MVN - A Boston Red Sox blog | Analyzing the Olde Towne Team since 2003
Fire Brand of the American League
7/9: Sweep ‘Em Away
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Minnesota Twins (50-40) @ Boston Red Sox (54-39) |
GAME NOTES: Livan Hernandez was able to tame the Sox bats last time around after a shaky first inning. Still, all signs point to the Red Sox being able to handle the wily veteran: 7.00 ERA on the road, 6.62 ERA in June, .336 BAA for the entire season, only 43 K in 116 innings….it’s a wonder Hernandez still has a job. Josh Beckett? His job security is quite safe. Is there anyone else you’d rather have on the mound going for a big sweep over an AL contender? Didn’t think so.
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on Wednesday, July 9th, 2008 at 11:59 am and is filed under Livan Hernandez, Minnesota Twins, Josh Beckett, Game Threads.
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123 Responses to “7/9: Sweep ‘Em Away”
July 9th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
Everyone else working or something? Good thing I don’t take my job seriously.
Twins:
Span, CF
Casilla, 2B
Mauer, C
Morneau, DH
Kubel, RF
Young, LF
Lamb, 1B
Punto, SS
Buscher, 3B
Hernandez, P
Red Sox:
Ellsbury, CF
Pedroia, 2B
Youkilis, 1B
Ramirez, LF
Lowell, 3B
Casey, DH
Varitek, C
Moss, RF
Lugo, SS
Beckett, P
July 9th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Seems Becks doesn’t appear to be in good shape for the first inning so far. I hope he’ll be able to pull himself in the later innings.
If not then it’s our offense that has to save the day.
July 9th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
And of course as I type this it’s now 3-0 Twins.
Fuck.
July 9th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Josh, charity begins at home, but there’s no need to spot these guys three runs. That will be enough of that.
July 9th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Ahh..work. I remember those days. Backyard on a beautiful morning, grilling a whole chicken, cooking some coconut rice, making tamago dofu and watching Beckett screw the pooch in the top half of the first. Beautiful.
July 9th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Looks like 2006 Beckett is starting to crawl out of the abyss we thought 2007 Beckett had banished him in.
Get your act together Josh.
July 9th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
MR, you really are trying to become the Eckstein of Fire Brand, because I totally hate you now.
July 9th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
I’ll be happy if Becks doesn’t give up another run. We need that offense now!
July 9th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
Man, I’m a pretty relaxed guy, but Eckstein jabs really hit hard. I’m just glad my yard isn’t astroturf so I have a chance to field them. That makes no sense. Now I’m Joe Morgan.
July 9th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Just start inserting “Tim Wakefield” into random, totally unrelated conversations and you can be McCarver.
As good as the Yankees played in the first half of the game, that’s how as bad they’ve been now!
July 9th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
I’m almost starting to believe those Automatic Out titles that Dan Rathman gave people like Tek.
July 9th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Almost?
July 9th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Beckett’s at 46 pitches after two innings. Good thing I have so much confidence in our bullpen.
July 9th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Well I sometimes look at this like 2005. Sure it’s only the halfway point and there could be some big adjustments the Sox can do to make themselves even better, but the uber-team they had in 2007 I don’t think can ever be replicated in 2008.
They’ll do all right though…
July 9th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
The outfield grass is looking pretty spiffy.
July 9th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Anybody else here a Bruins fan?
July 9th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
UCLA sucks.
July 9th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
You mean UCLA or Boston?
July 9th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
Son of a bitch…every time with this LOB nonsense!
July 9th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
I’m sure he meant NHL - sorry - I couldn’t resist. I used to be an Bruins/NHL fan, but I gave up on hockey after Gretzky and Lemieux retired, and then again after the Burtuzzi- Moore “incident.”
July 9th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Good work Manny! That’s getting the ball rolling.
July 9th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
And Lowell! Tie game!
July 9th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
The Boston Bruins! It was interesting to hear what Chiarelli was saying with Don and Remy a few moments ago.
Rally Manny is a bad man once again! Ribbies in back to back days.
July 9th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Casey! Woo-hoo!
O.K., Beckett, hold the lead…
July 9th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Hell yes! Manny loves to get that ball rolling for the Sox offense.
July 9th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
A does of homestand is all we needed to get moving before the All-Star break!
July 9th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
Pena HR ties it up in da Bronx.
