Brett M. Rhyne
Jacoby Ellsbury's steal of home inspires a nice historical piece by Mel Antonen in USA Today. A couple of thoughts on the matter:
• One photo illustrating the story has the caption, "Giant mistake: Emmanuel Burriss is tagged out by the Diamondbacks' Miguel Montero on April 18, ending the inning and leaving Giants cleanup man Bengie Molina at the plate." My thought: If Bengie Molina is the Giants' cleanup hitter, they've got bigger problems than Burriss trying to steal home. (Then again, this is the anemic NL West.)
• I'm reminded of something the dearly departed Coco Crisp said in 2007, when Youk and Pedroia were batting 1-2 in the order: "Jacoby Ellsbury and I are like Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia — about the same speed. Just with really fast people."
Showing posts with label Jacoby Ellsbury. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jacoby Ellsbury. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
So Sweep
This was one of the best series I have seen, every game was exciting. The Red Sox are on fire. This weekend they swept the Yankees 3-0, swept a 9-0 homestand, and are 10 for 10 in their last 10 games. They scored 25 runs against the Yankees and 80 runs in the last 10 games. However, they are still one game down to Toronto.This weekend the Sox had so many amazing plays I thought they were going to sweep SportsCenters top 10. Jason Bay hit a 2-run shot to center field in Friday’s game to send the Sox into extra innings. Then Kevin Youkilis slammed a homer for a walk-off in the 11th inning. The sox won the first game 5-4.
Day 2 the sox weren’t looking as good. Josh Beckett was struggling giving up 6 runs in the first four innings while A.J. Burnett’s pitching was shutting down the Sox. However, that all changed in the bottom of the fourth when the Sox put up 5 runs. The next innings were back and forth (Sox went up 8-6, Yanks tie it up, Sox get another run 9-8, Yanks get 2 more, Sox get 3 more 12-10, Yanks get one more, then Sox finish them off with 4 more resulting in a 16-11 win.)Day 3 the game went by faster than the others. Each team got seven hits. Instead of home runs the Sox earned their runs a little different. For a game that wasn’t that excited a rare thing happened. Jacobi Ellsbury with Andy Pettitte’s back to him was able to steal home Sunday night. The Sox went on to win the game 4-1 sweeping the Yankees.
-Robin Lash
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Red Sox 5, Yankees 4 — 4/24/09
Brett M. Rhyne
Tonight's game had all the makings of an anti-climax, with neither team being able to do much against the opposing starter. When the Sox knocked out Joba Chamberlain in the sixth, I thought for sure they were going to pull ahead. But Sox starter Jon Lester was gone after shortly thereafter, and instead it was the Yanks who scratched out a couple of runs to take the lead. With one out in the ninth and Mariano Rivera on the mound, Kevin Youkilis drilled a single up the middle (nearly taking Rivera out in the process). J.D. Drew made the second out, leaving it up to Jason Bay. Bay promptly dinged one off the top of the Monster in centerfield, sending the game into extra innings and Rivera to the showers — his 14th career blown save against the Olde Towne Team, by far the most against any opponent. A couple of innings later, Youk put the Yanks out of their misery with a walkoff blast onto Lansdowne Street.
The good: Jason Bay, who sparkled at the plate and in left field; Youk, whose torrid bat and steady glove are carrying this team; and Jon Lester, who has returned to form as the Sox' most consistent starter.
The bad: The bullpen, no members of which looked sharp tonight; Jacoby Ellsbury, who may have manufactured a run in the first but then disappeared; and manager Terry Francona's decision to pinch run for Mike Lowell with two out in the ninth, after he'd gotten on following Bay's dinger — come on, Tito, we all knew the game was going into extra innings, and wouldn't you rather have Lowell's glove and bat in there?
The ugly: Hideki Okajima was the first and the worst of the bad relievers, throwing batting practice, coughing up the lead and getting himself on the hook for the loss until Bay's heroics; and David Ortiz took some pretty ugly swings, too.
Tonight's game had all the makings of an anti-climax, with neither team being able to do much against the opposing starter. When the Sox knocked out Joba Chamberlain in the sixth, I thought for sure they were going to pull ahead. But Sox starter Jon Lester was gone after shortly thereafter, and instead it was the Yanks who scratched out a couple of runs to take the lead. With one out in the ninth and Mariano Rivera on the mound, Kevin Youkilis drilled a single up the middle (nearly taking Rivera out in the process). J.D. Drew made the second out, leaving it up to Jason Bay. Bay promptly dinged one off the top of the Monster in centerfield, sending the game into extra innings and Rivera to the showers — his 14th career blown save against the Olde Towne Team, by far the most against any opponent. A couple of innings later, Youk put the Yanks out of their misery with a walkoff blast onto Lansdowne Street.
The good: Jason Bay, who sparkled at the plate and in left field; Youk, whose torrid bat and steady glove are carrying this team; and Jon Lester, who has returned to form as the Sox' most consistent starter.
