SoxSpace News

Sox get Wild, again by Jared Carrabis
Sox back into the postseason as WC champs for 7th time

At almost one o'clock in the morning, a portion of the Red Sox celebrated Boston's return to the postseason.

Out in Anaheim on Tuesday night, as Hank Blalock watched a 91mph fastball cross home plate for strike three, the Red Sox were crowned as the American League's Wild Card representative.

Now, the only question that I have for Red Sox fans is this: how confident are you in your team after last night's loss to the Blue Jays heading into postseason play? The Red Sox are now losers of their last five straight games, after yet another walk-off win in the Bronx, they're now 10.5 games behind the Yankees (not that it matters), and then there's the big one. Jon Lester has yet to prove he can pitch effectively, Josh Beckett has yet to pitch since experiencing back spasms, Clay Buchholz allowed five home runs on Tuesday night and the health of Tim Wakefield is up in the air.

In response to all of those issues; the Red Sox haven't exactly been sending out a "playoff caliber" lineu...READ MORE!

Published on September 30, 2009 See Comment(s)

AL Ea$t Champion$ by Jared Carrabis
For one easy payment of $201.5 million, the Yanks are on top

It started with their star playing lying about taking performance enhancing drugs, only to later admit of his steroid usage at the start of spring training.

Yes, it was the start of another great year in the Bronx. Coming off a winter in which the Yankees dropped almost half a billion dollars ($423.5 million) on a top contender for the Cy Young Award (CC Sabathia), an established number two starter (AJ Burnett) and a top contender for the MVP Award (Mark Teixeira), it was time to play baseball.

Oh wait--not yet. George Steinbrenner still had to sign a check for $1.5 billion so that he could cut the rope for the grand opening of the new Yankee Stadium.

Ah, yes. A 20-star hotel that has a baseball field as a feature on the side. The Bronx Bombers couldn't take performance enhancing drugs anymore, so "The Boss" built them a performance enhancing stadium. Once again proving that the pockets of the Yankees are endless, and any player that they covet, or any luxury that they desir...READ MORE!

Published on September 28, 2009 See Comment(s)

Things you'll need to know: Saturday by Jared Carrabis
Praise for Papi, V-Mart continues to roll and more!

Here are the things you'll need to know to impress your friends for Saturday, September 26, 2009:

The legend of David Ortiz continues to grow. For the second time since mid-August, Ortiz has belted home runs in three consecutive games.

Here's my favorite stat that I've read in a while: Since June 6, the 26 HR hit by David Ortiz lead the American League. Now, if you can just imagine what Big Papi's season would be like, had it not been for those miserable first two months of his season. Realistically speaking, Ortiz would more than likely be closing in on the 45-50 HR mark if he had been hitting home runs at the consistent pace that he has been from June 6 on.

Ortiz also drove in three runs in Friday night's loss, to give him 94 on the season. Those 94 RBI are good for 13th best in the American League, as Victor Martinez (102, 6th) and Jason Bay (115, 2nd) crack the top ten for the AL RBI leaders.

To me, it's absolutely incredible that after starting the season the ...READ MORE!

Published on September 26, 2009 See Comment(s)

Nightmare on 161st Street by Jared Carrabis
Panic strikes Boston, as Lester gets drilled by come-backer

Take a collective deep breath, Red Sox Nation; the X-rays came back negative.

On Friday night, Red Sox fans far and wide watched, as Yankee outfielder Melky Cabrera laced a 92mph fastball off the knee of Jon Lester. Almost instantly, Lester came crashing to the ground, as the 2009 season flashed before our very eyes. Just hours after the Red Sox announced that the left-hander would start the first game of the American League Division Series, Red Sox fans were pondering if Lester would take the mound again in 2009.

As minutes, which seemed like hours, went by, Lester was aided to his feet and walked off of the field on his own power to the applause of Yankee Stadium.

Boston fans waited on pins and needles for any information on Lester's condition.

MLB.com's Ian Browne first broke the news on his Twitter account that the X-rays on Lester were negative and that the diagnosis was a "contusion of the right quad" and that the left-ha...READ MORE!

Published on September 26, 2009 See Comment(s)

Things you'll need to know: Friday by Jared Carrabis
Buchholz, Ortiz, Lester and more!

