Here's a complete guide to Red Sox beards. Some of you might need this to follow their ride through October.
http://twitpic.com/ddc1ts
http://twitpic.com/ddc1ts
2013 Official Major League Baseball Thread.
- Thread starter Special K
- Start date
Another good old fashioned ass-kicking of the hapless Yankees tonight in Fenway to reduce the Sox' magic number to 7.
Tribe wins.
Orioles win.
Rays winning.
Yankees lose.
Tribe wins.
Orioles win.
Rays winning.
Yankees lose.
Hey BOYZZZ!!!
C'mon Joe, ICKY, EB, DD, Cut and Paste...
say it...c'mon say it. Yeeeeaaaah, it's Kicking Yankee Ass Day. Whooop Whoooooooooooo!!! That's right, the Boston Red Sox took their 90th win one year after winning only 69 by stomping right over the backs of those Yanks and their best starter. Salty says BANNNGG how sweet it is.
http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=330913102
BOSTON -- Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit a tiebreaking grand slam in the seventh inning, Koji Uehara closed with another perfect inning and the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees 8-4 Friday night.
David Ortiz and Stephen Drew each doubled twice as the AL East-leading Red Sox won for the 15th time in 19 games. Saltalamacchia also doubled and scored twice.
Uehara breezed through the ninth. He's retired 37 straight batters, the longest streak by a reliever since Bobby Jenks of the White Sox set down 41 in a row in 2007.
Cheers,
Merlot
C'mon Joe, ICKY, EB, DD, Cut and Paste...
say it...c'mon say it. Yeeeeaaaah, it's Kicking Yankee Ass Day. Whooop Whoooooooooooo!!! That's right, the Boston Red Sox took their 90th win one year after winning only 69 by stomping right over the backs of those Yanks and their best starter. Salty says BANNNGG how sweet it is.
http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=330913102
BOSTON -- Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit a tiebreaking grand slam in the seventh inning, Koji Uehara closed with another perfect inning and the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees 8-4 Friday night.
David Ortiz and Stephen Drew each doubled twice as the AL East-leading Red Sox won for the 15th time in 19 games. Saltalamacchia also doubled and scored twice.
Uehara breezed through the ninth. He's retired 37 straight batters, the longest streak by a reliever since Bobby Jenks of the White Sox set down 41 in a row in 2007.
Cheers,
Merlot
Guys can you stay on topic? Is it too hard?
You guys are having so much fun with your pissing contests.. But I think a fight in the PM cell, away from the other members, might do you good (you know what i mean, don't you?). Just don't drop the soap or you might find out who really has the biggest dick!
M10
You guys are having so much fun with your pissing contests.. But I think a fight in the PM cell, away from the other members, might do you good (you know what i mean, don't you?). Just don't drop the soap or you might find out who really has the biggest dick!
M10
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Another good old fashioned ass-kicking of the hapless Yankees this afternoon in Fenway to reduce the Sox' magic number to 6. Things are looking mighty good for the team with the handsomest beards and the best record in all of baseball.
Do I hear home field advantage throughout, anyone?
Do I hear home field advantage throughout, anyone?
Hey BOYZZZ!!!
You butcher my name hundreds of times (merlie) after Mod8 banned that, then have an emotional Rage-O-Holic episode over a nickname.
You're saying you spent $$$thousands$$$ for escorts to get information on me. Isn't that what you call stalking?
Too much rage to realize this means I always beat you. :thumb:
Red Sox 5 Yankees 1
What a beautifully pitched game by John Lester against the much faded Sabathia. Still it was just another too easy ass spanking of the light-hitting sham Yankees. In the series between the teams the Red Sox go 12-6...putting a great big exclamation point on the pinstripers being OWNED!!! What a spanking the Yankees keep taking.
Contrary to all of the wishful September collapse predictions by our doubting friends the Boston Red Sox are a blazing hot 16-3 in their last 19 games, 5 of those from the New York fading Yankees.
