WIN AT ALL COSTS! The 2004 Boston Red Sox

[AZTarHeel]

Around the Majors

Some other happenings around this great league:

Monday 4/19/2004:
American League-Player of the Week:
RF Vladimir Guerrero (ANA)!
He batted .385 in 26 AB, with 4 HR and 7 RBI.

National League-Player of the Week:
LF Jeff Conine (FLO)!
He batted .480 in 25 AB, with 2 HR and 8 RBI.

Friday 4/23/2004 :
CLE: Omar Vizquel gets his 2000th career hit!!

Sunday 4/25/2004 :
PHI: Vicente Padilla pitches a 1-hit shutout against Montreal!!
SDN: David Wells pitches a 3-hit shutout against Arizona!! (he's still got it apparently)

Monday 4/26/2004 :
American League-Player of the Week:
DH Dmitri Young (DET)!
He batted .500 in 26 AB, with 5 HR and 10 RBI.

National League-Player of the Week:
RF Richard Hidalgo (HOU)!
He batted .455 in 22 AB, with 4 HR and 11 RBI.

MON: Orlando Cabrera hits for the cycle against San Diego!
SFN: Barry Bonds sets a new single game NL-Record for Bases on Balls with 6! (yep, nothing changes...)

Thursday 4/29/2004 :
HOU: Wade Miller pitches a 2-hit shutout against Pittsburgh!!

NYA: Tom Gordon was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Torn Back Muscle.
This is a career ending injury for him!

Friday 4/30/2004 :
MIN: Luis Rivas was injured while throwing a ball.
Diagnosis: Torn Tricep Muscle.
He is definitely out for the season!

Saturday 5/1/2004 :
American League-Pitcher of the Month:
Pedro Martinez (BOS)!
He had a record of 5-0 in 6 games started, with an ERA of 1.94 and 1 shutouts.

American League-Batter of the Month:
Magglio Ordonez (CHA)!
He batted .344 in 90 AB, with 8 homers and 19 RBI.

National League-Pitcher of the Month:
Tom Glavine (NYN)!
He had a record of 5-0 in 5 games started, with an ERA of 1.72.

National League-Batter of the Month:
Todd Helton (COL)!
He batted .450 in 80 AB, with 3 homers and 21 RBI.

Sunday 5/2/2004 :
NYN: Karim Garcia slams 3 homers against San Diego.
NYN: Karim Garcia has 8 RBI against San Diego.


Monday 5/3/2004 :
American League-Player of the Week:
RF Vladimir Guerrero (ANA)!
He batted .520 in 25 AB, with 3 HR and 9 RBI.

National League-Player of the Week:
1B Albert Pujols (STL)!
He batted .600 in 20 AB, with 4 HR and 12 RBI.

[attackemu]

I'm also among the people reading and enjoying this. I'd be happy without the game-by-game stuff, though I like it.

This league moving to V6?

[AZTarHeel]

May 3-6 * At Jacobs Field, Cleveland

Red (Hot) Sox win three of four over Indians

Game 1: Boston 16, Cleveland 5
Highlights: Balls are leaving the yard like pros playing on a JV high school field. Manny Ramirez, Ellis Burks, David Ortiz, Trot Nixon and even Pokey Roose go long.

The Red Sox have 21 hits on the day, with Burks having a career performance (4-for-5 with six RBIs)... Ortiz and Kevin Millar have three hits apiece... BK Kim finally gets enough offense to earn a win...

Game 2: Boston 8, Cleveland 2
Highlights: Kevin Millar extends his hitting streak to 20 straight games. Johnny Damon's hitting streak ends at 18... Manny Ramirez, who is red hot right now, goes 3-for-4 with a homer. His batting average soars over .300... Derek Lowe goes eight strong innings and improves to 4-1...

Game 3: Boston 7, Cleveland 1
Highlights: It's 1-1 until the top of the eighth, then Boston explodes for four runs... Manny doubles, Bill Mueller is intentionally walked and Ellis Burks parks one 450 feet beyond home plate. Then Jason Varitek homers right after Burks...

