Jim Mulligan

It’s been awhile. Things haven’t changed too much since my last writing…at least in the standings. The local nine are still chasing the Rays, the Yanks are still chasing the Sox and Rays and in the AL Central, the White Sox & Twins are nipping on each others heels. Fortunately for Red Sox Nation, there is a fairly comfortable 5.0 game lead over the Twins for the Wild Card lead right now.

I said in previous writings, I felt the Red Sox needed to tear up the competition during the month of August to be able to take the division lead from Tampa. Well after an 18-9 (.666) month of August one might figure the division lead would be ours. Well, the Rays had a 21-7 (.750) month extending their lead.

So now here we are in September. The final month of the regular season. On paper, it looks like the Sox have the advantage with16 out 25 games at home including the final seven. While the Rays are looking at just the opposite with 10 out of 26 games at home and the final seven on the road. Tampa has passed every test this season. Every time there looked to be a spot where they would falter, they haven’t. With such a young team, will the pressure of the final month get to them on the road? With two Championships in four years, will the experience of the Red Sox catch these upstart Rays? The teams play each other six more times in September, three in each city and short of a split, that should wrap up the division one way or another.

***

With the departure of Manny Ramirez, haters of Red Sox Nation said that that was the end of the big time offense. Big Papi wasn’t going to see any pitches and the teams power numbers would drop. Someone must have forgotten to tell Dustin Pedroia. The Sox second baseman has been hitting a torrid .398 since August 1st and was even seen hitting in the clean up spot against Baltimore in the last series. 

***

The Sox did have a recent scare. The one player they cannot go into the playoffs without. Starting pitcher, Josh Beckett had tingling in his pitching arm and made a trip to Alabama to see Dr. James Andrews this week. Tests concluded there is no structural damage to his arm and he hasn’t pitched since August 17th. He threw 58 pitches in a side session and is scheduled to pitch Friday night in Texas.

***

So now it’s off to Arlington for a quick stop to visit the Rangers. Last time we saw them, the Sox had their way offensively. The Ranger pitching was so awful, the Red Sox swept and outscored Texas 37-21 in a three game series. Now, I know what you’re thinking. Twenty one runs in three games is brutal. The good side is that the Rangers scored 17 in one game…and still lost. I fully expect to see them take at least two from the Rangers in Arlington this weekend. The way Tampa is playing, the Sox almost need to take all three. They just have to focus on the weekend and not look forward to the Rays coming to Fenway next Monday.

Last but definitely not least. I want to congratulate Red Sox nation. You guys out there are the best! Come Monday evening, after every ticket sold for that game gets used the Sox will take the record from the Cleveland Indians for consecutive sellouts at the ball park. Every home game since May 3, 2003 has been sold out - currently sitting at 455, the next one against Tampa will set a new record. My buddy Kevin Graham will be there and thanks to great fans like Kevin, the record will be ours! First, lets get through the Rangers. The starting pitchers for the upcoming weekend look like this:

Friday @ 8:05 PM EST

Beckett (11-9 4.34) @ Millwood (9-7 4.84)

Saturday @ 8:05 PM EST

Wakefield (8-9 3.76) @ Harrison (6-3 5.73)

Sunday @ 3:05 PM EST

Byrd (10-11 4.58) @ McCarthy (1-0 2.25)

If you have any questions or just want to talk sports, I can be reached at jimmulligan@sportstalkbuzz.com. I look forward to hearing from you

Jim Mulligan

The Toronto Blue Jays are in town for what was supposed to be a three game series with the local nine. The rain came heavily this afternoon and washed out our chance to see Paul Byrd’s debut tonight.

Previously, I made a couple statements here that the Sox needed to go 15-7 in the games leading up to the final series at Yankee Stadium. So far, the boys are 10-3 with five games left at home against Toronto and Baltimore. There’s also three games in Toronto so realistically they can go 4-4 and make the mark. Thing is, Tampa keeps winning so as hot as the Sox have been, they are just keeping pace. With the Jays 9.0 games behind the Sox, even if the Sox go 3-2 against the Jays in the two series, it could be lights out for them as far as a playoff threat. That leads to statement #2…I said if the Sox took 2 of 3 against the Rangers, they would most likely fall by the wayside as a playoff contender. Well after sweeping Texas, they are a full 10.0 games back in the Wild Card and travelling to Tampa for a series with the Rays. As Josh Lile eloquantly put it in his Ranger blog today it’s time to “Punt”.

