8.23.10 How is it not raining in Buffalo?

Pawtucket wins 7-3. Winning pitcher Adam Mills (3-9) tossed out six scoreless innings. His successor in relief, Dustin Richardson, had one scoreless inning to call his own.

Chad Paronto was called in for the eighth inning, but he had a few problems. Paronto gave up a single with one out, walked Andy Green, and then I don't know what he was throwing but Nick Evans and Nieuwenhuis hit consecutive doubles to score the first Bisons runs. Suddenly, Pawtucket's 4-0 lead was imperiled.

Enter the relentless handsomery of Fernando Cabrera. It wasn't a cute ending to the eighth - Cabrera threw a wild pitch and walked a couple of guys (This would have killed me if I were present) but in the end, he got Cervenak to pop out. Yikes.

Buffalo starter Michael Antonini had pitched the whole game up to that point, but was replaced by Yhency Brazoban in the ninth. Oh, Yhency. Brazoban got Bates to strike out, but Anderson knocked a single over to left and Hannahan hit a subsequent double to put two runners in scoring position with one out.

Mark Wagner, still shaking off the DL graveyard dirt, hit a single and scored Anderson. Niuman Romero, who'd been dropped in the batting order for Top Secret Reasons, did something cool and hit an RBI single to make the score 6-3.

HANG ON I'M NOT FINISHED YET! Gil Velazquez flew out, moving Wagner over to third, and then Reddick singled. It scored Wagner, but Romero failed to reach third and was thrown out by Nieuwenhuis. Inning over, but the Red Sox scored three more runs.

Cabrera led off the ninth inning by walking the lowest guy in the batting order, JR House, but a double play set him on track for the save. Last chance batter Andy Green struck out and Pawtucket won.

lookin' good when it comes to the punch:
1. Looks like Josh Reddick went 5-5 with another home run. His parents must be so proud. I'm glad I don't have to work with him.
2. Gil Velazquez went 0-4.
3. Mets fans want Lucas Duda in New York.

Tonight! It's Fernando Martinez bobblehead night in Buffalo. Remember that time I went to Buffalo? And Mike Lowell? I told you I wouldn't stop talking about it! It's also my canasta night.

Rich Hill and Raul Valdes are your pitching matchup. If you had to have sex with one of those guys, which one would you pick?

Last Night's Game v. Buffalo

Kris Johnson loses, 12-4. Bisons starter Dillon Gee was not wowing anyone, but he got the win so get in the kitchen and make him a sandwich!

Pawtucket scored first when Josh Reddick hit a solo home run in Pawtucket's first at-bat of the game. In the bottom of the inning, left fielder Lucas Duda hit a double with two outs. A wild pitch got him over to third, and then when Nick Evans hit a grounder, Jorge Jimenez made an error throwing over to first and Duda scored.

The Bisons scored a second run in the first when Nieuwenhuis hit an RBI double, scoring Green. The score would jump up to 4-1 in the fourth inning, when Pascucci scored on a passed ball and catcher JR House sac flied Cervenak home.

Kris Johnson started the fifth inning, but after giving up a walk and a double and not getting an out, he was replaced by TJ Large. I had to pause for a second after typing that sentence. Large got out of the fifth untouched, but the sixth inning made a jerk out of him. Russ Adams hit a two-run homer, Nick Evans hit an RBI double, Velazquez made an error that cost another run, and there it was: 8-2 Buffalo.

In the top of the seventh inning, Gustavo Molina hit a solo home run off Gee to make it 8-3. Sean Green replaced Gee with one out and two runners on and wound up allowing Romero to single to load the bases. And then Green walked Hermida to bring in a fourth run for the Red Sox.

In the bottom of the seventh, Hideki Okajima pitched for Pawtucket and gave up four runs. Okajima only got one out. They replaced him with Santo Luis and surprisingly, Luis got the job done. Pitched the rest of the game with no further runs scoring. Remarkable! And yet, in the end, nobody won. Except Mike Cervenak who went 3-5.

i'm sorry, you were saying?
1. Russ Adams is so hot this month!
2. Joy of Sox has a cool game summary.
3. Dillon Gee has set the single-season strikeout record for Buffalo this year.
4. Josh Reddick went 3-4 with two home runs. If he's crowned team MVP then I will projectile vomit.
5. Both Aaron Bates and Lars Anderson went 0-4 with 2 strikeouts. Gil Velazquez went 0-4 with three K's, but he gets a pass from me because he's not an annoying mallrat type.
6. Everyone on the Bisons got a hit last night.

Tonight! Adam Mills, Michael Antonini. Should be a cold night in Buffalo.

8.22.10 PawSox @ Buffalo - Game 1, exclamation point.

Pawtucket WINS! 9-2. Must have been White Boy Day at the park, as Lars Anderson went 2-3 with a double and a home run.

Pawtucket's starter was Ramon Ramirez, who very courteously pitched the whole game. Ramirez gave up two runs on seven hits and threw 93 pitches. Thanks for that, RR.

Buffalo countered with so fresh double-A kid Josh Stinson. Stinson gave up five Pawtucket runs in six innings.

Stinson's reliever for the seventh was righty John Lujan. Lujan got Reddick to strikeout, but Hannahan singled to center right after that. Bubba Bell walked, Bates struck out, and then Anderson hit a two-run double.

