Jon Lester comes through once again. Apparently his ERA has fallen from 8.44 to 3.71 in his last four starts which is a VERY good sign, and shows some serious improvement. Rather, some serious recalibration. Lester is so stinkin good. His first few starts were not up to snuff but Jon is one of the ones who is actually pulling his weight around Fenway Park these days.
Went to a Quakes game yesterday. Some good baseball being played at the Epicenter. It's always a great game in one form or another- extra innings, walk-off wins, someone going 4-4, a dominant pitcher, a rehabbing major leaguer, etc. I've quickly familiarized myself with the team's usual starters and think of them all fondly, somewhere between how I feel about the Spinners and how I feel about the Paw Sox. I already know these guys better as a unit than I did the 2009 Spinners, but I'm not quite sentimental about them like I am with the Paw Sox. I'm excited to see Tyler Chatwood start tomorrow at 10:35am... he is my buddy and favorite among all the players. As for favorites based on what I've witnessed of their performance, well, Roberto Lopez is their captain-esque catcher. He bats near the top of the lineup, has a great athletic and muscular build, and also has this leader's air about him. I remember him getting absolutely plowed into on a play at the plate, but even after being mauled he held onto that ball after applying the tag. That was a couple games ago (well, of the games I've gone to). Chatwood seems to be one of their best, has had a pretty strong start to the season and... well, i'll let you read up if you're interested:
http://www.halosheaven.com/2010/2/1/1286963/tyler-chatwood-angels-top-prospect
Perfect Dallas Braden and his precious mound. Awesome that he threw a perfect game... I think the 19th in MLB history? I havent watched a ballgame in about a week... the series vs the Angels was blacked out of course and I've been on the go for the past few days while we played the Yanks. Maybe I'll watch today's game tomorrow... I want to see Lester do his thing.
Bed time so I can get up early to beat the morning traffic to Rancho Cucamonga. Quakes vs Storm.
Showing posts with label Lester. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lester. Show all posts
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Back for more
That was fun last night. I think I'll try it again.
I hadnt seen a Sox game since last week, so as soon as I was awake I started up Boxee and caught the game around the 3rd inning. Ugh. Terrible. And it seems like that's how it went while I was away up north. Swept by the Rays in a 4 game series, that's just embarrassing. The Rays are a strong team, so the embarrassment has nothing to do with them... but WE should be much better than that.
..and then I look at our team. I take a good concentrated look, and see that maybe we're really not better than that. I'm not sold on one single acquisition we made in the offseason. Beltre, Scutaro, Hall, Cameron, Lackey- none of them feel like they're part of our champion-caliber, gritty, tough, always-contending team. They're still strangers. I didnt have that feeling with Bay or VMart when they joined us.
The Red Sox have played 13 games as of the time of this writing.
We've won 5 of those games.
(Dont do the math to find out how far under .500 we are... it hurts. Just tell yourself that it's early, there's no sense getting worked up, and read on.)
We've held the opposing team to 5 runs or less in 6 games, and have only won 3 of those 6 (meaning, more often than not when we get beat, the other team is really scoring runs; and even after holding them to 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 runs, we havent been able to produce enough of our own to come out on top).
On the other side of things, we've been held to 5 runs or less in 9 games (9 out of 13 total), and we've won ONE of those (meaning, other teams' pitching has been more effective against us than ours has been against them slash our offense is perhaps just very weak, as supported by the previous bullet point).
If we're not going to be scoring runs, our starters have GOTTTTTTT to be stepping things up. That's the most anxiety-inducing part of these early-season struggles for me... pitchers are strange and wonderful beings, impossible to understand, complex, unpredictable, and filled to overflowing with intensity.
I've never been a huge Beckett believer... have seen him toss some gems, for sure, but I've always liked Lester as our #1. Sure, I acknowledge that there's a sort of gruff, constantly pissed, murderous-temper quality that gives Beckett more of an Alpha aura, but when it comes to results I'd see Johnny more surely getting things done right, if anyone.
Still, no matter about my personal preferences... they're both considered to be toward the top of the list in MLB. Lackey too (for the record I was unenthused by this pickup, though I did and still do hope that he would make our strong rotation even stronger).
so what's going on here?!
The Sox need to start assigning laps and pushups for fielding errors. And maybe if they incentivize for increased offense.... say, Tito takes everyone out to JP Licks after every game in which at least 7 of 9 guys get a hit. Or we could dream a little smaller and just say that the team gets a pizza party every time Papi only strikes out once in a game.
Hmm, interesting. I'm looking at the individual player stats.
