Monday, May 30th @ 7:10 PM
Jake Peavy, RHP (1-0, 3.00) vs Jon Lester, LHP (7-1, 3.36)
TV: NESN, MLB Network, MLB.tv
Radio: Red Sox Radio Network, MLB Gameday Audio
Tuesday, May 31st @ 7:10 PM
Gavin Floyd, RHP (5-5, 3.69) vs Alfredo Aceves, RHP (2-0, 2.22)
TV: NESN, MLB.tv
Radio: Red Sox Radio Network, MLB Gameday Audio
Wednesday, June 1st @ 1:35 PM
Philip Humber, RHP (3-3, 2.85) vs Tim Wakefield, RHP (2-1, 4.14)
TV: NESN, MLB.tv
After taking the first game on a Big Papi home run in the 9th inning, the Boston Red Sox look to sweep the doubleheader and the series from the Detroit Tigers in the finale at Comerica Park in the Motor City.
The second game is scheduled to begin at 7:05 p.m (weather permitting) and after being blacked out due to ESPN’s exclusivity with Sunday Night Baseball, the game will air in both the Red Sox and Tigers television markets. If you live in the Red Sox television market, you can catch the game on NESN. If you live in the Tigers television market, you can watch the game on Fox Sports Detroit. And if you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to the game on the 2011 Red Sox Radio Network.
Commander Kickass Josh Beckett looks to keep the Red Sox train rolling in his 11th start of 2011. In his previous 10 starts, Beckett is 4-1 with a 1.69 ERA. He’s made one start against the Tigers this season, picking up a no decision after allowing one earned run in six innings back on 5/19 at Fenway Park. He’s made five career starts against the Tigers and is 3-1 with a 2.41 ERA. Two of those starts have come at Comerica where Beckett is 2-0 with a 0.61 ERA (1 ER/14.2 IP).
The Tigers’ ace Justin Verlander matches up with Beckett for the second this season. The last time out, he got a no decision after allowing three runs in six innings in a game eventually won by the Red Sox 4-3. Verlander has made 11 starts this season and is 4-3 with a 3.42 ERA. He’s made six career starts against the Red Sox and is 2-2 with a 3.80 ERA.
Click on the read more button below to see today’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links from the day if you’re on the home page.
Here are tonight’s lineups:
 30-22 |
 25-26 |
||
| 1. Jacoby Ellsbury | CF | 1. Austin Jackson | CF |
| 2. Dustin Pedroia | 2B | 2. Andy Dirks | LF |
| 3. Adrian Gonzalez | 1B | 3. Brennan Boesch | RF |
| 4. Kevin Youkilis | 3B | 4. Miguel Cabrera | 1B |
| 5. David Ortiz | DH | 5. Victor Martinez | DH |
| 6. Carl Crawford | LF | 6. Don Kelly | 3B |
| 7. Drew Sutton |
SS | 7. Alex Avila | C |
| 8. J.D. Drew |
RF | 8. Ramon Santiago | SS |
| 9. Jason Varitek | C | 9. Danny Worth | 2B |
| Josh Beckett | SP | Justin Verlander | SP |
And here is how the hitters have fared against this evening’s starting pitchers:
Check back and/or refresh often as more links will be added if/when they become available before game time.
To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click
Papi in a pinch: David Ortiz powers Red Sox to 4-3 win in opener [Clubhouse Insider]
Clay Buchholz pitched through back pain [Clubhouse Insider]
Sox squeeze past Tigers, 4-3 [CSNNE.com]
Rapid reaction: Red Sox 4, Tigers 3 [ESPN Boston]
Ortiz pinch-hit HR in 9th gives Sox win [ESPN Boston]
In a pinch, Papi wins it for Red Sox [Extra Bases]
Jenks works an inning for PawSox [Extra Bases]
Closing Time: Red Sox 4, Tigers 3 [Full Count]
David Ortiz Shares His Secrets to Yet Another Dominant May [NESN.com]
David Ortiz Surprised by Career Pinch-Hit Success, Says He’s Being Aggressive at Plate [NESN.com]
Mike Cameron Trying to Provide Spark During Increased Playing Time [NESN.com]
Matsuzaka to see Yocum Tuesday [Projo Sox Blog]
In a pinch, Ortiz delivers [Projo Sox Blog]
Buchholz pitches through pain [Projo Sox Blog]
Left forearm strain sends Morales to DL [RedSox.com]
Dice-K feeling better [RedSox.com]
Scutaro will be reexamined Monday [RedSox.com]
Big Papi comes through in a pinch in Game 1 [RedSox.com]
Photo credits: AP Photo, Reuters Pictures
David Ortiz started the first game of the doubleheader on Sunday afternoon on the Boston Red Sox bench. But with Jose Valverde on the mound for the Detroit Tigers in the 9th inning, skipper Terry Francona decided to pinch-hit with Big Papi.
