July 13th vs. Toronto

[BoSox34]

Red Sox (54-34) vs. Blue Jays (43-45)

Boston, MA

7:05 PM

 

Julian Tavarez (5-7 4.97 ERA)

 

http://graphics.boston.com/bonzai-fba/Globe_Photo/2006/03/28/1143548512_0888.jpg

 

VS.

 

Shawn Marcum (4-3 3.62 ERA)

 

http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/sports/photos/2007/04/19/marcum-shaun070419.jpg

 

David Ortiz's numbers may not be at the level they were last year, but the Boston slugger is trying not to let that or a nagging injury slow him down in the second half.

 

Ortiz and the Red Sox (54-34) try to match their longest home winning streak of the season when they continue a four-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays (43-45) on Friday.

 

Ortiz revealed Thursday that he's been playing with a torn meniscus in his right knee since the middle of the 2006 season. Boston's designated hitter said he hurt his knee during batting practice at Yankee Stadium last summer, probably during the June 6-8 series.

 

He hasn't needed surgery because the knee is free of inflammation.

 

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"It wasn't anything major," Ortiz said. "I just kept playing through it last year. This year, it's been bothering me more than it used to."

 

That may be why the All-Star has just 14 homers and 54 RBIs this season - well off his pace of 2006, when he finished with 54 home runs and 137 RBIs. He looked like his old self Thursday, though, going 3-for-5 with two RBIs to help the Red Sox beat Toronto 7-4 and snap a three-game losing streak.

 

Ortiz is 8-for-14 with a homer, three doubles and seven RBIs in his last three games against the Blue Jays. Manny Ramirez, whose numbers have also declined this season, went 2-for-4 with three RBIs on Thursday.

 

"Manny and Ortiz are just good hitters," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "They'll have big second halves."

 

The Red Sox have outscored opponents 40-17 and batted .345 during five straight home wins. On Friday, they'll try to equal their longest win streak of the season at Fenway Park, set April 13-22.

 

Boston is 29-14 at home, while Toronto is 17-26 on the road with losses in six of its last eight games away from Rogers Centre.

 

Blue Jays All-Star Alex Rios went 3-for-4 with a single, double and homer Thursday to extend his hitting streak to seven games. He's batting .462 (12-for-26) during that stretch.

 

Rios is 8-for-12 with a homer, triple and double against Julian Tavarez (5-7, 4.97 ERA), who will take the mound for Boston on Friday. The right-hander went 4-0 with a 3.07 ERA in seven starts from May 17-June 20, but is 0-3 with a 7.36 ERA in his last three starts.

 

Tavarez gave up a season-high eight runs and 10 hits, including two homers, over 4 2-3 innings in a 9-2 defeat to Detroit on July 6. The 34-year-old veteran is 2-3 with a 4.57 ERA in 21 games - five starts - against the Blue Jays.

 

Toronto will hand the ball to Shaun Marcum (4-3, 3.62), who will be trying to bounce back from his worst start of the season. The right-hander gave up eight runs and nine hits, both season highs, over 3 1-3 innings of a 9-4 loss to Cleveland on Saturday. He allowed a career-high three homers in his shortest start of 2007.

 

"It's tough to go out there every single day and do your job," said Marcum, who lost for the first time since joining the rotation May 13. "I guess all things come to an end at some point."

 

Despite the defeat, Marcum is 3-1 with a 3.02 ERA in 11 starts. The Blue Jays haven't given him much support, scoring one or no runs in seven of those 11 outings.

 

Marcum is 1-1 with a 1.80 ERA in six games, including one start, against the Red Sox.

 

Boston has won four straight meetings with Toronto and six of nine this season.

 

Updated on Friday, Jul 13, 2007 1:07 am EDT

 

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Prediction: Julian Tavarez has a decent outing and the Red Sox take the second game of this series from Toronto with a strong offensive performance against Marcum.

[BoSox34]

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f28/1--Blood-1-clot--1/FreddyKrueger.jpg

 

FRIDAY THE 13TH MOJO!

[schillingouttheks]

Ortiz has a torn meniscus, eh? I had the same thing before I had arthroscopic surgery. I was able to finish my baseball season luckily...if it's not bothering him too much or causing inflammation, he should be okay until the offseason. He has to be REALLY careful with his movement when he's not stretched out though. I thought my knee was fine (pre-surgery) until I woke up one morning and my knee locked on me. I couldn't change the angle of my leg...it was literally stuck at a 100-degree angle. It was terrible and HIGHLY painful. Then I had an MRI (they had to force my knee more straight because they couldn't fit my leg into the MRI as it was...that was one of the worst experiences of my life).