But Pawtucket was not satisfied. At least, Hermida was not, because he homered to right. 9-0 Pawtucket!

Ramirez was pretty close to a shutout, but JR House hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the inning. Probably only Ramirez gave a crap, though. It is, after all, a collection of individual performances and not an honest ball game. THE PAWSOX ARE A LIE!

Some other stuff happened, but I'm so bored with all of this shit that I shan't address it. If I were a broadcaster... Well, I couldn't do it. "Bowden's pitch.. Oh, what a surprise! He walked him!"

"Bates steps in with runners in scoring position... He's gonna ground into a double play like he always does. Bet on it, folks."

"Coello's coming in from the bullpen and I can smell his cologne from up here..."

So... I would love to hear a miserable, sarcastic radiocast. I would love to hear stuff such as 'Here comes fatass' or 'God, not this guy again.'

Okay, I'll stop. Digression's my worst enemy. Well, that and the inconsistent relief work of Chad Paronto.

that is why i'm your king:
1. "Justin Turner was injured on a freak play, when a ball ricocheted off Nick Evans, and Turner’s knee buckled when he tried to change direction. Fernando Martinez suffered a slight injury to HIS right knee in the game, as well. Keep in mind the turf was very slick." - from Mets Merized Online
2. Bisons mgr Ken Oberkfell's post-game here.
3. Catcher Gustavo Molina also hit a two-run homer.
4. Josh Reddick did not get a hit in either game.

Is that good enough? I think so!

8.22.10 PAW @ BUF - Game 2

7-5 Red Sox in this seven inning game. Where did all these runs come from?

Both starters, Coello and Adam Pettyjohn, worked for four innings. After four innings, the score was 3-2 Buffalo. Pawtucket tossed in Robert Manuel, Buffalo used Puerto Rican bombshell Jose De La Torre. I can't imagine going through life with two spaces in my last name. What a bitch filling out forms.

Robert Manuel gave up two runs during his two innings, but De La Torre gave up three. With the game tied in the seventh, reliever Chad Cordero walked Niuman Romero with two outs. Wait, that was awkward.

Bisons reliever Chad Cordero entered the seventh inning with the score tied 5-5 and got a quick couple of outs before walking shortstop Niuman Romero. (Much better!) Bubba Bell followed that up with a single and Aaron Bates, King of the GIDP, singled to center, scoring Romero. With two outs!

And then Lars Anderson singled, but it was a cheap hooker of a hit, going right to the pitcher. Whatever, Bubba Bell made it home. 7-5. How does that feel?

sex shooter:
1. Robert Manuel gave up two runs in the sixth after nailing the fifth, one two three. Russ Adams hit a solo home run off Manuel. No... Hang on, it was Nick Evans who homered. Sorry.
2. Aaron Bates hit a home run. Mark Wagner and Gil Velazquez each doubled.
3. Fernando Cabrera got the save. There will never be anyone better looking than Cabrera in the bullpen. The man is unstoppable. If I were a scout, this would mean something completely different. But I am just a lady.
4. Here's what Russ Adams did: He tripled. Well, that and disappoint Blue jays fans worldwide.
5. Buffalo had to be very careful in this game, since two of their players left game 1 with injuries and some other guys were called up or attending their sister's weddings. There were only nine position players.

That's the whole boring story. Tonight! Kris Johnson, Dillon Gee. Ugh, I hate Kris Johnson.

BYE.

hiatus

Taking the next three days off. I have a lot to do. Get over it.

Things I Have Never Understood About Baseball

1. Why does the pitcher slowly walk back to the dugout after the end of an inning while the rest of the team kind of hustles?

2. How do outfielders not get like a million mosquito bites?

3. Why do players have to wear a jacket and tie when traveling?

4. How do relievers spend all that time together in a confined area and not want to kill each other?

5. Is the chance at making serious $$$ as a catcher worth the pain and injury risks? Do the pitchers get on your nerves when they ask like a million stupid questions?

6. Does it suck being a 'clubhouse leader'? Who would want to take on that role?

7. When they talk about veterans sort of mentoring younger players, are they doing it out of the kindness of their hearts? Why would anyone want to put in that much extra work?

8. Why can't they have facial hair in Pawtucket? What possible difference could it make?

play

No game last night, so I am taking the day off.

Here's the current IL playoff situation:

- Yankees in first (72-51) for the IL North
- Durham Bulls in first for everything, but specifically the IL South (76-47)
- Columbus Clippers (CLE) for the IL West (72-52)

Wild card would currently be the Louisville Bats (69-54)

Lehigh Valley and Rochester have already been eliminated. Rochester, at 47-77, is the worst team in the league. Pawtucket is not going to the playoffs.

Switching gears, Gwinnett's Barbaro Canizares is the league's batting leader (AVG .336).

Durham's Dan Johnson has the biggest, fattest OPS with 1.053. He is running away with that one. Johnson's OBP of .430 also puts him first in the league.

Johnson's number one with home runs as well, with 30. If he was my brother I would probably dump a box of jewelry in front of his bedroom door, so when he wakes up in the middle of the night to go pee, he steps all over piles of pointy metal, earrings and so forth.

Alright, that's enough of that racket. I'm coming up on my five-year anniversary here so I'll have to think of some best/worst lists.