Here are the things you'll need to know to impress your friends for Friday, September 25, 2009:

Clay Buchholz continues to prove himself worthy as the third starter for the Red Sox's rotation come October.

In his last six starts, Buchholz is 5-0 with a 1.32 ERA. He's struck out 31 batters in 41 innings and opponents are hitting just .185 against the right-hander since August 29. The Red Sox are 7-0 as a team in Buchholz's last seven starts.

Buchholz has allowed one earned run or less in six of his last eight starts and with the exception of his seven earned runs game against the White Sox, he has turned in a quality start in nine of his last ten outings.

August 13 was the last start in which Buchholz was on the losing end of a decision.

The Royals' five-error game against Boston on Thursday night was their five game with five errors or more since 2002.

In their win against Kansas City, both Victor Martinez (23 games) and Dustin Pedroia (16 games) extended the...READ MORE!

Published on September 25, 2009 See Comment(s)

Mr. Reliable by Jared Carrabis
Red Sox improve to 7-0 in Buchholz's last 7 starts

It's hard to believe that this time last year, Clay Buchholz had already been shipped away to Arizona to work on his mechanics, and most importantly, his confidence.

On Thursday night, there was no lack of confidence on Buchholz's behalf. Shooting for his seventh victory since being called up for the first time in '09 back on July 17, Buchholz was in command early and often.

The right-hander often shyed away from his fastball in 2008 after becoming a victim of the long ball more often than he'd like to be, but this season, Buchholz is going to his fastball more frequently, which makes his off-speed pitches more devastating to opposing hitters.

Buchholz struck out the side in the bottom of the second, and the way he did it was just a testament to how lethal his repertoire of pitches is. Mark Teahen looked at three straight strikes before being called out on a deadly hook, Miguel Olivo swung through an 82mph changeup for strike three and Alex Gordon punched out on a 4-seam fas...READ MORE!

Published on September 25, 2009 See Comment(s)

Things you'll need to know: Thursday by Jared Carrabis
Ortiz, Beckett, Francona, Drew and more!

Here are the things you'll need to know to impress your friends for Thursday, September 24, 2009:

The Red Sox's offense scored nine runs in support of their ace on Wednesday night. It was the second time in 2009 that Boston had put up nine runs for Beckett and the fifth time that the Boston bats have mustered nine runs or more when the right-hander takes the mound. In all, the Red Sox have provided Beckett with an average of 5.56 runs per game in 2009.

Beckett knows how to pitch his way out of tough situations, as the right-hander came within one hit of tying his career high of 13 (Vs. NYY in August of '07) and still held the Royals to just two earned runs. Regardless of setting a new season-high in hits allowed, Beckett pitched his way to his 16th victory of the season.

Beckett's six innings of two-run ball was good enough for his 20th quality start of the '09 campaign.

Boston's 90th win of the 2009 season was also Terry Francona's 560th win as a Red Sox ma...READ MORE!

Published on September 24, 2009 See Comment(s)

They are who we thought they were by Jared Carrabis
Beckett, Red Sox bring KC back down to Earth

After making the Kansas City Royals look like a team gearing up for postseason play for the first two games of this series, Josh Beckett and the Red Sox finally peeled off their mask and exposed them for the 26-games under .500 team that they are.

Making his first start since making these comments, "Hopefully, if we keep on playing good baseball, maybe I can also get a little breather right there at the end, throw a couple of bullpens and work on some things I need to work on going into October," Beckett looked like a pitcher who needed no such "breather."

The right-hander took the mound, looking to reduce Boston's magic number, in order to inch his club one step closer to an October return. Beckett had pitched well in his last three starts, logging 20 innings and a 3.15 ERA, after posting a 5.08 ERA in the month of August.

With the exception of a shaky fourth, Beckett kept Kansas City off the scoreboard. Though the two earned runs that Beckett allowed through six innings ma...READ MORE!

Published on September 24, 2009 See Comment(s)

Things you'll need to know: Wednesday by Jared Carrabis
Greinke, Pedroia, Byrd, Yankees and more!

Here are the things you'll need to know to impress your friends for Wednesday, September 23, 2009:

After going 1-for-4 with one of only two hits against right-hander Zack Greinke, Victor Martinez extended his career-best hitting streak to 21 games. He's hitting .359 during the streak with an OPS of .900.

