Goodbye Yankee Stadium

We took 2 of 3 from the Bombers in the Bronx to close up Yankee Stadium. I was hoping for a sweep, but it is nice to know that the Yanks won't be making the playoffs in the last year at the Stadium.

Game 1 we won 7-3 in a game where just about everyone was involved in the production. Seven of our starters scored a run and everyone got at least 1 hit except for Pedroia. Even Minny Manny needs a day off every now and then. Wake pitched well and got the win and we crushed Pettite for 6 runs in 4.2 innings. The biggest thing I most happy about was Arod. He went 0-5 and struck out twice and left 7 men on base. The fans were booing him after every at bat and everytime a grounder was hit to him they would start to boo too. I hope he goes hitless the rest of the series.

Game 2 we won 11-3 and even though the score doesn't sound like it, it was actually a pretty close game, at least up until the 8th inning when we scored 7 runs. Pedroia had another great game going 3-5 with 4 rbi's and Bay also had 4 rbi's in the game. Watching this game, the Yankees just have no pitching. They are no longer the team they had in the past. Even if we are down some runs, with their pitching, I think we will always have a chance to come back.

Game 3 I couldn't watch because it was a day game and we lost 3-2 when Paps gave up a base hit in the ninth. Masterson took the loss. Lester pitched a strong game, but we just couldn't get any runs across against Mussina. Arod went 0-4 and struck out 3 times. Other than the outcome of the game, it was a perfect ending to Yankee stadium.

In other news, Beckett has been scratched from his next start against the White Sox and hopefully will be able to make the series coming up against the Rangers. Now we have a 6 game homestand against the Sox and Orioles. I think we can start to make a move on the Rays if we can win at least 4 or 5 of these games.

Taking 2 of 3 in Canada

We took 2 of 3 from the Blue Jays in Toronto over the weekend. I find myself watching the Tampa scores more often now, and occasionally skipping over to find the White Sox or the Twins and checking to see how they are doing. I even skip down to check out the Yanks every now and then even though we all know they are out of it. It must be getting close to September, which is the most fun month of all especially when we are in a playoff chase. I think we have good chance this year and I still think Tampa is going to fall sooner or later and we will catch them. I am hoping...

We won game 1 8-4 over the Blue Jays as Pedroia and Tek each hit homers. I am really impressed with Pedroia. I just love watching him swing the bat. For a little guy, he has a lot of power and he is always so intense while he is playing. He is a lot like me if would have ever made it as far as he did.

Game 2 we lost 11-0 and surprisingly, Lester was on the hill today. He only lasted 2.1 innings and allowed 7 earned runs. It was his shortest outing of the season. Hopefully he can bounce back from this against the Yanks coming up.

Game 3, we won 6-5 in 11 innings on Lowries home run in the 11th. Pedroia hit another home run, a 3 run shot in the third. DiceK was shaky through his 6 innings giving up 5 runs but our bullpen looked sharp going 5 innings and giving up just 1 hit. Papelbon got the win going 2 innings and Manny Delcarmen picked up his first save of the season.

Now there is an off day then off to the Bronx for a 3 game series there. This will be our last series there in the old Yankee stadium. I have a lot of memories in that stadium, most of them bad, but there was that one great one back in 2004. Remember when Pokey Reese fielded a slow roller to second and tossed it to first? Up to then, that was the biggest out I had ever seen. Of course, Foulke's out a week later topped that one but at the time, it was the best out ever. I remember Slappy hitting the ball from Bronson and the fans throwing stuff on the field and the police lining the field dressed in their riot gear. Those will be the memories that I will take with me of Yankee stadium. I despise the Yankees and I am loving it that they are wallowing around 4th place with the Blue Jays this year. I hope that we sweep them away this week and they (the Yankee fans) will always know what we did to them the last time we played in old Yankee stadium. Lets make it "Yankee Stadium - the House the Big Papi crushed." And end it on that note.

