Hold Steady

A year after they got swept from the Division Series and just a few years since a World Series title (with many World Champs still on the Roster), The Red Sox had an up and down season filled with some dramatic wins, frustrating losses, domination of the National League and man handling by the Yankees.

The main culprit were injuries that decimated the pitching staff and starting line up.
At the trade deadline, the Sox did nothing of note and held onto young players despite obvious needs.

Ultimately the Sox finished with a winning season but in third place.

Am I talking about the 2010 Red Sox? Or the 2006 Red Sox?

It's starting to feel like 2006... but unlike 2006 I am not screaming bloody murder that the Red Sox didn't go for it.

In 2006 I was screaming for the Sox to make a deal. GET SOMEONE! Who cares about young players like Dustin Pedroia? Clay Buchholz? Jacoby Ellsbury? Need to win NOW!!!

They held on to players... let the Yankees and Blue Jays finish ahead of them... got healthy... made a few nice moves and it is safe to say 2007 worked out well for the Red Sox.

So with all the names bandied about, I was most excited to see Ryan Kalish in the bigs.

Another home grown player... and maybe one who could catch on.

Could 2011 resemble 2007?

Let's hope so.

Hold Steady

A year after they got swept from the Division Series and just a few years since a World Series title (with many World Champs still on the Roster), The Red Sox had an up and down season filled with some dramatic wins, frustrating losses, domination of the National League and man handling by the Yankees.

The main culprit were injuries that decimated the pitching staff and starting line up.
At the trade deadline, the Sox did nothing of note and held onto young players despite obvious needs.

Ultimately the Sox finished with a winning season but in third place.

Am I talking about the 2010 Red Sox? Or the 2006 Red Sox?

It's starting to feel like 2006... but unlike 2006 I am not screaming bloody murder that the Red Sox didn't go for it.

In 2006 I was screaming for the Sox to make a deal. GET SOMEONE! Who cares about young players like Dustin Pedroia? Clay Buchholz? Jacoby Ellsbury? Need to win NOW!!!

They held on to players... let the Yankees and Blue Jays finish ahead of them... got healthy... made a few nice moves and it is safe to say 2007 worked out well for the Red Sox.

So with all the names bandied about, I was most excited to see Ryan Kalish in the bigs.

Another home grown player... and maybe one who could catch on.

Could 2011 resemble 2007?

Let's hope so.

Not to sound too much like Mike Francesa but...

I kinda miss Bronson Arroyo... especially when he won again for the Reds.

Keep in mind Wily Mo Pena, the right handed slugger for the future that the Sox got in that deal, is now with the Independent Bridgeport Blue Fish.

Man that trade ALWAYS sucked.

I said it then and I'm saying it now.

Not to sound too much like Mike Francesa but...

I kinda miss Bronson Arroyo... especially when he won again for the Reds.

Keep in mind Wily Mo Pena, the right handed slugger for the future that the Sox got in that deal, is now with the Independent Bridgeport Blue Fish.

Man that trade ALWAYS sucked.

I said it then and I'm saying it now.

Red Sox show some fight!

I called my dad last night during the Giants - Dodgers game last night and my dad couldn't resist giving my Red Sox a little dig.

"You root for thugs! Hooligans! The Giants are role models!"

He might be right. But I can tell you one thing... this is NOT a repeat of 2006.

The Red Sox got smacked around in a 5 game sweep by the Yankees in '06 and suddenly the team went limp. Either everyone got hurt or they quit.

This team got swept by the Yankees and are coming out swinging, in EVERY way!

The team is showing some fire, some guts and can even survive and ejection or two.

Youk gets tossed?

Fine, Lowell will come off the bench and hit a pair of bombs.

Seeing Lowell and Bay hit homers was more than heartening.

And the kid Junichi Tazawa let up 3 runs but guess what? It wasn't a do or die inning like the bottom of the 15th in New York!

Just keep winning games, Red Sox.

The Magic Number to make the playoffs is 50.

Was it over when the German's bombed Pearl Harbor?

What in the name of Ed Romero is the matter with you Red Sox fans?

Seriously! Ooooo. The Yankees swept us. The season is over…
I’m reading the message boards and getting e mails saying “Well at least the Patriots are going to be good.”

I’m sorry… is the season over? Or are there 51 games left?

