Boston: 2005 & Beyond

[This Is Not Here]

An avid Red Sox fan, I have taken one of the 2005 roster sets and taken over the boys from Boston. I'll illustrate through news stories, interviews, clippings, journal entires, etc., the day by day happenings of the Sox in 2005.

And just because I'm random -- we'll start the coverage on April 11 - Patriot's Day, with the Red Sox at 3-3 on the young season.

Also, I have created myself (Shaun Moriarty) as a utility prospect. I'm hardly a big time blue chip prospect, hell I'll be happy to make the big leagues. But I know the game and who knows, maybe someday I'll manage.

Let the fun begin!

[This Is Not Here]

April 11, 2005

Mueller Out For Month
BOSTON (AP) -- Red Sox thirdbaseman Bill Mueller suffered a groin injury that will keep him out of the lineup for at least a month.
The switch-hitter came up to the plate in the last of the fourth in the annual Patriots Day Game at Fenway Park when he tripled down the firstbase line off of New York Yankees hurler Mike Mussina.
As rightfielder Gary Sheffield scurried after the ball, Mueller scrambled around the bases and beat Tony Womack's relay to Alex Rodriguez at thirdbase. Unfortunately for the former batting champion, he tore a groin muscle in the process.
His replacement in the game was Kevin Youkilis, who went 0-2 with a run scored in Boston's 6-4 loss to the Yankees.
Team doctors said after the game that Mueller will be out for roughly four weeks.
After the game, the Red Sox placed Mueller on the 15-day disabled list and replaced him on the roster with utility man Lou Merloni, a native of Framingham, Mass.
Merloni, 34, has played the majority of his career with Boston.
He debuted in 1998, playing in 39 games and hitting .281 with a homerun and 15 RBI in 96 at bats. His lone homer came during his first at bat at Fenway Park.
In 409 career games over seven years, he's hit .273 with 14 homeruns and 123 RBI. In addition to Boston, he has also played for the San Diego Padres (the beginning of 2003 before returning to the Red Sox) and with the Cleveland Indians last year.


League Transactions
-- The New York Yankees released Omar Daal and signed Santiago Ramirez, Steve Cox, Denny Hocking, Edwards Guzman, Charles Gipson, Barry Wesson, Olmedo Saenz, Andre Ethier and Oswaldo Navarro to minor league contracts.
-- The Texas Rangers released Chad Allen, Kameron Loe and Michael Tejera; signed Matt Guerrier to a minor league contract.
-- The Cincinnati Reds released Luke Prokopec, Chris Booker, Juan Cerros, Julio Zuleta and Ricky Stone.
-- The Cincinnati Reds signed Tino Martinez, Rodrigo Rosario, Stephen Randolph and Dustin Majewski to minor league contracts, Yo****aka Mizuo to a one-year deal worth $724,000.
-- The Kansas City Royals released Brian Anderson and signed Jason Kosow, Luis Lopez, George Arias, Mike Redmond and Phil Hiatt to minor league contracts.
-- The Colorado Rockies released Keith Osik and signed Vance Wilson to a one-year deal worth $300,000.
-- The Los Angeles Dodgers released Scott Dunn and signed Kevin Cave to a minor league contract.
-- The San Diego Padres signed Daniel Konecny, Brent Mayne and Dean Palmer to minor league contracts.
-- The Philadelphia Phillies released Andres Galarraga and signed Randy Flores to a one-year deal worth $1.568 million.
-- The Atlanta Braves signed Jed Hansen and Yuniesky Betancourt to minor league contracts.
-- The Florida Marlins signed Sandy Alomar Jr. and John Flaherty to minor league contracts.
-- The Toronto Blue Jays released Buddy Carlyle, Randy Dicken, Scott Schoeneweis, Luther Hackman and Ken Huckaby; signed Cal Eldred to a one-year deal worth $720,000; signed Brook Fordyce and Einar Diaz to minor league contracts.
-- The Pittsburgh Pirates released Paul Chiaffredo, Mike Johnston, Charles Maldonado and John Grabow; signed Ryan Franklin to a one-year deal worth $488,000; signed Jeriome Robertson and Mike Porzio to minor league deals.
-- The Chicago White Sox released Jorge Toca and signed David Shepard to a minor league contract.
-- The New York Mets released Aaron Heilman.
-- The San Francisco Giants signed Jamie Burke to a one-year $300,000 deal.
-- The Houston Astros released Trenidad Hubbard and signed Ben Davis to a minor league contract.
-- The Milwaukee Brewers released Wes Obermueller and Ricky Bottalico.
-- The Minnesota Twins released Mo Vaughn, Kimera Bartee and Todd Ritchie; signed Preston Larrison to a minor league contract.
-- The Cleveland Indians released Kyle Denney and Kyle Collins; signed Mike Stanton to a one-year deal worth $800,000.
-- The Oakland A's signed Jon Rauch to a minor league contract.
-- The Chicago Cubs released Jared Blasdell and signed Chris Heintz to a one-year deal worth $300,000; signed Pedro Astacio to a minor league contract.
-- The Washington Nationals released Chris Latham and Robert Machado.
-- The Los Angeles Dodgers released Rodney Myers and signed Mike Crudale to a one-year deal worth $724,000.
-- The Arizona Diamondbacks signed Sandy Martinez to a minor league contract.
-- The Seattle Mariners released Jared Thomas and signed John Koronka to a minor league contract.
-- The Tampa Bay Devil Rays signed Mike Judd to a minor league contract.
-- The Baltimore Orioles released Jason Grimsley and Rodney Ormond; signed Brian Hensen to a minor league contract.