Now I hear the pinstriped losers have to face the 1.61 ERA Buchholz tomorrow. :lol:
http://www.boston.com/sports/baseba...013/09/live_updates_yankees_at_red_sox_6.html
Firing dart after dart at the strike zone, Jon Lester Jon Lester went eight innings, giving up just three hits and striking out five, pushing the Red Sox to a 5-1 win over a Yankees team trying desperately to sneak into one of the wild card spots.
After coming into this three-game set with the Sox just 1.5 games back in the wild card, trying to chase down the Rangers and the Rays, the Yankees have dropped back-to-back games and six of their past 10.
Meanwhile the Sox continue to pull away in the AL East, improving to 91-59.
Lester, who made his 218th career start for the Red Sox to move into seventh on the team's all-time list, improved to 14-8 on the season. In his past six starts, he's 4-1 with a 1.81 ERA and 33 strikeouts.
The Sox are 12-6 against New York this season. The win gave them their fourth series win over the Yankees this year.
End of the seventh, Red Sox 5, Yankees 1: After six innings and 110 pitches, CC Sabathia called it a day.
He gave up five runs on nine hits and four walks with five strikeouts. In his past five starts, he's given up 20 earned runs.
Joba Chamberlain tossed a 1-2-3 seventh.
End of the sixth, Red Sox 5, Yankees 1: The Yankees couldn't make anything out of Curtis Granderson's leadoff double, and the despite a sharp liner to left by David Ortiz, the Sox couldn't capitalize one Shane Victorino's two-out double.
Granderson and Victorino are both 2 for 3 on the day.
Victorino also swiped his 21s base of the season.
End of the fifth, Red Sox 5, Yankees 1: Jon Lester's managed to coast through five one-run, two-hit innings throwing just 67 pitches.
The Yanks also have to play the Giants and Rays 6 straight after the Blue Jays. :eyebrows:
BOYZZZ,
Merlot
You butcher my name hundreds of times (merlie) after Mod8 banned that, then have an emotional Rage-O-Holic episode over a nickname.
You're saying you spent $$$thousands$$$ for escorts to get information on me. Isn't that what you call stalking?
Too much rage to realize this means I always beat you. :thumb:
Red Sox 5 Yankees 1
What a beautifully pitched game by John Lester against the much faded Sabathia. Still it was just another too easy ass spanking of the light-hitting sham Yankees. In the series between the teams the Red Sox go 12-6...putting a great big exclamation point on the pinstripers being OWNED!!! What a spanking the Yankees keep taking.
Contrary to all of the wishful September collapse predictions by our doubting friends
the Boston Red Sox are a blazing hot 16-3 in their last 19 games, 5 of those from the New York fading Yankees. Now I hear the pinstriped losers have to face the 1.61 ERA Buchholz tomorrow. :lol:
http://www.boston.com/sports/baseba...013/09/live_updates_yankees_at_red_sox_6.html
Firing dart after dart at the strike zone, Jon Lester Jon Lester went eight innings, giving up just three hits and striking out five, pushing the Red Sox to a 5-1 win over a Yankees team trying desperately to sneak into one of the wild card spots.
After coming into this three-game set with the Sox just 1.5 games back in the wild card, trying to chase down the Rangers and the Rays, the Yankees have dropped back-to-back games and six of their past 10.
Meanwhile the Sox continue to pull away in the AL East, improving to 91-59.
Lester, who made his 218th career start for the Red Sox to move into seventh on the team's all-time list, improved to 14-8 on the season. In his past six starts, he's 4-1 with a 1.81 ERA and 33 strikeouts.
The Sox are 12-6 against New York this season. The win gave them their fourth series win over the Yankees this year.
End of the seventh, Red Sox 5, Yankees 1: After six innings and 110 pitches, CC Sabathia called it a day.
He gave up five runs on nine hits and four walks with five strikeouts. In his past five starts, he's given up 20 earned runs.
