Red Sox have 7 All-Stars

Posted on July 6, 2008
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In addition to the starting lineup for the AL that I posted last night (link), the Red Sox have added another 3 players to the All-Star roster.

Starters:
1B - Kevin Youkilis
2B - Dustin Pedroia
OF - Manny Ramirez
DH - David Ortiz

Reserves:
C - Jason Varitek
OF - J.D. Drew
RP - Jonathan Papelbon

All of the Red Sox reserves were voted on by the players themselves rather than added by Terry Francona who will manage this year’s team for the AL.

2008 All-Stars

Posted on July 5, 2008
Filed Under 2008 Season | 5 Comments

The MLB All-Stars aren’t supposed to be announced until tomorrow but apparently the geniuses at TBS have a bit of an information leak. The Red Sox have 4 players on the starting roster, including David Ortiz who will attend the game but won’t be able to play. The full AL roster is as follows:

C Joe Mauer
1B Kevin Youkilis
2B Dustin Pedroia
3B Alex Rodriguez
SS Derek Jeter
OF Manny Ramirez
OF Josh Hamilton
OF Ichiro Suzuki
DH David Ortiz*

This will be the 1st All-Star appearance for Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia. David Ortiz, although he won’t play, has made the team for the 5th time while Manny Ramirez has been selected for the 12th time in his career.

* Milton “Don’t call me crazy!” Bradley will be David Ortiz’s replacement at DH.

Dear Tim McCarver,

Posted on July 5, 2008
Filed Under 2008 Season, Baseball Miscellaneous | 2 Comments

Dear Tim McCarver,

I pay a ridiculous amount of money every month so that I can get NESN and NESNHD. I enjoy watching the Bruins but I buy cable solely for Red Sox games. This is why it makes me completely furious when the games are blacked out and I have to watch FOX. I tried overlaying WRKO as my main audio source but that doesn’t work because the radio is a few seconds ahead of the TV. There isn’t really much of an option left for me, ESPECIALLY when it’s a Sox/Yanks game, but to listen to your horrible analysis. I figured if I have to do that then I can at least give you a few tips to make the game better.

First off, Joey Cora was not playing SS for the Red Sox today. Joey is a bench coach for the Chicago White Sox. You might be thinking of his little brother Alex Cora, who despite having the same last name is not the same person. I can see how you might be able to make this mistake.

Second, remember the white tape you kept showing on Jason Varitek’s knuckles? You mentioned it every 10 minutes and blabbed on about how it was because his fingers were beat up from playing every day. Being a former catcher yourself, I assumed you would know that the tape is to make it easier for the pitcher to see Varitek’s fingers during a day game with creeping shadows. I was wrong in my assumption, and so were you.

Lastly, Joe Girardi did not manage Kyle Farnsworth with the Chicago Cubs. He was a back-up catcher on the team when Farnsworth was first starting out so there is a chance he may have been behind the plate for a few innings but he did NOT coach the team.

Maybe I’m flipping out a little bit for these minor mistakes because the Red Sox loaded the bases in the 9th inning with 0 outs, and still couldn’t pull off a win. Or it could be that you’re just an idiot and you have no business being a baseball commentator.

Probably a combo of both.

Sincerely,

Michael

Friday Linkage - 07/04/08

Posted on July 5, 2008
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Surviving Grady: Do the Rays really think it was a good idea to play Sweet Caroline after they swept the Sox? You might as well say, “champagne tastes just as good on the road as it does at home.” That worked out well in the 2007 ALCS, just ask Ryan Garko.

We Should Be GMs: I wish I had the intelligence to compare an overpriced alcoholic beverage to an overpriced baseball player (I’m looking at you Julio Lugo.)

On Deck Fantasy: Brian Daubach is now a hitting coach for the Nashua Pride. Like most Red Sox fans, I loved Brian Daubach; but as a prime example of a good hitter? I don’t know about that..

Home Run Derby: Poor Dodgers fans. Not only is their team struggling but they have to deal with female fans like this one. Gross.

Scoreboard Gourmet: $4.50 for a 20oz. soda at Nationals Park. Stupid.

Babble: A-Rod wrote a love letter to Madonna? Seriously? Was Stevie Nicks not available?

Crash Burn Alley: My All-Star game voting ballot would look a little bit like this except I’d put Youkilis in over Giambi. Giambi may have a higher OPS but until he starts playing Gold Glove caliber defense, he can stay off the All-Star team.

Deadspin: I went to a 4 game series in Tampa Bay a few years back and it was the week before “Cowbell Day” when they handed them out to the fans. Thank christ. I don’t think I could take it if I had to go there now and deal with those idiots. Why not just make the ultimate annoying fan by handing out towels like in Cleveland and noise-makers like in Anaheim?

Connecticut loves the Red Sox

Posted on July 3, 2008
Filed Under Baseball Miscellaneous | Leave a Comment

All it takes is 2 World Series championships in 4 years and the bandwagon fans start rolling in. For the first time in five years, the Red Sox have passed the Yankees in a popularity poll in Connecticut. Quinnipiac University does the poll yearly to see where fan loyalty lies in the southernmost New England state and the results got switched up a bit this time.

2007 Results:
New York Yankees - 43%
Boston Red Sox - 37%
New York Mets - 10%

2008 Results:
Boston Red Sox - 41%
New York Yankees - 40%
New York Mets - 9%

I grew up as a Sox fan in CT and to be perfectly honest, it sucked. There were Yankees hats everywhere and nothing but New York merchandise in stores. I bet nowadays it’s as easy as pie to find yourself a nice pink Sox hat at your local Sports Authority. Yeah.

Timlin to be activated from the DL

Posted on July 3, 2008
Filed Under 2008 Season, 2008 Transactions, Injury Watch | Leave a Comment

Mike Timlin is going to join the team at Yankee Stadium today and be activated off the disabled-list. Timlin rocked a 7.06 ERA in 21.2 innings pitched so far this year until he was shelved with tendinitis in his knee on June 17th. Chris Smith is the odd man out and will be sent back to Pawtucket to make room for Mike.

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