Petey has 5 home runs, the most of any of the guys- can you guess who has the second most right now? Jason Varitek, with 3. (I should note here that he has only played in 3 games to date.) Pedroia is also breaking away from the pack in Total Bases (37.... next in line is Youk with 21!), Hits (18, Beltre and Scutaro after him with 12 apiece), RBI (13, Hermida/Youk/Beltre each with 6), and then the stats (BA, OBP, SLG, OPS). Petey is a machine of a man right now, more than usual. So while I dont enjoy watching my team bumble around on the field game after game (lately), it is incredibly fun watching Petey be on FI-YA.
Again, we're working off of a small sample size here. They've been playing for mere weeks. But until things have had a chance to balance and settle, what else is there to do but talk about what's happened thus far?
I must be Boston at heart.. I've rambled on about nothing for a long time here, but have done it with vigor. At least, I feel invigorated.
Here, let's end on a positive note. I was reading through my scorebook tonight, looking at the games I'd recorded, and I came across the game Bowdie pitched that nearly ended up being a no-hitter.
I hadnt seen a Sox game since last week, so as soon as I was awake I started up Boxee and caught the game around the 3rd inning. Ugh. Terrible. And it seems like that's how it went while I was away up north. Swept by the Rays in a 4 game series, that's just embarrassing. The Rays are a strong team, so the embarrassment has nothing to do with them... but WE should be much better than that.
..and then I look at our team. I take a good concentrated look, and see that maybe we're really not better than that. I'm not sold on one single acquisition we made in the offseason. Beltre, Scutaro, Hall, Cameron, Lackey- none of them feel like they're part of our champion-caliber, gritty, tough, always-contending team. They're still strangers. I didnt have that feeling with Bay or VMart when they joined us.
(sorry, i couldnt help including this. i miss jason bay .. just a little.)
I feel like I could get used to Mike Cameron and Adrian Beltre, but the others... I mean, clearly Lackey has been widely hyped for his performance, so it's not that I think they're all no good. Although Lackey isnt an ace as far as 2010 proves it, and that's all that matters to me, what he can do for the Sox. For a team touted as having 3 aces (and a 4th in the making in Buchholz) we sure dont seem to be able to keep opponents' bats quiet. Look at the facts here, ladies and gentlemen:The Red Sox have played 13 games as of the time of this writing.
We've won 5 of those games.
(Dont do the math to find out how far under .500 we are... it hurts. Just tell yourself that it's early, there's no sense getting worked up, and read on.)
We've held the opposing team to 5 runs or less in 6 games, and have only won 3 of those 6 (meaning, more often than not when we get beat, the other team is really scoring runs; and even after holding them to 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 runs, we havent been able to produce enough of our own to come out on top).
On the other side of things, we've been held to 5 runs or less in 9 games (9 out of 13 total), and we've won ONE of those (meaning, other teams' pitching has been more effective against us than ours has been against them slash our offense is perhaps just very weak, as supported by the previous bullet point).
If we're not going to be scoring runs, our starters have GOTTTTTTT to be stepping things up. That's the most anxiety-inducing part of these early-season struggles for me... pitchers are strange and wonderful beings, impossible to understand, complex, unpredictable, and filled to overflowing with intensity.
Mechanics, psychological stuff... everything from the concrete to the abstract can throw a pitcher off his groove. If they're not working right, so to speak, how do we make them work again?
so what's going on here?!
The Sox need to start assigning laps and pushups for fielding errors. And maybe if they incentivize for increased offense.... say, Tito takes everyone out to JP Licks after every game in which at least 7 of 9 guys get a hit. Or we could dream a little smaller and just say that the team gets a pizza party every time Papi only strikes out once in a game.
Hmm, interesting. I'm looking at the individual player stats.
Again, we're working off of a small sample size here. They've been playing for mere weeks. But until things have had a chance to balance and settle, what else is there to do but talk about what's happened thus far?
I must be Boston at heart.. I've rambled on about nothing for a long time here, but have done it with vigor. At least, I feel invigorated.
Here, let's end on a positive note. I was reading through my scorebook tonight, looking at the games I'd recorded, and I came across the game Bowdie pitched that nearly ended up being a no-hitter.
(taken at the 7.19.09 game, actually)
Paw Sox vs the Indianapolis Indians, 7.19.09. It was literally down to 2 outs in the top of the 9th with no hits allowed to that point, and Fernando Cabrera gave up a scorcher of a line drive right into left-center. FCab, of all people- around that time last season he could do no wrong, he was on a roll. That was a beautiful day. There was a fair on the neighboring football field after the game with a mini baseball history museum, and some games, and food, and booths, etc. Some notes from my scorebook: I sat in Sec 10, Row C, Seat 9. Bowdie went 5 innings, a somewhat high count of 4 BB but 5 SO, two of them looking. I apparently found it necessary to note that Mike screamed F&*# from the mound after walking Shelby Ford in the 5th- his 4th walk issued in the game, frustrating as he doesnt think of himself as a pitcher who walks a lot of guys. Oh, and the gun read 101mph on Bowden's first strike thrown in the 2nd inning. Haha. Fat chance. Finally- looking at the Indy Indians' current roster, it seems like they've got a lot of familiar names: Argenis Diaz, Brandon Moss, Jonathan Van Every, Craig Hansen... some old friends :) Anyhow, we won 3-2!