Okay, let's have breakfast!

Buffalo, say do you remember? (PAW v BUF 8/16/10)

5-3 Bisons. Sorry, Tennessee!

Buffalo starter Fernando Nieve got the win. Nieve worked his way into the seventh inning, but Lars Anderson singled with two outs and Yamaico Navarro homered to make the game 4-3. Elusive pitcher Michael O'Connor trotted out from the bullpen and got that last out. Strikeout, Jeremy Hermida!

But now I must reverse gears and hit up Inning Six. Oh, Inning Six... Only you understand me. Fabio Castro was still in there and the score was tied at 1-1. Justin Turner led the inning off with a single and left fielder Lucas Duda hit a home run to right. Hey, isn't that what Pawtucket did in the seventh?

And then, still with no outs, first baseman Nick Evans doubled. Castro got Kirk Nieuwenhuis to strike out, but he walked V. Pascucci. Good night, sweet Fabio. Enter Robert Coello and his gold chains.

Mike Cervenak greeted Coello with an RBI double to left, bringing the score to 4-1. I love Mike Cervenak, but I told you that before.

Coello made for the exits with one out in the ninth and catcher JR House on first. Tommy Hottovy evidently couldn't handle the situation, giving up a couple of singles and throwing a wild pitch and allowing House to score. Wow, this must have been such a great game.

classic clips:
1. Yamaico Navarro, home run number three. Lars Anderson has seven all year. Better watch out!
2. This is Mike Cervenak's third year in the IL. Feels like longer, doesn't it? MC got in a few games with the Phillies in 2008, which means he's got a WS ring. Just like Ricky Gutierrez!
3. Peter Gobis! Gobis explains Nieve's preparation for a Mets call-up.
4.

"[Duda's] easily the most important player for the Herd as they stand on the precipice of the IL Wild Card and with the formerly turbulent relations in Buffalo currently on a good note, is it worth short-circuiting the Bison's late-season run for the playoffs only to sit Duda on the major league bench as Carter's understudy, with FMart already on the 40-man and Bay eventually on the way back, all while the Mets fall out of contention?"

- from Amazin' Avenue
5. Daniel Nava went 0-4 with 2 K's. Dusty Brown went 0-4... of course. Poor kid.
6. Niuman Romero got a hit and a stolen base, and I'd like to take a minute to talk about Romero. I think he's great. I love the way he plays, doesn't try to do too much, but does all the little things right. He bunts! He steals! He doesn't act like a spoiled brat when he strikes out in key situations. Is he exciting? Maybe not to you, but I love him. I like my players solid, ordinary, and sensible. None of this Kolbrin Vitek crap.
7. Romero also has one of the most fancy and lovely autographs I've seen from a PawSox player. It's almost calligraphy.
8. I know lots of Boston fans hate Romero because he's not Kevin Youkilis, but I would hardly call his appearance a 'fiasco'. What the hell did people expect?

Tonight! Nothing. Double header tomorrow, featuring Kris Johnson and Ramon Ramirez. Ugh.

8.15.10 Pawtucket Red Sox v Buffalo Bisons (NYM)

PawSox win 3-1. The one run belongs to Rich Hill, who pitched five innings and got the win. Good work, Rich Hill.

Buffalo starter (who's also a reliever) Raul Valdes wore the L all Laverne-like. Valdes' start was cut off with two outs in the fifth. They brought in a righty, Jose De La Torre, to face Velazquez. Yeah, you can't take any chances with Velazquez. He's such a tough out. And a power threat!

Laugh all you want, but Gil Velazquez hit a two-run homer off De La Torre. And it was his first of the year. HA!

Chad Paronto, Santo Luis, and F. Cabrera stapled down the win for the Red Sox. Hmm. I guess that's it...

freedom:
1. Rich Hill continues to hit people with baseballs: Nick Evans and Val Pascucci both took one in the ribs, figuratively speaking. Could have been a shoulder or thigh.
2. Gil Velazquez and Gustavo Molina were the only Pawtucket kidz to get hits. Molina hit a double in the fifth, scoring Hannahan. How did Hannahan get on base? The world may never know.
3. Val Pascucci hit a solo home run in the fourth. Good to see Pascucci back in the IL. He is interesting to look at... Kind of like a Bugs Bunny gorilla-style baseballer. I love his Japanese theme song.
4. The 'Warning Track Power' blog has a more poetic game summary.
5. Raul Valdez defected from Cuba.

Tonight! Fernando Nieve, Fabio Castro. I'm having second thoughts about the Fabio Castro MVP thing, because Robert Manuel's been so excellent for Pawtucket.

Alright, let's have breakfast!

8.14.10 You should have invited Alejandro Machado, too.

6-4 Red Sox. Robert Manuel gets the win for Pawtucket, pitching three innings (!) in relief. Manuel threw 32 pitches, 23 for strikes. He only gave up one hit. Robert Manuel is only of the only good things about the team. For me. You might be a Daniel Nava fan or something.

Pawtucket starter Adam Mills managed to pitch four innings, giving up four runs on seven hits. Second baseman Justin Turner hit a solo home run off Mills (I really need a more catchy term for a home run that doesn't make me sound like a Stuart Scott wannabe) in the first inning. Mills came back out for the fifth inning but instead of getting any outs, he gave up an RBI double, which tied the game at 4-4.

