The Red Sox have been a flop, but some of that has been bad luck. Does anyone really think Youkilis and Crawford are not going to hit soon? My gut says they light up the Yankees today. No matter - if the Yankees stay sharp and win a couple this weekend, Boston will still be in a big big hole to start the season.

Agreed! Hey, we agree!

yeah...I don't feel good about this today, they're too "due"

Yes. Fenway will be really loud. Easy to feed off of that energy.

..Unless the Yanks put a crooked number up on the board early. That could have a Chicken Little effect on the crowd.

Crossing my fingers.

well unfortunately they aren't going to go 0-162.
however, i do think some of the projection systems on the red sox were high.
their rotation has its share of question marks.
i also think ugly is still feeling the impact of his thumb injury, and i don't think he will turn out to be a good 3b at this point in his career. he's getting up there in baseball years (32).

Agreed agreed agreed. Hard to see anything but another rough outing for Hughes here. Fingers crossed it aint the case

Interesting.
My "gut" says the Sox flounder against Hughes.
But I don't have any particularly good reason.

Cliff compares the Sox and Yanks position by position, and gives Boston the edge at second base. I have to say I think this is badly wrong. Cano is a better hitter. And fielding is hard to measure, but I think Rob is at least as good, although his lower grit factor may present the illusion that Pedroia fields more balls. (The fact, cited by Cliff, that Pedroia won the ROY award, strikes me as a completely irrelevant fact. Don't look at how good writers think they are, just look at how good they are!)

I think Hughes and his love of the 3-2 count is going to be the cure for what ails Boston

[7] i hope fielding stats improve quickly.
one thing to remember is cano is not a pony - i mean that has to count for something.

RIYank, I was just showing how similar their careers have been, ROY and MVP candidates, etc. The point of the preview is that there's very little separating these teams at almost every position. The edge I give to Pedroia is smaller than he is.

[10] "The edge I give to Pedroia is smaller than he is."

Hilarious.

Okay, Cliff, you are absolved of your sin, then.

Speaking of the midget, why is he growing out a balding head of hair? It just makes him look older.

[13] It's his mane.

[14]

a couple of years late for "cowboy up", but LOL

Yaz is looking old.

That looked pretty good

RUN

[9] I would LOVE to get my hands on even a game's worth of Field f/X data.

Supposedly, NYS is one of the 2nd wave of stadiums that had the system before the start of this season.

Only drawback (other than the data isn't public) each game's raw data is supposed to be around 2 TB in size, which is an INSANE amount of data.

[16] Yaz is looking like Buddy Hackett ...

Goddammit Jeter.

That didn't work.

Ohh, Derek.

Meanwhile, the YES crowd mikes are hot again today ...

[23] Heehee!

That was embarrassing. Bad decision anyway. I don't want Gardner frigging BUNTED over. Take that base, son!

[23] They were picking up some colorful language yesterday.

[19] yeah that would be fascinating to see.
after that wish is fulfilled i'd like to see one game from each stadium.

I love Leiter.

Gardner is getting to the point where I would like to see him traded just because I'm sick of his lack of aggression.

[25] Well, he's not going to. Not in the first three or four pitches anyway

So yeah, never mind

This umps strike zone is going to kill Hughes

[30] See [29]

Lackey is all over the place, judging from MLB Gameday.

Yay!

Hell yeah, Robbie!!!

Fuckin' A!!!

RIPPER!!!

I'd say throw him out, but maybe not

Lackey is repulsive.

[34]

Sox radio side is saying HP ump is very inconsistent.

If so, Hughes could be in trouble too.

[40]

(sorry [32]) :-)

if I had to watch Lackey 30 times a year I'd probably set my eyes on fire

Well that erases Jeter's sad attempt!

[40] Especially since he'll have fewer pitches to work with after he throws all his waste pitches.

[29] He's *been* more aggressive this, at least in the games I've seen so far, which is all of them.

[41] Haha, no - glad to be corroborated.

