The Red Sox and Indians enjoyed another day off from playing games but spent Wednesday getting in some workouts. The biggest news to come out of Boston is that Bobby Kielty will probably start in right field in Game 1 instead of J.D. Drew. The reason is that Kielty has great numbers against C.C. Sabathia. He is 9 for 29 (.310) with 4 doubles, 2 home runs and 7 RBIs. Kielty is hitless in 9 postseason at-bats. No word yet on the roster for the ALCS but I am sure that will be announced today or tomorrow and when it is, I’ll be sure to pass it along. It’s been boring without baseball but at least the NLCS starts tonight. Predictions to come later. So to keep you busy while you await our picks, let’s take a look at the headlines from the Boston and Cleveland area media on this dreary Soxtober morning.

Varitek stays productive at and behind plate [Boston Globe]

Time to shine [The Plain Dealer]

A closer inspection [Boston Herald]

Wedge sticks to rotation [Akron Beacon Journal]

Manny On A Power Drive [Hartford Courant]

Dice-K ‘comfortable’ taking Jacobs Field mound [Pro Jo]

Kielty is expecting to see Sabathia [Boston Globe]

Wedge has grown [The Plain Dealer]

Mirror images [Boston Herald]

With Wakefield, It’s Working Out [Hartford Courant]

Hard to beat Pedroia as a ball player, but he’s an easy out playing cribbage [Pro Jo]

For more headlines and stories, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, Hartford Courant, Providence Journal, The Plain Dealer and Akron Beacon Journal websites.

Tim Wakefield is on target to pitch Game 4 in the ALCS for the Red Sox.

Indians catcher Kelly Shoppach is surprised there’s a lot of doubters out there about Paul Byrd.

Orlando Hudson hopes to return to the Diamondbacks if they make the World Series.

Rookie SS Troy Tulowitzki is a leader on the field for the Rockies.

NLCS Game 1 Thurs., Oct. 11 TBS, 8:30 PM at Chase Field

Jeff Francis vs Brandon Webb

NLCS Game 2 Fri., Oct. 12 TBS, 10:00 PM at Chase Field

Ubaldo Jimenez vs Doug Davis

NLCS Game 3 Sun., Oct. 14 TBS, 8:30 PM at Coors Field

Livan Hernandez vs Josh Fogg

NLCS Game 4 Mon., Oct. 15 TBS, 10:00 PM at Coors Field

Micah Owings vs Franklin Morales

NLCS Game 5 Wed., Oct. 17 TBS, 8:30 PM* at Coors Field

Brandon Webb vs TBA

NLCS Game 6 Fri., Oct. 19 TBS, 8:30 PM* at Chase Field

TBA vs Doug Davis

NLCS Game 7 Sat., Oct. 20 TBS, TBA* at Chase Field

TBA vs Livan Hernandez

*If necessary

Pitching matchups subject to change

Tune in tonight as Bloggers Anthony of the Oriole Post and Jason of My Baseball Bias join me for our hour long baseball show called, “The Hits Keep Coming” on Blog Talk Radio and on MVN Radio. Every week at 7PM Eastern Time (6PM Central/ 5PM Mountain/ 4PM Western/Pacific) we chat, analyze and comment about the world of Major League Baseball.

This week it’s the PLAYOFF EDITION as we tell you all you need to know about the ALCS and NLCS.

If you’d like to call in, the phone number is 718-664-6564 or you can send us an instant message if you use AOL IM at hitskeepcoming20.

Please join us at either: http://blogtalkradio.com/oriolepost or http://mvn.com/radio/ – 7PM Eastern Time tonight!

Topics to be discussed this evening:

• Preview the NLCS and ALCS Match-ups
• Joe Torre: Should he be fired? Who replaces him if he is?
• Where do Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada sign if Torre isn’t back? Does Andy Pettitte exercise his option.
• Tony LaRussa: Should he stay in St. Louis or move on?
• AROD: Rumor is he will opt out of his contract. Who will want him and where does he end up?

You can listen to last week’s show by going over to the sidebar on the right and looking for the Blog Talk Radio section.

See you all tonight!!!

vs

Here is a look at what happened between the Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians in 2007 as written here on SOX & Dawgs by Steve and myself.

May 28, 2007 Red Sox 5 Indians 3: On an emotional night at Fenway Park for Trot Nixon, Curt Schilling and the Red Sox got the better of Nixon’s Indians as the Sox defeated them by the score of 5-3. It was Nixon’s first game in Boston since leaving as a free agent in the off-season. The Red Sox decided not to re-sign him when they got J.D. Drew.

