Number Nine? Number Nine? Number Nine?

April 9, 2008

Game Nine
Detroit @ Boston

Jon Lester starting tonight for Boston, coming off of a strong performance against Oakland, facing Jeremy Bonderman of the Tigers.

Boston feed on the XM, with Joe Castiglione and Dale Arnold on the call. Nice to hear Dale Arnold’s voice again, which I haven’t heard, I don’t think, since I lived in Boston. He’s more of a hockey guy, but he’s a fine baseball guy as well.

Bases loaded in a 0-0 game in the bottom of the second, with Bonderman apparently willing to walk the ballpark. Ellsbury also walks, driving in the first run of the game.

The Tigers are without question one of the mysteries of the season-0-7 thus far, and they are a loaded team-fine starting pitching, star studded lineup. Bullpen questions, but who doesn’t have those?

Sean Casey, however, pinch hit for Lowell in this inning, which implies something is wrong with Lowell. That’s not good, if it’s anything serious.

Lugo singles, knocking in a run for a 2-0 lead.

A double play ends the frame to kill the rally, but 2 early runs will do fine, as long as Lester keeps throwing strikes.

There are some Yankee injury questions-supposedly Jeter and Posada are banged up as well. So that’s good for us, from a competition point of view. I don’t wish either man ill-they’re classy dudes.

Sean Casey rips a double to give Boston second and third with two out-Bonderman still having trouble with high pitches. That rally dies, so it’s still 2-0.

Lester walks Cabrera and Guillen to start the 4th. Bad news.

Arnold takes a cheap shot at Bill James-Edgar Renteria is one of the best “clutch hitters” in baseball, then adding parenthetically, “Sorry, Bill James.” Well, sorry, Dale Arnold, but the last thing Bill James wrote on the topic said clearly that he DIDN’T KNOW whether or not there was such a thing as clutch hitting. Bill James goes where the evidence leads him, no more, no less.

Renteria makes a fool of me by rocking a ball into the gap to score both runners to tie the game at 2. That was pretty clutchy.

Lester’s got to throw some strikes here, homes. Quit bitching and throw the ball over the plate.

Marcus Thames, who seems like he should be an Englishman, is battling him hard.

Home run! #%^@%$@&^!

A Fenway homer, it sounds like-not a shot, just snuck one over the Wall. The Wall giveth, and the Wall taketh away.

Lester got jobbed on a few ball strike calls, it sounds like, but when you’re all over the map, and a second year pitcher, you’re not going to get the call. That’s not the way it should be-you should get calls whether you’re Grover Cleveland Alexander or Jon Lester. A strike is a strike is a strike is a strike.

But that’s not the way it is.

But Boston comes back, Pedroia coming up with 2 on, 2 out. Unfortunately, Lugo is picked off of second, which will win him no friends.

Still 4-2 Detroit, top 8.