Scoring Games

Saturday night the Boston Red Sox played the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Lately I haven't been able to watch too many games due to work and stuff, but I had Saturday completely free and planed on watching the game. However, my brother was finishing up his game in NCAA 2005 dynasty we started 2 years ago and are currently on year 5, so I was forced to listen to the beginning of the game on the radio. Lately for some reason I've had trouble focusing on baseball broadcasts. I bet its cause the Red Sox switched from Sports Radio AM 850 to Talk Radio WRKO AM 680. In order to help focus, I decided to score the game.

My brother finished his game around the second inning, so I switched to watching it (which, by the way, I have no problem focusing on since the games are still on NESN). However, I decided to keep scoring it. I hadn't scored a game in probably 10 years. I use to do it all the time as a little kid, especially when I went to games. Usually I'd get board of it in the fifth or sixth inning, but I was determined to complete this game. I had a pretty good score card too. I forgot to mark two batters all in all, but found out what happened to them their next at bat. I also stopped keeping track of who was pitching for Tampa Bay after the 6th, figuring I could get that later online. I used the standard scoring system, though sometimes I wrote more indepth descriptions. For instance, in the third, the official scorer gave Ortiz a double. I said it was a single and charged the shortstop with an error. Had he caught the perfectly thrown ball from the cutoff man, Ortiz would have been out. I therefore charged the official scorer with an error for mis-scoring the play. Also, in the 4th, Gomes hit a ball that seemed destined to bounce into the seats, but Manny came out of no where and made a spectacular running catch while slamming into the wall. I scored it "7... WHAT A CATCH!!!!" Manny's awesome.

Come the ninth, I was pumped, thinking that with Papelbon on and a 2 run lead, all I had to do was three more hitters and I'd have a complete score card. Unfortunately, checking my score card, I see D. Young RF lead off the inning with a single, which if memory serves correct was a broken bat single on the first pitch. J. Gomes LF came up next and hit a 2 run homer to tie the game. Gomes also hit a homer his previous at bat, a solo shot off Jon Lester according to the score card (which by the way, was is a couple of pages from a class notebook I didn't use up...).

The game went on into the tenth, and I was on my last column on the page. Still, I faithfully kept score. Then it went into the 11th. I had to use two more sheets and recopy the lineups and everything, but I was determined to finish sans the Tampa Bay pitchers. Finally, the Red Sox rewarded me in the 12th. With 2 outs, Julio Lugo drew a bases loaded walk (his second of the game!). All Star Snub Kevin Youkilis followed with a base clearing double. Ortiz drew a walk, and Manny came up and hit a liner to center that curved really weird. Red Sox analysis Jerry Remy said the Devil Rays had to have the airconditioning on too high or something, cause the ball was heading straight for CF B. J. Upton, but it curved around him at the last second. No one was backing him up either, and the ball was destined to roll all the way out to the wall. As the camera showed Ortiz rounding third, I thought to myself "Manny's gonna get a triple, might even get an inside the park homerun..." But alas! As the Devil Rays got the ball in, the camera showed a smiling Manny standing at second. That's one of the many reasons you gotta love him. Ortiz, on a bad knee, goes from first to home, and Manny jogs into second. I'd curse anyone else, but you can't curse Manny. He's pretty much the greatest player ever.


So yeah, the Sox got six in the 12th and Lopez came out and retired the Devil Rays in their half, giving the Red Sox the win. I'm glad I scored it. I don't know if I'll be doing it again anytime soon, unless of course, the Devil Rays want me to be their official scorer cause they obviously need a new one. But, yeah, it's fun once every few years or so.

Youkilis Screwed: An Update

A-Rod is hurt. He's suppose to be an AL All Star, but he's not sure he should play in the game.

For the first time in a while, what's good for the Red Sox might be what's good for the Yankees. A-Rod should sit out. This would make him less likely to hurt himself, plus the three day break would help him recover. This would free up an extra roster spot.

Now, David Ortiz is the American League's First Baseman. I don't have the numbers in front of me, but I'm pretty sure Kevin Youkilis has played more games at third base than Ortiz has at First. David only plays first base 2/3 of the road interleague games. Youk plays third for 1/3 of said games, and whenever Lowell needs a rest during the season (Hinske plays first on those occasions). Therefore, Youkilis should be eligible to play third as an All Star. Therefore, since he should have been an All Star anyway, it only makes sense to give him A-Rod's spot.

First Time at Fenway

I was at Fenway today, not to go to a game, but to go to see Pirates of the Caribbean at the AMC about 5 blocks from the park. I walked around Yawkey Way and Lansdowne Street just to soak in the atmosphere. Afterwards, I went to a McDonalds in Kenmore Square which is decorated with a bunch of really old Red Sox photos. I sat down with my number 2 inbetween two of these photos. One was Roger Clemens. The other had Roger with Mo Vaughn and Scott Cooper, who Ken might know of cause I think he went to St. Louis after two years here, but I'm pretty sure no one else has. The wall opposite to me had Nomar Garciapara. Next to Nomar was Dwight Evans. Near the enterance was another Mo Vaughn, this time alone. Is McDonalds business that bad that they can't update some of those photos? There wasn't one photo of anyone from the 2004 club, never mind this one. It kinda sickens me that Yankee fans will come to town and see more current Yankees than Red Sox, but I take comfort in the fact that they also have to see the standings.

It looks to be official that the two photos are pretty much all we'll be seeing of Roger in Fenway. The Yanks are making him throw an extra session to "avoid the Red Sox series." That's straight from their web page. The story later quotes Torre as saying ""I'm not disappointed that he's not pitching in Fenway, let's put it that way." What a vote of confidence!