July 9th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Youk! God I love that guy. The look of relief he has when he does something right just shows me he really is glad to be doing what he does for a living. He’s never going to be our star player, but I really hope the Sox can hold onto him for his duration in the majors.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Manny!
July 9th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Is Gardie arguing it was a homerun?
July 9th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Douche bag fans.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Dudes, bra dudes, go back to whatever frat house kicked you off the couch and have some so’co.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Yeah that was certainly a pain in the ass, but sometimes the fans get a little too excited with a potential ball prize from the Bad Man.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
At least Sean “The Mayor” Casey has Manny’s back.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
The guy chirps more than tweety bird, but so long as he keeps hitting I’ll be happy.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
Oh my God…V-Tek got a double?!?
July 9th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Going back to the Manny double and the play last night where a fan interfered with a potential out behind the plate that Cash couldn’t handle…it is one of my biggest pet peeves at Fenway Park. I don’t understand a fan’s desire for a souvenir over the well-being of his team. If a ball is in play, don’t touch it if it’ll screw your team over. It’s that SIMPLE.
I can’t even fathom the number of times some drunken idiot grabbed a ball down the RF line and took a triple away from a Sox hitter.
If it’s another team, all hands on the ball!
July 9th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Uh oh.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Josh EFFIN Beckett…your day is OVER if you allow the Twins to cut the lead in half.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
It’s truly a sad sight to see Beckett having such a tight leash. I long for the days of 8 inning dominance.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Ok well Beckett lost his edge, but here’s hoping that Lopez and crew can stop any bleeding.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
Okay, good try Mr. Lugo. The other team made a good defensive play. Nothing you can do about that. Things I like about you:
1. I’ve never heard that someone else has to dress you. It might the case, but you’ve kept it off the interwebs. Bully!
2. Your initials are “J” and “L.” Both letters have lots of good words associated with them. “L” is obvious: Love, Lube, Lust, Laundry (I love clean laundry), Lake, Little (not Grady.)
“J” is a little more difficult, but still has some pretty rad words: Josh (decent outing Josh!), Jackhammer, Jovial, Jeff (That’s my name!), Justice, Jargon.
Oh, Mr. Lugo, let’s keep up this relationship where I get to find things to like about you and you don’t just lose games for us.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Thank you for Out #1 Lopez. Please give us two more.
Beckett…I’m sorry but you’re disappointing the shit out of me these days.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Fuck…c’mon guys…not this crap again!
Remember Tampa?
July 9th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Gold glove for Manny.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
God I hate these kinds of moments when you know the bullpen could fuck this up royally.
Perhaps Masterson might be good for bolstering the Sox pen.
Thank God we got out of that one.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Narrow escape. What the hell is it with this team and 3-run leads?
July 9th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Thank God for the sacrifice.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Let’s bring on the nailbiter again with our bullpen…hoping Minnesota’s is worse than ours.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Fuck…nothing like another heart attack session. Dear God, why is our bullpen so disappointing?
July 9th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Hansen…we sure about this?
July 9th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
I want this HP Ump to draw me a picture of just exactly where he thinks the strike zone is. I’m betting he’d come up with something that looks like a giraffe going through the Arc d’Triumph.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Use your strengths Hansen. Slow down, throw fast, locate. Don’t speed up your pace and try to paint with the ball.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Please give us a DP.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
And throw a fucking strike!
July 9th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Wow how I did not see this coming. :\
July 9th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
WMP moment.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
Hansen looks like such a stoner in his MLB pic. And what’s WMP?
July 9th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
Thank you Jesus.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
*inhale*
*exhale*
*inhale*
*exhale*
Ahh. It feels good to do that again.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
Wily Mo Pena
July 9th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
And it’s always good that our offense knows how to bring the heart rate back to normal.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
And then the umpires send it right back through the roof.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
Meanwhile, to extras in the Bronx - let’s hope that game goes 40 innings…
July 9th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
Moss fails at life trying to at least get the sacrifice fly.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Oh snap! Bases loaded for Ellsbury. If he’s en fuego like I hope he is this game, we could see another run scored.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
Meanwhile TB can’t seem to get anything going in extra innings.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
I hate beating up on Breslow, but I’ll take it.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Did Ellsbury just hit that ball on the bounce ?!?
I smell a sweep!
