New Dice-K Training Regimen?



The award-winning investigative website (editor’s note: they gavethemselves the award), Boston Dust Mites, is reporting that the Red Sox may be placing Daisuke Matsuzaka on a unique new training regimen.

After the right-hander’s stunning 6 2/3 inning performance in Oakland, the team may want Dice-K to routinely hurl commemorative baseballs into the upper reaches of Fenway as he did on Sunday. The Japanese star flung dozens of ’600th Sellout’ baseballs into the EMC and State Street pavilion levels on Sunday–the day before his start against the A’s. He gave up only two hits on an uncharacteristically economical 89 pitches.

Stand-Pat Theo?

Thumbnail image for TheoBridge2.jpgBrian MacPherson of the Providence Journal suggests that Sox GM Theo Epstein will be in a tinkering mood this trading deadline–with no blockbuster moves on the horizon. MacPherson suggests that the most likely moves will be to bolster the woeful bullpen (second-worst in the AL), but not involve marquee names.

This, of course, begs the question, “Will this be enough to make the post-season tournament?” (Thank you again, Bill Parcells).

There’s a lot of discussion about how the returning DL All-Stars will amount to a bumper crop of ersatz free-agent acquisitions. The problem is, by the time most of them return and are productive, we could be paying more attention to Tyler Seguin’s workouts at Ristuccia Arena in Wilmington. (translation for non-hockey fans: the Sox will be hopelessly out of contention and we will be focusing on the new young star of the Bruins).

In any event, this may indeed be the ‘bridge’ year Theo hinted at in Spring Training. If that’s the case, we should know over the next three weeks–which includes 21 of 30 road games.

At The Break

At The Break
At The Break
Photo at FenwayNation.com

I’ve gotten a lot of feedback from readers lately that I’m just too negative about this edition of our Boston Red Sox. First, I’d like to apologize to those readers–but, honestly, I can’t help it. It’s in my Red Sox DNA. I’m a child of the mid-1950s Red Sox teams, a collection so awful, that we hadn’t even arrived at the angst level yet. Once we started to taste the post-season on a semi-regular basis (post 1967), this old mindset held on for dear life. It still festers today. But enough about me.

Now, here’s what I think about the 2010 Red Sox (I guess this is about me, too). Obviously, with all the devastating injuries to key players, it is a minor miracle that this team is still in contention (5 games out of first place at the break). Your Navas, your McDonalds, and your Halls have all been far better than we could have possibly hoped. And, we are poised to get back your Pedroias, your Martinezes, your Becketts, your Buchholzes, your Ellsburys (et al.) sometime soon.

Nevertheless, this team faces 20 of the next 31 games on the road. One of those excursions is a grueling West Coast swing. They open at home after the break against the AL West-leading Rangers (who have just dropped four straight to the Orioles and are not likely to be in a docile mood). Moreover, this team still has not figured out its abysmal middle relief–the guys to go to before Bard and Papelbon. Unless they make a significant move to bolster this weakness, they will not contend. Of course, I’m not even mentioning the still-existing hole in the line-up in the Post-Manny Era (even though they lead the majors in runs scored).

So, all in all, I’d say my pessimism is well-justified in a division that continues to have two powerhouses ahead of us (in more than just the standings). I hope I am wrong, and all those readers can rub my nose in it at the Rolling Rally in November.

The Other Side Of “The Bridge”–2011

Phillies OF Jayson Werth
Phillies OF Jayson Werth
(John Heller/AP)

The Olde Town Team has lost 4 full games in the standings in the last four days–not exactly the way to stay in contention. While there are still 77 games left, it may not be too soon to start looking at the other side of the “bridge”. Namely, 2011.

So, what are the issues that need to be addressed? Aside from the obvious bullpen woes, the Red Sox still lack the big bat that left town with Manny (love him or hate him, the facts are the facts). With the Sox rumored to be lusting after free-agent-to-beJayson Werth and targeting a catcher who can throw people out (Chris Snyder or Kurt Suzuki), how about this for a potent 2011 line-up?:

1. CF Jacoby Ellsbury
2. 2B Dustin Pedroia
3. DH David Ortiz
4. LF Jayson Werth
5. 3B Kevin Youkilis
6. 1B Victor Martinez
7. RF J.D. Drew
8. SS Marco Scutaro
9. C Chris Snyder

Just sayin’.

