Kuzul

Talks abruptly end with Yankees, allowing the Rangers to swoop in and trade for Cliff Lee.

Early this morning, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported that the New York Yankees were “on the brink obtaining [Seattle Mariners starting pitcher] Cliff Lee for a packing that would include top prospects Jesus Montero.”

Then an executive familiar with the talks informed ESPN the deal was “just about done.” Twenty minutes later, Kevin Davidoff of Newsday reported there had been a “snag” in the talks between the Mariners and Yankees.

Still, for the next few hours, the consensus was that a trade would be completed. Then came the shocking twist. Quoting Sherman via Twitter: “#Mariners backing off #Yankees offer, Post has learned. Does not look like #Yankees are in it.”

Lee in New York would significantly hurt Boston’s chances of breaking through in the division, so I was definitely relieved to hear the talks had broken off at the last minute. But since the credibility of “sources” took a hit during the LeBron James fiasco, I wasn’t entirely sold on the reports being true. Yet, as confirmations came in from very respected outlets – newspapers such as the New York Times and Seattle Times, as well as the ESPN’s Buster Olney – I deemed the news to be valid. Too many were saying the same thing for it not to be. So, not happy with the prospects they were reported to receive – Montero, the Yankees top catching prospect, Double-A second baseman David Adams, and a third prospect–the Mariners turned their attention to the Texas Rangers.

Once Smoak was entered, the Mariners decided to trade Lee to Rangers.

After learning the tables were turned and they were in fact in contention to land the ace lefthander, Texas tempted Seattle with a prospect-laden offer headlined by first baseman Justin Smoak, a 23-year old power hitter who was the organization’s second-ranked prospect entering the season. Smoak hasn’t hit for much of an average during his brief time in the major leagues, as he is batting just .209 this season, but he has had his fair share of bright spots in hitting eight homers and driving in 31 rbi’s. He did perform fairly well in June, hitting .266 with six doubles, four home runs and 22 RBI to go with 17 walks and 16 runs scored. And based of his recent play, projections, and potential, he has a very bright career ahead of him.

Along with Smoak, the package included 25-year old right-handed reliever Josh Lueke, who is currently with their Double-A team and has had an incredible amount of success. He has racked up the strikeouts at a prolific rate, especially this season, compiling 62 in 38 innings split between Single-A and Double-A. All indications are that he has the potential to either close or be an effective set-up man at the Major League level.

Twenty-one year old Blake Beavan, a 6’7″, 250-pound right-handed pitcher, was inserted to the deal as well. His frame suggests he would be a power-pitcher with Lueke’s strikeout/inning ratio, but he is finesse comparatively, averaging just 5.2 strikeouts per nine innings during his minor league career. This means he pitches to contact, but that doesn’t mean he’s been hit hard while in Texas’s system. This season, the 17th ranked prospect in the Rangers system has gone 10-5 with a 2.78 ERA with Double-A Frisco.

Also added to the package was second baseman Matthew Lawson, a 24-year old who played with Lueke and Beavan with Frisco. His statistics remind me of the minor league numbers put up by the current Red Sox Dustin Pedroia, albeit with more strikeouts. He hasn’t swiped many bags, but he has shown the ability to do so with reliability. He hasn’t hit for much power, but judging by his stats he may project to hit 10-15 homers over a full season. His batting average and on-base percentage have been above average. Lawson is also very versatile, as he can play all three outfield positions, too.

Would Smoak and these three prospects be enough to nab Lee from the Mariners? Seattle wasn’t pleased with the medical records of Adams, who sprained his ankle in May and has not played since. This ended the talks with the Yankees, infuriating the AL East leader. With New York no longer in play, the Mariners told the Rangers that adding Smoak would mean obtaining Lee. Texas clearly obliged, and a trade was hashed out, with the addition of reliever Mark Lowe and $2 million in cash heading to the Rangers.

As of now, the deal looks solid for both parties. Since Lee is a free agent after this season, Texas has to re-sign him for the move to still be considered a win. Trading Smoak for a half-year rental would not sit well with their fan base. But the thought is that Texas wouldn’t have done the deal if they weren’t absolutely sure a long-term agreement with Lee could be reached.

With the bold move confirmed by press releases, Lee is officially a Ranger. He was the ace of the Cleveland Indians from 2003 to the mid-season of 2009, and went 22-3 in his final full season with the team. He was then traded to the Phillies, and he dominated with the National League’s best. His regular season numbers were superb, but he really made his mark in the postseason. He went 4-0, threw two complete games, and had a sparkling 1.56 ERA in five playoff starts.

He carried over this success to the Mariners. He joined the team in the offseason as part of an extraordinary blockbuster that sent prospects fly every which way and netted Philadelphia ace Roy Halladay. Seattle has underachieved this season, but he’s been their lone bright spot. In 13 starts he went 8-3 with a 2.34 ERA and five complete games.

This move gives the Rangers an even better chance at winning the American League West, the division they currently lead by 5.5 games over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Smoak has tremendous upside, but Lee is one of the best pitchers in baseball. If given a chance to acquire him, it would be hard-pressed to find a team that wouldn’t jump at the opportunity. Leaving the Yankees irate at the broken down talks, Seattle adequately builds for the future while Texas swoops in to make a trade that could put them over the top and help them contend with miffed New York and other American League powers come playoff time.

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  The Boston Red Sox best pitcher, Clay Buchholz, went on the disabled list this past week, becoming the ninth member of their opening day roster to hit the shelf. The lineup is depleted. The pitching staff is thin. And just in time for a series against the Tampa Bay Rays, their division rival.