[UngratefulDead]

Originally Posted by This Is Not Here

Yo****aka Mizuo

He's a mystery wrapped in an enigma.

Looking good so far, TINH.

[benchwarmer]

nice to see a sox solo up...keep up the good work.

[This Is Not Here]

April 12, 2005

The Red Sox have an offday today and will resume their three-game series with the New York Yankees tomorrow.

The following is an excerpt from The Big Show, a sports talk show on local radio station WEEI-AM 850. In studio for a quick interview was Red Sox lead off man and centerfielder Johnny Damon, who was also promoting his new book.



Ordway (Host): Johnny, you're off to a very slow start so far but you're coming off a career year in homeruns and RBI. Lot of Sox fans are already calling for you to be dropped in the order until you get your average up, what do you think about that.
Damon: Um, it's early, we've only, um, played seven games so far. I'll, um, be fine, I just have to get some more at bats and um, everything will be fine. Um, I don't really care if I hit um, .152, .252 or .352 as long as um, the team wins.

Ordway: You're a free agent at the end of the season - has the team come to you about a contract extension yet? Do you want to stay here? Where else would you go?
Damon: Um, the team hasn't um, really had negotiations yet. Um, I definitely want to um, stay in Boston, I, um, love it here. Um, my first priority is to um, stay here. Maybe I'll um, retire rather than play somewhere else, I've, um, already got a World Series ring, um, and that was my big um, goal. There are some, um, other teams I'd consider playing for, um, but I'm not even, um, worried about that yet. I, um, hope I don't have to worry, um, about that.




Transactions
-- The Pittsburgh Pirates released Bobby Hill.

[benchwarmer]

nice! i love the radio interview! Whens Curts!!! I'm sure he has some tasteful things to say, as always..

[This Is Not Here]

April 13, 2005




Scoring Summary
Top 1: Bernie Williams hits a solo homerun to left-center off Bronson Arroyo. 1-0 NYY.
Bot 1: Kevin Millar doubles to left-center off Randy Johnson, Johnny Damon scores from firstbase. Edgar Renteria hits sacrifice fly to left-center, Millar scores. 2-1 BOS.
Top 2: Jorge Posada hits a solo homerun to leftfield off Arroyo. 2-2.
Bot 2: Jay Payton doubles to rightfield, Mark Bellhorn scores from secondbase. 3-2 BOS.
Top 3: Williams singles past Millar at firstbase, Tony Womack scores from secondbase. Alex Rodriguez hits sacrifice fly to leftfield, Derek Jeter scores from thirdbase. Gary Sheffield hits sacrifice fly to centerfield, Williams scores from thirdbase. 5-3 NYY.
Bot 3: Renteria doubles to leftfield, Millar and Manny Ramirez score. 5-5.
Top 4: Williams singles past Bellhorn at second, Jeter scores from thirdbase. 6-5 NYY.
Top 5: Matsui hits into double-play, Giambi scores from thirdbase. 7-5 NYY.
Bot 5: Payton reaches on throwing error by Randy Johnson, Jason Varitek scores. Johnny Damon singles through right side of infield, Doug Mirabelli and Payton score. 8-7 BOS.
Bot 6: Bellhorn singles through right side of infield, Ramirez scores from secondbase. Mirabelli doubles to leftfield off Johnson, Bellhorn scores. 10-7 BOS.