Sox May Hire Bialystock

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The highly-respected investigative website, Boston Dust Mites, is reporting that the Red Sox may hire Max Bialystock to handle the potentially thorny problem of playoff share distribution. With so many bodies moving on and off the injury-riddled Red Sox roster, there could simply be too many players and too few shares. Enter Bialystock!

Curse Of The Nurse

'Curse Of The Nurse'
‘Curse Of The Nurse’
Photobucket photo at fenwaynation.com

Dan Shaughnessy is probably already on the second draft of a new tome–”The Curse of The Nurse–How Injures De-Railed The 2010 Red Sox”. To help out his marketing efforts, David Ortiz has actually uttered the dreaded word–likening the rash of Sox injuries to a “curse” on the team. Said Papi:

“We go through injuries every year and things like that, but what I’m seeing now is like a curse. I’m just talking trash, but man! It doesn’t even sound right. You have nine guys on the DL, guys that are everyday players. When was the last time you saw something like that? Never. But like I say, I always see the positive way. Things happen for a reason because it could be worse.”

As we have said before, it’s more likely a question of the competency of the team medical staff–particularly when so many controversies have swirled around the nature and extent of key injuries like the ever-lingering Ellsbury ribs.

If The Phone Doesn’t Ring, It’s Me

According to a report in theBoston Globe, the Red Sox have not called Victor Martinez about the status of his expiring contract. Probably too busy trying to fill seats to the terribly exciting soccer match to be held at Fenway at the end of the month.

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It’s Caballito’s Team Now

Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia
Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia
AP Photo

In the early hours of Friday morning, Dustin Pedroia took ownership of the 2010 Boston Red Sox. It was then that the feisty second baseman launched a Houston Street pitch into the Denver night for his third home run of the game. It gave the Red Sox an improbable 13-11 win–improbable because minutes before Jonathan Papelbon had blown his second save in 24 hours. Papelbon then pitched the 10th for the win.

‘Pedey’, as he is called by his teammates, has become the de facto captain of this squad–the leader that characterizes all that is good about them. If ever there was a “jump on my back, boys” moment in 2010 it was last night. In addition to the game-winning home run, all Pedroia did was clout two other round-trippers–going 5 for 5 with a walk, five RBI and four runs scored. Since June 10th, he is hitting a filthy .500. 

As the Red Sox struggle to deal with crushing injuries (Nava, Hall & McDonald sounds more like a crooked law firm than a starting Red Sox outfield), it is Pedroia who has been the glue that has kept things together. Beltre and Youkilis have also been steady, but it’s the little ‘Caballito’ that has taken on the role of a true leader.

DisloyalNation?

Thumbnail image for Arnold.jpg

A ridiculous story recently appeared on an otherwise interesting website called SeatGeek. The article purported to show that Red Sox fans are less loyal to their team than Yankee fans are to theirs based on less willingness to pay usurious prices for tickets on the secondary market. How dumb is that?

It’s like arguing that smokers are more socially conscious than non-smokers, because their earlier deaths save millions of dollars in extra health-care costs. Yeah, but…..

As Nick Underhill points out on MassLive.com, the Red Sox have sold 100.8% of their home tickets this year compared with only 86.2% in the Concrete Bunker On 161st Street. Moreover, Red Sox road ticket sales outpace the Pinstripe Posers–84.2% versus 81.3%.

So, SeatGeek, turn the thermostat up in the basement and tell your Mom you do want another FlufferNutter sent down.


Nava Protection Program

The Red Sox have instituted a top-secret set of policies aimed at protecting new hero Daniel Nava. For the balance of the 2010 season, every effort will be made to keep Adrian Beltre away from Nava–on and off the field. Not only will Nava be housed on a separate floor in the team hotel from Beltre, he will also be sequestered from any team meetings involving the Red Sox third-baseman.
navaprotection.jpgRed Sox manager Terry Francona stated, “Look, the kid has had some pretty darn good karma on his side so far. We are not going to let Beltre mess that up.”

Beltre has been amenable to the scheme, agreeing not to even converse with Nava, lest the temptation be too great to knee him in the ribs. He did offer the rookie one warning, however, “Don’t ever touch my head–ever”.

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