AL EAST 2009

[BillD1984]

And to think, in 2007, there were rumors that he wanted to be a starter.

Good thing he didn't go that route!

Paps came up as a highly toted starter in '05, but was converted to closer out of necessity.

Even though the Red Sox plan was for him to ulitmately end up in the rotation, Paps himself volunteered to be the long term closer.

 

[SandraC]

Last night I watched a show called Baseball Seasons. It was about 1968...well before I was born! The Yankees stunk that year, but they did have Mickey Mantle in the last season of his career. Not sure about the Red Sox, they were in the World Series the year before, but they weren't contenders in 1968.

The amazing thing was they showed highlights from Yankee Stadium and Fenway, and there were so many empty seats at both stadiums. It looked so strange! They showed a Yaz home run around the Pesky foul pole, and nobody was sitting in that section, or in the sections to the left or right of it. Totally empty portion of the ballpark.

Just bizarre to watch.


Sandra

 

[cosmo_kramer]

Just in time for the nation's birthday, Red Sox outfielder Jason Bay will be sworn in as a U.S. citizen this morning near Faneuil Hall.

The 30-year-old Bay, a native of Trail, British Columbia, aced his 10-question citizen's test last week at the John F. Kennedy Federal Building. He is expected to elect dual citizenship with his native Canada.

U.S. of Bay - Extra Bases - Red Sox blog

 

[KCK_Halo]

U.S. of Bay - Extra Bases - Red Sox blog

Class act, that boy. Congrats to him.

And it was announced today (as expected) his best friend from way back in A Ball, Xavier Nady will have his 2nd "Tommy John" surgery on his elbow next Wednesday.

This is history, folks! "X" is the 1st position player to have ever had to undergo TJ surgery more than once.

We wish another class act all the best!:up

 

[AntAltMike]

RED SOX PITCHER TIM WAKEFIELD PASSED ROGER CLEMENS FOR MOST STARTS IN RED SOX HISTORY WITH 383.

Not to hijack the thread, but...

Wins 
Rank Player       W  
1. Roger Clemens  192
   Cy Young       192
3. [b]Tim Wakefield  174[/b] 
4. Mel Parnell    123 
5. Luis Tiant     122 
6. Pedro Martinez 117 
   Joe Wood       117 


Games 
Rank Player          GP 
1. Bob Stanley       637 
2. [b]Tim Wakefield     519[/b] 
3. Mike Timlin       394 
4. Derek Lowe        384 
5. Roger Clemens     383 
6. Ellis Kinder      365 
7. Cy Young          327 

Innings 
Rank Player       IP
1. Roger Clemens  2776.0 
2. Cy Young       2728.3 
3. [b]Tim Wakefield  2676.1[/b] 
4. Luis Tiant     1774.7 
5. Mel Parnell    1752.7 

Strikeouts 
Rank Player       SO
1. Roger Clemens  2590 
2. [b]Tim Wakefield  1847[/b] 
3. Pedro Martinez 1683 
4. Cy Young       1341 
5. Luis Tiant     1075 
6. Bruce Hurst    1043 
7. Joe Wood        986 

Games Started 
Rank Player       GS 
1. [b]Tim Wakefield  383[/b] 
2. Roger Clemens  382
3. Cy Young       297 
4. Luis Tiant     238 
5. Mel Parnell    232 
6. Bill Monbouquette  228 
7. Tom Brewer     217 
   Bruce Hurst    217 
9. Joe Dobson     202 
10. Pedro Martinez201 
  Frank Sullivan  201 

Batters Faced 
Rank Player       BFP 
1. [b]Tim Wakefield  11524[/b] 
2. Roger Clemens  11384 
3. Cy Young       10662 
4. Mel Parnell    7547 
5. Luis Tiant     7289 
6. Bob Stanley    7238 
7. Bill Monbouquette  6810 
8. Tom Brewer     6574 
9. Lefty Grove    6573 
10. Joe Dobson    6526

 

[Ramy]

Good job Tim Wakefield.

 

[BillD1984]

Good job Tim Wakefield.

Agreed!! :up

Timmy is a class act!

 

[BillD1984]

Red Sox lose the opener of their 10 game homestand, 7-6 in 11 innings to the Mariners.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

Red Sox win 6-5 in 11 innings.

One night after the improbable implosion, Sox pitching retired the last 24 men they faced.

Papelbon is now the Red Sox all-time saves leader surpassing Bob "Steamer" Stanley.

The Sox end their road trip at 6-3, and now come home for the last 10 games before the ASB.

Really? What was the record? I thought Papelbon hasn't been in the league that long.

 

[BillD1984]

Really? What was the record? I thought Papelbon hasn't been in the league that long.

Believe it or not it's only 133.

Before Papelbon, closer has been a revolving door for the Red Sox........at least for the most part.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

Now that I think about it, I don't even remember who your closer was before Papelbon.

 

[BillD1984]

Keith Foulke was the closer when the Sox won the Series in '04.

Before that, I believe it was Ugie Urbina.

 

[Ramy]

Wasn't Tim Wakefield the closer at one time.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

Keith Foulke was the closer when the Sox won the Series in '04.

Before that, I believe it was Ugie Urbina.

We traded that guy for Polanco. That was highway robbery. Urbina traded freedom for a South American jail cell.

 

[BillD1984]

Wasn't Tim Wakefield the closer at one time.

Yes, I believe it was either '02 or '03.

The Sox couldn't close out games, so they tried everything.

Chad Fox, Brandon Lyon and (GULP) Byung-Hyun Kim all tried, and for the most part failed. Wakefield was put in the bullpen and did a decent job.

Then the Sox acquired Scott Williamson, and he solidified the end of games (that is until he got hurt).

 

[BillD1984]

YES!!!!!! Wakefield is an All-Star!!!!

 

[SabresRule]

Bad news, KCK- "Alvin" is the starting first-sacker.

 

[BillD1984]

Red Sox first baseman/outfielder Jeff Bailey said that he will likely land on the disabled list due to a high left ankle sprain. The injury was incurred on Saturday, when Mariners shortstop Ronny Cedeno slid into first on a bunt single. Bailey described the timing as particularly unfortunate on a personal level, since he was likely to get back-to-back starts against Oakland on Monday and Tuesday, when the A's will feature left-handed pitchers. The doctors told Bailey that he will not be able to play for a couple of weeks, resulting in the likely trip to the D.L.

 

[BillD1984]

81 games down.........81 games to go for the Red Sox: 49-32

Go 49-32 again and that's 98-64, MORE THAN LIKELY good enough to get into postseason play.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

Big night at Fenway tonight:

It has been nearly five years since Nomar Garciaparra played at Fenway Park, his home from 1996-2004. Garciaparra became one of the most popular players in Sox history before they traded him to the Cubs in ’04. He’ll come to Fenway as a visitor for the first time today as a member of the Athletics.

Nomar returns to Fenway tonight - Extra Bases - Red Sox blog