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KTE - Boston Red Sox (May 22-24)

Gwreck May 21 2009 11:09 PM

KTE: Boston Red Sox May 22-24 Boston is 25-16 and just finished sweeping Toronto, who remain a half-game up in the AL East. Boston has a 16-4 home record this year. Mets v. Red Sox History 1986. Now that we have that out of the way, the Mets are 12-13 over all time against the Boston Red Sox, 8-10 in the regular season. Most of that came in the early years of interleague play, when the Mets would play Boston every year. Highlights of that period include the [url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2001/B07140NYN2001.htm]Glendon Rusch/Benitez 1-hitter[/url] in 2001, where the only hit was a bunt single in the first inning when Rusch didn't get over to cover the bag in time, or the [url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1998/B06050BOS1998.htm]Alberto Castillo game[/url] in 1998. Expect to hear Gary Cohen reminisce about that game -- I believe he's told the story often about how he was listening from his hospital bed when the following Mets hit home runs off Pedro Martinez: Bernard Gilkey, John Olerud, Luis Lopez, and yes, Alberto Castillo (who had come in after Pedro hit Piazza with a pitch in the first inning, knocking Mike out of the game). Since 2001, MLB started a rotation system for interleague play and teams got to play the AL or NL teams that weren't just in their corresponding division. Since that time, the Red Sox have visited every NL team -- except the Mets -- at least once, including five visits each to Atlanta and Philadelphia. This is the result of the Mets playing the Yankees every year, but given that Boston's usually pretty good, no great loss. Still, given that a Mets-Red Sox game would sell out just the same as a Mets-Yankees game would, one would think that a little more variety in the scheduling would theoretically be possible. Anyway, the Mets last faced the Red Sox in 2006, when they were swept at Fenway park in late June, one of only two series sweeps the Mets would suffer that entire year. In the [url=http://archives.cranepoolforum.net/3800/f14_t3864.shtml]first game[/url] Alay Soler was pounded hard, knocked out in the fifth as then-rookie Jon Lester got the win. Lastings Milledge made a key outfield error. The [url=http://archives.cranepoolforum.net/3800/f14_t3877.shtml]second game[/url] was Pedro's return to Boston, replete with the hero's welcome from the Boston fans. Pedro gave up 4 runs in the first inning and was gone after three innings. Lastings Milledge made another key outfield error. The [url=http://archives.cranepoolforum.net/3800/f14_t3890.shtml]final game[/url] was the only one where the Mets had a chance, and their only lead of the series, as Beltran took Curt Schilling deep to center for a two run homer. The Red Sox tied it up and took a lead, however. You may recall a Coco Crisp diving catch of a Wright line drive in the top of the eighth inning that was poised to re-tie the game. Link to video replay of that is [url=http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/media/player/mp_tpl_3_1.jsp?mid=200606291530499&vid=7758&gid=200606/29/nynmlb-bosmlb-1&v=2/]here[/url]. Pitching Matchups Friday: Daisuke Matsuzaka (R) vs. Johan Santana Matsuzaka is coming off the DL for this start (right shoulder strain, probably from too much work in the WBC). He had two starts early this year (6 1/3 innings) and is sporting a 12.79 ERA. He was 18-3 with a 2.90 ERA and 154 Ks in 167 2/3 innings in 2008 and isn't going to quite get there this year. He probably won't be going deep into the game Friday and given that we're throwing Johan this game is a must-win. The only Met to have faced Matsuzaka is David Wright, who was 1-3 with an RBI double in the USA-Japan World Baseball Classic semifinal game this past March. Saturday: Josh Beckett (R) vs. Mike Pelfrey Beckett defeated the Mets in 2006, pitching 7 2/3 strong innings (7 Ks, 1 walk, 5 hits). Delgado and Valentin got him for solo homers but Reyes, Beltran and Wright were all held hitless. Beckett is 4-2 but with a 5.85 ERA this year. 46 Ks, 56 H, 23 BB in 47 innings. Sunday: Tim Wakefield (R) vs. Tim Redding Tim Wakefield isn't just the longest-tenured Red Sox player, but now that John Smoltz left the Braves (he's currently on the Boston DL), Wakefield now has what I believe is the longest consecutive tenure with one team for any player in MLB. The Mets beat Wakefield at Shea Stadium in 1997 in the [url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1997/B06140NYN1997.htm]second game[/url] of the first ever Red Sox-Mets interleague series in 1997. Wakefield is the only player from that game who is still an