Fister Excellent in Red Sox Win

July 31, 2017 Leave a Comment

Monday’s Red Sox win over the tough Cleveland Indians was just the kind of game that can help restore some confidence for fans.

Doug Fister gave the Sox a solid, speedy 7.2 IP (108 pitches), allowing five hits but no runs until a two-run, no-doubt eighth inning blast by Indians rookie Bradley Zimmer. It was the performance Sox baseball president Dave Dombrowksi expected when he claimed Fister off waivers on June 23 from the Angels.

Red Sox Nation had justifiable concerns about Fister after he started his Boston career going 0-5 with a 7.46 ERA. For his part, Fister said the issues were mechanical and that he was working on them. On Monday, we got to see the fruit of those labors and fans were able to breath a sigh of relief.

“Overall, it wasn’t a bad night,” Fister said in a post-game self-evaluation. “A lot of progress made…I’m always trying to get better.”

Brandon Workman finished up the game for Boston with 1.1 innings of scoreless relief, saving the bullpen from any further taxing on the night before Chris Sale takes the mound on Tuesday.

Devers and Núñez Light A Spark

The Sox offense came alive on Monday sparked by a 4-for-4 night for Boston rookie Rafael Devers, three hits from newcomer Eduardo Núñez, and two hits apiece for Mookie Betts and Christian Vázquez. For Betts, it was his club-leading 8th multi-RBI game, driving in three on Monday, including two coming with two outs.

In all, it was Boston’s 21st game of the season with 13+ hits, the most of any American League club but the Astros (23).

Devers is the first Boston player in almost 30 years with a four-hit game within his first six career MLB games. He joins Jody Reed (1987), Ted Cox (1977), Fred Lynn (1974), Frank Malzone (1955), Hall of Famer Ted Williams (1939), and Tex Vache (1925) as the only Red Sox players to accomplish the feat.

The Sox, known for so many years to be a doubles machine, on Monday collected four two-baggers in a game for the first time since June 30. The club started the night with just 185 doubles, a notch ahead of the MLB average (185).

With Monday’s win, John Farrell is now three from becoming the eighth manager in Sox history to lead the team to 400 victories.

Jerry Remy: “Cancer Again”

February 13, 2017 Leave a Comment

Longtime NESN color analyst and former Red Sox player Jerry Remy says his cancer has returned.

https://twitter.com/Jerry_Remy/status/831168103631421446

Fans recall Remy has battled with lung cancer three times before starting in 2008. Today he told reporters that this latest recurrence was spotted during a routine follow-up just before Christmas and that he just completed treatment. Remy, 64, said he feels fine, “I feel really good. If we had a game tonight at Fenway, I’d be there doing it.” He said he went public with this news to encourage more people to get regular check-ups.

Remy recently signed a multiyear contract extension with NESN that stipulated he would work 115 games this season. He said he expects to meet that commitment.

Fans rallied to support Remy on Twitter and Facebook as have Sox players, executives, and former play-by-play announcer Don Orsillo.

Now, a few other notes of interest for Red Sox fans:

Three of the four major scouting publications, Baseball America, MLB.com, and ESPN, all rank Red Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi, 22, the game’s top prospect for 2017. Benintendi is still technically a rookie with 105 career at-bats, just shy of the rookie limit of 130 ABs.
With Benintendi, Jackie Bradley, and Mookie Betts it’s fair to ask if the Sox will have the best outfield in baseball this season. Over at Fan Rag Sports, Alex Smolokoff analyzes the competition and says Boston, the Marlins, and the Rockies have the best outfields in the sport. Smolokoff says whether Boston is tops depends upon Benintendi and a full season for Bradley that was more like his first half in 2016.
It’s easy to be myopic, focusing only on our favorite club, but the Boston Herald‘s Michael Silverman reminds us that there are plenty of interesting stories percolating throughout baseball right now, such as the emergence of the Yankees’ fearsome catcher Gary Sanchez, whether the Blue Jays can recover the loss of slugger Edwin Encarnacion, and whether anyone can stop the Indians, coincidentally Encarnacion’s new club. Silverman also spotlights some interesting things going on with the Cubs, Dodgers, and Nationals. In all, a fun look at what’s going on beyond Boston.
Spring Training is finally here and NESN’s Darren Hartwell breaks down what to watch for from jetBlue Park as the next six weeks unfolds. Among the more interesting questions is what Hartwell calls “Castillo’s Last Stand.” Time is running out for Rusney Castillo to be an MLB star, though the 29-year-old had a solid winter ball season finishing at .392 over 14 games.
In their first team preview of the new season, FOX Sports picked the Red Sox for analysis and predict that Boston to finish 2017 with a second consecutive AL East title.
We finish this roundup of news by noting the passing of longtime Detroit Tigers owner Michael Ilitch, who died late last week at age 87. Ilitch actually played for an affiliate of the Tigers in the minor leagues in 1952, as well as for minor league teams of the Yankees and Washington Senators before his playing career ended with the knee injury. From there he opened a pizza business called Little Caesars and the rest, as they say, is history. Late last year, Forbes magazine estimated Ilitch’s fortune at $6.1 billion. Commissioner Rob Manfred extended his condolences as did Red Sox Baseball President Dave Dombrowski, who worked from Ilitch from 2002 to 2015. “He was driven to win,” Dombrowski said. “My only regret was we never brought home a World Series for him and for the fans.” Update: An interesting side note about Ilitch involves his connection to civil rights icon Rosa Parks as reported by CNN.