Joba Chamberlain tossed a 1-2-3 seventh.
End of the sixth, Red Sox 5, Yankees 1: The Yankees couldn't make anything out of Curtis Granderson's leadoff double, and the despite a sharp liner to left by David Ortiz, the Sox couldn't capitalize one Shane Victorino's two-out double.
Granderson and Victorino are both 2 for 3 on the day.
Victorino also swiped his 21s base of the season.
End of the fifth, Red Sox 5, Yankees 1: Jon Lester's managed to coast through five one-run, two-hit innings throwing just 67 pitches.
The Yanks also have to play the Giants and Rays 6 straight after the Blue Jays. :eyebrows:
BOYZZZ,
Merlot
Hahahahahah, ME THINKS angry, drunk, 5am Iggy is letting the failure of the Yanks get to him. :nod: It's okay buddy, there's always 2017!!
Yup, there's no telling what a few gallons of PBR Light can do to a grown man by 5 am.
Hmmm, no angry drunks in here this morning. Looks like the MD 20/20 must've put him out early last night/this morning.
There must've been a few sloppy drunks in old New York town last night as the Bumbling Billionaires Club took another step in their Dash to Oblivion 2013. With the Yankees loss, and the Rays and Indians win, the hapless "Bombers" (lol) now trail the Tribe by 2 and the Rays by four in the all-important loss column.*
*Someone with more patience than me may want to explain the significance of the loss column to the six year old who has hacked iggy's account.
There must've been a few sloppy drunks in old New York town last night as the Bumbling Billionaires Club took another step in their Dash to Oblivion 2013. With the Yankees loss, and the Rays and Indians win, the hapless "Bombers" (lol) now trail the Tribe by 2 and the Rays by four in the all-important loss column.*
*Someone with more patience than me may want to explain the significance of the loss column to the six year old who has hacked iggy's account.
Last warning guys.
I am getting tired of giving warnings to those who should know better, I may cut the sport threads some slack, but if you have been around for a little while, you know this already. I have put up enough warning on this topic, there should be no reason not to know.
Everyone has had quite enough of your childish fights, but if i consider it is going way too far, each of you will get a time out. The first one to say by PM 'But he started it' will have his ban right away.
This section of the board isn't something i was taking care of. It was M8's job but he won't be on MERB for a few days. I won't step in it, but i won't tolerate many reported posts per day. I won't be shy to close the thread if this is going out of hand. Grow up, get a thicker skin or wait until M8's return, but stop asking me of babysitting you because i seriously don't have time for this.
M10
I am getting tired of giving warnings to those who should know better, I may cut the sport threads some slack, but if you have been around for a little while, you know this already. I have put up enough warning on this topic, there should be no reason not to know.
Everyone has had quite enough of your childish fights, but if i consider it is going way too far, each of you will get a time out. The first one to say by PM 'But he started it' will have his ban right away.
This section of the board isn't something i was taking care of. It was M8's job but he won't be on MERB for a few days. I won't step in it, but i won't tolerate many reported posts per day. I won't be shy to close the thread if this is going out of hand. Grow up, get a thicker skin or wait until M8's return, but stop asking me of babysitting you because i seriously don't have time for this.
M10
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Again??? Yup, another good old fashioned ass-kicking as the October bound Sox beat the piss out of the pitiful Yankees for the last time this year.
Magic number? 4.
Hey BOYZZZ!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/15/red-sox-tribute-mariano-rivera_n_3932228.html
Interesting good-natured roast/tribute to the Greatest-Close-of-All-Time last night. It went almost like I imagined it would. After all, this is the Red Sox at Fenway honoring a deadly enemy. First a video with a jibe from the 2004 ALCS, along with some well deserved testimony of greatness. Then a few cute token gifts and a donation to at least one of Rivera's charities...no doubt around 6 figures. Then a video showing Mariano's real dominance at Fenway. Well balanced, appropriate, fun. :thumb:
In a post game interview Mariano was appreciative and all class about the way the presentation was carried out.