July 9th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
Wow now we just want blood. Fuck yeah to the offense.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
YOOOOK!!!
July 9th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Happy for Pedroia - keep the streak going!
Now Moss is the only one without a hit or a run scored!
July 9th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Less defensive substitutions! I need to take a nap, the chicken was too damn filling.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
All right guys…we’ve proven our point. Let’s save some offensive power for the Os.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Okay, now I’m nervous that we’re gonna use up all the offense for the rest of the 1st half!
July 9th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Colin - jinx!
July 9th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Yeah, seriously guys, save some runs for me to see tomorrow.
Way to blow it open though.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Hansen + 9-run lead = still a nail-biter.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
Hmmmm…Rays lose and Yanks win…should I be happy we’re now 1GB for first? Should I be upset the Yanks won?
Decisions…
July 9th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
@BLR: You son of a bitch! You jinxed me!
July 9th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy about the Yankees winning. I actually gave a fist pump when Jeter scored!
Thanks for the help Yankees. Now we’ll be within 2 games of the Rays.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
I meant 2 GB.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Agreed Colin… but with the Yanks still kind floundering, I feel okay when they help us get back on top.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Colin - you owe me a coke… right? Isn’t that how it goes…
July 9th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
FM - don’t assume the win! Twins are still just two grand slams and a run away from making this a tie, and with our (alleged) bullpen…
July 9th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
Ok fine. Enjoy your coke.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Wait a second…Lugo understands the rules of baseball better than the umps do? WTF?
That was either an infield fly, or a ball Lugo could’ve caught. No way that should’ve been a double play. Kudos to Lugo and Pedroia for taking advantage…but that was another awful call. The second-base ump is having a really rough day!
July 9th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Geez Louise, I go outside to fine tune my golf game and the Sox offense explodes!!!!
Papi who???
JUST KIDDING…we need the big fella back!
July 9th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Hey! We’ve found something Lugo’s good at! Be happy!
July 9th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
And Tessie, that DP helped ensure the victory that much more.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
I think we should give Greg Gibson the hypothetical Coke. He’s either getting completely destroyed by the heat, or just having an extremely rough go of it at second today.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
CASH IS MONEY
July 9th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
OK…you know it’s a weird day when Kevin Cash absolutely destroys a ball.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
O.K. Ten run lead. I think — maybe — we’ll hold on to win.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
There ya go, Brandon!
July 9th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
Now Cash gets in on the action!
July 9th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
But…seriously…I’m getting kinda worried that they’re going to get shutout on Friday because they’re wasting all the runs in this one.
Sounds like Remy’s feeling the heat too…
July 9th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
See if John Madden was feeling the heat, it’d be a heart attack coming on. Remy probably just feels the offense and needs to coax them into cooling down for Baltimore.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
Lowell looks like he’s baking in the dugout too, about ready to pack it in. The off-day is going to feel great after this one.
If our designated mopup man doesn’t give up 11 runs, that is.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Speaking of mopup duty, Brian Bass did a heck of a job there, no?
July 9th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
OK…can we please just stop scoring? I’m seriously getting worried about Friday’s game.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
Thank you…geez. Even that one was almost a homer for Bailey.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Where’s Leslie the Twins fan today?
July 9th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
13 run lead. Hmmm. I’d consider betting on the Sox here. Anyone give me odds?
July 9th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Timlin? Wait. No bets.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Guess Youk doesn’t want to keep his offense stagnant. HA!
July 9th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
If I’m secretly wishing for Kubel and Morneau to hit another homer apiece this inning (for the sake of my fantasy team), does that make me a poor Sox fan?
July 9th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
If you want a good laugh…look at MLB Gameday’s video of the Abreu walk-off double and check out the fat guidos in the stands.
That’s NY for you.
July 9th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Colin:
Hilarious, thanks for the tip.
July 9th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
I like Cash as a backup catcher, he definitely makes you realize how replaceable mirabelli was
July 9th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
Tony Soprano & AJ at Rays/Yanks! I am so glad I don’t live anywhere near there.
July 9th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
Evrey sox player BA get juiced today: thanks Twinkies!
ps:my record stands now at 40-11, yes 40!
July 9th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
guys, ‘fat guidos’? is this how we want to represent Sox fans to the world?
not thrilled.
