Even with the rout, I'm not buying the Red Sox yet

I love a nice blowout. A game where the Sox can pitch well, hit well and pad their stats. It is good for morale and good for me when I am raising my kids to not be staring at a computer screen to see how the Sox did.

A 10-1 final is nice. 8 innings, no earned runs for Buchholz is great. 2 homers for Hall is fantastic.

But forgive me if I am not on the "Sox are back in it" bandwagon.

If the Rangers didn't choke against the Yankees tonight, I'd be listening.
But the Sox are still 4 games out in the loss column behind the Rays... and Tampa just has so much talent that making up the 4 games might be a chore.

If the Sox get to within 2... I'll get excited.
Instead I am happy that they are winning and are on pace to win about 93 games.

But my guard is up.

Sweep tomorrow and take care of business.

Attention! In coming wounded Red Sox!

I've never been so depressed after seeing the Red Sox win 3 out of 4 games on the road against tough opponents.

Our disabled list has too many players that were on my "We can't survive without them" list.

Josh Beckett... Jacoby Ellsbury... Mike Lowell... Jeremy Hermida... Victor Martinez... Dustin Pedroia...

And that's NOT including Clay Buchholz who were are all holding our collective breaths isn't too hurt.

Yeah, it was fun to beat up the National League. But guess what? The Red Sox went 16-2 against the National League in 2006 and looked like a locomotive.

Then the injuries piled up... and they missed the playoffs.

The Rays are coming in, and they are going through their OWN issues. This has become as must win series for the Red Sox. They need to hold the Rays back and keep pace in the Wild Card, which they still lead.

But everyone else on the Sox had better stay healthy. Any more injuries and they might have to resort to Meatball Surgery to fix the team!

Feeling good about the Red Sox... for 2011

There are a lot of reasons to be happy in Red Sox Nation this morning after last night's 6-0 thrashing of the Angels of wherever the hell they claim they play.

Clay Buchholz wiggled out of trouble in the first and then asserted himself as the ace we've been waiting to see since he threw that no hitter. He will probably finish the season with 17-18 wins and a sub 3 ERA and find himself in the Cy Young discussion. In his last 5 starts he is 4-0 with a 1.20 ERA with averaging more than 7 1/3 innings a start.

Dustin Pedroia came back and while he pulled an O fer, his presence in the line up was a welcomed sight.

Victor Martinez was productive, young relievers Felix Doubrount and Michael Bowden each threw a shutout inning....
And of course young Ryan Kalish put the game away with a grand slam.

For the first time in a while, I am feeling super confident about the chances for the Red Sox... just not for this year.

Last night's win was too little too late for the 2010 season. Not only do the Red Sox need to go on a prolonged winning streak (I am talking 5 or 6 games) but either the Rays or the Yankees need to go in a tailspin.

I'm not sure if you've been watching those two teams, but I don't see either one going on a long losing streak.

Even with the Yankees inconsistent and injured pitching, they have Sabathia who is always good for starting a winning streak and they can (for the most part) slug their way past inferior teams (Bryan Bullington starts notwithstanding).

And the Rays are so chocked full of talent that they are making minced meat out of teams like the Rangers.

Also let's not forget that the White Sox are only 2 games back in the loss column for the Wild Card race.

Too many things have to go the Red Sox way over these last 42 games to make 2010 realistically a playoff year. But players are getting healthy. YOUNG players are contributing. They could have homegrown depth in the bullpen and a pair of home grown aces.

If Ellsbury can come back then centerfield and leftfield could have home grown starters.

If we can get past the notion that we need to make the playoffs every year, then we can see many silver linings on this one.

Let me put it this way... the magic number for the 2011 Eastern Division Title is 163!!!

A week behind

It is late July... and the Boston Red Sox are 7 games out of first place.

That's a week.

They are one week of games behind the Yankees. And with the way the Yankees are playing, like today, where Javy Vasquez stunk and Joba Chamberlain again showed why he should be traded away, and they STILL win... it is clear that injuries to Pettitte and Burnett be damned... shaky bullpen or not... they are playing in October.