Finally a very fitting end, the Yankees getting swept out of Fenway like helpless children. How cool is that. :nod:
http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/red-sox/post/_/id/31112/rapid-reaction-red-sox-9-yankees-2
BOSTON -- The staged farewell was for Mariano Rivera, although the way the Red Sox played it, Rivera must have thought he’d walked into a Friars Club roast. The Sox forced him via video to relive his worst Fenway Park moment -- the Dave Roberts steal and blown save in Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS -- before breaking out the gifts and salutations. With his typical grace, Rivera smiled through all of it.
But it was the unscripted goodbye Sunday night that should resonate most for Red Sox fans. With a 9-2 win, the Sox officially eliminated the Yankees from the AL East race. A mere formality at this point, to be sure, as the Yankees are in fourth place in the division, 12½ games behind the Sox and closer to last place (10½ games) than first.
Nonetheless, Sept. 15 is the earliest the Yankees have been officially eliminated since 1992, when Rivera was a 22-year-old starting pitcher for Class A Fort Lauderdale, where his manager was Brian Butterfield, Boston’s third-base coach, and a teammate was Carl Everett, the ex-Sox outfielder whose ejection by plate umpire Ron Kulpa was far more memorable than when Mike Napoli was tossed by Kulpa Sunday night.
Napoli’s two-run home run onto the center-field camera well in the first inning, when the Sox took a 3-1 lead and were never challenged, was his seventh home run against the Yankees this season, just one shy of the record for home runs against the Yankees by a Sox player (Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx having hit eight in 1936).
The Sox first baseman had two more chances when he is most dangerous -- with the bases loaded, when he came into the game batting .524 (11-for-21) with three grand slams and 31 RBIs -- but he went down swinging in the fifth and was called out on strikes by Kulpa in the sixth.
Napoli, not enchanted with the call, spiked his helmet, which was sufficient provocation for the plate umpire to give Napoli the rest of the night off. Napoli has played 859 big league games since making his debut in 2006. This was his first ejection, his behavior evidently having been found more acceptable back in his clean-shaven days.
The strikeout also was of some consequence, although it’s almost unseemly to mention it when a player is swinging the bat the way Napoli has of late: .438 (14-for-32), five home runs, four doubles, 13 RBIs in his last nine games. But when Kulpa rung him up in the sixth, Napoli entered the Sox record book as the player with the most K’s in a season, that whiff giving him 178, one more than Mark Bellhorn, the man of notable sideburns on the ’04 World Series winners. (Somewhere Bellhorn was channeling Mike Torrez post-Buckner and thinking, “I’m off the hook.’’)
The Sox will gladly take the whiffs as trade-off for the production: Napoli’s seven home runs and 20 RBIs in 63 plate appearances against the Yanks this season, for example, compared to the five home runs and 21 RBIs his predecessor at first base, Adrian Gonzalez, amassed in 133 plate appearances against New York over two seasons. And there is the track record in October to consider: In 17 postseason games with the Rangers beginning in 2011, Napoli hit .328 with three home runs and 15 RBIs.
And by the time Napoli registered K No. 178 (which he did not stick around to discuss), the Sox were safely ahead 7-1, Clay Buchholz holding the Yankees to just two hits over six innings in his second tuneup for October since returning from the disabled list after a 94-day absence.
Buchholz, who was charged with an unearned run in the first after his wild pickoff attempt allowed Curtis Granderson to flee from first to third and subsequently score on a ground ball by Alex Rodriguez, was not particularly sharp, especially with his hard stuff. He walked four, hit a batter and threw a wild pitch. But the Sox turned two double plays behind him (three in all) and he remained unbeaten with an 11-0 record and 1.51 ERA, the kind of numbers that tend to play well in October.
