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].
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