Pawtucket's big offensive inning was the third, when beloved infielder Niuman Romero led things off with a walk. I love big offensive innings that start with a walk! It really builds suspense. Reddick and Nava followed that up with consecutive singles, scoring Romero and getting the first run.

With runners on first and second, Dustin Pedroia lined a single to pitcher Michael Antonini, who reportedly responded with, "OHHH!" Bases loaded, Carlos Delgado, but don't get too excited, because CD was hit by a pitch, scoring Reddick. Tie game!

Anderson singled and Navarro hit a sac fly to bring the score to 4-2. Then the Adam Mills stuff happened, allowing the Bisons to tie the game, but Pawtucket pulled ahead with a solo home run (Navarro) and an RBI double (Romero). Romero tried to make it a triple, but... no. Bold move, though. I ain't mad.

Relievers on both teams conspired to prevent any further runs from scoring. Fernando Cabrera got the save for the PawSox. Antonini took the loss for Buffalo, giving up all six runs on nine hits in SIX INNINGS.

they called dave berg 'Ice'
1. Dusty Brown did not get a hit last night. He is in a heinous slump, probably an injury thing. Brown is batting .179 in August. He's struck out 11 times in 7 games but hasn't walked once this month. 9-39 in his last ten games. I'm wondering... Should we kill him?
2. Lars Anderson went 2-4. He also made the game ending play, when Turner lined out to him... Jesus Feliciano was off the bases and Anderson did the double-up. Tasty.
3. Prior to Navarro's home run, the Bisons pitchers had not allowed one in 126.2 innings.
4. Justin Turner went 3-4.

Today! Rich Hill, and I approve of making him a starter, since that was his long-time gig in a past life. He'll oppose lefty Raul Valdez, freshly down from New york, so you know he'll be in a good mood!

Have fun, you guys.

8.13.10 Red Sox v Bisons - So this is baseball.

9-4 Mets. Dillon Gee was not at his best but still got the win because Pawtucket is pretty embarrassing right now. Ramon Ramirez again? Come on. Are you guys that paranoid about player development that you can't promote someone in mid-August?

The Red Sox have two starters right now: Kris Johnson and Adam Mills. Vomit. And don't try to front like Fabio Castro's a starter. Where are the 6-8 innings guys like David Pauley and Devern Hansack and Charlie Zink? Instead we get bullpen detritus to pitch maybe four innings, walk half the park, and get relieved by Chad Paronto or Fernando Cabrera or MICHAEL BOWDEN WHO HASN'T DONE ANYTHING WORTH ANYTHING!

Even double-A is more like a real baseball game. This is just pathetic. The bats aren't too thrilling either, but that's a whole other story. The visiting teams are more interesting.

It was really cool to see former Marlins Carlos Delgado and Jeremy Hermida reunited. I will say that Delgado's first at-bat was ugly to look at... Dillon Gee had him totally off-balance.

And then a bases-loaded situation in the seventh would have been a cool spot for Delgado to step up and crank one out and blow off the roof, but he'd been subbed by poor Niuman Romero, who struck out. And then Lars Anderson struck out. And then Yamaico Navarro struck out. Josh Reddick, Jeremy Hermida, and Daniel Nava just stood there on their respective bases, wondering what the hell they were doing in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. No RBIs, guys? Sorry to trouble you by loading the bases with no outs. Must have been that lethal Mike O'Connor/Shawn Green combo.

This game was three and a half hours long and I felt every minute of it. I'm so glad I brought company, otherwise I would have been long gone halfway through. Also, it started getting chilly, which makes perfect sense in mid-August. And you in your autumn sweater...

i just quit rock n roll:
1. Why does Roger Clemens look like Louie Anderson on the cover of the PawSox program?
2. Hey, they mixed up the lucky row of the game! Congratulations, Row EE! Someone must have read my insightful blog post.
3. I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but wtf is with Yankees fans who come to a PawSox game and root for the other team because they 'hate the Red Sox'? It's worse when they're loudly cheering and being generally assholish for the entire game. THIS IS NOT THE REAL RED SOX!!!
4. Josh Reddick went 3-5 and is maybe superstitious, since he is still wearing his prostate cancer wrist bands from a couple of weeks ago. DO NOT MESS WITH THE STREAK.
5. Jack Hannahan hits more balls that look like home runs than anyone. Except they're always caught right at the wall.
6. No, I do not know the players' at-bat songs for the most part. Josh Reddick has probably the worst one. It's a really terrible wrestling theme song. Jack Hannahan has an inexplicable River Dance type thing. Also the usual suspects: Next Episode, Kryptonite, Hypnotize, Krypnotize, and an occasional Latin American dance tune. Weak scene.

You know what else bugs me? The players who speak Spanish sit on one side of the dugout, the Anglos sit on the other. Gil Velazquez sometimes bridges the two sides. Pretty depressing to see that.

I'm done with this. See you tomorrow.

That's impossible.

Yesterday, nothing happened. I've never seen you looking so sad, my funky one.

The Iron Pigs/Red Sox game will be made up some time between August 18-21.