Despite his dominating numbers on the mound, this stat reflects what kind of a season it has been for Kansas City: the Royals are just one game over .500 (16-15) when Zack Greinke takes the mound.

Getting back to hitting streaks, in the shadow of Martinez's 21-gamer, Dustin Pedroia has quietly put together a 14-game hitting streak of his own. Beginning on September 7, Pedroia has gone 20-for-56, with 4 doubles, 3 HR, 7 RBI, to go along with a .357 batting average over that span. His six walks over the hitting streak helped boost his OBP to .419 during his recent hot streak, good for an OPS of 1.009.

I guess you get what you pay for. Since rejoining the Red Sox on A...READ MORE!

Published on September 23, 2009 See Comment(s)

You got Greinke'd by Jared Carrabis
It was over before it even started

The Sox lost again to the Royals? Oh, Zack Greinke pitched...against Paul Byrd? Oh, all right; that makes sense.

Unfortunately, this thing was over before it even started, folks. After Kevin Youkilis struck out to conclude the top half of the first, waving at a 90mph slider, the Royals went to work on Byrd on the bottom half of the inning.

Byrd allowed back-to-back singles to open the frame, followed by back-to-back walks to walk in the game's first run. After a visit to the mound by John Farrell, Byrd served up yet another base hit, allowing the first five batters to reach base.

Trailing by two, Byrd got his first out of the inning on a ground out by Mark Teahen, but in from third to score was Billy Butler, as the Royals continued to tack on to their lead.

Later in the inning with two outs, Alex Gordon poked a single to left to knock in two more runs, upping Kansas City's lead to 5-0.

From there, the Red Sox didn't have a chance until Greinke was done do...READ MORE!

Published on September 23, 2009 See Comment(s)

Walk this way by Jared Carrabis
Wakefield walks seven batters in Sox's loss

Making his first start since September 5, Tim Wakefield returned to the mound in a game that the Red Sox and their fans would like to soon forget.

After two-and-a-half innings, Boston held a 6-0 lead following Jason Bay's 36th home run of the season. Kansas City responded with a run of their own in the bottom half, but at the time, a 6-1 lead against the Royals more often than not, looks like it will be enough.

An RBI single by Alex Gordon in the fourth decreased the Royals' deficit to four runs.

The left-handed DiNardo issued three walks in the top of the fifth, before Victor Martinez came to the plate with two outs. With a 1-0 count, Martinez hammered an 83 MPH slider through the right side to drive in two runs for Boston.

In Wakefield's final inning of work, the right-hander allowed two walks before serving up a three-run blast to Mike Jacobs to cut Boston's lead to 8-5. Wakefield completed the inning without allowing any further damage, but his line was not all that ...READ MORE!

Published on September 22, 2009 See Comment(s)

Things you'll need to know: Tuesday by Jared Carrabis
Jason Bay, Victor Martinez, Jacoby Ellsbury and more!

Here are the things you'll need to know to impress your friends for Tuesday, September 22, 2009:

Jason Bay's third inning blast off of left-hander Lenny DiNardo was the 36th long ball of the year hit by the Boston outfielder. The three-run shot surpassed his previous career high of 35 HR in 2006.

With his two-run single in the fifth inning, Victor Martinez drove in RBI numbers 99 and 100 for the 2009 season. It is just the third season that Martinez has driven in 100 runs or more since breaking into the league in 2002.

After going 2-for-4 with a walk on Monday night, Martinez extended his career high hitting streak to 20 games. The 20-game hit streak which began on August 28, has seen Martinez go 27-for-74 over that span for a .365 batting average. The Red Sox have gone 14-6 over his hitting streak, including a game-winning, bases-clearing double against Baltimore on August 9. Did I mention his middle name is Jesus? Not even joking.

Since August 2, Manny Delcarmen ...READ MORE!

Published on September 22, 2009 See Comment(s)

Wake me up in October by Jared Carrabis
A look ahead at the postseason for Boston

Wake me up when the playoffs start.