Boston lost the opener of the series, allowing four unanswered runs in defeat. It was a pain-free game, but tonight’s was not. Early on, Kevin Youkilis left with right ankle pain. He was about to step up to the plate before grabbing his ankle.  He lay on the ground as Mike Reinold, their very bust trainer, rushed out to his aid.

He left and was replaced by Niuman Romero.

Who?

Exactly. Boston has suffered so many injuries, and summoned in a few relatively unknown players. Former Independent-Leaguer Daniel Nava was called up in Jacoby Ellsbury’s stead. Journeyman Darnell McDonald was promoted when Mike Cameron went down. But the Red Sox have received adequate output from the replacements.

Youkilis labeled the injury as a cramp. He expects to play tomorrow. But the worst is expected. Far too many important players are on the disabled list, yet Boston has stuck in the race.

Their lineup features just a few recognizable names, and by the fifth inning in the second game of their series with the Rays, it consisted of Romero, Nava, Eric Patterson, Kevin Cash, and Bill Hall. Everyone except Hall hasn’t been on the team for more than a month and a half. Yet, despite all of the injuries, tonight the team was going for their 50th win.

Their chances of picking up that victory were rather slim, considering their makeshift lineup was coupled with young Felix Doubront–who was called up after Buchholz hit the disabled list–on the mound. Yet, Doubront pitched rather effectively, and the offense managed to manufacture something productive to hang tough with their fierce opponent.

After J.D. Drew, whom is surprisingly one of the few healthy Red Sox, reached second base on an error by third baseman Evan Longoria, Nava delivered in the clutch. The left-fielder has delivered big hit after hit during his short tenure with the team, and did so again, reaching on an infield single to plate Drew for the tying run.

Doubront relinquished the go-ahead run an inning later, however, allowing a triple to Sean Rondriguez to begin the fifth and an ensuing rbi-groundout to John Jaso. The Boston bats were silent in the top half of the sixth, but still managed to be just one run down entering the top of the seventh after a wild bottom of the sixth. Two reached with one out, then former Red Sox outfielder Gabe Kapler walked to load the bases.

Cash, known more for his arm than his bat, relied on his strength and fired a frozen rope to MVP-candidate Adrian Beltre at third. His swipe tag beat a diving Longoria, erasing one of the Rays from the basepaths and making life much easier on the rookie pitcher. This mental error by Longoria and tremendous throw by Cash hurt Tampa Bay considerably. A bases-loaded, one-out situation turned into a scoreless inning, as Scott Atchison, who replaced Doubront after Longoria was gunned down, induced Rodriguez to fly out.

Threat averted, but now Boston needed to take advantage. They could not. Bats were silent in their halves of the seventh and eighth. Rays left-fielder Carl Crawford capitalized on the Red Sox offensive struggles, giving the Rays a cushion they couldn’t get in the sixth with a solo-shot to begin the eighth off reliever Hideki Okajima.

The Red Sox now had a tougher hill to climb, but they fought until the end. Hall walked to begin the ninth, then Patterson tripled him home, lacing a 1-1 fastball from closer Rafael Soriano to deep center-field. The Crawford homer was now looming large. But, even with two out, the tying run was just 90-feet away. Without it, Boston would fall a game and a half behind Rays. With it, they could have a chance to tie the Rays for re-tae second place in the division.

David Ortiz was intelligently intentionally walked, bringing up Romero, the 25-year old who was looking for his third major-league hit. He would not get it. A groundout to Rodriguez followed, and that was that: a third straight loss and second-consecutive to the Rays.

Boston will get to 50 wins and most likely win upwards of 40 more the rest of the way. But to do that they have to get healthy. They narrowly spelled defeat, but at this point in the season, it is difficult seeing them trot out the lineup they did, and have to rely on a called-up rookie starting pitcher as they did.

Injuries can be the death of teams, but considering the team is still somehow in the thick of the AL East despite their bad luck, a few returns could mean a distinct chance of battling both the Rays and New York Yankees until the end.

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The Boston Red Sox have lost Jacoby Ellsbury, Josh Beckett, Victor Martinez, Dustin Pedroia, and J.D. Drew to injury this season. Drew has been in and out of the lineup throughout his career, so his absence can be taken with a grain of salt. But the injuries that currently hamper the other four stars should leave Boston helpless.

In missing all of this production and using the relatively unknown as replacements, they should be fighting to stay in the race. But, backed by some fantastic situational hitting and a savvy manager, Boston’s victory over the Tampa Bay Rays puts them just one game behind the vaunted New York Yankees in the American League East.

John Lackey pitched seven sparkling innings and the bullpen staved off a late Rays rally. Given his struggles this season, Lackey’s performance is definitely surprising and uplifting. But what caught my eye even more was the continued offensive production.

Boston is lacking their speed in Ellsbury, their heart and soul in Pedroia, and a steady power bat in Martinez. They are starting the likes of former Independent-Leaguer Daniel Nava and Brewers castoff Bill Hall. David Ortiz, who can hit a wall at any moment, Mike Cameron, a perennial .250 hitter, and Jason Varitek, who struggled to hit above the Mendoza Line last year, round out the lineup.

These five players have done some great things for the Red Sox this season, and combined with the consistencies of Adrian I-like-to-hit-with-one-knee-on-the-ground Beltre and Kevin Youkilis, the offense is one of the best in the majors. Their talents were on display in their battle with Tampa.

