5.30.09 Pawtucket@Indianapolis - with the losing

Who's a sad clown? Pawtucket loses in extras, 4-3. Thirteen innings. Fernando Cabrera gets his first loss of the year and could probably use some TLC.

PawSox starter Clay Buchholz went 6 2/3 innings with no walks. As usual, I guess. Buchholz gave up two runs on five hits, one being Jeff Salazar's solo home run in the seventh.

Pawtucket scored a couple of runs in the fourth inning, bringing the run total to three... and then they just stopped there forever. The Indians didn't score until the seventh inning, with their two runs off Buchholz.

Things got interesting in the eighth inning, when Hunter Jones came in for McBeth. With Shelby Ford on second, Hunter Jones balked. Ford then stole home! WHAT. Yes, Shelby Ford stole home on Jones/Brown.

In the top of the tenth, Angel Chavez had a chance to be awesome with Carter on second thanks to a double, and McAnulty on first post-IBB. Sadly, Chavez grounded out.

Top of the eleventh: Pawtucket gets two runners on AGAIN, but cannot get a run across. Chip Ambres strikes out with Denker ins coring position.

Bottom of the 13th: Cabrera pitching. Walks the first two guys. Then, with one out, Cabrera intentionally walks Garrett Jones to load the bases. And a wild pitch scores Bixler to win the game. A wild pitch! "it was too much, my heart broke..."

Chris Bootcheck got the win for Indianapolis. Seriously, this is some gut-punch, kidney-shot loss. I'll bet the pitchers and the batters don't play cards together too much these days.

no te llores, compostelana:
1. Oh, yeah, I forgot to say that Hunter Jones is back.
2. So... Rocky Cherry's been doing well.
3. There was an hour and fifteen minute delay. I'm assuming rain, but I can't find anything yet. Wait.. TORNADO???
4. Chris Carter hit two doubles. Travis Denker hit his second home run of the season.
5. Mark Kotsay went 1-3 with an RBI, if you care about Mark Kotsay.

Tomorrow! Kris Johnson v righty Eric Hacker at 2 pm. I am going to see the Sea Dogs v Connecticut Defenders tomorrow... in addition to a bizarre ritual I'll be attending in CT earlier in the day. Connecticut all day!!

NUTMEG!!!!!

By the way, Devern Hansack has been spotted in Pawtucket. He was flying a kite at Slater Park while drinking a Del's and eating a New York System wiener.

Except the second part.

Baby Chris Carter will never understand you.

"Hey, popular music acts who use voice alteration technology - EVERYONE KNOWS YOU CAN'T SING. Except maybe you. Am I the only one with the balls to point this out? Oh, except Kanye, he's cool."

52909 Cosmopolitan Indianapolis murderizes Pawtucket

14-7 Indianapolis Indians. I think the most amazing part is that the Red Sox scored seven runs. And I am gonna set myself on fire.

Enrique G has not been that bad for Pawtucket, but lately his panty lines have been showing. Gonzalez (or 'Gonzo', if you have no imagination) pitched 4 1/3 innings, giving up 8 runs on 9 hits.

Indianapolis is the real story here, so let's go: Bottom two, big boy Steve Pearce leads off with a double. After Margin Walker flies out, Adam Melhuse (not dead yet) singles. Pearce to third... then designated hitter Luis Cruz hits an RBI double. That is what you call "Cruz Control"! I'm sorry.

Shelby Ford then has a productive out, grounding to first so Adam Melhuse can score. Brian Bixler doubles, Luis Cruz comes in for the third run. BRIAN BIXLER IS AFRAID OF THE DARK!!!

Pawtucket scored five runs at the top of the third... Indy scored another three to pull ahead immediately thereafter. Inning four was cool... came and went with no incident.

Fifth inning, everything fell apart for Pawtucket. Blood everywhere. Scraps of charred paper fell from the sky like tacky butterflies... we all cried. Velvet Jones started the battery with a little single, very innocent. And then the oafish Jones stole second. If Garrett Jones is stealing on you, then you may need to work on some things. I don't want to blame catcher Carlos Maldonado because I am his number one fan... but I might not want to blame Gonzalez, either.