After all, in his only appearance against Valverde, Big Papi had a grand slam. Well now you can make it two home runs as it was his solo shot plus a perfect bottom of the 9th from Jonathan Papelbon gave the Red Sox a 4-3 win.
Boston Red Sox NESN play by play announcer Don Orsillo could be on the move for the 2012 season. Like the players they cover, television and radio announcers have contracts as well and when they expire, they become free agents and are free to seek employment elsewhere.
According to Nick Cafardo, the national baseball writer for the Boston Globe, “industry sources indicate that TBS is making a strong run at tying up NESN’s Don Orsillo to a long-term deal.” Cafardo added in a tweet, “the TBS deal would be fulltime and not just playoffs. Would think NESN tries hard to re-sign him.”
So where is this going? Is Announcer Boy really on the way out of Boston? According to Ken Fang, of Fang’s Bites, Orsillo may have said something in a conversation with Cafardo and with TBS in Detroit this weekend Cafardo may have had a conversation with someone at the network.
This still doesn’t mean Orsillo is going.
I’ve been able to find that Orsillo signed a three-year extension with NESN in September of 2008 for the 2009, 2010 and 2011 baseball seasons. That deal as we now know is about to expire. And as Fang added “which is why TBS is making a run (at Orsillo).”
Fang, who writes about the sports media on a regular basis, says that “NESN is known for nickel and diming. Sean McDonough, Tina Cervasio, Hazel Mae are some examples. It has stepped up for Jerry Remy and Kathryn Tappen.”
With the offer being full-time at TBS one would think that this would be for the number one baseball play by play slot on their weekly Sunday afternoon game plus the prime match up in the Division Series round of playoffs and the League Championship Series as well.
Orsillo also has play by play experience in basketball which would come in handy for Turner Broadcasting as they have early rounds of the NCAA Men’s March Madness as well as regular NBA games. This would keep him fairly busy on a year round basis calling more than one baseball game a week. It would also most likely put Ernie Johnson back in the studio fulltime where I really feel Johnson is strongest.
Taking this deal at TBS would lead to Orsillo leaving the regional sports network because as Fang points out on his twitter account, “NESN wants someone to work all the games. It would not allow Don to leave on Saturdays and Sundays.”
Apparently NESN would be against a similar working agreement with Orsillo to what Red Sox radio play by play announcer Dave O’Brien has with his employer, WEEI. The Entercom outlet allows O’Brien to leave to do the Wednesday Night Baseball games for ESPN. When O’Brien is gone for that day or two, WEEI uses Dale Arnold and Jon Rish as his fill-ins.
We surely don’t know where this will go as it’s still fairly early in the process. But if we get into mid to late September and we have no announcement from NESN regarding an extension for Orsillo, I would fully expect that at that point the possibility of him leaving for TBS or another outlet would be more likely.
After a rainout on Saturday night, the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers will play a day/night doubleheader at Comerica Park in the Motor City today.
The first game is scheduled to begin at 1:05 p.m and can be seen on NESN in the Red Sox television market. If you live in the Tigers television market, you can watch the game on Fox Sports Detroit. And if you don’t live in either market, you’re in luck as well as the game will be televised on TBS. And if you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to the game on the 2011 Red Sox Radio Network.
Clay Buchholz looks for his fourth straight quality start in his 11th start of 2011. In his previous 10 starts, he is 4-3 with a 3.30 ERA. This is his second start of the season against the Tigers as he threw seven scoreless innings in receiving a no decision back on 5/18. He’s made five career starts against the Tigers and is 1-1 with a 2.23 ERA. Three of those starts have come in the Motor City where he is 1-0 with a 5.23 ERA.
Andrew Oliver gets the ball for Jim Leyland after being called up from Triple-A Toledo. In nine starts with the Mud Hens, he was 4-3 with a 3.31 ERA. This is his first appearance in the big leagues this year after making five starts last season. In those five starts in 2010, he was 0-4 with a 7.36 ERA. This will be his first career appearance and start against the Red Sox.
Click on the read more button below to see today’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links from the day if you’re on the home page.
