Don't hang me up just to let me down

The Red Sox manage to split the series with the whatever they are now called Angels (who has the time to look that shit up?) and hold a 4 game lead in the Division …

Steve:
Shows you how much fans and the media know about what's really going on behind the scenes with the Red Sox, as it was just last Wednesday, the 17th, we were told "moving [Schilling] back into the Red Sox' starting rotation isn't an option."

 

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Bill:
No kidding. I was shocked as the next guy on the news of his return to the rotation starting on Thursday in K.C.

 

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Steve:
Funny thing is, as shocking as it was when we first heard they were going to use Schilling out of the pen as the closer, this sudden back to the starting rotation announcement is more so.

 

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Bill:
Can't say I'm unhappy to see this little experiment come to an end … Despite the 16-5 record of Sox wins in games Schilling closed, I nevah had any sense of comfit, nevah a lights out feeling.

 

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Steve:
Even the dominant Herculean Schilling of last season would often take an inning or two to settle in, giving up a couple of runs in the 1st or 2nd, so in relief it was like the 1st inning every night.

 

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Bill:
I hope Foulke and his good doctors, be they of the knee fixing variety or, as I suspect (without a shred of evidence, of course), the head shrinking variety, have things back on track … too much more of this "no lead is safe" shit from the bullpen and I'll start to look like Mick Jagger.

 

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Steve:
You know, with Dinardo having quiet success at Triple-A, Papelbon going to the bullpen, and Craig Hansen inching his way up, this bullpen has the potential to make a marked turnaround

 

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Bill:
Considering last yeah at this time the Sox were five and a half back of the AL East lead, I feel pregnant with possibility.

 

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Steve:
I'm ready to board the Spacebus and blast into the October sky.

 

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Comments

[Rick]

I like how the link back to a year ago just coincidentally happens to land on the infamous "Breadth" strip. That was the one that got me hooked.

Jonathan Papelbon has wasted no time thanking The Good Lord Above for his split-fingered fastball, but I am excited about him anyway.

[Rick]

PS Happy birthday, Yaz.

[Follower of Tito]

The more I see of Jonathan, the more impressed I become. He seems to have avoided alot of the pitfalls that rookies coming up from the minors get caught in: Relying too heavily on their fastballs, getting rattled with men on base, or losing focus when the game goes on tied for an extended period of time. Of course, I do not think the tutelage of the Captain can be over-estimated; that's of the reasons I am eager to see Hanson....if anyone can keep him from freaking out in the bigs, it's Tek..look what he has done for another alledged "head-case": Clement.

I was listening to the game on WEEI, to hear Troup tell it Manny takes pride in his fielding; well, after that play yesterday, he should. Kind of like Papi taking pride in his bunting ability...it was like opening a beer with a crowbar (hey, I've done it..it ain't pretty, but it works).

[illegitimate son of dwight evans]

Oh, that big papi bunt: genius. Sheer f-ing genius. "Oh what? you wanna put a shift on? Leave 3rd base unattended and move the hot cornah to short? OK." Like Willie Keeler said, "hit 'em where they ain't".

I like how Papelbon's coming along. You could do a lot worse as a spot starter than shutting out the AL West leaders for 5 2/3 innings. Though I know how much people are digging Craig Hansen right now, I wouldn't mind a little triple-A seasoning for him just now. We all remember how the Cla Meredith experiment ended, and the stretch run is not the place for that kind of tomfoolery.

"Woman it is f-ing cold up here" - I love that short.

[NV in SD]

Papi could've walked to first and made it in time with the shift they had going.

That was exactaly the type of game I wanted to see yesterday. Jonathan was awesome. While he didn't have the control he did in his previous outings, I was most impressed with his ownership of the inside half (two high and tight brushbacks on Vlad) and his calm with men in scoring position. He's definitely showing maturity beyond his experience. I agree with attributing some of that to Tek, FoT, but the kid's definitely got a good makeup on his own (Cla's antithesis?) I have to say that I had no idea what happened on Manny's awesome catch when it happened. The entire stadium went nuts, and I at first thought it was gone, but then there he comes, glove held high (a la the HR theft in Skankee stadium last year). Wonderful. Have to say, it was probably about 2-1 Angels to Sox fans and they didn't have as much luck drowning out the "Let's Go Red Sox" chants as they did Fri. night. Good stuff.