On another note, my son said something to me that made me smile. Sometimes he asks me to tell him about when the Sox would always lose when I was little and why they win today. He tells me that they waited until he was born until they won and they won't lose anymore because he says they don't want to make him cry. He was telling me this while we were fielding grounders in the house (very carefully) when he all of a sudden broke off into doing the play by play from the Buckner play in 1986. He said, "A little roller up along first, behind the bag", then he picked up the ball that I rolled him. Then he continued, "Buckner has it, he steps on first, and the Boston Red Sox are the world champions!" He tossed the ball back to me and stood there for a moment. I smiled at him and he looked back at me. I could tell he was thinking of something and then in the most sincerest tone, he looked at me and said "Daddy, I wish that would have happened for you" and he ran up and gave me a hug. I hope the Sox never make him cry.

Jason Bay is for Real

After coming off 2 losses to the Blue Jays at home, Jason Bay came up big for us in game 1 against the O's. He hit 2 home runs and had 4 rbi's to lead us to a 6-3 win. He is hitting .348 since we picked him up in the Manny trade and it looks like he is fitting in well with us. Lester went 7 innings and gave up just 1 run. I really like him. Everytime he or Beckett is on the mound, we have a great chance of turning in a win.

Game 2 we won 7-2 on DiceK's pitching and the homers of Tek and Youk. Youk and Pedroia are both hitting .320 on the year and I have to agree with the RemDawg in that Youk is a strong candidate for mvp this year. If we can hang in there, make the playoffs and get somewhere in the postseason, I think Youk has an excellent chance.

Game 3 we lost 11-6 as Clay once again did nothing on the mound. He gave up 5 runs in 2.1 innings and I am sure he will be sent down after this game. In other news, Beckett is experiencing tingling in his fingers so his next start has been pushed back to next week against the Yanks. Wake is still out with his back/shoulder and Colon hopefully will working his way back soon. Also, Yaz had triple bypass heart surgery and is now doing well. I have always loved Yaz. He has been my favorite throughout the years. I start to realize that I am getting old when my favorite players when I was young are now getting old too. Get well soon Yaz!

A Sweep of the Rangers

What a crazy series it was against the Rangers! The first game was the most amazing game I had seen in quite a long time. We scored 10 runs in the first inning and 2 more in the third. We were up 12-2 to start the 5th inning and I even made a comment to my wife that this game is over. Then, Texas started to come back. They scored 8 runs in the 5th to make it 12-10, but then we added 2 more in the bottom of the frame to make it 14-10. I then told my wife this is like a little league game and we watched the Rangers take the lead by scoring 5 runs in the 6th inning. They then lead 16-14 after they scored another run in the 7th to which we responded with another run of our own making it 16-15. Then the bottom of the 8th happened and it was unbelievable. Youk hit a monster shot over the monster to give us a 19-16 lead and although they scored another run in the 9th, it wasn't enough and we won 19-17. The top of our lineup was crazy - combined, the top 4 men in our lineup went 12 for 19, scored 14 runs and had 14 rbi's. David Ortiz had 2 home runs just in the first inning, each of them 3 run shots. It was a crazy game!

Game 2 we won 8-4 on the pitching of Lester. He had a shutout going until the 8th when he allowed a home run and then Timlin came in and gave up a three run homer as well. Offensively, we are hitting on all cylinders. We need to keep it up.

Game 3 we won 10-0 as DiceK went 7 innings without giving up a run. Almost all of our offense came in the 2nd inning as we scored 9 runs that inning. Papi hit another 3 run homer and Dustin went 3 for 5 and scored twice.

Now a three game set with Toronto and then Baltimore. We need to win these divisional games.

Splitting the Sox

We had a 4 game split over the weekend against the White Sox in Chicago.

The first game, we lost 5-3. We were down 4-0 when Dustin hit a three run home run to get us to within 1 but we just simply ran out of innings. Lester took the loss going 7 innings and allowing 4 runs.

