Official 2006 Spring Training Game Thread

[riverside sluggers]

Tony G belts one to left field!!

[a700hitter]

Tony Graf on waivers hit a homer. Hopefully, he has a big day and we can get someone good for him.

[ORS]

I hope we see a lot of innings like Beckett's 2nd inning today. K's Howard, K's Burrell, weak grounder to 2B.

[riverside sluggers]

Beckett is looking nasty, and this is against a good offensive lineup too

[a700hitter]

Beckett is looking nasty, and this is against a good offensive lineup too

He's really handled Howard who is a pretty good hitter.

[ORS]

He's really handled Howard who is a pretty good hitter.

And Howard is hot right now too. He's hit 10 bombs in ~70 spring ABs.

[riverside sluggers]

Beckett was having a shouting match between innings with Howard. I love the presence that he brings to the Red Sox, something lost when Pedro left

 

Final Line- 6 innings, 6 Hits, 2 Runs, 3 Walks, 6 Ks

[a700hitter]

And Howard is hot right now too. He's hit 10 bombs in ~70 spring ABs.

He looked tough in Ft. Myers. He's a big time hitter. The between innings argument with Beckett was interesting. Beckett is an intense guy. I heard from some mMet fans that he was an emotional guy with a bit of a mean streak. I like that. Intimidation should always be a part of a power pitchers arsenal.

 

Stern is really making a statement with the bat. It will be hard to send him down after he spends his 17 days with the ML squad. I think he will tear up AAA if he gets sent down.

 

What's with Varitek's arm. He's made two throws today that looked awful-slow release and nothing on them.

 

Seanez with a relatively clean outing for him. Has he had a single one-two-three inning this Spring.

[riverside sluggers]

True but really he'd get more playing time down in Pawtucket. I think Theo wants to get as many AB's as possible for Wily Mo, not just platooning with Trot. Stern would be seeing a lot of the bench in games, Pawtucket he'd be an everyday starter

[a700hitter]

A two-inning save for Hansen, and still no runs allowed.

 

Durrington plays a lot of positions, and he has looked more than adequate at all of them. He has the makings of a super-sub.

[MANNYHOF24]

Beckett looked very good today. What a fastball he has, i cant wait to watch him work this season, its going to be fun

[Anuj09]

yah when he spotted his pitches he was vivicious, nice curves and fastballs thrown

 

what was this about a fight ? they mentioned it at espn.com

[riverside sluggers]

Final stats of today's Sox win over the Phils 3-2. This ends a 5 game losing streak making their spring record at 7-16-1. Tomorrow David Wells gets the 1pm start against the Devil Rays

 

Josh Beckett, as noted, was solid through 6 innings of work. He gave up 2 runs on 6 hits and 3 Walks. Struck out 6 batters (3 times he had back to back Ks). Rudy Seanez is hopefully showing some rust coming off, pitched his 3rd straight scoreless inning. Hansen pitched 2 shutout innings to close it out for a save

 

Tony G helping his cause hit a 1st inning HR to give the Sox the quick 1-0 lead. Stern continued his hitting going 2 for 4 with a Double & SB. Wily Mo Pena had also gone 2 for 4 with a Double. In 3 spring training games with Sox, Wily Mo is now 5 for 11, just 1 K. Dustan Mohr had an RBI, but his biggest play of the game was throwing out Jimmy Rollins at Home plate. In the end, that was the deciding factor.