[NV in SD]

Watching the replay, I now see that Manny didn't return with glove in the air, nor was it close to being gone. I mistook the actual grab for him bringing it back in. Kinda hard to display the ball when you're doubled over. Nice catch though- definitely saved extra bases.

[pawsoxpop]

What a great vacation! Even though it's been a below-average road trip so far, we haven't lost any ground to Brand X, and now the guys get a few days to right the ship in K.C. before getting back to some home cookin'. Papelbon has been the best surprise this year, and Graffanino is a great upgrade at second going into the stretch run.

Dewey, I'm sort of with you on the Craig Hansen issue, in that I don't think he should be closing games in the big leagues yet, but I don't think it would hurt to give him a shot to get some outs in the middle innings. The kid has four years of college ball, and he's shown poise in the minors. I'd like to see him get the call to make a few appearances just in case an injury requires an emergency addition to the playoff roster. But I agree with you that he should not be brought in to face a good hitter in the ninth inning of a close game with runners on base at a time of the year when every game is huge.

And despite Lenny DiNardo's discouraging outing the other night in LAAneheimCaliforniaUSAEarth, I still think he's a better option for the bullpen than Remlinger. The guy had some great moments in Pawtucket this year and I'd like to see him get another chance to hold a lead in an appropriate situation.

[SawxSince67]

Hansen has to be part of this year's team. As does Papelbon.

These guys are "strikeout" pitchers--other than a 100% Schilling, there is no one else to call on with men on base, no outs in the hopes of keeping the basepaths "static".

Papi's bunt is amazing on so many levels: selflessness, leadership, pride,and it obviously gives teams something to consider for the rest of the season. Really significant, I think.

Some humor:

Thread on NYYFans.com:

“Re: Any chance (Randy) johnson retries this off season?”

Reply:

“I think you meant "retiers" not "retries".”

[Aaron]

The best part about the past three games is that, after several weeks of getting clobbered, the pitching staff actually showed up. 8 runs in three games against the AL Wester leaders isn't too shabby, especially considering the run hemorhaging we've been forced to endure for the past 20 games or so.

On another note: I hadn't read the strip for a few days, and I totally missed the unmasking of BigBri. Is that for real, the guy's actually a Cards fan? If true, I feel a certain satisfaction in knowing that my theory has been vindicated. I felt along that something was fishy about him; the impersonation of the raving, jabbering, condescending MFY fan we've all come to know and loathe was too perfect. His parody was magnificent, and I tip my hat to a true comedic genius. With the "BigBri" character unmasked as a joke, my faith in the essential decency of humanity, which suffered mightily every time I read one of his unhinged diatribes, has been restored.

And now it seems we've picked up a second Yankees fan, one who can argue baseball civilly without resorting to slinging childish insults? Even better.

[pawsoxpop]

Geez, you go on vacation and the world as you know it gets a face lift.

No more BigBri? A Cards fan? Who comes from a town that's a Shawnee Indian word, meaning "Big Town Where We Live... Our Big Town."???

I have to tip my cap to you, whoever you are. If you're ever actually going on a trip to NYC, drop by a BLOEHARDS meeting...

[Devine]

I laughed and squirmed with joy in my chair at the office (damn working on Sunday) more and more at Edgar's home run, Ortiz's bunt, and Manny's blast. My headphones fell off as I raised my hands in the air after Edgar's shot just got over the fence. Thank goodness almost everybody had gone home.

I'm a little nervous about Schilling; glad that his first start is against the Royals. I also think a couple of minor league young 'uns might be the help the Sox need right now in the pen. Curious if and how the staff will change before this month ends.