VA Sox Fan

He is but gives me a heart attack when he gets all excited and it's a foul or a caught ball instead of a home run!

Yeah, I'm sure that's why. ESPN figured it out!! The ESPN broadcaster's suck. I'll take NESN+ any day over them. A WIN tonight would be so very nice!

Injuries not serious for Middlebrooks, Ross Posted by Peter Abraham, Globe Staff May 8, 2013 05:28 PM The Red Sox will have a short roster again tonight as Will Middlebrooks (ribs) and David Ross (left quad bruise) recover from the injuries they suffered in the fifth inning Tuesday night. Middlebrooks and Ross collided while chasing a foul ball and ended up leaving the game. Ross lasted a few pitches and Middlebrooks an inning. Ross received treatment all night and said he woke up feeling much better. He is available in an emergency tonight and expects to be playable in a day or two. Middlebrooks had X-rays and an MRI that came back clean. Middlebrooks swung a bat in the cage before getting his MRI. "He's sore, he's day to day," said manager John Farrell. "He's banged up a little bit." For both players, it will be a matter of pain tolerance. The Red Sox do not believe any roster moves will be needed. Also: • RHP Andrew Bailey, who is on the disabled list with a biceps strain, is expected to start throwing Thursday. He is eligible to be activated May 14. "To get him through the range of motion and initiate a throwing program," Farrell said. The Sox have not decided whether Bailey will need a minor league rehabilitation assignment. • LHP Franklin Morales is scheduled to pitch for Double A Portland tonight. Morales has been on the disabled list all season because of a back injury suffered in spring training. He returned to pitch in a game for Single A Greenville April 17 and strained a pectoral muscle. The Red Sox have said they want Morales to get stretched out in case he is needed as a starter. But that could change depending on the status of the bullpen. • Jose Iglesias is back in the Pawtucket lineup. He was taken out of Saturday's game by manager Gary DiSarcina for disciplinary reasons and did not play in the three games that followed.

TWINS (14-15) Carroll 2B Mauer C Willingham LF Morneau 1B Plouffe 3B Doumit DH Arcia RF Hicks CF Florimon SS Pitching: LHP Pedro Hernandez (1-0, 3.92). RED SOX (21-12) Ellsbury CF Victorino RF Pedroia 2B Ortiz DH Napoli 1B Gomes LF Saltalamacchia C Drew SS Ciriaco 3B Pitching: RHP Allen Webster (0-0, 3.00).

Glad he chose not to mention his "morning potty break" Really?

RED SOX (21-11) Ellsbury CF Victorino RF Pedroia 2B, Ortiz DH Napoli 1B Gomes LF Middlebrooks 3B Drew SS Ross C Dempster SP Pitching: RHP Ryan Dempster (2-2, 3.00)

Tazawa is latest Sox closer Posted by Peter Abraham, Globe Staff May 7, 2013 01:28 PM Red Sox manager John Farrell told MLB Network Radio that Junichi Tazawa would be the closer now that Andrew Bailey and Joel Hanrahan are injured. Koji Uehara would remain as a set-up man. "I think what we’d love to do is close Tazawa. We’d keep Koji in that eighth inning role that he’s been in," Farrell said. "Fortunately we do have some depth to turn to internally and we know that we’ve got to get through these next couple of days to kinda regroup. ... So we’re kind of breathing a little thin ice down there right now and just trying to manage the best we can to get through these next couple of days to regroup.” Bailey was placed on the disabled list on Monday retroactive to April 29 with a biceps strain. Hanrahan then left Monday's game with what was described as forearm tightness. No move has been announced with Hanrahan. But a return to the disabled list seems likely given how beat up the Red Sox bullpen is. Clayton Mortensen will need a few days off after throwing 62 pitches the last two days. The Sox also have Felix Doubront starting Wednesday and John Lackey on Thursday, two starters unlikely to go deep into games. For Lackey, it's a matter of it being only his fourth start of the season. For Doubront, it's an issue of performance. The only available relievers on the 40-man roster are Alfredo Aceves and Daniel Bard, although Steven Wright is a possibility. Aceves has not pitched since Thursday, when he went six innings. Tazawa has one career save. But the 26-year-old would seem better suited for the physical demands of closing than Uehara, 38. Farrell has been saying for months that the Sox would prefer to give Uehara at least one day off between appearances. Closing would make that difficult. Tazawa has pitched extremely well all season, allowing 11 hits over 14.1 innings with three walks and 18 strikeouts. "Tazawa has a little bit more fastball which, whether I’m siding to the traditional approach with a little bit more power late in the game, that’s there," Farrell said. "So, right now that’s the initial approach that we’d take to closing things out.” Bailey would not seem to have a serious injury and is eligible to be activated on May 14. In theory, the Sox may only need Tazawa to close for 7-10 days. But given Bailey's extensive history of injuries, predicting his return is difficult. Hanrahan was scheduled for an MRI today. He left the mound in the ninth and there was swelling in his arm along with the tightness. Farrell said there was no "popping" sensation, however. Forearm tightness is often a sign of an injury around the elbow. Check back later for more on this.

YOTN MOJO! :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Yes! Don't be a stranger. Need to get rid of that sig, soon, hopefully!

Your wish came true. Caps lose. Enjoy game 5!!!

Good call!! :thumbsup:

No it didn't. Stop creating drama where it doesn't exist. Thanks. DREW!!!!!!!!!!

THREE more at bats! Offense, please!

Nice stop by Drew

Agreed! Dammit all to hell!

It sucks big time but is now history!

Nap ain't scared!! VERY NICE!

PEDEY!

:thumbsup:

Alright Shane! Like him a lot!

Way to be Clay! Gotta try to help the BP. Nice.

YAY Ells!!!! Good try Drew. I guess you're out when the catcher lands on you.

Atta boy Drew!

That would be nice. What should they do about WMB swing?

Crap!