With one out in the fifth, Cameron singled and Marco Scutaro doubled him to third. Nava proceeded to strike out. Two outs, and a better chance to make an out than not, Boston managed to come through. Ortiz socked his 16th homer of the season, clubbing a first-pitch fastball from James Shields into the right-field seats for a three-run homer and a three-run lead.

A third out was recoredd, sending the game to the top of the sixth, but after Lackey pitched a scoreless top of the frame, the bats were back at it in the bottom.

A 2-2 curveball glanced off Drew’s right foot, starting a rally that put the Rays in a deep hole. Beltre lined a single to right field for his third hit of the evening, increased his batting average to .347, then Varitek duplicated his success, hitting a singe to plate Drew and knock Shields out of the game.

Hall watched four of the first five pitches thrown by reliever Dan Wheeler miss, then after Scutaro and Cameron struck out, Nava came through in the clutch, rifling a RBI-single to give Boston a five-run advantage.

The seventh was more of the same. Hitters were patient. Everyone was seeing the ball well tonight, and when that happens, they are tough to fool. Drew worked a walk, then the floodgates opened once more.

It is clear teams are good when they can capitalize on a majority of the opponent’s mistakes. They did that in this game and have done so in many, many others over the past few weeks. With the way they are going, receiving outings as they did from Lackey is a bonus.

Beltre doubled for his fourth hit and 101st of the season in the seventh, then Hall knocked him in with a long-ball over the Green Monster in left-center field. With that, the margin was seven, and though the bullpen allowed two runs each in the eighth and ninth, a win was well in Boston’s hands.

And with that win, the team improves to 47-31. A team that started the season by losing nine of their first 13 games. A team that has now won 28 of their past 39.

They were a game and a half behind the Yankees with the victory. Would the Seattle Mariners help them close the gap even further by beating the Evil Empire? Cliff Lee, their ace and one of the most sought-after and best pitchers in the majors, was on the mound, so they had a great chance to.

Lee came into the game having thrown two straight complete games. The last Mariner to throw three straight was Randy Johnson in 1999.

Throwing complete games used to be expected. Pitchers tossed 300-plus innings and threw 25 complete games over the course of a season with regularity. The pitchers haven’t changed. If given the chance, anyone could duplicate the seasons put together by generations past. But they aren’t allowed to. That’s why Lee’s bid for three straight is such a big deal. It’s sad, really.

Well, he did complete the feat. New York right hander Phil Hughes was tagged, continuing his rough month, allowing seven runs on ten hits while not even completing six innings. Lee, on the other hand, was stingy, silencing the Yankees bats until a two-run meaningless rally in the ninth inflated his statistics.

Still, nine innings, allowing three earned runs on eight hits while striking out two is nothing to scoff at. And when it is against the Yankees in Yankees Stadium it’s that much more fulfilling.

A Red Sox win and a Yankees loss puts Boston only a game back. On May 20 they were eight and a half games back. That was way too early to worry, and their recent tear may not translate to prolonged success.

But, with the way they have played in spite of the injury bug, I find it difficult to believe they will falter. If utility players and journeymen keep rising to the occasion, the Red Sox should be fighting to the finish with their bitter rival.

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Yesterday, Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Clay Buchholz pulled up lame in the top of the second inning against the San Francisco Giants, slightly hyper-extending his left knee running from first to second base after collecting his first Major League hit.

The Red Sox were still trying to digest the broken foot star second baseman Dustin Pedroia suffered the night before when they were forced to watch Buchholz walk with a significant limp down the dugout steps and into the clubhouse. Now, they had to find a way to piece together eight innings of relief. They did, and brilliantly, something I did not expect.

Boston won as seven relievers combined to toss eight innings of two-run ball.

In Sunday’s game, the final of their series with the Giants, the relief core was given a well-deserved rest by Jon Lester . The offense that knocked around National League aces Roy Halladay and Ubaldo Jimenez over the past few weeks tagged another usually dominant pitcher. Tim Lincecum was roughed up, allowing a solo shot to David Ortiz that splashed into McCovey Cove in the first, two runs in the second, and one more in the third. Having thrown 79 pitches, and uncharacteristically walked four batters, he was replaced.

Just as the Red Sox bullpen did before, the Giants’ performed admirably after his short exit. Boston was ahead 4-1, and San Francisco allowed just one more run over the remaining six innings. But the Red Sox advantage was more than enough, as Lester performed as San Francisco expected Lincecum would.

Lester allowed a first inning run and nothing else. The Giants couldn’t handle his repertoire: his biting cut fastball, his deceptive changeup, and his loopy curveball. He kept his pitch count low, worked out of jams when he needed to, kept the hitters off-balance, and ultimately cruised to toss a complete game , in which he allowed just five hits and a walk while striking out nine.

Boston needed this effort from Lester who, after a rough start to the season, continued his magnificent performance on the mound to record his ninth win and lower his ERA to 2.68.

But, dampening his outing, the team suffered their third blow of the series, as hot-hitting catcher Victor Martinez went down,  fracturing his thumb . He took a foul tip off the bat of Pablo Sandoval off the thumb in the second inning, then took another from Andres Torres in the third, ending his day behind the plate.

It is definitely unfortunate that injuries have hit Boston, but they keep on winning in spite of them. Buchholz may make his next start and Martinez is on the disabled list for hopefully a short stint. But Pedroia, who was fresh off a five-hit, three-homer game against the Colorado Rockies, is expected to miss up to six weeks.