May 29, 2007 Red Sox 4 Indians 2: Josh Beckett looked like he hadn’t missed any time with the injury and Kevin Youkilis’ red-hot bat helped the Red Sox beat the Indians for the second straight game by the final score of 4-2. These two games have been great so far with the two best teams in the American League facing off. But it was Beckett who took the stage tonight. Beckett came out throwing gas and struck out Sizemore to start the game. Jhonny Peralta, who would be the only batter to reach base off Beckett until the 7th, singled to right. The intimidating Travis Hafner came to the plate and hit a fly ball off the end of the bat to Coco Crisp in center. For some dumb reason, Peralta was at 2nd base when the ball was caught and Crisp threw to Kevin Youkilis to double him off to end the inning. He also used his breaking balls showing everyone there’s nothing wrong with that finger.

May 30, 2007 Indians 8 Red Sox 4: On a night when Daisuke Matsuzaka had far from his good stuff, he struggled into the 6th inning, giving up six runs and 12 hits to a potent Cleveland line up as the Sox ended up losing to the Tribe 8-4.

Matsuzaka was chased with two out in the fifth when Grady Sizemore drilled a two run home run into the Indians bullpen to bring home the 3rd and 4th runs of the inning for the Erie Warriors.

July 23, 2007 Red Sox 6 Indians 2: With the watchful eyes of his parents and all of Red Sox Nation on him, Jon Lester made a triumphant return to the big leagues on Monday night as he went six innings in a 6-2 win over Cleveland. Lester had last pitched for the Red Sox on August 23, 2006, a game in which he got the victory. Lester wasn’t perfect tonight but he didn’t have to be as his teammates got him a lead right off the bat. The top four in the Sox lineup led the way with 12 of the 14 hits, with Coco getting 4 hits against his former team in his return to the Jake.

July 24, 2007 Red Sox 1 Indians 0: Daisuke Matsuzaka with some help from Hideki Okajima and Jonathan Papelbon shut out the Cleveland Indians 1-0 at Jacobs Field in game two of a four game series. Matsuzaka would go seven shut out innings yielding 4 hits, 3 walks and would strike out 5 he also hit a batter. Then Okajima and Papelbon would kick the door closed in the 8th and 9th as the Sox would go onto their 61st win of the year.The Sox would get the only run they would need in the fourth inning.

July 25, 2007 Indians 1 Red Sox 0: If you’re a fan of pitchers duels, then this Red Sox/Indians series is what you are looking for. One night after Dice-K and the Red Sox beat the Indians 1-0, Fausto Carmona and the Indians returned the favor. Carmona was spectacular as his changeup was just downright nasty. He went 8 innings, giving up 4 hits, 2 walks and struck out 6. Josh Beckett wasn’t so bad himself either. He pitched a complete game, giving up 4 hits, 1 run, and struck out 7. Joe Borowski worked the 9th for his 29th save.

July 26, 2007 Red Sox 14 Indians 9: If you tuned into tonight’s game to watch a pitcher’s duel for the third straight night, you caught quite the opposite. The Red Sox pounded out 17 hits and 14 runs as they beat the Indians 14-9. Wily Mo Peña led the way with 4 hits and 4 RBI, including a laser beam 3 run homer. Manny Ramirez chipped in with 3 hits, including 2 homers and 4 RBI as well while Mike Lowell added 3 hits and 2 RBI.

The Red Sox have set their pitching rotation and now the brain trust will meet today to discuss the roster. Rumblings are that Kevin Cash will be left off the roster to add another pitcher, Tim Wakefield. If Wake feels fine after throwing a simulated game yesterday, he will be your Game 4 starter in Cleveland. There is still two more days off before the first pitch on Friday night so while we wait, let’s take a look at the headlines and happenings from the Boston and Cleveland area on this rainy, cool Soxtober morning.

Taking an overview [Boston Globe]

A welcome break [The Plain Dealer]

Pedroia is cool, calm after ALDS [Boston Herald]

Sox should be even tougher [Akron Beacon Journal]

Picture These First Two Acts [Hartford Courant]

Once upon a time, Indians were the Sox’ most feared foe [Pro Jo]

More than one factor in pitching change [Boston Globe]

Wedge touched by Torre gesture [The Plain Dealer]

Source: Kielty may start Game 1 [Boston Herald]

Better relax, Tribe fans, Borowski is your closer [Akron Beacon Journal]

Torre Has Red Sox Behind Him [Hartford Courant]

Everybody loves Manny these days [Pro Jo]

For more headlines and stories, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, Hartford Courant, Providence Journal, The Plain Dealer and Akron Beacon Journal websites.

Curt Schilling gets the nod for the Red Sox in Game 2.

The Cleveland Indians are built for long-term success.

Diamondbacks skipper Bob Melvin will only reveal his Game 1 starter, Brandon Webb.

Rockies utility-man Jamey Carroll is prepared for the NLCS.