“You remember where you’ve been,’’ Buchholz said. “I’ve been probably just about to the pinnacle, the best feeling you can get from this game, and I’ve been pretty low in it too. My mindset is to stay on an even keel. Stuff happens, you’ve got five days, and go about your business. I try not to get too high, too low. Just do your job.’’
The Sox took 13 of 19 games from the Yankees this season, their most wins against their archrivals since they won 14 in 1973, the year the DH was introduced. They beat the Yankees by four or more runs seven times, while scoring eight or more runs eight times.
“Our confidence continues to grow,’’ Sox manager John Farrell said after the Sox won for the fifth time in six games and 10th time in the last 12 to move 33 games over .500 (92-59) for the first time this season. “That’s not to take anything for granted or guys thinking that someone is not going to either pitch a good game against us or put together a good game against us. It’s just a matter that this group believes in itself and continues to show it between the lines.
“The beauty of this team is that it’s a collective group. It’s not about individual accolades or awards or acknowledgments, it’s about what we hope to continue to work toward and achieve.”
And besides everything else Sunday night -- Buchholz’s pitching, Napoli’s homer and four doubles, two by Daniel Nava, who went 4-for-4 -- there also was a double steal as catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia was credited with a steal of home when the Yankees threw down to second in the fourth inning.
“Speed kills,’’ Buchholz said. “That’s what they were saying in the dugout.’’
The last time Saltalamacchia stole home? “Probably T-ball,’’ he said. “It’s definitely something I never thought would happen.’’
Saltalamacchia then ticked off the names of the players he knows have stolen home. “There’s [Jacoby] Ellsbury, Jackie Robinson and me,’’ he said.
How much difference does a year make? The regular season ended last year in Yankee Stadium with the Sox swept three straight by the Yankees by a cumulative score of 28-7, the final indignity a 14-2 defeat.
PAYBACK!!!
Did someone say COLLAPSE. Yes, but whose...the New York Yankees
Cheers Boyz,
Merlot
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/15/red-sox-tribute-mariano-rivera_n_3932228.html
Interesting good-natured roast/tribute to the Greatest-Close-of-All-Time last night. It went almost like I imagined it would. After all, this is the Red Sox at Fenway honoring a deadly enemy. First a video with a jibe from the 2004 ALCS, along with some well deserved testimony of greatness. Then a few cute token gifts and a donation to at least one of Rivera's charities...no doubt around 6 figures. Then a video showing Mariano's real dominance at Fenway. Well balanced, appropriate, fun.
:thumb: In a post game interview Mariano was appreciative and all class about the way the presentation was carried out.
Finally a very fitting end, the Yankees getting swept out of Fenway like helpless children. How cool is that. :nod:
http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/red-sox/post/_/id/31112/rapid-reaction-red-sox-9-yankees-2
BOSTON -- The staged farewell was for Mariano Rivera, although the way the Red Sox played it, Rivera must have thought he’d walked into a Friars Club roast. The Sox forced him via video to relive his worst Fenway Park moment -- the Dave Roberts steal and blown save in Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS -- before breaking out the gifts and salutations. With his typical grace, Rivera smiled through all of it.
But it was the unscripted goodbye Sunday night that should resonate most for Red Sox fans. With a 9-2 win, the Sox officially eliminated the Yankees from the AL East race. A mere formality at this point, to be sure, as the Yankees are in fourth place in the division, 12½ games behind the Sox and closer to last place (10½ games) than first.
Nonetheless, Sept. 15 is the earliest the Yankees have been officially eliminated since 1992, when Rivera was a 22-year-old starting pitcher for Class A Fort Lauderdale, where his manager was Brian Butterfield, Boston’s third-base coach, and a teammate was Carl Everett, the ex-Sox outfielder whose ejection by plate umpire Ron Kulpa was far more memorable than when Mike Napoli was tossed by Kulpa Sunday night.
