Red Sox News & Notes – 8/27

 

It was record breaking weekend for the Boston Red Sox this weekend as they put up at least 10 runs in every game for the first time since 1950. They also scored 46 runs while giving up just a measly 7. Julian “Freddy Krueger” Tavarez pitched well in another spot-start as he shutdown the White Sox with his sinker. Bobby Kielty gave Manny the day off and put up Manny-type numbers in the game. He has been such an improvement over Wily Mo Peña that I really think Theo will sign him for 2008. While the Red Sox are resting today, let’s take a look at the headlines and happenings from the Boston area and Chicago media on this less humid morning along the shores of Connecticut.

Clean sweep [Boston Globe]

No end to their misadventures [Chicago Tribune]

Four Doubles [Hartford Courant]

Sox’ futility a four-gone conclusion [Chicago Sun-Times]

Sweeping beauty: Bats wake up on way to Bronx [Boston Herald]

The hit parade continues [Pro Jo]

Yawn patrol looms vs. Devil Rays [Chicago Tribune]

Kielty doesn’t sidestep chance [Boston Globe]

Fields moved to left field [Chicago Sun-Times]

Layoff Doesn’t Bother Tavarez [Hartford Courant]

Drew digs the long ball: Happy to end drought [Boston Herald]

Boston’s sweep is one for the ages [Pro Jo]

Knocking at death’s door with no answers [Chicago Tribune]

1st pitch has been a charm in Papi’s home run surge [Boston Herald]

Sox are New England’s Crimson Tide [Pro Jo]

For more headlines and stories, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, Hartford Courant, Providence Journal, Chicago Tribune, and Chicago Sun-Times websites

Monday Jog Around the AL & NL East

Manny Ramirez got the day off on Sunday for the Red Sox before Tuesday’s showdown in the Bronx.

Both Andruw and Chipper Jones got some much needed rest on Sunday for the Braves.

Yankees SS Derek Jeter got the day off on Sunday to rest his sore right knee.

Marlins INF Aaron Boone is about to have season-ending knee surgery.

Blue Jays OF Alex Rios has had a home run slump since the All-Star Game.

Even with deadarm, Mets closer Billy Wagner says he can pitch.

Devil Rays OF Jonny Gomes hit a monstrous homer on Saturday night.

Nationals backup catcher Jesus Flores will be getting a lot of action behind the plate in fall and winter ball.

Oriole skipper Dave Trembley tried shaking things up with his lineup on Sunday.

Chase Utley will be back in the Phillies lineup on Monday.

Wealthy Russian Tries To Buy B-52 Bomber

B-52 Bomber

Some U.S. pilots got a strange offer while they were at the 2007 MAKS air show in Russia this past week.

A wealthy Russia businessman asked the pilots if the B-52 bomber they flew to the show was for sale. The pilots responded by telling the pilots the plane was not for sale but if it was, it would cost around $500 million US dollars. The nouveau riche Russian businessman responded by saying “That is no problem. It is such a cool machine.”

I’d have to assume this guy has an airport at his disposal and a hangar to keep that plane at had his efforts been successful to purchase the plane. Plus I am sure that was the last thing the pilots expected was an offer from someone to buy the plane.

E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E ‘S Only Lead To Two Runs

The Syracuse SkyChiefs, the Toronto Blue Jays Triple A farm team, looked like Kelly Leak and the Bad News Bears on Sunday John Hattig probably throwing one awaycommitting 10 errors in a 12-10 loss to the Ottawa Lynx in 10 innings.

It was the most errors in the International League since Rochester made 10 on May 11, 1964.

“We’re embarrassed. Our players are embarrassed. There’s nothing you can say after a game like this,” Syracuse manager Doug Davis said.

First baseman Chad Mottola, committed four errors, two on throws. Former Red Sox farm hand John Hattig had three errors at third base, left fielder Adam Lind, center fielder Wayne Lydon and catcher David Corrente each committed one error apiece. Mottola, Hattig and Lind all have limited major league experience.

The ten errors miraculously only led to two unearned runs.

Who’s up for some early infield?

Does Freddy Krueger Pitch For the Red Sox?

We all know that Julian Tavarez has a nickname of “Yo-Yo” and has had his looks compared to those of A Nightmare on Elm Street’s Freddy Krueger. If there was ever pure photographic evidence about this, this picture from Sunday’s game against the White Sox confirms it.