This is rough... but is it worse than being one loss from being eliminated in '03, '04. '07 and '08?
(Yeah I know, they lost in '08... but man they made it interesting!)

I understand the sweep sucked. BUCK UP! You’ve had your day to whine about it. But I am going to go a little Ben Bradlee from All The President’s Men on the Red Sox and their fans today.

“You guys are probably pretty tired, right? Well, you should be. Go on home, get a nice hot bath. Rest up... 15 minutes. Then get your asses back in gear.”

The Red Sox have a lot going for them… and this could be all swept away before you say “Roberts is stealing!”

I hear people bringing up the 5 game sweep by the Yankees in 2006 that essentially sunk the team.

But that year Manny quit on the team, Ortiz and Varitek went down and there was literally no starting pitching.

Manny is already gone, we’ve not had anything out of Ortiz and Varitek this year anyway and the pen is deep!

And I think the best thing Red Sox fans can do is to forget about the Yankees. Just forget it. Give them the Division. And then have the Yankees see what kind of a clutch October pitcher CC Sabathia is! (1-3 with a 9.47 ERA in his 4 playoff starts from 2007 and 2008)

But with 51 games left, they need to win one more game than the Texas Rangers and they will be in the post season.

How hard can THAT be?

Seriously, the Rangers have been a great story but remember that year the Rangers wilted down the stretch? Which year? EVERY YEAR!!!

And yeah Tampa Bay has played well and have tons of talent… but they have their issues as well.

Take the ERA for Scott Kazmir and Andy Sonnanstine and dail it. Someone will pick up. Maybe in Europe!

Plus the Red Sox have 2 terrific starters, a deep bullpen… and if they make it to the playoffs, they will probably face the Angels… with Lester and Beckett going 1-2.

So really, you are waving the white flag after a rough patch in early August? Are kings crowned in August now?

They aren’t even crowned in September!

The 1987 Tigers finished the season as well as any team I have ever seen. They stormed through the last few weeks, clinched on the last day of the season as the best team in baseball.

The 1987 Twins were one of the weakest playoff teams in history. They could slug, but their pitching staff had Frank Viola, Bert Blyleven, Jeff Reardon, Juan Berenguer and THAT IS IT! They stumbled into the playoffs with just 85 games.

And it was the Twins who won the whole shebang.

Make it to the dance and take your chances… and before you say 2006 Cardinals, they’ll be fueling up the Duck Boats!

How about this for optimism?

THE MAGIC NUMBER TO CLINCH A PLAYOFF SPOT IS 52!

Let’s play ball and remember… NOTHING is over until we decide it is!

What positives can be found in THIS Boston Massacre?

What a difference a week makes!

Last Sunday, the Red Sox were 1/2 game out of first and had a newly acquired Victor Martinez installed into the lineup.

7 days later they are 6 1/2 games back and tied for the Wild Card.

They had 6 games against the Rays and Yankees and won a grand total of zero!

Folks. That's as sh*tty a week as you can have baseball wise.

Throw in the Big Papi 'roids scandal and toothless press conference and you have a nightmare and a half.

How can I find ANYTHING positive in this colostomy bag of a week?

I'll try.

1. Hey! They are still tied for a playoff spot!

That's right. Despite a trip to New York that resembled Griffin Dunne's night in After Hours, if they playoffs started today, they'd play Texas for the Wild Card.

I take my chances there. Just play better than Texas (and Tampa) for the next 52 games and they are in the post season. That's not too much to ask, is it?

2. Hey! At least the pitching was good!

Going into this series I thought "Beckett and Lester will win their games."

You can't blame them! They combined for 1 earned run over 14 innings, 9 hits, 2 walks, 14 strikeouts... and a pair of no decisions.

Plus the bullpen wiggled out of so many jams in the 15 innings heartbreaker that I got some confidence in them. 

Yeah, Bard collapsed tonight. BUT call me crazy, I'd rather have cold bats than rotten starters. And in a short series, I take my chances with Beckett and Lester pitching in 3 of 5 games. (First get to October.)

3. They might get to play the Angels in the post season!

I know I am getting ahead of myself here... but if they make the playoffs as the Wild Card team, they would in all likely hood play the Los Angeles California Angels of Anaheim in Orange County.

