First-Place Pitching Woes?

Boston’s starting rotation is probably the best its been in years. We were so stacked with starting pitching in spring training, we were able to trade away a great arm in Bronson Arroyo for more offense. I figured the last thing we needed to worry about was getting quality innings from the front 5, much less facing early blowouts.

But by the second inning of last night’s game, Matt Clement had already solidified a two-game losing streak for the Red Sox. Even after his offense staked him to a one-run lead in the first, he couldn’t find the plate in the top of the second, and paid for it. With the bases juiced, Vernon Wells lofted a long fly ball to dead center, the farthest part of the ballpark, for a four-run four-bagger and a quick 6-1 lead for the Jays.

To say this was discouraging is a colossal understatement, especially considering the performance David Wells put forth in Wednesday’s game. Two horrific starts in a row by starting pitchers, both of which are veterans in the league and considered staff aces at one point in their careers. In fact, all three Sox losses so far this year have come at the expense of bad starting pitching in early innings, the first of which was Wakefield’s forgettable appearance in Texas.

Here’s the difference in those starts, though: whereas the Wakefield and Clement losses are more than likely the case of a rare bad outing, Wells had just come off the disabled list and, as is speculated by many a Sox fan, may have rushed back to the starting rotation in order to meet performance clauses in his contract (Wells’ contract is structured around the amount of starts he makes per year).

Wake and Clement went through a normal spring training regimen, and were ready for their starting roles for the regular season. Clement pitched a 7-inning gem his first time out, and Wakefield rebounded nicely from the Texas game by going 6 innings in beating Baltimore. These guys are ready.

Wells? Not so much. Without even going into the obvious lack of physical shape this guy has obtained over his career, Wells had knee surgery in the offseason, which shortened his spring training significantly. His rehabilitation was obviously not complete, getting smacked around in a Triple-A start before joining the Red Sox for his ill-fated first start.

And it isn’t completely Wells’ fault for rushing back. I’m curious as to why the front office didn’t step in and suggest Wells make another rehab start or two in the minors before testing his knee on the big stage. Theo is on top of everything that goes on with that team, so you know he was well aware of the problems Wells had with a minor-league lineup. Yet he was welcomed back to the rotation with open arms, and promptly served up a lopsided loss.

Shame on you, David Wells, for risking the Sox winning streak. Shame on you for taking the hill before you were ready. Shame on you for putting the best interests of your Bank Account above those of your team and the City of Boson.

And shame on the front office for letting the loudmouth get away with it all.

There were some highlights to the game last night, though. David Ortiz smacked his fourth home run of the season, once again wrapping a two-run shot around Pesky’s Pole in right field. Seeing him rake the long ball and scamper down to first is a beautiful sight for Sox fans, and I hope Ortiz continues to torment opposing pitchers the way he has since joining the Sox. Now if Manny could only find his power swing again, all would be right in the Red Sox Nation.

Kevin Youkilis continues to impress me. I’ve been rooting for this guy to get some regular playing time so we could get a good look at how good a batter he is, and last night we witnesses a great example of just that.

Ninth inning of last night’s game, Youkilis is at the plate with runners at first and second, two outs, the score an 8-3 deficit. Youk doesn’t push, doesn’t rush, doesn’t try to do too much with the at-bat, just advance some runners and keep the game going. He fouls off a few VERY tough pitches inside, lets some corner-nibblers go by for balls, and battled for a full count. Next pitch, he rips a shot to left-center that rolls to the wall for a double, scoring both runners. Now the game is 8-5, making Ortiz the tying run (after Loretta doubled and scored Youk).

Youkilis stayed focused the whole game, not backing off for a second even though the Sox were all but out of the game by the ninth. He hung in there, and helped put the Red Sox in the position to win the game. Ortiz flied out to deep right to secure the loss, but what a dramatic ending anyway.

What’s the last thing a Sox fan wants to hear? “Now batting for Alex Gonzalez … Alex Cora!” See? Every Sox fan who read that last sentence just cringed in disgust. Talk about a no-win situation! That’s like substituting Sleepless in Seattle with You’ve Got Mail. Sure, they may be different, but both make you painfully aware you will never get those two hours of your life back.

