Game Story: [Bleep]ity [Bleep][Bleep][Bleep]. ...Red Sox.

by Allen Chace on Sep 19, 2007 12:17 AM EDT in Game Stories

Yikes. I dunno. Make up your own [censored] caption.

I write the following being fully aware of how it might be taken by some members of the audience. I don't really give a [censored].

There are stretches of the season that are true reminders of how silly it is for any of us to be this emotionally invested in a group of 25 strangers playing a kid's game for more money over 1-20 years than we'll ever make in a lifetime. This is one of those stretches.

All right. Done. Now we can talk about the game.

Way to settle in Jon Lester. After looking like it'd be another disaster-in-progress, car wreck-type start, he settled in for 6 2/3 of one-run ball, striking out 5 and allowing 7 baserunners total.
Jacoby Ellsbury grounded into a double play with Julio Lugo on-base. Take a picture, ladies and gentlemen, because that one won't happen often. Yeah, because of Lugo's .296 OBP. ZING!
Varitek was able to put in a good performance at the plate, giving us some hope that he won't be a black hole for ALL of the last 10 games.
Gagne. I'm not sure how to break this down. MDC should probably have been out there for the 8th after only tossing 3 pitches in relief of Lester in the 7th. To me, that's just about using your bullpen efficiently. As for the actual choice of Gagne? In his previous 7 outings, he'd only given up one run while striking out seven. Anyone who wanted Oki hasn't watched him lately. I'm content for him to be shut down until our last series (Minnesota). The only other valid point would be that Paps should've been warming behind him. Agreed.
Random, I guess, but the next time we're subjected to a lineup with both Brandon Moss and Eric Hinske in it (won't be long), let Moss start the game at 1B. There's no penalty for having them switch positions mid-game if he sucks, and he'll get some experience over there at the speed of a real game.
Tomorrow: The return of Clay Buchholz and optimism.

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Nice post, Allen

I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.

by Drugs Delaney on Sep 19, 2007 7:15 AM EDT reply actions

Especially: "There are stretches of the season that are true reminders of how silly it is for any of us to be this emotionally invested in a group of 25 strangers playing a kid's game for more money over 1-20 years than we'll ever make in a lifetime. This is one of those stretches."

That sums it up.

by BlowUp on Sep 19, 2007 7:21 AM EDT reply actions

Re: Well said.

Gracias.

by Allen Chace on Sep 19, 2007 5:02 PM EDT up reply actions

Litsch School

We are going to teach young Master Jesse a thing or two about Sox hitting. Set your bats to 11, and break like the wind... tonight we're going to rock you!

Bottom 9th B:1 S:0 O:0 With Bill Mueller batting, Dave Roberts steals (1) 2nd base.

by britsoxfan on Sep 19, 2007 9:02 AM EDT reply actions

Re: Litsch School

:) Tonight, we "tap" into Canada!

"Hello Cleveland! Hell-o Cleveland!"

by BlowUp on Sep 19, 2007 9:31 AM EDT up reply actions

Re: Litsch School

Let's hope we don't get lost from the clubhouse to the dugout.

What would Dogbert do?

by panzermensch on Sep 19, 2007 2:30 PM EDT up reply actions

By the way, Jesse Litsch

makes me think of one more thing:

Bottom 9th B:1 S:0 O:0 With Bill Mueller batting, Dave Roberts steals (1) 2nd base.

by britsoxfan on Sep 19, 2007 9:13 AM EDT reply actions

Im just going to say this now.

Fire Francona...as soon as the season is over.
Trade Manny, because we all know the moment Francona is gone, whoever we replace him with (I vote John Farrell) is NOT going to put up with Manny's shit. I love Manny, but the last two years have made me sour on him. I believe he is pulling a stunt right now from everything I have read, it sounds suspect. IF A-Rod opts out, then we should do everything in our power to sign him, he would replace Manny's production obviously. If A-Rod opts out, I dunno who we try to get. There is no way we can give Lowell a 3-4 year deal, thats a huge risk. We need the sure fire deal, and thats A-Rod.

by Matzushocka on Sep 19, 2007 9:46 AM EDT reply actions

Tito has become Grady Little

or is it that Theo has always been a co-manager on this club. In which case, he needs to be kicked around some.

For the sake of these therapy sessions he's throwing away the season. these games are ones we need to win.

Gagne is incapable of pitching in high pressure for the rest of this season. TheoTito broke him. He's busted.

by dereau on Sep 19, 2007 12:18 PM EDT reply actions

Re: Tito has become Grady Little

Francona seems to have the same issues that befell Grady Little. When a pitcher is obviously not doing well they just can't seem to take him out until it's too late. Just in the last week it happened with Okajima and Gagne. We needed both of those games and had one wrapped up and the other had a really good shot of winning. I also think the business of leaving Ellsbury back at Pawtucket while Pena and Hinske were our backup players lost us more games. Is it the front office or Francona or both?

Seriously, next year we need to have a different manager. We need to say goodbye to Manny, Wakefield, Mirabelli, Hinske and possibly a couple of pitchers. Gagne hasn't made his pitches but he still does have a major league arm. Last night probably was the final straw and he is unlikely to be effective for Boston this year at all and maybe never. Thanks Grady (I mean Tito)

We need a major league outfielder, a second and solid catcher, need to resign Lowell and we need to have a solid hitter who may be past their prime in the field but could play a day here or their, say at first base. We will also need a starting pitcher since maybe Schilling will be through this year as well.

by Longsuffering on Sep 19, 2007 1:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Re: Tito has become Grady Little

I'll get to your other points later, but re: Ellsbury, it almost certainly had more to do with concerns about bringing him up too early. In the first half, you could almost make a case that Brandon Moss should've been in Boston in place of Belli and Hinske going by MiL stats, rather than Ellsbury.

by Allen Chace on Sep 19, 2007 2:55 PM EDT up reply actions