And if the Red Sox of '04, '07 and '08 can tell you, playing the Angels is a wonderful tonic!

4. Admit it... these losses hurt a lot less after '04 and '07

Yeah they suck. As did losing those 5 games in Fenway in 2006.

Ask any Yankee fan what would they rather have... those 5 games in '06 or a pennant in '06?

Those 5 games in '06 or any team other than the Red Sox winning in '07?

Those 5 games in '06 or the chance to have Yankee Stadium close with meaningful games?

The Sox have 2 months to make this a meaningless memory... or have some other team eliminate the Yankees in the post season.

5. Seriously, it can't get worse!

The law of averages say that the Red Sox will have a nice winning streak soon.

The bats will eventually wake up.

They'll win a few, get into a groove and things will start to look up.

I hate to get all Harvey Dent on you, but sometimes it is darker before the dawn. And sometimes you need to hit bottom before rising to the top.

At least I'll keep saying that to myself.

6. Things can change really quickly

As I wrote above, the Sox went from on the verge of taking over first place alone to 6 1/2 games back in a week.

Things can spin the other way just as quickly.

This whole year, the Yankees have been Jeckyl and Hyde. They have had stretches where they look like they will run away with the American League pennant.

And there have been stretches where they couldn't beat the Nationals. There's almost all of August and all of September to play... and a lot of chances to be humbled.

7. Hey! At least John Smoltz is no longer in the rotation

Man it was sad seeing his career possibly end with a shelling at Yankee Stadium... but not as sad as seeing another start from him.

See you in Cooperstown in 6 years. (You should have retired with Maddux!)

8. The Yankees swept the Red Sox in 2004 and 2007 as well!

Remember when Jeter dove into the stands while Nomar sulked? That ended a brutal Yankee sweep in the Bronx that drove a nail into our hearts.

This can be put in the rear view mirror with a couple of wins out of the gate.

9. The whole "Big Papi Going To New York" scenario has been played out.

Now Papi has gotten that whole press conference scenario out of the way, can he PLEASE start taking those... ahem... supplements again?

10. If the Red Sox are dead... better to know now!

2006 sucked. The Red Sox were in first place going into August and by the end of August had fallen out of contention with the help of a 5 game sweep by the Yankees.

But was 2006 more painful than watching Pedro crumble on the mound and Aaron Boone smacking that shot off of Wakes?

Or Damon striking out with the bases loaded in the '05 Division Series?

Or Drew striking out with the bases loaded in the '07 ALCS?

It's like when you are up for a huge job, wouldn't you rather just know if you got the gig instead of twisting in the wind?

If the Sox are falling out of it, better find out sooner rather than later!

The Mets aren't winning it this year... so don't make a trade

OK, I am expecting some hate e mail from this post by Mets fans.

I have my guard up.

Let me get this out of the way… I don’t hate the Mets. I have moved on from 1986 (seeing my team win two World Series helps.)

So save any “You are an angry Red Sox fan jealous because of the Buckner error” responses.

Fine… that’s on the record. Let’s get to the post.

I am going to type a few facts.

It is late June and the Mets are a sub .500 team.
It is late June and the Mets are a third place team.
It is late June and the Mets are riddled with an insane amount of injuries.

Carlos Beltran’s career might be in jeopardy.

Carlos Delgado is still unavailable and nobody knows what he will contribute when he comes back.

The Mets offensive output in the recent subway series was nearly matched by Mariano Rivera.

They have issues up and down their pitching staff.

Their line up resembles a AAA team.

The clubhouse seems as to be as enjoyable and healthy place to be as Eli Roth’s Hostel.

Now players are calling for Omar Minaya to make a deal.

Mets fans are screaming for a change in the line up.

Nothing I just typed can be disputed.

Now for my thoughts.

Omar Minaya can’t be blamed for EVERYTHING that happened this year, but for the third straight season since the Haunting year of 2006, the Mets seem like an undermanned team.

And what trade now can fix the Mets ills?

They need hitting. Who are they going to get?

Yeah the A’s are dangling Matt Holliday out there… but what will the A’s be asking for? I alluded to this in my Lion and Prey post. They want players ready for the Bigs.

If the Mets had anyone who was Major League ready, that player would be currently playing for the Mets! Beane could do better just taking the two draft picks.