Here are today’s lineups:
| 29-22 |
25-25 |
||
| 1. Jacoby Ellsbury | CF | 1. Austin Jackson | CF |
| 2. Dustin Pedroia | 2B | 2. Andy Dirks | LF |
| 3. Adrian Gonzalez | 1B | 3. Brennan Boesch | DH |
| 4. Kevin Youkilis | DH | 4. Miguel Cabrera | 1B |
| 5. Jed Lowrie | SS | 5. Victor Martinez | C |
| 6. Carl Crawford | LF | 6. Jhonny Peralta | SS |
| 7. Drew Sutton |
3B | 7. Don Kelly | RF |
| 8. Mike Cameron |
RF | 8. Ryan Raburn | 2B |
| 9. Jarrod Saltalamacchia | C | 9. Brandon Inge | 3B |
| Clay Buchholz | SP | Andrew Oliver | SP |
And here is how the hitters have fared against this afternoon’s starting pitchers:
Check back and/or refresh often as more links will be added if/when they become available before game time.
To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click
Zero-sum game [Boston Herald]
Pregame notes: Matsuzaka ‘feeling better daily’ [Clubhouse Insider]
Franklin Morales to DL with forearm strain; Michael Bowden called up [Clubhouse Insider]
Updated: Bard’s friend found unharmed [CSNNE.com]
Pregame notes: Sox ready for doubleheader [CSNNE.com]
Bard’s friend is found, unharmed [ESPN Boston]
Youkilis DHing first game [ESPN Boston]
Sox place Morales on DL [ESPN Boston]
Bard’s friend has been found [Extra Bases]
Pre-game notes from Detroit [Extra Bases]
April showers bring May offense [Extra Bases]
Franklin Morales to disabled list; Michael Bowden recalled by Red Sox [Extra Bases]
Sunday Night’s Non-Televised Red Sox Game Conjures Memories of Previous Sporting Events Unseen [NESN.com]
Morales to DL, Bowden recalled [Projo Sox Blog]
Starters may get a break over next 36 hours [Projo Sox Blog]
Buchholz to kick off Sunday’s twin bill vs. Tigers [RedSox.com]
Photo credits: AP Photo, Getty Images
Right now, it seems like the only thing that can stop the Boston Red Sox is Mother Nature. I must say though she did help the Red Sox out back in early April when things were going bad and they really needed a day off.
She made another appearance during the seven-game winning streak but that only slowed them down for the night. And she reared her ugly head again on Saturday night in Detroit.
With Saturday night’s postponement and the fact that the two teams don’t play each other again this season, there will be a split doubleheader. The originally scheduled game will still begin at 1:05 p.m. with the second one starting at 7:05 p.m.
Clay Buchholz and Andrew Oliver were scheduled to start the game last night and they’ll be the starters in the first game. That game will air on NESN in the Red Sox television market and TBS across the country (non-Red Sox & Tigers TV market).
Josh Beckett and Justin Verlander will now duel in the second game and you won’t be able to watch the game. The only way to listen to the game action will be on your radio or for most these days, their MLB At-Bat app.
The reason why you won’t be able to watch the game is the fact that ESPN holds the exclusive rights for Sunday Night Baseball. In this, any game that starts after 5 p.m. cannot be televised even in the local market. There have been exceptions along the way as the Texas Rangers will occasionally play a Sunday night game in the summer due to the sweltering Texas heat.
Now for those of you who were expecting me to rant about it last night or even here this morning, honestly I can tell you it’s just not worth it. Sure I was upset and fired up about it when I found out. But other than blowing off a little steam, it’s not going to solve anything.
In the end it comes down to the all mighty dollar. Sure the MLB blackout rules suck and while the rules may seem crappy to us, they aren’t going to change any time soon.
Our only voice lies in the fact that the ESPN Sunday Night game featuring the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves wasn’t going to score big in the New England market to begin with. So if we don’t watch it all, it’s going to hurt the low ratings it was probably going to receive in the first place.
So unless you’re planning on flying to Detroit today if you’re already not attending the second game tonight, you’ll be stuck to listening to the whimsical stylings of Joe Castiglione and Dave O’Brien here in Red Sox Nation.
And you know what, that’s not a bad thing at all.
We’ll be back later with tonight’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links from the day. But for now, enjoy the overnight links by clicking on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.