Taken on the night I became a Red Sox fan.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
i completely missed the boat..
"Hours ago there was only one row between me and Fenway dirt. I could hear every obscenity that came out of Petey's mouth when he didnt get it done tonight. And I could hear the clap of his hands from 2nd when he did."
whoops. so, friday afternoon, i received an email from a housemate who said she had a "really good" free red sox ticket that I could have. apparently, someone she works with had 4 extras and my housemate claimed one for me. i'm not picky about my sox tickets, so i said yes and got really excited. upon arriving home (where i was going to pick up my ticket) I discovered that this seat was indeed a "really good" seat... a field box seat down the left field line. those suckers are expensive, if you dont know.
i get myself over to the park as fast as the mbta can take me, and am partaking in my typical routine of watching pregame happenings from next to the media pit down the 1st base line, watching the dugout fill and the dirt being raked and the sun gleaming (for once)... and nobody comes to kick me out of the seat i'm leaning against... and they're announcing the lineup, and still noone comes... and the players are running out onto the field, and i've sat down at this point so as not to look conspicuous, and still noone comes! so there i am, in dugout seating, with just one row in front of me, and the game has begun. i've done this plenty of times before- and the first hour is a bit nervewracking, because anyone who walks by me in the aisle could be the guy who's coming to claim his rightful spot where i'm sitting. granted, being in the second row, most people who are coming by me are vendors or waiters (yes, dugout seats, woohoo... in-seat waiter service, not that i took advantage of this). and in fact, i've only gone for a complete game in an elite-but-not-mine seat 3 or 4 times before (down in the fieldbox section).. so whenever i get the chance to sit so close, i consciously enjoy every moment, every blade of grass that i can see, every conversation from the field that i can pick up. on friday night, i enjoyed every moment of that game in the most vivid way possible. definitely in the top 5 for best seats i've sat in. i couldnt believe how many open dugout seats there were... i shared about 10 of them with two other vultures like myself.
Lester pitched admirably. Petey drove in the deciding (and only) run with a trademark double off the monster.
Paw Sox.. what a day to be at the park. It was stunningly sunny, not cool and not hot, and McCoy features an overhang that extends over almost all of the seating area down the 1st and 3rd base lines. we lost, but that tends to happen a lot in Pawtucket. after the game was over, i caught beckett pitching the last out of his shutout complete game 100th career win on a tv in the concourse. whew. what a way to hit a milestone.
whoops. so, friday afternoon, i received an email from a housemate who said she had a "really good" free red sox ticket that I could have. apparently, someone she works with had 4 extras and my housemate claimed one for me. i'm not picky about my sox tickets, so i said yes and got really excited. upon arriving home (where i was going to pick up my ticket) I discovered that this seat was indeed a "really good" seat... a field box seat down the left field line. those suckers are expensive, if you dont know.
i get myself over to the park as fast as the mbta can take me, and am partaking in my typical routine of watching pregame happenings from next to the media pit down the 1st base line, watching the dugout fill and the dirt being raked and the sun gleaming (for once)... and nobody comes to kick me out of the seat i'm leaning against... and they're announcing the lineup, and still noone comes... and the players are running out onto the field, and i've sat down at this point so as not to look conspicuous, and still noone comes! so there i am, in dugout seating, with just one row in front of me, and the game has begun. i've done this plenty of times before- and the first hour is a bit nervewracking, because anyone who walks by me in the aisle could be the guy who's coming to claim his rightful spot where i'm sitting. granted, being in the second row, most people who are coming by me are vendors or waiters (yes, dugout seats, woohoo... in-seat waiter service, not that i took advantage of this). and in fact, i've only gone for a complete game in an elite-but-not-mine seat 3 or 4 times before (down in the fieldbox section).. so whenever i get the chance to sit so close, i consciously enjoy every moment, every blade of grass that i can see, every conversation from the field that i can pick up. on friday night, i enjoyed every moment of that game in the most vivid way possible. definitely in the top 5 for best seats i've sat in. i couldnt believe how many open dugout seats there were... i shared about 10 of them with two other vultures like myself.
Lester pitched admirably. Petey drove in the deciding (and only) run with a trademark double off the monster.
Paw Sox.. what a day to be at the park. It was stunningly sunny, not cool and not hot, and McCoy features an overhang that extends over almost all of the seating area down the 1st and 3rd base lines. we lost, but that tends to happen a lot in Pawtucket. after the game was over, i caught beckett pitching the last out of his shutout complete game 100th career win on a tv in the concourse. whew. what a way to hit a milestone.
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