July 9th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
Sean, did you see that video? As a Sox fan of Italian ancestry, I don’t mind those two being described as “fat guidos” one bit, ’cause that’s what they are, even if they aren’t Italian.
July 9th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
Looks like our offense finally decided it was their turn to win a couple games in the 7th and 8th innings … Rather than watch our bullpen lose them … Good … lets keep this going eh?
July 9th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Thank God the Red Sox are not in the AL Central. That team is darn good. Also, I don’t have to watch NESN. My gosh NESN is bad when it comes to baseball. DId they even mention anything about the Twins? I know the network is supposed to be pro-Red Sox. I get that, but a good telecast mentions both teams, and sadly I did not get it the last two nights. I think I have a great apprecaition for YES more than ever after this.
July 9th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
NESN >>>> YES
Don’t hate Remy and Don.
July 9th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Leslie-
I’m open to hearing you on the NESN complaint, but what other networks would you cite that live up to the ideal you’re looking for?
Nice to have you here and I appreciate your love of the game. Good luck to your Twins.
July 9th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
I like FSN Southwest’s coverage of the Rangers. Josh Lewin and Tom Griever talk baseball and do their homework on other teams. Same with FSN Rocky Mountain. I have my issues with Bremer and Blyleven on FSN North, but at least, they do their homework on other teams.
Thanks for the good wishes, MR. It was a great series, and I am glad it’s over. Boston is a very good team. They are going all the way this year.
Steve: If you are a Red Sox fan, you like Don and Jerry. As a baseball fan, I like to think they would do their homework on other teams and talk about them. That’s what makes a good telecast. At least, YES does that.
July 9th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
I know where you’re coming from, Leslie. Remy is a very good analyst when it comes to dissecting situations and approaches, but he doesn’t know much about Red Sox opponents, and can get off on tangents. And don’t get me started with Don Orsillo. Possibly the most useless PBP man in all of baseball. He serves no purpose.
July 9th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
I don’t know Zach. I completely agree on Don. There are times when I think he is only there for the one half inning where he gets to talk to someone from outside baseball.
With Remy, he knows the situations well, offers insight into the gamesmanship and can appreciate a good play no matter which side benefits. He lulls me to sleep sometimes, making me think he has no idea who’s on the other and is just offering insight based on raw observations, then he’ll whip out some crazy stat from when a player was in college or A+ ball and kinda put me on my ass. It’s rare that he pulls it out, but I think he does the work (or has a crazy good intern that only gets to speak every other week), but doesn’t feel that it contributes much of anything to the coverage.
I guess that’s why I’d disagree with Leslie. Rem-dog loves the game, seems to be a huge fan of well played ball and can admit when the team he’s paid to cover fs up. YES! announcers will do everything they can, including citing made up history, to justify a booted ball or a whiff.
Having said that, I don’t much listen to announcers, I’d rather keep my ADD in check and only read five windows of baseball analysis while watching the game and finding tranquility in crickets and small nameless birds.
July 9th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
I grew up in Connecticut and got a healthy dose of both NESN and YES and really its not even close NESN is much less biased and homerish. I understand that Remy might not do the most research on another team, but the Yankees guys do just enough research to diminish what the other team’s players and tell you why the Yankees are better. At least Don and Jerry give the other team credit when they do something on the field, Michael Kay would have described Justin Morneau’s homer today as if it was entirely the doing of the breeze and Suzan Waldman would have wrote an epic poem about how many runs the Yankees scored (if the Yankees had been the team beating the Twins today). Maybe it’s the Red Sox fan in me, but Kay and Waldman make we want to kick a puppy. I’ll admit that Kaat is okay and Girardi was good too when he was there, but YES basically exists to jack off the Yankees and no other purpose. I’m glad that I’m in Atlanta now and don’t have to hear them getting ready to induct Brett Gardner into the Hall of Fame.
July 10th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
Sean McDonough should have never been fired from the Red Sox, but the new ownership wanted a yes-man for the Red Sox so Orsillo fit the role well. I enjoyed listening to McDonough. I remembered McDonough telling it like it is as an announcer, and that was not going to sit well with John Henry and his people. It’s too bad since the fans miss out on that.
Bob Kurtz probably would not have lasted either if he stayed on. He was also blunt. He quit to do the Wild games on the radio.
Yankees announcers are no better, but I will take them over NESN guys.
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