Games -21 and -20: Red Sox Road Warriors

by wolf9309 on Mar 11, 2011 1:00 PM EST

This afternoon marks second to last Spring Training split squad day for the Red Sox, and it is an odd one in that the Sox will be the visiting team in both.

Demarlo Hale and his "A" squad, led by Jon Lester,don't have far to travel as they'll be playing the Twins in Fort Myers.

Meanwhile, Francona and his rag-tag group of prospects and Laser cannons will be heading to Kissimmee to do battle with our old buddies Millsy and Bill Hall and their Astros.

Because there's a lot, lineups are after the jump:

Thanks to Extra Bases for the lineups.

Hale will be taking the majority of the starters in what is a clearly strategic attempt to take hold of the Mayor's Cup for yet another year.

GAME 15
RED SOX (7-6-1)
Ellsbury CF
Crawford LF
Ortiz DH
Youkilis 3B
Drew RF
Varitek C
Spears 2B
Sutton 1B
Navarro SS

Pitching: LHP Jon Lester, RHP Tim Wakefield, LHP Hideki Okajima, RHP Tony Pena Jr. RHP Alex Wilson, RHP Jason Rice.

TWINS (6-6)
Span CF
Nishioka 2B
Young LF
Morneau 1B
Thome DH
Valencia 3B
Kubel RF
Holm C
Casilla SS

Pitching: LHP Brian Duensing, RHP Jeff Manship, RHP Pat Neshek.

Salty is also due to appear for a couple of at bats later in the game. Crawford is batting #2 for the second day in a row. Shouldn't be long until the Sox start making their first cuts and we start seeing more playing time by the regulars as well as lineups that look more like opening day.

Several hours away, Francona will be fielding this squad:

GAME 16
RED SOX (7-6-1)
Scutaro SS
Lowrie 1B
Pedroia 2B
Kalish CF
McDonald LF
Nava DH
Reddick RF
Middlebrooks 3B
Wagner C

Pitching: RHP Kyle Weiland, RHP Dan Wheeler, LHP Dennys Reyes, LHP Rich Hill, RHP Clevelan Santeliz, RHP Michael Bowden, RHP Matt Albers.

ASTROS (4-10)
Bourn CF
Hernandez 3B
Hall 2B
Lee LF
Michaels DH
Gaston RF
Dopirak 1B
Quintero C
Manzella SS

Pitching: RHP Brett Myers.

A sweep of the day could finally bring our heroes into a respectable spot in the all-important Grapefruit League standings. In Fort Myers, we have Lester preparing for what we hope is a Cy Young-type year, whereas Kissimmee will be featuring Klye Weiland, whose presence starting games in major league Spring Training still confuses me. I have to think some success would be good for his confidence.

Remember, in three weeks from now we get actual real baseball that we get to care about. Can't hardly wait.

Let there be baseball.

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LHP Hideki Okajima, RHP Tony Pena Jr. RHP Alex Wilson, RHP Jason Rice.

RIP lead

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by Ben Buchanan on Mar 11, 2011 1:17 PM EST reply actions

Where's your optimism?

I mean, there’s a non-zero chance that they could all not suck today.

Granted, that chance is smaller than the chance that I’ll marry a supermodel today, but it’s not zero.

Okay, who am I kidding?

We’re DOOMED. Whose bright idea was it to bring this gang for a Mayor’s cup game, anyway?

Fenway: "An alternate and better universe, disguised as a ballpark." --Thomas Boswell

by lone1c on Mar 11, 2011 1:18 PM EST up reply actions

Mazel tov

by Sologub on Mar 11, 2011 1:21 PM EST up reply actions

True...

3% is higher than zero

"Laser show. So relax."

by nuthinboutnuthin on Mar 11, 2011 1:43 PM EST up reply actions

Pedey makes up for his miscues in the last game

By hitting an RBI double to score both Scutaro (single) and Lowrie (BB). Three batters in, 2-0 Sox. Nice start!

Fenway: "An alternate and better universe, disguised as a ballpark." --Thomas Boswell

by lone1c on Mar 11, 2011 1:17 PM EST reply actions

Nava singles with two outs to drive in Pedey. 3-0.

Fenway: "An alternate and better universe, disguised as a ballpark." --Thomas Boswell

by lone1c on Mar 11, 2011 1:19 PM EST up reply actions

For the record

Daisuke, Okajima, and Tazawa’s families are all safe in Japan.

Over the Monster -- SB Nation's Resident Red Sox Site
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by Ben Buchanan on Mar 11, 2011 1:23 PM EST reply actions

That's good to hear, at least.

Fenway: "An alternate and better universe, disguised as a ballpark." --Thomas Boswell

by lone1c on Mar 11, 2011 1:26 PM EST up reply actions

I was watching some videos from over there

Holy Shit. The Indonesia tsunami was terrible, but it happened in such rural areas that we never really got the full picture, Japan on the other hand had plenty of media on hand to cover it, the destruction is just, unreal.

