up is terrifying and is littered with All-Stars like Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia, Adrian Gonzalez, Kevin Youkilis and David Ortiz.

THE NEGATIVES:  Continue reading ‘2012 MLB Team Preview: Boston Red Sox’ »

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CY Young To Verlander Honorable Mention To Sabathia, Rivera & Robertson

Posted by on 16 November 2011, 10:23 pm

Congratulations to Detroit Tigers Justin Verlander for his historic 2011 season. Verlander won the CY Young Award by a landslide, just as expected and well-deserved I may add.

Verlander went 24-5 in the regular season, posting a 2.40 ERA, 250 strikeouts and pitched 251 innings.

In all honesty, the rest of the CY Young voting is really irrelevant this season because Verlander’s performance was that superior, as he unanimously won across the voting across board. Still, even in a rare circumstance it is nice to acknowledge the other top pitchers around the American League for their hard work too, which included three Yankee arms.

Congratulations to all the nominees!!

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Yankees Drama Ain’t Got Nothing On In Beantown

Posted by on 12 October 2011, 11:49 pm
Jon Lester, John Lackey and Josh Beckett

Image by Keith Allison via Flickr

It is hard to imagine that things could get much worse Boston, but it did.

ESPN’s Buster Onley reported today that Theo Epstein, the Red Sox’s GM is officially going to sign a 5-year deal with the Chicago Cubs.

That is the second prolific Red Sox leader to get the heck out of dodge, with skipper Terry Francona resigning the day after the Red Sox collapsed on their faces.

What a shame for the game of baseball and the fans to watch this historic sports franchise completely implode like this.

The worst part is learning the truth about the on goings in the Red Sox’s clubhouse, which is supposed to be a team’s sacred place. So, the fact that personal issues are being made public to point fingers at who is to blame is despicable.

In all honesty, the Red Sox owners can blame themselves for not wanting to see what was happening right in front of them. You can bet the Boston brass is regretting ever giving the thumbs up to make John Lackey a Red Sox because things have gone downhill ever since he showed up.

Remember, Lackey is the same guy who criticized Fenway Park and said that it should be “blown-up” after the Angels playoff loss to the Red Sox in 2008. It was also the place where Lackey posted his worst career number as an Angel… how did that one slip by Bill James as it is against every theory he wrote.

Looking back at his Anaheim days, I recall watching many Angles games and seeing Lackey constantly throw pity parties or mini-hissy fits when his teammates made the slightest mistake behind him. Problem was that when a teammate made a play to save his fat behind, Lackey showed zero appreciation making clubhouse issues almost unavoidable. Continue reading ‘Yankees Drama Ain’t Got Nothing On In Beantown’ »

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New York Yankees: You Snooze You Lose

Posted by on 8 August 2011, 1:56 am

On Monday morning, in the bottom of the 10th inning the New York Yankees lost the rubber game 3-2 to the Boston Red Sox in Fenway Park.

This game went four and a half hours, which is not surprising considering the match-up but tonight’s game was painfully long and no fault of the Yankees.

Even if the Yankees had won, it is no excuse that Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett took almost a minute and sometimes more between pitches.

ESPN Sunday Night Baseball’s Booby Valentine pointed out this fact to anyone who was still awake watching the broadcast.

The Official Rules on MLB.com state the following on this issue:

When the bases are unoccupied, the pitcher shall deliver the ball to the batter within 12 seconds after he receives the ball. Each time the pitcher delays the game by violating this rule, the umpire shall call Ball. The 12-second timing starts when the pitcher is in possession of the ball and the batter is in the box, alert to the pitcher. The timing stops when the pitcher releases the ball.

The intent of this rule is to avoid unnecessary delays. The umpire shall insist that the catcher return the ball promptly to the pitcher, and that the pitcher take his position on the rubber promptly. Obvious delay by the pitcher should instantly be penalized by the umpire.

The ending line ‘Obvious delay by the pitcher should instantly be penalized by the umpire’ was certainly not applied; and the umpire did not warn Beckett or Red Sox Skipper Terry Francona to speed it up.

My complaint has nothing to do with the fact the Yankees lost, because the Red Sox beat them in the end. The problem is the ending happened way too late and that is why the rule was implemented.

Look any diehard baseball fan appreciates how the Red Sox and Yankees grind it out when they play each other, but usually the delays are mutually both teams’ faults.

Tonight, Beckett was so sluggish it was excruciating to watch and according to MLB officials it was unfair too.

On a personal note, I finally got my mother to watch a game on my never-ending quest to convert her dislike for baseball. Well, thanks to Beckett any progress made over the last decade got squashed as she was bored and in the second inning was asking, “How many innings left?”

Otherwise, the Yankee players can spend all-day Monday stewing about why they couldn’t hold off the Red Sox, again.

In one sense it sure does keep a team humble and that is putting it politely.

The fact that the Yankees can beat any team in baseball except Boston is just plain unacceptable.

The bottom line for the Yankees is they better figure out the problem before they head back to Fenway again on August 30th, as nothing pisses off New York fans more than losing to Boston.

To sum it up….this game was too long to lose.