active major leaguer. He's 2-3 with a 2.43 ERA and 7 career appearances against the Mets, but that all that happened from 1992-2001. Wakefield is 5-2 with a 3.59 ERA this year in 8 starts. His 8 HBP currently leads the American League. He's a knuckleballer, and the Mets had [url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2008/B06240NYN2008.htm]a whole lot[/url] [url=http://archives.cranepoolforum.net/9400/f14_t9405.shtml]of trouble[/url] when they faced a knuckleballer last year. Red Sox Lineup C - Jason Varitek (S) Varitek returned to the Red Sox on what could only be called a gift contract, after he declined their offer of arbitration only to find that there was no other market for his services, at least not at the Boras prices. He's hitting .237 with a .321 OBP this year, but has 7 homers and 18 RBIs (.500 SLG). Not bad, although despite being with the Red Sox for more than 10 years, he still is unable or unwilling to learn how to catch Wakefield's knuckleball. 1B - Kevin Youkilis (R) still has that riddiculous batting stance, but the numbers are there: 1.209 OPS in the 97 ABs he has so far this year. 6 Homers, 21 RBI, .408 AVG. He just returned from a DL stint (strained oblique muscle). 2B- Dustin Pedroia (R) .318-1-14, .830 OPS. 2008 AL MVP and gold glove winner. 25 years old. Yeah, he's pretty good. 3B - Mike Lowell (R) .289-7-29, .835 OPS. Bouncing back nicely after missing some time with injury last year. SS - Julio Lugo (R) .293-1-4 RBI and .359 OBP in 58 ABs this year. Has missed some time with a recent groin strain and a DL stint for most of April. LF - Jason Bay (R) Bay was acquired in the deal that sent Manny Ramirez to <strike>Shea</strike> the Dodgers, fortunately. Yes, he was once Met property, but the Padres (who we traded him to) also passed on him and Bay didn't become a star until he reached Pittsburgh. .301-13-44 with a 1.090 OPS this season. He's on pace for career highs in most meaningful offensive categories (his career avg/ops is .283/.900). Incidentially, he turns 31 in September and is a free agent at the end of the year. Fun Jason Bay fact: he was the most recent major leaguer to be called out for [url=http://www.retrosheet.org/passing.htm]passing a runner on the bases[/url], in a Pirates-Mets game at Shea in 2006. CF - Jacoby Ellsbury (L) .302-1-13, .335 OBP. 16 for 21 in steals, including a steal of home a few weeks back. Solid defender who has never been charged a major league error. RF - JD Drew (L) The [url=http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0gvvect5Ly6m5/610x.jpg]baserunning genius[/url] is hitting .258 with 6 homers and 20 RBIs and a .882 OPS. DH - David Ortiz (L) Ortiz' 2009 struggles have been pretty well documented; he's hitting .211 (.318 OBP) and hit his first home run of 2009 on Wednesday night. He was benched some last week but has returned to the lineup. On the subject of the DH, Adam Rubin [url=http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/mets/2009/05/fenway-park-probables.html]reports[/url] that the Mets will use Sheffield, Beltran and Wright as their DH in this series. Bench Nothing special here. Backup catcher George Kottaras (L) will catch on Sunday for Wakefield. .133, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .243 OBP. Rocco Baldelli (R) is a backup outfielder and saw some time at DH when Ortiz was benched. .205-1-4 with .244 OBP. Jeff Bailey (R) .190-2-8, .314 OBP was playing first while Youkilis was out. He's a 30-year old AAA player. Nick Green (R) is the backup infielder and actually decent while filling in for Lugo. .302-1-13, .368 OBP. Bullpen Closer Jonathan Papelbon (R) is 11 for 11 in saves and has a 1.00 ERA in 18 innings with 20 Ks. The rest of the relief core, in increasing order of preference to face (which is to say, not much): Ramon Ramirez (R), 0.79 ERA in 21 IP (11Ks/6 BBs/9 H) Manny Delcarmen (R), 0.95 ERA in 19 IP (15Ks/8BBs/17 H) Hideki Okajima (L), 2.84 ERA in 19 IP (22 Ks/9 BBs/12 H) Takashi Saito (R), 3.60 ERA in 15 IP (12Ks/4 BBs/18 H) Justin Masterson (R), 4.57 ERA in 41 IP (35 K/14BB/45 H), had been starting in place of Matsuzaka Red Sox DL Mark Kotsay has a left calf strain and will be back soon but not in this series. John Smoltz (no 2009 appearances yet) had right shoulder surgery last year. Might push Wakefield to the bullpen when he returns sometime in June. Ex-Mets No players. Dave Magadan is the hitting coach. Tim Bogar is the first base coach. Ex-Red Sox Alex Cora Red Sox Blogs http://www.outincenterfield.com/ http://toeingtherubber.weei.com/ Wally the Green Monster Red Sox mascot and the star of one of my [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nthOnXi4Idw]favorite ESPN commercials[/url].