Some numbers:
1. WHO leads the team in intentional walks? Bubba Bell, 3.
2. WHICH Pawtucket player has grounded into double plays more than anyone? BATES.
3. WHO leads the team in total bases with 149? Reddick!
4. WHICH player has been hit by pitches more than anyone? Daniel Nava, ten hits, and none of them hurt, bro.
5. WHO leads the team in plate appearances? Aaron Bates by a long shot with 420.
6. HOW many games did Darnell McDonald play before being stolen by the Fat Team? Only 10. And he is never coming back.
7. WHO leads the team in walks with 53? Tug Hulett, deceased.
8. Okay, that wasn't funny. Hulett lost his brother in a car accident 15 years ago. That's really awful.
9. Lowest amount of games played by a non-rehabber: Two, Daniel Butler.
10. Most stolen bases: Ryan Kalish! That's what you wanted me to say, right? But no, it's the Bunting King of Small Ball Niuman Romero with 13!

some people say:
1. Chad Paronto has pitched in more games than anybody. (44)
2. Oldest pitcher to work at McCoy this year? Alan Embree, age 40, pitched in 8 games.
3. Most games started? Tie between Johnson and Mills. (20)
4. Rich Hill's only appeared in 14 games, but he's got more balks than anyone (2) and more hit batters than anyone (6). Geez.
5. Michael Bowden has the most wins, but holy god, it's only 6. Wow, this team really sucks.
6. 13 = Number of home runs given up by Johnson, leading the team.
7. Wild pitch leader: Dustin Richardson with 6. Yeah, Richardson's pretty wild. He rides a motorcycle in the rain.
8. Kris Johnson has pitched 112 innings. Fabio Castro has pitched 76. Castro, however, only has one less walk than Johnson (43 to his 44).
9. Team errors leader: Jorge Jimenez (9).

Tonight! The Buffalo Mets. See you there!

8.11.10 Way harsh, Ty.

Iron Pigs win 5-1. Ty Taubenheim started but did not get the win, as Lehigh Valley didn't break away from the 1-1 tie until the sixth inning. Taubenheim's five innings were peppered with four hits and five walks, but Pawtucket only got one run across. Period.

First inning, Taubenheim loaded the bases with one out. Lars Anderson hit a fly ball to left, scoring Josh Reddick. Left fielder Rich Thompson threw the ball in to the catcher, Sardinha, who then threw over to short in the Daniel Nava area. Nava was out at second when shortstop Brian Bocock threw the ball over to Dorta... I guess you had to see it, but it sounds to me like Nava could have been a better baserunner.

Shane Victorino homered in the third with none of his buddies on base to tie the game 1-1. John Mayberry also hit a solo home run in the sixth to give the Iron Pigs the 2-1 lead.

Tommy Hottovy took over in the seventh inning. Hottovy intentionally walked Brian Bocock to load the bases with one out. He got Rich Thompson to fly out, but Shane Victorino hit a line drive single to right, scoring Dorta and Sardinha. John Mayberry followed with an RBI single of his own, bringing the score to 5-1 and extinguishing all hope for the Red Sox.

two things:
1. Iron Pigs reliever Michael Stutes got the win. Loss went to Johnson.
2. Yamaico Navarro went 0-4.
3. Okay: The win ended a six-game losing streak for Lehigh Valley. And their general manager, Kurt Landes, came up with a promotion called 'Camping for a Victory', which entailed a different staffer every night sleeping out on the field until they won. I can't even imagine this happening at McCoy.
4. And after the game, the players burned the tent. You can see it captured here. Good for them.
5. The Iron Pigs are interactive.
6. Mascots Ferrous and FeFe got makeovers recently.

Tonight! Ramon A. Ramirez v Vance Worley. Then home, playing Buffalo. See you then.

Beyond Fenway

You know what I love about this blog? It's not another 'Boston minors/prospects/draft picks' thing. It covers New England baseball teams regardless of affiliation. It's about time, too. Wish this blog had been around sooner!

No Can-Am stuff, but I think you'd have to be kind of a weirdo to get into that.

Chris Carpenter is an asshole.

Saw him at the GSBD last year in an ugly suit and he reeks of it.

PawSox win 6-5 in eleven innings. Fernando Cabrera gets the win in relief.

I like to imagine Fabio Castro receiving the team MVP award, wearing that floral doodad that they put on race horses around his neck. I realize that for many reasons, he won't get it, but I can make a strong case for it, starting with his good-natured flexibility and surprising effectiveness. Castro walks maybe too many batters, but it seldom results in catastrophic runs-scoring by the opponent. And he went to Boston. And he stood on his chair at the luncheon. And I love him.

Castro pitched into the sixth inning, giving up only one Yankees run on three hits/three walks. It was a solo home run by Jesus Montero, and what can anyone say about that? At that point, Castro was politely asked to leave the field so Robert Coello's right arm could come in and RUIN CHRISTMAS!!! Coello was like special ed out there, giving up a two-run homer and making things a little awkward in the dugout. RUINER!!!

So Castro didn't get the win and the game was tied 3-3 at that point. Pawtucket pulled ahead by a run in the seventh, when reported prick Eric Wordekemper gave up an RBI single to Navarro.

Amazing super-talented prospect Michael Bowden gave up two singles and a walk to load the bases in the eighth inning. A sac fly by left fielder Chad Huffman tied the game up once more.