Okay, so Jones steals, Pearce is at bat in his leather jacket and he singles. Runners at the corners, nobody out. Neil Walker flies out to center, allowing G. Jones to score. Randor Bierd is off the TIL! Bierd trots in from the bullpen purposefully. But then: "Adam Melhuse reaches on force attempt, missed catch error by second baseman Travis Denker, assist to shortstop Gil Velazquez. Steve Pearce to 2nd."

Everybody got that? Can I stop now? No.

DH Luis Cruz is hit by Bierd's pitch. Bases loaded, one out. Indians fans are cheering wildly (I guess). And then Shelby Ford hits a grounder to first, which Kotsay messes up somehow, allowing Ford to reach and Pearce to score. Brian Bixler is up next, hits a two-run single.

I have to stop now.

But I'll do the list because it's the easiest part.

you make yourself so beautiful:
1. Freddie Guzman and Chip Ambres both tripled. Two triples in one game is as rare as a sensitive fascist.
2. Pauly Mac hit a 3-run homer.
3. Randor Bierd's ERA is currently 15.43. I'm not saying David Pauley was like Ted Lilly or anything, but... I don't know what I'm saying.
4. Adam Melhuse! Wow! And at first I thought Shelby Ford was Lew Ford, but didn't he retire?
5. Chip Ambres is batting .266, which may be the highest average out of all the every day guys. We are reliving 2007 in Pawtucket. Also: Chip Ambres is a good, good man.

It's okay. I'll be back later on. I love you.

drool

PawSox infielder Jeff Natale filled in for Hoard recently and he was really good on the radio! I mean, for a novice. Funny how I just recently said Natale wasn't exciting. It was really neat.

Last night's Pawtucket radiocast was exceptional. I was transfixed. I can't really put my finger on WHY it was so engaging... it was just great. They were talking about how Mark Kotsay organized a team bowling excursion and it just sounded like so much fun. I'm sure you can read about it on either of the radio guys' blogs.

Here is the difference between Hoard's blog and Hyder's blog: Hyde's Inside Pitch is a little... edgier. A little more dangerous. It's like the difference between Alejandro Machado and Travis Hughes... or the difference between Ivan Ochoa and Gil Velazquez. Or between Baseball Heavy and some box score blog.

By the way, my heart kinda goes out to Chris Carter, who is not waving but drowning. I mean, he's a lefty DH type, right? Think it over, Boston. A lonely heart grows cold and old.

Escribeme pronto!!

may 28th pawsox/bats - the power of chris compels me

Bats SMASH Pawtucket, 5-2. Can't you see you're hurting me, Pawtucket offense? Don't you care? Don't you care?

Interesting note: Pawtucket had 14 hits to Louisville's 13. Pawtucket left 12 guys on base! The sad thing is that Freddie G kept coming up with runners in scoring position, but come on... he's Freddie Guzman! I like to watch Guzman play, because he does it with verve and elan, but at times his eagerness gets him in trouble.

Reds prospecty stunner Homer Bailey got the start. Bailey gave up eleven hits in six innings but Pawtucket's hit conversion was in the toilet last night, so he got lucky with the two runs. I like to think that Homer B. would walk off the mound after the PawSox at-bats marveling at their ineptitude.

Mike Bowden.. or Michael, however he rolls. Mr. Type-A personality who has to fix his fucking pants/cup/socks after EVERY SINGLE PITCH (it rivals Nomar Garciaparra for fidgety analness) pitched into the fifth and then he had to go. Bowden threw 84 pitches and gave up two runs on six hits. He is also apparently made of porcelain.

Billy Traber and his Amazing Square Head (NOW! With mustache) gave up another run in his 1 1/3 innings. Favorite Fallen Idol Javier Lopez and his Amazing 13.50 ERA also pitched one and a third, but Lopez doubled the runs with two when Danny Dorn homered with Bankston on base. He suffered, died, and was buried.

Rocky Cherry and his Clean Conscience pitched the final inning and Louisville came up empty. Cherry's team didn't win or anything but his stats were ridin' dirty.