Ramirez homers for the third game in a row in the ninth, then Burks goes yard as well (the third time he's hit two HR's in the same game this season)... Pedro Martinez only gives up one run through six, but Alan Embree gets the win in relief... The one bummer -- Millar's hitting streak ends...

Game 4: Cleveland 3, Boston 2 (11 innings)
Highlights: In what is really a gem of a baseball game, the Indians finally get a win in extra innings... Boston scores one in the first and one in the fifth, while Cleveland scores one in the fourth and one in the seventh. Then, the defenses take over.

No homers for a change. Keith Foulke absorbs the loss in his second inning on the hill. He's 1-2 on the season... Boston's eight-game winnings streak is snapped...

Next up: Back home in Fenway against Kansas City...

[AZTarHeel]

Manny Ramirez has seen his batting average go from the mid .150's to .315 in the past few weeks. (PHOTO: MLB.com)

Ramirez the Man again in Boston

Friday, May 7, 2004

By Phil Swift
The Boston Globe

There was a time earlier in the season when Manny Ramirez thought he was a goner in Boston.

"Fans were booing me. I couldn't hit a lick. Folks in the clubhouse kind of kept their distance, like they do when you're a short-timer someplace," Ramirez said during the Sox road trip in Cleveland.

With his batting average making Mendoza look like a star, the Internet rumors started flying in early April that Boston would trade the $14 million outfielder. Manny for Larry Walker? Manny for Todd Helton? Manny for Vladimir Guerrero? Manny for anyone that can hit?

"I started picturing myself hitting in Coors Field," Ramirez said with a sly smile. "That would have been something."

Then, Boston manager Terry Francona pulled Ramirez aside during the last game of the Yankees series at Fenway on April 19. He said simply, "You are our guy. Go have some fun."

Since then, Ramirez has done just that. His batting average has soared -- from the .150s to .315. He's been finding his home-run stroke, including a grand slam against the Toronto Blue Jays that landed 459 feet away from home plate. He's now got eight on the season, plus 24 RBIs.

No more trade rumors now.

"I'm glad the team didn't give up on me," Ramirez said. "I was in a funk there for awhile, but I want to see the Sox win the Series this year. We've got a great team this year."

--> See Ramirez, Page 4C<--

[AZTarHeel]

KC takes two of three from Red Sox

Series Report: Royals at Red Sox -- May 7-9

Game 1: Kansas City 5, Boston 1
Game 2: Kansas City 10, Boston 3
Game 3: Boston 9, Kansas City 2

Highlights: The Red Sox lose a series for the first time this season but get in the last word. BK Kim and Schilling struggle from the hill. Lowe does well in the rubber game to get the win. Boston is now 22-11 -- one of the best records in the AL...


Burks is AL player of the week!
Ellis Burks had a great week despite the Red Sox short skid. The 39-year-old hit .455 with three home runs and 14 RBIs.

His production is giving Terry Francona problems filling out his lineup card each game. Basically Francona has four outfielders all hitting over .300 (Burks, Ramirez, Damon and Nixon). Burks is a great DH candidate, but David Ortiz is hitting around .350 with a bunch of HRs and RBIs as well in that spot. What to do? A good problem to have, though the parts aren't that interchangable, especially when defense comes into consideration...

Elsewhere around the majors, Barry Bonds hits six HRs and is named the NL player of the week. One of Bonds' big flies goes 501 feet. Another goes 484... KC's Mike Sweeney hits for the cycle against Toronto... MIN Jaque Jones breaks his ankle and is out for the season… Ouch...

Next up for Boston: The Indians come to town...

[AZTarHeel]

Broom Service: Red Sox sweep Indians

May 10-12

Game 1: Boston 3, Cleveland 1
Game 2: Boston 7, Cleveland 4
Game 3: Boston 9, Cleveland 4

Highlights: The Red Sox win game one despite getting just four hits and commiting three errors... Manny Ramirez hits a three-run homer in game two and has another RBI...

Game three is the "featured" game of this set. Boston scores six runs in the bottom of the eighth to erase a 4-3 deficit... Reliever Brendan Donnelly gets the win... Starter Curt Schilling is struggling giving up the long ball. He surrenders two in this contest, and usually gives up at least one per game... His ratings continue to fall with each week...

