Jennifer R. Richmond's Boston Red Sox fan blog

 After the Sox took the first two games of this four game series, yesterday they dropped one. And as is classic Red Sox style they dropped it in a very depressing way.

After a shutout eight innings from Mussina and the Yankees bullpen, they brought on their closer - the Yanks version of Papelbon, only 11 years older. And as is normal for the Sox, they got to Rivera.  So, after a hit, a walk, and two hit batters the bases were loaded with nobody out.  It looks like the Sox will tie it up.  But these are the Red Sox.  And while I'm a huge fan of the team, I also know that they leave men on base.  A lot.
So Coco Crisp came up to bat and for some weird reason on an 0-2 count he waved at a ball that was so far outside the strike zone, he missed and

Continue reading "Yankees Take Game 3"

Well, yesterday I was going to talk about how the Rays' starters have just been better than ours.  But last night, all their pitching was better than ours.  I don't know what the bullpen's drinking but whatever it is, it's bad.

Like Dad said Oki may have been fine (much to my shock) but Delcarmen and Hansen, who just a week or so ago were lights out, have hit the skids.  It's a good thing I wait a day to discuss the games otherwise last night's blog would have been chock full of four-letter words. 

I was so pissed off.  The Sox got a gift yesterday in Kazmir.  He's usually the Rays #1 pitcher and the Sox always have a hard time against him.  But every pitcher has an off day and clearly last night was Kazmir's.  And we made him pay for it.  What looked like an opportunity to pick up a game on the Rays was obliterated the minute Delcarmen took the mound in the bottom of the 7th inning. He started the nail in the Red Sox' coffin when he loaded the bases with nobody out.  Then Hansen came in and finished the job.

Continue reading "The Bullpen Sucks!"

While the Red Sox took the first game of the series against the Astros, the bullpen fell flat in games two and three and allowed the Astros to take the series 2-1.Yesterday we were up, then down, then up again.  The last time we were down was due to the bullpen, who's been pretty great as of late.  Well, I don't know if they were tired of interleague play or exhausted from their recent homestand.  All I know is this is not the bullpen Red Sox Nation is used to seeing.  Aardsma started off great getting through the 6th with no problem.  But then the first two batters he faced in the 7th both reached.  So Francona pulled Aardsma for Hansen who's been lights out recently.  Well yesterday the lights were on as Berkman lined to center scoring Bourn, and a wild

Continue reading "Bullpen Blows Final Games of the Series"

Just when I started worrying that JD Drew had cooled off, he planted one in deep right to quell my fears.My dad was worried about Dice-K because of his last outing, but I was more concerned about JD.  If Dice-K had another bad outing I could let it slide.  After all it was only his second time on the mound since coming off the DL and everyone takes time to get their old fire back.  But nothing's wrong with JD.  He hasn't been injured or anything and he's still doing some amazing stuff in the outfield.  But during the last home stand our faithful right fielder who had been hitting anything that came across the plate had suddenly stopped.  In his 19 at bats in Fenway JD only got two hits.  That's right two hits.  So, you can understand why I was worried.  But last night his loud bat quieted my fears.He may have only had one hit, but that one hit was a three-run shot to deep right that put the Sox on the board.  That homer would be the right fielder's

Continue reading "JD Back with a Bang"

After finally snapping an 0-24 streak on Monday, Varitek followed that up by bringing home the winning run of last night's game on a line drive to right field.  Maybe, just maybe the Captain is back.It's been a tough couple weeks for the Red Sox catcher.  While Varitek's been amazing behind the plate (just look at that awesome catch he made Sunday to prevent the Cardinals from getting the lead in the top of the 13th inning) he hasn't been producing when he steps into the batter's box.  And he knows it.  "I've had some feeble at-bats over the last few weeks, and I've had some really good ones.  Sometimes you need a little favor once in a while."  Well, on Monday he finally got that favor he was looking for when he doubled off the green monster to star

Continue reading "Varitek Brings the Win"

That'll be the question on the Nation's mind until Youkilis is back in the lineup.  And as of this morning, we're still waiting to hear the 1st baseman's fate for today's 2nd game against the D-backs.It was during warmups before the top of the 5th inning that Mike Lowell tossed Youk a routine grounder.  Unfortunately last night was not routine and the ball bounced hitting Youkilis under the right eye.  Within a matter of seconds his eye swelled up like a dinosaur egg and he was gone.  Youk wanted to stay in the game as he always does, but with the swelling continuing at a mach pace, Francona wisely removed his first baseman from the game to get checked.  The good news is the CT scan came back negative and it's just a contusion.  The bad news, the only replacem

Continue reading "Could Youk Have Made the Difference?"