I'm so glad I wasn't at this game. I would have had bright red palm prints all over my face.

pray for me:
1. Danny Dorn had a killer night, going 3-4 with his home run and his outfield assist (he nailed Chris Carter at home).
2. Wait... isn't Wilkin Castillo a catcher? And he's playing third? That's pretty versatile.
3. Carter, JV, and Velazquez all hit doubles off Bailey.
4. Danielson and Ambres each stole a base.
5. Dusty Brown, on-base machine? Two hits and two walks? I'll take it and unwrap an ice cream sandwich while I watch.
6. Angel Chavez went 2-5. I wish he was my friend in real life. When he's on third base, he should be wearing a cape.

Tonight! Indy Indians featuring former Yankee roider Daniel McCutcheon. Enrique Gonzalez gets the start for Pawtucket.

5.28.09 Pawtucket R Sox @ L'Ville Bats

Red Sox win, 2-0! And dig that crazy lineup!

Charlie Zink was very good once again. Zink pitched his way into the eighth inning, only giving up one hit. He walked six and struck out two.

Vaquedano finished off the eighth for Zink, getting Darnell McDonald to ground into a double play.

Fernando Cabrera closed things out in the ninth with a flyout and two K's. And he is never going to call me. Cabrera got three outs on ten pitches. Since two of them were strikeouts, well, Wes Bankston must have hit that flyout on the first pitch. I am so good at math.

Pawtucket scored its first run in the second inning. McAnulty led things off with a ground rule double and catcher John Otness hit an RBI single shortly thereafter. The Red Sox scored their second run in the seventh, thanks to a sac fly by third baseman Angel Chavez. If you're a friend of Chavez, then you're lucky, because he is clearly a Captain of Goodness.

The PawSox aggregated seven hits. Otness had two, including a double.

ah-choo!
1. Van Every and Carter had the day off.
2. Angel Chavez has climbed up pretty far in the batting order! I have never met the man in my life, yet I'm pretty sure he's terrific. I just ell-oh-vee-ee him!
3. Gil Velazquez HATES playing first base, so I hope he got some flowers after the game for being such a good sport.
4. One error for Charlie Zink, a failed pickoff attempt in the sixth. You've got your troubles, I've got mine.
5. This game started at 11 a.m. UN-GODLY!!
6. Zink threw 100 pitches and complimented his defense: "I was jamming guys, which is what I'm looking for. My defense played great. I got a little tired. There was a little humidity. We haven't had a lot of warm weather." Zink went on to say "The NASDAQ is looking healthier. Did you see that new Supreme Court lady? Kentucky is a commonwealth. Dude, why you still holding that?"
7. Darnell McDonald! Back in triple-A after being DFA'd by Cincinnati. He is really one of my favorites.
8. Bats starter Matt Maloney had seven strikeouts in seven innings.

Tomorrow! Check it out, Homer Bailey! Bailey's up against Bowden, and not in a dirty Las Vegas way. Can't wait to see what happens.

Baby Chris Carter weighs in at last.

"Nick Johnson? Are you fucking kidding me?"

Chris George gets bored easily.

Pawtucket Red Sox lefty reliever Chris George was born in 1998, more or less, since that was when he was picked first by the Kansas City Royals in the amateur draft. His life prior to that day is of no consequence.

CG was in the PCL for the most part until 2008, when he wound up on the Syracuse Chiefs after being released by the Rockies. He's spent ten seasons in triple-A. From 2001-2004, George started 44 games for Kansas City.

Chris George is not exactly all over the internet, so I don't have much. But I like making lists because they are simple and I am a simpleton.

thus:
1. Chris George honeymooned in Puerto Rico so he could play baseball and make his wife, Brandi, cry while she watched him pitch.
2. Chris George was a gold-medal winning member of the US Olympic Baseball Team in 2000. So he's buds with Mientkiewicz?
3. Was offered Rice scholarship but skipped it to sign with the Royals.
4. CG received a signing bonus of $1,162,500.
5. Went to the same high school as David Murphy. Possibly at the same time. I wonder if they knew each other? I wonder if they ever high-fived each other? Do you ever dream of me? Do you ever see the letters that I write?

That's all I have time for. I'm still not 100% sure I could pick Chris George out of a lineup. I'll do my best to fix that problem.