And the Sox are 4 1/2 games behind the Rays... not Everest but still quite a hill to climb when you consider the Sox just can't seem to be getting a winning streak against AMERICAN LEAGUE opponents.

And the return of Clay Buchholz wasn't a magic bullet, nor a dodged one for that matter.

They once again scored early and once again left men on.

I know they could go on an amazing August and the Yankees and Rays could stub their toes. But unless they are going to start up Interleague Play again, I don't see this Sox team going on a prolonged winning streak.

It may be soon that I stop doing the tally... it is getting almost irrelevant.

DODGED A BULLET GAMES - 28

April 4 - 9-7 win against Yankees (On Opening Night, the Red Sox overcome a 5-1 Yankee lead with a game tying HR by Pedroia and a go ahead passed ball.)
April 10 - 8-3 win against Kansas City (Beckett out pitches Zack Greinke and nearly gets decapitated by a line drive.)
April 14 - 6-3 win in Minnesota. (Okajima gets Morneau to pop up with the bases loaded in the 7th and Papelbon wiggled out of a 9th inning jam.)
April 20 - 7-6 win against Texas. (Darnell McDonald introduces himself to Boston with an 8th inning game tying homer and a walk off hit in the 9th.)
April 21 - 8-7 win against Texas. (The Red Sox were down 4-0 early only to win it on Youk's 2 out 11th inning double.)
April 23 - 4-3 win against Baltimore. (The Sox blow a 3-0 lead but win it on Adrian Beltre's bases loaded walk.)

April 24 - 7-6 win against Baltimore. (The Red Sox score 6 in the 7th and hold off a late Baltimore comeback attempt.)
April 26 - 13-12 win at Toronto. (The Sox blow an early 5-0 lead but hang on for dear life in a slugfest.)
April 27 - 2-1 win at Toronto. (Buchholz holds the Jays down for 8 but it takes a bases loaded walk in the 8th to go ahead.)
April 28 - 2-0 win at Toronto. (Daniel Bard wiggles out of trouble in the 8th to help Lester shut down the Blue Jays and finish the sweep.)
May 4 - 5-1 win against the Angels. (Juan Rivera misplays Jeremy Hermedia's 2 out flyball into a 3 run game winning double)
May 5 - 3-1 win against the Angels. (Papi and Beltre homer and the Sox hang on despite squandering many potential rallies.)
May 6 - 11-6 win against the Angels. (Dice-K puts the Red Sox in a 4-0 hole before they even bat. The Sox bats respond.)
May 10 - 7-6 win against the Blue Jays. (Sox blow an early 2-0 lead, take advantage of some errors and hang on.)
May 18 - 7-5 win in New York. (Sox climb back from a 5-1 hole. A day after hitting a walk off homer, Marcus Thames drops a fly ball to start the winning rally for the Sox.)
May 25 - 2-0 win in Tampa. (Big Papi supplies all the offense as Papelbon wiggles out of a 9th inning jam.)
May 29 - 1-0 win against Kansas City. (Zack Greinke holds the Sox to one run, but they make it stick)

June 1 - 9-4 win against Oakland. (Lackey puts the Sox in a 4-0 hole but Victor Martinez goes 5-5 and the Sox score 9 runs late.)
June 2 - 6-4 win against Oakland. (Dice-K puts the Sox in a 3-0 hole before they come to bat, but come back thanks to Papi's homer.)

June 8 - 3-2 win at Cleveland. (With Papelbon unavailable, Okajima, Ramirez and Bard hang on to make a winner out of Wakefield.)

June 19 - 5-4 win against the Dodgers. (Sox make 4 errors, blow a late lead and let Manny homer, but they win it in the bottom of the 9th on a Pedroia single.)
June 20 - 2-0 win against the Dodgers. (Dodgers blow an early bases loaded scoring opportunity and allow Buchholz to settle down for the win.)