Albaladejo took over for the tenth inning and walked Navarro, who scooted over to third on a balk and a stolen base. Velazquez came up with two outs, but nothing happened. In the eleventh, Bubba Bell led off with a single and stole second and then third base. REMARKABLE! Saltalamacchia doubled. Albaladejo does not set saves record.

Designated hitter Lars Anderson singled to right, scoring Saltalamacchia. 6-4 Red Sox! That was great, Anderson.

Cabrera tried to close out the eleventh, couldn't quite do it, so Manuel had to come in and get the last out. He makes it look so easy.

And that is how you win a ball game. Congratulations, PawSox. Except you, Coello. Castro deserved that win.

Did I miss anything?
1. Everybody on the Red Sox got a hit last night. Daniel Nava went 3-6 with a home run. Thank you so much for that, 3:16.
2. This is the Wordekemper thing: Eric intentionally tangled up the dangling buckets/milk jugs at McCoy just to be a dick. Also, he pulled baseball cards away from fans saying, "How does it feel to want?" This comes from someone who was there, a man who never has anything bad to say about any player, a man who insisted that Bubba Bell was a really nice guy when I said bad things about him.
3. In a related story, I take back anything bad I said about Bell. Clearly he is one of the good guys and I am a fatass blogger with an axe to grind.
4. Kevin Russo has played every position except catcher, pitcher, and first base. He's like Joe Thurston! Just to show off, he'll probably play catcher before first base. Kevin Russo is wacky like that.
5. The PawSox are the only team to score more than one run off Albaladejo this season.
6. More good stuff from Donnie Collins!

"With one out in the 11th, Bubba Bell hit a low line drive toward third baseman Eduardo Nunez. Nunez caught the ball near his feet, turned to show third base umpire John Merry that he had made what he thought was a catch, and noticed Merry motioning the ball had hopped into his glove. Nunez fired to first after noticing the call went against him, but it was too late. Bell sprinted down the line and was called safe. Replays showed Nunez made the catch in the air, with the bottom of his glove resting on the ground."

7. And Eduardo said... "I don't know how he made that call. I was asking him where it hit. I was showing him I had the ball in the glove, and then I see he's saying safe. It ended up being the worst part of the game." - also D. Collins, who's so close to Rochester's Jim Mandelaro for my favorite IL writer.

You know what? This is good enough. Tonight! Iron Pigs v Kris Johnson, who I hate. And evidently Nate Bump is still alive.

8.9.10 PAW @ SWB - Painful and degrading.

2-1 Yankees and let me tell you what happened, because it was awful.

Neither team scored until the ninth inning. SuperCloser Jonathan Albaladejo is close to tying the all-time saves record for the IL. BUT NOT LAST NIGHT! With one out in the ninth, Yamaico Navarro doubled off Albaladejo and then advanced to third on a wild pitch.

Hannahan then hit an RBI single, but he tried to make it to second and didn't make it. Which sucked because Bubba Bell subsequently hit a double.

Niuman Romero grounded out to end the inning and it was 1-0. All Robert Manuel had to do was get those last three outs, but instead he put Russo on base. Jesus Montero homered to center and that was it. DEFEAT.

Dude, that sucked. Pawtucket managed six hits off starter Kei Igawa, but couldn't quite get them across. Igawa struck 'em out, seven all told. Nava, Saltalamacchia, and Anderson all struck out twice versus Igawa. And also Delgado, because Carlos freaking Delgado is on the PawSox right now. I can't even believe it.

Rich Hill was really terrific for the Red sox, putting in a solid five with only two hits and a walk. Hill had six strikeouts and probably went home happy in spite of the loss. Or maybe he was pissed at the absent offense. Jocks are really complicated, you guys.

devastation at last:
1. Bubba Bell went 3-4 with two doubles. Lars Anderson went 0-4 with two strikeouts. Just like Goofus and Gallant, those two!
2. Josh Reddick went 0-4 and twice came up with runners in scoring position, but could not help his team out. I get no joy from sharing that. Okay, maybe a little joy.
3. I am gonna say this even though it's wrong in so many ways: Jesus Montero is exceptionally good-looking. Yes, I am possibly old enough to be his Ma. And he's a future Yankee. I AM NOT MADE OF STONE.
4. The Yankees pitching was aided by some hot, hot defense.
5. From Donnie Collins' live blog: "Carlos Delgado has hit the ball hard twice against Kei Igawa with nothing to show for it. Eduardo Nunez bobbled his sharp one-hopper at third, but still recovered and threw in plenty of time to get him at first. Delgado’s legs aren’t quite up to running the bags yet, I would say."
6. Kei Igawa never got up to a three-ball count last night.

Tonight! Fabio Castro and Alfredo Aceves. Hay que Castro doesn't walk too many, strikes out a ton.

DONNIE COLLINS!!!!

Eighteen games out.

SWB takes another one, remains the IL North's first place team. Winning pitcher is Jason Hirsh, who pitched eight innings. The Yankees allowed Hirsh to throw 113 pitches, which likely hasn't happened in Pawtucket since the pre-Theo era. Can you imagine if Torey Lovullo left Felix Doubront in that long? Ben Cherington would have a stroke.

