mosox

Pure insanity. Tito says after the Jays blow up game that they want to help Gagne work it out. He's done, finished for the season. Maybe if they can clinch by some miracle, then use him in a meaningless game, but I really don't want to see Gagne until spring. He can only help the team by going on the DL so the Sox can replace him for the playoffs.

It's now at the point where criticizing Francona is getting too easy. Leaving Gagne in the 8th after walking the bases loaded is an awful move and leaving him after walking in the winning run is plain nuts. And then Tito has Brian Corey warming up! Where's Papelbon or why use Delcarmen for just one out?

He hasn't pitched in 12 days. Chances are he'll struggle with the strike zone. Manny and the other hitters better show up for this one.

Tito and Gagne's loss.

I'm wondering why Tek called so many fastballs when he couldn't get it over the plate.

Now Manny's return is now up to Manny. I hope he realizes the Sox are in a pennant race. By Gordon Edes, Globe Staff | September 18, 2007 TORONTO - The date of Manny Ramírez's return is essentially up to him, Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. Ramírez has missed the team's last 19 games, including last night, since straining his left oblique Aug. 28 in New York. "He needs to clear himself," Francona said. "The medical people have gotten fairly aggressive, he's swinging the bat fairly aggressively, but there has to be . . . a confidence from himself that he can go play the game and not hurt himself. And that's a hard thing. Myself included, you see him go hit the ball out on the street, you go, 'Oh man,' but you can really make some disastrous mistakes trying to read somebody else's body. It doesn't work."

Knowing that he signed it for a kid shows a lack of maturity. If he signed it for an adult it would be a different story. Is he trying to impress a 10 year old with sarcasm? It's obvious Duncan is deficient in intelligence and professionalism.

Papi got a tough pitch with two strikes. Still feeling good, go to Toronto and win games.

I'm not buying into the hype or the fear.

I'm not thrilled about Millar, but with a team that is short on righthanded hitting and doesn't do well against lefties some move should be tried. The failure to make the Dye trade seems bigger everyday.

With hours to go before the Sept 1 deadline for post season rosters, The afternoon hosts on WEEI were talking about the Sox acquiring Kevin Millar. He is a righhanded bat, which is needed and he may be the spark this team needs to get going. With another year left on his contract, I'm sure he's already cleared waivers.

Wake up Sox!!!!!!

Watson is also a former yankee player. I think his pinstripes are showing.

Drew looks lost at the plate.

I had a feeling about this. Duncan may be the best pitching coach in baseball; he did it with Weaver last year. By Jeff Horrigan/ Red Sox Notebook Boston Herald Sports Reporter Wednesday, August 22, 2007 - Updated: 12:23 AM EST ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - St. Louis pitching coach Dave Duncan said there was a very simple reason why Joel Pineiro struggled with the Red Sox [team stats]. Duncan said he determined during the right-hander’s first start with the National League team 2 ?weeks ago that he was inadvertently tipping off his pitches to batters. “You don’t have the kind of stuff like he has and get hit like he did,” Duncan told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “You start looking for why it was so obvious.” In three starts since the flaw was presumably discovered, Pineiro is 3-0 with a 2.37 ERA, while walking no batters and striking out 11 in 19 innings. The 26-year-old, who was 1-1 with a 5.03 ERA in 31 relief appearances for the Sox, was traded to St. Louis on July 31 for a player to be named. Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell didn’t agree with Duncan’s assessment. “No, there was nothing like that here,” Farrell said. Catcher Jason Varitek [stats], however, said he wouldn’t rule out anything. “I’m not saying it’s unlikely because it could be very likely,” he said. “It happens with a lot of pitchers, so there’s always a possibility. He had good stuff while he was here. We just weren’t able to get it all together.” Varitek said that determining if a pitcher is tipping pitches is difficult to see from behind the plate. “We usually have guys who are watching the game on the side who usually pick up on that stuff pretty well,” he said. Sox manager Terry Francona was just happy Pineiro was succeeding in his new locale.

He cannot be anywhere near the mound when there is a lead. Mop up duty until he proves himself worthy. In theory, without him the Sox would be 8 games in first.

If Pineiro succeeds it's all because of Dave Duncan.

Former Sox player Jose Offerman went ballistic in an independent league game. From Newsday.com 12:19 AM EDT, August 15, 2007 BRIDGEPORT Long Island Ducks shortstop Jose Offerman charged the mound wielding a bat Tuesday night after being hit by a pitch, according to the Connecticut Post. Bridgeport Bluefish starting pitcher Matt Beech hit Offerman in the second inning and a brawl ensued that resulted in Offerman's arrest. He was being held on $10,000 bond on a second-degree assault charge. Offerman hit a home run in the first inning and was hit by a 0-1 fastball in the calf. Offerman's attack left Beech with a broken middle finger on his non-throwing right hand. Also injured was catcher John Nathans, who suffered from symptoms related to a concussion. Offerman played for the Bluefish in 2003, appearing in 98 games. He also was voted an All-Star during his MLB tenure.

I couldn't find the old Francona second guessing thread, which seems odd since there is something to write about almost every week. I cannot understand why Tito has suddenly decided to make Gagne the 8th inning guy when Okijima has been the best at this spot all year. On what basis has Tito decided Oki can no longer handle the 8th and Gagne has to be his man? I don't know if he manages on stats or on gut feelngs, but it's wrong and he's disrupted what was an effective bullpen.

Needed that win.

Paps look like he has electric stuff.

I really wish Drew would get hot.

Finally he threw hard strikes.

Throw STRIKES!!!!!!!