June 24 - 13-11 win in Colorado. (The bullpen lets up 9 runs in 5 innings, but Pedroia homers 3 times including with 2 outs in the 10th to win a wild and stupid game.)
June 26 - 4-2 win in San Francisco. (An injury running the bases takes Buchholz out in the second, but the bullpen and Mike Cameron's bat and glove win the game.)
July 2 - 3-2 win against the Orioles. (Wakefield gets the win and J.D. Drew homers twice, but it is Nava's 2 out 8th inning bloop that landed between three fielders that breaks the tie.)

July 11 - 3-2 win in Toronto. (Jesse Litch took a no hitter into the 6th but back to back homers by McDonald and Big Papi win the game.)
July 17 - 3-2 win against Texas. (Youk ties the game in the 9th off of Cliff Lee and wins it in the 11th with a sacrifuce fly)
July 19 - 2-1 win at Oakland. (Beltre homers and Dice-K holds on to the win.)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 29

April 6 - 6-4 loss against the Yankees. (Scutaro's error leads to the winning run.)
April 7 - 3-1 loss against the Yankees. (Sox leave the winning run on in the 9th only to lose on Granderson's 10th inning homer)
April 9 - 4-3 loss in Kansas City. (Bard coughs up the lead, denying Wakefield a win.)
April 17 - 3-1 loss to Tampa Bay. (The Sox can't score with the bases loaded and nobody out in the 11th... lost it in the 12th.)
April 17 - 6-5 loss to Tampa Bay. (The Red Sox comeback falls a run short, leaving two on in the 8th)
April 25 - 7-6 loss to Baltimore. (The Sox blow a 4-1 lead, leave the winning run on second in the 9th, let up 3 in the 10th and could only score 2 in the bottom of the 10th)
April 30 - 5-4 loss in Baltimore. (Tejada ties the game with a 2 out 8th inning homer and wins it with a bloop in the 10th)
May 1 - 12-9 loss in Baltimore. (Dice-K and Wakes get pounded, wasting 2 homers from Ortiz and an early 4-1 lead.)
May 2 - 3-2 loss in Baltimore. (Varitek is thrown at home trying to score with 2 outs in the 8th. Sox get swept in the 10th.
May 12 - 3-2 loss against the Blue Jays. (The Sox rally in the 9th comes up a run short and Kevin Gregg gets an ugly save.)
May 15 - 7-6 loss in Detroit. (The Sox blow a 6-1 lead and lose it on a 2 out bases loaded walk in the 12th.)
May 17 - 11-9 loss in New York. (The Sox come all the way back from a 5-0 first inning hole to take a 9-7 lead in the 9th... but Papelbon lets up a 2 run game tying shot to A-Rod and a 2 run walk off shot to Marcus Thames.)
May 21 - 5-1 loss in Philadelphia. (Big Papi's bid for a game tying 9th inning grand slam is caught at the warning track.)
May 27 - 4-3 loss to Kansas City. (Dice-K walks the go ahead run in and lets another score on a wild pitch as the Royals no name bullpen shut down the Hot Sox.)
May 28 - 12-5 loss to Kansas City. (Sox blow a 3-0 first inning lead to be blown out in Fenway.)
June 3 - 9-8 loss to Oakland. (Sox lose a slugfest where two Boston runners are thrown out at home.)

June 6 - 4-3 loss in Baltimore. (Sox rally to tie the game in the 9th only to lose it on a small ball rally in the 11th.)
June 10 - 8-7 loss in Cleveland. (Sox blow an early 5-0 lead and then after rallying in the 9th to take the lead coughed it up with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th)
June 13 - 5-3 loss to Philadelphia. (Sox 9th inning rally comes up short)
June 22 - 2-1 loss in Colorado. (The Sox waste a solid Lester start and twice leave the bases loaded.)
June 23 - 8-6 loss in Colorado. (The Sox batter Ubaldo Jimenez around but Papelbon lets up 2 homers in the 9th to lose it.)
June 25 - 5-4 loss in San Francisco. (The Sox strand 11 runners in the last 4 innings wasting a solid Wakefield performance.)
July 5 - 6-5 loss in Tampa Bay. (Sox spoil a 5-1 lead and 2 homers by Eric Patterson when Dice-K and the bullpen couldn't hold down the Rays.)
July 6 - 3-2 loss in Tampa Bay. (Sox bats go dead and Kevin Youkilis goes down to injury.)
July 7 - 6-4 loss in Tampa Bay. (Matt Garza comes out of the pen, shuts down a late rally as the Rays sweep the Sox.)
July 10 - 9-5 loss in Toronto. (The Sox give Lackey an early 5-3 lead that he couldn't hold.)
July 18 - 4-2 loss to the Rangers. (Lester loses a rare game at home that included a Rangers steal of home.)