And yes, I am horrified that I have used not one, but two chic-flick references in my blog now. In the same damn sentence to boot. I have already self-imposed a ban on my Man Card.

New CoolFlo helmets have been invading MLB this season. Has anyone else noticed these? They have interesting (read: ugly as all hell) ridges and vents on the top and sides of the helmet. Some teams have even taken to using these ridges as an outline for a two-tone color scheme (Mets), which just comes out looking overly-futuristic.

Thankfully, not all teams in the majors have adopted the new helmet style, including my beloved Red Sox. I would say that teams rich in tradition have led the way in bucking the trend, like the Sox and Yankees, but the Cubs have also taken to using the new design, so there goes that theory.

And what’s the purpose of the new helmet, anyway? Was there something wrong with the traditional batting helmets? Were they really THAT much hotter that more vents were needed? Did they create THAT much drag on runners that aerodynamics just had to be incorporated?

Selig was behind this, wasn’t he? That bastard.

Around the Diamond

Even though he’s currently on the DL, Coco Crisp signed a contract extension with Boston that will keep him in a Sox uniform through 2010. Even though we’ve only seen Crisp in 4 games so far this season, he’s been impressing fans, teammates and front office alike with his defense in the field, bat at the plate, and speed everywhere he goes. And at 26, Crisp still has many good years ahead of him.

No word yet on the dollar amounts behind the deal, but I’m betting it’s a far cry from the $12 million Damon’s getting.

If Pedro Martinez even gets within 3 feet of Guillen with a pitch in tonight’s Mets-Nationals matchup, the fireworks are gonna fly. After the beanball game in New York last week, both teams have behaved themselves, mostly for fear of suspension from the league. But tonight, Pedro is back on the hill, and he’s going to do his best to keep his Mets in first place. If Guillen is hanging over the plate just a hair, he’s getting plunked.

On a side note, keep your eye on Nationals manager Frank Robinson if anyone on his team does get beaned. His relentless badgering of the umpires in last week’s fiasco ranked very high on the Unintentional Comedy Scale (pardon the blatent ripoff of Bill Simmons). When he blows a gasket like that, I fully expect him to simply start to wander into the outfield, muttering to himself and waving his arms like a madman.

As I mentioned before, Bronson Arroyo belted his second home run of the season yesterday. On the scoreboard, that’s a run differential of +2. Also mentioned was Wily Mo’s Canseco-esque assist of a home run in right field, which plated two runs. Since those runs were for the opposite team, that’s a -2 for Wily. That gives Bronson a +4 advantage over Wily Mo so far. Think Arroyo can play right field?

Game Notes

David Wells is a load. I never did like the guy in a Sox uniform. He's a loudmouth, a sloppy fat mess on the mound, and an ex-Yankee to boot. The 15 wins he scraped out last season for the Sox could easily have been found elsewhere. I just don't like him.

He's managed to dig the Sox into a 5-0 hole after only two innings of work. Three of those runs came on homers, one of which left Fenway completely. Now the Sox might have to go to their bullpen, in the third inning, to finish out the game. I'm SO glad we brought him off the DL for this start. SO glad he could start the Sox out in the hole, and help deplete our bullpen for the rest of the homestand. Thanks Wells. You fatass.

On the bright side, Wily Mo just HAMMERED a ball to left. Unfortunately, it just hooked foul, but it was one hell of a shot. If he ever finds his stride here in Boston, cars on the Mass Pike had better stock up on windshield insurance.

Dustan Mohr, a minor-league centerfielder the Sox called up in place of the injured Nixon, is sporting number 18 in the game tonight. Its nice to see that jersey back on the field so soon, should help fans get over the loss of Damon. But then, having Crisp out there on a regular basis is all we really need to say, "Johnny who?"

Opening Day at Fenway

Okay, I’ve been trying to be good about writing these blog entries while I’m at work (month-old new job, nonetheless), but today it’s simply unavoidable. The home opener for the Red Sox started at 2:00, and since I can’t stream audio OR video for the occasion, I closely followed the action on MLB.com GameCast, as well as my favorite Red Sox message board. There’s no way I was missing out completely on this grand occasion.