Napoli’s two-run home run onto the center-field camera well in the first inning, when the Sox took a 3-1 lead and were never challenged, was his seventh home run against the Yankees this season, just one shy of the record for home runs against the Yankees by a Sox player (Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx having hit eight in 1936).
The Sox first baseman had two more chances when he is most dangerous -- with the bases loaded, when he came into the game batting .524 (11-for-21) with three grand slams and 31 RBIs -- but he went down swinging in the fifth and was called out on strikes by Kulpa in the sixth.
Napoli, not enchanted with the call, spiked his helmet, which was sufficient provocation for the plate umpire to give Napoli the rest of the night off. Napoli has played 859 big league games since making his debut in 2006. This was his first ejection, his behavior evidently having been found more acceptable back in his clean-shaven days.
The strikeout also was of some consequence, although it’s almost unseemly to mention it when a player is swinging the bat the way Napoli has of late: .438 (14-for-32), five home runs, four doubles, 13 RBIs in his last nine games. But when Kulpa rung him up in the sixth, Napoli entered the Sox record book as the player with the most K’s in a season, that whiff giving him 178, one more than Mark Bellhorn, the man of notable sideburns on the ’04 World Series winners. (Somewhere Bellhorn was channeling Mike Torrez post-Buckner and thinking, “I’m off the hook.’’)
The Sox will gladly take the whiffs as trade-off for the production: Napoli’s seven home runs and 20 RBIs in 63 plate appearances against the Yanks this season, for example, compared to the five home runs and 21 RBIs his predecessor at first base, Adrian Gonzalez, amassed in 133 plate appearances against New York over two seasons. And there is the track record in October to consider: In 17 postseason games with the Rangers beginning in 2011, Napoli hit .328 with three home runs and 15 RBIs.
And by the time Napoli registered K No. 178 (which he did not stick around to discuss), the Sox were safely ahead 7-1, Clay Buchholz holding the Yankees to just two hits over six innings in his second tuneup for October since returning from the disabled list after a 94-day absence.
Buchholz, who was charged with an unearned run in the first after his wild pickoff attempt allowed Curtis Granderson to flee from first to third and subsequently score on a ground ball by Alex Rodriguez, was not particularly sharp, especially with his hard stuff. He walked four, hit a batter and threw a wild pitch. But the Sox turned two double plays behind him (three in all) and he remained unbeaten with an 11-0 record and 1.51 ERA, the kind of numbers that tend to play well in October.
“You remember where you’ve been,’’ Buchholz said. “I’ve been probably just about to the pinnacle, the best feeling you can get from this game, and I’ve been pretty low in it too. My mindset is to stay on an even keel. Stuff happens, you’ve got five days, and go about your business. I try not to get too high, too low. Just do your job.’’
The Sox took 13 of 19 games from the Yankees this season, their most wins against their archrivals since they won 14 in 1973, the year the DH was introduced. They beat the Yankees by four or more runs seven times, while scoring eight or more runs eight times.
“Our confidence continues to grow,’’ Sox manager John Farrell said after the Sox won for the fifth time in six games and 10th time in the last 12 to move 33 games over .500 (92-59) for the first time this season. “That’s not to take anything for granted or guys thinking that someone is not going to either pitch a good game against us or put together a good game against us. It’s just a matter that this group believes in itself and continues to show it between the lines.
“The beauty of this team is that it’s a collective group. It’s not about individual accolades or awards or acknowledgments, it’s about what we hope to continue to work toward and achieve.”
And besides everything else Sunday night -- Buchholz’s pitching, Napoli’s homer and four doubles, two by Daniel Nava, who went 4-for-4 -- there also was a double steal as catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia was credited with a steal of home when the Yankees threw down to second in the fourth inning.
“Speed kills,’’ Buchholz said. “That’s what they were saying in the dugout.’’
The last time Saltalamacchia stole home? “Probably T-ball,’’ he said. “It’s definitely something I never thought would happen.’’
