Boston Red Sox

By 0157H7 Ortiz then raised the World Series trophy over his head, shouting "You want this?! You want this?! This trophy is MINE!!!" Timlin then turned to Dustin Pedroia, and began to yell. "MO-MEN-TUM!! Momentum my boy!" Mike Timlin then threw Pedroia across the clubhouse.

By 0157H7 Anyway, I take solace in the great offense of Kevin Youkilis (HR, 3 for 6), Jason Bay (HR, 2B, 3 for 5), and Dustin Pedroia (2 HR, 3 for 5). Also commendable were the strong performances by our relievers not named Timlin or Lopez:  Masterson, Delcarmen, Okajima, and Papelbon combined for 5.2 s...

By Randy Booth 10/11/08 8:07 PM EDT Boston Red SoxTampa Bay RaysJacoby Ellsbury - RFAkinori Iwamura - 2BDustin Pedroia - 2BB.J. Upton - CFDavid Ortiz - DHCarlos Pena - 1BKevin Youkilis - 3BEvan Longoria - 3BJason Bay - LFCarl Crawford - LFJed Lowrie - SSCliff Floyd - DHJason Varitek - CDioner Navarro - CMa...

By Randy Booth 10/10/08 8:37 PM EDT Boston Red SoxTampa Bay RaysJacoby Ellsbury - CFAkinori Iwamura - 2BDustin Pedroia - 2BB.J. Upton - CFDavid Ortiz - DHCarlos Pena - 1BKevin Youkilis - 3BEvan Longoria - 3BJ.D. Drew - RFCarl Crawford - LFJason Bay - LFCliff Floyd - DHMark Kotsay - 1BDioner Navarro - CJed Low...

By Randy Booth The Boston Red Sox versus the best team in the American League East, the Tampa Bay Rays. There is no doubt in my mind that this is one of the best ALCS match-ups I've seen in recent history. Something about this rivalry just makes it stand out.

By Randy Booth Don't worry. This time, these questions and answers are pretty solid. RJ Anderson from DRaysBay.com, the SBN Rays blog, answered some questions for me just in time for game one of the ALCS. Who's the unsung hero in the Rays' lineup?Just about everybody sings Evan Longoria's tune, so probably...

By 0157H7 Theo Epstein appeared excited by the change. "Frankly, creating a winning team is a little too easy," he said. "We could win another five or six World Series with our current squad. The real challenge is rebuilding our team to lose both games and fans."

By Randy Booth Let's do this. Go Sox! Next Game Los Angeles Angels Boston Red Sox Monday, Oct 6, 2008, 8:37 PM EDT Fenway Park Partly cloudy. Winds blowing in from left field at 5-15 m.p.h. Game Time temperature: Near 50. Complete Coverage >

By Randy Booth I'm not going to say the Red Sox sucked, though. Josh Beckett, coming off an injury, did all he could. He wasn't the postseason Beckett we know and love, but he gutted it out. What sucks is that the Sox had the opportunity to end this series in a clean sweep and didn't happen. Now a game four is forced...

By Randy Booth With three hours until game time, I don't have one cohesive thing to say -- just a lot of little random things. Stick with me for a moment: Thank god the series has shifted to Boston. Not just because Fenway Park is the greatest stadium in the history of sports (I said it), but because we'll be wat...

By Randy Booth K-Rod after JD Drew's home run in the ninth inning. (via d.yimg.com) 7-5, Red Sox. But more importantly it's 2-0 Red Sox in the series. The Sox are heading back to Boston to try and put the final touches on the ALDS. That isn't the Sox. The Sox wanted to win this game. I hope the Angels are ready for it.

By Randy Booth It's no secret: all season long we waited to see when Daisuke Matsuzaka was going to get burned. As we've seen in the past, Matsuzaka is a big game pitcher. He knows how to win ball games. And although we may not be as comfortable when Jon Lester or Josh Beckett is on the mound, I think he'll prove to...