Now, the dose of reality. Yesterday and today, the Boston Red Sox and the Jimmy Fund at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute have held a two day fund raiser. The New England Sports Network (NESN) along with the WEEI radio network carried the telethon. The Jimmy Fund is an organization that helps eliminate cancer in children. I’ve been lucky, no one in my family has been hit with any form of this horrendous monster. In watching the telethon on NESN during the rainout tonight, I saw way too many kids that have been hit with various forms of the disease and how they are beating it. You know why these kids are winning? Because many people are donating their time and especially money to research. Last year, the total donations from this telethon made it to the $3.7M mark. The Red Sox set a goal of an even $4M this year. The telethon officially ends at midnight but around 8:00 tonight, the $4M mark was passed and there were still fours hours to go. (It’s 10:35PM and the number is at $4,708,358)

In these economic times over $4.7 MILLION DOLLARS HAVE BEEN RAISED IN JUST UNDER 48 HOURS. It would be sweet to see the $5M mark hit in the next 90 minutes so let’s see what we, here at www.sportstalkbuzz.com can do…

Here is the important info:

Call     1-877-738-1234

or click

http://www.jimmyfund.org/

http://www.dana-farber.org/how/default.html

All I ask is anyone that does make a donation - let’s put it in Kevin Lee’s name care of www.sportstalkbuzz.com

Let’s make a loud statement if we can

This seems silly to do now after that but here are the pitching matchups for the rest of the weekend:

Saturday

Byrd (7-10  4.53) vs. Halladay (13-9  2.72)

Sunday

Beckett (11-8  3.92) vs. Marcum (7-5  3.42)

Don’t forget, with the internet some deadlines never end.

Jim

Jim Mulligan

Today the Sox traded the “infamous player to be named later” or cash considerations to the Cleveland Indians for pitcher Paul Byrd. The veteran righty is 7-10 with a 4.53 ERA this year but since the All Star break, he is 4-0 with a 1.24 ERA. In those last four games, he’s gone deep into his starts going 5.1, 7.2, 7.0 and 9.0 innings.

His addition to the rotation should help out as the Sox are down to Lester, Beckett & Dice-K. With the recent injury to Tim Wakefield and the growing pains of Clay Buchholz, Byrd will be expected to step into the #4 spot in the rotation. He is currently making $7.5M and is going to be a UFA at seasons end.  

This appears to be a solid pickup but my question is this. With the passing of the trade deadline on July 31, every transaction from that point on will require players to pass through waivers. In the Junior Circuit, where was Chicago (Sox), New York (Yanks) and Texas? In the Senior Circuit,  where was Milwaukee, St. Louis, New York (Mets), Florida, Houston and the LA Dodgers?

All of these teams are behind Boston and in the Wild Card chase and could have put in a waiver claim before the Red Sox to get Byrd to A) help their rotation and or B) prevent Boston from picking him up.

I should also mention Division leaders Minnesota and Philadelphia with the group of teams chasing the Wild Card that could have claimed Byrd before the Red Sox.

Can anyone explain how eleven teams chasing the Wild Card and Division leads passed up on a guy who is 4-0  - 1.24 ERA in his last four starts? Can anyone explain why a team wouldn’t spend the $2.5M (approximately) on a veteran starting pitcher coming down the stretch? Anyone?

Tonight the good guys face the Texas Rangers tonight for the first of three at Fenway Park. The only other time the teams have faced each other was at Fenway back in April where the Sox swept the Rangers in a four game series. The Rangers, as I mentioned above, are fighting to stay alive in the Wild Card chase. Realistically, if Boston wins two of three, it could be lights out for the Ranger Wild Card hopes.  

Tonight Charlie Zinc makes his MLB debut on the hill. Zinc comes up from Pawtucket(AAA) and has a solid season in the minors to this point. He’s 13-4 with a 2.89 ERA for the PawSox. Zinc is replacing Tim Wakefield who took a cortisone shot to his ailing pitching shoulder. The Sox are shelving Wake to prevent a similiar scenario as last year when Wakefield was left off the Playoff Roster. I wouldn’t expect a 9 inning effort from Zinc as he’s pitching on three days rest tonight.

Probable Pitching Matchups for the series:

Tuesday

Zinc (0-0  0.00) vs. Feldman (4-5  4.82)

Wednesday

Lester (10-4  3.23) vs. Mendozza (3-5  7.50)

Thursday

Matsuzaka (13-2  2.90) vs. Padilla (12-6  4.85)

Tomorrow, Wednesday August 13th, is my dad’s birthday. I know he’s taking the day off from work and I hope Jim Sr. and my mom, Grace have a great day together.  I also know they are going to be watching John Lester pitch while using my season tickets. Enjoy it Dad & Mom!