The offense picked up in his stead in the series finale, as replacement Bill Hall had two hits, scoring and driving in a run. Just as Lester picked up the slack for a weary bullpen, Hall stepped up with one of their better hitters on the shelf.

Boston, now 41-26 and only a game-and-a-half behind the New York Yankees in the AL East, will need more production like they received against the Giants, and if they do, they will surely be in the divisional race for the long-haul.

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Pitchers are babied in the modern era. Years and years ago, the starting pitcher was expected to throw complete games. They tossed 300-plus pitchers a season and their average pitch count was well in the hundreds. For one night, for one game, baseball went back to those roots.

Through three innings, Arizona Diamondbacks starter Edwin Jackson had walked seven Tampa Bay Rays. Over that span he threw 68 pitches. But the final two of the third helped him escape a bases-loaded no-out jam, as B.J. Upton and Hank Blalock were retired on a pair of groundouts. That kept the no-hitter intact. A no-hitter I and many others believed he would actually attain.

Jackson needed only ten pitches to get through the fourth inning, a breeze in comparison to the tiresome first three frames. Still no hits allowed to his former team, a team that traded him because they had a surplus of young pitching. He was wild, but in not relinquishing a hit so far he was certainly showing the Rays management he was worth keeping.

He needed just nine more pitches to send down the three fifth-inning hitters. At this point, the possibility of throwing a no-hitter entered his thought process. At this point the Rays, who had been no-hit by the Oakland Athletics Dallas Braden earlier this season, and their sparse fan-base began to feel a sense of deja vu.

Adam LaRoche had given him a run of support with a solo-homer in the second inning , and Jackson continued to try to make that slim advantage stand by befuddling the Rays with his overpowering fastball-slider-changeup trio. His fastball was fired in the upper 90′s; his changeup in the high-80′s; his slider in the low 80′s. The speed differential and the way he mixed up his pitches caught Tampa Bay off guard. And, putting the Rays in even more danger, his wildness appeared to be behind him.

He hit Hank Blalock in the sixth but that was his only blip of the frame. In striking out Sean Rodriguez on all sliders to keep the no-hitter intact through six innings, he had reached the 100-pitch plateau. Six innings and 100 pitches. If he had allowed a hit, he would probably be replaced. But he had not, so manager A.J. Hinch stuck with him.

Jackson entered having thrown just two complete games in his seven-plus seasons, and had a 4-6 record with a 5.05 ERA. He had allowed 103 hits in 98 innings, struggling to say the least. But everything came together for him in this outing. And against his former team no less.

Jason Bartlett laced the seventh pitch of his at-bat, a slider, to begin the seventh right to third baseman Mark Reynolds, John Jaso got far underneath a heater and popped it up, then Ben Zobrist’s long battle ended just as the previous 27 had, without a hit. Six outs to go for one of the oddest no-hitters in major league baseball history.

Jackson was at the 117-pitch mark. Was he going to be replaced? No, not with history nearing his doorstep. Arizona’s bullpen is awful, one of the majors’ worst, and in a 1-0 game, calling the pen had to be the last thing on Hinch’s mind. Jackson was in until he allowed a hit, that was for certain. So he thought it best not to.

He showed signs of fatigue in the eighth, and an error by shortstop Stephen Drew that allowed Carlos Pena reach first didn’t help matters. But he persevered, and running on pure adrenaline, a dream was closing in on reality. He worked around the error, pumping in fastballs still hitting 93 on the gun to retire Matt Joyce, then benefited from a brilliant throw by catcher Miguel Montero to gun down speedy pinch-runner Carl Crawford trying to steal. Three outs away and 134 pitches thrown.

The 6-7-8 hitters–B.J. Upton, Hank Blalock, and Willy Aybar–were due up in the ninth, a potentially-historic inning. Incredibly, Jackson managed to find more than a little left in the tank. He found a few 95 miles-per-hour fastballs in his tired arm to dispose of Upton, who stared at the final of three pitches. Blalock watched 96 fly by for ball-one, knocked 95 foul for a 2-2 count, then weakly hit a slider with biting movement down to shallow right-field and into the glove of Gerrardo Parra.

Jackson had now thrown 142 pitches. He was breathing hard. His body looked fatigued. But he was pitching as if he had thrown only 20. Given his career has been tumultuous, he wanted the no-hitter so badly. Far too many times he has been wild and a run-allowing machine. In this game, this oh-so memorable game, he was just wild.

He missed on four-straight to Aybar for the eighth walk of his outing. Eighth, harnessing his inner Dontrelle Willis . Since the Diamondbacks were only ahead one-nil, a blast by Bartlett could end the no-hitter, shutout, and game. Unfortunately, he could not do this. He couldn’t get a hit either.

Jackson’s 147th pitch was fired over the heart of the plate. Presumably afraid an offspeed pitch would hang, it would be all fastballs from here on. Straight gas. Ninety-four was fouled back for strike-two. And another registered at 96 was nubbed across the infield to Drew.

Jackson thrust his fist into the air as Drew collected the grounder, then turned his head to first in anticipation, thrusting his magnificent right arm higher still. Drew’s throw smacked into LaRoche’s glove . Diamondbacks rushed towards Jackson from all directions. A celebratory mobbing ensued in front of a subdued and pathetically miniscule crowd inside domed Tropicana Field.

After throwing the second no-hitter in Diamondbacks history, he said, “I told him [Hinch] ‘I’m not coming out until I give up a hit, and if he wanted to rest me the next start he could,  but I’m not coming out of this game.” He didn’t have to. He wasn’t going to. Jackson’s only previous complete game shutout came three years ago. For his career, he has allowed on average 10 hits per nine innings pitched. He entered having pitched well in his past five starts. This was his moment. Taking him out for precautionary reasons wasn’t in the cards.

