Rolling 7's

Bill:
The morning aftah Labah Day and a 7 game lead in the Division.  Who knew how good such a thing could feel?

 

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Doug:
Wait a second, didn't you get the memo?  We are supposed to be rattling our Rosaries in perturbation because Matsuzaka has labored for the second straight outing.

 

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Bill:
Jesus, don't these people having a melting ice cap or stranded polah bear to channel their innah Chicken Little ovah rathah than foment false hysteria about the best pitching staff in the Majahs?

 

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Doug:
Seriously.  We've been told from the beginning that Matsuzaka would be a work in progress all season.  Just because it appeahs we are postseason bound doesn't change that.

 

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Bill:
I know let me say it slowly so the Dice-K doubtahs can get it: transition.

 

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Doug:
Absolutely. He's having a bettah first year in a "new" league than Beckett did last year in his.

 

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Bill:
And Beckett only had to deal with the transition to facing the best-in-the-world hittahs of the AL and, as fah as I know,  did not have to concurrently deal with a change in culture, language, food and diet, sleeping style, a disruption to his start/rest pitching routine, so on and so forth.

 

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Doug:
Meanwhile, even if Matsuzaka's struggles get worse, I mean, holy shit, look at the rest of the staff?

 

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Bill:
We've got the aforementioned Josh Beckett morphing nicely into the role of ace.  We've got the studly of studliest closahs in all of baseball.

 

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Doug:
Are you kidding me?  Paps is so studly that every time he so much as scratches  his balls 20 pink hats become impregnated.

 

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Bill:
I know!  Then there's  Lestah coming back from frickin' cancah for crissakes, Wake being Wake, the unexpected non-batshit moments from Tavarez and, oh yeah, I forgot, the rookie Buchholz throwing a no-hittah in his second majah league staht evah!

 

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Doug:
Yeah, so if you want me to feel "uneasy" about Matsuzaka, I say, go fuck yourself.

 

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Comments

[Bob]

My buddy Brian (of Boston, now living in Brooklyn), was visting town this weekend.

Told me to meet up with him at The Fireside in J.P. after Saturday's game.

Dirty rotten filthy bastard.
He called right after the third strike.

Couldn't hear a word he was saying, but kept repeating to him, "You dirty, rotten filthy bastard."

[Bob]

Oh. Guess I forgot to mention he went to the game.

Dirty, rotten filty bastard.

He goes to maybe two games a year.

D.R.F.B.

[Youk Rules]

Word.

The Jays yesterday were like the Sox on Friday against Baltimore: so close on many occasions to winning a game that was mostly out of reach, if it weren't for the missed opportunities.

Hey, Pinstripe, is that what Clemens "gets paid to do"? Give up 3-run triples and shit?

[buckner was framed]

omitting your fellow blogger was merely an oversight, right? or is this '08 already? LOVE the Paps panel though- too funny. With the pleasant surprise of Buchholz and the 7 games, what would be the harm in skipping Dice once, though, to let him recharge a little? Not that he would with his work ethic, but he and Oki both are showing some wear and tear

[vasoxfan]

Bob,
I'm glad you said he was @ the game. I couldn't imagine why you were delivering curses to the guy just cause he moved to Brooklyn.:)

[Tim]

Another reason not to sweat our pitching: after the now-adjusted ace Beckett, we have the best #2 pitcher in the league, Mr. Timmy Wakefield.

[Joe in Philly]

R E S T

Time for Dice and any one else nursing an injury or nagging trouble or fatigue to rest. Let everyone skip a start if it won't upset their routine too much. Let Manny and Ortiz soak together in a hot tub with Motrin instead of epsom salts. Anything to prepare for the post season. Give the kids the ball and let them play.

[louclinton]

I think the answer is pulling these guys after 5 if there is a bazillion run lead. It has happened three or four times in the last 2 weeks.

Let L'homme chubby earn his keep, as well as all the other people [Lopez, Snyder, Delc}. Bring up some arms from AA or AAA and let them pitch when the score is 10-1, as opposed to squeeze another few outs out of DKM

lc

[yazbread]

Did anyone notice after the no-hitter that as Beckett jokingly said something to the effect of 'Schilling couldn't do it' that Schilling (right next to Beckett) appeared to have a sour look on his face? Also hear on the radio yesterday speculation that Clemons might be done for the season. Suzy W. must be in tears.

[buckner was framed]

speaking of L'homme Chubby, what's up with the shoulder? That was announced pretty quietly and kept under the radar

[Youk Rules]

Yaz,

Beckett was saying "one better than Schilling, one better than Schilling" and Curt didn't look too happy about it.

[buckner was framed]

yazbread- yeah, I loved that comment. Followed up by something like "one pitch better than my man Schilling" or something, wasn't it? Gee, and it seems like only yesterday those two had their lil "ace-off" rivalry going....

[Kaz]

Beckett was saying, "Better than Curt Schilling did!" I think he knew Curt was there and was ribbing him a bit and pumping the kid up in celebration. Looked light-hearted to me.

