Captain bruisin'
Playing nine innings while assuming J.D. Drew will be day to day until August . . .
1. I'm not saying the two aggravating losses in Baltimore took a terrible toll on interim manager Brad Mills, but the photo to the left? That's what he looked like before this road trip started. Man, the Sox bullpen can age a man in a hurry. Okay, all silliness aside, it would be nice to see Mills get a legitimate managerial shot of his own once this season is complete. He's been Terry Francona's sounding board, vice principal, and strategic counselor for a pair of world championship winners, and Francona is the first to say that Mills's organizational skills and ability to act as a respected liason between the manager and his players have been invaluable to the Red Sox's success. Here's hoping he gets a team of his own to run, because people smarter than me believe he'll be a fine manager someday, despite the results of the past couple of days.
2. This week's discovery from the addictive and potentially life-altering SI Vault: a March 22, 1982 feature, written by Steve Wulf and titled, "Let's Play Ball, Dad," on a pair of emerging young stars whose fathers were well-known in big league circles: Baltimore's Cal Ripken Jr. and Montreal's Terry Francona. Not sure whatever happened to the Ripken boy, but Francona seems to have turned out okay, finding his true baseball calling after his playing days. I hadn't heard a lot of the stuff on Young Tito, and I especially liked this snippet, when he's talking about first signing with Montreal out of college.
[Expos Director of Player Personnel] Jim Fanning wanted to send his new acquisition to Class A ball, but Terry insisted he could play in Double A, at Memphis. "I still can't believe I had the nerve," says Terry. "I go into the meeting and I say, 'What's this garbage about sending me to A ball?' As it turns out, Mr. Fanning had said the garbage." But Fanning capitulated, and Terry went to Memphis and hit .300. "Mr. Fanning was right, though. I hit a weak .300."
After reading that, you get a sense for why he's so fond of Dustin Pedroia. When he was young, he was just as brash.
(And as bonus Tito coverage from SI, here is his Faces in the Crowd writeup from 1976, when he was a high school senior. I highly recommend clicking on the "view this issue" link to see his ridiculously goofy headshot.)
3. Maybe it's because the Celtics are commanding center stage right now, but you know the mentality of Red Sox fans has officially changed for the better when the team can lose four games in a row and 5 out of 6, and yet the prevailing mood is that it's a mere hiccup, everything will be fine, and the mighty Rays will be overcome in the long run. It's so much more fun being a fan when you don't expect the worst and your faith is . . . well, rewarded.
4. I'm fairly confident in saying that Kevin Cash won't approach his current stats - .375 batting average, 147 OPS+, .910 OPS - once the season is done. But even if he reverts to his career average of .188, he's already a borderline folk hero in my mind for proving once and for all that Doug Mirabelli isn't the only person on the planet who can squat and catch a knuckleball at the same time. Cash is a heck of a defensive catcher, and Tim Wakefield doesn't seem to miss Mirabelli in the slightest. Neither does anyone else.
5. I suspect Clay Buchholz's trip to the disabled list has less to do with an owie on his fingernail, and more to do with keeping him on pace for no more than 175-180 innings. The hiatus is probably a wise idea from a mental health perspective as well. While I expect Buchholz to be one of the ballclub's most dependable starters by the end of the season, he's having Arroyo-like command problems with his fastball, and he's suffering though the growing pains that most young players must endure before fulfilling their potential.
6. Julian Tavarez's unique brand of crazy will be missed around here - I'm pretty sure we'll never see a pitcher roll the ball to first base again, at least on Francona's watch - but the hideous 6.39 ERA and 67 ERA+ will easily be replaced, most likely by Mike Timlin. If Manny, Tavarez's brother in lunacy, is okay with him leaving, so am I.
7. It's a good thing footage of Manny's catch (the "7-High 5-4-3 double play," as the Herald cleverly called it) and the ensuing hilarity is all over the internet, because Dale Arnold still hasn't told me exactly what happened.
 (NBC.com Photo) |
9. As for today's Completely Random Baseball Card:
I have no idea who this guy is, but the shades suggest to me that he is all different kinds of awesome.
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CF,
Agreed about Brad Mills, but was I the only one who thought Lopez deserved another batter after having the third "out" he induced not properly taken care of by our diminutive 2B? He rarely makes me feel comfortable, but he did to that point that day, and Quiroz (to this point in his ML-career, Kevin Cash's similarly offensively-nontalented-Venezuelan-twin-separated-at-birth) seems an odd one to change a pitcher for.
Go C's! First road win tonight. Sure, I'm confident.
One of my all time favorite cards !!!!
ok. maybe i shoud ask someone at another place but i thought i would go ahead and ask you this since i am reading this article early on today...
what happened in the last minute of the office last night? i dvr'd it but it didn't get the very end for some reason. i know that someone was apparently in the office after hours crying and toby's replacement was walking in but that was it.
who was it and what happened? i'm dying to know! i thought last night's show was classic!