Next up: four games with the Blue Jays...

[AZTarHeel]

It's a split: Jays take first 2, Boston wins last 2

Game 1: Toronto 6, Boston 2
Highlights: BK Kim drops to 1-4 for the Red Sox. He's got good ratings, but...

Game 2: Toronto 8, Boston 4
Highlights: The Jays jump out to an 8-0 lead and hang on. Miguel Batista is tough on Boston hitters, no runs over seven innings.

Game 3: Boston 2, Toronto 1
Highlights: This is a great baseball game! Pedro Martinez takes a no-hitter into the sixth inning, but the Red Sox only lead 1-0. Toronto ties it in the sixth after a double by Chris Woodward and an RBI single by Orlando Hudson... The game-winning play? A bases loaded walk issued to Ellis Burks in the eighth. Wow!

Game 4: Boston 10, Toronto 1
Highlights: Here's how Boston set up starter Tim Wakefield in the top of the first: Johnny Damon walks and steals second. Bill Mueller hits an RBI single. Manny Ramirez homers for a 3-0 lead. Ellis Burks rips a double. Trot Nixon doubles to score Burks. After Nomar and Jason Varitek get out, Kevin Millar strokes a two-RBI double.

Wakefield cruises to Victory, throwing a three-hitter over seven. Damon finishes with three steals.

Boston improves to 27-13 -- atop the AL by about 6-7 games!!

[AZTarHeel]

Peter Piper Pizza's "Slice of the Majors"

Week of May 16, 2004

Manny Ramirez (BOS) earns the Red Sox second straight Player of the Week award. The outfielder hits .542 during the week with two HRs and 11 RBIs... His average, once below .200, is now right at .350. He's sixth in batting, third in HRs and second in RBIs...

Pitcher Mark Prior (CHN) throws two shutouts and earns NL Player of the Week honors. He threw a one-hitter against San Diego.

Big Plays! Vinny Castilla (COL) has five hits in hitter friendly Coors Field against Pittsburg... Jason Kendall (HOU) socks the Pirates with six hits!

Injuries: Pitcher Chad Cordero (MON) ruptures a disc in his back and is out for the season... Pitcher Edgar Gonzalez (ARI) also loses his season after a rotator cuff tear. Ouch...

Player movement: The Yankees release LF Ruben Sierra after he refuses a demotion to the Minors. New York is struggling to find the right OF combination. OF Hideki Matsui gets recalled, much to the delight of a steamed group of Japanese journalists.

Standings

American League Standings
East
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Boston 27 13 .675 - 28-12 -1 12-7 15-6 1-2 4-4 117 W2 6-4
Tampa Bay 18 19 .486 7.5 17-20 1 9-7 9-12 1-1 5-8 - W1 4-6
Baltimore 18 20 .474 8.0 15-23 3 11-12 7-8 2-1 9-4 - L2 3-7
New York (A) 17 21 .447 9.0 18-20 -1 8-13 9-8 0-3 6-3 - W1 3-7
Toronto 16 23 .410 10.5 20-19 -4 9-11 7-12 1-2 3-8 - L3 4-6

Central
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Minnesota 21 16 .568 - 20-17 1 11-7 10-9 1-4 7-4 125 W1 3-7
Chicago (A) 20 17 .541 1.0 18-19 2 12-9 8-8 2-0 7-6 - W5 8-2
Cleveland 17 22 .436 5.0 15-24 2 9-12 8-10 4-2 6-3 - L2 5-5
Kansas City 13 23 .361 7.5 18-18 -5 7-11 6-12 1-2 2-11 - W1 6-4
Detroit 12 25 .324 9.0 14-23 -2 8-13 4-12 2-2 7-7 - L2 2-8

West
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Seattle 26 12 .684 - 25-13 1 11-5 15-7 3-0 5-3 121 L1 6-4
Oakland 21 16 .568 4.5 21-16 0 10-5 11-11 1-1 7-5 - L1 7-3
Anaheim 21 17 .553 5.0 22-16 -1 10-6 11-11 2-0 4-7 - W2 6-4
Texas 17 20 .459 8.5 15-22 2 9-10 8-10 0-1 7-6 - W2 8-2

