Awesome

What a Rally!

Sox down 5-0 in the bottom of the 9th score SIX runs to win the game 6-5. Check out the NESN highlights of the inning…. when Lugo reaches 1B on the bobbled play at first to allow the tying and go-ahead runs to score the announcer goes nuts… you’d think we just won the WS.

Beckett pitched well but had to leave the game after 4 innings with a cut on his finger. Given his historical problems with blisters and the EIGHT GAME LEAD we currently have in the division I think the Sox should be cautious with him and not rush him back. Maybe even put him on the 15 day DL so he won’t come back before it’s totally healed.

MLB Power Rankings (Week 6)

1. New York Mets (LW: 1)
2. Los Angeles Angels (LW: 4)
3. Atlanta Braves (LW: 9)
4. Boston Red Sox (LW: 6)
5. New York Yankees (LW: 2)
6. Oakland Athletics (LW: 7)
7. San Diego Padres (LW: 3)
8. Detroit Tigers (LW: 10)
9. Minnesota Twins (LW: 5)
10. Chicago White Sox (LW:
11. Milwaukee Brewers (LW: 13)
12. San Francisco Giants (LW: 15)
13. Arizona Diamondbacks (LW: 1
14. St. Louis Cardinals (LW: 14)
15. Philadelphia Phillies (LW: 12)
16. Los Angeles Dodgers (LW: 20)
17. Houston Astros (LW: 22)
18. Cleveland Indians (LW: 11)
19. Florida Marlins (LW: 17)
20. Texas Rangers (LW: 19)
21. Seattle Mariners (LW: 26)
22. Toronto Blue Jays (LW: 16)
23. Cincinnati Reds (LW: 24)
24. Colorado Rockies (LW: 21)
25. Kansas City Royals (LW: 26)
26. Chicago Cubs (LW: 25)
27. Pittsburgh Pirates (LW: 27)
28. Baltimore Orioles (LW: 29)
29. Washington Nationals (LW: 30)
30. Tampa Bay Devil Rays (LW: 2

And now for something completely different

Coding hell today… getting re-acquainted with the Model-View-Presenter design pattern.

Model = data
View = visual representation of data
Presenter = orchestrates the retrieval and updating of data. It then lets the View know when data has changed.

Pretty slick pattern. The real advantage here is you can develop several MVP components that share similar Model data. Then one component updates its model, any other component that cares about it will receive a notification that it needs to update itself. This way components are very agnostic about each other.

Beckett goes to 7-0

Josh Beckett became the first pitcher this year in the majors to go 7-0. He gave up a solo HR on his first pitch, but aside from that he pitched excellent, at one point retiring 14 batters in a row as the Sox cruised to an easy 9-2 victory.

Youkilis had a first inning HR and then was (intentionally) drilled in the leg by a Toronto pitcher and had to leave the game. He’s currently listed as day-to-day. If he can’t go tonight Eric Hinske will get the start at first.

Tonight’s matchup features Daisuke Matsuzaka (3-2, 5.45 ERA) against Tomo Ohka (2-3, 5.50 ERA).

Boston @ Toronto Matchup for 5/8

Tonight’s starters will be Josh Beckett (6-0, 2.72ERA) v. Victor Zambrano (0-1, 5.63ERA). Beckett will be going for his 7th straight win. Zambrano is making his 2nd start of the year after being converted from a relief pitcher.

Surprise (NOT)… Clemens Goes to NY

Walking back to the house this morning with the local paper I noticed on the front page that Roger Clemens has decided to unretire yet again and join the NY Yankees. More on this in a minute, but first, some comments on the weekend games.

We took two out of three against the Minnesota Twins. The middle game (the one we lost) was only a 2-1 loss, and since it was against Santana, it’s not unexpected. It would have been nice to get to the Twins bullpen after Johan departed, but c’est la vie. Tavarez pitched well enough to keep the game close and is continuing to show he is a perfectly adequate #5 starter until Lester can join the team. Papelbon had two saves. His fastball was back up to 96mph and by last night’s game his control and location were doing better.