So, one-hundred and forty-nine pitches, eight walks, 27 outs , and no hits improbably injected Jackson’s name into the history books for the fourth no-no of this extraordinary Year of the Pitcher .

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I wasn’t all too surprised when the Rockies’ Ian Stewart clubbed a game-tying homer off Boston Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon. Then a shrug of the shoulders and a shake of the head followed the winning shot by Jason Giambi, an old nemesis when he was with the New York Yankees. Despite this struggle, Papelbon has put up serviceable numbers. It was just his second blown save of the season. Yet, he only had three all of last year. There is no question that something is wrong with him.

His fastball is straighter than usual and has lost some velocity. Bad combination. And the result is 7.58 strikeout-to-walk ratio, down three whole points from last year’s mark. His ERA is 3.64 this season; last year, it was a sparkling 1.85. Hitters are seeing 3.86 pitches per at-bat compared to 4.15 last season, meaning his repertoire lacks unpredictability. Opponents are sitting dead red and teeing off. Overall, he has allowed six homers, one more than last season’s total. If he allows one or two more runs and three more earned runs, he will amass last season’s totals as well. His WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) is its highest since his rookie season.

Daniel Bard, the Red Sox 24-year old flamethrower, pitched one-and-one-third scoreless innings of relief prior to Papelbon’s appearance to begin the ninth. His outing, and its contrast to Papelbon’s, exemplified the differences between the two pitchers. Bard is waiting in the wings. He is Papelbon’s successor, and I believe he should succeed him now. He is much younger, his fastball has six more miles-per-hour attached, and his offspeed pitches are far more effective. This season, he has been their best middle reliever, compiling 16 holds with a 2.13 ERA. He does have four blown saves to his name and has relinquished four homers, but overall his statistics dwarf Papelbon’s.

Papelbon is still an All-Star caliber closer. In basketball terms, he’s just lost a step. But since he is still relatively young and has the ability to rack up saves, he could bring a lot in return if put on the trade market. Boston could at least get a few good young players for his services, preferably an outfielder, a relief pitcher, and possibly a shortstop.

Bard could struggle out of the gate in Papelbon’s stead, but I would rather see him scuffle during the transition than watch someone in decline with value on the trade market serve up bombs. Bard has the tools to flourish in Papelbon’s role. Papelbon no longer does.

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When Nomar Garciaparra returned to Fenway Park last season as a member of the Oakland Athletics, the packed house gave him a resounding ovation. “Welcome Back!” signs were posted on the stadium’s green walls and held by fans with bittersweet feelings. He had an incredible history with the franchise, a history that makes him a compelling argument for the Hall of Fame.

That emotional tip of the cap brought tears to my eyes. It was a return to remember. Manny Ramirez ‘s didn’t warrant the same reaction, but it was just as memorable.

Both players had a similar history with Boston. They were franchise players. Yet, they had their differences. One was respected throughout his tenure. The other was also beloved, but faced far more scrutiny. All was forgiven in Nomar’s return. He left Boston on uneven terms, but he was the kind of player fans couldn’t stay made at. He was too nice, too likable, too important to their success for boos to reign down from the rafters.

Ramirez was these three things as well. But he didn’t try in his final days. He jogged down to first on groundballs. Sure-fire doubles were singles. And he was far more laid back fielding his position than the Red Sox and their fans were accustomed.

There was a time when his antics were hilarious. Some hilarity was justified. He would walk into the Green Monster to go to the bathroom during pitching changes and breaks in innings. He was seen massaging Julian Tavarez’s head in the dugout once. He pointed to fans in a kid-like manner. He clumsily went after flyballs. And he caused reporters to have laughing attacks in pre- and postgame interviews.

But Manny being Manny got old. The fans and the media turned on him, and rightfully so. No matter how much he had meant to their team, no matter how prolific he was, the lack of hustle and motivation earned him a one-way ticket out of Boston.

Upon his departure to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the team Boston faced today, I immediately felt sad. That soon turned bittersweet. I was on the fence. So was the Fenway crowd on this day. When Ramirez took batting practice, the reaction was a mixed bag. When his name was announced by the public address announcer as he strode to the plate, both boos and cheers consumed the historic stadium as I expected.

Twenty-two-year-old Felix Doubront , making his major league debut, retired Ramirez twice. He retired many other Dodgers in his first start, playing with a ton of poise despite allowing a crooked number here and there.

His offense spotted him three first inning runs. Two came on a towering home-run to dead center by David Ortiz which tied him with Ramirez with 254 homers as a member of the Red Sox.

J.D. Drew, who not surprisingly injured himself later in the contest, slugged a opposite field solo-shot for the third run, watching it barely climb over the wall to give Doubront insurance that would last until the Dodgers put together three runs in the third.

The game was tied entering the bottom of the fifth as Doubront settled down to toss two scoreless frames behind his fastball/curveball combo that made him such a heralded prospect. Boston’s bats thanked him for his gritty performance in a big way in their half of the frame, tagging starter Carlos Monasterios and then reliever Ramon Troncoso to break the game wide open.