Hold 'em, boys!

Damn, Swish, that was a pitch to hit.

Oh well, I'll take the two.

[42] Why is that, exactly?

He does need to check himself re: bitching at the ump, that's for sure.

Good start...Phil needs the runs!

[42] His pitching style or his ungodly ugliness?

I think Lackey got a break from the ump because it's opening day. He was pushing it.

Now Phil, I know something in you is calling to you to give the two runs back, plus. But don't!

Uh...Yankees 2, Red Sox coming to bat. How important is Hughes shutting them down in the first...

I hope he is more definitive than the mouth breather.

hate giving lackey an out, but the first out of the game? in fenway park?

if i ever got to interview jeter, i'd ask him about his sacrifice bunts. i have always thought he calls his own number, and sometimes when he does, it's a really bad play.

88,89,85,90

not good.

[54] He definitely call his own number, but I bet he was bunting for a hit. Still, not a good play IMO.

Oh Christ. Here we go.

cheapie

Fuck.

Phil. Can't get through one inning, can you?

[56] And again, if Gardner was the threat he should be, it probably wouldn't be a consideration

well that was way more interesting than it needed to be

Good to see that Phil's brought his slap-me-around-like-a-little-girl fastball today ...

[52] A break on which pitch? The Pitch Zone showed him getting a bit squeezed (at least with Gardner).

tweet from Olney: Hughes's fastball is 89, cutter 85, and breaking ball an 81 mph hanger. Everything is totally flat for him right now.

[64] I think a break on the screaming and yelling at the ump.

like seeing that the yanks got 2 quick off lackey.
don't like seeing mlp with a hr off hughesy.

[64] I think he means for barking.

I remember when Hughes was supposed to throw in the mid 90s consistently.

[66] Ah...I missed that (one eye on the game...one eye on work).

Has anyone ever figured out why Youkilis' batting stance is the pee-pee dance?

[66][68] Right

Phil is so asking for it.

Shit. He's got bupkis out there.

[71] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LGUN2w29eo

Jesus.

[73] The good news is that at this rate, he'll hit the magic 100 pitch total in the third inning.

Well, at least they're not hitting the ball hard or anything.

Not much in the confidence building department. Hughes got out of it with a lot of luck, the fouls and outs were hit hard.

I'm officially "concerned" about Phil

[77] Bring on the Col-on

All right, Team, I gotta go teach...back in the mid-to-late innings. Hold down the fort.

Hawk, you're in charge.

Absolutely not is right

[82] haha, you got it

[80] Yeah...I'm getting that "he's hurt" feeling.

GRANDYMAN!

[85] Which would be ironic, considering the Yankees babying of these kids. First Joba, then Phil ... Meanwhile Ian Kennedy wanders the desert

Manny must be laughing if he saw that.

[87] That would be amazing if after all these stupid limits they both got hurt.

[88] Chances are he's laughing if he didn't!

[89] Especially given the Yanks' holier-than-thou attitude about their treatment

GRITNER!

The Paulie hook slide there.

[87] Yes. Ironic. Sad, infuriating, and ironic.

[89] I would not be amazed at all. To be honest, I think that Nolan Ryan, for all of his things-were-better-back-in-my-day bluster, may be on to something.

He's Lackeydoubsical ...

we all realize this is gonna be Colon vs Wakefield by the 4th right?

[89] Hughes has already been hurt (a few times) before.

Hi everybody! Lots of nervous nellies up here in the greater Beantown area . . . a win today would be very nice.

Gardner!

Love that clunking sound

[94] I really think Mark Prior ruined pitching development for the forseeable future.

Man, Lackey wants EVERY pitch

At this rate, if Hughes can keep his ERA at 9.00 for his four or five innings today, the Yanks might just pull this one out.

Jeter's at bats are not filling me with confidence. It seems like he's caught between, like he's not sold on the new swing.

[102] I thought he abandoned it?