Saltalamacchia then ticked off the names of the players he knows have stolen home. “There’s [Jacoby] Ellsbury, Jackie Robinson and me,’’ he said.
How much difference does a year make? The regular season ended last year in Yankee Stadium with the Sox swept three straight by the Yankees by a cumulative score of 28-7, the final indignity a 14-2 defeat.
PAYBACK!!!
Did someone say COLLAPSE. Yes, but whose...the New York Yankees
Cheers Boyz,
Merlot
The Boss said it. Jeter said it. Now Girardi says it.
From Lohud: "“Everything here is judged on whether you win the World Series or not,” Girardi said. “That’s just the nature of the business, but I can tell you that these guys have given everything I could ask for.”"
The Yankees win the World Series or they fail. There is no other way when you spend $230,000,000.
From Lohud: "“Everything here is judged on whether you win the World Series or not,” Girardi said. “That’s just the nature of the business, but I can tell you that these guys have given everything I could ask for.”"
The Yankees win the World Series or they fail. There is no other way when you spend $230,000,000.
Hey Boyzzz,
Just a beautifully pitched game by Lackey last night despite being up against an Orioles pitcher who really had the Red Sox stumped. Despite his record, Lackey who has rarely had any run support has had a terrific season, especially considering where he's been in recent years. Last night he took a no-hitter late into the game to clinch a playoff spot. But the Sox are sure to win the division with somewhere between 95-97 wins, an amazing turn around from last season which should guarantee Farrell Manager of the Year in the AL, and could also guarantee the Sox a home game advantage in the playoffs.
Red Sox clinch playoff berth on John Lackey’s two-hitter
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2...ore-orioles/sNVYUxETYI72MZMA9Ik0fN/story.html
The Red Sox are back in the postseason for the first time since 2009. That John Lackey pitched his best game of the season on the night they clinched a spot was certainly appropriate.
Lackey was the one of the pitchers who struggled in the final weeks of the painful 2011 season, taking the mound every five days despite a torn elbow ligament.
Surgery forced him to miss the 2012 season, and Lackey watched helplessly as the Sox finished in last place. He was one of the symbols of everything that had gone wrong.
On Thursday night, that seemed so long ago when the crowd at Fenway Park chanted Lackey’s name as he stood on the mound in the ninth inning, a pitch away from finishing a complete game.
“It’s nice,” said Lackey, who went the distance in a 3-1 victory against the Baltimore Orioles. “To be a part of going to the playoffs, there was a lot of hard work getting back to this point.
“To be back here and to be pitching and pitching well again and being healthy. It’s fun.”
At 93-61, the Red Sox have secured no worse than a wild-card berth. With Tampa Bay losing against Texas, the Red Sox need only one victory or one Rays loss to clinch their first American League East title since 2007.
The Sox are saving their champagne celebration until that moment, which could be Friday. Lackey simply hugged catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, then lined up to shake hands with his teammates.
“The remake of John Lackey, both physically and getting back on the mound and performing as he’s done all year, mirrors that of this team,” said John Farrell, the manager who led the Sox out of the dark. “It’s been a remake.”
Lackey (10-12) carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning. He settled for a two-hitter. The righthander walked two and struck out eight. Of his 113 pitches, 82 were strikes.
It was Lackey’s first nine-inning complete game since Sept. 10, 2009, when he was with the Angels. He dropped his earned run average to 3.44 — 2.47 in 13 starts at Fenway.
“I don’t think there’s anything to that. It’s obviously fun pitching here, especially at the end of the game tonight. The fans get on their feet and you kind of get that playoff atmosphere,” Lackey said. “It’s a lot of fun. It’s why you come to a place like this.”
Meanwhile the Yankees are ICKY. They can't seem to win when there's an opportunity to close the playoff gap and seem to be stuck in a pathetic 4th place in the division. Not wonder their fans have all disappeared and the bandwagon is being auctioned off for winter kindling.
UPDATE: Friday, Sept 20,2013
From worst to 1st in one year.
