Garnett is MVP: most vital presence

Posted by Bob Ryan, Globe Columnist March 27, 2008 at 12:00 am He's not going to be the MVP. The Garden fans can chant, "M-V-P," when Kevin Garnett goes to the foul line from now till Memorial Day, but they might as well get it into their heads: That one's going to be a Kobe-LeBron knockdown-dragout.

It’s a Cover Up

Posted by ssilva March 26, 2008 at 7:34 pm

It's a Cover Up

(SI Cover Photo - LARGE VERSION HERE)

Ellsbury, Buchholz Get Star Treatment on SI

But the 2008 Baseball Preview Picks the Yanks to Win the AL East

After ‘awesome’ vacation, Seymour back at work

Posted by New England Patriots News Feed March 26, 2008 at 2:00 pm Patriots DL Richard Seymour discusses his once-in-a-lifetime trip to Israel with team owner Robert Kraft and teammate Benjamin Watson, and looks ahead to the team’s offseason preparations for 2008.

Bruins Come Home with a Big Win

Posted by Canadian Press March 26, 2008 at 8:44 am TORONTO - When mild-mannered Matt Stajan kicked a sock across the Toronto Maple Leafs dressing room, you knew this wasn't your run-of-the-mill loss. This one stung big time. The players wouldn't say it, but Tuesday night's 6-2 defeat to the visit...

Andrew Alberts Chat Transcript - 3.26.08

Posted by Boston Bruins March 26, 2008 at 7:24 am Andrew Alberts Andrew Alberts: Hey everyone bring it on! raybork: Hey Andrew! Long time Bruins fan (as you can tell by the name). What will it ...

The Second Game (Oakland 5, Red Sox 1)

Posted by Rob Bradford March 26, 2008 at 6:18 am

(Will be updating throughout game)

7:01 p.m. (Far East time): Before we get into the game let me get to the real important stuff. Clubhouse manager Joe Cochran said that the Red Sox have just about burned through the four cases of Red Bull they brought along. One case includes 25 cans, and half the shipment is diet while the other is regular. We should also point out that one of the most important items included on Cochran’s list of extra things to bring over was Double Bubble Bubble Gum. According to Cochran, the case of that vareity of gum has been deemed a good luck charm by manager Terry Francona.

The youngest player ever to win a professional golf tournament, Ryo Ishikawa, threw out the first pitch and then jumped up and down triumphantly on the mound in celebration.

7:09: First pitch. David Ortiz is up after Rich Harden struck out Dustin Pedroia and got Kevin Youkilis on a fly out. Ortiz came into this bat 4 for 4 against Harden with a walk. Ortiz remained perfect, drawing another free pass. Manny Ramirez, who is following Ortiz, had a busy day. Believe or not, Manny was the guest speaker for the Red Sox Destinations. Word has it that he was about as entertaining as they come. Unfortunately his good day hasn’t yet translated, swinging and missing at a 153 kilometer-per-hour fastball from Harden for strike three. Once again, here is your converter.

7:40: The crowd at the Tokyo Dome is much more subdued than last night, for obvious reasons. (No Daisuke and probably no Okajima). Jon Lester just struck out Jack Hannahan with a 146 KM/H heater. So far Lester’s only miscue came to Bobby Crosby, who turned on a high fastball and doubled into the left field corner. Lester seems to have good stuff, but his command is only middle-of-the-road right now, throwing first-pitch strikes to just two of his first eight batters. After walking Kurt Suzuki, the lefty did come back with a first-pitch strike to No. 9 hitter Chris Denorfia. But on the next pitch the center fielder pasted an opposite field single into right-center scoring Crosby. Oakland 1, Red Sox 0.

Lester got out of the first and third jam by throwing a well-placed fastball on the inside edge to Travis Buck for the inning-ending strikeout. Through two innings the Sox starter has thrown 39 pitches, 20 for strikes.

7:50: It’s stat time!