(I took notes as the game went along, and tried to past-tense this entry the best I could afterwards, so please bear with me if there’s any nasty logic or tense jumps.)

Though I already love Beckett after his strong 7-inning win in Texas to open the season, I wish he didn’t take lessons from Schilling on how to give up first-inning runs. I know sometimes the offense needs a little motivation to get going, I’d just rather that motivation not be in the form of cheap runs. Walking in a run is never acceptable, especially from as good a pitcher as Beckett. I’m going to chalk that one up to opening-day jitters.

All was not lost, tough. Becket battled out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam by getting Glaus to ground into a double play. The Sox rallied back in the bottom of the second on a few key doubles from Lowell, Stern and Youkilis, plating 4 runs in the wall-ball onslaught. There’s just so many great things with that last sentence, I don’t know where to begin.

Let’s go in order. Lowell, whom many thought was beyond his prime and would be a hindrance both in the field and at the plate, put together a beautiful 4-4 day with three doubles. Though this was by far his best game in a Sox uniform so far, the hits he’s had before have been timely.

Adam Stern, the Canadian manning center field in the absence of Crisp, has been talking Sox fans back from the ledge in his past two starts. The young callup has shown good defense (even dating back to the World Baseball Classic in his Canuck uniform), and his .333 batting average may land him the leadoff spot in the lineup in favor of the cement-footed Youkilis. Though I’m sure all Sox fans in the nation are eagerly awaiting the return of Crisp, Stern is helping us pass the time with much less anxiety.

And Youk, he’s still my boy. I love that he’s going to get some serious playing time this season, whether at first or third. He rakes the ball at the plate, and has an amazing eye and patience.

Beckett went on cruise control after that first inning, allowing only one run on three hits through 7 innings. I can’t wait to get home and watch this game, with Beckett screaming and pumping his fist after mowing down the Jays all game. Baseball is back in Boston, baby.

Our free-swinging platooner Wily Mo came into the game in the 5th, replacing Trot Nixon in right field. Going merely on what I’ve read on message boards, Trot made an awkward dive for a ball in the first inning, where he must have tweaked one of many sore weak muscles. I love the guy, don’t get me wrong, but for some reason its hard for him to stay healthy.

In the “no surprise there” department, Wily Mo swung at the first pitch he saw in the game and flied out. In his last at-bat, three pitches, three swings, three misses. Will someone please tell this guy to watch one for once? Just one pitch for a change?

Speaking of strikeouts, Manny had a rough day at the plate. An 0-4 day with two K’s to his name. His average is looking dangerously similar to his slow start of the 2005 season.

I have to give Kudos to Keith Foulke, who seems to be taking his loss of the Closer role in stride. The new system of Foulke in the 8th, Papelbon in the 9th is working wonders, and no one has heard a peep from the Sox. Its pretty evident why this new system is here to stay for a while, though: Foulke gave up a 2-run shot in the 8th, while Papelbon closed out the win with a 1-2-3 9th. That brings Papelbon’s ERA this season to ZERO. Not one earned run so far. Now THAT’S a closer.

So Opening Day at Fenway is in the books, and the Sox are sitting atop the AL East with a 6-1 record. Starting pitching looks tough, the bullpen is doing its job, and our offense has shown some pop thus far. Not a bad way to break in a newly-renovated Fenway Park.

Let’s just hope Boomer’s return to the mound is a successful one tomorrow and he keeps the streak alive. You never know what you’re going to get with his first few starts of the season.

The Yankees had some trouble with the Royals in today’s game. Wang couldn’t hold on to an early 4-1 lead, with Kansas City taking a 7-4 advantage late in the game. Tanyon Sturtze, the cheap-shot artist who choke-holded Nixon in the Brawl Game in 2004, relieved Wang in the seventh and promptly gave up a solo shot to Shane Costa. Jeter rallied them back, however, with a 3-run homer for a 9-7 lead, and Rivera closed it out for the win. Let’s hope the Royals bullpen shakes off today’s debacle and at least takes one from the Yanks. As much as I enjoy seeing them in the cellar, I’m certain it won’t last for too long.

