Dustin Pedroia

for the past 98 years.  Wide eyed, the child will watch as Jacoby Ellsbury runs the bases, as Dustin Pedroia makes a double play look easy, and as Kevin Youkilis makes digging a ball out of the dirt look easy.  Forget about new menu items like veggie burgers or fruit cups; only popcorn, hot dogs and peanuts will make the experience complete, and every person at the ballpark tonight will look at that child and remember their own first visit to Fenway.  The memories will be so thick, it will seem they could be grasped and seized.  

Continue reading "Fenway Home Opener 2010"

etting some late inning hits that got the Sox back where the needed to be.   However both Dustin Pedroia and Mike Lowell were hitless the entire game and yet were able to contribute to the rally.  Dustin earned a walk after ten pitches, and Mike Lowell put the boys back on top after a shallow sac-fly to left center. 

Continue reading "“Go Crazy Folks, The Red Sox Win This One!”"

Home plate umpire Jim Joyce gave all of us on the East Coast a start last night after jumping up from behind home plate to issue a warning to both ball clubs in the third.  As it turns out, both clubs were informed before the game even started that the umps would be keeping a close eye on them, according to Lyle Spencer from mlb.com. 

Continue reading "I'll give you a warning..."

son long, this 2009 season will be something special. 

I can’t end without mentioning Dustin Pedroia drilling that golf shot over the Green Monster in his first at bat!!  Yes

Continue reading "Play Ball!!!"

Dear Readers (all five of you):

I've been active on my other blog at www.fannation.com, under the username JFro, but I continually forget to publish those posts here. That said, the next five posts should be considered my belated MLB preseason predictions -- a preview, of sorts. There's the top five infields, outfields, bullpens, and starting rotations, and of course The Big Kahuna:

Continue reading "Note about forthcoming posts"

I don't know if it's just me, but the playoffs never seem to officially start until the Sox play a game at Friendly Fenway. I mean, I watched the games in LA - or LA of Anaheim, or Anaheim in LA, or Anaheim in LA of California, United States - and came away psyched that the Sox were up 2-0, but it didn't have that playoff feel. It just felt like a road trip to the west coast. Maybe it was the fact that the glamorous LA fans were eating sushi off of asian-influenced rectangle plates instead of toting a steamed dog in one hand and a $7 Coors Light in the other. I don't know.

Continue reading "Feeling Fenway"

u loose a game by a run and are outhit 16-7, there’s a problem.  Part of that problem is Dustin Pedroia, who freely admitted after last night’s game that he was at fault – as a matter of fact, he put the whole thing on himself. “I’ve got to help the team win, and I didn’t.  I blame this one on me,” Pedroia complained to mlb.com.  But I don’t blame it all on him.  When the bases are loaded and you have the winning run 90 feet away, that’s frustrating.  Did anyone else get annoyed by K-Rod getting pumped up after he got out of a jam?  Maybe I was just too aggravated, but I felt like saying to him “Hey Buddy, you nearly blew your season.  What are you so happy about?” 

Continue reading ""We got ourselves a series""

Lost in the shuffle of Matt Cassel beating Brett Favre in the most hyped Week 2 game in years around these parts on Sunday afternoon, Jon Lester continued his march toward becoming a truly elite pitcher by outdueling a man largely respected as perhaps the best hurler in the AL, in a game the Sox needed to have. Any question marks that surrounded Lester at the All-Star break have been officially converted into exclamation points. In fact, pencil him in for Game 2 right now - it doesn't matter who we are playing or what Daisuke's record ends up being ... Lester's earned the spot right behind Beckett in the playoff rotation.

Continue reading "Q & A ... well, at least some Qs"

I was unable to write yesterday because the Red Sox extra inning game went too long into the night, but today was an off day so i'll kind of combine today's and yesterday's. The Red Sox lost two days ago, but yesterday, with a win, still had a chance to put the pressure on the Rays by moving a half a game behind them for first in the AL East. If the Red Sox lose the game, they'd be 2.5 back have the momentum drained as the Rays would have won a series in Fenway. For those of you who don't see the importance of winning the division, while they are going to the playoffs anyway. The winner of the division gets either the Twins or White Sox in the first round. The loser of the division has to go to Anahiem to play the league leading Angels.