To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click
Real-life drama affects Bard [Boston Globe]
Sox getting good returns on smaller investments [Boston Globe]
Sox richer and pourer [Boston Herald]
Video shows hitters Oliver twist [Boston Herald]
Bard’s mind not on game [Boston Herald]
Aceves learns to Mo ’em down [Boston Herald]
Red Sox rained out; double header Sunday [CSNNE.com]
Notes: Rough start forgotten, Sox in first [CSNNE.com]
Sox-Tigers second game Sunday not on TV [CSNNE.com]
Bard’s friend is found, unharmed [ESPN Boston]
Will Josh Beckett Be American League’s Starting Pitcher for 2011 All-Star Game? [NESN.com]
Kyle Weiland might be more than just a reliever when he gets to the major leagues [Projo Sox Blog]
Hill embraces new role as a specialist [Providence Journal]
Red Sox night game won’t be on TV [Providence Journal]
Red Sox Journal: Batters try to get a read on newcomer [Providence Journal]
Jenks closing in on return to Boston’s bullpen [RedSox.com]
Drew to return against Verlander on Sunday [RedSox.com]
As shoulder improves, Kalish to DH for PawSox [RedSox.com]
For more slices of Red Sox goodness, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, CSNNE, ESPN Boston, NESN, Providence Journal, RedSox.com and WEEI websites.
And if you must check out the enemy news, head over to Ann Arbor News, Detroit Free Press and Detroit News websites. You can also check out our Bloguin brothers, Detroit4lyfe and The Tigers Den.
Photo credit: AP Photo
Paw Prints is our daily look at the happenings for the UConn Huskies football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball teams as well as some of the other sports. We will do our best to bring you the links from all of the media that covers the Huskies on a daily basis. As always, links can be found by clicking on the read more button below.
Thank you for stopping by and making SOX & Dawgs your home for UConn Huskies news.
To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click
UConn Women’s Basketball links
Moore A Finalist For BET Award [Rich Elliott – CT Post]
Other UConn related links
Baseball. Seton Hall Reaches BIG EAST Final With 12-2 Win Against Connecticut [BigEast.org]
Baseball. UConn Falls to Seton Hall 12-2 in Eight Innings [UConnHuskies.com]
Destination Red Sox Nation is our look at how the minor league teams of the Boston Red Sox fare each night. Game story and box score links as well as links to team rosters, team stats and league standings can be found by clicking on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.
If you would like to listen to any of the Red Sox minor league affiliates’ games, MiLB.com offers them for free.
To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click
As shoulder improves, Kalish to DH for PawSox [RedSox.com]
Pawtucket Red Sox
The bullpen for the PawSox failed then in a 9-7 loss to the Indianapolis Indians.
This One Really Hurts for PawSox [PawSox.com]
Passed ball completes Indy comeback [Providence Journal]
Change in delivery has made all the difference for Hottovy [Providence Journal]
Indianapolis Indians @ Pawtucket Red Sox 5.28.11 box score [MiLB.com]
International League standings
The Sea Dogs and Trenton Thunder split a doubleheader on Saturday night with the Thunder winning the first one 8-7. The Sea Dogs took the night cap 7-5.
Sea Dogs end losing streak [Portland Press Herald]
It’s obvious he has the ability, but now he’s learning to trust it [Portland Press Herald]
Sea Dogs Split Twinbill with Thunder [OurSports Central]
Trenton Thunder @ Portland Sea Dogs 5.28.11 game 1 box score [MiLB.com]
Trenton Thunder @ Portland Sea Dogs 5.28.11 game 2 box score [MiLB.com]
Salem Red Sox:
The Frederick Keys got three early runs and made them hold up in a 6-3 win over Salem.
Salem Red Sox tie mark with 11th straight home loss [Roanoke Times]
Moreau Shines in Salem, Downing Sox 6-3 [OurSports Central]
Frederick Keys @ Salem Red Sox 5.28.11 box score [MiLB.com]
A strong pitching performance by Anthony Ranaudo helped the Drive to a 5-2 win over the Kannapolis Intimidators.
Drive Cruise to Victory Behind Ranaudo’s Performance [OurSports Central]
Kannapolis Intimidators @ Greenville Drive 5.28.11 box score [MiLB.com]
South Atlantic League standings
Lowell Spinners:
The Lowell Spinners will begin their season on June 17th at home against the Connecticut Tigers.
Gulf Coast League Red Sox
The GCL Red Sox will begin their season on June 20th on the road against the GCL Rays.
In the third fight in the main event of UFC 130 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Travis Browne knocked out Stefan Struve with a superman punch at 4:11 of the first round.
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In the first fight in the main event of UFC 130 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Brian Stann beat Jorge Santiago by TKO (punches) at 4:29 of the secoond round.
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