By the way, David Ortiz hasn't been played the last three days cause he has the flu and his hamstring is tight. The Red Sox are 3-0 in those three games, thanks in part to to Kevin Youkilis has homered twice, including an inside the parker, STANDING UP! He has a 21 game hit streak, and at least 2 hits in nine consecutive games. The man can hit, field, and run, yet he's not on the All Star Ballot. Ridiculous!

Three things

1.) Tonight's game
The Sox bullpen is struggling. The entire pitching is. Tavarez labored through 5 and 2/3 innings. I was really mad at Francona for not pulling him after five. In the fifth, he was in all sorts of trouble. The bases were loaded and he couldn't buy an out. But somehow, he got out of it. And then Terry sends him back out there. Tavarez, who doesn't have the best stuff anyway, had absolutely nothing and miraculously got through 5 while only giving up 2 runs. ANYONE would pull him.

Well, the sixth starts and Tavarez walks A-Rod. Then, finally, mercifully, someone wakes up Francona or reminds him he's the manager or something, and he gets people up. Luckily, Tavarez got the next guy to ground into a double play, and that was his night.

Lopez came out first, and actually, now that I think about it, he pitched extremely well. 1 and 1/3 uneventful innings. That's what I want out of the bullpen. Uneventful innings.

Okajima, number two on my personal bullpen depth chart, was called out for the 8th. He struggled like there was no tomorrow. He got Damon to start the inning, then Jeter singled, walked Matsui and A-Rod back to back. Posada grounds out to Lowell, who fires to Pedroia to force out A-Rod (more on that in a second...). Posada beats Pedroia's relay to first by a step and a run scored, the first Okajima allowed since his first pitch as a Red Sox was hit a LONG way by Royals' catcher John Buck. Abreu grounded out right after to end the inning. But it was a painfully frustrating inning. Okajima threw a lot of pitches and was behind a lot. It stunk.

Ninth inning: Jonathan Papelbon, number 1 on my personal bullpen depth chart, comes out. Probably not to "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" since it's at New York. He walks the Giambi on five pitches. Canu comes up, and it's a REALLY long at bat. He fouls off everything before finally drawing a walk. I'm really mad now, because neither one of my top two has anything. Melky Cabrera comes up to pinch hit, and strikes out after like 7 or 8 pitches. This at bat was so frustrating, cause normally Papelbon just blows people away. I don't know if he's hurt or if he hasn't been used enough or too much or if it's cause it was a nonsave situation, but something wasn't right. Johnny's up and he hits a slow grounder to Pedroia who takes the sure out at first, runners each advance a base. Jeter comes up, and he strikes out on three pitches (all called strikes), and as far as I know he's still arguing with the homeplate umpire.

Now that I've gotten that off my chest, it's time to realize it wasn't pretty, but it doesn't have to be. Automatic Win Day strikes again.

2.) Why I bean A-Rod.

In the eight, when Posada beat out the double play, A-Rod slid into second to break it up. I have no problem at all with that. However, he didn't get to Pedroia, so he did one of those popup slides, and throws an elbow into Dustin's ribs as he's releasing the ball. It looked like a hockey player checking someone into the boards. Honestly. I'm not sure if that's illegal, but it's dirty. I don't know if the throw would have gotten Posada anyway, but still. A-Rod's a dirty player. He's an excellent hitter and the best defensive shortstop in the majors and an underated defensive third baseman too. He's a fierce competitor, so I'm not taking any of that away from him. But he always does stuff like that. Need I remind anyone of him punching Bronson Arroyo in Game 6 of the 2004 ALCS? Also, in Moneyball, former Red Sox catcher Scott Hatteburg said A-Rod always looks back at the signs when he's hitting. Again, probably not illegal, but definately a jerk thing to do. I bean him. The Red Sox never retaliated for the mugging of Arroyo. They've never retaliated for him peaking at Hatteburg's signs. They need to make up for those two things and for him trying to take out Dustin like that. Bean him in the butt. Not to hurt him. Just to send a message that the Red Sox aren't gonna be pushed around.

3.) WRITE IN KEVIN YOUKILIS FOR AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL STAR!
This year, the all star game is in a national league park, so MLB doesn't have a DH voting category. This is so stupid. David Ortiz is the Red Sox DH. He hasn't played the field once. At all. But, Ortiz is one of the faces of the league, so he has to be on the All Star ballet somewhere. Therefore, they put him in at first base.

Problem: Every team gets one rep for each position (beside outfield). This means the Red Sox everyday first baseman Kevin Youkilis isn't on the all star ballet. The so called Greek god of Walks (who isn't even Greek...) is hitting .342 with an OBP .428, 6 HR, 23 RBI and has scored 31 runs. Ortiz is hitting .314, with an OBP of .433, 9 HR, 36 RBI while scoring 30 runs, so the numbers are comparable. Plus Youk plays the field so well (I'd go as far as saying Gold Glove Caliber defense...but then again, I'm campaigning for him...). He hits wherever they need him in the lineup. Now, you're not gonna find a bigger Ortiz fan than me. I love Big Papi, BUT when the team asked him to hit after Manny as opposed to before, he did it, but he complained the whole time because he wasn't getting as good of a pitch quality. After about a week, the team bowed to his wishes and switched them back, knowing Manny doesn't really care where he hits cause he's Manny Rameriz.

Ideal Solution: MLB should allow a DH position right now, and use Ortiz as a pinch hitter. He'd probably only get one at bat anyway as the starting DH in an AL park. Then Youk could be on the ballet for the starting first baseman.

Real World Solution: MLB's not gonna change the rule this late, especially for a relatively unknown player like Youk. Therefore, WRITE YOUKILIS IN! Do it! Jim Leyland would definately take Big Papi as a reserve. But I'm not so sure Youk would be selected, which is such a shame because he truly deserves it.