By 0157H7 One thing I haven't mentioned is the running game. Last night it was all about Jacoby Ellsbury, who stole two bases, while the Angels' chief running play was Vladimir Guerrero running into an out at 3rd. The two teams both swiped a lot of bags - LAA 129, BOS 120 - but the Sox had a better success ra...

By Randy Booth The Red Sox padded the lead with two runs in the top of the ninth. After Jed Lowrie singled and Jason Varitek moved him over with a bunt, Jacoby Ellsbury knocked a single to plate Lowrie. Ellsbury stole second and advanced to third on a ground out before David Ortiz knocked him in with a single th...

By Randy Booth However, it's a different animal now. The Red Sox, who have one two of the last four World Series, have proven to be a different team come the playoffs. And the Angels? They are the opposite: since 2002 (when they actually won the World Series), the Angels have won just four of 16 playoff games a...

By Randy Booth In anticipation of Wednesday's American League Divisional Series opener, Rev Halofan from Halos Heaven and I traded five questions about the ballclubs. Here are Rev's answers to my five tantilizing, earth-shattering questions: 1. The Red Sox know about John Lackey and Ervin Santana, b...

By Randy Booth I don't think anyone expected this after the first month of the season. Curt Schilling went down early and everything seemed to follow. Julio Lugo, JD Drew, Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, David Ortiz and Mike Lowell all missed significant portions of the season (Schilling is done for th...

By 0157H7 In the offeseason, there was tremendous hype surrounding Ells. Reports of the Johan Santana negotiations had the Twins asking for Ellsbury, and the Sox front office rebuffing them. It appeared the Sox were more willing to part with Jon Lester, a potential left-handed ace, than their youn...

By Randy Booth 09/17/08 7:10 PM EDT Boston Red SoxTampa Bay RaysJacoby Ellsbury - LFAkinori Iwamura - 2BDustin Pedroia - 2BJason Bartlett - SSDavid Ortiz - DHCarlos Pena - 1BKevin Youkilis - 3BEvan Longoria - 3BMark Kotsay - RFWilly Aybar - DHJed Lowrie - SSDioner Navarro - CSean Casey - 1BJustin Ruggi...

By Allen Chace So, a big fat shout-out to Josh Beckett, who was every bit of himself for 8 innings this evening. He left with the game tied, having engaged in an excellent pitching duel vs. Andy Sonnanstine and co. A Carlos Pena solo HR is the only blemish on an excellent night tonight from Becks.

By bs.uf15bosox9bears23 Sports Network) - First place in the AL East will be on the line this evening when the Tampa Bay Rays host the Boston Red Sox in the first of three critical matchups at Tropicana Field. Thanks to two dramatic wins at Fenway Park last week, Tampa Bay has won eight of the 15 matchups between the div...

By Allen Chace Regardless, one thing is for certain. All of the Rays-Yanks games this weekend were great. Either the Yankees lost, or the Rays lost, every time. I didn't get too caught up in deciding who to root for; I simply rooted for the Sox against the Jays, and was glad every night to see one more in the loss...

By 0157H7 Consider this a post-mortem thread for the Rays series, and feel free to add your own thoughts or vehement disagreements. And don't forget to answer the poll. Poll After standing in for Mike Lowell on Wednesday, what will Alex Cora's next pinch-running adventure be? Running for David Orti...

By Randy Booth Point five. Point five. Next Game Tampa Bay Rays Boston Red Sox Tuesday, Sep 9, 2008, 7:05 PM EDT Fenway Park Scott Kazmir vs Daisuke Matsuzaka Partly cloudy with a 50-percent chance of rain. Winds blowing out to center field at 10-20 m.p.h. Game Time temperature: Around 75.

By 0157H7 To be sure, the Sox have been aided by the opposing pitching staffs. In particular the Orioles, Royals, and Rangers have padded our stats. But good teams need to beat up on bad pitchers, as even a bad major league pitcher can sometimes shut us down.