They could use a solid pitcher… but anyone dealing a pitcher in this market would demand solid prospects in return.

If the goal of the Mets is to win the World Series, I submit this radical plan:

STAND PAT!

Why? Because this team isn’t a player or two away from being a World Series contender. Can you IMAGINE this team in a best of five playoff series?

How would they do against a Tim Lincecum or a Chad Billingsley or a Chris Carpenter? They made Chien Ming Wang look awesome!

It isn’t happening this year. They don’t have the horses and do a panic move now, they’ll deplete their farm only to be a Division Series and out team AT BEST.

Ah but Sully, what about 2006? The Cardinals stumbled into the playoffs and won it all!

When Jerry Manuel becomes a Hall of Fame manager like LaRussa, I’ll listen. Instead, I’ll call 2006 a fluke.

And yeah, there is 87 games, more than half of the season to go.

But it isn’t THAT early. What part of the first half of the season could make ANY honest Mets fan say “This team can win it all!”

A player that will help turn the season around would cost a Fernando Martinez, a Wilmer Flores or a Bobby Parnell… and even THEN they wouldn’t be better than the Phillies, Dodgers, Cardinals or Brewers.

The Mets aren’t winning the 2009 World Series. You know it. I know it. We all know it. So why sabotage the chances for the 2010, 2011 and 2012 seasons for an ill advised pennant run?

Why revisit Scott Kazmir for Victor Zambrano?

I say look back to 2006.

No, not Carlos Beltran looking at a called third strike… I’m talking about the 2006 Red Sox!

They were in first place on July 1.

They had a 4 game lead on July 4th.

They were in first place at the trade deadline but experiencing injury after injury. The lead had shrunk to a single game at the trade deadline. The bullpen and the lineup needed reinforcements… and the Red Sox had a TON of minor league talent to deal.

And the team stayed pat. I am convinced that someone in the front office (maybe Theo) thought “this team isn’t winning it… and there’s no way we’re tearing up the farm for an ill advised run at it.”

I screamed bloody murder. “YOU HAVE TO GO FOR IT!” I thought. Who are these young players? Why sabotage the present when you don’t know what those players will even do?

The Yankees tied the Red Sox for the division on August 1. The Red Sox went 23-35 the rest of the way and were completely irrelevant the rest of the season… finishing the season in a distant third place.

And they held on to Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury, Clay Buchholz, Manny Delcarmen and Jon Lester and they very next year they all contributed to a World Series title.

Some organizational honesty went a long way. If the 2006 Red Sox made the playoffs, they would have been KILLED in the Division Series the way they were in 2005.

They held pat and won big.

Learn from that, Mets.

You aren’t winning in 2009. Admit that and 2010 might be the year that Fernando Martinez, Bobby Parnell and company give the team a spark of youth.

Remember youth?

Or you can wrecklessly stumble into the second half and set yourself up for another painful September.

It's your call.

Am I supposed to know who Mike Burns is?

Mike Burns is pitching for the Brewers today.

And the pictures that have been used for Mike Burns in the various game previews have included him in a Red Sox uniform.

And they all got the same reaction from me.

Mike Burns? Who the hell is Mike Burns?

I follow the Red Sox pretty darn closely. And I don't remember Mike Burns.

Is this a Bryan Clutterbuck situation where there was a player who somehow escaped any recollection on my part?

I went to Baseball-Reference.com and looked up Mike. And lo and behold he pitched 7 games for the 2006 Red Sox.

Of course that was the team that was in first place for much of the year and then had such a horrific August (including being swept in a 5 game series in Fenway) that by the time September came along, they were also rans playing out the string.

And Mike Burns got some innings in.

That was also right around the time I began Sully Baseball in its first incarnation (as an iWeb blog.)

So I am sorry Mike... you pitched for my team and I don't remember you.

Whenever I realize there is a player that I have no memory of despite playing in a time where I SHOULD know them... I'm going to call that a "Clutterbuck."

Mike Burns? No memory of him... he's a complete Clutterbuck.

Hey! Wily Mo Pena is available!

Remember him?

The back up outfielder who the Red Sox loved so much that they torpedoed their pitching staff in 2006 to get him?

Hey, if it was worth making a stupid trade to get him, why not sign him on the waiver wire?