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Weekend Series To Watch: New York Yankees Vs. Boston Red Sox

Posted by on 5 August 2011, 6:34 pm

The New York Yankees are in Boston to play a three game set against the Red Sox.

Everyone realizes the significance of this series for the Yankees, who are an embarrassing 1-8 against their torrid rivals so far this season.

The Yankees have nine games vs. Boston left to play in 2011, and the first three start tonight in Fenway Park.

Also, the Yankees have won their last seven-games and are hoping to extend that winning streak this weekend.

Both teams are now tied for first place in the AL East, but by Monday morning that will no longer be the case.

Here are the pitching match-ups for this weekend series:

Friday 08/05 – RHP Bartolo Colon (8-6, 3.50 ERA) vs. LHP Jon Lester (11-4, 3.17 ERA)
 
Saturday 08/06 – LHP CC Sabathia (16-5, 2.55 ERA) vs. RHP John Lackey (9-8, 6.23 ERA)
 
Sunday 08/07 – RHP Freddy Garcia (10-7, 3.22 ERA) vs. RHP Josh Beckett (9-4, 2.17 ERA)

These two teams match-up well, but predicting the outcome is almost impossible when you are a Yankee fan like myself.

All I can say is…

“The Bronx Bombers brought their BROOMS on this road trip and hopefully they did not leave them in Chicago.” – Kate of Lady Loves Pinstripes

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New York Yankees: Can CC Sabathia Beat Josh Beckett? Please.

Posted by on 9 June 2011, 4:31 am

Returning home is supposed to be a good thing, right?

At least I thought so, especially when your home is called Yankee Stadium.

Well, someone might want to send that memo to Yankees skipper Joe Girardi so he can inform his players.

Preferably before Thursday night, as the Boston Red Sox will be looking to sweep the Yankees after winning the first two games 6-4 an 11-5 respectively.

One thing is for sure; the Red Sox certainly look right at home in the Bronx, as they have a 7-1 record against New York so far in 2011 and have own five in row as the visitors.

NYY CC Sabathia (8-1, 2.80 ERA) vs. BOS Josh Beckett (5-0, 2.01 ERA)

The two aces, CC Sabathia and Josh Becket will take the hill in the closing game Thursday night.

Beckett is back to his winning ways this season, as the Yankees and Sabathia have fallen victim the two times they have faced him.

How bad was the thrashing Beckett gave the Yankees in just two starts?

Well, he posts a 1.92 ERA, allowing zero runs to score, while striking out 19, issuing just three walks, six hits, and has pitched over 14 innings. Basically, the definition of a Boston fan’s wet dream and Beckett did it twice.

Career-wise, Sabathia is an overall better pitcher than Beckett but this season the Yankees seem to cave at the sight of the Red Sox.

Scary to think that the team has the most RBIs and home-runs in all of baseball but can’t muster up enough power to beat Tim Wakefield. To me, the above translates into Sabathia having to be perfect.

Look, we know this is why Sabathia is the team’s ace, but without any run support against this Red Sox line-up, the Yankees will not be putting one on the left side Thursday night. This is almost a guarantee if the Yankees continue to play like this, even with the dominating Sabathia on the mound.

MY PREDICTION:

The Red Sox sweep the Yankees, winning this game 6-2.

As much as I want to choose the Yankees to win this game, the confidence is not there and why should it be?

I do not think Boston is a superior team overall, but against the Yankees they certainly look like it.

No matter if there were actually two Big Papi jerseys buried under the new Stadium, the Yankees look of panic against the Red Sox is very unnerving to watch.

I don’t care what the Yankees reason is because whatever damage is already done. So the time is now, and I mean Thursday night now, to finally cease this Boston bullshit.

A team cannot behave in this manner in front of their own fans, in their own home, against their biggest rivals. It is unacceptable and pathetic from a Yankees team this talented.

Please know that I have no problem with the Yankees proving me wrong here, while getting back into a first place tie with a win, but right now the odds are not in favor of that happening.

“Every hitter likes fastballs, just like everybody likes ice cream.  But you don’t like it when someone’s stuffing it into you by the gallon.  That’s what it feels like when Nolan Ryan’s thrown balls by you.” ~Reggie Jackson

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New York Yankees: Let The Media Manslaughter Begin

Posted by on 14 May 2011, 5:23 am

The New York Yankees lost again last night, this time it was to their bitter rival Boston Red Sox with a score of 5-4.

In addition the Yankees are no longer in first place in the AL East, a place they have sat the entire season up until now but the Rays are now two games ahead in the standings.

Are the Yankees slumping?

When a team is not winning as much as they are losing then yes that would be considered slumping; which is the current state of the Yankees who have lost seven of their last 10 games.

This happens to every team at one point in the season, if not two or three. The Yankees are not a total wreck, as they are just not connecting on all fronts but they are not terrible just yet.

Still, no one throws the Yankees a bone; specifically the media that continue to support the Twins and Rangers with a bevy of excuses and reasons that things will get better.

Here are the Yankees headlines:

Yankees Are Scary Bad These Days

By Wallace Matthews ESPN New York

Vulnerability Shows in a Longtime Rivalry

By Dave Caldwell New York Times Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Let The Media Manslaughter Begin’ »

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