What’s worse? Suzyn Waldman crying on the air during the Yankees post game show last night or knowing that Glenn Geffner will be in the booth for the ACLS and, if they make it, the World Series because Dave O’Brien will doing the games for MLB International?

This comes from the October 3rd edition of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette article by Bill Doyle:

(Dave) O’Brien and Joe Castiglione will call the Sox-Angels on radio, with Glenn Geffner helping out in the pregame and postgame shows. Geffner will join Castiglione in the booth if the Sox reach the ALCS or the World Series, because O’Brien will work those games for MLB International.

I really hope Scott’s Shots is right and this crap is ending next year and we get O’Brien on a regular basis. This year it’s been more like O’Brien filling for Geffner instead of the other way around.

 

The smarts and athleticism of Adalius Thomas continues to show each week.  This past week it as how quickly he read the play and the coverage needed as he broke to cover Joe Jurevicious, Thomas ended up tipping the pass that was intercepted by Asante Samuel. 

Watch for the matchup in Sunday’s game against the Cowboys between Patriots CB Asante Samuel and Cowboys WR Terrell Owens.  It could be one of the best one-on-one battles in the league during the year and should go a long way in determining the outcome of the game between the two 5-0 teams.  The game against Dallas is sure to be New England’s biggest test of the season after having beaten opponents by at least 17 points and have scored 38 points three times and 34 points twice.  The Cowboys prior to Monday’s night’s comeback 25-24 win at Buffalo had scored at least 34 points the four previous games. 

According to ESPN matchups featuring at least 5-0 teams are pretty rare.  The last one was in 2004 between the Jets and Patriots.  Before that you have to go all the way back to 1973 for the Vikings and the Rams who were both 6-0 at the time.

Troy Brown who suffered a knee injury in the AFC Championship game last January hopes to be able to return this season once he is eligible to come off the Physcially Unable to Perform list anytime after Week 6 and before Week 9.  If he doesn’t come off the list he will be placed on the season ending Injured Reserve list.  Richard Seymour, Chad Jackson and Eddie Jackson are also on the PUP list.

Ellis Hobbs was seen sporting a Red Sox road gray jersey and Boston pinstriped hat in the locker room the other day.  He will be wearing a different jersey come this weeks meetings when he has to wear a red Texas Tech #5  jersey.  That’s because Hobbs Iowa State Cyclones lost to Sammy Morris’s Red Raiders.  Richard Seymour and Benjamin Watson will also be sporting some new gear, Tennesee windbreakers, courtesy of Donte Stallworth who’s Volunteers beat the Seymour’s and Watson’s Georgia Bulldogs.

The Patriots signed center Pat Ross and cornerback Tim Mixon to the practice squad.  Defensive lineman Zach West was released from the practice squad.  Ross, played at Boston College and replaced Patriots center Dan Koppen when he graduated.  Last season he was on the Seattle Seahawks practice squad.  Mixon, played his college ball at Cal and was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in May.   He was released by Chicago and signed with Cleveland on September 4th.  He was released by the Browns 10-days later. 

Russ Hochstein filled in for center Dan Koppen this week and played well in his place.  The versatile veteran lineman made his third start in a row but his first at center since 2005.  He previously filled in for Stephen Neal at right guard. 

“I’ve played a lot of the interior three positions and I feel comfortable going from one to the other, the adjustments are mental,” said Hochstein, who received time at center in the preseason. “It’s different from position to position. Physically, I feel comfortable and I enjoy playing both guard and center, and I have a lot of fun with that. I’ve been doing it for a while. It’s not a huge deal for me.”

Hochstein gives a lot of the credit to Patriots assistant head coach/offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia for preparing him for all three line positions. 

The pitching matchups for the 2007 ALCS between the Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians are tentatively set. Josh Beckett gets Game 1 for the Sox, Curt Schilling gets Game 2, and Daisuke Matsuzaka gets Game 3. Tim Wakefield is still being evaluated but is currently penciled in as the Game 4 starter.  The Indians will go with C.C. Sabathia in Game 1, Fausto Carmona in Game 2, and Jake Westbrook in Game 3. No word whether or not Paul Byrd will start Game 4. I will update once the rotations and rosters are announced.

1. C.C. Sabathia vs Josh Beckett, 7:10 PM at Fenway Park
2. Fausto Carmona vs Curt Schilling, 8:21 PM at Fenway Park
3. Daisuke Matsuzaka vs Jake Westbrook, 7:10 PM at Jacobs Field
4. TBA (Tim Wakefield) vs TBA (Paul Byrd), 8:21 PM at Jacobs Field
5. Josh Beckett vs  C.C. Sabathia , 8:21 PM at Jacobs Field*
6. Fausto Carmona vs Curt Schilling, TBA at Fenway Park*
7. Jake Westbrook vs Daisuke Matsuzaka, TBA at Fenway Park*

*if necessary