The inning went like this: Dustin Pedroia single, Ortiz walk, Kevin Youkilis RBI-double, Joe Torre’s slow walk to the mound and the pitching change that ensued, a two-run single by Darnell McDonald, a two-run blast by Adrian Beltre on one knee that landed on Landsdowne Street beyond the Green Monster, a double by a slimmed Jason Varitek, a single by Mike Cameron, and an errant fastball that plunked Daniel Nava. Eight straight Red Sox reached and four runs were scored.

A fifth crossed the plate on a Pedroia sacrifice fly later in the frame. And with this offensive clinic, Doubront was in line for the win.

A victorious debut became very likely as excellent relief followed after his exit in the sixth inning. The advantage was 10-4 entering the ninth. Ramirez was due up sixth in the inning, and thanks to a leadoff homer by Garrett Anderson as well as two one-out singles, he strode to the plate with two out against flamethrower Daniel Bard.

He watched as strike three curved past in the seventh, and with a chance to pull his Dodgers within a run in the ninth, found himself down two strikes once more. A slider had missed for ball-three after four straight fastballs, and Ramirez seemed to be guessing Bard would mix it up and try to fire 98 past him. At least that’s what it appeared, considering the slider that ensued froze the Hall of Fame slugger, ending the game.

The fans cheered raucously as the Red Sox notched their 40th win and Doubront’s first. Ramirez walked briskly, helmet in hand back to the dugout. He was on the other side. It was a weird feeling. Why? Manny didn’t try in his final days in Boston, but he left a forgiving fan-base with so many incredible memories.

With the Red Sox, he etched his name in stone as one of their franchise’s best players and, in my opinion, one of the top ten hitters of all-time.

His attitude was unforgivable at times, but looking back at his laid-back play, effortless stroke, and downright silliness, I applauded from my living room as he walked to the plate during that second inning, just as thousands did filling Fenway’s seats, acknowledging the greatness that was the baggy-jerseyed, dreadlocked, and incredibly feared Manny Ramirez.

***

“I haven’t been right all year. I guess, you know, when you don’t feel good, and you still get hits, that’s when you know you are a bad man.” -Ramirez after hitting a game-winning homer in the 2007 ALCS against the Anaheim Angels.

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What happened at Fenway Park today exemplifies why baseball is the best sport there is. Yankee fans wouldn’t have enjoyed what took place, but anyone else with any brain capacity at all with a love for baseball and great stories would appreciate what Daniel Nava did.

With Mike Cameron, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Jeremy Hermida hampered by injuries, the Boston Red Sox core of outfielders entering their matchup against the Philadelphia Phillies was slim. Enter Nava, who was called up Friday to give them depth they desperately need

Nava, a 27-year-old 5’10″ switch-hitter, was plucked out of an independent league by the Red Sox in 2008. He hit .395 as a college senior at Santa Clara University, possessing stellar speed and plate discipline to compliment his solid bat. Despite his accomplishments and accolades in the Western Coast Conference, he went undrafted in the 2006 MLB Draft.

He caught on with the Chico Outlaws of the Independent Golden Baseball League and was extremely successful. He hit .371 in his lone season with the Outlaws, clubbing 12 homers and driving in 59 runs while stealing 18 bases, boasting an incredible .475 ob-base percentage, and walking more than striking out (48:42).

This caught the Red Sox eye, so they purchased his contract and assigned him to Single-A Lancaster. All he did there was pick up where he left off. So, impressed by his play, Boston promoted him to High-A Salem then watched him similarly produce in Double-A Portland to end the 2009 season.

Prior to being called up to the majors, he batted .294 with eight homers and 38 rbi’s with Triple-A Pawtucket. His increased strikeout rate was the only negative, but that went by the wayside.

Boston was taken aback by his ability to hit for average and get on base at an otherworldly clip throughout his professional career. And, considering the Red Sox want young outfielder Josh Reddick to get some more Triple-A at-bats under his belt, Nava packed his bags for Fenway.

He had originally attended Santa Clara strictly as a student. “He wasn’t a prospect,” his father, Don, said .

“He’s never been a prospect. He washed uniforms for two years at Santa Clara. He’s called me between the washer and the dryer. I say, ‘What are you doing?’ He says, ‘I’ve got a pocket full of quarters. I’m going from the washer to the dryer.’ The guy is getting kicked out of the Laundromat on a Saturday night in Compton, Calif.”

He was an equipment manager at first, but, after his inability to afford tuition at the University led him to enroll at the College of San Mateo, where he joined the baseball team. Collecting enough money, he returned to Santa Clara for that extraordinary senior year. And the rest is history. His journey is made even more amazing when taking into consideration what happened today, June 12, 2010—a day he will never forget.

Red Sox manager Terry Francona inserted him into the lineup against the Philadelphia Phillies, playing left field and batting ninth. After two runs were allowed by emergency-starter Scott Atchison in the top of the second, Boston teed off on the very predictable Joe Blanton. J.D. Drew hit a solo-homer to begin the frame, then three straight singles followed to load the bases for Nava.

The rookie strode to the plate, dug his cleats into the batter box’s dirt, looked out at Blanton, and waited for the first pitch he would see in his major league career. It was a sinker, one that stayed in the middle of the plate. Right down the pipe. Nava’s eyes lit up. He wasn’t going to let it go to waste.

Batting lefty, he started his swing and stung the offering deep to right-field. It was a no-doubter. A split second after the crack of the bat, TBS’s Dick Stockton’s voice rose jubilantly. The crowd stood in amazement. Who was this guy? They would soon know.

The ball skied over the short fence and into the bullpen. Cheers shook Fenway. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” was exclaimed by Stockton’s partner Tim McCarver as well as the duo broadcasting the scene on WEEI Radio. The unexpected at its best.

