August 18, 2008
8/18: The Real Stopper
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Boston Red Sox (70-53) @ Baltimore Orioles (60-63)
Jon Lester 11-4, 3.25) @ Jeremy Guthrie (10-8, 3.18) 7:05 PM EDT | Oriole Park at Camden Yard (Baltimore, MD) TV: NESN RADIO: WRKO 680, SBN 1150 |
GAME NOTES: Nothing like being humbled at home by the Jays to put a damper on a winning streak. Add in the Tampa Bay Rays continued winning ways and a 4 1/2 game deficit in the East, a slim lead in the Wild Card, and Lester's performance tonight could be as important a game as any so far this season.
Discussion
24 Comments on "8/18: The Real Stopper"
#1
Posted by Bob, August 18, 2008 7:20 PM
1. Jacoby Ellsnury, RF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Kevin Youkilis, 3B
5. Jason Bay, LF
6. Jed Lowrie, SS
7. Sean Casey, 1B
8. Jason Varitek, C
9. Coco Crisp, CF
-- Jon Lester, SP
JD out with a sore back, let's hope it's not serious. Losing is not an option tonight.
#2
Posted by Tessie's Dad, August 18, 2008 7:25 PM
Nice! Has Guthrie got himself a case of Beckettitis?
#3
Posted by Bob, August 18, 2008 7:36 PM
Guthrie's biggest problem is a straight fastball, he's homer prone so if the Sox get ahead in the count they should be able to pick up some hits. His secondary stuff is good though so getting behind means trouble.
#4
Posted by Bob, August 18, 2008 9:02 PM
Lester has been excellent. Now let's get an insurance run or two. This is a MUST WIN
#5
Posted by Daniel Rathman, August 18, 2008 9:05 PM
Especially with the Rays up 5-2 over the Halos in the 6th. Falling 5.5 back would not be a good thing.
#7
Posted by Bob, August 18, 2008 9:13 PM
Not just that, but with the Twins trailing oakland and the White Sox and Mariners tied, this could be a good chance to gain some ground. And Jason Bay is pretty darn good.
#8
Posted by Sean O, August 18, 2008 9:22 PM
Still can't stand Bay, but Lester is epic.
Also epic: finally getting FIOS, and having NESN HD for the first time.
#9
Posted by Jc, August 18, 2008 9:25 PM
Lester is unbelievable, and Jacoby still sucks, he can't hit an inside pitch to save his life.
#10
Posted by Colin, August 18, 2008 9:44 PM
Speaking of such...MDC with that whole leaving inherited runs for Papelbon again.
#14
Posted by Sean O, August 18, 2008 10:59 PM
Steven, you going to eat at the Chipotle on the waterfront? Go eat at the Chipotle on the waterfront.
Am I the only person slightly underwhelmed by the Aquarium?
#15
Posted by Bob, August 18, 2008 11:06 PM
Atlanta aquarium is better. And we have Willy's definitely better than Chipotle.
#16
Posted by Sean O, August 18, 2008 11:23 PM
Incorrect: nothing is better than chipotle. I don't think Willy's can pack 40x your daily required amount of sodium into each burrito, do you?
I'm just happy I have a Chipotle, Kelly's and Regina within a 10 minute drive.
#17
Posted by Bob, August 19, 2008 12:16 AM
Oh I'm sure Willy's has just as much sodium in their burritos as chipotle. Plus there's more toppings, the option to add queso and you get the chips with the burrito for free. In any case I eat waaay too many burritos, gonna come back to haunt me when I'm no longer young.
#18
Posted by Daniel Rathman, August 19, 2008 1:01 AM
Sean:
I agree with you on Chipotle. There's one four blocks from my house, and if I don't go there at least three times a week, something's almost certainly gone terribly wrong.
But that said, I can't figure out what you have against Bay. He's batting well over .300 since coming over, he's contributed significantly to at least three wins during that stretch, and he's been a relative angel in the clubhouse. What's not to like?
Remember, you felt this way about Lester for awhile. I'm pretty sure you'll come around on Bay as well.
#19
Posted by gerry, August 19, 2008 1:04 AM
Guaranteed, Burrito Bob. I am living proof of the effect of Chile Colorado Burros, Sonora style, or maybe it was all the Tecate and XX that went with 'em. It really is a cumulative effect.
Sean, if you like Regina's, try Santarpio's, at the end of the last off ramp before Logan. Different era and style, (my folks ate Pizza there 70 years ago, and they claimed it was always this good.) My brothers and I have had a Regina's vs. Santarpio's debate for decades. What's your opinion?
Also, can't believe you don't like a consistently hard-working, quiet, fast, .300/30HR good defender, base-stealing baseball nut like Bay. J.Bay was an all or nothing season saving diving catch by the Sox, against Manny Being Boras, who was beating us badly. IMO, we came out just fine, and we may yet climb out of the 2nd place spot Manny dropped us into.
#20
Posted by Sean O, August 19, 2008 1:07 AM
Yeah, but Lester 1). costs us nothing, 2). cost us nothing to get, 3). is young, and 4). has produced in a major professional league. Bay has done none of those things so far, and shouldn't be on this team right now.
Even with his .740 OPS in AAAA, I'd much rather have LaRoche starting at third than Bay in left. That .182 OPS won't stick around for long.
#21
Posted by Sean O, August 19, 2008 1:13 AM
I'm a Merrimack Valley kid, so while I spent tons of time in Boston growing up, I'm still getting accustomed to all the city restaurants now that I'm so much closer. Regina is indeed excellent for thin crust, but I can genuinely say the only good thing about Chicago is the deep dish. Deep Dish (Due's, then Malnati's, then Giordano's stuffed, then Gino's) will always almost make up for 4 soul-crushing years of college.
East Boston is really close now, so we'll check it out once restaurant week is over. Right now I'm engrossed in Dino's sandwiches in the north end and the shockingly affordable Fire and Ice.
#22
Posted by Bob, August 19, 2008 8:35 AM
Fire and Ice is pretty awesome. The one thing I miss most living in the South is the lack of good pizza (at leaast hee in Atlanta) I've found a few places that will do, but they're usually overpriced, thus defeating the purpose of pizza, and they don't even hold a candle to the new haven style I grew up with. The flip side to that is that the ribs and pulled pork are light years better.
#23
Posted by Sean O, August 19, 2008 8:45 AM
I'm not sure what to think of the New Haven style. I tend to find it a little greasy, and there is a whole lot of culture attached to the pizza that can be a little daunting. We've hit both Frank Pepe's and Sally's and preferred the latter, but still tend to rank it below Regina and definitely Chicago style. But it's so difficult to compare since it's so different.
We may be heading down to New Haven on Saturday, so I'll let you know if we try Modern or some place different.
#24
Posted by gerry, August 19, 2008 2:16 PM
4 friends from different publications, hailing from Boston (me), Fall River, New Haven and NYC met at our first show in Chicago. Each bragged about their own pizza, heard about Gino's East and, at 2:00AM Chicago time, agreed we were all second best to the City of Pizza. Still, Santarpio's is unique enough to compete. And they have great lamb cooked over fire in a brick oven and a full bar. Only two pizzas have I consistently carried in the overhead compartment back to Cali when I lived there: Gino's and Santarpio's.
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