Any speculation on Rogah at this point has to be idle. He goes to get his MRI today and there's no way the Yankees are going to plan on him missing the rest of the season if they don't even know what they're looking at yet.

The Toronto lineup doesn't get enough credit. They have some very good hitters who started pretty slow this year (I'm looking at you Vernon Wells...grumble...fantasy team...grumble). One more starter and one really reliable slugger and that team would be amazing (Yankees in 3rd? Whodathunkit?). As it is, they're over 0.500 (70-67) and only 5.5 back from NYY for the WC. With their remaining schedule, they have a 2-to-1 better chance at overtaking the Yankees than the Yankees do at overtaking Boston. Mind you, the odds only give them a 1.6% chance at the WC, but if the season has taught us anything, it's that the Yankees are good at surging and then choking like Anna Nicole (too soon?).

[Jackie]

I'm sure Beckett's comment was lighthearted (I thought it was great, btw), but at the same time it wouldn't surprise me if Schill was a little PO'ed. I mean, I'm sure he was happy for Buchholz, but at the same time, it must kinda suck to be nearing the end of an excellent career without a no-hitter and see a rookie do it in his second game... and then have Beckett rub it in your face.

[Jarvis Kellogg]

Hart,
Sorry for the late post, but is not the Twilight Zone/Rod Serling reference properly: "Between the pit of Man's fears and the summit of his imagination"? Not to be pedantic; its just how I remember it. Best,

[JeffinDC]

>>Paps is so studly that every time he so much as scratches his balls 20 pink hats become impregnated.

Oh my God, i can't stop laughing.

[yazbread]

Sorry - I am too lazy to look up the answer. How do the September callups fit into the playoff roster? These young kids have fire! I'll take them all into October if I can. Put Nancy at the end of the bench if possible.

[buckner was framed]

Kaz-
but was she choking over the wide stance employed by Larry with Howard?

[buckner was framed]

yb-
I believe that anyone on the 25 man roster as of 8/31 is eligible for the playoff roster- However, a player on the DL as of that date may be replaced by anyone on the 40 for the playoffs, which gives the team some flexibility

[Griffin]

Schilling was so pissed that he gave Buchholz a huge hug just after Beckett's comment. Please. These guys give each other shit all the time.

As for being 'uneasy' about Dice-K, you've got to forgive Nicky Cafardo. He had trouble seeing the keyboard because he was crying so hard over Clemens.

[buckner was framed]

Griff, I don't think anyone is suggesting otherwise, but I agree with Jackie above that it wouldn't surprise me a bit if Schill was a tad pissed at the comment at the same time as being glad for his teammate

[granular_serene]

Buckner, I thought Schill was on the D-Rays, no?

[Kaz]

BWFramed is right. The 25 as of 8/31 is the 25 that get to go to the playoffs. Any of the 25 on the DL (15- or 60-day) can be replaced by equivalent position player (I can't find agreement on whether that means 3B for 3B or simply pitcher vs non-pitcher).

For the Sox, the DL "loophole" means that we can put Donnelly and Clement in our playoff "25" and then wait until the post-season starts to say "whoops, they're on the DL, we need 2 pitchers from our 40...come here Buchholz and Hansack (or pick your 2 best September stand-outs here)".

Sometimes teams will bring up an injured minor-leaguer if they have room on the DL just to keep a placeholder knowing the team is likely to make the postseason and therefore use the DL'd placeholder as a Joker for adding anyone who stands out after the call-ups to bring their hot bat/hot hand into the postseason.

I found this page really useful for understanding a number of the transaction rules in MLB.

[buckner was framed]

might just be the biggest contribution Clement makes to the team in his whole tenure- although there's a part of me that hopes the Sox give him an incentive laden deal for next year just to see what he can do if 100% healthy finally

[pinstripe thunder]

If it makes you feel any better, Kaz, I'm finally facing west today. Don't particularly love the view in that direction, either, but I thought it would be unsportsmanlike not to show my face on the board today.

My only consolation is that you have Vernon Wells on your fantasy team. Enjoy... hope you have Andruw Jones, Rafael Furcal and Dontrelle Willis as well.

Much love,

PT

[Wes]

Pinstripe.. You can take solice in the fact that Kaz was saying the Blue Jays COULD be better than the Yanks if they had one or two more pieces.

If memory serves correct, the Blue Jays were better than the Sox last year, without those pieces and look how far the Sox came.

Maybe the Yanks can do the same next year. LOL..

[da kine]

BWF, I agree with you about Clement: low risk/high reward. Moneyball, baby!

[buckner was framed]

da kine, the problem is he will probably be priced out of our range, though- the way pitching is at a premium, someone will pay him $8-10mil straight up rather than the $4-5 + incentives the Sox will be willing to Schill out. Just like Gagne last offseason (how's THAT for irony?)

[Jason O.]

#1 reason to be an actor:

Edward Norton dated Salma Hayek for 3 years.

I read Hayek in college. Fuck!!