National League Standings
East
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Montreal 22 16 .579 - 21-17 1 9-6 13-10 1-1 5-2 122 L2 5-5
New York (N) 19 19 .500 3.0 19-19 0 8-8 11-11 3-0 8-4 - L4 3-7
Philadelphia 18 19 .486 3.5 17-20 1 6-9 12-10 1-0 5-5 - L1 6-4
Florida 16 21 .432 5.5 19-18 -3 6-9 10-12 3-1 4-6 - W2 4-6
Atlanta 15 21 .417 6.0 17-19 -2 3-12 12-9 1-1 5-7 - W1 6-4

Central
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Houston 25 13 .658 - 23-15 2 17-6 8-7 1-4 7-5 124 W4 7-3
St. Louis 24 14 .632 1.0 23-15 1 16-7 8-7 3-2 6-6 - L2 4-6
Pittsburgh 16 21 .432 8.5 16-21 0 9-7 7-14 2-0 5-7 - L1 4-6
Chicago (N) 16 22 .421 9.0 19-19 -3 4-12 12-10 0-4 4-11 - W2 5-5
Cincinnati 16 22 .421 9.0 17-21 -1 5-10 11-12 3-3 9-7 - W2 3-7
Milwaukee 15 22 .405 9.5 14-23 1 8-12 7-10 3-2 6-7 - L1 5-5

West
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
San Francisco 23 15 .605 - 22-16 1 15-8 8-7 2-3 6-3 124 W1 6-4
Arizona 21 16 .568 1.5 23-14 -2 11-11 10-5 3-2 7-7 - W2 4-6
Colorado 19 18 .514 3.5 17-20 2 12-10 7-8 1-2 6-4 - W1 8-2
Los Angeles 18 18 .500 4.0 18-18 0 10-11 8-7 1-1 3-5 - L2 5-5
San Diego 16 22 .421 7.0 14-24 2 7-15 9-7 0-2 5-5 - L2 6-4

[AZTarHeel]

To: All Red Sox Staff
From: Theo Epstein
Re: Some good reading (haha)

May 17, 2004

Hi staff. Theo here. Just wanted to pass along some fun reading I found yesterday on the Web. Hope you enjoy. Those poor boys in pinstripes have it so rough, don't they?

Keep fighting the good fight! We're off to a good start but have a long ways to go...

Theo


Boss swooning at Yankees' rough start

A-Rod's in a slump. The Japanese media has been like a lynch party. And the Boss is having fainting spells again.

All is not well in the Big Apple.

The team with biggest payroll in baseball is currently in fourth place -- in the AL East. The *Gulp* Tampa Bay Devil Rays even have a better record than New York. The past 10 games -- 2-8. Ugg.

"We're just not playing very well right now," said shortstop Derek Jeter. "We'll come around."

Some folks aren't so sure. The outfielders position has been a revolving door, with much-hyped Japanese phenom Hideki Matsui so getting under the Boss' skin that he spent about three weeks in AAA after starting the year with a batting average in the low .200s.

The Japanese media threw a fit, bashing the Yankees and calling George Steinbrenner an "ogre" and "blind to real talent."

A-Rod hasn't exactly been putting up numbers fans expected from the highest paid player in baseball. His batting average is only .238, and that's just because of a recent surge at the plate. He does have eight HR's.

The Yanks biggest problems, though, haven't been at the plate. It's been from the mound. New York is fourth in runs scored but 28th in runs allowed. They're third in team home runs but 28th in ERA (5.51) and 26th in opponents' batting average.

"Instead of trading for A-Rod, we should have been the ones going after folks like Curt Schilling or fighting to keep Pettitt and Clemens in town," one fan wrote on a message board - GoYanks.com.

Kevin Brown (1-5, 5.26) has been a bust. Mike Mussina has five wins but three losses and an ERA over 6.00. Every reliever except for closer Mariano Rivera has an ERA over 5.50, including Gabe White's eye-popping 11.57 ERA and Felix Heredia's 9.48 ERA.

Things don't get easier. The Yankees leave today for a 12-game road trip, to Anaheim, to Texas and to two of the teams ahead of them, the Orioles and those pesky Devil Rays.