How great were those 1976 San Diego Padres Burger King uniforms? Randy Jones was a threat to win 30 games? Ha!
I'd be ecstatic if Cash only batted .250, but he's been a contributor on offense in just about every game he's played. If he stays hot with the stick, I wouldn't mind seeing the Sox play him a little more often; only to keep Tek fresh for the 2nd half of the season, instead of him being exhausted and going through his usual September swoon with the bat.
No worries about the Celtics and their playoff road woes. Doesn't matter because they aren't going to lose at home. I can't wait to see the continuation of atrocious officiating tonight. There is just no consistency in the calls made.
Phyllis walked in on Dwight and the newly engaged Angela. Ick,
I see your point, Allen, though I'm always glad to see Lopez leave the game.
Buchholz' owie has to be the most convenient injury in major-league history. They get to keep his innings down with a little rest and some short "rehab" assignments; he gets a bit of a mental-health break to regroup and work on some stuff; AND, the Sox get to call up Bartolo Colon and find out if he's got anything left in the tank before he gets sick and tired of Pawtucket.
Well, any more sick and tired than he probably is already.
Don't overestimate the psyche of RSN. The losing streak goes down much easier when the Yankees are in last place.
Good point. At this point, I only think of the Yankees when Hank the Tank rips someone.
I think it's possible to give Cash credit for a good year without slamming Mirabelli. I agree that it was time for Doug to move on and for you not to miss him is fine. However, unless you've talked to Tim Wakefield and learned that he doesn't miss Doug, I would say that you could be wrong. Even though this is a blog where you are free to spout off your views without any checking, I would think that the Globe would still hold to minimal journalistic standards and require checking when claim to be speaking for others.
i know this is probably not the place but what were dwight and angela doing whenever phyllis walked in on them?
I meant he doesn't miss him from a baseball standpoint, Chris. That's my point. And Mirabelli is a Grade A jerk. Half the reason I'm glad Cash is playing well is because it eliminates the chance of another Mirabelli sequel.
Making out behind Pam's desk, Patrick. If you need any more detail, you'll have to wait for the unrated version of Season 4.
Good episode, or not?
I wonder what other people's expectations are for Colon? does anyone expect much? I am purposefully keeping my expectations low, but I can't help but get a little excited when I see the results from his rehab starts.
Lowell Raymond Palmer, RHP with Philadelphia, St. Louis, Cleveland, and San Diego from 1969 to 1974. To quote Baseball Reference, he was a "fireballing right hander who failed to live up to his promise due to arm problems". He actually led the league in strikeouts with Oklahoma City (AAA) in 1973. C'mon, Chad, you had to know this, right?
I agree that Sox fans aren't too upset with being in 2nd and in the midst of a losing streak when we see the Yankees are in last. I still look to see what they do and I don't even think to look at what the Rays are doing (unless they're doing it to the Yankees that is!)
I love Manny's catch. How many Gold Glove winning outfielders have done that?
Supposedly Colon's throwing 95 mph. Count me as intrigued.
Lowell Palmer. A few years before my time, I'm afraid. And whoever sent me that card, shoot me a note and I'll give you appropriate credit.
I loved last night's Office. For some reason my favorite line was Oscar's after Ryan was arrested. "I think the real crime was the beard"
I remember Lowell Palmer. He was part of an awful Phillies pitching staff that included Ken Reynolds, Billy Champion, and an aging and ineffective Chris Short. Deron Johnson was at first base, Tony Taylor at Second, Bobby Wine at short, Don Money at third, Clay Dalrymple behind the plate and Byron Browne, Larry Hisle, and some other stiff in the outfield. Dick Selma was the closer. Boy, did that team stink.
Read 38pitches.com
Curt (and he says others) do seem to miss Mirabelli.
After his major league baseball career, Ken Reynolds was an outstanding high school baseball coach in Central Massachusetts. I played for him in the mid 80s. Great guy, excellent teacher of the game.
If he were born later and pitched in the post expansion era, Ken would've likely had a long career (he is a lefty).
They miss Millar too; and Damon. And I think Bill Mueller was very well-liked.
Cash is Mirabelli's equal defensively. And, lets not forget, each time over the last 3 years that Mirabelli has needed to play anything more than Wakefield's games, he got hurt. Whether its age or fat, I dont care. The job has 2 requirements: catch the knuckleball; and play major league defense at the position for the bulk of at least one 15-day DL trip for Varitek. Mirabelli could no longer do the latter, whether or not his teammates still miss him is besides the point.
Best Office episode of the season. May have saved an otherwise terrible season 4. I didn't even realize until about 5 minutes ago that the new HR chick was Amy Ryan, who got a well-deserved Oscar nomination as the mother in Gobe Baby Gone.