Cheers gents,
Merlot
Just a beautifully pitched game by Lackey last night despite being up against an Orioles pitcher who really had the Red Sox stumped. Despite his record, Lackey who has rarely had any run support has had a terrific season, especially considering where he's been in recent years. Last night he took a no-hitter late into the game to clinch a playoff spot. But the Sox are sure to win the division with somewhere between 95-97 wins, an amazing turn around from last season which should guarantee Farrell Manager of the Year in the AL, and could also guarantee the Sox a home game advantage in the playoffs.
Red Sox clinch playoff berth on John Lackey’s two-hitter
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2...ore-orioles/sNVYUxETYI72MZMA9Ik0fN/story.html
The Red Sox are back in the postseason for the first time since 2009. That John Lackey pitched his best game of the season on the night they clinched a spot was certainly appropriate.
Lackey was the one of the pitchers who struggled in the final weeks of the painful 2011 season, taking the mound every five days despite a torn elbow ligament.
Surgery forced him to miss the 2012 season, and Lackey watched helplessly as the Sox finished in last place. He was one of the symbols of everything that had gone wrong.
On Thursday night, that seemed so long ago when the crowd at Fenway Park chanted Lackey’s name as he stood on the mound in the ninth inning, a pitch away from finishing a complete game.
“It’s nice,” said Lackey, who went the distance in a 3-1 victory against the Baltimore Orioles. “To be a part of going to the playoffs, there was a lot of hard work getting back to this point.
“To be back here and to be pitching and pitching well again and being healthy. It’s fun.”
At 93-61, the Red Sox have secured no worse than a wild-card berth. With Tampa Bay losing against Texas, the Red Sox need only one victory or one Rays loss to clinch their first American League East title since 2007.
The Sox are saving their champagne celebration until that moment, which could be Friday. Lackey simply hugged catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, then lined up to shake hands with his teammates.
“The remake of John Lackey, both physically and getting back on the mound and performing as he’s done all year, mirrors that of this team,” said John Farrell, the manager who led the Sox out of the dark. “It’s been a remake.”
Lackey (10-12) carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning. He settled for a two-hitter. The righthander walked two and struck out eight. Of his 113 pitches, 82 were strikes.
It was Lackey’s first nine-inning complete game since Sept. 10, 2009, when he was with the Angels. He dropped his earned run average to 3.44 — 2.47 in 13 starts at Fenway.
“I don’t think there’s anything to that. It’s obviously fun pitching here, especially at the end of the game tonight. The fans get on their feet and you kind of get that playoff atmosphere,” Lackey said. “It’s a lot of fun. It’s why you come to a place like this.”
Meanwhile the Yankees are ICKY. They can't seem to win when there's an opportunity to close the playoff gap and seem to be stuck in a pathetic 4th place in the division. Not wonder their fans have all disappeared and the bandwagon is being auctioned off for winter kindling.
UPDATE: Friday, Sept 20,2013
Boston Red Sox
AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST CHAMPIONS
AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST CHAMPIONS
From worst to 1st in one year.
Cheers gents,
Merlot
Congratulations to the
2013 American League East Champions
Boston Red Sox
And they didn't even have to spend $228,106,125 to get there.
2013 American League East Champions
Boston Red Sox
And they didn't even have to spend $228,106,125 to get there.
Good work, boys!!
To quote iggy, "Man this is good stuff lol"
They call the Victorino signing the worst this year so far, I'm shocked to say the least iggy, I'm totally shocked!!!!:
To quote iggy, "Man this is good stuff lol"
7 World Series in the last 112 years, I think that it's pretty safe to call that a failure of epic proportions.
bwhahahahahahaa........... dont forget 86 Years!, talk about EPIC!
7 World Series in the last 112 years, I think that it's pretty safe to call that a failure of epic proportions.
Talk about ancient history. Well, when you ain't got nothin', you got nothin.'
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