The Running Game

"Robinson Cano is the only base runner who’s been thrown out by the Sox this year. Hang your head, Mr. Cano. You’re like the one guy in 500 who gets a citation for jaywalking." -Dan Shaughnessy

This is a problem. For all of the Sox' talk of run prevention, the inability of either backstop to stop the running game is a glaring discrepancy. Counting last night's partial game, the Red Sox have allowed 16 stolen bases in seventeen attempts. This is not okay.

I don't know what the answer is: there aren't many legitimate catchers out there, and those who are good are decidedly unavailable, while the in-system catchers are at least 2 years away. Maybe the pitchers need to do more work holding runners on... Throwing over to first once in a while, maybe? (I'm NOT talking to you, Clay Buchholz!)

One thing is for sure: pitching and defense only works when ALL NINE POSITIONS can make things work, and right now there's a glaring hole in the plan.

However, according to Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe, the steals haven't been too costly:

"I checked it out this morning. Of those 16 steals, nine have led to runs scoring. But only once so far did a stolen base helped lead directly to a loss."

Okay. But what if the Sox end up one win short of a playoff berth? I know there's a tendency to dismiss early struggles, and in some cases that is an appropriate course of action. Now? I think its time to at least consider the possibility that this is the weakness to focus on, and fix. Please, Theo?

Stay Classy, New York!

Just when you think it's safe to hate them, the New York Yankees show some class. This afternoon, the 2009 World Champion Yankees (gag) received their World Series Rings in a ceremony at Yankee Stadium.

Ridiculously expensive, just like the team that won them!

In a twist of fate, their World Series MVP, Hideki Matsui, signed with the Angels, their opponents for today, and so he was on hand to receive his ring. When asked how Matsui would be received, pitcher CC Sabathia said "I think people will go crazy. He was a big part of our team, the reason why we won last year."


CC was right. So the players are classy... so what, you say? Well, I hate to break it to you, but the fans showed their appreciation, too. Matsui had one of the biggest ovations of the day, as fans let him know they appreciated his [giant] contributions to their 27th world title.

Pigs must be flying all over the Bronx, because MFY fans have finally shown some class.

Jim Rice is a genetic freak.

Now that Jim Rice is a permanent fixture on NESN's Red Sox Post-Game Show, we get to hear his take on hitting, fielding, and everything in between daily. Obviously, Jim Rice was an amazing ballplayer with a Hall of Fame plaque to prove it, but he's also quite the character.

Rice named The Young and the Restless as his favorite soap opera during his Hall of Fame induction speech last summer, something most men wouldn't be to keen to admit. I'll make no secret of my affection for Jim Rice: though his playing days ended just before I was born, his presence in Red Sox lore transcends generations.

That said, I disagree with some of the things he preaches, both as a hitting coach, and a commentator. In Moneyball Rice is described as ridiculing Scott Hatteburg for his patience at the plate, endorsing the [then] Red Sox idea that a walk with a man on base was selfish, that your duty was to hit the ball. Said Hatteburg: "Jim Rice hit like a genetic freak and he wanted everyone else to hit the way he did."

Of course, it makes sense that a hitting coach would have high expectations of his players, but it's absolutely insane to imagine any of them could replicate Rice. One of my only pet peeves with Rice is that he severely undervalues on-base percentage. He's said numerous times that walks are overrated. I beg to differ. First of all, a walk requires that the pitcher has thrown at least four pitches, while a hit requires just one. Making the opposing pitcher work harder is NEVER a bad thing, and a walk ensures that.

Also, a walk is JUST AS VALUABLE as a hit, as each one (a) avoids an out and (b) puts you on first base. This is all old news, but I just can't get over Jim Rice's cavalier attitude toward the base on balls.

Otherwise? I love him to death. Long live Jim Ed!

Red Sox Foundation Welcome Home Dinner

The following video makes me feel like these events might even be worth the $500+ price tag...



Personally, I think Mike Cameron should dress like that everyday.

Five Minute Musings

The theme for this edition of Five Minute Musings is "Things I loved last night" (yes, yes... "That's what she said").

1. Starting pitching: Though we had $68 million dollar man Josh Beckett going for us, I had essentially conceded the game before it started, due to the fact that the Royals had Mr. Cy Young himself, Zack Greinke, warming up in the next bullpen. Despite Don and Jerry's stat that Greinke gave up just two runs all season in the fifth inning last year, he gave up back to back homers to, of all people, Jeremy Hermida and Jason Varitek. And speaking of...