Final: 10-7
Win: John Halama, BOS (1-0)
Loss: Randy Johnson, NYY (0-3)
Save: Keith Foulke (2)




RotoWorld Transaction Report
The Kansas City Royals released 3B Jarrod Patterson.
Patterson played in just one game this year, going 0-3 with a walk and a strikeout. The .227 career hitter has played in 27 games over three seasons with Detroit and Kansas City.

The St. Louis Cardinals claimed SS Alex S. Gonzalez off waivers from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and designates SS Rey Ordonez for assignment.
Gonzalez hasn't appeared in a single game yet this year and is coming off a 2004 in which he hit .225 with 7 HR, 27 RBI in 83 games. In '03, he hit .228/20/59. He brings a better bat than Ordonez (so do most pitchers) but is not nearly as good defensively. Gonzalez will back up David Eckstein at shortstop while Ordonez will likely have some time off this summer.

The Pittsburgh Pirates claimed P Dewon Brazelton off waivers from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
The Rays decided Brazelton wasn't for them this year and optioned him to AAA to start the season. In one minor league start, he went 8 innings, letting up 6 earned runs on 15 hits and 4 walks while striking out 9 and picked up the win. He has been assigned to AAA Indianapolis. He is 7-15 in his big league career.

The Philadelphia Phillies claimed P Ervin Santana off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Santana has been very good in AA in his first two starts. He is 2-0 with a 1.00 ERA and 0.94 WHIP. In 18 innings, he has two complete games and a shutout, he has let up two runs on 12 hits and 5 walks while striking out 15. He has been placed in Reading, the AA affiliate for the Phillies.

[benchwarmer]

RJ 0-3..i love it.

[This Is Not Here]

April 14, 2005




Schilling Schelled, Sheffield Shelved
BOSTON (AP) -- Red Sox ace Curt Schilling was lit up by the Bronx Bombers in a 7-2 loss at Fenway Park.
Schilling was charged with seven runs, six earned, on nine hits over 7 2/3 innings. He struck out seven.
Derek Jeter and Gary Sheffield hit homeruns off Schilling in the first inning and New York never looked back. Sheffield later hit a second homerun off Schilling in the sixth inning.
The Yankees rightfielder suffered a stroke of bad luck later in the game when he dislocated his shoulder making a catch. The 36-year-old is expected to miss the rest of the month. In nine game so far, he's hitting .333 with 6 homeruns and 13 RBI.
The Yankees called up outfielder Barry Wesson to replace Sheffield, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list. Wesson, 28, was signed to a minor league deal earlier this week and is 4 for 9 in AAA to date. In 25 career big league games, Wesson has hit .194 with one homer and four RBI.



RotoWorld Transaction Report
The San Francisco Giants claimed OF Jayson Werth off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The 25-year-old outfielder is hitless in 7 at bats in AAA so far but is coming off his first year of significant playing time in the majors. In 89 games for the Dodgers last year, he hit .262 with 16 HR, 47 RBI. The .255 career hitter will be assigned to AAA and won't get much opportunity as San Francisco has six outfielders on their big league roster already, not counting Pedro Feliz who has played in the corner outfield positions.

[benchwarmer]

Jeter and Sheff homered off Schill? It must be the riods...

[This Is Not Here]

April 15, 2005





Sox Pound Rays
BOSTON (AP) -- The Red Sox beat up on former Boston hurler Hideo Nomo in a 12-6 drubbing of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Fenway Park today.
Boston hit early and often, scoring 12 runs on 16 hits and five walks and knocked the Japenese pitcher out of the game in the fourth inning. Each starter managed at least one hit in the game.
Boston opened up on Tampa in the first inning, scoring four runs. Leftfielder Manny Ramirez highlighted the inning with a 427-foot three-run homerun to rightfield.
Kevin Millar also homered for the Red Sox, a two-run shot that knocked Nomo out of the game in the fourth inning with a lopsided score of 10-1.
Nomo's pitching line was not impressive as he let up 10 runs, nine of which were earned, on 12 hits and a pair of walks in 3 2/3 innings. He struck out two and threw 86 pitches, 51 for strikes. Nomo is now 0-1 with a 22.09 ERA on the young season.
Outfielders Johnny Damon and Trot Nixon had three hits a piece while Edgar Renteria, Ramirez and Millar had two each. Renteria, who tripled in the second, scored three runs in the contest.
Rob Bell (1-2, 5.61) will take on Wade Miller (0-1, 10.00) at Fenway tomorrow at 2:05 p.m.




