Projo Sox Blog

And, with that it mind, the search begins for greater themes in these victories. Sean McAdam found two in their second consecutive 8-2 win in Kansas City: A much-needed victory for the criminally undersupported Tim Wakefield, and the continued offensive resurgence of Jacoby Ellsbury (above). Truth be told, the latter is more important to the Sox than the former. Wakefield, after all, didn't really pitch much differently yesterday than he has all season, but he finally got some run support to work with. But the slumping Ellsbury has been a millstone on the Sox' offense since he stopped hitting (and running) six weeks ago, so his performance over the last two games -- five hits, including a home run, and two stolen bases (not to mention a tumbling catch for the ages in center field last night) -- gives hope that he's returning to normal; if he is, the Sox can reconstruct their lineup to get him back on top and J.D. Drew back in the middle, which should stretch out the attack.

They'll need it, because the road gets a little rougher over the weekend: Four games in Chicago against the first-place White Sox.

IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING: The dark cloud around the silver lining last night was the pitch that hit Kevin Youkilis in the hand in the first inning, forcing him out of the game. McAdam reports x-rays were negative and he's day-to-day.

DAY (ACTUALLY, NIGHT) OF REST: The eight-run outburst was accomplished without any help from Dustin Pedroia, who was given the night off. McAdam has the details. The Globe's Nick Cafardo has a nice profile of the All-Star second baseman.

STILL LOOKING: McAdam says the Sox remain in the market for relief help.

PROTECTION RACKET: There's been a lot of talk recently about how the loss of Manny Ramirez will hurt the Red Sox because it will deprive David Ortiz of "protection" in the batting order. Many baseball analysts will tell you the "protection" theory is a bunch of hooey -- or something -- and Theo Epstein himself said the other day that Ortiz' numbers without Ramirez in the lineup are better than they are with him. Our old friend Lyford crunches those numbers and shows just how right Theo is.

The one point in the traditionalists' favor: Ortiz walks far more often without Ramirez than with him, and that could be (could be?) a direct result of teams pitching around him.

G38 AND THE NATION: Many thanks to old friend Sean Carroll for an e-mail tipoff to a spirited back-and-forth between Curt Schilling and some members of Sons of Sam Horn; the thread actually had been started prior to the trade deadline, but Schilling jumped in yesterday morning at 10:06 and that page, the fifth of the thread, is where I've made the link.

Schilling was frustrated at the continued defense of Ramirez (and the, perhaps related, bashing of Jason Varitek), and asked, "How did a city so steeped in tradition and filled with blue collar people become so ok with a man sticking his middle finger up to anyone in the world that would look?" He also commented: "So in a nutshell it really is about BA, HR, RBI at the end of the day right?" [He was corrected by Captain Laddie: "VORP, WARP, and OPS+ around here."] . . . "If you can hit when you feel like it all is forgiven."

The Sons, as is their wont, didn't back down. And it all seemed to lead to a Schilling ephiphany:

"As much as I want to 'hang out' here and on some of the gaming forums and just 'be one of the guys', it's not possible. I have been naive enough to think I could and you could just 'let it happen' but at the end of the day it really is not possible."

Because, in the end, the wall that separates participant from spectator is impenetrable. It shields the public from a dimension -- the human dimension -- that players feel is imperative if you wish to see the complete picture.

"Jason Varitek is a man I'd lay down my life for, on and off the field, Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Mike Lowell, Wake, Dougie, Papi, all of them. Put 24 guys in a clubhouse who'd kill for you and you for [them], with 1 guy that didn't give a [damn] about you" -- an obvious reference to Ramirez -- "well, can you see where I am coming from?

"Anyone remember the '04 game when D Lowe was leading (the Dodgers I think) 1-0 in Boston and Foulke came in to close the game? Remember what happened in the 9th? Shallow VERY routine fly ball to left? Ho hum, light jog in, glove non-chalantly up, oops? Drop, run scored, game tied. 4 days of grinding his [butt] off for D Lowe? So what. Blown Save for Foulke? So what. We ended up winning the game and at the end of the day it was 'Manny being Manny'. "

That nonchalant attitude -- dismissed by most fans (if the never-ending cheers Ramirez heard for most of his 7 1/2 years here are any indication) but apparently despised by most players -- grates at Schilling, especially when more committed teammates, like Varitek, aren't forgiven by the Nation for their on-field sins:

"I take the loss in a game Tek punches out with the bases loaded I'll sleep like a baby. I know for a guaranteed life betting fact that the man did everything in his God Given ability to succeed at the plate, behind the plate, on the bases and in the clubhouse because of the gut wrenching fear anyone would ever suspect he didn't play the game right, respect the uniform, appreciate the fact that some kid at that game might be watching his first ever baseball game, or care about his teammates."

There's (much) more. Click the link and read it through. It's worth it.

THE ULTIMATE COMPLIMENT: Joe Posnanski touched on the same topic -- sort of -- when he examined a Sports Illustrated poll of general managers who were asked which big-league player they'd choose to build their team around. Albert Pujols finished eighth and Posnanski thinks that's insane and explains why in great detail; then he concludes with a quote one of Pujols' Cardinal teammates: "Albert is so good" -- in his work ethic, in his commitment to winning, etc. -- "that you feel like you let him down when you screw up."

"I thought that had to be the ultimate line that could ever be said about a ballplayer," writes Joe. "I build my baseball team around that ballplayer."

THE OFFICIAL WORD . . . is "rotator-cuff tendinitis," which doesn't sound as bad as everyone originally thought. But that's what the Yankees said Jorge Posada had, too (New York Daily News), and we all know he just had season-ending shoulder surgery. So you'll forgive Tyler Kepner of the New York Times, Peter Abraham of the Journal-American and others if they remain skeptical about the medical outlook for Joba Chamberlain, at least for the remainder of this season. Chamberlain, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list, will rest a week and then begin throwing again (New York Post); what happens after that is uncertain. The Post is asking its readers how the season can be saved; toward that end, the Daily News' John Harper says the team leaders -- Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez -- have to stand up and lead the way in this time of injury and turmoil.

FURTHERMORE . . . The Yankees suffered another injury last night, as catcher Ivan Rodriguez hurt his knee in a collision with David Murphy at home plate and had to be taken out of the game. They say it's just bruised and he's day-to-day, which had to be a relief for the Yanks. Also a relief: They won the game against the Rangers, 5-3. (New York Post)

WE NEED YOUR VOTE: Big League Stew wants to know who you think should be the play-by-play announcers for the final regular-season game at Yankee Stadium.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES? The Rays trailed the Indians, 7-4, heading into the bottom of the ninth inning yesterday, but before the first out was recorded . . . well, scratch that. The mind-bending Cleveland bullpen didn't get an out, as the Rays scored six runs -- capped by a three-run homer from Carlos Pena -- and pulled out a 10-7 win that had Tony Fabrizio of the Tampa Tribune gushing: "Wednesday's was the kind [of victory] that can crystallize the belief that with this team, in this season, anything is attainable. Anything." (Emphasis his.) True . . . especially when the other team tries to close out the game with Edward Mujica and Masa Kobayashi.

LESSON LEARNED: So says B.J. Upton, who was benched for not hustling. (Tampa Tribune)

NO, NO, A THOUSAND TIMES NO: ShysterBall's Craig Calcaterra explains why the Orioles shouldn't sign Mark Teixeira as a free agent.

OLD FRIENDS: Derek Lowe has the worst game of his career last night. (Baseball Musings)

-- ART MARTONE