25 May 2009 - Pawtucket Red Sox @ Louisville Bats

3-0 PawSox. Clay Buchholz is thoughtful. Nine innings with one hit and no runs? NO WALKS?? 96 PITCHES?? (You can't hear it, but my voice is getting higher and higher pitched as I ask these questions.)

Second baseman Danny Richar led off the ninth inning with a single but he stood there wondering what happened after two strikeouts and a groundout.

Catcher Dusty Brown went 3-4 with a home run. That is so unlike Brownie! In the bottom of the sixth, Paul McAnulty followed Brown's solo home run with one of his own.

In the bottom of the seventh, Sean Danielson sac flied his BFF Velazquez home for Pawtucket's third run. This all happened in Kentucky, which if you think about it long enough... well, it's just strange.

Good win for the Red Sox, who likely needed it after having the shit kicked out of them by SWB over the weekend.

Ron Johnson's Live Chat

Doesn't look like a huge turnout for this historic event. Damn, I really wish I could have participated.

exerpt:

"Warren: Ron...is there a tense rivalry at the minor league level with the yanks farm team ?

Ron Johnson: No doubt---it run's aall the way down"

Dude!

Dude, I totally forgot to mention that Craig Breslow was claimed off waivers by the Oakland A's! Crazy!

In a related story, Kason Gabbard is working it out down south and he's really, really coming. Really!

May 23rd 2009 - PawSox, Scrankees.

9-2 Yankees.

How come Bowden pitched only two innings? Was he called up or something? So he gave up four runs... who cares? This is so stupid. He's thrown more than 58 pitches before.

Scranton Wilkes-Barre exploded again and Pawtucket just lay around like a used condom. Shelley Duncan hit two home runs, which brings his season total up to 14.

The Yankees cranked out seven doubles as well. Tea Leone and Juan Miranda had two apiece.

Marcus McBeth, Billy Traber, and Rocky Cherry each pitched two innings. Only Cherry did not allow a run. Hunter Jones took care of inning nine, giving up yet another run.

Scranton Wilkes-Barre starter Casey Fossum pitched six very good innings. One run on three hits. Four strikeouts! Fossum!

on the bright side:
1. Gil Velazquez hit his first home run.
2. And Hunter Jones is back.
3. Van Every was ejected in the seventh. He was the last batter in the sixth and struck out looking. Safe to assume he bitched about the call?
4. Good article here.
5. I didn't have to witness this game in person.
6. Dusty Brown went 0-4 with 2 K's. Carter was 0-4 with one K.

The triple-A Yankees can seriously mash. They are a great team. It's easy to see why they are in first place in their division. Pawtucket is a lumber-free zone and they don't stand a chance tomorrow. OKAY??? It's too bad triple-A isn't like the majors, else there'd be rumors of bat acquisition.

The Mighty Enrique Gonzalez will oppose Kei Igawa tomorrow at 6. Then nothing more. Until June 2nd... LOUISVILLE!!!

5.22.09 Pawtucket v Scranton Wilkes-Barre

Pawtucket YES! WINS! YES!! 2-1. And Charlie Zink gets to keep his job... for now.

Zink! Pitched his balls off for eight innings and god bless him. Three hits, two walks and only one run? He pegged Austin Jackson at the top of the ninth, which got him replaced by the closer, but that's okay. Wow, I almost don't like SWB the same way I don't like NYY!

104 pitches for Charlie Zink. If I were a baseball player of limited intellect, I might say "Zinky was huge tonight. He picked the whole team up." Instead I'll just say I'm sorry I missed this.

Do you like home runs? Charlie Zink does! Van Every and Brown both hit solo homers off Towers. Wait... wasn't CMW supposed to pitch?? I already made out the lineup, which I hate doing so much!!! Eff it, I'm not changing anything.

Sultry Pawtucket closer Fernando Cabrera got the save. He gave up a hit to Todd Linden, but got the next three guys out. You should see Cabrera in the dugout with his long legs all stretched out... he always looks like he's just about to fall asleep.

yes, it's true:
1. Reegie. Not Reggie. That's what his name is.
2. It was Dusty Brown's first home run of the season. You should have seen his mustache. Pawtucket has a little mustache club going on. It's pretty scumhawk.
3. If you find Mark Kotsay exciting, he went 2-3.
4. Angel Chavez got a hit. There's a lot to love about AC. Please remember I said this when August rolls around and most of my love and good will has dissipated.
5. F-Cab allowed Zink's baserunner, Jackson, to score in the ninth when he gave up a hit to Hal Linden.
6. This game was only two hours long!

