Jayhawk Bill

Mahay held them to one run--it's a little early to call this one-run game over.

Lugo blames it on parasites. I don't have any reason to doubt him. He claims he got them in Europe during the 2006-2007 offseason. I strongly doubt that. I think that he got them July 23-25 2006, at home in Tampa Bay, eating raw seafood and drinking while enjoying a few days off prior to his trade to LA.

Lugo almost got a home run to LF on what should've been F7. The ball is really carrying. Two outs, Lugo on second with the potential go-ahead run.

W00t Coco.

Either Sexson or Bloomquist should've had Tek's pop-up. Bedard got the K, but he can't get the extra pitch back.

Another nice catch by Drew in the RF corner. OK...a hit this inning would be nice.

Told you so. :harhar: Great catch for Drew against Sexson. Dammit...close on the DP attempt, but Betancourt was too fast.

FYI, Boston was 1-3 with Bucknor behind the plate in 2007. Boston pitchers gave up 25 runs in those four games. Lester got the one win--the three RHP called by Bucknor all lost, and opponents scored almost eight runs per game average in those three games. The last Boston starting RHP to win with Bucknor calling the game was Bronson Arroyo in 2005. Myers and Papelbon recorded holds and Mike Timlin earned the save.

Nice double play!

CB Bucknor behind home plate. We are f***ed. Bucknor is, by far, the worst umpire in MLB, and he doesn't like the Boston Red Sox.

Entering the 2007 season, PECOTA listed Justin Masterson as, perhaps, Boston's second most valuable minor league pitching prospect, close behind Clay Buchholz. People laughed at Nate Silver's projection. People are no longer laughing. Clay Buchholz is doing well for a young rookie pitcher this year, but Justin Masterson is doing superbly well for a kid recently promoted from Portland to Pawtucket. In three emergency starts he's 2-0, his one loss coming when he held the Angels to one run in six IP on April 24, only to have the bullpen allow six runs and blow his lead. Masterson has provided the Red Sox with 91-95 quality pitches on demand, and that's enough to give a team of Boston's caliber a win most of the time. Today Masterson faces the Mariners. He'll face a new challenge: the heat. It's already 85 degrees in Fenway as I type this, the wind gently blowing out to right field. By game time the ball will be flying out to the bleacher seats given a chance to take that ride, and Masterson will be trying to throw nearly 100 pitches in a heat index of nearly 100 degrees. Today we'll see what the kid is made of. JD Drew is going to have to rise to the occasion today, both shagging deep fly balls around the treacherous corners of Fenway's right field warning track and hitting for power in the three spot. With Big Papi on the DL, JD Drew is Boston's left-handed power threat. Yesterday he filled that role, and Boston dominated Seattle. Today is another day, Bedard is a good LHP, and JD Drew is known for oscillations in his performance. Boston needs the All Star JD Drew on the field today--he's my player to watch for the game. Game Time: 1:35 PM EDT Fenway Park Weather: Sunny, with a high near 93. Wind out to CF between 9 and 15 mph. Seattle: Erik Bedard LHP (4-4) 4.47 ERA Boston: Justin Masterson RHP (2-0) 2.95 ERA

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=7631

Slim. A big part of my frustration is that solid MLB stats will establish a trade value for Carter that he doesn't have right now. I'd like to see Carter hit .330/.400/.500 for the Red Sox, but more realistically I'd like to see him hit well for KC or Seattle after bringing us the missing piece we needed in late July.

Sandy Koufax left MLB because the then-current pattern of usage caused him unendurable pain. Pedro got extra rest and tender treatment to preserve his arm. Yeah, I think that it makes a difference. YMMV.

They figure it by looking at the subsequent performance of players most similar to Carter... Yes!!!! JD Drew!!! Three hits and two line drive outs...WOW! :thumbsup: And, back to Carter, evaluating his fielding to the exclusion of his batting is unfair--Lou Gehrig had a lousy glove, but he held down a job for a few years in MLB.

Congratulations, JD Drew. Sean Casey has a lifetime FRAA of -27, and he's never been above-average defensively one single year in his career per BP, despite playing at the easiest defensive position. Lifetime .300 hitter? Yeah, OK, but he played through his prime with the Reds in one of the best hitter's ballparks in MLB in the easier league. His career AL batting average entering 2008 was .280, with only 9 home runs and 50 walks in 202 games. Sean Casey is a 33-year-old on the hot streak of his life, considering venue. Yes, he's done well--but I'm still not sure that it's worth wasting Chris Carter's last option year to play an aging singles-hitting journeyman first baseman.

It would be interesting to see how well Pedro Martinez would have done in an era where starting pitchers were expected to throw 7+ innings every fourth day. Koufax had 89 complete games in the four years of his prime. Pedro had 28 in his best four years and just 46 in his entire career. *** Pedro > Koufax. I grant that. Don't push it, ORS. I can remember Koufax on Saturday afternoon baseball...in his time, he was more dominant to public perception than Pedro was in his day. My best take on serious analysis is that Pedro was better, but it's really close.