Chad, I hate to say it, but for some reason, those "talking head" clips of Pam didn't do her justice. Wasn't her finest day.
Also heard that Tito picked Joe Girardi to be one of his coaches at the All-Star game. Yet another reason to admire the guy's class (insert Yankee joke here).
I for one miss Dougie being on the team. The price of a chicken parm spiked when he was released.
DOUGIE'S GOIN' DEEP TONIGHT!
Craig, couldn't agree more. It was a throwback to seasons 2 and 3, and I loved how the Jim/Pam scene sitting together near the end was a callback to the night they ate grilled cheese on the roof and watched Dwight shoot off his fireworks. Jenna's still and forever the Official Muse (Non-Wife Division) of this place, but . . . well, she admitted on Leno the other night that she wears a girdle because of weight she put on after her injury. And I liked plain Pam better anyway.
I was telling my wife this morning, if I ever have a podcast on Boston.com (something I'd love to do at some point - I really like doing), I vow Mose Schrute/KT/Mike Schur will be on. Loved his cameo last night.
Watched 'Something About Mary' for 20th time the other day and it inspired a new new nickname for the Yankees' brass.
Hank-n-Beans.
The question is, how did the beans (Cashman & Girardi) get on top?
Hopefully Colon can give the Sox some solid outings while Lester and Bucholz are still trying to establish themselves as consistent starters . I think Lester can be a # 2 and Bucholz possibly a#1 Lowell Palmer baseball reference had him on the leaderboards in wild pitches and hit batsmen suggesting maybe he pitched with his sunglasses on. I have read you rip Mirabelli before , is there something he did to you or someone you know ?
Nah, other than the mocking of Jonny Miller's speech problem, he did nothing that I witnessed. But I've heard plenty of horror stories from people I respect. (None of them told me he taped the Rams' walkthrough, however.)
so i used to read your nine innings every friday on foxsports.com last season and loved it. I was wondering what happened and decided to look you up only to find out you're still doing it but it's entirely red sox focused.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Bring back the real nine innings.
Thanks for the note, Nick. I officially gave up the the FoxSports gig once Boston.com added my blog permanently (and started paying me for it). Decided I should focus more on making this blog what I want it to be, though I do miss the FoxSports column and am glad to hear someone liked it. I had mixed feelings about giving it up, but Fox could be pretty frustrating to deal with - especially after the guy who originally pushed for me left for Yahoo! - and I had the damndest time getting paid. But there's a chance it may come back to life in the future. I may even start doing it here once or week.
A few observations:
Count me as intrigued by Colon also. Even if he's not touching 95, there's no reason he can't be reasonably effective at 93. The reason other teams weren't interested is that he seemed to sit at 88 in his winter league stint. I can certainly see Colon outperforming Kennedy/Igawa, and that is good enough for me.
I for one am glad to hear of a medical reason for Clay's poor performance and his reliance on the off-speed stuff. Its reassuring to know it wasn't just general suckitude.
And last but not least, its obvious Wake doesn't miss Dougie on the field, and that is what counts. People miss his fat butt in the clubhouse, so what?
I think you're being harder on Dougie regarding the Johnny Miller bit than is deserved, CF. Schilling, to wit:
"Totally unfounded and untrue. Anyone that knows both men can ask either of them, Doug and Johnny were and are very good friends and Johnny was one of the guys in our clubhouse and takes ribbing just like anyone else we like and respect."
>> http://38pitches.com/2008/03/14/doug/#comment-27873
Curt's a bit of a blowhard at times, but I don't think he's a liar, nor do I think he'd have a reason to defend Dougie untruthfully.
Believe what you want, Ed, but Schilling is COMPLETELY full of it there.
>> Believe what you want, Ed, but Schilling is COMPLETELY full of it there.
Schilling went out of his way to say that the rumors are crap, so I kind of put a but of weight in what he says. (I'm admittedly biased; Wakefield's my favorite player to play on the Red Sox in my lifetime, and Dougie isn't far behind.)
What makes you think Schilling's full of it?
Jim Kessler, thanks for tipping me off on the hilarious roster of names on that Phillies team. I looked up the 1969 team and found out that they had a Champion, a Wise man, a Money player and a Lock. They also had two Stones, a Woodie and a Cookie. On the downside they had a Boozer who was probably sorry Wine was gone. They almost lost 100 games but ended up one Short.
Lowell Palmer and Kent Tekulve: separated at birth? You decide...
http://www.checkoutmycards.com/Cards/Baseball/1985/Topps/125/Kent_Tekulve
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Irreverence and insight from Chad Finn, a Globe/Boston.com sports writer and lifelong and incurable sports nut. Yes, he realizes how lucky he is. You can e-mail him at chadfinn4@yahoo.com.
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