Not that Pawtucket has many starters left. Adam Mills is one of 'em. Mills had a bad night last night, which you can read about here. They scored seven runs in the first inning! You can't recover from that!

Only shortstop Eduardo Nunez was hitless for Scranton last night. For Pawtucket, Jimenez and Navarro each went 2-3 with a home run. Yes, Yamaico Navarro hit his first home run in triple-A.

migajas:
1. Dusty Brown went 0-4 and struck out three times. Some people are saying he'll get tossed once Wagner's 100 percent. Who's saying that? Some people!
2. If someone had told me that two PawSox players hit home runs last night, I think it would have taken me hours to guess that it was Jorge Jimenez and Yamaico Navarro. Lars Anderson and Daniel Nava? NO. Bates and Reddick? NO. Ryan Shealy and Saltalamacchia? NO!!!
3. Reliever Santo Luis had maybe his first decent outing, going 2 1/3 with no hits and two K's.
4. The Red Sox committed four errors. Navarro made two of them. He's developing!
5. Juan Miranda was hit by a Tommy Hottovy pitch. Atta boy, Tommy!
6. Hirsh on striking out Navarro: "In my mind it was kind of like revenge, like, ‘Hey, I got you back.’"
7. Whoa. This is crazy. Torey Lovullo says, "We don’t want to win at all costs. The Yankees do. I remember seeing Robinson Cano back in 2002. He was hitting around .320 for (Class A) Greensboro and they moved him back down to their Staten Island team so they could win the pennant. That’s how the Yankees operate." - Terry Nau for the Pawtucket paper. Send us JD Drew!

No mas! "If you don't mind, I'd rather not relive it. Don't really feel much like talking about it."

Kei Igawa tonight in Moosic. Kyle Weiland will get his first start for Pawtucket! Hooray!!!

Or maybe it's Rich Hill. Yeah, wow. Maybe tomorrow, Gustavo Molina can pitch!

8.7.10 PAW v SWB - Second verse, same as the first.

6-1 Yankees. I knew Juan Miranda was going to get us.

If I'd have been at the game yesterday, I certainly would have been shocked to see starter Ramon Ramirez come out for the seventh inning. In Pawtucket, that usually means that they don't give a crap about you. Unless you're throwing a really tight game, which Ramirez was not. Only after Greg Golson homered did they give RR a break in favor of Robert Coello. Thanks for the 95 pitches!

The game started with a single and an error by shortstop Navarro to put a pair of runners on for Juan Miranda, who of course chose that time to go deep. And you know, for a while, no one scored! But hotshot Jesus Montero hit a solo home run in the sixth to make it 4-0. Then Golson's home run. And Michael Bowden's ninth inning resulted in one more run for the Yankees.

Pawtucket's lonely run came in the ninth versus SWB reliever Amaury Sanit, when Aaron Bates hit an RBI double. Atta boy. But whatever, game over.

Little David Phelps got the win for Scranton.

two things:
1. Saltalamacchia went 0-4 with three K's.
2. So far, Bowden's just as uninteresting a reliever as he was a starter. I think other people are impressed, because I keep hearing how great the move is and what a great kid Bowden is, etc. DEVELOPMENT IS BORING! I don't remember a youngster named Jon Papelbon going through this shit. Papelbon blew through triple-A with authoritah! I suppose I'll have to be a little more patient.
3. “It was a different pitch each time. Sometimes his slider was good, then would disappear for a little while. His fastball command was a big part of it. It was a full mix for him.” - Catcher Chad Moeller on Phelps' start.
4. Amaury Sanit had just come back from a drug suspension. Nothing interesting, just PEDs.
5. What the hell is this supposed to mean? Is Scott Ham being sarcastic? "Scranton: Jesus Montero hit his 12th home run of the season, while David Phelps bounced back in a big way to lead Scranton to a 6-1 victory over the future HOF’ers wearing Pawtucket uniforms." (italics mine)

Tonight! Adam Mills. Jason Hirsh. See you tomorrow!

8.6.10 Pawtucket Red Sox v Scranton Wilkes-Barre Yankees

9-5 Yankees. Starter Zach McAllister got five strikeouts during his 6 1/3 innings of labour. Pawtucket didn't score a run off ZA until the sixth inning.

McAllister didn't start stumbling until the seventh inning, when he gave up three consecutive singles to Navarro, Brown, and Velazquez with one out. Reliever Royce Ring jumped into that fire and pretty much immediately gave up a double to Josh Reddick. Okay, maybe not 'immediately', I wasn't there. Reddick could have fouled a few off.

Reddick cleared the bases and tried to make it all the way to third, but center fielder Greg Golson relayed that shit right over. OUT! But the score went from 6-1 to 6-4, giving the crowd hope that would later be extinguished by Chad Paronto. Paronto gave up three more runs in the top of the eighth before he was replaced by Fernando Cabrera, who got the last couple of outs.

Reddick led off the ninth inning with a home run and, uh-oh! Bases loaded with one out for reliever Jonathan Albaladejo! But neither Aaron Bates nor Yamaico Navarro felt like doing something nice for the fans and rather selfishly struck out. What a couple of jerks.

