Memorable Moments of 2010: Part 4

You had to see this one coming. Despite the fact that Dustin Pedroia missed most of the second half due to injury, he had a no-doubt laser show game just one day before he broke his foot.

On June 24, 2010 in Denver, Colorado, Dustin Pedroia had a game for the ages, going 5-for-5 with three home runs, and 5 RBIs. The Laser Show was in town, indeed. The diminutive second baseman was his usual exuberant self after the game, never once seeming to lose his swagger.

I couldn't find a video of the actual home runs, but here's a link to NESN's postgame interview with the man of the hour. One of Pedroia's bombs was the game-winner, after heart-attack Papelbon blew his second save in a row.

The very next day, Pedey fouled a pitch off of his own foot, breaking it and landing him on the disabled-list for the rest of the season - excepting a two-day stint when he erroneously believed he was better.



Needless to say, the absence of my future husband severely diminished my enjoyment of the Sox for the rest fo the summer, and I can't wait to have him back next season.

Memorable Moments of 2010: Part 3

On June 6, 2010, Red Sox Nation witnessed rookie Daniel Nava make history. On the very first pitch of his very first at bat in the major leagues, Nava deposited the ball out in the bleachers. With one swing the twenty-seven-year-old rookie recorded his first hit, first home run, and first FOUR RBIs, because his homer came with three men on base.

This moment holds a special place in my heart because I was at Fenway Park when it occurred. It was a rainy, miserable day, but I had tickets in the bleachers, and I didn't care how soggy I would get, I was going to watch some interleague baseball.

I specifically remember how obnoxious the Phillies fans in our section were acting - but Nava shut them right up. Perhaps what made it so special was the amazing backstory that came with Nava's grand slam - he truly is a study in perseverance.

Currently, Nava is on the 40-man roster, but I hope the Red Sox give him an opportunity to play next season... Even if it's not necessarily for them. Nava's waited a long time for his break, and he deserves to make the most of it.

Memorable Moments of 2010: Part 2

Ryan Kalish's arrival was one of many unexpected highlights of the 2010 season. The outfielder has been one of the most highly touted prospects in the Red Sox system for a few years now, and the folks over at Sox Prospects currently lists him at #1 (a no-brainer after Casey Kelly got shipped off to San Diego). Apparently, there is very little downside to Kalish, as Sox Prospects absolutely RAVES about him:

"Excellent athlete with a solid build, good bat speed, and lots of quickness. Plays the game at full tilt. The organization has worked with Kalish on his plate patience, and over time he has come to demonstrate an excellent approach at the plate. Average to above-average present power, has potential to add more. Makes solid contact and hits to all fields. Above-average speed. Steals a lot of bases due to his quick acceleration and high intelligence on the basepaths. In the field, he has a reliable glove, excellent range, an average arm, and average accuracy. Tough competitor with a mature demeanor. Kalish tends to be a very popular player with coaches, teammates, and fans."

Bill James sees a lot of promise in the 22-year-old, projecting a line of .271 BA, .791 OPS, 43 SB, and 20 HR... for 2011... in Boston. I'm not sure where James sees all of this playing time coming from, unless the Sox employee can sense a Jacoby Ellsbury trade in the works. [For comparison's sake, Kalish boasted a .252 BA, .710 OPS, 10 SB and 4 HR in 53 games last season with the big club.]

Kalish's most memorable moment last season came at Tampa Bay on August 28th, when he managed to make the spectalular grab and rob BJ Upton of extra bases, and it earned him ESPN SportsCenter's Top Play honors.

Hopefully, we see a lot more of Kalish (though he'll likely start the year at Pawtucket) - and not just because of his uncanny resemblance to Channing Tatum.

Memorable Moments of 2010: Part 1

During what are historically the slowest days of the year for baseball there's not too much to write about. Instead of waiting for news, I decided to look back on some of the spectacular plays from 2010 - there were more than I thought.

Today, we'll reexamine the heroics of Darnell McDonald:


I'm sure you guys remember it... McDonald had just been called up from Triple-A - for what was supposed to be a short stay. He prompty hit a game-tying 2-run home run in the late innings, and went on to win the game with a walk-off single.

At the time, I think we were all pretty confident that McDonald would be a passing blip on our radar, but he managed to stick around and be a solid contributor all summer. He was consistent in the field and at the plate, and while he was fall from an all-star, he certainly earned his pay.

The thirty-two year old outfielder has been bouncing around the minor and major leagues since 2004, when he made his debut with the Orioles, but the most games he's played for a major league club in a season was this year with the Sox, and it wasn't close. It was nice to see McDonald get a real shot in 2010 - he certainly made himself memorable.

Merry Fricken' Christmas, Red Sox Nation!