July 20 - 5-4 loss in Oakland. (The Sox go up 4-0 after 2 but don't score again and lose it in the 10th)
July 21 - 6-4 loss in Oakland. (Buchholz can't hold on to an early lead as the Sox lose the series.)

-1

How appropriate... I am losing hope as they have sunk into the NEGATIVE in my tally.

It's not getting any prettier

Hey! Boston took 3 out of 4 from Los Angeles this week!

Alright fine. Even I would have taken 2 out of 3 from the Dodgers if it meant the Celtics would have beaten the Lakers.

But hey, the NBA season is over and if you hadn't noticed yet, the Red Sox are on a roll.

Buchholz has thrown his hat into the Cy Young race (despite a shaky first few innings) and will head off to Colorado tied with the Yankees with the most wins in baseball.

It's not a parade... but it isn't bad.

Anyway, let's update the tally.

DODGED A BULLET GAMES - 22

April 4 - 9-7 win against Yankees (On Opening Night, the Red Sox overcome a 5-1 Yankee lead with a game tying HR by Pedroia and a go ahead passed ball.)
April 10 - 8-3 win against Kansas City (Beckett out pitches Zack Greinke and nearly gets decapitated by a line drive.)
April 14 - 6-3 win in Minnesota. (Okajima gets Morneau to pop up with the bases loaded in the 7th and Papelbon wiggled out of a 9th inning jam.)
April 20 - 7-6 win against Texas. (Darnell McDonald introduces himself to Boston with an 8th inning game tying homer and a walk off hit in the 9th.)
April 21 - 8-7 win against Texas. (The Red Sox were down 4-0 early only to win it on Youk's 2 out 11th inning double.)
April 23 - 4-3 win against Baltimore. (The Sox blow a 3-0 lead but win it on Adrian Beltre's bases loaded walk.)

April 24 - 7-6 win against Baltimore. (The Red Sox score 6 in the 7th and hold off a late Baltimore comeback attempt.)
April 26 - 13-12 win at Toronto. (The Sox blow an early 5-0 lead but hang on for dear life in a slugfest.)
April 27 - 2-1 win at Toronto. (Buchholz holds the Jays down for 8 but it takes a bases loaded walk in the 8th to go ahead.)
April 28 - 2-0 win at Toronto. (Daniel Bard wiggles out of trouble in the 8th to help Lester shut down the Blue Jays and finish the sweep.)
May 4 - 5-1 win against the Angels. (Juan Rivera misplays Jeremy Hermedia's 2 out flyball into a 3 run game winning double)
May 5 - 3-1 win against the Angels. (Papi and Beltre homer and the Sox hang on despite squandering many potential rallies.)
May 6 - 11-6 win against the Angels. (Dice-K puts the Red Sox in a 4-0 hole before they even bat. The Sox bats respond.)
May 10 - 7-6 win against the Blue Jays. (Sox blow an early 2-0 lead, take advantage of some errors and hang on.)
May 18 - 7-5 win in New York. (Sox climb back from a 5-1 hole. A day after hitting a walk off homer, Marcus Thames drops a fly ball to start the winning rally for the Sox.)
May 25 - 2-0 win in Tampa. (Big Papi supplies all the offense as Papelbon wiggles out of a 9th inning jam.)
May 29 - 1-0 win against Kansas City. (Zack Greinke holds the Sox to one run, but they make it stick)

June 1 - 9-4 win against Oakland. (Lackey puts the Sox in a 4-0 hole but Victor Martinez goes 5-5 and the Sox score 9 runs late.)
June 2 - 6-4 win against Oakland. (Dice-K puts the Sox in a 3-0 hole before they come to bat, but come back thanks to Papi's homer.)