The fans were louder than those at Eugene, Oregon’s Hayward Field today when Andrew Wheating’s late kick won the 1,500 meters at the USA Outdoor’s NCAA Championships. I didn’t think that was possible. Wheating’s win was expected. His kick has wowed track fans everywhere. As an usher, I watched it transpire. He was in a dead heat with Oregon Duck teammates A.J. Acosta and Matt Centrowitz, but confident he would prevail, I turned around, thrust my arms into the air, and prematurely basked in his victory.

I would have celebrated similarly if I had seen Naza’s shot live. A grand slam , caught and saved by reliever Manny Delcarmen. A grand slam on the first major league pitch he saw.

He rounded the bases on cloud-nine, received congratulations from the three Red Sox he plated. All smiles, he jogged to the dugout and was greeted by Francona, who sported the same unforgettable grin.

Kevin Youkilis, who was taking the day off, played the role of helmet-masher, smacking his helmet in celebratory fashion as he walked down the dugout steps. High-fives abound and a curtain call followed. A better picture could not have been painted.

Reflecting on his blast that helped Boston scorch Philadelphia 10-2, he said, ”As I was rounding the bases, I think that’s when I kind of said, ‘Oh, man, I just hit a grand slam.’ That’s probably why I was sprinting the whole time because I was so obviously pumped for that moment and that opportunity. It’s pretty ridiculous.”

Indeed, and with his talent and Boston’s pool of injuries, he’ll have plenty more chances to build upon his euphoric, dreamlike debut.

He became the fourth player in major league history to hit a home-run in his first at-bat. He and Kevin Kouzmanoff are the only two to knock the first pitch out of the park.

He is the first Red Sox to homer in his first at-bat since Eddie Pellagrini did so way back in 1946.

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John Lackey had his best start as a member of the Red Sox. Jamie Moyer had the worst of his career.

Earlier this season, David Ortiz and John Lackey weren’t producing for the Boston Red Sox. Ortiz couldn’t get on base and Lackey had a tough time keeping men off them. Surely enough, to keep the success train running for the Red Sox, an ineffective Jamie Moyer cured Ortiz’s woes, and an anemic Philadelphia Phillies offense did the same for Lackey’s.

Moyer, 47 years young, has been tremendously effective during his golden years, but his 84 mile-per-hour fastball and assortment of slow off-speed pitches didn’t fool Boston’s bats. Ortiz, who had been mired in a 3-28 slump to start the month of June, especially proved troublesome. He doubled in Victor Martinez as part of a five-run first inning that culminated in a two-run shot by Mike Lowell , then sent Moyer to the showers by socking the Red Sox third consecutive double and fourth hit of the second inning. By the time reliever David Herndon obtained the third out of the frame, it was 9-0 in Boston.

Lackey, even with his recent struggles, would have a tough time squandering this early advantage. But for his sake, it was uplifting to see the Phillies reputably dangerous offense still cold. Good pitching has done them in, but their doom has also been impatience and simply trying too hard. During the series opener, it was a combination of the three. Lackey possessed control Boston had yet to see from their big offseason investment, and his pitch-count was relatively low due to Philadelphia’s over aggressiveness.

Thanks in part to a two-run single by Ortiz in the third that increased his season rbi-total to 39, Lackey was staked a 12-0 lead heading to the mound in the top of the fourth. Now, a win was firmly in the Red Sox grasp, and the 31-year old right hander made it even more so, limiting the Phillies to one run in the fourth after running into substantial trouble. He allowed just one run over the next three innings, and finished his seven innings pitched by throwing 62 of his 86 pitches for strikes and allowing six hits while walking no one.

In winning by the final score of 12-2, Boston socked 17 hits. Their offense has been producing at a high rate of late, and most of the pop has come from the middle of their lineup. Martinez, whose average has risen 50 points over the past month, has been their catalyst. He scored twice and had two RBI doubles. And Kevin Youkilis , who had the night off but is batting well over .300, have picked up an offense that has missed lead-off spark Jacoby Ellsbury , and hasn’t received expected production from former-MVP Dustin Pedroia . With unsurprising performance of Martinez, Youkilis, offseason signee Adrian Beltre , and now Ortiz, Boston has worked their way into the American League East race.

It’s early June with plenty of baseball left, but the Red Sox are paving themselves a pretty comfortable path. They have amassed 35 wins. Ortiz slumped for a long period of time to begin season. Ellsbury has been on the shelf. Pedroia hasn’t been himself. Marco Scutaro has been hot and cold. And prior to this excellent start by Lackey, solid pitching has been scarce. Clay Buchholz has been their ace, and Jon Lester , aside from last night’s struggles, has been dependable. But as a whole, the staff has underachieved. When not injured, Josh Beckett has been disastrous. Daisuke Matsuzak a has been wild. Tim Wakefield has served batting practice far too often. Lackey hasn’t made a smooth transition to the American League East. All of their troubles and the team is still only four games out of first place with a record of 36-27.

The Yankees have agonizingly watched slugger Mark Teixeira bat near the dreaded Mendoza Line, but are only a game behind the Tampa Bay Rays for first place. Given his struggles, their success is a scary thought. And likewise, just imagine if Lackey and Ortiz can deliver like they did against Philadelphia on a regular basis, and the likes of Ellsbury and Pedroia are able to return to full-strength; how deadly Boston would be in that amazingly competitive division once August and September come around.