 

Adam Stern- 2 for 4, Double, SB (.367 avg)

Trent Durrington- 0 for 2 (.182 avg)

Tony Graffanino- 1 for 4, HR, RBI (.189 avg)

Jason Varitek- 1 for 4 (.125 avg)

Mike Lowell- 1 for 4 (.268 avg)

Kevin Youkilis- 0 for 2, walk (.211 avg)

Hee-Seop Choi- 0 for 1 (.100 avg)

Wily Mo Pena- 2 for 4, Double (.357 avg)

Dustan Mohr- 1 for 4, Double, RBI (.343 avg)

Alex Cora- 0 for 4, RBI (.167 avg)

Josh Beckett- 0 for 2

Wille Harris- 0 for 2 (.143 avg)

 

Josh Beckett (W, 2-0)- 6 innings, 6 Hits, 2 Runs, 3 Walks, 6 Ks, 5.14 ERA

Rudy Seanez (H, 1)- 1 inning, K, 7.20 ERA

Craig Hansen (S, 1)- 2 innings, K, 0.00ERA

[riverside sluggers]

yah when he spotted his pitches he was vivicious, nice curves and fastballs thrown

 

what was this about a fight ? they mentioned it at espn.com

 

Phillies young slugger Ryan Howard thought he hit a HR off of Beckett. So he was showboating down the 1st base line until he saw that it was caught. this is something that no pitcher wants to see an opposing batter do, especially Beckett. When howard was taking 1st base, Beckett was held back by Seanez & Pena as he shouted out remarks at him. Benches got cleared but there were no swings. And this is just a spring training game

 

This is what the 2005 rotation lacked, a pitcher who will get into the batters' faces when he sees something he doesnt like. A la Pedro.

[Anuj09]

well i officially think that the absolute biggest ? mark is Mike Lowell, Foulke has done well and is confident, Schill is who i am a tad bit concerned as far as earned runs goes, he let up a lot but still gets mad k's

[mtbykr]

Beckett looked good today! I really like the emotion that this guy brings to the club---just wait till we play the yanks later in the season at fenway! Lowell still looks really slow to me, let's hope something changes. Stern is doing everything that is asked of him and more---it's going to be tough to see him sent down with everything that he has done! What are the odds of Stern replacing trot after this year and platooning with Pena (depending on how he pans out)

 

Opening day is coming, just not soon enough!

[Cityofchampions33]

Foulke has done well and is confident

 

Yep, he had a 1-2-3 against the jays the other day. But beckett has been solid in his past 3 starts, and hopefully he'll carry it over into the season, along with Foulke and Schilling, you could say we acquired 3 all-stars this off-season to add to our staff.

[riverside sluggers]

Beckett's spring 5.14 ERA is deceiving to say the least. His first start saw him allow 5 Tampa Bay runs in 3 innings of work. In a press conference after the game, he said he'll have something for them in the regular season Over his past 2 starts however, Twins & Phillies, he has allowed just 3 runs in 11 innings.

 

Yesterday was his last start of spring training, this friday he'll pitch in a minor league game to set up for his first official start as a Red Sox...

 

April 5- @ Texas (the same team who took their time trading for him, Boston swooped in with no hesitation)

[mtbykr]

Caught this about yesterday's "near fight"

 

http://redsox.bostonherald.com/redSox/view.bg?articleid=132336&format=&page=1

 

 

thought this quote was interesting:

 

With Beckett still chirping, Howard walked toward the dugout, finally throwing his glove down to prepare for a fight. Beckett attempted to ascend the stairs to meet him, only to be intercepted by teammates as a scrum formed in foul territory and bullpens emptied. Rudy Seanez, who participates in ultimate fighting during the offseason, led the relievers’ charge.

 

Good to know if we get into another altercation with the yanks this year!

[riverside sluggers]

Update from the 1st inning of the spring training matchup vs the D-Rays. Our old friend Casey Fossum is pitching.

 

Wells had a 1-2-3 inning, all outs on groundballs

----------

*Coco singles to start off the game (Honestly, every game he has been in he has gotten on base in his first AB )

*With Loretta batting, Coco steals his 7th stolen base of the spring

*Loretta walks

*Ortiz pops out

*Manny singles, driving in Coco... 1-0

*Varitek K's

*Mike Lowell walks, loading the bases

*Trot singles, driving in Loretta & Manny... 3-0

*J.T. Snow singles, driving in Lowell... 4-0

*Gonzalez fiels out to end the inning

 

Note: Im not doing this with every inning I hear about, this one I just wanted to let you guys know of the play-by-play

[riverside sluggers]

Going into the bottom of the 8th inning, the D-Rays now lead 11-10

 

Julian Tavarez had gotten the first 2 outs couple with men on base from 2 Boston minor leaguer errors... The next stat shown was that Tavarez has been ejected. My friend is telling me that Tavarez was ejected for "beating the s*** out of Gathright". We of course know how he can get his temper falred up. Id say the Red Sox pitchers want to start the season, huh?