With fourteen games remaining in the 2009 season, at this point, all Red Sox fans have to do from this point forward is sit back and see if our team can catch the Yankees in the division just for laughs. Boston currently holds an eight-game lead over the second place Texas Rangers, as their magic number to clinch a playoff spot dwindled down to seven after a 9-3 stomping of the Baltimore Orioles to complete a three-game sweep.

On September 9, the Red Sox trailed the American League East by a margin of nine games. As it stands today, the Yankees' lead has slimmed down to just five games.

Do I think the Red Sox will win the division? Not likely. It's certainly possible, but as much as fans would like to see the Red Sox overtake the Yankees' once seemingly insurmountable division lead, it is not on the agenda for Terry Francona's squad.

We're talking about a team who in 2007 would have conceded their AL East crown in order to rest the team...READ MORE!

Published on September 20, 2009 See Comment(s)

They A-Gon' Done It Again by Jared Carrabis
Sox complete comeback in walk-off fashion

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim came to town as the best hitting team in the American League.

After two of three games at Fenway Park, they may leave as the third consecutive sweep victim at the hands of the Boston Red Sox.

However, putting themselves in a position to sweep the Halos was no easy task. The Red Sox sent Paul Byrd to the mound against Joe Saunders, who has had his fair share of success against Boston in his career. Byrd entered the game as a wild card, due to the fact that of the three starts he has made since rejoining the Red Sox this season, he has one win, one loss and one no decision.

Byrd pitched two scoreless innings to start the night, but he was by no means "mowing down" the Angels. Balls were hit hard off the bat, but fortunately for Byrd and the Red Sox, they were no more than warning track power.

The old school style right-hander kept the Angels off the scoreboard until Erik Aybar knocked in a run in the third. A two-out double by Bobby Abreu p...READ MORE!

Published on September 17, 2009 See Comment(s)

Hey, good for you by Jared Carrabis
Nick Green reportedly livin' the dream

Since her arrival at the start of the 2008 season, NESN's Heidi Watney has been the subject of multiple dating rumors.

First, following the abrupt ending of a twelve-year marriage, Watney was rumored to be dating Red Sox captain, Jason Varitek, although it was never confirmed.

That, of course, was the biggest rumor of them all. That was, until, a new dating rumor came out once a month about the blonde bombshell. After Varitek, a Barstool Sports reader linked Watney to NESN's John Carter.

Back in January, the Boston Herald's READ MORE!

Published on September 16, 2009 See Comment(s)

Just A Little Preview by Jared Carrabis
Matsuzaka shines in return, Ortiz stands alone

In what could very well be a preview of the 2009 American League Division Series, the Red Sox gave the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim a little reminder of what to expect come October.

Taking the mound for the first time at the major league level since June 19 , Daisuke Matsuzaka had his work cut out for him, as he went to battle with the team who boasted the second best record in the American League.

With the eyes of Red Sox Nation locked on Matsuzaka, the right-hander did not disappoint. In fact, he exceeded the expectations of each and every fan in that ballpark. Daisuke's 2009 season has been a far cry from his '08 campaign, which saw the native of Japan go 18-3 for Boston.

Since rejoining the Red Sox after picking up his second MVP award at the World Baseball Classic, Matsuzaka failed to make a single start for Boston without giving up at least one earned run. Well, on Tuesday night, Matsuzaka was finished doing his Brad Penny impersonation and looked more like the pitche...READ MORE!

Published on September 16, 2009 See Comment(s)

All Cowbell'd Out by Jared Carrabis
Boston sweeps Tampa Bay out of contention

Exactly one year ago, the Tampa Bay Rays held a two game lead over the Boston Red Sox for the American League East crown.

Fast forward to Sunday, after the Rays in a day/night doubleheader, the Red Sox completed their three-game sweep of Tampa Bay, sending the defending American League Champions even further out of playoff contention.

In a rain-shortened game, Boston sent a message to Tampa Bay by pounding out a convincing 9-1 victory after just six innings.

In the first game of Sunday's doubleheader, the Rays sent the man who dominated the Red Sox in last October's ALCS to square off against a pitcher who wasn't even on the postseason roster. A year ago, this pitching match up was a no-brainer on paper. In 2009, Matt Garza had his work cut out for himself if he had plans of out-dueling the likes of the new and improved Clay Buchholz.

