4/1 @ Texas: OPENING DAY BITCHES

[VA Sox Fan]

RED SOX (0-0)

2 Jacoby Ellsbury CF

14 Dustin Pedroia 2B

13 Carl Crawford LF

20 Kevin Youkilis 3B

28 Adrian Gonzalez 1B

34 David Ortiz DH

23 Mike Cameron RF

39 Jarrod Saltalamacchia C

10 Marco Scutaro SS

Pitching: 31 Jon Lester LHP

 

RANGERS (0-0)

5 Ian Kinsler 2B

1 Elvis Andrus SS

32 Josh Hamilton LF

29 Adrian Beltre 3B

10 Michael Young DH

17 Nelson Cruz RF

25 Mike Napoli 1B

8 Yorvit Torrealba C

20 Julio Borbon CF

Pitching: 36 C.J. Wilson LHP

 

Game time: 4:08 p.m.

 

TV/Radio: NESN, ESPN (blacked out in Boston) / WEEI 850 AM

 

Last year: The Sox were 89-73, seven games out in the AL East. Texas was 90-72, winning the AL West. They beat the Rays (3-2) and the Yankees (4-2) in the playoffs before losing the World Series in five games against the Giants.

 

Red Sox lineup vs. Wilson: Ellsbury 0-1; Pedroia 2-5; Crawford 2-12, 1 HR; Youkilis 2-7; Gonzalez 0-1; Ortiz 1-10, 4 K; Cameron 0-3, 2 K; Saltalamacchia 0-2; Scutaro 2-16, 4 K. Total: 9-57 (.158).

 

Rangers lineup vs. Lester: Kinsler 2-16, 3 K; Andrus 4-12; Hamilton 5-16; Beltre 4-11; Young 4-23; Cruz 4-10; Napoli 3-6; Torrealba 0-0; Borbon 1-3. Total: 32-97 (.330).

 

Wilson vs. the Sox: 3-1, 1.42 (13 appearances/3 starts) in his career, 3-0, 0.86 (3 starts) in 2010. 21 IP, 11 H, 2 ER, 8 BB, 20 K

 

Lester vs. the Rangers: 3-1, 2.94 (7 starts) in his career, 1-1, 1.69 (3 starts) in 2010. 16 IP, 14 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 11 K

 

Sox vs. Rangers last season: The Red Sox were 4-6 against the Rangers, getting outscored 55-41. The Sox were 1-2 at Rangers Ballpark.

 

Terry Francona: Entering his 8th season with the Sox (654-480) and 12th season as a manager (939-843). Only five active managers (Tony La Russa 2,683, Jim Leyland 1,493, Dusty Baker 1,405, Bruce Bochy 1,274 and Mike Scioscia 981) have more victories. ... In Red Sox history, only Joe Cronin (1935-47) has managed the team longer.

 

Ron Washington: Entering his 5th season with the Rangers (331-317).

 

Connections: Adrian Beltre played for the Red Sox last season. ... Jarrod Saltalamacchia was with the Rangers from 2007 until July 31, 2010 when he was traded to the Red Sox for three minor leaguers. ... Red Sox bench coach DeMarlo Hale was a Texas coach from 2002-05 and managed their AAA team (Oklahoma City) from 2000-01. Michael Young played for him in 2001.

 

Random notes: The Sox were 14-19-2 in spring training, the Rangers were 13-16-1. ... Matt Albers, Carl Crawford, Adrian Gonzalez, Bobby Jenks, Dennys Reyes and Dan Wheeler are in their first season with the Sox. ... The Sox are 4-3 in season openers under Francona. They have won the World Series in two of the three years they lost the opener

_________________________________________________

 

PLAY BALL!! :thumbsup:

[WhiskeyBreath]

Found it a little interesting that Terry Francona is the Red Sox longest standing manager since Joe Cronin (1936-1947).

 

He must be doing something right.

 

And yet, there are lots of people who love to bash the guy.

[bsox0407]

2 world series titles certainly isn't wrong

 

I would say it is impressive that he is one of the longest tenured Red Sox managers in such a great teams history.

[BigPapiEnFuego]

Anyone want to play Don Orsillo bingo with me?

 

http://joyofsox.blogspot.com/2011/03/don-orsillo-catch-phrase-bingo.html

 

Oh god, i need to find a way to turn this into a drinking game

[Dipre]

And yet' date=' there are lots of people who love to bash the guy.[/quote']

 

Oh hell no. Put your old avatar back on!

[yeszir]

. The Sox are 4-3 in season openers under Francona. They have won the World Series in two of the three years they lost the opener

 

What a useless statistic

[WhiskeyBreath]

Oh hell no. Put your old avatar back on!

 

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc208/Nicktronic89/LinceDeal.gif

 

haha

 

Think it's time to move on from Millar. Gotta start the season fresh.

[ORS]

...pub bound.

[Palodios]

...wishes I wasn't at work.

[yankees228]

Been looking forward to this one since right after the Yankees' game ended yesterday. Should be fun.

[jopete19]

pretty pumped for the game today.

[Youk Of The Nation]

I sit restlessly, lighting a smoke

Thinking this Texas lineup's no joke

So our buddy Jon Lester

Better be at his best, or

Jacko will show up at six, screaming 'choke'

 

 

But really, I predict celebration

and I say that with much jubilation

Jon'll be dealing

I've just got that feeling

of absolute domination

[jopete19]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhCEJD2jcf8

 

I dont know if you guys have seen this. this gets me pretty pumped up

[Palodios]

I wonder if I suddenly got ill and needed to go home anyone would believe me.

[Youk Of The Nation]

I wonder if I suddenly got ill and needed to go home anyone would believe me.

 

I must answer this question in rhyme

It will not be quite as sublime

But as I consider your query

I consider it very

likely Drew asks this all the time

[WhiskeyBreath]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhCEJD2jcf8

 

I dont know if you guys have seen this. this gets me pretty pumped up

 

Holy s*** that was terrible.

[msubulldogs21]

What's up

 

Go Sox

[bsox0407]

MSU-How you doing.

 

Lets go sox.

[WhiskeyBreath]

Is this the year Lester doesn't suck in April?

[msubulldogs21]

Hahahaha what a start

[bsox0407]

Wow ahahha. That was pathetic.

[italstallianion]

LOL nice play in right.

[Cocos Disciples]

Good start for the AL champs.

[WhiskeyBreath]

I want to punch that Rangers fan with those stupid sunglasses in the face.

[jopete19]

Holy s*** that was terrible.

 

 

how was the terrible? yeah ok...

[Palodios]

WHAT HAPPENED?!

 

Sorry, they didn't buy my sick excuse.

[bsox0407]

Good AB. Way to move the runner along. Now it is CC time.

[WhiskeyBreath]

how was the terrible? yeah ok...

 

Do you have ears?

[jopete19]

Do you have ears?

 

 

yeah, I have 2. i would like you see come up with something more clever

[WhiskeyBreath]

Youk being Youk.

 

1-0 baby.

 

Not saying I could. It's just my opinion that it sounds terrible.