Joe Franciosa, Jr.'s Boston Red Sox fan blog

Beltre's bombs were by themselves enough to win the final game of this set. The one he literally hit from one knee was easily in the top 5 most impressive home runs I've seen from a Sox player, ever. It was like he was down on one knee, proposing to Sox Nation, hoping we'll finally accept him as a worthy replacement for our beloved Mike Lowell. Beltre, on behalf of Red Sox Nation, I can happily say, "Yes!"

 Ortiz's homerun was great simply because the Remdawg called it. "They don't want to pitch him up and in..." next pitch, up and in, and then up and out of the park. Forget drinking the kool-aid. I'm all about the new peach-mango salsa.

 Lackey... well, you didn't look like Slackey, so that's a good sign. 2 runs over 6 and 1/3 innings is good, but it still wasn't the dominant performance folks are waiting for. You got the win, that was a nice change of pace. I'll leave your performance at that for now.

Continue reading "Sox sweep Rays, NBA Officials should be Ashamed"

Give the Magic credit, they didn't lay down, roll over, or get swept out of Boston.

 J.J. Redick redeemed himself in game 4. Without his three pointers the Magic never would have had a second chance in OT. Jameer Nelson also found his three-point stroke. Howard played to his strengths. He scores more points by being in position for offensive rebounds, and it seemed as though he was there to dunk with authority immediately after every missed shot. Just once I'd like to see Perkins gather a rebound and throw down with that type of authority.

 Now folks are going to be all over Pierce for losing his dribble in the final seconds of the game. Sadly, this is the problem with the Celtics team. If Pierce had been in the same position at the end of regulation I would have trusted him more to get to the basket or to draw a foul. In OT, I think Pierce's age and past injuries catch up with him, and he simply does not have the stamina to take on a team by himself. Ray Allen should have taken the final shot. Ah well.

Continue reading "Real men don't need Brooms"

Ok, so it was only a two game series. At this point in the season, the Sox's will take whatever sweeps they can.

 Lester was efficient. He threw just over 100 pitches by the 9th inning, and there was no sign that even that effort had taxed him. His fastball still registered at 96  in the 9th. Allowing just one earned run, Lester took it upon himself to ensure that the bullpen will now be very well rested for its trip to the National League.

 Beltre belted his third home run of the season. His throw on Pedroia's error could have been better, but I'm sure Pedroia will remind him of that himself.

 Youkilis had a 4 RBI night with a 3 run home run and an RBI double to drive in Martinez, who had a hot night himself.

 Lowell was sadly ineffective, but after riding the bench for so long, can you really blame him? It's a real tragedy that the 2007 World Series MVP no longer has a place on this team, but that does not give him the right to make distracting comments from that seat on the bench. I would pay the Sox 12 million to let me sit on the bench if I had it. Don't complain when they're still giving you the 12 million. I understand that players want to play, but why not make the most of your time on the bench? It's obvious that you're in the twilight of your career, even if you are released or traded. Why not use this time to become closer with the coaching staff? I would start looking ahead to your next career, and this would be an excellent opportunity to make the transition from player to player-coach. Continue to be a mentor for younger players, and stop complaining about your place on this team. Be grateful for having any place at all.

Continue reading "Sox sweep Twins"

I'll say it again. Since Easter and the very first game of the Sox season...when the Celtics win, the Sox win.

Now the Celtics game went down to the last seconds, so it was only fitting that Papelbon would then wait until 2 outs, a 3-2 count, and runners on Second and Third to finally get his first strike out of the 9th inning.

The Celtics made history by winning the first two games of a series on the road. It was also the first time the Magic had lost back to back games on their home court since the Finals last year. Paul Pierce came out with a purpose. Pierce fouled out in the 4th quarter and he still ended the game with 28 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists... the 20th time he's ended a game with more than 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists in his play-off career.

Continue reading "Celtics win close. Sox win closer."

I don't remember if it was Garciaparra or Boone who jinxed Pap with one of those, "A mistake over the plate could tie the game" comments, but as soon as they said it, I knew the next pitch was going out of the yard.

 Pap, you either need to do less commercials and work on restoring your arm strength... -94 mph fastballs just don't cut it against the Yankees- or you need to have that cannon from your commercial surgically attached permanently.

 Dice-man... your ERA is now above 7. Do you think you could maybe pitch past the first inning without giving up 4 or 5 runs? Starting you every fifth day is more of a gamble than Wake's knuckleball fluttering or not that day.