It may have taken 13 innings, but in the end the 1st baseman helped the Red Sox get the win in another walk-off.

And boy was it a nerveracking game.  How many opportunities did the Sox have to finish off this game? Too many. Every inning the Sox had a chance to close the door, but couldn't. It all started in the top of the 9th when Pap should have gotten his 22nd save, but Coco misread the ball and didn't get the jump he needed to slam the door on the red birds. So, that means the bottom of the 9th and extra innings.

In the 10th it looked like Ellsbury would be the winning run when he started the inning off with a double and Pedroia's beautiful sac bunt moved him over to 3rd. But then JD struck out and Casey flied out to left.

In the 11th things got a little hairy when Okie loaded the bases with two outs. But thankfully Francona replaced him with Hansen who threw just three pitches to strike out Ludwick and end the inning.

Continue reading "Youkilis Avoids the Sweep"

We just finished taking two out of three from the Phillies, and the main reason - the man in right field, JD Drew.When David Ortiz went down with a torn wrist sheath back on May 31st, a tidal wave of worry went through Red Sox Nation.  What were the Sox going to do?  How could they possibly make the playoffs, let alone get another title, with their designated hitter out for at least a month, maybe longer?  There's no way anyone could possibly fill the lefty's shoes, but could someone come close?  The answer to all these questions came in the form one man - J.D. Drew.Since Papi left the game on that fateful day, JD has seriously stepped up.  The right fielder continues to make phenomenal catches in the outfield, but what everyone is really blown away by is what this guy's doing at the plate.  The first few games Papi missed, Francona shuffled the hitters, trying different people out in that number three spot.  But starting on June 4th Francona struck gold.  Drew stepped into that spot and has been hitting there ever since.  This is the guy we all wanted to see last season.  In the month of June Drew is batting .441 with nine homers and 22 RBI's.  He actually got his 13th homer (the 9th of June) yesterday in the first inning of the game against the Phillies to put the Sox on top 3-0.  That home run even lead off "Baseball Tonight's"

Continue reading "JD Drew's the Man"

I'm not going to talk about last night's game since it was so depressing.  I'm not even going to berate Timlin, because honestly, I'm bored doing it.  You all know how I feel about him and last night he proved yet again why.  So, I'm turning to something I think it pretty cool - the song "Take Me Out to the Ballgame".If you've ever been to a baseball game you know that usually during the 7th inning stretch the grounds crew make their way onto the field and lead the fans in a rousing rendition of the baseball theme.  What you may not know is that the song turns 100 years old this year.  It was written and composed by Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer back in 1908 and is now as classic as those peanuts and cracker jack the song mentions. To celebrate the

Continue reading ""Take Me Out to the Ballgame" Turns 100"

Now before you get excited, or think I'm off my rocker, I know there are waaaaaaaaaaaay more than 10 games the Red Sox need to clinch a playoff spot.  My 10 refers to the fact that Lowell, Youk, and JD Drew all hit their 10th home run of the season last night.Lowell's number 10 came after an intentional walk to Manny to load the bases in the 5th.  Then after fouling the first pitch off, Lowell took Guthrie's second pitch and planted in the first row of the monster seats for a grand slam to put the Sox on top 5-0.Then in the 7th with the O's now on the board after a shaky 6th inning from Lester, Youk stepped to the plate, swung at the first pitch he saw, and also planted his number 10 in the first row of the monster seats.  The Sox were now up 7-2.  But the offense didn'

Continue reading "10 is the Magic Number"