Continue reading "Red Sox Report 9/11"

That game has a 7:05 Eastern time start.

Dustin Pedroia did not have a hit tonight, a rare occasion, but kept his lead on the AL batting title at .328, over the idle Milton Bradley. He has b

Continue reading "Red Sox Report 9/8"

is games this month…it might even be his last. 

Okay back to the good stuff:  Dustin Pedroia, I don’t know if you’ll get MVP over some of the other candidates, but you’re definitely our MVP.  You and Youkilis have been able to keep our offense going, despite the injuries of Drew and Lowell (who by the way, let everyone know that he was feeling better in his comeback game last Friday).  It reminds me of earlier this summer when Drew had the hot bat, which helped us tremendously because Ortiz was out of the lineup.  Good work boys, we couldn’t be more proud.

Continue reading "Sox take ANOTHER series!...Oh, and ..."

6th inning RBIs from Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia, as well as a 7th inning solo shot from Jason Bay, his 27th, made it a 7-0 lead.

Paul Byrd didn't even need have of those runs as he neutralized a dangerous Rangers lineup over 6 and 2/3 shutout innings, giving up only 3 hits. In the end it was a 7-2 lead and another series win for the Sox. They are now 1.5 games behind the Rays, who have hit a bit of a rough patch, losing 5 of 6 to the Yanks and Jays.

Continue reading "Red Sox Report 9/7"

The Red Sox were in action tonight, looking for the sweep of their interdivision foes the Baltimore Orioles and looking to perhaps gain some ground on the elusive Rays in the AL East standings. These games are especially big for the Red Sox because, with the Rays and Yankees playing each other, if the Red Sox win, it would guarantee that the Red Sox either gain a game on the Rays in the AL East or add a game to their lead over the Yankees for the Wild Card.

Continue reading "Red Sox Report 9/3"

t Major Leaguers) produced and not "purchased" by the Red Sox - Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jonathan Papelbon, Manny Delcarmen, Jon Lester (and you could throw in Jed Lowrie and Justin Masterson) - a list, by the way, that includes two MVP candidates (Youk and Pedroia), the best closer in baseball (sorry Mariano "Skeleton Face" Rivera) and a potential future Cy Young winner (Lester).

Continue reading "The Tables Have Turned"

I was a little worried when I first heard this...until I heard that Youuuuuk is back!  This is great news.  Thanks to Steve Buckley on the Big Show from WEEI for sharing.  It sure made my day a little better. 

Continue reading "WEEI reports that Dustin Pedroia ..."

anyone."

Exhibit A: The Red Sox lineup, circa April 2008
CF - Jacoby Ellsbury
2B - Dustin Pedroia
DH - David Ortiz
LF - Manny Ramirez
3B - Mike Lowell
RF - JD Drew

Continue reading "Law and Order"

p>Another impressive night for the Sox offense led by, in my opinion a strong candidate for AL MVP, Dustin Pedroia who turned in another 4-4 night making back-to-back 4 hit games so far against Chicago. Mark Kotsay, who in just his third game with Boston added a 3-4 night, knocking in 3. White Sox starter Mark Buehrle was removed after just 4 2/3 allowing 11 hits and 7 ER.

Continue reading "Impressive Debut"

Does anyone remember that commercial where two teams are playing a game in the pouring rain?  As it continues, a player goes over to a pay phone, says something (that I can’t remember) and then decides he’s going to play all out?  The song “take me out to the ball game” comes on, with electric guitars and all that jazz (I guess it’s not really jazz…you get the picture) and the show the player sliding into the mud and having a blast.  As the song concludes, you hear an announcer saying “What a game!”

Continue reading "“What a game!”"

Last night's ninth inning was almost an afterthought, what with the ejection of both Dustin Pedroia and an irate Orioles fan within about 10 minutes of each other. In fact, the eighth featured the home plate umpire barking into the Sox dugout, Pedroia chirping at both the first base and home umpire, Pedroia getting tossed and the Orioles fan jabbing back and forth with Coco Crisp before battles with two ushers and a pair of Red Sox fans on the way out of the stadium.