The two young and talented right-handers exchanged scoreless innings until the bottom of the sixth, when Victor Martinez drove in Dustin Pe...READ MORE!

Published on September 14, 2009 See Comment(s)

We Will Never Forget by Jared Carrabis
Take a moment to reflect

While you're going about your daily lives today, take a moment to remember the lives that were lost on September 11, 2001.

Everyone remembers where they were, what they were doing, who they were with and what was said. The tragic events of September 11th will forever be an invisible scar on every American who was alive to witness the day. Though the wounds have healed, the scar remains, as it should.

Don't let the lives lost on that day be forgotten. Over 3,000 men, women and children were taken from us during the attacks on 9/11. They were brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, cousins, aunts, uncles, friends, Americans.

It's been eight years and soon eight will turn into nine, nine will turn into ten, ten will turn into twenty and so on. It is our American duty to not allow the lives that were lost that day to be forgotten. Remember the heroes; the New York firefighters who came charging into the burning towers when everyone else was running out, the New Yor...READ MORE!

Published on September 11, 2009 See Comment(s)

Victor-y Martinez by Jared Carrabis
V-Mart clears the bags coming off the bench for win

So much for that day off, Tito.

"I told him [Tuesday] night in about the eighth inning [that he wasn't starting on Wednesday]," Francona said of Victor Martinez. "I told him I wasn't going to answer my phone. I said, 'Don't even try.' He fought me a little bit, which I actually really like, but I thought it was in his best interest not to play [Wednesday]."

Before Martinez could have his moment in the sun, Paul Byrd made his third start for Boston since rejoining the club. Coming off an abysmal outing in which the right-hander got shelled for seven runs by the Chicago White Sox in less than three innings, Byrd returned to the pitcher he was in his first outing with the Red Sox this season.

The Sox jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first when Jason Bay came to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded. On a 2-1 pitch, Bay hammered a 93 MPH fastball into left field that brought home RBIs number 99 and 100 for the Canadian-born outfielder.

The Orioles would...READ MORE!

Published on September 10, 2009 See Comment(s)

Good News & Bad News by Jared Carrabis
A bittersweet day for Josh Beckett fans

If you are a fan of the flame-throwing right-hander, Josh Beckett, Labor Day brought you both good news and bad news regarding the ace of the Red Sox's pitching staff.

First, the good news. When Beckett fired a 94 MPH fastball into the mitt of Jason Varitek on Monday, his option for the 2010 season kicked in. Back in July of 2006, Beckett inked a three-year deal worth $30 million along with an option for a fourth season. That fourth year would kick in if Beckett started 56 games in 2008-2009 combined, or simply if he started 28 games in '09.

After injuries restrained Beckett to just 27 starts in '08, the only possible way his 2010 option would vest would be to take the mound 28 times for Boston in '09, which on Monday, he did.

The contract in which Beckett originally signed would have paid the right-hander $12 million in 2010, but his 2007 second-place finish in the Cy Young Award voting will bump his 2010 salary up to $12.1 million.

Now on the books for the 2010 season, ...READ MORE!

Published on September 08, 2009 See Comment(s)

Why Can't We Get Players Like That? by Jared Carrabis
Kotsay leads the charge, as Sox get blown out

On a night where the Red Sox's pitching staff allowed 12 runs on 19 hits, Mark Kotsay's 3 RBI would have been enough regardless.

First it was Julio Lugo getting sent from Boston for a player who never saw a single at bat in a Red Sox uniform. In his first 30 games with the St. Louis Cardinals, Lugo has raked his way to a .322 average, with 2 HR, 3 triples, 8 doubles and 16 runs scored, which is good for a .930 OPS.

After taking a whipping in the Bronx at the hands of the New York Yankees for eight earned runs, the Red Sox cut ties with Hall of Famer-to-be, John Smoltz. From there, Smoltz joined Lugo in St. Louis. In his first start with the red birds, Smoltz racked up nine strikeouts during a five-inning, three-hitter. In his time with Boston, Smoltz struck out more than six batters just once (7) and never kept the opposing team off the scoreboard during his tenure in a Red Sox uniform.

The most recent departure from Boston was that of Brad Penny. The Yankees seem to be the ...READ MORE!

Published on September 05, 2009 See Comment(s)