Don't you remember? He has GREAT POTENTIAL!!!!
He'll be like Big Papi!

Let's give a shot to a guy who couldn't win a job ON THE NATIONALS!!!!!

Seriously Varitek and Coco...

All we needed was a fly ball and Rivera would have blown a save... the Yankees would be on the ropes... and the series would be won with a game to go.

Look, Mussina was awesome and the bats were dead... but when Rivera was all but handing the game over for a gut punch and possible season destroying win, you've GOT to take advantage of it.

Remember 2006?
Remember how the Yankees took those 5 games in Boston that August and essentially sunk the season?

I do.
They went from 2 games out to 6 1/2 back.

Well I know this isn't the exact same situation... but the chance to take 4 straight could put the Yankees down for the count before the All Star break.

You can NOT let this team believe in itself.
This was a potential season crippler.

Just hit a fly ball!

10 REASONS TO WATCH THIS WEEKEND’S SERIES

Original Post Date - Friday, September 15, 2006

The Red Sox and Yankees are playing a 4 game series in mid September in Yankee Stadium and there is no buzz about it. It's a "who cares" series between one team that is gearing up for the playoffs and a Red Sox team that have phoned it in to the point where they've used up all their minutes.

Who could have predicted in August, when only a game separated the Yankees and Red Sox, that when the Sawx stormed into the Bronx in September, Boston fans across the country would say "Is anything else on?"

And that's brings up a good question:
Why should anyone be excited about this Red Sox/Yankees series, other than the possibility of another A Rod and Varitek fight?

While I should be spending this time with my wife and kids being a good father and husband instead of watching the Red Sox free fall on TV... I have found several compelling reasons to tune in:


1. KEVIN YOUKILIS MIGHT BE ATTACKED BY A WEREWOLF. After a month of injuries, heart palpitations and lymphoma, why should ANYONE be shocked at the prospect of a werewolf attack? Granted the moon hasn't been full since September 7th, but it's been that kind of year for the Red Sox.

2. ALEX RODRIGUEZ WILL PROBABLY HIT FOR THE CYCLE IN EVERY SINGLE GAME. Remember, it IS a meaningless series.

3. DAVID ORTIZ WILL HOMER 3 TIMES FOR HIS YANKEES AUDITION. If you think Steinbrenner won't eventually sign Big Papi, then you are more of an Idiot than Johnny Damon ever was!

4. BIG UNIT WILL WIN HIS 18th GAME... And probably give up 7 runs in 5 1/3 innings to "earn it" against Kyle Snyder (who will probably let up 14 runs in 1/3 of an inning). Randy Johnson could potentially win 20 games with an ERA over 5.00. I'm sure he'll be fine in the playoffs.

5. DEREK JETER MIGHT GET 50 HITS IN A 4 GAME SERIES. Not mathematically possible you say? He'll find a way, if for no other reason than to show Ortiz (his future teammate) who the MVP really is. Besides, the guy needs even MORE ammo to attact women.

6. MANNY RAMIREZ MIGHT SHOW UP TO YANKEE STADIUM IN HIS BATHROBE. Would that shock anyone?

7. KASON GABBARD CONTINUES TO BE THE MOST SUCCESSFUL PITCHER IN BASEBALL HISTORY NAMED KASON. You could look it up.

8. ANNOUNCERS WON'T BE ABLE TO BRING UP THE WORDS "CURSE" OR "BAMBINO." Maybe they'll have to actually give credit to the Yankees for being better rather than relying on ghosts and curses. But I bet Fox won't be able to resist showing the "Bucky Dent" or “Aaron Boone” clip. (Hopefully they’ll counter by also showing Dave Roberts, the A Rod slap and the greatest collapse in post season history... but probably not.)

9. THE YANKEES COULD WIN 3 OUT OF 4 AND CLINCH THE DIVISION. Which would be a humane execution for the Red Sox this year.

10. THE RED SOX COULD WIN 4 OUT OF 4 AND BEGIN THE BIGGEST COMEBACK IN BASEBALL HISTORY. Besides, if the Yankees play one game under .500 for the rest of the season, all the Red Sox have to do is go 19-3 to force a one game playoff!

Hey, stranger things have happened!
But I think the safe money is on the werewolf