But none of that is as important as blaming everything on Kris Johnson. Five runs on seven hits in four innings, Kris? Was that the best you could do? I think you've really let your whole family down. Especially Mom, who sacrificed so much...

pointed sticks:
1. Santo Luis got into the game for a couple of innings and the Yankees scored a run... He will get it together someday. Maybe. Probably.
2. Cabrera had another good outing, going 1 2/3 with no hits.
3. Jack Hannahan hit a solo home run in the sixth. Reddick wound up going 3 for 5 with that phat double and a home run. Yes, that's four RBI you see there. I know, I know, but I'm not ready to start fellating this guy yet. YET.
4. The Yankees hit seven doubles! Five of them were off Kris Johnson, the other two off Paronto.
5. Ryan Shealy went 0-5 with a strikeout.
6. Eric Wordekemper pitched and I'm only mentioning it so I can tell you that he's an asshole. Total dick to the fans for no reason. I mean, who the hell are you?
7. "Evidently, Santo Luis means Wild Pitch Appreciation Day in Espana." HA! (from the always terrific Donnie Collins live blog)
8. DC also says something nice about our local radio guys: "The Pawtucket radio announcers — who are terrific, by the way — are talking about an actor named Cliff Curtis, saying that he looks like someone’s still photograph..."

Tonight! Ramon Ramirez, David Phelps. Is that an earthquake?!

Yeah, sorry. It's just an earthquake.

8.5.10 PAW v SWB - An Unexpected Game Result

5-0 Red Sox! No! YES!!

Lefty reliever Fabio Castro has done one million things for the club and last night's game was the best of them. Castro pitched five shutout innings and got seven damn strikeouts. CASTRO STRUCK OUT THE MIGHTY JUAN MIRANDA WHO ALWAYS KILLS PAWTUCKET!!

So that was a lot of fun.

Castro had a 2-0 lead to work with when Ryan Shealy hit a two-run homer in the first inning off Yankees starter Ivan Nova. Nova pitched six innings and gave up all five runs on eight hits.

Nova's night ended after the sixth, when Nava led the inning off with a single and Saltalamacchia doubled (his first Pawtucket hit!) to send him home. It would be the first of two doubles hit by Saltalamacchia.

Aaron Bates hit a two-run homer shortly thereafter to bring the score to its resting place: 5-0.

Really, really ridiculously good-looking relief was provided by Robert Manuel, but you knew that. Manuel got the last out in the sixth after the lefty, Tommy Hottovy, handled the first two.

Michael Bowden pitched the ninth without further incident, aside from a walk because WHERE THE HELL WAS THAT BALL, UMP? LOOKED LIKE A STRIKE TO ME!!

The Yankees opted to use filthy righty Romulo Sanchez to finish off the game and that kid has some nasty shizz. He turned the seventh and eighth innings into a Pawtucket FlailFest.

the jam kids on the vespas and glum looks on their faces:
1. Poster Night! As usual, I am a little surprised at how handsome many players are up close. Felix Doubront? Very handsome! Jack Hannahan? HANNAHANDSOME! (I'm sorry.) Tommy Hottovy? CUTE. Aaron Bates? SMOKING. Kris Johnson? I HATE HIM!

And Fernando Cabrera, the sweet glaze on the cherry on the icing on the cake on the TV tray. Un. Stoppable. It's not even fair.

2. Santo Luis may be one of the most enormous human beings I've ever seen. Holy god. What else? Gil Velazquez is so freaking nice to the fans. I wish he was my uncle.
3. "Player of the game: Pawtucket starter Fabio Castro, a diminutive left-hander who used to pitch out of the Phillies' bullpen, held the Yankees without a run over his five innings to pick up his first win as a starter. He allowed only three hits and struck out seven." - from the Times-Tribune
4. Attleboro's Peter Gobis did a nice profile on Ryan Shealy here.
5. Jack Hannahan hit some balls way hard, but was not rewarded with a hit.
6. Who better to give an insider tour of McCoy Stadium than some guy who's only been here for like two months? Dusty Brown and Gil Velazquez must have had the sniffles.
7. Donnie Collins is disappointed in Ivan Nova.
8. Yankees outfielder Colin Curtis on Robert Manuel: "He’s one of those unusual pitchers in that he doesn’t have anything overpowering, but he seems to get guys out. You watch him and he’s not throwing overly hard or it doesn’t look like he has any great out pitch. But he gets in there and gets everybody out." Hey, it's Mike Scandura!
9. Bad baserunning: New kid Yamaico Navarro was picked off and caught stealing.
10. Maybe Juan Miranda ain't so bad: Miranda went 0-4 last night. He will have his vengeance.

Tonight! RHP Zach McAllister v Kris Johnson.

One final thing: The way some fans behaved at poster night yesterday was reprehensible. The org's trying to do something nice and fun for everyone and jesus christ, people were bitching about everything!

"IT'S FIVE O-CLOCK! COME ON! LET US IN!"
"That's not how they did it last year! Come on!"
"LET'S GO! COME ON! SOME PEOPLE ARE TAKING PICTURES/CUTTING/TAKING TOO LONG!!!"

And this classic line from a guy behind me after the gates didn't open immediately at 5:00 - "That's why this organization's such a mess!"

You don't say? First of all, the organization's a mess? I hadn't heard! Second of all, yes, of course the reason a baseball club would be a 'mess' is because of the way they handled their promotional events. That's exactly why. Asshole.

Anyway, great game! See you soon...