So, um, yeah… Roger Clemens. Is anyone who remotely follows baseball at all surprised? For his entire career it is very clear that there is only one thing that is important to Roger…. Roger. He had a very cushy situation in Houston and the only thing that was going to get him to join another team (or even Houston again for that matter) was a sizeable salary. The Yankees (they of the eternally deep pocketbook… and I’m not talking about the one A-Rod carries) offered him up what amounts to a $28 million dollar salary for one year. Even after pro-rating the salary it will still amount to a million bucks a start. Who wouldn’t like that type of money.

I think it was a pretty smart move for NY. They need the extra help more than Boston currently does. Clemens doesn’t need to be their ace. Even if he still pitches with an ERA in the mid 4.00s (like in 2003, his last year in the AL East) he’ll help them out).

The CHB had a predictable diatribe in his column this morning. I emailed him a couple of corrections but I doubt he’ll bother to respond.

Meanwhile, we’re 20-10 and off today. Tomorrow night we start a three game set in Toronto and then a nice long home stretch against the Orioles, Tigers and Braves (interleague already?!?!?)

MLB Power Rankings (Week 5)

1. New York Mets (LW: 1)
2. New York Yankees (LW: 4)
3. San Diego Padres (LW: 7)
4. Los Angeles Angels (LW: 2)
5. Minnesota Twins (LW: 3)
6. Boston Red Sox (LW:
7. Oakland Athletics (LW: 5)
8. Chicago White Sox (LW: 6)
9. Atlanta Braves (LW: 9)
10. Detroit Tigers (LW: 13)
11. Cleveland Indians (LW: 11)
12. Philadelphia Phillies (LW: 12)
13. Milwaukee Brewers (LW: 16)
14. St. Louis Cardinals (LW: 17)
15. San Francisco Giants (LW: 15)
16. Toronto Blue Jays (LW: 10)
17. Florida Marlins (LW: 1
18. Arizona Diamondbacks (LW: 14)
19. Texas Rangers (LW: 19)
20. Los Angeles Dodgers (LW: 21)
21. Colorado Rockies (LW: 25)
22. Houston Astros (LW: 20)
23. Kansas City Royals (LW: 26)
24. Cincinnati Reds (LW: 22)
25. Chicago Cubs (LW: 27)
26. Seattle Mariners (LW: 24)
27. Pittsburgh Pirates (LW: 23)
28. Tampa Bay Devil Rays (LW: 29)
29. Baltimore Orioles (LW: 30)
30. Washington Nationals (LW: 2

On the road again…

Sox won in Minnesota last night 2-0 on the strength of a fine outing by Tim-MAY, an Ortiz HR and a Coco Crisp RBI single. Paps came on to get his 9th save in 10 chances. Curious why Tito went with the platoon of Romero and Donnelly for the 8th instead of Okajima. Can’t have Hideki pitch every game and maybe he wanted to get Romero some action against his former team. J.C. got 2 outs in the 8th and then gave up a hit and was pulled immediately for Donnelly who got the final out of the inning.

Tonight’s matchup features Julian “Living on Borrowed Time” Tavarez against Johan “Don’t Call Me Jonathan” Santana.

Manny Ramirez Asks Red Sox If He Can Work From Home

May 3, 2007 | | Onion Sports

BOSTON—Claiming that a relaxed atmosphere and a chance to create his own schedule would greatly benefit his productivity, Red Sox left-fielder Manny Ramirez has asked team officials if he can play the remainder of the season from the comfort of his own home. “My client just can’t seem to focus in his current place of work,” said Ramirez’s agent Greg Genske, noting that Fenway Park’s loud, boisterous atmosphere and high-stress, pressure-packed environment are “not ideal working conditions for anyone.” “Manny seeks a work space where he doesn’t have to constantly travel, can wear whatever he wants, and can work at his own pace. I assure you that he will be able to put up the same statistics he normally does while physically on a baseball diamond. Just give him until November or December.” The Red Sox have tentatively agreed to allow Ramirez to telecommute, claiming that although their offense may suffer without him at the ballpark, their defense in a vacant left field may substantially improve.

(link)