June 8 - 3-2 win at Cleveland. (With Papelbon unavailable, Okajima, Ramirez and Bard hang on to make a winner out of Wakefield.)

June 19 - 5-4 win against the Dodgers. (Sox make 4 errors, blow a late lead and let Manny homer, but they win it in the bottom of the 9th on a Pedroia single.)
June 20 - 2-0 win against the Dodgers. (Dodgers blow an early bases loaded scoring opportunity and allow Buchholz to settle down for the win.)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 19

April 6 - 6-4 loss against the Yankees. (Scutaro's error leads to the winning run.)
April 7 - 3-1 loss against the Yankees. (Sox leave the winning run on in the 9th only to lose on Granderson's 10th inning homer)
April 9 - 4-3 loss in Kansas City. (Bard coughs up the lead, denying Wakefield a win.)
April 17 - 3-1 loss to Tampa Bay. (The Sox can't score with the bases loaded and nobody out in the 11th... lost it in the 12th.)
April 17 - 6-5 loss to Tampa Bay. (The Red Sox comeback falls a run short, leaving two on in the 8th)
April 25 - 7-6 loss to Baltimore. (The Sox blow a 4-1 lead, leave the winning run on second in the 9th, let up 3 in the 10th and could only score 2 in the bottom of the 10th)
April 30 - 5-4 loss in Baltimore. (Tejada ties the game with a 2 out 8th inning homer and wins it with a bloop in the 10th)
May 1 - 12-9 loss in Baltimore. (Dice-K and Wakes get pounded, wasting 2 homers from Ortiz and an early 4-1 lead.)
May 2 - 3-2 loss in Baltimore. (Varitek is thrown at home trying to score with 2 outs in the 8th. Sox get swept in the 10th.
May 12 - 3-2 loss against the Blue Jays. (The Sox rally in the 9th comes up a run short and Kevin Gregg gets an ugly save.)
May 15 - 7-6 loss in Detroit. (The Sox blow a 6-1 lead and lose it on a 2 out bases loaded walk in the 12th.)
May 17 - 11-9 loss in New York. (The Sox come all the way back from a 5-0 first inning hole to take a 9-7 lead in the 9th... but Papelbon lets up a 2 run game tying shot to A-Rod and a 2 run walk off shot to Marcus Thames.)
May 21 - 5-1 loss in Philadelphia. (Big Papi's bid for a game tying 9th inning grand slam is caught at the warning track.)
May 27 - 4-3 loss to Kansas City. (Dice-K walks the go ahead run in and lets another score on a wild pitch as the Royals no name bullpen shut down the Hot Sox.)
May 28 - 12-5 loss to Kansas City. (Sox blow a 3-0 first inning lead to be blown out in Fenway.)
June 3 - 9-8 loss to Oakland. (Sox lose a slugfest where two Boston runners are thrown out at home.)

June 6 - 4-3 loss in Baltimore. (Sox rally to tie the game in the 9th only to lose it on a small ball rally in the 11th.)

June 10 - 8-7 loss in Cleveland. (Sox blow an early 5-0 lead and then after rallying in the 9th to take the lead coughed it up with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th)
June 13 - 5-3 loss to Philadelphia. (Sox 9th inning rally comes up short)


All the way up to +3.

Look, Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals is going to go down as one of those "haunt us for the rest of our lives" sporting events right there with the Aaron Boone homer and the Magic skyhook.

Accept that and cheer on the Sox who just might be on to something this year.

Sully Baseball Picks THE AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL STAR ROSTER

The All Star rosters are going to be announced today and inevitably there will be a lot of people ticked off at the results.