Lovullo to Manage Diamondbacks

November 4, 2016 Leave a Comment

Arizona radio sportcaster John Gambadoro reported via Twitter today that Red Sox Bench Coach Torey Lovullo will indeed become the next manager of the Diamondbacks. Lovullo is known to have a long relationship with the Diamondbacks new General Manager, Mike Hazen, who left the Sox for the top job with Arizona last month. Lovullo and Hazen worked together in the Cleveland organization.Lovullo is to be announced as the Arizona manager on Monday. He replaces former manager Chip Hale, who was fired October 3.

Bench Coach Torey Lovullo
flickr photo shared by Corn Farmer under a Creative Commons ( BY-ND ) license

Lovullo will be the third Red Sox to join the Diamondbacks in the space of three weeks. After Hazen, it was announced that Sox VP of Amateur & International Scouting, Amiel Sawdaye, would join the club as its new Assistant GM.

Lovullo Stands Out

None by the most ardent fans typically know much about the Sox bench coaches. You may recall, albeit vaguely, names like Tim Bogar, DeMarlo Hale, and Brad Mills.

But fans no doubt feel they got to know Lovullo better when he stepped in admirably for the ailing John Farrell late last season. His loyalty to his friend and to the team (he agreed to forego any managerial opportunities to stay with the club in 2016) was overshadowed only, perhaps, by the club’s improved performance under his guidance. That MLB-level managerial experience only added to his appeal for the Arizona job.

More news of interest for Red Sox fans:

Find me a Red Sox fan who doesn’t wish the best for former Sox manager Terry Francona. He’s just a beloved character around RSN and with good reason. Today comes word that the Cleveland Indians feel at least the same way, extending Tito’s contract for 2019 and 2020. Since joining The Tribe in 2013, Francona has led his team to a winning record every season, including, of course, the American League Championship in 2016. Over his 16-year managerial career, Francona is 1,381-1,209 (.533), the fifth best mark among actives.
The Indians have been busy, not surprisingly picking up their $12 million option for Carlos Santana in 2017. At the same time, Cleveland has chosen to part company with one-time Red Sox Coco Crisp, who turned 37 this week. The option to retain Crisp for next season would have cost the club $13 million; they’ll pay $750,000 to let him go.
Michael Levin on The Huffington Post digs into the Red Sox’ continued efforts to bring younger fans into the game. The strategy has three parts: provide greater access to Red Sox games, enhance the family experience at Fenway, and celebrate and strengthen the game of baseball in the community. The piece explains some the strategic thinking behind such attractions as “Wally’s Clubhouse” and the mascot’s little sister, Tessy (the brainchild of Linda Pizzuti Henry, wife of Sox principal owner John Henry).

World Series Resumes Tonight

October 28, 2016 Leave a Comment

It’s the final weekend of baseball as the World Series begins again, this time in Chicago, with the Cubs and Indians knotted at 1-1. In eight of the last ten series that were tied at one game apiece, the winner of Game 1 (in this case, the Indians) has won the championship. Indeed, Game 1 winners have won the Fall Classic 70 total times (63.1% of the time), including 12 of the last 13 and 17 of the last 19 times.

In their long franchise histories, both the Cubs and Indians have eight times before found themselves in a 1-1 tie in a best-of-seven postseason series. In the previous seven times the Cubs have won just one of those series (the 2016 National League Championship Series) while the Indians won the whole thing four times (though they’ve lost each of their last three such series).

The 2016 series is guaranteed at least three more games with starts by Kyle Hendricks, John Lackey, and Jon Lester for Chicago versus Josh Tomlin, Corey Kluber, and Trevor Bauer for the Indians, respectively.