Freddy Krueger Aka Julian Tavarez - Getty

And now for comparison.

Freddy Krueger

You decide.

Red Sox Blow Thru The Windy City With 4-Game Sweep

The broom for the White Sox - Getty

Julian “Yo-Yo” Tavarez was excellent again in his second straight spot-start and the Red Sox hit 3 homers in an 11-1 rout of the Chicago White Sox. The win gave them a 4-game sweep of the White Sox and increased their lead in the AL East to 7.5 games as the Skanks lost to Detroit. Tavarez went 6 innings while allowing just 2 hits and 1 run. J.D. Drew, David Ortiz, and Bobby Kielty all hit home runs today. This was also the fourth straight game the Red Sox scored at least 10 runs. The last time that happened was way back in 1950.

He finally hit a homer/APThe Red Sox got on the scoreboard in the 2nd inning off White Sox starter Javier Vazquez. Mike Lowell led off the inning with a fly out to right. J.D. Drew, playing for the first time in 2 games, took a Vazquez offering over the fence in center for a home run. Vazquez finished off the inning by retiring Kevin Youkilis and Jason Varitek on fly balls to right.

Chicago managed to get the run back in their half of the 2nd. Yo-Yo got A.J. Pierzynski to strikeout swinging leading off. Jermaine Dye took a hanger from Yo-Yo and put it over the fence in right-center to tie the game at 1. Like his counterpart Vazquez, Yo-Yo got out of the inning by getting Juan Uribe and Danny Richar on a line drive out and a fly ball respectively.

Both starting pitchers were cruising at this point. Vazquez got thru the 3rd inning by setting the side down in order and issued two walks in the 4th but got out of the inning unscathed. Yo-Yo went thru the 3rd inning perfectly as well and issued a walk to Pierzynski in the 4th that didn’t do any damage.

Another Papi Blast/GettyThe visiting nine from Boston struck gold in the 5th inning. With one out in the inning, Bobby Kielty laid down a bunt and reached as the ball didn’t roll foul. Coco Crisp followed that with a single, putting a runner in scoring position for Lugo. Lugo ended up grounding into a fielder’s choice with Crisp out at second. With Dustin Pedroia at the plate, Lugo stole second and came around to score when Pedroia delivered a 2-run single. Big Papi came up huge as well as he crushed a Vazquez offering into the seats for a 2-run homer and a 5-1 Red Sox lead. Vazquez finished off the inning by getting Lowell to line out.

In the 6th inning, the Red Sox did some more damage. Drew drew a walk to lead off and was stuck there for two outs as Varitek and Youk struck out. Kielty would move Drew as he hit his first Red Sox homer giving the Red Sox a 7-1 lead. Vazquez would strikeout the side in the 6th as he got Coco to strikeout for the third out.

Yo-Yo finally gave up his second and final hit of the day in the White Sox half of the 6th. Josh Fields hit a 1-out single but was left stranded there as Yo-Yo got Jim Thome and Paul Konerko to end his day. Yo-Yo went 6 innings, allowing just the 2 hits, 1 run, 3 walks and he struck out 7. Vazquez also had a good day with the strikeouts as he struck out 10 Red Sox batters.

 

The game was turned over to the bullpens in the 7th and as usual, the Red Sox bullpen was better. The Sox bullpen pitched 3 innings, allowing 1 hit and striking out 5. The White Sox bullpen on the other hand, threw 3 innings, allowing 3 hits and 4 runs while striking out 1.

The Sox got those 4 runs in the 9th inning off of Ryan Bukvich and Mike Myers. Varitek led off with a single and Kielty reached on a Bukvich error. Myers came in and got Coco to hit into a fielder’s choice with Kielty out at second. Lugo followed that with a single bringing in Varitek from third. Pedroia then lined out to Richar at second for the second out. Had Richar not slipped, they probably would have gotten Lugo creeping off second base. Big Papi then hit a ball to Josh Fields in left that Fields misplayed into a 2-base 2-run error for a 10-1 Red Sox lead. Lowell extended his hitting streak to 9 games he hit a single to left that scored Big Papi for the final run of the day.

Texy's BBF Papelbon - APJonathan Papelbon pitched the 9th and made easy work of the White Sox as he struck out the side.