Tomorrow: Maybe Chien-Ming Wang? Anyway, post-game fireworks if you can stand it. I cannot.

Baby Chris Carter answers your questions.

"How heavy is a baseball? Well, a baseball weighs five ounces. The MLB rules allow a maximum weight of 5.25 oz, but then I wouldn't have the bitchin' light-tower power you see on display at all levels!"

5.21.09 Yankees defeat Red Sox effortlessly!

14-1 SWB. Wow, that's pretty embarrassing.

Kris Johnson: Did not pitch that well. Volcano Vaquedano: Did not pitch that well. Chris George: So-so. Who is this guy, anyway?

Rocky Cherry: Hey, Cherry did very well... one hitless inning!

Javier Lopez: Did not pitch well. Billy Traber: Got one out.

Pawtucket's only run came from Chris Carter's solo shot in the seventh, off Romulo Sanchez.

The Yankees and their obscenely tight pants were all over the bases with ten hits and ten walks. They are all mostly jacked assholes.

Gil Velazquez is back, which is good.

Astonishing True Tale: Some guy was in my seat so I sat elsewhere. A man and a woman sat next to me and somehow the woman's beer got spilled and they fought about this event for two innings.

I changed seats. Behind me were a father and daughter of the perpetually drunk sort. It was the daughter's 21st birthday, but she had the demeanor of a hard-drinking 40-year-old. Although she was only 21, her father said she'd been a bartender for five years... "But that's neither here nor there." Her goal was to date a baseball player: Specifically, Jason Bay. I looked at the Pawtucket roster to see if I could play matchmaker... came down to Vaquedano, Travis Denker, or Danielson.

At any rate, they were pretty entertaining.

Yo!
1. Hello, Yankees fans. Welcome to McCoy Stadium. I'm sorry that it sucks. I'm sorry the dugouts are weird. By the way, you do know this isn't the real Yankees? If you look closely, that is not Jorge Posada catching. I know it's hard to tell with the face mask. While we're at it, was it really necessary to wear your Yankees jersey all well as the Yankees cap?
2. I was not too happy to see muscle-bound first baseman Juan Miranda. He killed Pawtucket last year and will likely do the same during this series.

Let's just put this game behind us. Tonight: Chien-Ming Wang up against Charlie Zink. YES.

I can't just call him 'man'.

Devern Hansack has a brother named Dennis. Dennis Hansack is also a pitcher and he's currently a closer for the Coastal Bluefields in Nicaragua.

I can always count on 'El Nuevo Diario' for Hansack updates and so forth. I have learned a lot about Nicaragua in the process.

If only Zach Daeges was from Cyprus or something... then I could check in and see how he's doing.

Baby Chris Carter says

"Seeing Javier Lopez in the bullpen was like 2006 all over again. I could almost see the ghosts of Craig Breslow and Marc Deschenes sitting next to him, much like Obi-Wan and Yoda appeared to Luke Skywalker."

5.19.09 Pawtucket Red Sox v Buffalo Bisons (NYM)

Pawtucket WINS!!11! 4-3. Angel Chavez won this game and that is a fact, son.

Buffalo sent righty Brandon Knight to the mound. Knight only gave up two runs in six innings. Reliever Carlos Muniz came into the game with a 3-2 lead, but it was blown to hell when scorching hot Angel Chavez knocked a two-run homer out. Wow.

Clay Buchholz was good, not great. 4 1/3 innings and he kinda threw 94 pitches and not so many strikes. Fernando Martinez, who is Number One USA prospect, hit a solo HR off Buchholz in the third and then again in the fifth. The second home run was ruled a double, initially, but the umps conferred and changed the call to a home run. There's this yellow line out on the outfield wall, see...

Marcus McBeth's relief appearance can only described as Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. McBeth went long, 2 2/3 innings, and only gave up one hit - a double to catcher Rene Rivera. I thought he was going to be out there forever.

