Red Sox Record for the Week of July 6: 5-2
The week began with the much-anticipated return of former Red Sox great and current Oakland infielder Nomar Garciaparra to Boston, his first in an opposing uniform since being traded midseason to the Cubs in 2004.
Boston sports talk radio debated the level of cheers vs. boos he would receive in the days and hours leading up to his return last Monday night, July 6. But much as they did for Derek Lowe’s return to Boston June 20, the sold-out Fenway crowd gave Nomar loud cheers and a standing-O before he took his first pitch of the night, leaving no doubt how appreciated he was for his eight-plus years in Boston. Nomar then went on to knock in the first run of the game, which turned out to be the game winner in the Athletics’ 6-0 win that night at the hands of rookie lefty Brett Anderson, who outperformed veteran John Smoltz with an impressive two-hit shutout.
The Sox took the next two games from the A’s and then three of four games from KC over the weekend. The highlight of the week for me was the 1-0 win Friday night July 10 vs. the Royals at Fenway. The match-up was Jon Lester vs. Brian Bannister. Lester’s previous outing against KC was his no-hitter in May 2008, and after Friday’s eight innings of scoreless pitching, he has given up zero runs in three career starts against them. The Boston southpaw had everything going this night, from a spot-on fastball to his changeup and breaking ball.Other notable highlights of this game include Nick Green’s gutsy successful bunt with two strikes on him in the bottom of the eighth inning, executed after Terry Francona took the bunt sign off. That set up the eventual clutch game-winning double by Dustin Pedroia off Bannister, who pitched one of the best games of his young career. Jonathan Papelbon, who got a rocky save two nights prior, threw nothing but devastating heat (95-97 mph) en route to a 1-2-3 save, his 23rd of the season. It was one of Pap’s best outings of ’09.
Article comments
1 - Tony
I can't think of another team than can field an entire starting lineup and starting pitching rotation of caucasion players (besides Ortiz).
Jason catching, Kevin at first, Dustin at second, Nick at short, Mike at third, and Jacoby, Jason, and J.D. in the outfield. Oh and of course the two Tims, Josh, Brad, and Jonathan pitching. Sounds like the lineup for a large boy band,
No Asians, Latino, or African Americans in the bunch (again except Ortiz and the middle relief). I wonder what the anaylsis on that is because its pretty rare in this day and age. Kind of fits Boston, but still rare.
2 - Tony
Didn't mean the two Tims, that's the two John's, Lester and Smoltz. And I almost forgot Taylor; can't have a goog boy band without a Taylor.
3 - Matthew T. Sussman
Jacoby Ellsbury: Native American
Kevin Youkilis: Jewish
Mike Lowell: Puerto Rican
Daisuke Matsuzaka: Japanese
So, the minorities get hurt and/or are "white enough" to overlook. Kind of a red herring thing to say.
Would you like them to still have Coco Crisp in center? Or Julio Lugo as their shortstop?
The 2009 Red Sox: Worse But Diverse!
4 - charlie
Hey Matt, (of course I'm joking but ) this may be Ken Rosenthal just posing as some guy named "Tony." His (wrong) assessment of the Sox fits right in with Ken's during the '08 playoffs.
5 - Tony
It was a joke. Didn't know Lowell was Puerto Rican though, you learn something new every day. Youk being Jewish hardly counts though. And Matsuzaka isn't even really on the team anymore.
6 - charlie
Tony, you're not joking (except for the boy band bs). And you did what Rosenthal did last October - take a snapshot in time of the Red Sox instead of looking at the WHOLE roster of players (including those on the DL) to determine how more or less diverse the Sox are.
I bet you didn't know Nick Green was Jewish (but that doesn't count, right?) And as far as Dice-K goes, he's very much a member of the Red Sox due to his long-term big contract. I don't know what's going to happen with the back of the rotation once he comes back (likely in late August), but he will be back pitching for the Sox this year.
So between Green, Youk, Lowell, Dice-K, Okajima, Manny Delcarmen, Lugo (until last week), Javier Lopez (until he cut released), Takashi Saito, Ellsbury, Ramon Ramirez and Ortiz, I'd say the 2009 Sox have a VERY ethnically diverse ball club.