The Red Sox now head to New York for a 3-game set against the Yankees starting on Tuesday. So while the Red Sox are enjoying the off day tomorrow, the Yanks will be finishing up their 4-game series in Detroit. Some strong pitching matchups are forthcoming in the Bronx.

  • Tues: Daisuke Matsuzaka, RHP (13-10, 3.76) vs Andy Pettitte (LHP) (11-7, 3.69)
  • Wed: Josh Beckett, RHP (16-5, 3.21) vs Roger Clemens (RHP) (5-5, 4.34)
  • Thu: Curt Schilling, RHP (8-5,4.11) vs Chien-Ming Wang (RHP)(15-6, 3.95)

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‘Stros Retire Bagwell’s Number

Jeff Bagwell CT Native UHart GradBefore the Houston Astros game against the Pittsburgh Pirates this afternoon Jeff Bagwell had his number 5 retired at Minute Maid Park.

Bagwell, born in Boston and raised in Killingworth CT, played 15 years with Astros hitting .297 with 449 HRs. He was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 4th round in 1989 out of the University of Hartford and made his major league debut in 1991 with Houston.

Bagwell is part of Red Sox lore in that he was traded in 1990 for relief pitcher Larry Anderson who the Sox needed for a late season playoff push. Anderson never played for Boston beyond the end of the 1990 season while Bagwell went on to be the 1991 National League Rookie of the Year.

Bagwell, a four-time all-star, was also the 1994 NL MVP when he hit a career high .368 (second to Tony Gwynn’s .394) with 39 HRs and a 116 RBI in only 110 games. He nearly won a second MVP in 1999 when he finished second to Atlanta’s Chipper Jones. He also finished 3rd in 1997.

Bagwell becomes the eighth Astro player to have his number retired joining Nolan Ryan, Mike Scott, Jim Wynn, Larry Dierker, Jose Cruz, Don Wilson and Jim Umbricht.

Great Day For Fenway Sports Group

 

Carl EdwardsWell by now you know the Red Sox absolutely mauled the White Sox, 14-2 and that Tim Wakefield has 16 wins and has thrown 22 straight shut out innings. But the Fenway Sports Group, part of Rousch Fenway Racing, added another feather in their cap when Carl Edwards won the NASCAR Nextel Cup Sharpie 500 race in Bristol TN last night.

The win clinched Edwards a spot in the Top 12 in the Chase for the Nextel Cup and earned him 10 bonus points. Edwards made The Chase in 2005 and finished third, he failed to make the field last season.

The Chase which begins with the September 16th race at Loudon NH will be seeded based on bonus points and with 20 bonus points Edwards is currently tied for third with Kurt Busch in the seedings.

Red Sox News & Notes – 8/26

This is what Ozzie was thinking about on Saturday

Josh Beckett's thoughts on the White Sox performance on SaturdayAnother game, another outburst of scoring by the Red Sox. This time it was 14 runs put up on the US Cellular scoreboard as the Red Sox battered around the Devil Rays White Sox bullpen on Saturday for 10 runs. In the process of putting up those 14 runs, the Red Sox didn’t have a homer in the game and only had 4 extra base hits in their 15 hits. Oh, did I mention Tim Wakefield pitched and dominated again. Wakefield has now pitched 22 consecutive scoreless innings, 14 of those with a catcher not named Mirabelli. So far in the 3 games on the South side of Chicago, the Red Sox have put up 35 runs while giving up only 6.

So before the Red Sox go for the 4-game sweep of the Devil Rays White Sox, let’s take a look at the headlines from the Boston area and Chicago media on this sticky Sunday morning on the shores of Connecticut.

Another burly effort [Boston Globe]

How low can Sox go? [Chicago Tribune]

Showing no mercy [Boston Herald]

Sox Enjoy Another August Push [Hartford Courant]

Sox offense still fresh in Chicago [Pro Jo]

Lowell up and running [Boston Globe]

White Sox rotation undergoes alteration [Chicago Tribune]

Chicago is remedy to Youk’s ailing bat [Boston Herald]

Kielty A Welcome Addition [Hartford Courant]

Wake is nearing his high for wins [Pro Jo]

Young trade haunting Sox [Chicago Tribune]

Lowell shedding his fading label [Boston Herald]

Yanks series matchups set [Boston Globe]

For more headlines and stories, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, Hartford Courant, Providence Journal, Chicago Tribune, and Chicago Sun-Times websites.