The second game, we won 6-2 as Ellsbury hit another home run and Big Papi had 3 rbi's and went 3 for 5. DiceK looked about as good as I had ever seen him and he went 8 innings only giving up 4 hits and 1 run.

The third game, we lost 6-5 even after we scored 3 runs in the first inning off of a Mike Lowell 3 run home run. Buchholz just looked horrible and he went just 3 innings and gave up 5 runs. I think he is done. He needs to go back to AAA or AA and work on things some. Hopefully, we will have Colon back soon and he can fill in Clay's spot in the rotation.

The final game of the series, we won 5-1. We didn't get our first hit until the 7th inning but then we started to pile them on. Beckett allowed just one run over 8 innings to get the win. We now have a three game set with Texas at home.

Back in KC

We took 2 of 3 from KC and we easily could have won all three.

In game one, we lost 4-3, but left the bases loaded in the ninth. Pedroia had a big day going 3 for 4 but Clay gave up 4 runs in his 6 innings and took the loss.

In game two, we won 8-2 on Beckett's pitching and Bay's hitting. Bay went 4-5, scored twice and had 2 rbi's and Beckett pitched 6.2 innings, struck out 7 and only allowed 2 runs. Our bullpen continued to not allow a run.

In game three, we won 8-2 again, this time off the bat of Ellsbury and the pitching of Wake. Jacoby went 3 for 4 including a 3 run home run to put us out on top for good and Wake went 6 innings giving up just one earned run. Once again, our bullpen went 3 innings and didn't give up a run.

Things are starting to look good...

Back On Track

We swept the A's in our first series in the Post-Manny era.

Our pitching kept us in the game in game 1 as we won 2-1 in 12 innings. Jason Bay, our Manny replacement scored both runs. Our bullpen was the story as they went 5.2 innings, gave up just 3 hits and 1 run. If our pitching continues like this we should have no problems.

Game 2 we won 12-2 as we jumped out to an early lead scoring 5 runs in the first and 4 more in the third. Bay hit a three run home run in the first and Lester went 7 innings giving up only 2 runs, both of which came in the first inning. Youk and Lowrie both came up big in fact Youk had 2 home runs, both 2 run shots.

Game 3 we won 5-2 as Bay again scored 2 runs. Our bullpen went 3 innings of one hit ball and DiceK went 6 innings striking out 8 and giving up just 2 runs.

Now, what should be an easy series against Kansas City...

So Long Manny

Well it has happened. Manny is gone. I don't really know how to feel about it yet, maybe it was something that needed to be done. It looked like he was ready to go. I still remember his first at bat for us him hitting a home run. That was the beginning of the Manny Era. He helped us to 2 world series wins which is 2 more than I ever dreamed of witnessing. With him in the lineup, I always felt we always had a chance.

But anymore, it seemed he didn't like being around. Over the last couple of weeks, I guess I could see it coming, but down deep I wished it wouldn't. Manny's number 24 was the first 'real' jersey I ever bought my son. He was one at the time and as much as my wife doesn't believe me, his first word was actually "Manny" and not "Mommy" as she had wanted. My son learned the "Manny wave" before he could talk and we even learned the "Manny-Papi" handshake as our own personal handshake. He learned to swing the bat by watching Manny in the batters box. I don't think he understands that Manny is gone yet. This is the part of baseball that I wish I could keep him away from.

The saddest part for me is my daughter who just turned one will never know who Manny was. Like my son who will be five next month, has no idea who Nomar is. He doesn't even know Nomar used to play for us. I am sad that in five years, she will have no memory of Manny.

Thanks Manny for all your goofy moments over the years, and for all your great ones too. I will always remember your home run against the Angels last year in the playoffs where you just stood in the batters box and raised your arms after the ball left the yard. Thanks for being a big part of my family, even though you don't even know me. Maybe it was all of our "destination". So long...