RotoWorld Transaction Report
The Cincinnati Reds have claimed 1B John Olerud off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles.
The 36-year-old Olerud was signed to a minor league deal by Baltimore two weeks ago and has not played in a single professional game yet this season. He hit .259 with 9 homeruns and 48 RBI in 127 games for the Mariners and Yankees.

The Toronto Blue Jays have claimed P Kent Mercker off waivers from the Cincinnati Reds.
Mercker, 37, has had a good start to the season in his first four outings. The reliever has let up two earned runs in six innings of work for Cincinnati and is coming off a 3-1, 2.55 ERA, 71 game season for the Cubs. In the first year of a two-year deal worth a total of $2.6 million, this could be a good pickup for the Jays.

The Colorado Rockies have claimed P Rheal Cormier off waivers from the Philadelphia Phillies.
The veteran southpaw has pitched just once this year - and that was in AAA where he faced just one batter. He was 4-5 with a 3.56 ERA in 84 games last year and is under contract through next season at $2.6 million per year. Don't expect much from the 37-year-old at Coors Field.

The Baltimore Orioles have claimed P Carlos Chantres off waivers from the Philadelphia Phillies.
The 29-year-old career minor leaguer is off to a very nice start in AAA, despite his 0-2 record. In his three starts, he has gone 25 innings, striking out 13 and yielding six earned runs for a 2.16 ERA. The Orioles have placed him on the active roster and are expected to pencil him in the fourth spot, inbetween Bruce Chen (1-2, 9.35) and Sidney Ponson, who has not yet pitched this year.

[This Is Not Here]

April 16, 2005





Sox Blown Out Of Water By D-Rays
BOSTON (AP) -- The Boston Red Sox rallied for three runs in the last of the ninth but came up more than a dozen runs short at Fenway Park in a 16-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Tampa collected 19 hits off Red Sox pitching, including triples from Carl Crawford and Damon Hollins while Aubrey Huff hit his fourth homerun of the year and Pete Laforest knocked two out of the park.
Crawford needed a homerun to hit for the cycle.
The majority of the damage came early on off starter Wade Miller, who has struggled thus far. In 3 2/3 innings, Miller was lit up for 11 runs, 10 earned, on 13 hits and a pair of walks. He is now 0-2 with a 14.21 ERA.
Tim Wakefield (2 1/3 IP, 3 ER) and Mike Timlin (1/3 IP, 2 ER) were also roughed up for the Sox with Matt Mantei, who went 2 2/3 hitless innings and struck out four.
Boston's lineup mustered seven hits with Kevin Millar the lone Red Sox hitter to pick up multiple basehits. Starters Edgar Renteria, Trot Nixon, Jason Varitek and Jay Payton also collected hits.
Doug Mirabelli, who pinch-hit for Renteria in the ninth, hit a solo homerun in his only at bat of the game. Payton knocked in Boston's other two runs.



RotoWorld Transaction Report
The Texas Rangers traded pitchers Brian Shouse, Frank Francisco and Travis Hughes to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for outfielder Bubba Trammell.
What was Texas thinking? Shouse, 4 1/3 innings of scoreless relief thus far, is coming off a season in which the lefty posted a 2.23 ERA in 53 games last year. Francisco, as a rookie last year, appeared in 45 games, going 5-1 with a 3.33 ERA, striking out 60 batters in 51 1/3 innings. Hughes, under minor league contract, has pitched 3 2/3 innings in AAA this year, yielding just one hit. Meanwhile, the 33-year-old Trammell has struggled in the big leagues and played in just one game for Tampa Bay, walking and scoring a run. He hit .200 with five RBI in 22 games for the Yankees in 2003, his last year in the big leagues.