G-Fafif May 21 2009 11:22 PM

Stellar intelligence-gathering. RS appearances at Shea in the early Interleague period were quite annoying given their fans materializing in almost Cublike proportions and their team being of no help in the other Greater Good prior to 2004. Perhaps it was coincidence, but Pedro was never the same for the Mets after his return to Fenway in '06. Luis Alicea was a coach for the champion Sox of '07 and has some fond memories of his time there, per a recent 'FAN pregame interview. He said he planned on taking his fielders out to left to meet the Monster, but probably has less time penciled in for that now with Murphy moved to first.

Fman99 May 22 2009 06:26 AM

="G-Fafif"]Stellar intelligence-gathering. RS appearances at Shea in the early Interleague period were quite annoying given their fans materializing in almost Cublike proportions and their team being of no help in the other Greater Good prior to 2004. Perhaps it was coincidence, but Pedro was never the same for the Mets after his return to Fenway in '06. Luis Alicea was a coach for the champion Sox of '07 and has some fond memories of his time there, per a recent 'FAN pregame interview. He said he planned on taking his fielders out to left to meet the Monster, but probably has less time penciled in for that now with Murphy moved to first. Another phrase used recreationally at the Fman household.

bmfc1 May 22 2009 06:33 AM

Great KTE, Gwreck. I will be at Saturday's game. I will wear my Mets hat and a Mets t-shirt. Same with my younger son. I hope we make it out there alive--and victorious.

Fman99 May 22 2009 06:39 AM

="bmfc1"]Great KTE, Gwreck. I will be at Saturday's game. I will wear my Mets hat and a Mets t-shirt. Same with my younger son. I hope we make it out there alive--and victorious. I went to a game at Fenway in 2003 (Mets v. Blue Jays IIRC) and I wore a t-shirt with a this picture on the front... and these words on the back in a very legible font. BUCKNER E-3 Sat in the deep right-center bleachers, too. And not one Sox fan said one word to me about it, all day. You'll be fine.

themetfairy May 22 2009 06:44 AM

Great knowledge Gwreck!

metirish May 22 2009 06:49 AM

Great read , love the look back at past games. What was Cohen in the hospital again?

Frayed Knot May 22 2009 07:30 AM

="metirish"]Great read , love the look back at past games. What was Cohen in the hospital again? A patient ... Ba-Dum-CHING!! Thank you, I'll be here all week ]I went to a game at Fenway in 2003 (Mets v. Blue Jays IIRC) Say what now?!?

Fman99 May 22 2009 07:44 AM

="Frayed Knot"] ="metirish"]Great read , love the look back at past games. What was Cohen in the hospital again? A patient ... Ba-Dum-CHING!! Thank you, I'll be here all week ]I went to a game at Fenway in 2003 (Mets v. Blue Jays IIRC) Say what now?!? Ha, that should've read Sox v. Blue Jays, if I remember correctly. And it was 2002. Box score [url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BOS/BOS200207040.shtml]here.[/url] Independence Day matinee in 100 degree heat, followed by dinner out, the Boston Pops concert and fireworks on the Charles River. A tremendous day.