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He was facing the Pittsburgh Pirates, a team with a major-league worst batting average of .237. The opposition was light, but he still had to stand on the mound in front of a soldout RFK Stadium, in front of over 40,000 Nationals fans expecting the world from him. The most hyped pitcher in history didn’t seem bothered by the incredible pressure. Instead, he bothered the Pirates to no end.

Equipped with a fastball that can hit 102 on the radar gun, a devastating curveball that at times had spitball movement , Strasburg dominated. He had a changeup and a breaking ball, but the fastball-curveball combination was enough on its own.

He struck out Lastings Milledge to end the first inning for the first strikeout of his major-league career, and walked off the mound to the most thunderous of ovations. He would have many more of both.

I watched him dazzle college hitters, then watched highlights of his splendid minor league outings, but I had no idea he would be this good on the major league-level right off the bat.

He fell behind 3-0 to Garrett Jones to begin the second inning. A 96 mile-per-hour fastball painted the corner for strike-one, then two heaters hitting 98 notched his second strikeout. The crowd was going ballistic, sitting on every pitch and relishing in his moment from the stands while he did from the mound.

A fastball, changeup, and curveball sent Delwyn Young, who said before the game “He’s just another pitcher,” back to the dugout. A fastball, curveball, and a changeup to retire Ronny Cedeno ended the frame. Four strikeouts through two innings: a trend that would continue.

Ninety-eight down the pipe, a changeup painting the outside corner, then a curveball had catcher Jason Jaramillo flailing for Strasburg’s fifth strikeout. The pitcher, Jeff Karstens, was overpowered just like the rest.

In the fourth, Strasburg showed he was human, allowing a two-run homer to Young, who managed to avenge the strikeout and back up his pregame comments by taking a 1-0 lead away from Washington. He didn’t strike out a batter in that inning. But that fact only made his final total that much more incredible.

He fanned Cedeno and Karstens in the fifth. The strikeout of Karstens began a string that will live in Nationals lore. A string that ended with him leaving the mound for the last time. All three Pirates whiffed in the sixth. And though he was seemingly done after that inning, having thrown 84 pitches and presumably on a strict pitch-count, he would have to opportunity to build upon his 11-strikeout night.

Manager Jim Riggelman’s decision paid off. With everyone on their feet, Strasburg battled with Jones. Five of the first six pitches were fastball then, with Jones guessing, he twirled in a curve. Jones swung through it, and headed back to the dugout. Young did the same, swinging through two fastballs to notch strikeout No. 13.

Six strikeouts in a row, and all accomplished by using strictly fastballs and curveballs. The Pirates knew what pitches he featured. They knew he had a blistering fastball, a curveball, and a seldom-used changeup. But they didn’t know what to do against it once their names were called.

Strasburg was dominant, and his spectacular night on the mound finished in fitting fashion. Adam LaRoche, the only Pirate he hadn’t already struck out, took a curveball for strike-one, swung through a second to fall into a hole, then was overpowered by a 99 mile-per-hour fastball. Fourteen strikeouts in seven innings , and a seventh ovation.

Strasburg failed to walk a batter and, thanks to back-to-back homers by Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham as part of a three-run sixth inning, was in line for the victory. Before tonight, no pitcher in Major League Baseball history had struck out 14 or more batters in 96 pitches or less. Strasburg needed only 94 to be the first.

He also became the first pitcher ever to strike out as many as 14 without issuing a walk in his debut.  And, his historic feat was made all the more special with that win. A win in an outing that changed the franchise’s future and began the Strasburg Era.

I expected him to be wild in his debut, or at least issue a few walks. He had so much pressure on his right arm entering the start, but he sure didn’t show it. He may struggle during his next few starts. His fastball might not be as crisp, nor located as properly. His curveball might not be as deceptive. But I certainly think the trouble he encounters will be minimal. Pitchers with his heat and offsetting offspeed pitches are very rare.

As his repertoire, movement, and placement suggested in his sensational debut, he will be a star for many years to come. And the Nationals and their ballooned fan-base are rightfully giddy about that possibility.

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Feats by Strasburg compiled in an article by ESPN’s Jayson Stark :

“His 14 strikeouts were the third-most by any pitcher in history in a big-league debut—behind only J.R. Richard (15) in 1971 and Karl Spooner (15) in 1954. But since that was slightly before the invention of pitch counts, both those guys went all nine innings, naturally. Strasburg had to cram his 14 K’s into just seven innings, before his pitch-count alarm went off at 94.

Then again, as the Elias Sports Bureau points out, the heck with debuts. Only five other pitchers since 1900 have had a 14-strikeout, zero-walk game in ANY game, at any point in their careers, in which they went seven innings or less. Those five: Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, Javier Vazquez, Mike Mussina, and Brad Penny. We’re guessing you’ve heard of them.

Meanwhile, here’s another mind-boggling feat to contemplate: In the very first game of Strasburg’s career, he set the Nationals’ “all-time” franchise record for most strikeouts in one game. What’s the degree of difficulty of that, even for a team that’s only been around since 2005? “That,” laughed [Drew] Storen, “is pretty ridiculous.”

But since baseball was, in fact, played in Washington before the Nationals arrived, let’s put this in further perspective. This was the first time that any pitcher for any Washington team struck out this many hitters in a game since the legendary 1962 game in which Tom Cheney, of the late, great Senators, struck out 21—in 16 innings.

And it was the first time any Washington pitcher had whiffed this many hitters in a game in D.C. since Camilo Pascual struck out 15 Red Sox batters, for the first version of the Senators, on April 18, 1960.”

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