 

The lead was given up by Papelbon. He gave up 3 consecutive singles until getting the 3rd out

[a700hitter]

How did Foulke do?

[jsinger121]

Edes...

 

Quote:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

For the second straight day, the Red Sox were involved in a bench-clearing incident.

 

Red Sox reliever Julian Tavarez put a tag on Devil Rays outfielder Joe Gathright as he tried to cross home plate during today’s game. Afterwards, Tavarez connected with his right hand on Gathright’s chin.

[jsinger121]

should be noted that Foulke threw 5 pitches (out, out, strike, strike, strike).

[riverside sluggers]

Edes...

 

Quote:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

For the second straight day, the Red Sox were involved in a bench-clearing incident.

 

Red Sox reliever Julian Tavarez put a tag on Devil Rays outfielder Joe Gathright as he tried to cross home plate during today’s game. Afterwards, Tavarez connected with his right hand on Gathright’s chin.

 

Gathright must not know that Tavarez is not the pitcher you want to challenge to a fight, because he will bring it 10X. Of course this game isnt being televised or even on the radio

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

should be noted that Foulke threw 5 pitches (out, out, strike, strike, strike).

 

That is extremely encouraging. If he can be the same closer he was a couple seasons ago this Red Sox team has the ability to win the AL East. Possibly a better pitching staff than 2004.

[a700hitter]

Gathright must not know that Tavarez is not the pitcher you want to challenge to a fight, because he will bring it 10X. Of course this game isnt being televised or even on the radio

Damn! That would have been fun to watch. It sounds like Taverez got the better of the fight. I hope he didn't hurt his pitching hand. Any other scuffles in the melee?

[riverside sluggers]

Damn! That would have been fun to watch. It sounds like Taverez got the better of the fight. I hope he didn't hurt his pitching hand. Any other scuffles in the melee?

 

Gortdon Edes

 

Here’s how it went down ...

 

After the two fielding mistakes by the Sox, Tavarez’s first pitch to Julio Lugo was high and tight. With Gathright already on second base, Lugo went on to get a hit, but got caught between first and second.

 

Recognizing they had Lugo in a pickle, Sox catcher Ken Huckaby ran out toward him while keeping an eye on Gathright, who had moved to third and was partway down the third base line.

 

Huckaby threw to infielder Zach Borowiak to nab Lugo. When he did, Gathright broke to the plate, forcing Tavarez to cover home. Borowiak threw to Tavarez, Gathright slid, and Tavarez tagged him (Tavarez might have gotten spiked).

 

Tavarez then connected with a punch, and players rushed the field. Jonathan Papelbon came running out from the bullpen, and he and Papa Jack pulled Gathright out of the scrum.

 

Devil Rays outfielder Carl Crawford and Gathright were gesturing toward the Sox dugout, but there were no other incidents (though we believe Tavarez was yelling from the dugout).

 

In the bottom of the eighth, newly acquired Red Sox first baseman Hee-Seop Choi was plunked by Rays pitcher Wayne Franklin, and the umps warned both sides.

 

The Sox have a walkoff win Choi walked with bases loaded in the bottom of the 9th

[mtbykr]

This is going to be a fun season to watch! Hopefully there will be some film of it tonight somewhere--mabey on sportsdesk!

[a700hitter]

Not a good outing by Papelbon. 5 hits in 1 1/3 inning. That's ugly. I expected Wells to get spanked. He has not had enough work. Hopefully, he'll stay behind and pitch to some minor leaguers during the first two weeks. If he sits on his ass, he'll give a performance like this when he comes back.