Continue reading "The Manny we still have"

Did anyone else get déjà vu today?  Well I sure did after seeing run after run after run – this time against our beloved Sox.  Toronto scored in every inning except for the 2nd and 9th innings.  The 9th was a 1-2-3 inning pitched by closer Jonathan Papelbon, who really was one of the only ones left in the bullpen at that point.  It was the first 1-2-3 inning for the Sox. 

Continue reading "Boston being Texas - Sox loose 15-4"

Last night was one of those games that you wished you weren’t watching.  When it’s all said and done, you wish that last night was one of those nights where you just wished you were out to dinner, or hanging out with some buddies. Unfortunately, last night was not one of those nights (for me at least) and I watched the Sox get absolutely dominated by Roy Halladay. 

Continue reading "No Holiday for the Sox"

ame.  He warmed up a few times, but he wasn’t brought in.  Fortunately for the Sox, Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis came through in the 8th – and what an eighth inning it was.  After Youkilis hit a three-run shot over the montster, Don Orsillo sounded more excited than ever before.  “You kiddin me?!” he shouted.  It was awesome.  Since I missed the beginning of the game, I wasn’t as into it as I could have been.  But that call by Orsillo really made me feel like I had been watching the whole time.  “You kiddin me?!” 

Continue reading ""You kiddin me?!""

e salary space (like the Red Sox need to do that) to pick up better relievers.  Second baseman Dustin Pedroia was a great example of what they did.  Before Pedroia became a full-time second baseman, they always had some big move that would supposedly work out in the long-run, just like the Short Stop situation.  Tony Graffanino, Doug Mienkiewicz (who mostly worked 1B), Bill Mueller (did a decent job), Mark Bellhorne (atrocious hitter but great defense) and the list went on.    

Continue reading "The SS Problem"

Truthfully, I though Buchholz was the better prospect. But, as was the case with Dustin Pedroia, chalk one up for the Sox scouting department. Lester has emerged as a truly dominant left-hander, a rare commodity in the Major Leagues these days. Jason Varitek says Lester is going to be the best left-hander in the game in a few years, and watching this season, it's hard to argue with The Captain.

Continue reading "Ladies and Gentlemen, Jon Lester ..."

           Hey, Sox Fans, how’s it been goin’? Been a while. . .

            I’ll be honest with you, following the Red Sox on a daily basis can turn into a full-time job, and this doesn’t even include the other teams you tend to watch as they jockey with the Sox for position. Just got out of the habit of writing about them.

Continue reading "The Boston Red Sox at mid-season ..."

So can we please talk about Jason Giambi's mustache for a second? First the guy admits to wearing a gold thong when he needs to break out of a slump (it's hard to imagine that's all he's "breaking out of" in that kind of attire). And now he goes ahead and grows a full-out, mid-80s, Magnum PI mustache. Add these two nuggets to the fact that he's one of the 3 sweatiest humans on the planet, and that he's a New York Yankee, and you have the grossest person in America. Ever. Period.

Continue reading "Now playing first base for the New ..."

rs of all of his family & friends helped Bartolo Colon pitch seven innings of one run baseball. Dustin Pedroia ended the Sox offense slump with a 2-out ground rule double in the 8th inning followed by single from both Manny Ramirez and Mike Lowell.

Continue reading "End to the road trip skid..."

Julio Lugo also has 5 steals and even the self-proclaimed lead footed Dustin Pedroia has contributed 4 steals. In total, 7 different Boston players have successfully swiped a base so far this season.

Continue reading "The Go Go . . . Red Sox?"

Last season Dustin Pedroia hit below .200 for the first month of the season before going on win the Rookie of the Year award. That is not to say that Lowrie will struggle as badly as Pedroia did, however, he is even less likely to have the kind of success that Ryan Braun sustained for the Brewers last season. Struggles like Jacoby Ellsbury experienced to begin this season are a more likely scenario. Just as pitchers adjusted to find weaknesses in Ellsbury’s game, they will certainly do so with Lowrie. The fact that Lowrie has already struck out 6 times in only 16 at bats makes the probability of prolonged struggles even more likely.

