Red Sox Eyes On The AL East Prize? Boston 9 Baltimore 3
I know, I know, the title suggests premature thinking. The Boston Red Sox completed their three game sweep of the orange and black Baltimore Orioles with another resounding THUMPING, this time by a score of 9-3. THE SOX ARE HOT and are only four games behind the Bronx pinstripers in the loss column and eight games ahead of the Texas Rangers in the AL Wild Card race. Remember, the Sox and the Yanks spend this coming weekend together in "brotherly love" for three contests. Who knows what the future will bring? I sure don't.
Yesterday, Daisuke Matsuzaka took the hill for the team from Boston and again proved he's ready for anyone with a piece of lumber in his hands. He went 5 1/3 innings and surrendered eight hits while giving up three runs, walking only one and snuffing out five. Not bad, Mr. Matsuzaka. The Boston bullpen goose egged the Birdies from there with Ramirez, Okie and Saito collectively giving the wingless and grounded Birds only one harmless hit. The Orioles continue to be hapless and helpless while the Boston pitching solidifies into one irresistible and unbeatable mass. Here's the Red Sox skipper, Terry "Tito" Francona...
“It’s amazing how when the pitching is consistent,” said manager Terry Francona, “everything else has a way of working. Even when the bats aren’t alive on one night, your pitching still gives you a chance. Your bullpen’s not overworked - things like that. It gives you a chance every night to be a good team.”
And birthday boy Jason Bay, what say you??
“We live and die with those starters,” left fielder Jason Bay said. “It’s not meant as an excuse or a copout by the offense - I think any team will tell you the same. No matter who we’ve been running out there lately, we’ve been getting unbelievable starting pitching.”
Any way you look at it, my Constant Readers, the Boston Red Sox are the hottest team in baseball. They will continue their 2009 season in Kansas City tonight. Here are the all-important pitching matchups for the four game series which is followed by three games in the Bronx battlefield known as the "new" Yankee Stadium. Bah, humbug...
9/21/2009 at KC 8:10 PM ET NESN Wakefield (11-4) vs. DiNardo (0-1)
9/22/2009 at KC 8:10 PM ET NESN Byrd (1-1) vs. Greinke (14-8)
9/23/2009 at KC 8:10 PM ET NESN Beckett (15-6) vs. Hochevar (7-10)
9/24/2009 at KC 8:10 PM ET NESN Buchholz (6-3) vs. Hughes (0-1)
That's a wrap for yet another mid to late September Monday. Our team has been playing great and the only kink, the weak link, is Paul Byrd. HE WILL NOT BE NEEDED IN THE POSTSEASON, a soon-to-be fun time in October. I'll be there all the way, writing every single morning. Count on it.
Click on this post's title for more Sox happenings and as always, BE WELL. I want to give a shout out to Gary...he knows who he is. Thanks, Gary! Happy New Year to you and yours, too.
See you soon. If you'd like to leave a comment that will be replied to, well, I'm waiting! Bye.
posted by Peter N @ 5:12 AM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Well, that sucked. Their bullpen was fantastic; ours, was craptastic. Sure our starting pitcher gave up 5 runs, but it took that one-legged old man 5 innings to do it! It only took our top-of-the-league healthy relievers 1 inning to give up six runs. That steaming pile was not fun to watch.
Well, if was my attendance that brought bad luck, I'm not going to honor my tickets tomorrow night because of a death in the family, so maybe that will bring them luck with Byrd.
And let me tell you something, I cheered and said hi to all of our pitchers as they walked about 10 feet away by me - Paul Byrd was the only one to even look at us fans, standing in the rain to see them and offer support and encouragement. Paul not only looked at us, he smiled and waved. He's so happy to be on the team and he's having fun. I know he more than likely won't be on the post season roster (although there's a couple of places I think should be available in the bullpen), but he's got a special place in my lineup.
Keep me up to date like you always do and I'll try to check in from Texas.
Sorry this is so long; just trying to unwind from the 3 hour drive home. "Must get to bed now", he said in a zombie voice. Later.
Sucked is a very kind word, BFW. I'm in the middle of my Tuesday AM post and saw that you left the above comment. Craptastic is a great adjective...I can think of a few hundred others. Paul Byrd is a genuinely nice person and his conduct doesn't surprise me.
I'm so sorry for your family loss and I hope your trip will be a safe one. If I had to choose a "number one reader/commenter," hands down it would be you. BE SAFE.
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