Bronson Arroyo has done it again. In just his second start of the season, Captain Cornrows has belted another home run, bringing his season total to two. Just for the record, that’s just as many as Big Papi and Manny. Combined.

Post game update: After I got home, I had a chance to watch some highlights from today's game at Fenway, and I have a few comments that couldn't go un-added.

I'll get the bad out of the way first. I need to retract the dig on Foulke for giving up a two-run homer in today's game. He actually gave up a long fly-ball out that Wily Mo batted over the right-field fence for a homer. The ball was in his glove, he continued a good step and a half backwards, and lost the ball when he ran into the fence. Probably a tough catch, especially the way that fence seems to be at the perfect back-wrenching height, but still a catchable ball. I suddenly fear both Wily Mo's offense AND defense. Or severe lack thereof, as the case may be.

On a good note, did you see that double play turned by Gonzalez? Sick! As much as I hate his Mendoza-line batting average, his quickness and skill on the field makes up for a lot. Loretta managed to get a glove on a bullet shot headed for the outfield, but it was too far over his head, batting it behind second base. Out of nowhere, Gonzalez swoops in, snares the hop, steps on second and fires to first to complete the innng-ending double play. How I missed having such a fleet-footed, slick-fielding shortstop out there for the Sox! Reminds me of the days of OCab.

Good Times, Bad Times

Monday brings many mixed emotions for this Red Sox fan, with great news and an unfortunate turn of events weighing heavy on my mind.

First, the bad. Coco Crisp, the Red Sox new centerfielder who’s been making a big splash with the team so far this season, managed to break his finger when he got caught trying to nab third base against the Orioles. He knew he was dead to rights, tried to slide and pull up at the same time, and ended up tumbling over a few feet away from third. That tumble snapped his left index finger, and will land him a 15-day stint on the DL.

Is this why Sox teams of past never valued speed much? Is it because it comes back to bite you in the ass in the end? Was management on to something with their less-than-fleet-of-foot squads of the 80s?

I hope not. I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen anyone round the bases as fast as Crisp has this season for the Sox. Tito better not yank Coco’s perpetual green light on the basepath, ‘cause this guy is greased lightening. In the five games he’s played, Crisp has crossed home six times already. That means he’s getting on base at a damn fine clip, and that kind of production doesn’t come very often.

Coco’s trip to the DL will give Sox fans a better look at Wily Mo Pena, the part-time right fielder from Cincinnati who hasn’t hit much more than the bench in the few plate appearances he’s had so far. A notorious free-swinger with more K’s than Kris Kristofferson’s monogrammed luggage, Wily Mo has hardly seen a pitch he didn’t like, and frankly, hasn’t missed.

Perhaps Wily Mo has been pushing too hard, trying to make the best of limited playing time to impress Sox brass in the short-term. With Crisp out, Wily Mo is sure to get more platoon time in the outfield with Adam Stern. Hopefully Wily Mo’s increased roster presence will ease him at the plate, give him the time and confidence he needs to become a productive full-time player.

If not, there’s gonna be one helluva stiff breeze blowing around Fenway for the next two weeks.

But today wasn’t a total bust for the Sox. In fact, today may have set the stage for great Sox teams for years to come. In a signing that parallels the Varitek deal last year, the Sox tied up slugger David Ortiz to a four-year deal that will keep him in Boston’s laundry through 2010 (with an option for 2011). Its nice to see a big-name star actually get along with management for a change, isn’t it?

The man who’s being hailed as the best clutch hitter in baseball today made the decision to forgo the free agency that awaited him at the end of the 2006 season, not to mention some big dollar signs to match the stats he’s been putting up. Not necessarily taking a hometown discount, Ortiz inked the deal moreso to stay, and hopefully finish his career, here in Boston.

“I feel like this is my house. I want to protect my house;” said Ortiz at the press conference in an Under Armor-esque way. If that statement doesn't give every Sox fan out there the chills, you're simply not alive. Ortiz has thrown down the gauntlet and taken up his position at the gates of Fenway. He's here for the long haul, ready to stand tall for the city of Boston, a city he loves to play in.

And with a guard dog like Big Papi at the front door to Fenway, ain’t nobody coming in and pushing the Sox around.