Continue reading "Despite Hot Start, Lowrie Still Not ..."

e, none bigger than his ninth inning home run last night in Cleveland to put the Red Sox ahead 6-4. Dustin Pedroia is also beginning to sting the ball around the field with more authority and sooner or later Mike Lowell will come off the disabled list and David Ortiz will snap out of his funk and the offense will be back to hitting on all cylinders.

Continue reading "Red Sox Should Feel Good About The Season So Far"

Manny Ramirez will not be far behind. Dustin Pedroia will hit .300. Mike Lowell will hit around 40 doubles. The Red Sox will end up scoring plenty of runs this season and every game will not be

Continue reading "Red Sox Hitters Just Need to Find Their Rhythm"

He gave way to Bryan Corey, when Dustin Pedroia couldn’t quite hang on to a ‘bloop’ hit that went into and out of his glove in shallow right field. Six Sox had two hits apiece (Pedroia, Youkilis, Ortiz, Varitek, Crisp & Cora), with J.D. Drew entering the lineup and adding a hit. Varitek hit his first home run of the season. Without the services of Okajima or Papelbon, Francona turned to Corey for an inning-plus and Manny Delcarmen sealed the deal.

Continue reading "Don't get too excited. . .but the ..."

Caught my first Boston Red Sox spring training game today on MLB.TV and truth be told, it was a yawner. Ended up 8-4, Yanks; a score that was on the board by the bottom of the fourth inning, rendering the remainder of the broadcast something of an exercise for the announcers, Michael O'Kay and John O'Flaherty (it being St. Patrick's Day, they both added "O"s to the front of their last names.). Having lived in New York for the last 15 years or so, I heard and saw a lot of these two (Flaherty, less. Kay is usually teamed with Paul O'Neill or Al Leiter). Every time the Sox and Yankees got together, I'd be listening to them instead of Joe Castglione and Jerry Remy. Kay and Flaherty are Yankee partisans, of course, but they're also professionals and Michael Kay, in particular, is a first class announcer. He used to do 'color' with John Sterling on New York radio. Sterling is more of an obvious Yankee fan than Kay, with an annoying habit of making routine plays into headline news with phony rhymes. Matsui hits a home run and we hear "A Thrilla from Godzilla." Alex Rodriguez hits a home run and we get "An A-Bomb from A-Rod." And when the Yankees win, he has this annoying habit of saying "The -ah-ah-ah-ah-ah Yankees win."

Continue reading "And so it begins. . .Boston Red Sox ..."

           Whew! We got that out of the way.

           Papelbon is signed. I’m not sure I would have survived an entire season without a glimpse of him in red socks, doing the Funky Chicken again. If I’m dating myself with the archaic dance, so be it. I’m convinced that if he were in pinstripes and did one of those dances, or any other form of eccentric behavior for which he’s known, on a Yankee mound, George Steinbrenner would go into cardiac arrest.

Continue reading "Pap, the Funky Chicken and oh my ..."

His handling of Boston’s young prospects, most notably sticking with Dustin Pedroia, is also particularly commendable. Most important, Francona has always conducted himself with class and

Continue reading "Looking Forward to the Hank Steinbrenner ..."

Young, homegrown talent played a significant part in the Red Sox title run last year led by Dustin Pedroia winning the Rookie of the Year and Jonathan Papelbon definitively closing out games. Clay Buchholz pitched a no hitter in his second major league start, Jacoby Ellsbury stepped in when he was needed and became a vital part of the offense, and Jon Lester got the win in the World Series clincher. All are expected to be key contributors to the team this season. However, this influx of talent from the minors has not left this cupboard bare as Boston’s farm system still ranks in Baseball America’s top 5. Here are some of the next big prospects to keep an eye on in camp this spring and follow their progress this summer.

Continue reading "Boston Farm System Still Flush With Prospects"

With all indications that the Boston Red Sox will hit the field in 2008 with the exact same lineup as they did last October, I thought I'd take a look at that 2007 team and see just what the package consisted of.

Continue reading "If the Boston Red Sox were a 'single' ..."