If its true, someone should tell the Captain that was a stupid fucking thing to do - because he's looked awful, and has had way too many grounders (again): 16 GB vs 2 FB vs 2 LD, per FanGraphs, not including today's game, of course.

[102] He's gone back to his old swing, at least as it concerns his stride.

[103] Did he? They were alluding to that the other day, but I didn't know if it was definitive. I guess what I'm saying is it looks like it's not - it's neither here nor there

[104] That's a shame. Oops so is Phil's imminent collapse

[103] it's frustrating watching him, but it's tough to change something like your batting stance after this many years - it's only natural for it to creep back.

It's painful to watch this for me, I'm sorry.

[94] On to what, exactly?

Pull Hughes. He's throwing slop.

I mean watching Phil. Cause the Yanks have the lead but before he even starts the inning, you know something bad is going to happen

this is gonna suck...

I find myself almost wishing someone would just hit the HR and put Hughes out of his/my misery

I was hoping for a nice, quick game. That way I could get on the train after work knowing the game's result.

I'm guessing that this is going to be a long one.

PULL HIM.

[114] Hahaha! When are Yanks/Sox EVER quick?

fuck my life

Jesus, just get Fat Bastard up and in the game already.

God Hughes is putrid

[116] I know. I know. Wishful thinking. Delusional, perhaps.

[109] That younger pitchers should NOT be protected as much as they are now, but rather conditioned to throw more to build up arm strength and stamina.

As the years have gone by since the introduction of the protect-the-young-arms procedures, I have become increasingly convinced that "protecting" young pitchers has not led to fewer injuries. This does not mean that no limits should be exercised. But at the same time, I wonder if teams are actually hurting pitchers by (for lack of a better term) "babying" them.

I can't stand this, I really can't. I may have to go do something else. It's not that he's doing so poorly even. It's coughing up a lead in Fenway. It just disgusts me

PULL HIM NOW

Five hits in one inning?

OOOH, 90. yay Phil!

horseshit

[123] Yeah, probably. But unfortunately consider what lurks in the bullpen.

Is anyone even warming?

What are you fucking waiting for, Joey Joe Joe?!?!?!?!?

[128] Probably Robertson.

Hughes and his reclusive velocity. Please make this stop.

[121] Right. There's no divine law that dictates how to go about protecting young pitchers from injury. Maybe they're going about it the wrong way.

[127] Colon can actually throw 90.

They need to get Hughes OUT OF THE GAME if he walks Youkilis

What's the over/under on runs today?

Remember when Hughes was supposed to be Clemensesque? Hahaha! He better go to Mike Mussina School

[132] Farnsworth could throw 100...that didn't mean he could get people out.

U G L Y you don't need no alibi

There is a dinger in the future for Phil.3...2...

[121] I knew all of that already and feel generally the same, but II just wondered what evidence there is so far from the experiment that would lead you to think that they were "on to something", other than the fact that you already believed they were "on to something".

I'm sorry but

HOLY SHIT DOES PHIL HUGHES SUCK!

WOW!

I hope this is resolved soon, cause I hate to see it.

[137] But Hughes throwing 85 isn't getting anyone out either. Try something new.

That was an ugly inning...

...but a kinda funny rundown that only involved the runner and two fielders.

Criiiiiipes. Garcia needs work, doesn't he? Someone please tell me he's up in the pen, not Colon.

I'm still not panicking about Hughes, but aaaaiiiiieeeeee . . .

Phil Hughes: The cure for what ails ya, Red Sox Nation

[143] Well, Garcia would be a change of speed.

Slower, but I guess its something.

[139] No positive evidence, but since injuries are surely not on the decline that is evidence enough that the protection rules are failing in their designed effect. Also, one need only look at historical stats to see that pitchers back in the day threw more innings per game and per season, and yet somehow many of them went on to long and productive careers.

All of this leads me to at least wonder if Ryan isn't on to something.

If Girardi lets Hughes pitch the third, he's a moron. Or he doesn't want to win this game.