And there will be people angry at the popularity contest that is the fan votes.

And also people will hate that every team needs to be represented.

All predictable reactions…
But I am not going to bitch and moan. Or at least not yet. I am going to assemble my All Star Roster for the American League and post it before the real one is announced.

And I will use the current All Star rules.
In other words the starting line up will be as voted by the fans and each team will indeed have a representative.

I'll pick 24 reserves and pitchers for the AL.

And seeing that homefield advantage in the World Series is on the line, I am putting together a teamwith a shot to win.

So let's put together the 2010 American League All Star Team...

THE 2010 AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL STAR TEAM
(As Picked By The Staff of Sully Baseball)

STARTING LINEUP
(Based on Current Voting Standings)

CATCHER - JOE MAUER, Minnesota

FIRST BASEMAN - JUSTIN MORNEAU, Minnesota





SECOND BASEMAN - ROBINSON CANO, New York





SHORTSTOP - DEREK JETER, New York





THIRD BASEMAN - EVAN LONGORIA, Tampa Bay





LEFT FIELDER - CARL CRAWFORD, Tampa Bay





CENTER FIELDER - JOSH HAMILTON, Texas





RIGHT FIELDER - ICHIRO SUZUKI, Seattle





DESIGNATED HITTER - VLADIMIR GUERRERO, Texas





PITCHERS and RESERVES
(As selected by the Staff of Sully Baseball)

STARTING PITCHER - DAVID PRICE, Tampa Bay





ADDITIONAL PITCHERS

ANDREW BAILEY, Oakland
CLAY BUCHHOLZ, Boston
TREVOR CAHILL, Oakland
FELIX HERNANDEZ, Seattle
CLIFF LEE, Seattle
JON LESTER, Boston
COLBY LEWIS, Texas
ANDY PETTITTE, New York
MARIANO RIVERA, New York
CC SABATHIA, New York
JOAKIM SORIA, Kansas City
JARED WEAVER, Los Angeles



ADDITIONAL POSITION PLAYERS

ELVIS ANDRUS, Texas
ADRIAN BELTRE, Boston
JOHN BUCK, Toronto
MIGUEL CABRERA, Detroit
TORII HUNTER, Los Angeles
IAN KINSLER, Texas
PAUL KONERKO, Chicago
NICK MARKAKIS, Baltimore
MIKE NAPOLI, Los Anegeles
SHIN-SOO CHOO, Cleveland
VERNON WELLS, Toronto
KEVIN YOUKILIS, Boston



There you have it.
Each team is represented and each position has an able back up. The rotation and bullpen are deep and there is a pair of reserve catchers.

You might be asking, "Now dear Sully, why are you only doing the American League?"

Because I am tired and I want to go to bed.

The Red Sox held up THEIR end of the bargain!

The Red Sox had an uneventful win... just as I asked them to.
They didn't let up a base runner for the last three innings and it was never in doubt.

And frankly I was listening to the Red Sox game more than I was the Celtics game on my drive home.

Yeeeeesh.

A friend of mine (A Knicks fan) wrote to me and said "Isn't this what you want? Game 7, Lakers vs. Celtics?"

I said "NO! I wanted Game 4, Celtics sweeping the Suns!"

Ah well.

Buchholz is showing he is throwing like an ace and it is Lester's turn to regain his stuff.

And maybe the Celtics can regain some of THEIR magic.
Today was neither a teeth grinder nor a dodged bullet. I guess if you are going to lose... LOSE!

Well there was good news and bad news...

The good news?

A Red Sox farm product through a masterful 2 hit shutout in the Sox/Indians game.

Bad news?

It was Justin Masterson pitching AGAINST the Red Sox!

Ah well... Sox lost 11-0. It's hard to get worked up when the teams pitching AND hitting stunk.

And frankly Buchholz didn't pitch badly. 7 innings, 3 earned runs is pretty good.

Boof Bonser let up 4 runs and got no batters out in his Red Sox debut.

He put the oof in Boof.

Currently his ERA is infinity.
Let's hope he can lower it.