Frayed Knot May 22 2009 07:58 AM

Jason Varitek - big gamble for the Sox over the winter cuz he looked D-U-N-N as a hitter last year and isn't the defensive whiz he used to be either. Still got some pop as it turns out. Kevin Youkilis - He's the best player in either league because he's the clutchest. No really, Mike Francesa told me so. Dustin Pedroia - Announcers who don't use some form of the word 'scrappy' at least once per inning around Pedroia are dragged off and beaten between innings. I think it's pat of the standard contract or something. Mike Lowell - Is coming off Delgado-ian hip surgery Julio Lugo - Probably a worse contract than Castillo's. Would already have been benched/cut/traded if not for rookie Jed Lowrie going down w/an injury Jason Bay - at least when the Padres dealt him away it was for the still good version of Brian Giles Jacoby Ellsbury - There was a brief flurry on WFAN last year where callers and some hosts were just salivating over the possibility that the Sox would be dumb enough to give him to us even up for Beltran. My that grass sure is green over there. JD Drew - still hasn't lived up to the contract that makes he the only big-budget FA in the lineup, although at least he's improved to the point where the Boston fans aren't referring to him as 'Nancy' as much these days. David Ortiz - Not nearly as clutch as when he was hitting better. Funny how that works, huh? Tough to figure what Dice-K will be like tonight coming off the injury but normally he's a chore to watch. Takes freakin' forever to throw each pitch and throws a ton of them even on the nights when he's good. Papelbon is another 2-pitch/minute guy. He also celebrates even ordinary saves far too much.

HahnSolo May 22 2009 08:23 AM

]or the Alberto Castillo game in 1998. The game after was pretty good, too. I was at that one. The teams combined for 6 total hits in a 1-0 Mets win. Bobby Jones gave up singles to the first two guys he faced, then gave up only one more over 8 innings. Tim Wakefield took the loss, despite allowing only 1 hit over 8. The Mets run came in the sixth, when Brian Mcrae singled, stole second, then went to third on a ground out. With two outs, Wakefield balked him home. The game ended with the tying run on base, and John Franco striking out Troy O'Leary looking on a ball about 18 inches off the plate. At the time, I think it was the first 1-0 game at Fenway in seven seasons.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr May 22 2009 10:07 AM

Dense in the rich, musky aroma of history and the vaguely farty scent of Fenway seats. Now I'm appreciating this series a bit more, and dreading it a sconch less. Gracias.

MFS62 May 23 2009 07:03 AM

Anne Rice covered that 1998 Alberto Castillo game. enjoy, Later ********************************************************* Anne Rice Reports the Ballgame The Mets approached the old building with fear. It was secluded in the center of town, amid the cheap bars and crowded streets. But, as night began to fall, it emitted an eerie glow into the New England sky. The crowd seemed drawn inexorably toward the light, like moths to their doom. And as their team bus drew up to the gate, the word friendly was the farthest from the minds of the Met players. They had heard all the stories, but few of them had ever dared to enter. They changed into their uniforms solemnly, and slowly ventured out from the bowels of the building into the artificial light that was beginning to win its battle with encroaching darkness. They blinked in disbelief. There it was. All the stories were true. The Green Monster did exist To paraphrase Edward Albee, it was the malevolence of an erection. It had obviously been created by an architect with a deep hatred for pitchers. And they wondered to a man what impact that expanse of tin with mesh above would have on their immediate futures. The pitchers felt fear rising in their bellies; the hitters a false sense of bravado. Soon night would fall, darkness would envelop the rest of the world outside, and the dreaded Boston bats would emerge. Only one of their hurlers, Martinez, was able to nullify bats in this place, and without a necklace of garlic. By contrast, to the Met starter Al Leiter it had been a house of horrors for his entire career. Even the lights that started to dot the face of the Monster did not begin to allay their fears. It was a perfect home for a team that seemed to resurrect itself every decade. The locals spoke of the Curse which has lasted three quarters of a Century. Over that span, their fans have followed them to the brink of ecstasy, only to be plunged into the depths of despair. Yet the frenzy of their maniacal following has never waned, even to the point of destroying the lives of those players who may have disappointed them by making one small error or one bad pitch. The blood red words on the chests of the home team blazed in juxtaposition with the Halloween orange trim on the uniforms of the visitors. But whose blood would be spilled that night? The first battle was about to begin. The man expected to lead the Mets that night was Mike Piazza. But he was hit by a pitch from Martinez. Yet the man who replaced him, light hitting Alberto Castillo drove the first stake through Martinez’ heart. It was a home run that was gobbled up by the Green Monster. The life began to drain from the local fans. To the Mets, the smell of blood was heady and they began to revel in the carnage that was about to unfold. The bats; the bats; the timber-nabulation of the bats was to continue all night. The Mets hit three more home runs and Boston’s own semi-mortal monster, Mo Vaughn hit two of his own. But the inevitable was never in question. Slowly the fans began to leave the old building, to drown their sorrows one more time in the seedy pubs that lined the neighboring streets. The Green Monster had consumed one of their own that night. Soon the bats would be asleep; artificial light replaced by the coming dawn. But in the darkness of the old arena, the bats would remain, waiting for their next victims.