By bs.uf15bosox9bears23 Sports Network) - Trying to beat the Boston Red Sox on the road has been enough of a challenge for the Baltimore Orioles over the years. Having to do it against Jon Lester has usually made it even tougher on the young club. Lester will attempt to keep his undefeated record against the Orioles in...

By BoSox415 Red Sox Lineup. Ellsbury RF. Pedroia 2B. Ortiz DH. Youk 3B. Bay LF. Lowrie SS. Varitek C. Bailey 1B. Crisp CF. SP: Byrd. No Kotsay today. Anyone have any info? I'm just going by the ESPN Boxscore. Bottom of the First, 1-0 Oh No's.

By 0157H7 That was the past, 2005 and 2006. But it doesn't seem distant at all. With Josh Beckett scratched again from his scheduled start (this time to see orthopaedist Dr. Andrews), the list of injured Red Sox grows longer. The team is almost as shorthanded as it was in 2006. We've lost Schilling and Lugo...

By bs.uf15bosox9bears23 Sports Network) - The Boston Red Sox make what in all likelihood will be their final visit to the current Yankee Stadium this evening, as they kick off a critical three-game series with the New York Yankees in the Bronx. Boston enters this series trailing the Tampa Bay Rays by 4 1/2 in the AL Ea...

By Allen Chace Boston Red Sox @ Chicago White Sox 08/11/08 8:11 PM EDT Boston Red SoxChicago White SoxCoco Crisp - CFOrlando Cabrera - SSDustin Pedroia - 2BAJ Pierzynski - CKevin Youkilis - 1BCarlos Quentin - LFMike Lowell - 3BJermaine Dye - RFJason Bay - LFJim Thome - DHJ.D. Drew - DHAlexei Ramirez - 2BJed...

By bs.uf15bosox9bears23 Daisuke Matsuzaka vs. Jose Contreras Dice-K going for 13th W, Contreras is coming back from an injury. From ESPN: Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen felt confident last week that Jose Contreras would come off the disabled list a completely different pitcher than the one that struggl...

By Randy Booth The Red Sox claimed Padres outfielder Brian Giles off waivers from the Padres yesterday in an effort to bolster their lineup down the stretch, according to a baseball source. A poll is attached. Poll Should the Red Sox trade for Brian Giles? Yes No Ehh

By 0157H7 The Boston Red Sox of New York - Just as the Anaheim Angels cut into the fanbase of the Dodgers, so can the Sox invade the Yankees' home territory. Now on the surface, this move seems to dilute the rivalry, as it becomes less regional. However, the proximity of players from both teams would spar...

By 0157H7 A Sox-Yankee series doesn't ignite the same passions it used to. There's probably more animus between the Red Sox and the Rays right now than between Boston and the Bombers. Granted, the reception Jonathan Papelbon and his wife received in New York may lead to something in this series, but i...

By 0157H7 In the pen, Aardsma and Hansen are walking more than 6 batters every 9 innings. Of the entire pitching staff, only Josh Beckett and Jonathan Papelbon are truly good at suppressing walks. Beckett's walked only 25 in 120 IP, while Pap has allowed only 7 walks in 42.1 IP.

By Allen Chace Despite seeing things his way, to some degree, I really don't like airing all this out to the press. I don't feel like it's the best way for Paps to get what he wants: the Sox generally like to keep all these kinds of talks private/confidential. I'm not sure Theo is the kind of guy to see Paps talki...

By Randy Booth The most surprising aspect of those talks to some baseball people is that the Mets remain in the mix. It may be because the Twins would like to move Santana to the National League if possible. But while the Mets have made a four-for-one offer built around center fielder Carlos Gomez, indicati...

By SoxDevil The Red Sox remain the favorite to acquire Johan Santana from the Twins, insiders say. Boston remains firm, though, as initially reported by the Pioneer Press, in offering just Jon Lester, Coco Crisp, Jed Lowrie and Justin Masterson. The Red Sox are adamantly opposed to substituting Jaco...