If anyone else is looking for a silver lining, for the Yanks to come back and win this game would be quite delicious.

[143] Don't be silly. Garcia is the "#5 starter," Colon is the "long man." With this in mind, who should replace Hughes is obvious.

hughes is throwing BP. so far the sox were just working on going back up the box and the other way, if they get another turn in the cage against him, they'll aim for the seats.

Flash advocating sending Hughes out again "to build up arm strength" ... Yeah let's do that right now. A fine idea.

I'm surprised that A-Rod didn't score on that.

Swisher JUST missed that

[147] Commissioner's office called him. For the good of Baseball please keep Hughes in.

I think Salty got hairplugs

Alright

Ok now that they scored again, how can Girardi send out Hughes out with a clear conscience? It's two run game.

I choose to look at the bright side...

...the bright side being that I'm having Red Lobster for dinner

[158] LOL

And I don't like seafood either

I'm having some kind of pasta. Cant eat meat

Fat Bastard time!

Dang, totally forgot the game was an afternoon affair. And it looks like there's been plenty of scoring already.

They are right in this game, if only they can hang some zeros on the board.

[158] Red Sox winning vs. Red Lobster dinner...you got me there.

Hughesthenasia.
Colonoscopy.

Good for Girardi

[163] Absolutely. I'm glad Girardi recognizes this and didn't follow Flaherty's advice

[167] Let Hughes toss in the bullpen, if you think that'll help, but he had no business being out there for the 3rd.

Honestly if Hughes is going to be this awful they need to just start Colon, and send Hughes to the minors or the DL. Or both. Figure it out.

Nice inning Bartolo.

Phew. Who would've predicted Bartolo Colon coming in and out shining Phil Hughes like he just did a few months ago?

[171] He just did that a few months ago?

(Sorry, just trying to lighten the mood.)

Most runs scored by both teams in a NYY/BOS regular season game: 31
(August 21, 2009)

I suspect Hughes is hurt, so a trip to the DL may be in order. I just hope this is not some Curse of the Mitre and Hughes is the new Unlucky™.

Hughes has come out twice now with nothing more than first or second spring training start type stuff. This is like side throwing stuff. Not just diminished velocity, but batting practice.

If the guy wasn't ready to start the season, why did we waste two starts on him? I bet every single one of the AAA guys and certainly Banuelos could have stepped in and given the yanks an actual effort. He's not ready - don't pitch him in games that count.

So Al was throwing like Phil was today?

All right I gotta step out. Let's go Yankees

Gardner!

GRITNER!

Good to see him go for 3 on that ball in the corner!

[176] Cosign

Jeter. Please!

68

JEETS! I never doubted you!

I'm not dead yet.

I have to leave but I want to let this half inning finish. But I don't want it to finish.

Cap'n!

Ok, Tito, just leave that slack-jawed mouth breather in for another inning and we might just take this one home, with an assist from Fat Bastard!

[160] same here, I'm actually making SOMETHING of an effort to be good about that this year...so its been a whole lotta shell fish.

when is the last time these two teams played a "tidy" game? 1949?

Good job, Derek.

Dreadful at bat from Teixeira.

Oh well, we got one back.

My Little Strikeout.

[191] YOU CAN KEEP YOUR MONEY ... AND YOUR MOJO ... JUST GIVE *ME* THE BABY!!!

Hell yes! There we go. Even Stephens.

Centaur > Pony

[194] hahaha

[194]

smile

Hell yeah! Huges owes the line up a steak dinner, getting him off the hook.

Huges = Hughes.

[2] Alex, we agree all the time, it's just not nearly as fun as when we disagree.

... and we're back to square. Been a long tome since I was on the Banter.

199) I know, and we both like to disagree even when we do just to run our ol Bickersons schtick. You da man, compadre!

ugh why do they keeping walking ugly - i don't care that he is the greek god of walks.

Ugh.

C'mon Teix, you gotta make that play.