Frayed Knot May 23 2009 08:44 AM

Tonight's (Saturday's) 7PM game will be shown on MLBN for those out of towners not otherwise connected to a Met or Red Sox station.

batmagadanleadoff May 23 2009 09:51 AM

What do Dinosaurs and Chalked Batter's Box Lines have in common? Answer -- They don't exist, according to Carl Everett. Mets at Boston, July 15, 2000 -- The Carl Everett Meltdown Game. BASEBALL; Everett Crosses A Line With Ump By TYLER KEPNER Published: Sunday, July 16, 2000 ="New York Times"] To the Boston Red Sox, it looked suspicious. On Friday, their manager, Jimy Williams, had ordered the umpires to check the baseball for scuff marks when the Mets' Dennis Cook was pitching. Cook later threw a pitch that hit their star center fielder, Carl Everett, who is noted for crowding the plate. During Everett's first at-bat today, the home plate umpire Ronald Kulpa drew a line with his foot marking the inner edge of the batter's box. Everett was incensed, and he barked loudly at Kulpa, earning an ejection that touched off a tirade by Everett. Five minutes of histrionics followed Everett's ejection. He bumped Kulpa with his chest, slammed his helmet to the ground, then knocked his head into Kulpa's as he screamed in the umpire's face. Kulpa staggered back, and as the other umpires gathered around him, Everett's eruption continued. He shoved aside the first base coach Tommy Harper, who along with Williams was trying to restrain him. Everett pointed repeatedly at the inner edge of the batter's box, and he would not leave the home plate area. Mets right fielder Derek Bell, who grew up with Everett in Florida and was teammates with him in Houston, jogged in to try to calm Everett. Mets Manager Bobby Valentine -- who said he did not feel it was Bell's place to intervene -- intercepted Bell before he confronted Everett. ''If I got there sooner, I could have gotten him out of there,'' Bell said. ''They don't know him like I know him. I'm like a big brother to him.'' Everett was in no mood to listen. When he finally retreated to the dugout, he shouted at some teammates and tossed a water cooler. He has much more than an equipment fine coming his way: for bumping an umpire -- twice -- Everett will probably be reprimanded severely. ''We'll see what Frank Robinson has to say,'' Williams said, referring to baseball's vice president for on-field operations. ''We haven't lost our player yet. He's still eligible to play.'' Williams said the Mets had told the umpires to enforce the limits of the batter's box with Everett hitting. ''I know it came from the other side,'' he said. ''I don't even have to ask. I know it did. If you do that, why wait for the third game? It might have been retaliation.'' Valentine said, ''Jimy Williams is incorrect, out of bounds and ridiculous making statements that he has no clue about.'' Through a Red Sox spokesman, Everett had no comment; neither did Kulpa. But it is well known that any contact with an umpire is strictly off limits. ''When he was getting upset, I was out of there,'' Mets catcher Mike Piazza said. ''He was not in a good mood. I didn't want to get hit in the cross-fire. It was an unfortunate incident. Any time you bump an umpire, it's not good. You can't do that.'' Bobby Cox, manager of the Atlanta Braves, began serving a five-game suspension on Friday for bumping an umpire on July 4. Mets pitcher Mike Hampton was a teammate of Everett's for two years in Houston, and he said he never saw umpires challenge Everett on standing too close to the plate. But, like Valentine, Hampton said the Mets had nothing to do with today's incident. ''Nobody did -- it was the umpire taking it upon himself,'' Hampton said. ''It's his job. He felt he was standing on the line or out of the box, and he wanted to enforce the rule.''

Edgy DC May 23 2009 10:25 AM

I remember thinking that Valentine was a bit overly competitive not letting Bell in there, then I realized that as soon as Bell layed a hand on Everett, all hell would have broken loose.