To make matters worse, Boston -- the Yanks most hated rival -- is currently cruising in first place in the AL East, 7.5 games ahead of its nearest challenger. The Red Sox are getting many of the kudos in the media, while many of the reports coming out of New York are more to do with what is making Steinbrenner faint so much the past few weeks...

"This team better get a jump-start quickly or heads will roll in the Big Apple," a New York columinist wrote last week.

If the fainting continues, Steinbrenner's may be the first.

[lgkeeper]

Great read....keep up the good work!

[ghillsbaseball]

This is Awesome!!! I think I shall start my own dynasty using some of the ways youre running yours. Keep up the Good Work, and down with the YANKS!!!

[AZTarHeel]

Originally posted by ghillsbaseball
This is Awesome!!! I think I shall start my own dynasty using some of the ways youre running yours. Keep up the Good Work, and down with the YANKS!!!

Thanks... Actually the Yanks don't need much help going down... they are self-destructing pretty well on their own... Their pitching stinks...

From a story line point of view, I actually wouldn't mind seeing them do well -- just not as well as the Sox...

have fun doing your own dynasty -- it's a lot of fun...

[NYJuggalo45]

hahaha love the tough with the report on the yanks and the boss fuming, excellent touch

[AZTarHeel]

Pedro: I want to finish my career in Boston

MLB.com * May 19, 2004

This season's top pitcher so far says he wants to spend the rest of his playing days as a member of the Boston Red Sox.

"I want to finish my career right here," Pedro Martinez said this week from Fenway Park. "I'm hoping management can put the right deal together for me so I can retire wearing these colors."

The deal Martinez (8-0) is angling for? Six years for more than $17 million per year. Right now, Manny Ramirez is the best paid player on the Sox roster. He makes roughly $14 million per season.

Martinez's current contract runs out at the end of this season. The 32-year-old right-hander, April's pitcher of the month in the AL, is making $12.25 million per year right now -- sixth highest in the Majors. His asking price would put him right up there with A-Rod, who is currently making about $17.8 million a year.

Theo Epstein, the general manager of the club, said talks are on-going with Martinez and his agent.

"We love the work he's doing for us this year and what he's done for us in the past," Epstein said. "We're looking to ride his right arm to a World Series title this season. Hopefully the first of several."

How Boston handles its plethora of would-be free agents will be interesting to watch as the season unfolds. The Sox have more than 10 guys whose contracts expire at the end of the year and have pencilled in about $42 million per season to resign them.

Players like Ellis Burks and Mark Bellhorn have already said publicly they are looking to stay in Boston. The big question -- can the Sox afford to pay for all of these stars after 2004?

(EDITOR'S NOTE: I'm still playing V.5. If players email asking me to resign them, what affect does it have for me to wait? any? Will they stop performing if I ignore them? Will they get testy?

There are some I'm on the borderline of resigning (like Burks) but I kind of want to let the season play out a little more before I make any commitments...)

[Astros02]

AZTarheel! I was wondering what you were up to these days. Just read through what you've got so far, didn't let me down in the least. Maybe Fred Franks will write in to the Boston Globe.

[soc624]

woo..lets go sox..i love your writing style man!

[AZTarHeel]

Getting caught up

I've been playing a lot just not posting as much... Here are some highlights from recent Boston series...


Boston battles Rays to stay on top of AL East
Game 1: Boston 11, Tampa Bay 3: Kevin Millar hits two home runs and has two doubles in his first four at-bats as Boston jumps to an 8-1 lead... Nomar, Ortiz, Nixon and Varitek also go yard for Boston. Tampa hits three homers. Chicks all over Fenway are digging this game...

Game 2: Tampa Bay 5, Boston 4: Hard-luck BK Kim is poised to get a win but the bullpen gives up a 4-3 lead... Tampa OF Aubrey Huff hits for the cycle, and Ty Wigginton hits a double over Manny Ramirez's head for the game-winner in the ninth...

Game 3: Boston 7, Tampa Bay 0: Pedro Martinez improves to 8-0 with a two-hitter through seven. Ellis Burks hits a 450-foot home run shot... The series win keeps Boston comfortably ahead of Tampa in the standings (8.5 games)...