Slack, Teix, slack.

sloppy

Ugh

Gah, bah, fuck.

god damnnit now 7-6? does no one want to win this game? awful pitching man.

Damn. Off to home, so I'll be able to actually watch the rest of this rollercoaster.

Good to see Vulture back in the bigs, too bad it's with the Sox.

Just a bit outside.

[200] Wow... Stormer? Must be Old Timers Day here at the Banter.

Nice at bat, Gardner - now the Cap and then Tex, hungry for redemption.

Old Timer, well, umm, well.

Yea, moved, courted, got married, changed jobs, quit smoking . . . it's been a busy couple of years.

Well, I guess 2 hits in 1 day was to much to ask for from Jeter.

Ah well. Jeter stinks again hahaha

[213] so much for that scenario...

Crappy tap, Cap.
C,mon let's get 'em, boyos!

Sweet catch Jeets!

God, grant me the serenity
to accept that Jeter is now a double play machine;
but was a clutch machine some years ago;
and the wisdom to know the difference.

Whiff that Cologne

Colon looked pretty good.

[221] He's "Driven."

Good lord. Bobby Jenks used to be good. Not even close.

Ben Shpiegel just tweeted that Manny Ramirez has retired.

I predict big things here

?!?!?!!?!

Sweet Jesus, why is Jenks wearing a merkin on his face?

I wonder what the hell is going on with Manny

apparently it was drug related, and the way they're making it sound non-PED drugs

SI_JoeLemire Joe Lemire
Per release, MLB contacted Manny about an issue under its drug program. Manny retired rather than continue with the process. #rays

Mark Feinsand : Based on MLB's release, I have to assume that Manny failed another drug test. Instead of serving a 100-game ban, he's retiring.

Hey, Team. 7-6 is most acceptable under the circs.

Sterling says the radio crew is scrambling to get the scoop on Manny.

So happy I've never had to root for Manny, that flake.

Let's go Swish, take Bobby Brillopad deep!

Nice swing, Cornflake ...

[214] Congrats on the courting...

I'll say this for Manny, at his peak the only hitter I feared more as a Yankee fan was Edgar

[238] Hear, hear.

Manny talks a good game.
Mr. Natural. Mr. What-Me-Worry.
I think he's a scumbag liar.

[240] Really, anyone that has ever gotten caught has had some stupid excuse

Oh, good. Boone Logan.

Why did Alex throw that baseball?

[239] .... and the countdown to the U.S. District Court Bankruptcy filing begins.

Oy.

238) without looking up the numbers I think I feared Manny more than Edgar because of his power. Plus I think I had more confidence in the Yankees pitchers during Edgar's reign of terror. I still get Mannymares in my sleep. Hated that guy, but respected his talent.

Manny scared me more than anyone

[234] Suzyn just said that MLB put out a statement that Manny doesn't want to complete the terms of his anti-drug testing program since his suspension. Boo hoo. Don't let the door hit you in the butt Manny.

This has disaster written all over it.

Not looking forward to Boone in this situation.

So what does this do to Manny's HoF chances. I think he still gets in, but may have to wait a few years.

251) why wait? Put him in the Hall of Assholes today.

Yay Boone!

[251] I don't think he does, because all moralizing aside this comes off as a big "fuck you" to everyone

Boone Longball

Thanks, Boone.

Thanks a lot.

Boone Longgame

Yeah. Boone vs. Ortiz. That wasn't our best matchup.

Well, this is the game, I'd say. If the Sox plate two, our WP is very low...

As a famous surgeon once said, should've just left the Colon in

This game has been painful. Only one thing could redeem it at this point: Hitting the crap out of everything Papelbon tosses and winning it in the 9th.

[254] That could be. He did get caught under the new program, twice now. And what was he using beforehand? He was still a great hitter, but how much of his power/endurance was chemically enhanced?

Add Logan to the list. He's crap

Many was bad for baseball. It is as simple as that. To twist Ear Weaver a bit, This aint football, character still matters here.