First, let’s welcome back Gary from Chapel Hill. Here is his latest: Daisuke Matsuzaka had two walks and a HBP in the first inning yesterday. Last season, he walked or hit 25 batters in the first inning, tied with Tom Glavine for the most in the majors … Mark Ellis hit the sixth first inning home run of his career in his first at-bat of the seaosn. In 2003, he homered during his 36th plate appearance, previously the earliest that he had homered in a season … Manny Ramirez drove in four runs after having only two four RBI games last season (both in July). It was the 66th in his career that he has had a four-plus RBI game, but only the second time that he’s done it without hitting a home run. Since 1956, only Sammy Sosa (75) and Hank Aaron (71) have had more career games with four or more RBI … Jonathan Papelon allowed four baserunners for only the second time since becoming the closer in 2006. The other one also came against Oakland (5/1/07).

Back with more numbers courtesy Inside-Edge in a little bit …

8:09: Emil Brown takes Lester over the left field wall for a three-run blast. It appeared to be a high fastball, but we’ll have to get back to you on that because replays are scarce in this press box. Oakland 4, Red Sox 0.

This figured to be a challenge for Lester in his quest to become more pitch efficient this season, with Oakland traditionally serving as one of the most patient teams in the league (along with the Red Sox). Thanks to Inside-Edge, here are some numbers:

Rankings from 2007: Overall chase percentage out of the strike zone: 1. Oakland (19.0); 2. Red Sox (19.4); MLB avg. 22.9 … Chase percentage when pitcher is ahead in the count: 1. Oakland (24.5); 3. Red Sox (26.4); MLB avg. 30.1 … Chase percentage of off-speed pitches: 1. Oakland (24.3); 2. Red Sox (25.1); MLB avg. 30.2 … Overall take percentage in the strike zone: 3. Red Sox (36.2); 4. Oakland (36.1); MLB avg. 33.1 … First pitch taken in the strike zone: 3. Oakland (62.8); 4. Red Sox (62.7); MLB avg. 57.7.

Dan Johnson was more likely than any hitter in the league to take an off-speed pitch for a strike … Jack Cust had the league’s lowest chase percentage with two strikes … Manny Ramirez was the second least likely AL hitter to chase a pitch with runners in scoring position … Kevin Youkilis chased a lower percentage of pitches on three-ball counts than any other regular player in the AL.

So far the A’s have worked Lester for 73 pitches (40 strikes) through three innings.

8:35: Lester comes through with his best inning yet, in the fourth. The lefty sandwiched two strikeouts around a weak grounder to second, needing just 13 pitches to get the job done. Much like Matsuzaka yesterday, Lester appeared more resolute, confident and comfortable than any of the early innings.

8:44: Lester is done for the day as reliever David Aardsma will be making his Red Sox debut, coming out for the fifth inning. The line for the Sox starter: 4 innings, 5 hits, 4 runs, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts. He threw 83 pitches, 47 strikes.

8:55: Manny Ramirez hits a 1-1 Harden pitch deep into the left field bleachers. Oakland 4, Red Sox 1. Ramirez once again stood at home plate a tad longer than the normal long ball admirer, much like he did when launching his double yesterday. It isn’t anything new, but bears watching in regards to potential messages sent throughout baseball. Ramirez got a standing ovation from the fans in left upon going out to his position.

The Red Sox go down in the ninth. Final Score: A’s 5, Red Sox 1.

Coco, Moss in

Posted by Rob Bradford March 26, 2008 at 2:54 am

The Red Sox lineup is in, with Coco Crisp and Brandon Moss replacing Jacoby Ellsbury and J.D. Drew, respectively. The order is as follows: Dustin Pedroia 2B, Kevin Youkilis 1B, David Ortiz DH, Manny Ramirez LF, Mike Lowell 3B, Brandon Moss RF, Jason Varitek C, Coco Crisp CF, Julio Lugo SS.

Will get updates on Ellsbury and Drew shortly ….

One down

Posted by Chad Finn March 26, 2008 at 12:07 am

Jumping to a couple of super-quick conclusions after 1 of 162 . . .

* * *
I'll refrain from becoming the 490th person you've heard today mention that Manny Ramirez is on pace for 648 RBIs - whoops, maybe I won't - but it is worth mentioning that Manny had just two four-RBI games during his subpar '07 season. (July 22 against the White Sox and July 26 against Cleveland.) So, yes, I'd say we're justified in at least hoping his dazzling season debut - which included his patented "Oh, $*%*, I'd better stop admiring my handiwork and start running" move - is harbinger of a huge comeback season to come. Do I think Manny is capable of accomplishing the improbable and rediscovering his Monster-mashing mojo in a season during which he'll turn 36? Let's put it this way: My fantasy baseball draft is Saturday, and Manny rose more than a couple of spots on my draft board at around 10 a.m. Monday morning. Hell, I was a believer before today, but it was nonetheless reassuring to see him actually deliver.