 I don't know what to say about this team right now. They've got heart. That's obvious. Just the same, they also find new ways to lose every day. When the pitching is good, the offense is attrocious. When the pitching is bad, and the offense picks up the slack, the bull pen goes and completely cuts the line. Every time we think the Sox have figured things out and are hitting their stride, they lose a game they should have won, and proceed to lose the next two or three as if for good measure. That's not good. That's horrible. That's ridiculous. I know its early, but by the end of May the Sox could be Double Digits out of the Wild Card, nevermind 1st place.

Continue reading "Papelbon needs more coffee"

Kevin Garnett had 22 points, starting out the game with 5 of 5 shooting. Garnett made poor old Shaq look poor and old every time a shot arced over the Big Aristotle's head. Does anyone else love the fact that the Celtics were supposed to be the aging team? If Paul Pierce is old at 31, what does that make Shaq at 38?

 King James has got to abdicate his throne. He will leave Cleveland and remake his image in New Jersey. There, he might change LeBron to Earl, or maybe Duke. That's about as loyal as fans will see him ever again. Wait, did I say loyal? I meant royal. He'll never be seen as Loyal to any fanbase again. People will see LeBron, and see hype. They will see a version of Sir Charles Barkley doing deodorant commercials. Funny, Sir Charles was presumptious enough to proclaim himself of noble birth, but he doesn't have any rings, either.

Continue reading "Celtics in 6"

No walks.

 Matsuzaka, the pitcher who up until now had presumably preffered to pitch from the stretch, put no runners on base. He pounded the strike zone. He gave up only one run in the 6th. He pitched like the Dice-man that was advertised in '07. If he can do that consistently, the Sox will have the pitching staff that folks expected coming into this season.

Meanwhile, the Celtics essentially played by themselves in Cleveland. Lebron was all but absent from this game. 0-4 in the first half. Staring off into the crowd during team time-outs. Appearing winded on the court. Removing his "protective arm sleeve" and still throwing up LeBrick after LeBrick.

 Now, the rest of the Cavalier team was not doing much to help its MVP star. Delonte West was a non-factor. Mo Williams is a former All-star and he wasn't hitting shots. Shaq had 20 points, and almost took out Glenn Davis when he landed on Shaq's foot after coming down from a jump shot.

Continue reading "Dice-man rolls 7, C's just roll."

Friday never happened. Are we clear? That was a nightmare, and I woke up Sunday around 4.

 With that said, it's obvious that I should never make a prediction ever again. Ever.

 Funny though, the pattern of the Sox winning whenever the Celtics win still holds.

Continue reading "Expunged from memory."

Red Sox vs. Yankees. Celtics vs. Cavaliers in game 3 of a 1-1 series. Bruins vs. Flyers in possible series sweep.

There are so many story lines for this Friday night in Boston Sports.

Red Sox: You just swept the Angels. The Angels have problems of their own, being staked to a 4-0 lead after the ist inning thanks to the Dice-man's proclivity to gamble on his pitches. I understand that the Japanese strike-zone is different than MLB...but Dice-dude, you've been here 3 years now. I know you can speak English. You have to at least understand it, or else what exactly is V-mart and his own heavy accent conveying to you when he goes to chat on the mound after you walk 3 straight? What does John Farrell say while the umpire walks all the way out to the mound to break the conversation up. That's always a great way to get on the Ump's good side. Throw a ton of balls, and then make the Ump actually walk the 60'6" to the pitchers mound. In any event, the Sox offense again came up huge. The Angels certainly helped, but at this point we'll take whatever help we can get. On a 4 game win-streak, Bring on the Yankees!

Continue reading "The Tri-fecta, the Trinity, TGIF for Boston Sports."

I heard a joke on WEEI today in which a caller asked "So, is Nomar Night tonight, and Ortiz Night tomorrow night? Or is Ortiz Night tonight?"  I laughed. Then I realized that Ortiz and Nomar have a lot in common.

 See, Nomar was the face of the Sox franchise up until game 7 of the ALCS against the Yankees in 2003. Sure we had Manny on that team, and Pedro, but it was still Nomar's team. He was a born and bred Red Sox player, and probably the best short-stop of my life time. The point is, he was essentially the face of the Franchise. But, after his mysterious wrist injury (Nomar still insists that he never took steroids, and that the reason many players tested positive in 04 is because they were told that the results of that testing would be confidential. Because it was confidential, many players "lied" and "admitted to using performance enhancing dugs" just to promote standardized testing throughout the Major leagues. Yeah, Right.) After the wrist injury, Nomar just wasn't himself any more, and he buckled under increasing media scrutiny. Theo traded Nomar half way through the 04 season, and it was that jolt to the team that propelled the Sox to their first World Series title in 86 years.

Continue reading "Noma"h" Night"