Josh Beckett is the key to 2011

I'm finally home for break, and I have to say that the thing I consistently look forward to about getting out of Hartford is renewed access to MLB Network. I've been watching it whenever I can commandeer the remote (pretty easy to do now that my older sister has her own house), and last night on Hot Stove, the analysts were asked to rank their top five teams of 2011, as they were constructed at airtime. That means no assuming the Yankees will flex their financial muscle, and no calculating the Rangers chances if Vlad Guerrero is back - the analysts agreed that both scenarios are all but certain.

However, of the three personalities asked to rank their five, all three had the Red Sox as the best American League team (one ranked the Sox first overall, with the Phillies second, while the other two ranked Philly first and Boston second). It's easy to understand Philadelphia's appeal: they have four legitimate aces in their rotation. Boston, on the other hand, has made a few MAJOR moves to add to an already formidable roster.

However, all three analysts - and the host - agreed that there was one thing that the Red Sox absolutely needed if they wanted to live up to their potential, and that was a rebounding Josh Beckett.

I'll spare you the ugly details, but if you're any kind of red Sox fan, you already know how bad Beckett's 2010 went: when he wasn't on the disabled list, he was floundering horribly. This was even more disappointing than it would normally be, because the fiery Texan had signed a very lucrative extension in the spring, and then immediately went out and sucked all season.

Next year, Bill James expects Beckett to make 26 starts (just five more than last year), with a 10-9 record and a 3.86 ERA. No offense to James or Becks, but we need better than that, and I think we can reasonably expect better. First of all, wins are dependent on the team's offense at least as much as they are dependent on the actual pitching performance, and the 2011 Red Sox should be an offensive force.

Also, Josh Beckett is a very proud man. I'm certain that he's all but ashamed of his fail-tastic performance last year, and he's apt to come out swinging.

If Josh can figure out his life and make this work, 2011 should be one for the ages.

Five-Minute Musings: Jenks, Paps, Greinke, Wheeler, and Hall

I know I have been terrible at updating this week... in my defense, it's finals AND I'm trying to pack up my whole room because I'm going abroad next semester. But I do have five free minutes this fine morning, which I will use to debrief the last week in Red Sox Nation (scope expanded due to the offseason).

1. Bobby Jenks to the Red Sox. The bullpen sure looks a hell of a lot better than it did before this signing, as we now harbor three power lefties, all potential closers. Jenks is a solid player, even if his ERA was up pretty high last season (4.44), and he provides much needed security in a bullpen that was a bigger hindrance to the Sox than the injuries last season. (I know, you don't believe me - but we lost too many games as a direct result of a faulty 'pen.) Jenks' career line can be found here at baseball-reference.

2. The status of Jonathan Papelbon. Everyone is freaking out, talking about how this trade means Paps is on the trading block, that we can't possibly keep three possible closers in the bullpen, and that somehow this is some great catastrophe. Calm. Down. Paps was always on the block for this year, because he will be a free agent next offseason. Cinco-ocho has been boasting about how he wants to "set the market for closers" for years now, and Theo never had any intention of paying him. If the presence of Jenks means we can get some impact talent for Paps (now or at the deadline) beyond the draft picks if we let him walk as a FA, I can support that. It's a smart move, and Theo knows what he's doing.

3. Zack Greinke to the Brewers. This is fantastic news for the Red Sox, as it means that a great pitcher is (a) not going to New York, Tampa, or another division rival, and (b) that he'll be in the National League. Honestly, if Greinke had ended up in New York, I wouldn't have been too worried, as his struggle with anxiety would not have boded well in a high-pressure place like the Bronx. However, this is the second time in a week that one of the game's premier pitchers jumped ship from the AL to the NL. Though the Sox play both the Phils and Brewers in interleague this season, I'll take it... the fewer top-tier pitchers my boys have to face, the better.

4. Dan Wheeler signs a one-year deal. The Rhode Island native professes to be thrilled that he'll be playing in Boston next season, even though he's making the switch from our division rival, the Rays. At least he'll have some familiar faces around, what with Carl Crawford (for whom Wheeler had nothing but praise), and the fact that his family still lives in the Ocean State. Wheeler has a 3.84 ERA in his career, and will most likely take the role of primary middle-innings guy in the bullpen.

5. Bill Hall is headed to Houston. Yes, Brad Mills (former Red Sox bench coach, and close friend of Terry Francona's) will finally get to enjoy the Bill Hall experience. Hall will be the club's starting second-baseman. I understand that, as a rule, a starter is more valuable than a sub, but the Red Sox would have been completely lost last season without Hall's super-utility abilities. The man played seven out of the nine positions (everything but first base and catcher), including a flawless inning pitched, and you just know he could have (and would have) played first base if he had been asked. Hall was a classy guy, always willing to fill in where he was needed, and I'm glad he's getting the chance to start if that's what he wants.


That's all for today, folks, but I am heading home for winter break tomorrow, so posting should be much more consistent for the next month or so. As always, thanks for reading!