2. Bench players: Honestly, when I saw the lineup included Varitek, Hermida, and Lowell, it looked to me like Tito was conceding the game, as well. However, all three men acquitted themselves admirably. Hermida bashed his first ever homer in a Sox uniform, to tie the game in the fifth inning, while the much maligned Captain homered TWICE, including the initial go-ahead run, and Lowell went 1-for-4 with some plays in the field.

3. The Sox bullpen: After meltdowns in the last few games, the bullpen crew finally got back on track, as Hideki Okajima and Ramon Ramirez each pitched a scoreless inning of relief last night. I have to admit, I was thisclose to writing a post bashing the bullpen yesterday afternoon. I'm glad I abstained.


4. MORE home runs: Kevin Youkilis notched his first homer of the young season, while Dustin Pedroia went yard for the first time since the Opener. Youk's homer led off the eighth inning, while Pedey's came in the ninth, with Ellsbury on base. Pedroia's was particularly impressive, as it came after he was nailed by a Greinke fastball in the fifth inning.

5. The Royals' bullpen: This might sound mean, but I LOVE the sight of someone warming for the Royals (with the possible exception of closer Soria). I Tweeted the following thought during Friday's contest: "I love the Royals bullpen. This is beyond infatuation. This is BEYOND BASEBALL." Yes, it's a bad play on the MLB ads, but it's true all the same. Let's see if we can get back into that pen this afternoon, shall we?

Calm. Down.

Everyone needs to stop what they're doing. Seriously, pause for a second, and take a deep breath. We are exactly three games into the season. Three games, to be exact, against the World Champions of baseball (vomit).

So David Ortiz has exactly one hit thus far. CALM. DOWN. I've heard enough panic in Red Sox Nation. "Papi's done," "Put in Lowell," "He can't hit anything!"

Enough.

Mark Teixeira has one fewer hit than David, and I haven't heard anyone in New York howling for Cashman to buy a replacement (and we know that it doesn't take much for the MFY fans to start whining about underachievement).

I know that last year's prolonged slump is making everyone far more nervous than they might otherwise be, and, contrary to his claims, David Ortiz has a lot to prove to this team, front office, and fanbase. Theo made it clear that he would not wait as long this year for Papi to come around as he did in 2009 (and, lest you forget, it was close to one third of the way through the season before Tito so much as dropped him in the order). However, we are THREE GAMES IN. One of which was started by one of the toughest lefties in the game, CC Sabathia.

Everyone is clamoring for Mike Lowell to get his at-bats. Well, I have news for you: the front office has already decided that Mikey is not the answer. In fact, they decided this almost six months ago, when they traded him to the Texas Rangers. The deal was thwarted by Mike's bum thumb, but the Sox have made it clear that Lowell is only on the team until they find a suitable dumping ground for him. As I have said before, the situation is hardly ideal: Lowell deserves nothing but respect, and he's in a tough situation.

And as for Papi? He's earned the right to the benefit of the doubt for longer than one series against arguably the toughest team in baseball. If this truly is the end, Tito will probably stick with Ortiz far too long (being too loyal to veterans is one of his only flaws, as far as I'm concerned).

But back up off the Tobin Bridge, people. The Sox are headed for a three-game set in Kansas City tonight, and David deserves our support, for at least a little while longer.

Unless, of course, you're ready to forget what he can do when everything clicks...

Phenom in Flux

Jacoby Ellsbury is no longer the young star we saw in the 2007 playoffs, but a twenty-seven-year-old outfielder who has gone through a lot of changes in the last year, the most obvious being a change in position.

However, left field is hardly a new experience for Ells, as he played 80 games there before this season. If anything, he should be flattered to patrol the stomping grounds of Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, and Jim Rice, and by all accounts, he does understand the history of his position.

Ellsbury also elected to trade in his ubiquitous #46 for #2, once Brad Mills took off for the Astros and left his number behind. The shedding of a high number for a low one is another symbol of Ellsbury's growth from a precocious phenom to a solid everyday player.


As you know, I've not always been the biggest Ellsbury fan - the nickname "Golden Boy" that I bestowed upon him was as much a dig as a complement. However, I have always wanted Ells to do well: it doesn't make sense for a fan of the Boston Red Sox to wish ill on any team members. Heading into 2010, Ellsbury has a few things to prove: he needs an OBP closer to .390 than last year's .355 (and he's had some promising patience thus far, albeit sans results), and he needs to be more efficient in using his speed in the outfield. No more talk of what he can become. The man is 27 years old; this season, let's see what he is.