Red Sox rally twice to win series with Jays
Game 1: Boston 6, Toronto 3: The Sox trail 3-1 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Jason Varitek gets a hit, then Trot Nixon parks one in the seats to tie the game. After two walks, David Ortiz plays long ball for the win... Nice!

Game 2: Toronto 6, Boston 3: Tim Wakefield suffers his second loss of the season, falling to 7-2... Not a good game for the Sox... But the next game more than makes up for it...

Game 3: Boston 9, Toronto 8: It's 3-0 Toronto before Boston records an out... The Jays go ahead 8-3 in the top of the eighth before Boston pulls out some more magic.

Here's how it plays out: The Sox score three in the eighth. In the ninth, with a man on and two outs, Bill Mueller hits a shot to the wall. One run scores and it's 8-7. Burks singles to score Mueller. It's tied! Extra innings!!

In the 10th with one out, Kevin Millar doubles. Varitek singles but Millar is thrown out at home (always gotta be aggressive on the base paths!). Toronto's De Los Santos walks two batters to load the bases, and then... he walks home the winning run on a full count!! Ouch -- (kind of like the real-life Diamondbacks against Philly last week)... A nice win for the Sox... Schilling gets off the hook for a loss...

Next up: Two important series at home against Oakland and Seattle, the two top teams in the AL West... Stay tuned...

"We're really looking at these as playoff tune-ups," says manager Terry Francona...

[AZTarHeel]

May 25-27

Another .667 kind of series for Boston

Game 1 - Boston 6, Oakland 2: Fenway's a sellout again as Pedro Martinez improves to 9-0 (Cy Young??). He outduels Barry Zito, though he gives up two home runs... Ellis Burks hits his 12th homer... Owner mood for Francona improves to 70 (up six points since the beginning!!)

Game 2 - Oakland 11, Boston 1: Uggg. That owner mood may drop after this dismal performance. Guess who was pitching? Yep, BK "I could be on the trading block pretty soon" Kim. Actually Kim is tossed after beaning Durazo following a homer. It doesn't matter. Ramiro Mendoza pitches just as poorly...Oakland has 18 hits... We have four... **Gulp**

Game 3 - Boston 7, Oakland 1:This is a big rebound win for the Sox. Derek Lowe throws a three-hitter over 7.2 innings... We chase P Mark Redman early and he falls to 6-2...

BREAKING NEWS: Pokey Reese suffers a back injury in game three. He's likely out two weeks... Francona puts Pokey on the DL and calls up SS Mike Bordick from AAA to see what he can do. Bordick, who will be playing 2B now, was doing pretty well in Pawtucket, hitting .322 with 14 RBI. If Reese's injury lingers, rumors fly about what Boston may do...

[AZTarHeel]

Cast Your Vote Now for the 2004 All-Star Game!!



Here are some Boston names to keep in mind when you cast your votes:

P Pedro Martinez -- 9-0 (2nd in wins in AL), 1.55 ERA (1st in AL), 79 Ks (1st in AL), 15 ER... (B. Radke MIN has 10 wins)...

P Brendan Donnelly?? -- 2-0 since coming back from injury and signing with the team, 0.86 ERA as reliever, 20 Ks in 21 IP...

1B/DH David Ortiz -- .348 average (tops in Boston), 1.092 OBS (2nd in AL), 36 RBIs, 10 HRs, ...

LF Manny Ramirez -- .313 average, 12 HRs, 41 RBIs (2nd in AL)

1B Kevin Millar -- .329 average, 9 HRs, 15 doubles, had a 20-game hitting streak...

LF/DH Ellis Burks -- 46 RBIs (1st in AL), 12 HRs, .325 average

LF Trot Nixon -- 1.073 OBS (3rd in AL), .321 average, 9 HRs, 14 doubles...

CF Johnny Damon? -- .303 average, 28 stolen bases (1st in AL), 18 RBIs as leadoff...

[Klew1986]

Very nice dynasty. One thing though, I would like more stats given for the series reports like the WP, LP, SV, POG. Other than that it's great. Do you have AOL?? If you do my SN i sKlew1987 and I'm online right now. That would be great if you could check out my Reds dynasty.