"We are not normal, We are Legends. People will tell their kids about us." - Deon Butler before Ohio State Game 2008.

by Rogue Nine on Mar 11, 2011 1:31 PM EST up reply actions

Lester allows a ground ball single

But strikes out Span and Morneau. Out of the first.

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by Ben Buchanan on Mar 11, 2011 1:27 PM EST reply actions

If Lester avoids his slow April

I think he’s the co-favorite for Cy Young with King Felix

by Sologub on Mar 11, 2011 1:28 PM EST up reply actions

Weiland gives up a run

But the Sox get it back on a Wagner triple(!).

Fenway: "An alternate and better universe, disguised as a ballpark." --Thomas Boswell

by lone1c on Mar 11, 2011 1:43 PM EST reply actions

Wagner...

Huffin’ and puffin’ his way to third!

by GroundRuleTriple90 on Mar 11, 2011 3:39 PM EST up reply actions

Pedey back to his old ways.

Lowrie works his second walk of the game, then gets erased by Pedey.

Fenway: "An alternate and better universe, disguised as a ballpark." --Thomas Boswell

by lone1c on Mar 11, 2011 1:49 PM EST reply actions

Nice escape by Lester...

Runners on first and second, following a fielding error credited to Crawford. Induced a double-play from Thome and then struck out Valencia with the runner on third.

"Laser show. So relax."

by nuthinboutnuthin on Mar 11, 2011 2:23 PM EST reply actions

Two triples by a catcher in the same game? WTF???

Fenway: "An alternate and better universe, disguised as a ballpark." --Thomas Boswell

by lone1c on Mar 11, 2011 2:37 PM EST reply actions

This is the Jonathan Papelbon we all know and, uh...

Well, this is the Jonathan Papelbon we all know.

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by Ben Buchanan on Mar 11, 2011 2:43 PM EST reply actions

Oy. It's gonna be a LONG year.

Fenway: "An alternate and better universe, disguised as a ballpark." --Thomas Boswell

by lone1c on Mar 11, 2011 2:47 PM EST up reply actions

Bard and Jenks and pray for rain.

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by Ben Buchanan on Mar 11, 2011 2:57 PM EST up reply actions

Paps blows the lead on a whole pile of slop.

One hit, plus a bunch of walks and a sac fly and a whole bunch of other $#!&.

Fenway: "An alternate and better universe, disguised as a ballpark." --Thomas Boswell

by lone1c on Mar 11, 2011 2:55 PM EST up reply actions

Why is this not surprising?

Does anyone have any real hope for Papelbon, Daisuke, and Okajima? Does anyone still like these players?!

by GroundRuleTriple90 on Mar 11, 2011 3:40 PM EST up reply actions

Papelbon is in a walk year

It’s also the first real road bump he’s had, so I’m willing to have a shred of hope left.

Fenway: "An alternate and better universe, disguised as a ballpark." --Thomas Boswell

by lone1c on Mar 11, 2011 3:43 PM EST up reply actions

I think Papelbon will probably be a fine reliever

and Matsuzaka will be a fine 5th starter.

by wolf9309 on Mar 11, 2011 3:51 PM EST up reply actions

what about paps as a 5th starter?

Too late for this year, and its doubtful a new team will sign him for lots of money and then risk the conversion. so its more an alternate reality idea.

but what if he was stretched out over this spring? Maybe all this time he’s been a starter who has a bad first inning but settles down by the 2nd or 3rd, and we’ve just been getting the bad first inning over and over. A 3.90 era wouldn’t be bad at all over 160 innings if he could manage.

“But dennet! [List of reasons why it is stupid.]” I know, I know. But I am coming from a “how can we convert a looming disaster into a positive” perspective.

by dennet on Mar 11, 2011 5:12 PM EST up reply actions

Paps is far from a looming disaster

Also, his problem, or at least it seemed last year was not using his secondary stuff. As a starter it would just be more exposed.

by brogshan on Mar 11, 2011 10:20 PM EST up reply actions

Yes there is hope for all of them

Perhaps a lot less hope for some… But I’m not concerned until the season starts.

by brogshan on Mar 11, 2011 4:46 PM EST up reply actions

Did Cliff Lee sign in Philly to get away from Boston?

The Yankees can do anything at any moment to improve and they’re not afraid to go do things. That was part of the decision making process too, but I felt like with what the Red Sox had done and it seems like some of the Yankee guys are getting older, but I liked the Rangers.

http://deadspin.com/#!5781072/the-yankees-were-last-on-cliff-lees-wish-list

Pension Plan Puppets*
* Blog contains less than 2% puppet content by weight.

by Chemmy on Mar 11, 2011 3:56 PM EST reply actions