* * *

I like Dice-K, and admire him for ease in which he became one of the guys in the Sox clubhouse despite some obvious barriers. I'm glad he pitches for this team, and I believe he'll have the kind of season you'd expect from the No. 2 starter on a legitimate championship contender. Anyone who considers his first season in the majors a disappointment falls somewhere between unrealistic and irrational; not even Pedro in his prime could have lived up to that amount of hype. Now, sincere disclaimers aside, here's my one recurring frustration with him: It's maddening to watch him nibble and refuse to challenge the mediocre likes of Jack Hannahan and Emil Brown. He'll get the count in his favor, say 1-2, then throw the next three pitches just off the plate, which is how he ends up walking hitters who have no business reaching base against him. It severely detracts from the experience of watching him pitch, and I was hoping John Farrell or someone in the organization had convinced him to trust his stuff a little bit more now that he has a year of big league success documented on the back of his baseball card. But based on what we saw today - five walks in five innings - he's still intent on trying to throw the perfect pitch, even when the moment doesn't call for it.

* * *

Finally, the most interesting baseball story I read today comes from SI.com stellar (if Yankee-centric) Tom Verducci, who looks back on the 2005 amateur draft and how it provided a turning point in terms of philosophy as well as an infusion of young talent for both the Red Sox and the Yankees. I thought the following extended segment was the most interesting part in a genuinely insightful piece:

Epstein had his doubts [about Buchholz, who was caught stealing laptops from a middle school while in college]. Scouting director Jason McLeod thought that Boston should take Buchholz with an early pick, but Epstein, worried about the baggage, would roll his eyes every time McLeod mentioned him. Finally, Epstein told McLeod, "Listen, if you feel that strongly, the only way I'm going to feel comfortable picking him early is if I can meet him. Let's bring him to Fenway, have him throw and then grill him. Let's find out if this is a bad guy who got caught or a good guy who made a bad mistake."

One week before the draft, Buchholz threw in the Fenway Park bullpen for Epstein and McLeod while the Red Sox took batting practice. Says Epstein, "His stuff was ridiculous." Then the three of them left the bullpen and stood in Fenway's centerfield, while David Ortiz whacked balls off the Green Monster, over their heads and at their feet.

Asked about the theft, Buchholz told Epstein that he had been just a lookout and it was a dumb decision he regretted. "Look," Epstein told him, "we're thinking about taking you. But if we do, we're putting our reputations on the line. If you screw up, it'll be on us. We'll have a zero-tolerance policy with you. So tell us right now why we should believe in you."

Replied Buchholz, "Because all I've ever wanted to be is a big league pitcher. This is too important to me."

Funny how it's all played out. I wonder how many fans realize the Sox ended up with Jacoby Ellsbury and Buchholz as the compensation picks for letting Orlando Cabrera and Pedro Martinez depart. (They also picked Craig Hansen as compensation for losing Derek Lowe, and their own first-rounder, No. 28 overall, went to the Cardinals when they signed Edgar Renteria. St. Louis chose phenom Colby Rasmus. So not everything worked out perfectly.)

* * *

As for Today's Completely Random Baseball Card:

Because sometimes it really is random.

Back to US in no time

Posted by Dan Shaughnessy, Globe Columnist March 26, 2008 at 12:00 am It is 6:50 Wednesday night in Los Angeles and I am thinking about Marvin Barnes.

With late heroics, a sunny start

Posted by Dan Shaughnessy, Globe Columnist March 26, 2008 at 12:00 am History walked hand-in-hand with suspense. The Red Sox starter was Daisuke Matsuzaka. The Red Sox winner was Hideki Okajima. A last-minute substitute, a rookie from Georgia wearing Hank Aaron's number, sent the game into extra innings with a homer in the ninth. There was an acrobatic catch by phenom Jacoby Ellsbury. Manny Ramírez knocked in the winning run. ...

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