As much as I feared him as a hitter, he was always as likely to give up on his teammates as dig in and fight. He was a bad example to kids and adults alike. Much of his mid-career prowess was likely attributed to doping. Manny put up some great numbers as a selfish and irresponsible human being, and that is how I will remember him.

Boooooooo....ne.

263. I don't agree. I thought Manny was fun even if he was a douche.

This is just Manny being Manny. He's got big fucking elephant balls. But my question is, what drug was he taking? Ambien?

Booooooooooooooooooooooooooo-ne

263) yup
264) yep

[261] He was also on the 2003 list

Bear Grylls could put together a better staff out of coconut husks, a few rocks, and come deciduous tree limbs.

[266] [264] Toooooooo sloooooooow. The extra "o"s did you in.

[265] Ginsana . . . Scottie Pippen swears by it.

[265] Never found Manny to be fun. He's an over-indulged narcissistic child who happened to be a flat-out brilliant hitter. His schtick was old to me on day 1. I'll never denigrate his amazing feats as a hitter, but he's always been a douche in my book.

Kind of figured today's game would go this way, so I'm not letting it upset me. Winning the series would be huge, though.

I really dislike Boone Logan right now.

I'm not sure why he got to face Drew - JD is not great vs LHP (.255/.358/.422 career), but he doesn't disappear against them either.

Add in the double by Ortiz, and I would have pulled Logan, if I was Girardi. Better to take your chances with Joba or Robertson at that point, methinks.

[268] Oh, didn't know that.

Dictionary.com......Manny Ramirez.

Warning: May appeal to you if you are between the ages of 18 and 25, find yourself drunk, stoned, and a member of a fraternity. Please seek the guidance of someone with a fully developed brain is symptoms persist for more than 48 hours.

272) Dude, he was a douche but he won me over when he cut off Damon's throw to the infield. What a fucking freak!

[274] I agree. Best vs. Best. But Lefty/Lefty shall die hard,.

276) Digustibus.

[277] ... and he once joined the exceptionally long list of people who have urinated at Fenway Park in a place other than a restroom.

USA Today, that bastion of journalistic integrity and depth is reporting that it was PED.

277) sorry, his douchebaggery has never been cute, or appealing to me. I honestly don't think I could have ever rooted for him under any circumstances. That's how much he repulsed me with his arrogance.

I'm sick of this fuck.

If Dustin Pedroia is 5'7 I'm 6'5

[284] If Dustin Pedroia was ever a legitimate MVP candidate I'm starting for the Yankees on Sunday.

You know, Brett, you don't *have* to take two strikes.

Oh, Brett.

there you go.

Christ Gardner, WTF were you waiting for?????

I hope no one swings this inning

[289] Whatever he always does.

[282] et al - re Manny, here's another instance where I'd pay lots of money to get Ralph Wiley's take.

I've never had any problems with Manny. If we've learned anything from sports media in the last 10, 15, 20, 42 years, it's this: we might think we "know" these guys, but we don't. That applies to rights, wrongs, and everything in between. I'm no more ready to judge and convict Manny for his apparent douchebaggery that I am to anoint Jeter a saint for all his good work on and off the field.*

*Disclaimer: the preceding does not apply to MO, because he is a saint already.

God, what a sickly hack.

That was a swing??

Your team is 0-6, I wouldn't start the "Yankees suck" chant

[292] Good point. In this case however, we are lucky to have plenty of examples of his douchebaggery right there on the field, while Jeter's sainthood is due to a lack of private information to the contrary.

Well, that was quite the showing by Hughes and Logan.

"Yankees suck" chants are to Red Sox fans as firing guns into the air is for denizens of the 3rd world ...

[295] Hey, I'm in LA. I live where half the stadium wants to kill you, and the other half isn't sure how many outs there are in an inning.

So maybe this chant in Boston isn't so bad, at least they know who's leading.

[299] Really?

I live in Pasadena.

Where in LA?