Gold Glove Finalist Mookie Betts
flickr photo shared by Keith Allison under a Creative Commons ( BY-SA ) license

On to some news and notes now for Red Sox fans:

Gold Glove finalists for defensive excellence were announced this week and the hometown team were well represented by Dustin Pedroia, Mookie Betts, and Jackie Bradley. The Red Sox were one of eight teams this season with at least three nominees. The Cubs and Tigers had an MLB-best four finalists each. Gold Glove winners will be announced November 8.
It’s the offseason so that means a perennial check in on Pablo Sandoval‘s weight. Here’s the latest.
What a postseason already for one-time Red Sox Andrew Miller. The Indians reliever has racked up 24 strikeouts already, the second most in a single postseason by a reliever since Francisco Rodriguez collected 28 with the Angels in 2002. Miller’s 13.2 scoreless postseason innings are eighth most in major league history. With his next out Miller can tie Hall of Famer Whitey Ford in 1961 for seventh most such innings. The all-time record is by Hall of Famer Christy Mathewson, who went 27.0 IP in the 1905 postseason. Red Sox great and Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez had the 17.0 scoreless postseason innings in 1999, good for fourth most in MLB history.
Of the 50 players on the Indians and Cubs roster just six have World Series experience, five of those with the Red Sox: Coco Crisp (2007), Mike Napoli (2013), Lackey (2013), Lester (2007 & 2013), and David Ross (2013). Ben Zobrist also experienced the Fall Classic before with the Rays in 2008 and the Royals last season.

And finally, while today is October 28 and the nine year anniversary of the 2007 Red Sox Championship, it’s hard to believe that 12 years ago today we were still dazed at the reality of the first Sox Championship in 84 years. Re-live the memories through the eyes of the New York Daily News, which thoughtfully re-posted their story from that day in 2004.

Indians Take Eary Series Lead

October 26, 2016 Leave a Comment

The 112th World Series got underway Tuesday with a 6-0 shutout win by the Indians over the Cubs at Progressive Field in Cleveland.

Yesterday’s was the 54th World Series game in Cubs’ history, but just the third time they’ve been shutout. Their last shutout in a Fall Classic game was September 5, 1918 versus the Red Sox (also a Game 1). No team had been shutout in the first game of the World Series since the Reds blanked the Athletics 7-0 in 1990.

Though national popular sentiment seems focused on the Cubs, the Indians are just as focused on winning. As he showed in Game 1 of the American League Division Series against Boston, Tribe manager Terry Francona knows the value of that initial win. Indeed, every Game 1 winner since 2010 and all but two since 1997 have gone on to win the series.

That said, too much shouldn’t be read into the shutout loss. The Cubs have proven themselves resilient this season. What’s more, of the 16 teams in major league history to suffer the indignity of a shutout loss in the first game of a World Series, nine have gone on to win the whole thing.

Worth noting: On the threat of rain the forecast for Cleveland, Major League Baseball moved the start time for Wednesday’s Game 2 up an hour. First pitch will be at 7:08 ET/4:08 PT.

On to some news and notes for Red Sox fans now:

Old friends, Part I: Cubs ace Jon Lester was charged with three earned runs and his first-ever World Series loss Tuesday. Lester had not allowed more than 1 ER in three previous such starts, all with the Red Sox.
Old friends, Part II: What a moment last night when Indians reliever Andrew Miller struck out Chicago’s David Ross with two outs and the tying runs on base. Lester, Miller, and Ross (not to mention Cleveland’s Mike Napoli) were, of course, part of Boston’s 2013 championship team.
In case you missed it, Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald recounts how the Theo Epstein/Joe Maddon tandem in Chicago was close to getting together in Boston back in 2003, before Epstein hired Francona. It’s an interesting, albeit cursory look at the process of hiring a team manager. For his part, Maddon says Francona was ultimately the right decision for the Sox, “I thought Tito was more prepared for that moment than I was at that time.”
There won’t be a General Manager to replace Mike Hazen, who left the left the Sox to run Diamondbacks baseball. Instead, Boston president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski promoted Eddie Romero Jr. to Senior VP and Assistant GM, where he’ll join Brian O’Halloran, who has the same title. Romero, 37, was previously Vice President for International Scouting for the club.
Meanwhile, Amiel Sawdaye, the Red Sox VP of International and Amateur Scouting and a potential Sox GM candidate himself, has decided to follow Hazen to Arizona where he’ll be an Assistant GM. Speculation continues that Hazen will also be talking to popular Sox Bench Coach Torey Lovullo about managing the D-backs.

« Previous Page