Bullpen righty and sex kitten Fernando Cabrera came in for the save (post-Chavez explosion). After getting Jesus Feliciano out, he walked Johnny Malo... and threw a wild pitch! Malo ran and ran and yeah, he did cross home plate but it didn't tie the game. Fortunately, the ball wound up in the dugout. Ground rule double?

Cabrera got the last two batters out, but it was so close. Easy as a nuclear war.

i wrote this song in the park:
1. Pawtucket risked both our lives in the first inning. Freddie Guzman led everything off with a walk and a stolen base. Two-hole batter Kev Youkilis grounded out, moving the runner to third. Then this:
"Paul McAnulty hit into fielder's choice double play, shortstop Jonathan Malo to third baseman Mike Lamb to second baseman Argenis Reyes to first baseman Wily Mo Pena to second baseman Argenis Reyes. Freddy Guzman out at home. Paul McAnulty out at 2nd."
I got all bollixed up trying to score this, but basically both Guzman and Mac were caught in rundowns. I'm sure RJ was thrilled. Good thing the team ultimately won!
2. When relievers stroll into the dugout from the bullpen between innings to top off their coffee or whatever, why do they walk like Reservoir Dogs? Nice and slow, see? That's the way to do it.
3. Paul McAnulty hurt his hand in the fourth inning whilst executing the back end of a 1-3 force (Mike Lamb)(kins). It must have been killing him! He had to step off and bend over... owwww...
4. MANIELSON! Big oaf Wily Mo Pena cranked a fat single to left with a runner in scoring position. Argenis Reyes and his weird-ass hair were DENIED the run because of Sean Danielson's freaking amazing power throw to the infield! Reyes only made it to third.
5. Iggy Suarez hit his first Pawtucket home run.

Day off tomorrow, then the Yankees.

PANAMA!!!!

5.19.09 Buffalo is shaking off the cold.

Buffalo defeats Pawtucket, 9-2.

Pawtucket starter Enrique Gonzalez has, up until last night, been fairly solid. It's okay. Five of the nine Buffalo runs were his (un)doing. Super duper Mets prospect Fernando Martinez hit a solo home run.

I was going to go to the park last night, but it didn't work out and that's okay. I watched the Mets on tv last night and I noticed some of the guys I'd just seen in Pawtucket were over there in LA. Like Ramon Martinez. Funny how that works.

Red Sox third baseman Angel Chavez was responsible for both RBI. Perhaps he is heating up? I didn't think Chavez was in a slump. I just thought he couldn't hit. Chavez also made an error in the seventh inning. Hey, can we talk about inning seven, guys?

THE SEVENTH INNING! Robinson Cancel is the first batter in the seventh and he singles off Gonzalez. Mike Lamb then singles. The next batter is International Guitar Sensation Jose Feliciano! And Feli hits an RBI double, scoring Cancel. FELIZ NAVIDAD, MOTHERFUCKER!!!

Enrique Gonzalez is yanked, Chris George takes over. George gets Johnny Malo to ground out... and then intentionally walks Argenis Reyes.

Cory Sullivan is the next batter and I think he bunts or something. At any rate, Travis Denker makes an error and two runs score. I wish I could have seen this. Fernando Martinez bats next and there's a PASSED BALL!! HOLY SMOKES!! ARGENIS REYES COMES HOME TO SCORE!! Anticlimactically, Martinez walks.

Chris George gets the hook. Rocky Cherry comes out of the bullpen. Willy Mo Pena hits a grounder over toward third base, which probably should have been the second out, but I guess Angel Chavez makes the error and Pena reaches and Sullivan crosses the plate.

Remember Javier Valentin? What happened to his catching career? And is he really only 33? Anyway, Valentin bats next and hits an RBI single, scoring F. Martinez. Fortunately, Cancel comes up again and grounds out and Mike Lamb flies out. But, hey, six runs is more than anyone needs to beat Pawtucket. Sometimes it only takes two runs.

sad movies always make me cry:
1. Former PawSox head K. Youkilis was in town for some rehab action... he'll be there today and so will I.
2. Van Every also made an error. It probably killed him. If I were a jerk, I might call him "Jonathan Van Error" but he's a good fielder out there.

Buchholz today. Meatloaf tomorrow. I'm too bored to breathe.