The bad: The bullpen, no members of which looked sharp tonight; Jacoby Ellsbury, who may have manufactured a run in the first but then disappeared; and manager Terry Francona's decision to pinch run for Mike Lowell with two out in the ninth, after he'd gotten on following Bay's dinger — come on, Tito, we all knew the game was going into extra innings, and wouldn't you rather have Lowell's glove and bat in there?
The ugly: Hideki Okajima was the first and the worst of the bad relievers, throwing batting practice, coughing up the lead and getting himself on the hook for the loss until Bay's heroics; and David Ortiz took some pretty ugly swings, too.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Close but no cigar
Robin Lash
Today I thought (didn't say out loud) that I was going to see a no-hitter. I was especially excited because I was on a plane during Clay Buchholz and in a cabin with no Internet or TV within miles during Jon Lester’s. I thought I would finally get to see a no-hitter. Tim Wakefield, 42-years-old, took the mound with a goal of pitching as many innings as possible. The night before the sox used their bullpen for 10 2/3 innings. The bullpen needed a rest and that’s what Wakefield did.
In the second inning Mike Lowell hit a 2-run homer putting the sox up 2-0. It was around the 5th inning that I realized what was going on. I knew it was early to start thinking about a no-hitter but after 5 innings I was getting impressive.
There were impressive defensive plays to keep the no-hitter alive. In the third inning Jacoby Ellsbury had a nice catch that could have resulting in an extra-base hit. Then in the seventh a new face Nick Green made an unbelievable catch holding the no-hitter alive.
The eighth inning was a big one for the sox. J.D. Drew hit a 3-run homer putting the red sox up 5-0. The sox continued that inning with Green hitting in another run and Ellsbury hitting in two more putting the sox up 8-0. The bottom of the eighth brought bitter disappointment. Kurt Suzuki hit a single ending the pursuit for a no-hitter. The Athletics got a run that inning and they got another one in the bottom of the ninth. Wakefield ended up giving up 4 hits and 2 runs, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts, within 111 pitches. All in all the sox played a great game. Wakefield was able to pitch all nine innings giving the bullpen much needed rest.
Today I thought (didn't say out loud) that I was going to see a no-hitter. I was especially excited because I was on a plane during Clay Buchholz and in a cabin with no Internet or TV within miles during Jon Lester’s. I thought I would finally get to see a no-hitter. Tim Wakefield, 42-years-old, took the mound with a goal of pitching as many innings as possible. The night before the sox used their bullpen for 10 2/3 innings. The bullpen needed a rest and that’s what Wakefield did.
In the second inning Mike Lowell hit a 2-run homer putting the sox up 2-0. It was around the 5th inning that I realized what was going on. I knew it was early to start thinking about a no-hitter but after 5 innings I was getting impressive.
There were impressive defensive plays to keep the no-hitter alive. In the third inning Jacoby Ellsbury had a nice catch that could have resulting in an extra-base hit. Then in the seventh a new face Nick Green made an unbelievable catch holding the no-hitter alive.
The eighth inning was a big one for the sox. J.D. Drew hit a 3-run homer putting the red sox up 5-0. The sox continued that inning with Green hitting in another run and Ellsbury hitting in two more putting the sox up 8-0. The bottom of the eighth brought bitter disappointment. Kurt Suzuki hit a single ending the pursuit for a no-hitter. The Athletics got a run that inning and they got another one in the bottom of the ninth. Wakefield ended up giving up 4 hits and 2 runs, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts, within 111 pitches. All in all the sox played a great game. Wakefield was able to pitch all nine innings giving the bullpen much needed rest.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
It's only one game, folks
Brett M. RhyneBefore you all go apeshit over the outcome of today's Sox–Rays game, I'd like to remind you that they still have 161 left to play.
The good: Josh Beckett's 2-hit, 10-K outing and his apparent command of his fastball, curve and change from the get-go; just ignore the third inning. Also, the way the lineup appears balanced, at least from two through eight.
The bad: Manager Terry Francona's decision to pull Beckett after seven; he was cruising, and his departure was what allowed Tampa Bay back into the game. Also, the top and bottom of the Sox lineup: Jacoby Ellsbury (0-4, 1 K) continues to disappoint, and Jed Lowrie (1 cheap hit, 2 K's) has yet to show why he's preferable to Julio Lugo at short (theirs were the only three Sox strikeouts, by the way).
The ugly: The performances of middle relievers Hideki Okajima (1 BB to the #9 hitter, 1 HBP, 2 ER, 54.00 ERA) and Justin Masterson (both inherited runners scored); 38-year-old Okie's 2007 heroics are now two years removed, and Masterson may just be hyper-hype.
Photo: Senator Edward M. Kennedy and Hall of Famer Jim Rice preview their remake of Driving Miss Daisy; Jim Davis, Boston Globe
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