 

Hopefully he just gets through the season. He really shouldn't try to start playing through too much pain though. A meniscus problem can be terrible to his knees considering that, at his age, he can't have it repaired. The torn piece needs to be taken out.

[redsoxrules]

so if he's had this since last year then why didn't he have surgery this past offseason?

[schillingouttheks]

Because his knee probably isn't as bad as my knee was. Besides, in the article that BoSox34 posted it says that his knee is bothering him more this year than last year. As long as the inflammation is down he won't need it immediately. The fact that it's starting to bother him more though is reason for him to have surgery this offseason. He also has the best doctors in the world.

[YanksHater213]

ehhhhhh i tore my meniscus (and my ACL too). its a s***** injury to have, but its definitely able to be played on. i was on both of those tears for over 3 months before i was able to have surgery

 

i play tennis, so obvioulsy im moving side to side and quickly and s*** so its a bad idea for me to play, but i was still able to run a bit, jog, etc, so i think as long as he keeps icing it and is careful with what he does, he should be fine.

[mtbykr]

what's the rehab time for the meniscus? I know all about acl, mcl, ect.. but how long are you out after having it scoped? Just wondering if he should have it done now (with a good lead) so to be sure he's ready for the postseason rather than have it get worse and him out when we need him most!

[schillingouttheks]

what's the rehab time for the meniscus? I know all about acl' date=' mcl, ect.. but how long are you out after having it scoped? Just wondering if he should have it done now (with a good lead) so to be sure he's ready for the postseason rather than have it get worse and him out when we need him most![/quote']

 

It depends. Since I was 16 at the time of my surgery, I was able to have it repaired. It's a longer rehab time if it's repaired...mine was 6 months. If the torn piece is just taken out...anywhere between 4 days to 2 weeks is what my doctor told me.

 

Ortiz has the best doctors in the world giving him advice. If he's playing, then I have no reason to believe that it can't wait until the offseason. However, he really does need to be careful, because the torn piece can get lodged in his knee joint (like mine did), and thus keeping him from bending his knee. It's NOT fun when that happens; it's very painful.

[mtbykr]

It depends. Since I was 16 at the time of my surgery, I was able to have it repaired. It's a longer rehab time if it's repaired...mine was 6 months. If the torn piece is just taken out...anywhere between 4 days to 2 weeks is what my doctor told me.

 

Ortiz has the best doctors in the world giving him advice. If he's playing, then I have no reason to believe that it can't wait until the offseason. However, he really does need to be careful, because the torn piece can get lodged in his knee joint (like mine did), and thus keeping him from bending his knee. It's NOT fun when that happens; it's very painful.

 

Ya that's what i was thinking...if he can take a few weeks, month off and be solid and rolling heading into late august, september....i far prefer that to him waking up one moring in october and he can't move his leg

[CrespoBlows]

It depends. Since I was 16 at the time of my surgery, I was able to have it repaired. It's a longer rehab time if it's repaired...mine was 6 months. If the torn piece is just taken out...anywhere between 4 days to 2 weeks is what my doctor told me.

 

Ortiz has the best doctors in the world giving him advice. If he's playing, then I have no reason to believe that it can't wait until the offseason. However, he really does need to be careful, because the torn piece can get lodged in his knee joint (like mine did), and thus keeping him from bending his knee. It's NOT fun when that happens; it's very painful.

 

The best doctors are in Cuba.

 

Michael Moore said it, so it must be true.

[mtbykr]

The best doctors are in Cuba.

 

Michael Moore said it, so it must be true.

 

Let him move there then:D

[mtbykr]

Line-up's out:

 

Boston

1. J.D. Drew, RF

2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B

3. David Ortiz, DH

4. Manny Ramirez, LF

5. Kevin Youkilis, 1B

6. Mike Lowell, 3B

7. Jason Varitek, C

8. Coco Crisp, CF

9. Julio Lugo, SS

 

SP -- Julian Tavarez

 

Toronto

1. Vernon Wells, CF

2. Reed Johnson, LF

3. Alex Rios, RF

4. Frank Thomas, DH

5. Troy Glaus, 3B

6. Lyle Overbay, 1B

7. Aaron Hill, 2B

8. Gregg Zaun, C

9. John McDonald, SS

 

SP -- Shaun Marcum

[riverside sluggers]

Shaun Marcum (6 games vs Boston, 1-1 with a 1.80 ERA---Career at Fenway Park in 2 games, 0.00 ERA)

J.D. Drew, 0 for 2, Walk, K

Dustin Pedroia, 0 for 2

David Ortiz, 0 for 4, Walk, 3 Ks

Manny Ramirez, 1 for 3 (.333 avg) HR, 2 RBIs, Walk, K

Kevin Youkilis, 1 for 5 (.200 avg) 3 Ks

Mike Lowell, 1 for 5 (.200 avg) Double, RBI

Jason Varitek, 2 for 4 (.500 avg)

Coco Crisp, 0 for 2, K

Julio Lugo, 0 for 1

///

Alex Cora, 1 for 3 (.333 avg)

Eric Hinske, 1 for 2 (.500 avg) 2 Walks, K

Doug Mirabelli, 0 for 3, 3 Ks

 

Julian Tavarez (21 games vs Toronto, 2-3 with a 4.57 ERA---Career at Fenway Park in 42 games, 9-6 & 1 save with a 4.44 ERA)

Vernon Wells, 7 for 13 (.538 avg) 2 Doubles, HR, 2 RBIs, 2 Walks, 2 Ks

Reed Johnson, 1 for 8 (.125 avg) K

Alex Rios, 8 for 12 (.667 avg) Double, Triple, HR, RBI, Walk

Frank Thomas, 4 for 11 (.364 avg) 2 Doubles, HR, 7 RBIs, 2 Walks

Troy Glaus, 2 for 10 (.200 avg) K

Lyle Overbay, 5 for 17 (.294 avg) 4 Doubles, 5 RBIs, Walk, 2 Ks

Aaron Hill, 3 for 12 (.250 avg) Double, 2 RBIs, K

Gregg Zaun, 0 for 8, K

John McDonald, 0 for 9, 2 Ks

///

Royce Clayton, 4 for 22 (.182 avg) Double, HR, 3 RBIs, 4 Walks, 2 Ks

Jason Phillips, 0 for 5

Matt Stairs, 1 for 5 (.200 avg) 3 Ks

 

Marcum this season vs Boston in 3 games, 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA. On the road in 11 games, 3-1 with a 2.79 ERA

 

Tavarez this season vs Toronto in 2 games, 0-1 with an 8.10 ERA. At home in 5 games, 2-3 with a 4.30 ERA

[RedSoxRooter]

Considering the AS break and Tavarez's tendency to get lit up after 3 or 4 innings, I'd have Snyder warming up by the end of the fourth. The Jay lineup can do some damage in a hurry.

[ORS]

Considering the AS break and Tavarez's tendency to get lit up after 3 or 4 innings' date=' I'd have Snyder warming up by the end of the fourth. The Jay lineup can do some damage in a hurry.[/quote']

I like to have reliever ready by the first pitch when JT is going.

[redsoxrules]

good job getting out of the jam , now lets get some early runs like lastnight

[ANiMAL]

JT got through the 1st inning with no damage. He is really giving us a chance this time out.

[schillingouttheks]

JT got through the 1st inning with no damage. He is really giving us a chance this time out.

 

Like you said...it's the first inning...

[RedSoxRooter]

Manny!

[schillingouttheks]

HEY! MANNY! I REMEMBER YOU!

 

2-0 good guys!

 

Wow, on the replay you really notice how beautiful of a swing he has. Turned the hips and kept his hands inside and popped that inside pitch outta the park. Great job Manny.

[riverside sluggers]

JT got through the 1st inning with no damage. He is really giving us a chance this time out.

 

He fares worse when facing the lineup the 2nd time around

 

 

EDIT: Manny!

 

Holy s***, are our boys coming back to force?

[ANiMAL]

There are the early runs we need. Manny and Ortiz are hot! Praise the Lord.

[redsoxrules]

MANNY !!

[ORS]

Booyashakah!

[riverside sluggers]

The bench player gets an 0-2 count (leads AL in 2 strike hits) 2 out double

[schillingouttheks]

Youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuk with the two-bagger.

 

HOW YA LIKE THAT SCAFF?!?

[DrewDaGreat]

Manny!

[schillingouttheks]

Alright JT... way to induce the DP.

[redsoxrules]

JT gets out of another jam

[schillingouttheks]

1-0 Rays on an Upton sac fly in the bottom of the 2nd.